The reason so many Mustangs crash, is ultimately because Ford succeeded at what they aimed for: A cheap, powerful, fun car, that most anyone can save up their spare change and get one.
@@BlueTrane2028 literally learn how to drive a car with little to no driving assist learn the car respect it and you won't Have issues it's only when you stop respecting what the car can do or depend on the computer to save you that you fuck it up
@@GordyBro doesn't the C7 have a Lim slip and more control arms? Correct me if I'm wrong. Edit: I just went and looked it up because I couldn't remember. Corvettes use IRS so completely different beast. No steel beam holding the rears together on a Corvette
I was a tech at a Ford dealer when these were new. This body style attracted some of the kookiest late-middle aged men. I had one guy who wanted me to get in the car without even touching the door handles. Another who was literally crying when he saw his transmission disassembled awaiting new synchros. He said the car was his baby and should be home in his warm garage. Don't even get me started on the Bullitt guys who sport matching jackets.
Considering how lame the bullet ones are, I'd stay away from those guys. I don't wanna end up being a skin lamp in his basement. Something is off about anyone who picks that instead of the good one.
i like his line about the celica being a car for the guy who learned to eat pussy by watching his dog lick up spilled ramen noodles off the kitchen floor
While I can't relate to RCR's stories about growing up in 1990s PA, I can certainly relate to that quip, even though I think I played the Advance SP (frontlit) more often than the original horizontal GBA.
Basically, and i've got an automatic, and i made the stupid mistake of flooring the accelerator, not doing that again, no damage but i saw a K-rail and i was going sideways.
The 3.27s in the '15 Camaro SS IRS that's installed in our Lemons prepped Chevette needs to go. Engine makes about 260 wheel, so at least 300 crank. So, not down all that much to this Mustang, but it bogs down a bit. Super tame to drive. Admittedly, not a bad thing for endurance racing but would be nice to have more acceleration to match the incredible brakes we have in it. Anyways, I digress. What I'm really picking at is, 3.27s in the Camaro are probably why less of them get involved in cars and coffee style memery. So, you out there new to powerful rear drive cars... detune it a tad with gears.
I am from Germany! And you know, that Ford did not offer this car in Europe. So I decided to make an import with a company here in Germany, because the retro-look of the car is awesome. So the car was imported from New York to Germany: a Premium GT V8 in redfire! Great car and rare in Germany!
@@mustang8206 we Europeans love American cars. They look outrageous on our roads and get loads of positive attention everywhere they go. My fiance and I have an S197 GT, never sold here in the UK. People love it. It certainly stands out when parked among the bland Jap/Euro cars! The only problem is getting mods. Shipping from American Muscle to the UK is expensive. But worth it.
I always was nervous when people went from a 4 banger fwd to a V8 rwd. You described their ignorance perfectly. They thought it was all fun and games until the rear end swings out on a sheet of ice.
The posi /locker in the rear causes it and the un/ experienced driver of such an equipped car. I saw it happen with the muscle cars of the 60s same thing gas it and it would come aroundif equiped with a posi in the rain wet road was a equation for a crash fore sure !
I did this same thing first time in a c10 with a 350 it’s not fast but it’s a rwd truck that’s a 3900lb vehicle and I came from a Buick century 1992 it wasn’t quick or slow it was just enough to be a good mode of transportation anyways, this truck had a 4 barrel carb and was a lightly tuned 350 first time I romped on it i barely missed a ditch with 1 inch to spare
The classic styling is exactly why I got my 07 GT. It was bone stock, now it’s FBO, cammed, and I have a nitrous outlet kit on it. I fully rebuilt my suspension, and did some clutch and shifter goodies. Even with 3.31s, without spraying I ran a 12.8 @108. It’s my first car that I’ve had since high school, and I’ll love it and stay with it until I’m old
@@NickWagers-ln8ec after my car was fbo, I slid off the road in the snow and hit a tree and it got totaled. I took the money and rebuilt the car and it lives on:)
These 2000s era mustangs make me so happy, I always thought these things looked beautiful and were one of the few ones I thought did look like the original. I also didn't know these came with a 5 speed tranny, I thought all of these came with 6 speeds, I guess not. I also love how you directly addressed the mustang thing. Pure driving is a rare thing, and I'm glad you cleared it up that's why these things are known for smacking into stuff.
Ford wasn't the first to do a retro-inspired design, but yeah they absolutely NAILED it with this this one. It still holds up now, since it's a pretty damn clean design.
I had an 05 GT. It wasn't unique, rare, or in perfect condition but while I was working my stepping stone night shift job it was a breath of fresh air. Turned a commute into carefree fun that I needed walking out of my office and seeing it. Driving it was an antidepressant. It was hit and totaled years ago. Only car I ever cried over. I still think about it to this day. This was a fantastic video. Thank you. Mug purchased.
Yup Same. First time my wife drove my 06 Silverado 5.3 in the rain she said it was so uncontrollable. I said "no. You just have to learn that the right pedal isn't just go. Its also control."
i drove a modified subaru in college (which is a fucking terrible idea by the way) and did the exact same thing my first time driving my roommates rwd 5-banger chevy colorado
lol.. all I've ever driven has been rear or four wheel drive. The first and last time I lost control in a front drive car was in a snow storm, and was pretty sure I'd never own a front drive car, ever (except an Accord V6/6MT).
@@drunkenhobo8020 lift off while cornering, tip in while cornering, shift your weight before a corner, forgot to rotate your tires ..... WALL TIME AWWW YEAH I'M SO SAFE GLAD THIS ISN'T RWD SOMEBODY BRING ME A BOTTLE OF PRESTONE I'M GOOD
I think in 20-30 years, we'll look back at these S197's and realize they aged really well, something to be said for just aggressive enough. Kinda the same way C4 corvettes have aged better than C5's. I think these hyper aggressive '10-present designs will look very silly years from now.
I think the 05-09 S197s have already proved they age very well. I absolutely love my 09 glassroof GT and it never ceases to amaze me at how good it looks still. Though at 13 years old, a daily and an outside car. It's got some age showing up. But I stay up on the maintenance. But im really trying to get a 2nd car so I can make it a weekend toy and put it back to how it was when I pulled the cover off. It's too good of a car for me to let her go and be absolutely destroyed by some kids first car.
I've had an '06 GT for almost 7 years now. It's been an amazing car and has been relatively reliable. It's never left me stranded and it still gets compliments all the time :) If you don't win the mug giveaway and you really want one of these cars, it's true, they're at a low point in their pricing. Pick one up if you can; there's nothing like them.
I just looked them up. They're still affected by the current market though. I'm seeing GT's for like $15k. That's the going price for 2012 GT's I saw back in 2017.
These were one of the cars that got me into cars. The minimal future-retro styling absolutely captivated me. I owned one in the absolute worst spec: v6 auto vert. Even then, it was a great daily to tool around in.
I drove a white mustang v6 vert on my first trip to America. Was fast but the handling felt weird. Tippy and high cog. That said, im a kiwi, and im used to light, front wheel drives. Had a blast, was genuinely fun.
@@brianshaggy dealerships offered these aftermarket sunroofs for mustangs. Never buy a aftermarket sunroof vehicle, they leak constantly and fixing them is a pain in the ass over factory installed
These cars just frigging work. They are the best road trip car ever, they are crude enough to be involving in every way, they are modern enough to be basically bulletproof. With Coyote they are decently and deceptively fast. Super package and yeah, later Mustang are better cars in every way but, not as engaging.....
@@person.w9780 Last S197 I bought was in 2015, when the s550s were brand new and priced accordingly. Bought a 1 yr old, loaded S197 for 20 grand less than the price of the S550. Still driving it and loving it today. I've run S550s on the race track. Surprisingly capable yes but, the Coyote S197 is still a hoot....
This is the car that got me into cars. I remember being 8 years old in the passengers seat when a brand new black ‘05 Mustang GT pulled up next to us. I still want one to this day.
See, yeah- That's MY takeaway, it's awesome because its still almost as simple and basic as a pickup truck. You get to 2015, and they've got all kinds of... SH!T in em, still cool though, but they really DO begin to look like a horse. A horse making a "whinnying-orgasm" face, or maybe a TMNT action figure grimace- no, no, I was wrong- The front end just looks like a catfish. That body style eventually grew on me, but wasnt it 2014?- whatever the year before the nose got pinched down- those are my favorite body style. Just a little more... finished, than the 2004-2010.
@@stevenwilliams1805 we will probably never know. But I genuinely don't know how I'm going to face the moment I have to buy a car with a tablet in the dash.
I had to sell my 2007 Mustang GT/CS in December. It absolutely broke my heart. People don't understand when I tell them that I enjoyed the pure driving experience of the Mustang more than the WRX I have now. You feel one with the machine. It's 5 gears of something genuine that just gives you the sense that you're where you belong at any given moment.
That’s exactly how I would describe it, almost feel like you’re in a movie with panoramic shots of you and you’re mustang ripping down the highway without a care in the world. What a great car
Sadly my wife's failing health predicated having to sell my '06. Miss that 5 spd, rumbling exhaust, and that grin inducing experience of slicing down some back country road.
@@rom7633 I normally don't respond to comments that are off topic for a particular forum. You sir, should confine your comments to cars. My wife died from making bad health choices. She had access to some of the best Healthcare. Her lousy lifestyle, not the system did her in.
God, I adore the S197. It's been my dream car since I was a kid. I thought I had grown up and was over it, but then I saw the POV driving shots in this video and I was flooded with the urge to buy one all over again. I don't even need a V8, I just adore the shape, the presence, the silhouette of this car. It really is the Mustangiest Mustang that ever Mustanged. It's a symbol of that idealized, impossible version of the American dream - the America that people think they grew up in, when in reality, they were just blissfully unaware of almost everything happening in the world. It's a big, juicy brick of nostalgia that you can drive. It's the ultimate answer to Which Mustang is Best Mustang. I want one so bad.
The Mustang has always been a childhood favorite of mine for someone in Asia! It's something Americans are used to because they see them all the time in the States, but over here it's got that "hero I never met" kinda vibe! I guess it's sorta like how in other parts of the world, the Peugeot 206 is a normal car but to RCR it's something special! Plus as a kid, the Mustang was something I enjoyed as someone who wanted to be part of the "American Dream". Sure I'm older now and I see the US isn't all sunshine and rainbows. The meds are expensive there, the politics there is such a landmine, etc, but as a kid who didnt know any of that, the Mustang is what I thought about when it came to going on a US road trip, visiting those glitzy black and white diners with red couches, and buying a hot dog from New York and just meeting with random Americans who knew how to have fun without all the sensibilities that Asian culture limited you from having. The reality of having the American dream has faded now that I'm an adult, but a little bit of it is still there, and it wants to drive the Mustang at some point
Shout-out to the Americans out there btw! I've visited the States a few times and they've always been wonderful to me, so thank you! I really still wanna do that road trip one day, fingers crossed!
Cheers from NY State, buddy. Lots of love for Asian things we never got here in the States, too - Celica GT-Four ST205, Mitsubishi FTO, a manual GT-R, the good Back to the Future game on Super Famicom. If you ever get the chance, I recommend driving a Corvette, Camaro, Challenger, or other car with a big pushrod V-8, just for a sense of what all that displacement does for feel. (And know that there is no fuel economy detriment to that approach to performance vs. OHC!) 🍻
@@stealthoverlord I was little when this car came out, and it basically instantly became my dream car for all of two years before I forgot about it. Besides, it just reminds me of my early childhood in general.
@@peytonponder8488 Because they're about as rare as a buggati would be in my country. Hell, I've only ever seen two two-door cars in my entire life. There isn't really a market for sports cars in my country.
God, I love this car. Got an ‘07 GT with 173k miles, and it’s still kicking ass. Not the fastest car out there by a long shot, but something about the driving experience banging gears with the roar of the engine and knowing I have to be on point with every movement of the steering wheel just gives me a euphoric feeling that has yet to be matched, despite having driven several newer, faster cars. Talk about Ford reliability all you want, but I’ve yet to have any issues with it. There’s a reason it’s so popular, and there are still plenty of them out there. Long live the 4.6 3 valve!
The S197 looks like a true Mustang muscle car honouring it's 1965-73 style. Todays new mustangs don't look like muscle cars, the rear looks plastic European while the front looks like a cross between a Mazda 3 and a Nissan GTR.
I wanted one of these more than anything since I first saw the concept as a kid looking at a car magazine in the doctor's waiting room with my mom. I got my 07' GT this past spring and nothing has ever felt so right.
I bought mine 4 years ago and have loved every minute of it. I'll never let mine go. Plus I got the very rare glassroof mustang, so even more of a reason.
It really is the last 'keep it simple, stupid' Mustang made. I fell in love with the Le Iacoca concept from the early 00s, and was able to get one early 05 when everyone and their grandmother was clamoring for it. Seemed like I was the only one on I95 around Phila for a few months before the eventual swarm came in. 16 years later, still have it. Other than the traditional ford items that tend to die out early and often (stupid plastic thermostat housing, water pump, alternator) it's been hanging in there all this time. I doubt a newer S550 would have put up with my 20s and 30s recklessness and survived.
I’ve had a lot of fun cars. From RWD BMWs, an FRS for awhile, an AWD Volvo that makes 400hp, Jeeps, some FWD shit boxes, and my 08 Bullitt Mustang GT. And of all of my cars, THAT one was my favorite. It was raw. It’s was unassisted. Like RCR stated, it was the most mustang you could mustang in modern times. 281cui V8, live axel, decent power to weight ratio (stangs before were too low power and stangs after were too heavy). It was by all means the most raw and pure CAR I have ever driven. When it slid, you had to really control it. When you put your foot down, you had to pray to god it didn’t become an extra on set of Tokyo Drift. And that’s what made it so fun. These cars aren’t the fastest. They’re not the most agile. But they will give you a feeling of adrenaline and raw driving that MOST cars can’t do in this price range. Highly recommend. I’m also an atheist, and I recommend praying every time you get behind the wheel of one of these
@@Jamie_2012_GT and makes what to the tires 280? A V6 6mt accord makes 280hp and about 240-50 whp. Weights 3300 pounds so is lighter too. Stock Vs stock a fwd accord is walking one every day.
I love this car, I have an 05 mustang gt and it was my first car I bought. Had it for a year now and it’s been so much fun and I even submitted mine to RCR to review when I first got it. Nice to see a video about these type of mustangs now.
I bought a 06 3 almost 4 years ago and still love it, the 3v is solid and sounds fantastic the tremec is probably one of my favorite manual trans ive driven and dont plan on getting rid of it anytime soon. its a solid vehicle
Growing up in the early 2000s, these were my dream car for a while, and really got me into cars to begin with. Then, I got older, grew to appreciate the 1st Gen Mustangs. Then I got a little bit older than that, and realized how much these ones really nail what a Mustang is all about but wrapped up in a nice, affordable, modern, retro-future styling, and I absolutely love them once more.
Yeah, a clean well kept one still looks great: The 05-09 had a true retro look. If you Google so many other 2005-2006 vehicles you see that so many look like crap now but these still look really good.
Oh man. I just turned 16 a couple months ago. My entire life I've always liked mustangs. Even after my taste developed and I learned more about the mechanics behind them, liking more of the Japanese and European cars, I still liked the mustang the most. I don't know why. But this is my favorite generation. I've been aching to own one for a while. I guess I should get me a hurgleburgle now.
Depending on the specs, these things are just now hitting their lowest price point, but some of the facelifted s197s are cheaper, I guess theres preference for the true retro styling. Finger's crossed u can get ur hands on one in the next 3 or so years.
Im 16 and I just got my 5MT 2006 Mustang GT torch red and i would really recommend getting one if you can find one. They are so fun especially with a nice exhuast on it like mine with flowmasters
Europe loves the Mustang. Just saying. It’s not as complicated as their cars, but that’s a very good thing. European car engineering is an absolute nightmare. I drove a VW when living in Germany. My daily is a BMW 335i, but my weekend cruiser is an 08 Mustang GT/CS. I’ll sell the bimmer before I sell the pony.
I'm genuinely surprised a 5 speed was even available for this. I thought pretty much everyone had standardized on 6-speed gearboxes by the early 2000s.
Hard to sneeze at a the Tremec, it's reliable as all hell. Plus, at this time the Mustang is mostly for drag racing, where a low amount of gears isn't necessarily a issue. When the Coyote got put in the S197, so did the 6-speed MT82, which is sloppier and more fragile. Not fragile, just more so than the Tremec. Just proves that it's not the number of gears that matters, it's the quality.
I would love to have one of these in my garage someday. I would classify it as one of those fun cars that you can track every weekend and not worry about it breaking, and I really like that. The fact it also follows through on the retro styling with drivetrain fitting for the era its replicating - big V8, solid rear axle, manual transmission - is something to commend Ford on, whether it be intentional for something like cost cutting or not.
This is my childhood dream car haha. 6 Year old me thought this was the coolest and fastest car to ever grace the streets. I remember when I finally got to ride in one that my mom's coworker owned and it felt SO fast at the time. Needless to say, I think this was an awesome choice, and either way I am more than happy to support the channel.
I learned stick on an S197. It was fun. It's my favorite generation of the post-foxbody Mustangs. Pre-facelift version, they looked weird after the mid-model refresh.
The S197 refresh is a kneejerk answer to the Camaro coming back. The 5th gen Camaro is incredibly aggressive and the LS3 was 33% more powerful than the 3v Modular. Nevermind the Dodge Challenger coming back in 2008, because it was just as retro as the S197 but sales were less than half of what the Camaro made the same year in 2010. Chevy was beating Ford in muscle car sales up until 2015 when the S550 came to market. Aggressive styling is what's popular right now.
There is something wonderful about a car or motorcycle that won't coddle you or help you. I used to have an ancient 4-speed 1400cc Intruder. It was not as fast as, say, a new R6. But the R6 will turn, it will stop, it's a modern machine that's easy and fun to ride fast. The old Intruder, on the other hand, wanted me dead. It seemed to have two throttle positions - "idle" and "you should have been hanging on". The brakes were a suggestion. You needed a sledgehammer to make it turn. When it idled it sounded like washing machine tumbling down a flight of stairs. It broke down at least once a month. It was also the most entertaining wheeled conveyance it has ever been my misfortune to drive.
I'm amazed you found such a clean one. Literally every single one I can remember seeing (aside from one) has had cracked clear coat, rust, oil leaks, 10 year old off-brand tires, cracked leather, mold, food stains, old person smells, or some combination of these things.
Even at junkyards I’ve bever seen one with broken parts or ripped off seats only cheap parts on them that tend to break are the door panels that dettach with time.
The official car of joining the Marine Corps in 2007, getting blown up in Iraq, then blowing all your deployment pay in one night of debauchery in downtown Jacksonville
The reason so many people crashed is that the Mustang was a pretty “pure” car anybody could get. Inexperienced people going from a 100 horse Miata to a 300 horse Mustang dumped the clutch and their bowels as they realized they were not having their hand held by a lack of power and a forgiving TCS.
Man, I wanted one of these so bad in HS. In fairness, I had yet to discover the 4th gen F-Body (and really, having driven both by now, the F-Body walks all over the S197 in terms of feel alone). I'd still love one of these in my driveway once I finally get a house. The 3v is one of the best sounding V-8s ever imo, and that short list of mods for a 480hp street car is basically unbeatable.
I’ve owned 3 4th gen F-Bodies now and I did own an S197 GT like this one but unfortunately it was given to my by a buddy with a blown motor and I had a 32 valve out of an old Lincoln ready to go and I was gonna put into it and then a tree fell on the roof straight down the middle…still have never got to drive one of these unfortunately.
I was strongly considering the mug, untill I realized the overwhelming likelihood of it becoming a 50$ reminder of one of the many times, I was a loser.
i went from a jetta that i absolutely beat on, to an e39 540i, a rwd V8 sedan, and i brake the tires loose every left turn in the rain. i've never come close to loosing control of the vehicle, my jetta on the other hand, slid like it was on ice at all times.
The upgrades you described for these years of car is spot on. One could switch out the supercharger for a Whipple or kenne bell depending on what kind of whine you want emanating from your pony and what you want your power band to look like
@@calvinnickel9995 yeah but Ford never really offered the mustang here up until the current generation so you don't really see them there were other fast fords here like the various cosworth models that attract that kind of affection here
The bit about how to engage first gear is kind of (surprisingly) true for my same year Focus. And it was definitely true for my 98 3.0 Ranger. I honestly think Ford just makes some of the best clutches on the market, and the best of the American Big Three manufacturers by far
"Why these cars crash?" Good question Mr. Regular. It all comes down to when you turn the systems off, they go off, when you enter a drift, they stay off, but as you let off the throttle, the car thinks you are about to crash and panics, turns the stability management back on, proceeds to clamp down on one front brake to try and right the car, but mostly results in being a little overzealous and causes a spin. Frustrating. Stupid. Dangerous. Especially when there are curbs, signs, and people in close proximity.
The traction control system on my 2009 GT500 was so bad you could do 2nd gear burnouts with it on, but any time it got loose it would do exactly as you described snd would try to save the car for you a second after you'd already applied countrrsteer. Terrible system that was more dangerous than it was helpful.
@@soap38 I'm no Ken Block, but I can swing a car around a corner decently enough and bring it back. My friend has an S550 and the one time I tried a drift, I initiated fine, I rode it out fine, but the moment I let off the gas so it would straighten back up, it immediately snapped around the opposite direction and did a 270 before almost backing me into a ditch. That coupled with watching all the normal Mustang carnage made me realize what was happening and why. I honestly believe that most people driving a stang like a bit of an ass aren't all that bad of drivers, but the car behaves in a way that no one expects it to and thus we have Mustang/Crowd memes.
My friend just bought an ‘08 GT 5MT and I was really impressed when I drove it. The 4.6 3V has got to be one of Ford’s greatest engines, happy to rev, torquey and it makes a wonderful old school kind of sound. It also runs on 87 and supposedly will get 24+ MPG on the highway according to various S197 forums, not bad at all for such an awesome engine.
The 24 mpg+ thing is people who started off justifying the car to their spouses and now have themselves fooled. My record average was prob 19. You are absolutely right about the sound though, the main reason why I prefer my 07 to a 5.0, I just thing it has a more musclely, american feel to it. The 4.6 with hot rod cams is just sex on wheels.
@@lukelaw8981 The Coyote is a fantastic engine but if I was going to buy a Mustang I think I would probably have more fun with a 3V mainly because I could actually use all of it’s 300 HP without worrying about it getting away from me. Internet warriors seem to forget just how much 420 HP is.
@@pondmonserfox @pondmonserfox the 300 can get you into more than enough trouble on its own, and is still definitely dangerous when ur new to that level of power in a rwd. I know it caught me out a few times. But the best part is, is that it's still enough to have fun even when u get used to it as you say, you really use all of it and know the car well enough to predict when it's gonna break traction. With the bigger numbers u just can't do that unless ur reallllly good.
@@lukelaw8981 The torque is reallllllly nice to have for sure. It was really satisfying to be able to lug it around in 5th gear without any worries, it’s not something I’m used to since I drive a Miata, lol.
I kept waiting for at least one sideways smoky burnout! It's what they do best. Nice review. Good to see someone other than a Mustang channel talking about the positive side of these cars.
Ooooo I got a 06 mustang gt, 5 speed manual and I love it. One of the best executed retro designs of all time imo. Sort of drives like a off the shelf $6000 restomod mustang, with the classic styling and retro designs and shapes, but with a modular v8 and just enough amenities and technology to keep you happy 😁😁
As an S197 owner, this is the most brutally accurate and brutally hilarious video I have ever seen. Subscribed. Doesnt care about the undeserved meme reputation its been given. And thats the truth!
RCR, the new memesters. Shits and giggles always, with a bit of history and actual driving input. Gotta love channels like these. Still waiting for Rinaldi and Kline to dig me a hole...
My first car was an 05 V6 in red like this, it started my love. I've had a 67 302 swapped since then but I never ran to buy a mug so fast. I'd love another S197 with the right options this time.
I love my s197. Thank you for this video. These are fantastic cars and are so under valued right now. I considered selling to buy a coyote but I just love the way mine looks and plus no one wants a 4.6 anymore. If I blow it up I can get a replacement 4.6 cheap.
I just became a stereotypical mustang owner. I was getting out of school and the road was wet, I was going to fast in a turn, spun out and hit a curb. The only one who was hurt was my mustang, the k member bent, sent the front right tire under the car, and pushed the fender into the door. My dad and the tow truck guy said it was fixable, and I hope they're right. I've only owned the car for a little under a year and I fell in love with it
These cars are very underrated. Even mustang guys (like myself) were disappointed that these didn’t come with the 4v as standard. I had a Mach 1 so it seemed like a step backwards at the time, then the Shelby came out and we were all impressed but they were too expensive for young guys (which is probably for the best). Once the 2010 redesign came out these things basically vanished from consciousness and were dismissed as those mustangs that looked kind of cool and retro but were not that good. Maybe we were too hard on these cars though. They have aged pretty well (looks-wise) and the 4.6 modular engine enjoys a great reputation for reliability so it would be a fun commuter for sure.
The S197. A bit of an oaf, not too bright, but always had good intentions. Unfortunately its size drew attention from those who only sought to take advantage for their own means. Once the trouble began, they laughed and sped away in their Corvettes, leaving the poor S197 to deal with the mess they left behind.
4:35 That was something that kind of blew me away when I first test drove a Mustang. Like that was my introduction to torque was the realization that this thing can go uphill with just clutch, at least the coyote.
I drove one of these mustangs back in the day and everything RCR is saying about how it feels is spot on. Going from my Tiburon to this mustang, clutch felt like pushing on a brick wall and the shifter was tight nochy and precise.
The reason so many Mustangs crash, is ultimately because Ford succeeded at what they aimed for: A cheap, powerful, fun car, that most anyone can save up their spare change and get one.
Own a an s197 and when I got it I immediately seen how people crash these cars. Ford messed up the traction control on these things terribly.
@@Theesvpremekai Best traction control is between your ears.
@@BlueTrane2028 literally learn how to drive a car with little to no driving assist learn the car respect it and you won't Have issues it's only when you stop respecting what the car can do or depend on the computer to save you that you fuck it up
The suspension and diff are also agricultural and most people aren't old enough to have driven a car where rear end stability is from the 60s.
@@GordyBro doesn't the C7 have a Lim slip and more control arms? Correct me if I'm wrong.
Edit: I just went and looked it up because I couldn't remember. Corvettes use IRS so completely different beast. No steel beam holding the rears together on a Corvette
The car for uncle dale, who shows up to the family reunion blaring “It’s a long way to the top” by AC/DC, right at the ear splitting bagpipe solo.
I want to be my family's uncle Dale.
@@dougsmith6262 We all have a little Uncle Dale in us, son.
I got it man. Holy shit.
@Whitney Scott- I do that to my family with my Challenger!
That bagpipe solo should be prohibited under the Geneva convention
I was a tech at a Ford dealer when these were new. This body style attracted some of the kookiest late-middle aged men. I had one guy who wanted me to get in the car without even touching the door handles. Another who was literally crying when he saw his transmission disassembled awaiting new synchros. He said the car was his baby and should be home in his warm garage. Don't even get me started on the Bullitt guys who sport matching jackets.
Considering how lame the bullet ones are, I'd stay away from those guys. I don't wanna end up being a skin lamp in his basement. Something is off about anyone who picks that instead of the good one.
Oh, god. Did the Bullitt guys drop references to the movie? What was their favorite scene?
@@christopherdesbaux5950 the one where the car goes brrrrrrrr. 😅
Well, it's still a better love story than Twilight.
@@jochenstacker7448 THE DODGE CHARGER DIDN'T BREAK ONCE NOT ONCE THE MUSTANG IT KEPT BREAKING DINT MAKE LIKE THEY USSSSSSSSED TOOOOOO
"But the traction control is a Gameboy Advance, it only works when the lighting is perfect." I think that might be my favorite RCR line ever.
I hope he takes it farther next time. Like the next Mustang is the Advance SP. The Miata is like the Game Boy Micro.
i like his line about the celica being a car for the guy who learned to eat pussy by watching his dog lick up spilled ramen noodles off the kitchen floor
I daily one and I've found that it may let it rip in a straight line but never when turning
While I can't relate to RCR's stories about growing up in 1990s PA, I can certainly relate to that quip, even though I think I played the Advance SP (frontlit) more often than the original horizontal GBA.
Basically, and i've got an automatic, and i made the stupid mistake of flooring the accelerator, not doing that again, no damage but i saw a K-rail and i was going sideways.
“I’m giving you 3.27 gearing until you act right, do you want 3.08!?” bruh holy shit 💀.
The 3.27s in the '15 Camaro SS IRS that's installed in our Lemons prepped Chevette needs to go. Engine makes about 260 wheel, so at least 300 crank. So, not down all that much to this Mustang, but it bogs down a bit. Super tame to drive. Admittedly, not a bad thing for endurance racing but would be nice to have more acceleration to match the incredible brakes we have in it.
Anyways, I digress. What I'm really picking at is, 3.27s in the Camaro are probably why less of them get involved in cars and coffee style memery. So, you out there new to powerful rear drive cars... detune it a tad with gears.
My Mustang has 2.73 gearing...
It's an SN95 V6.
that's gonna be a perfect GT car for cruising cross country
I was cracking up during that bit lol
Longer gears are better 90 mph 2k rpm in 5th gear you still got 4K left
Sleeping in a cold room is a great idea until it’s time to get up and you must face what you created
I keep my room at 69° and every morning I face this same dilemma.
@@spartan117zm 69 thousand degrees Fahrenheit is actually 12C°
@@ClonesDream 20.5ºC
???
@@spartan117zm 62° or I can't sleep.
Those seats look comfortable. Perfect for a five-hour drive to an Eminem concert with Dustin
Dustin who keeps asking to drive even after five American honey shooters
Dustin diamond
I am from Germany! And you know, that Ford did not offer this car in Europe. So I decided to make an import with a company here in Germany, because the retro-look of the car is awesome. So the car was imported from New York to Germany: a Premium GT V8 in redfire!
Great car and rare in Germany!
It's always awesome to see Europeans enjoying a car from my country
@@mustang8206 we Europeans love American cars. They look outrageous on our roads and get loads of positive attention everywhere they go.
My fiance and I have an S197 GT, never sold here in the UK. People love it. It certainly stands out when parked among the bland Jap/Euro cars!
The only problem is getting mods. Shipping from American Muscle to the UK is expensive. But worth it.
Literally the only Mustang I ever really rubber-necked for.
My dealer drove one.
By that you mean car dealer?
2010 update made them wayyy better
HAH Gold
By that you mean Amsoil Dealer?
Poker dealer?
I always was nervous when people went from a 4 banger fwd to a V8 rwd. You described their ignorance perfectly. They thought it was all fun and games until the rear end swings out on a sheet of ice.
The posi /locker in the rear causes it and the un/ experienced driver of such an equipped car. I saw it happen with the muscle cars of the 60s same thing gas it and it would come aroundif equiped with a posi in the rain wet road was a equation for a crash fore sure !
I did this same thing first time in a c10 with a 350 it’s not fast but it’s a rwd truck that’s a 3900lb vehicle and I came from a Buick century 1992 it wasn’t quick or slow it was just enough to be a good mode of transportation anyways, this truck had a 4 barrel carb and was a lightly tuned 350 first time I romped on it i barely missed a ditch with 1 inch to spare
3v was my first car but I’m not a moron I always had respect for it even though it’s pretty weak compared to other v8s
The "I want 4.10 gearing" voice is probably the best Mr. Regular character next to the "uncle who open carries at his nieces bat mitzvah".
I'm a COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT VOLUNTEER
Did you all forget about Uncle Pulltab? I love that character
Which episode is the niece's bar mitzvah one from? That sounds hilarious
@@landenmorton4543 Crown Vic review
My favorite was the old "William Fenstemacher" guy from the Plymouth Reliant review
The classic styling is exactly why I got my 07 GT. It was bone stock, now it’s FBO, cammed, and I have a nitrous outlet kit on it. I fully rebuilt my suspension, and did some clutch and shifter goodies. Even with 3.31s, without spraying I ran a 12.8 @108. It’s my first car that I’ve had since high school, and I’ll love it and stay with it until I’m old
Man I had an sn95 and I absolutely loved it, until I got t-boned by a 2500 Silverado about a year ago. I still miss that car
@@NickWagers-ln8ec after my car was fbo, I slid off the road in the snow and hit a tree and it got totaled. I took the money and rebuilt the car and it lives on:)
These 2000s era mustangs make me so happy, I always thought these things looked beautiful and were one of the few ones I thought did look like the original. I also didn't know these came with a 5 speed tranny, I thought all of these came with 6 speeds, I guess not. I also love how you directly addressed the mustang thing. Pure driving is a rare thing, and I'm glad you cleared it up that's why these things are known for smacking into stuff.
Ford wasn't the first to do a retro-inspired design, but yeah they absolutely NAILED it with this this one. It still holds up now, since it's a pretty damn clean design.
And 2010 update made them wayyyy better
@@moleman6143 2011 added the 5.0 and the 6 spd 😉
They're ok, still rather have a fox body.
@@ETHAN2019 I meant 2011 😩 yessss
“The traction control is a game boy advance only works when the lighting is perfect” great analogy from my childhood!
The best looking modern Mustang, you can't change my mind. They got the design right in this generation
I had an 05 GT. It wasn't unique, rare, or in perfect condition but while I was working my stepping stone night shift job it was a breath of fresh air. Turned a commute into carefree fun that I needed walking out of my office and seeing it. Driving it was an antidepressant. It was hit and totaled years ago. Only car I ever cried over. I still think about it to this day. This was a fantastic video. Thank you. Mug purchased.
Loved this car since i was 15 ..
I might buy one soon..
First point is spot on. I knew a dude who drove a 300hp FWD every day. He spun my 130hp RWD pick-up on his first attempt at driving it.
Yup Same. First time my wife drove my 06 Silverado 5.3 in the rain she said it was so uncontrollable.
I said "no. You just have to learn that the right pedal isn't just go. Its also control."
i drove a modified subaru in college (which is a fucking terrible idea by the way) and did the exact same thing my first time driving my roommates rwd 5-banger chevy colorado
lol.. all I've ever driven has been rear or four wheel drive. The first and last time I lost control in a front drive car was in a snow storm, and was pretty sure I'd never own a front drive car, ever (except an Accord V6/6MT).
@@aislingmairead4939 Did you lift off going round a corner by any chance?
@@drunkenhobo8020 lift off while cornering, tip in while cornering, shift your weight before a corner, forgot to rotate your tires ..... WALL TIME AWWW YEAH I'M SO SAFE GLAD THIS ISN'T RWD SOMEBODY BRING ME A BOTTLE OF PRESTONE I'M GOOD
As a owner of a 2007 mustang gt I find it funny just how relatable every thing he said was.
I was just thinking this😂😂
I think in 20-30 years, we'll look back at these S197's and realize they aged really well, something to be said for just aggressive enough. Kinda the same way C4 corvettes have aged better than C5's. I think these hyper aggressive '10-present designs will look very silly years from now.
I think the 05-09 S197s have already proved they age very well. I absolutely love my 09 glassroof GT and it never ceases to amaze me at how good it looks still.
Though at 13 years old, a daily and an outside car. It's got some age showing up. But I stay up on the maintenance. But im really trying to get a 2nd car so I can make it a weekend toy and put it back to how it was when I pulled the cover off. It's too good of a car for me to let her go and be absolutely destroyed by some kids first car.
Totally agree. The newer ones don't even look like real mustangs
@@mattc825 yep sadly
Yeah I think because it has the most retro inspired design it will stay timeless
@@mattc825 Nah they still look awesome just more modern. Better looking than a Foxbody
I've had an '06 GT for almost 7 years now. It's been an amazing car and has been relatively reliable. It's never left me stranded and it still gets compliments all the time :) If you don't win the mug giveaway and you really want one of these cars, it's true, they're at a low point in their pricing. Pick one up if you can; there's nothing like them.
I just looked them up. They're still affected by the current market though. I'm seeing GT's for like $15k. That's the going price for 2012 GT's I saw back in 2017.
These were one of the cars that got me into cars. The minimal future-retro styling absolutely captivated me. I owned one in the absolute worst spec: v6 auto vert. Even then, it was a great daily to tool around in.
I got my 05 Mustang GT 3 years ago and cost me $5,700 wtih about 110,000 on it.
I drove a white mustang v6 vert on my first trip to America. Was fast but the handling felt weird. Tippy and high cog.
That said, im a kiwi, and im used to light, front wheel drives.
Had a blast, was genuinely fun.
@Lone Wolf sun roof on a mustang???
@@brianshaggy dealerships offered these aftermarket sunroofs for mustangs. Never buy a aftermarket sunroof vehicle, they leak constantly and fixing them is a pain in the ass over factory installed
@@brianshaggy They offered a glass roof option from the factory for a couple years.
These cars just frigging work. They are the best road trip car ever, they are crude enough to be involving in every way, they are modern enough to be basically bulletproof. With Coyote they are decently and deceptively fast. Super package and yeah, later Mustang are better cars in every way but, not as engaging.....
"...more machine now, than man." -Obi Wan Kenobi
Would still take a S550 any day.
@@person.w9780 Last S197 I bought was in 2015, when the s550s were brand new and priced accordingly. Bought a 1 yr old, loaded S197 for 20 grand less than the price of the S550. Still driving it and loving it today. I've run S550s on the race track. Surprisingly capable yes but, the Coyote S197 is still a hoot....
The ones with the 5.0 6speed are basically the goldilocks zone of Mustangs
@@mentok3027 I had a 2012 3.73 manual and it was a ton of fun. The 2014 is an auto and it's fun too, in a different way.
This is the car that got me into cars. I remember being 8 years old in the passengers seat when a brand new black ‘05 Mustang GT pulled up next to us. I still want one to this day.
I’m 53 years old, and have never lost control of my S197. Know your ride, get comfortable with it and let it run
I love how this thing shares cheap dashboard plastic buttons/radio as my 07 manual Fusion that I had to commute to work in. I want this car.
See, yeah- That's MY takeaway, it's awesome because its still almost as simple and basic as a pickup truck. You get to 2015, and they've got all kinds of... SH!T in em, still cool though, but they really DO begin to look like a horse. A horse making a "whinnying-orgasm" face, or maybe a TMNT action figure grimace- no, no, I was wrong-
The front end just looks like a catfish. That body style eventually grew on me, but wasnt it 2014?- whatever the year before the nose got pinched down- those are my favorite body style. Just a little more... finished, than the 2004-2010.
All cars do that lol
Ford's three knob HVAC control is the best design of all time and I will accept no disagreement.
@@tobyvision absolutely agree. Why does complicated make things seem fancy?
@@stevenwilliams1805 we will probably never know. But I genuinely don't know how I'm going to face the moment I have to buy a car with a tablet in the dash.
I had to sell my 2007 Mustang GT/CS in December. It absolutely broke my heart. People don't understand when I tell them that I enjoyed the pure driving experience of the Mustang more than the WRX I have now. You feel one with the machine. It's 5 gears of something genuine that just gives you the sense that you're where you belong at any given moment.
That’s exactly how I would describe it, almost feel like you’re in a movie with panoramic shots of you and you’re mustang ripping down the highway without a care in the world. What a great car
Sadly my wife's failing health predicated having to sell my '06. Miss that 5 spd, rumbling exhaust, and that grin inducing experience of slicing down some back country road.
@@billgund4532 Sorry to hear that. I hope the situation improves for you guys
@@billgund4532 the American healthcare system claims another victim
@@rom7633 I normally don't respond to comments that are off topic for a particular forum. You sir, should confine your comments to cars. My wife died from making bad health choices. She had access to some of the best Healthcare. Her lousy lifestyle, not the system did her in.
God, I adore the S197. It's been my dream car since I was a kid. I thought I had grown up and was over it, but then I saw the POV driving shots in this video and I was flooded with the urge to buy one all over again. I don't even need a V8, I just adore the shape, the presence, the silhouette of this car. It really is the Mustangiest Mustang that ever Mustanged. It's a symbol of that idealized, impossible version of the American dream - the America that people think they grew up in, when in reality, they were just blissfully unaware of almost everything happening in the world. It's a big, juicy brick of nostalgia that you can drive. It's the ultimate answer to Which Mustang is Best Mustang. I want one so bad.
“But I want 4.10 gearing!” 🤣🤣🤣 That whole thing had me in stitches
The Mustang has always been a childhood favorite of mine for someone in Asia! It's something Americans are used to because they see them all the time in the States, but over here it's got that "hero I never met" kinda vibe! I guess it's sorta like how in other parts of the world, the Peugeot 206 is a normal car but to RCR it's something special!
Plus as a kid, the Mustang was something I enjoyed as someone who wanted to be part of the "American Dream". Sure I'm older now and I see the US isn't all sunshine and rainbows. The meds are expensive there, the politics there is such a landmine, etc, but as a kid who didnt know any of that, the Mustang is what I thought about when it came to going on a US road trip, visiting those glitzy black and white diners with red couches, and buying a hot dog from New York and just meeting with random Americans who knew how to have fun without all the sensibilities that Asian culture limited you from having. The reality of having the American dream has faded now that I'm an adult, but a little bit of it is still there, and it wants to drive the Mustang at some point
Shout-out to the Americans out there btw! I've visited the States a few times and they've always been wonderful to me, so thank you! I really still wanna do that road trip one day, fingers crossed!
Cheers from NY State, buddy.
Lots of love for Asian things we never got here in the States, too - Celica GT-Four ST205, Mitsubishi FTO, a manual GT-R, the good Back to the Future game on Super Famicom.
If you ever get the chance, I recommend driving a Corvette, Camaro, Challenger, or other car with a big pushrod V-8, just for a sense of what all that displacement does for feel. (And know that there is no fuel economy detriment to that approach to performance vs. OHC!) 🍻
We've done the fly to California and rent a convertible mustang, highly recommend.
Being American is tough. Having an American product is luxury.
@@rookstun very well put
Everything about this car makes me feel nostalgic, even though I've never so much as been within 50 feet of one.
How is that even possible?
@@stealthoverlord I was little when this car came out, and it basically instantly became my dream car for all of two years before I forgot about it. Besides, it just reminds me of my early childhood in general.
How have u never been within 50 feet of one?
@@peytonponder8488 Because they're about as rare as a buggati would be in my country. Hell, I've only ever seen two two-door cars in my entire life. There isn't really a market for sports cars in my country.
God, I love this car. Got an ‘07 GT with 173k miles, and it’s still kicking ass. Not the fastest car out there by a long shot, but something about the driving experience banging gears with the roar of the engine and knowing I have to be on point with every movement of the steering wheel just gives me a euphoric feeling that has yet to be matched, despite having driven several newer, faster cars. Talk about Ford reliability all you want, but I’ve yet to have any issues with it. There’s a reason it’s so popular, and there are still plenty of them out there. Long live the 4.6 3 valve!
05 GT here 133k miles long live the 4.6 3v
This car was the reason the Camaro and Challenger came back.
The part about mods is every argument in the S197 owners groups lol
Or the “my mustang is best mustang”
Ha ha, I thought Roman got a new "Red Betty"
I think Roman would agree that he ain’t ready for this kind of car.
I wasn’t gonna watch this if it was Roman’s piece of shit haha
The S197 looks like a true Mustang muscle car honouring it's 1965-73 style.
Todays new mustangs don't look like muscle cars, the rear looks plastic European while the front looks like a cross between a Mazda 3 and a Nissan GTR.
I wanted one of these more than anything since I first saw the concept as a kid looking at a car magazine in the doctor's waiting room with my mom.
I got my 07' GT this past spring and nothing has ever felt so right.
I bought mine 4 years ago and have loved every minute of it. I'll never let mine go.
Plus I got the very rare glassroof mustang, so even more of a reason.
I have really come to appreciate this gen. Kinda modern nice, but crude and simple enough to be pretty sturdy.
It really is the last 'keep it simple, stupid' Mustang made. I fell in love with the Le Iacoca concept from the early 00s, and was able to get one early 05 when everyone and their grandmother was clamoring for it. Seemed like I was the only one on I95 around Phila for a few months before the eventual swarm came in.
16 years later, still have it. Other than the traditional ford items that tend to die out early and often (stupid plastic thermostat housing, water pump, alternator) it's been hanging in there all this time. I doubt a newer S550 would have put up with my 20s and 30s recklessness and survived.
I’ve had a lot of fun cars. From RWD BMWs, an FRS for awhile, an AWD Volvo that makes 400hp, Jeeps, some FWD shit boxes, and my 08 Bullitt Mustang GT. And of all of my cars, THAT one was my favorite. It was raw. It’s was unassisted. Like RCR stated, it was the most mustang you could mustang in modern times. 281cui V8, live axel, decent power to weight ratio (stangs before were too low power and stangs after were too heavy). It was by all means the most raw and pure CAR I have ever driven. When it slid, you had to really control it. When you put your foot down, you had to pray to god it didn’t become an extra on set of Tokyo Drift. And that’s what made it so fun. These cars aren’t the fastest. They’re not the most agile. But they will give you a feeling of adrenaline and raw driving that MOST cars can’t do in this price range. Highly recommend. I’m also an atheist, and I recommend praying every time you get behind the wheel of one of these
Considering this is my first car, everything feels natural to me. FWD cars feel wierd, V6's feel too slow, and CVT's bother me on acceleration.
Ayy we got the same color, best color imo
>implying the 4.6 is faster than most V6's
@@Dovahbruhh exactly lmao.
A V6 accord would pull on one of these.
@@therealbabspace I doubt it. Mine has 330hp.
@@Jamie_2012_GT and makes what to the tires 280? A V6 6mt accord makes 280hp and about 240-50 whp.
Weights 3300 pounds so is lighter too.
Stock Vs stock a fwd accord is walking one every day.
Last time I was this early the mustang still had a solid axle
Yesssss!!!! I love it my dude. Keep up the amazing work and I cannot wait to see how you continue to grow. 👌
Thanks!
I love this car, I have an 05 mustang gt and it was my first car I bought. Had it for a year now and it’s been so much fun and I even submitted mine to RCR to review when I first got it. Nice to see a video about these type of mustangs now.
I bought a 06 3 almost 4 years ago and still love it, the 3v is solid and sounds fantastic the tremec is probably one of my favorite manual trans ive driven and dont plan on getting rid of it anytime soon. its a solid vehicle
LMFAO... man I died when you started arguing with yourself about the gearing!!! *standing ovation*
Just bought the mug, fastest $50 I’ve spent other than rod bearings for my Ca18det swapped Miata, btw love the videos 🙌
50$ for a small mug is insanely expensive tho
Thanks!
@@RegularCars I’m debating whether or not to buy, but I don’t really have 50$ lol
@@kennorcott7074 who are you, sir, to deny Mr regular the forerunner of his dreams? The audacity
@@ber-js5we I mean I’m probably still gonna buy one lol
Growing up in the early 2000s, these were my dream car for a while, and really got me into cars to begin with. Then, I got older, grew to appreciate the 1st Gen Mustangs. Then I got a little bit older than that, and realized how much these ones really nail what a Mustang is all about but wrapped up in a nice, affordable, modern, retro-future styling, and I absolutely love them once more.
Let’s talk about how beautifully the GT body of this generation has aged
Yeah, a clean well kept one still looks great: The 05-09 had a true retro look. If you Google so many other 2005-2006 vehicles you see that so many look like crap now but these still look really good.
Oh man. I just turned 16 a couple months ago. My entire life I've always liked mustangs. Even after my taste developed and I learned more about the mechanics behind them, liking more of the Japanese and European cars, I still liked the mustang the most. I don't know why. But this is my favorite generation. I've been aching to own one for a while. I guess I should get me a hurgleburgle now.
May your hurgleburgle be obtained to your heart's desire! ^_^
Depending on the specs, these things are just now hitting their lowest price point, but some of the facelifted s197s are cheaper, I guess theres preference for the true retro styling. Finger's crossed u can get ur hands on one in the next 3 or so years.
Im 16 and I just got my 5MT 2006 Mustang GT torch red and i would really recommend getting one if you can find one. They are so fun especially with a nice exhuast on it like mine with flowmasters
Europe loves the Mustang. Just saying. It’s not as complicated as their cars, but that’s a very good thing. European car engineering is an absolute nightmare. I drove a VW when living in Germany. My daily is a BMW 335i, but my weekend cruiser is an 08 Mustang GT/CS. I’ll sell the bimmer before I sell the pony.
I'm genuinely surprised a 5 speed was even available for this. I thought pretty much everyone had standardized on 6-speed gearboxes by the early 2000s.
Nope. 6-speed doesn't come to the Mustang until the refresh.
Hard to sneeze at a the Tremec, it's reliable as all hell.
Plus, at this time the Mustang is mostly for drag racing, where a low amount of gears isn't necessarily a issue.
When the Coyote got put in the S197, so did the 6-speed MT82, which is sloppier and more fragile. Not fragile, just more so than the Tremec. Just proves that it's not the number of gears that matters, it's the quality.
No, Ford made you spend coin to get various SVT Mustangs if you wanted a decent manual trans. For some reason. And that's still true today.
The Evo 10 had a 5 speed long after everyone moved to 6 speeds, even ecoboxes.
Third gen Miatas had 5 speeds available I believe
Only one of the several cars I've owned wasn't a V8 RWD.
And only one of them wasn't a 4 Door.
“There’s an honesty to the human heart when projected through the digital realm” hits hard
I just parted ways with my s197, and I miss her already. It really was a perfect sweet spot, one that everyone should appreciate.
This is one of my favorite reviews so far. Excellent work!
I would love to have one of these in my garage someday. I would classify it as one of those fun cars that you can track every weekend and not worry about it breaking, and I really like that. The fact it also follows through on the retro styling with drivetrain fitting for the era its replicating - big V8, solid rear axle, manual transmission - is something to commend Ford on, whether it be intentional for something like cost cutting or not.
When that generation of Mustang came out, it was my dream car. My high school math teacher had one.
This is my childhood dream car haha. 6 Year old me thought this was the coolest and fastest car to ever grace the streets. I remember when I finally got to ride in one that my mom's coworker owned and it felt SO fast at the time. Needless to say, I think this was an awesome choice, and either way I am more than happy to support the channel.
Update: I bought one about 2 months ago.. AWESOME car.
I learned stick on an S197. It was fun.
It's my favorite generation of the post-foxbody Mustangs. Pre-facelift version, they looked weird after the mid-model refresh.
The S197 refresh is a kneejerk answer to the Camaro coming back. The 5th gen Camaro is incredibly aggressive and the LS3 was 33% more powerful than the 3v Modular.
Nevermind the Dodge Challenger coming back in 2008, because it was just as retro as the S197 but sales were less than half of what the Camaro made the same year in 2010.
Chevy was beating Ford in muscle car sales up until 2015 when the S550 came to market. Aggressive styling is what's popular right now.
@Lone Wolf we all benefited in a way, more options of cars to purchase.
The Coyote is good but is it worth looking ugly?
There is something wonderful about a car or motorcycle that won't coddle you or help you.
I used to have an ancient 4-speed 1400cc Intruder. It was not as fast as, say, a new R6. But the R6 will turn, it will stop, it's a modern machine that's easy and fun to ride fast. The old Intruder, on the other hand, wanted me dead. It seemed to have two throttle positions - "idle" and "you should have been hanging on". The brakes were a suggestion. You needed a sledgehammer to make it turn. When it idled it sounded like washing machine tumbling down a flight of stairs. It broke down at least once a month. It was also the most entertaining wheeled conveyance it has ever been my misfortune to drive.
I'm amazed you found such a clean one. Literally every single one I can remember seeing (aside from one) has had cracked clear coat, rust, oil leaks, 10 year old off-brand tires, cracked leather, mold, food stains, old person smells, or some combination of these things.
Even at junkyards I’ve bever seen one with broken parts or ripped off seats only cheap parts on them that tend to break are the door panels that dettach with time.
Waited so many years for this episode and God damn, it was worth it
The official car of joining the Marine Corps in 2007, getting blown up in Iraq, then blowing all your deployment pay in one night of debauchery in downtown Jacksonville
Literally every marine I’ve met that came back from war
The official car of getting drug in JCM v.16 before it gets Zucked again.
Jacksonville mentioned
🤔 ... wildly accurate...
Also, debauchery is the only thing downtown Jacksonville has to offer... and not the good kind either.
The reason so many people crashed is that the Mustang was a pretty “pure” car anybody could get. Inexperienced people going from a 100 horse Miata to a 300 horse Mustang dumped the clutch and their bowels as they realized they were not having their hand held by a lack of power and a forgiving TCS.
This is the RCR-iest review that ever RCR'd! Great video, guys!!
Once saw one of these with a custom plate, "NOT•A5.0" with the decimal point painted on 😆
Man, I wanted one of these so bad in HS. In fairness, I had yet to discover the 4th gen F-Body (and really, having driven both by now, the F-Body walks all over the S197 in terms of feel alone).
I'd still love one of these in my driveway once I finally get a house. The 3v is one of the best sounding V-8s ever imo, and that short list of mods for a 480hp street car is basically unbeatable.
I’ve owned 3 4th gen F-Bodies now and I did own an S197 GT like this one but unfortunately it was given to my by a buddy with a blown motor and I had a 32 valve out of an old Lincoln ready to go and I was gonna put into it and then a tree fell on the roof straight down the middle…still have never got to drive one of these unfortunately.
as a diehard fbody guy, i really like these s197 mustangs.
@@CaptainThirdGen oh hey Josh funny seeing you here
Too bad the fox body looks like hot garbage, it seems like everything under the body is good
Lol. Feel? I hope you mean driving feel. Cuz the interior on f bodies...
I was strongly considering the mug, untill I realized the overwhelming likelihood of it becoming a 50$ reminder of one of the many times, I was a loser.
And now, ironically, the prices for these cars will start climbing after this review LOL
Not really lol
Shhhhhhhh
I’ve seen a 4.6 with less than 160k miles go for 4.5 grand on Facebook around my area
Finally a regular car review video I can relate too
Same here, I got a 06 gt a few months ago
Hearing Lou Holtz defend his Mustang was not something I realized I needed so badly until I heard it.
This is my personal favorite Mustang body style. Great to see one on here! Great video as always!
i went from a jetta that i absolutely beat on, to an e39 540i, a rwd V8 sedan, and i brake the tires loose every left turn in the rain. i've never come close to loosing control of the vehicle, my jetta on the other hand, slid like it was on ice at all times.
The upgrades you described for these years of car is spot on. One could switch out the supercharger for a Whipple or kenne bell depending on what kind of whine you want emanating from your pony and what you want your power band to look like
As a Brit the Mustang has never really caught my attention (unless it's the exact car from Bullitt) but this is the Mustang I'd own.
Richard Hammond loves Mustangs.
@@calvinnickel9995 yeah but Ford never really offered the mustang here up until the current generation so you don't really see them there were other fast fords here like the various cosworth models that attract that kind of affection here
Best part about the Bullitt mustang was an off the lot GT 390. Didn't even have limited slip
I believe in 2008-09, Ford made Bullitt S197s and was upgraded to 315 horsepower.
I saw one of these in a small city and Greece and people were running out into the road to take pictures of it
The bit about how to engage first gear is kind of (surprisingly) true for my same year Focus. And it was definitely true for my 98 3.0 Ranger. I honestly think Ford just makes some of the best clutches on the market, and the best of the American Big Three manufacturers by far
The Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 analogy was right on the nose!
Nooooo wayyyyyyyy I just got one of these!!! Excited for the review!!
"Why these cars crash?"
Good question Mr. Regular.
It all comes down to when you turn the systems off, they go off, when you enter a drift, they stay off, but as you let off the throttle, the car thinks you are about to crash and panics, turns the stability management back on, proceeds to clamp down on one front brake to try and right the car, but mostly results in being a little overzealous and causes a spin. Frustrating. Stupid. Dangerous. Especially when there are curbs, signs, and people in close proximity.
A bypass kit must exist right?
@@Petrospect a tuner can modify it, but to my knowledge it is engrained fairly deeply in the BCM
The traction control system on my 2009 GT500 was so bad you could do 2nd gear burnouts with it on, but any time it got loose it would do exactly as you described snd would try to save the car for you a second after you'd already applied countrrsteer. Terrible system that was more dangerous than it was helpful.
That would explain alot, I had a s197 about 5 years ago. I tried to drift it once and jesus christ that thing would over correct so hard.
@@soap38 I'm no Ken Block, but I can swing a car around a corner decently enough and bring it back. My friend has an S550 and the one time I tried a drift, I initiated fine, I rode it out fine, but the moment I let off the gas so it would straighten back up, it immediately snapped around the opposite direction and did a 270 before almost backing me into a ditch. That coupled with watching all the normal Mustang carnage made me realize what was happening and why. I honestly believe that most people driving a stang like a bit of an ass aren't all that bad of drivers, but the car behaves in a way that no one expects it to and thus we have Mustang/Crowd memes.
My friend just bought an ‘08 GT 5MT and I was really impressed when I drove it. The 4.6 3V has got to be one of Ford’s greatest engines, happy to rev, torquey and it makes a wonderful old school kind of sound. It also runs on 87 and supposedly will get 24+ MPG on the highway according to various S197 forums, not bad at all for such an awesome engine.
The 24 mpg+ thing is people who started off justifying the car to their spouses and now have themselves fooled. My record average was prob 19. You are absolutely right about the sound though, the main reason why I prefer my 07 to a 5.0, I just thing it has a more musclely, american feel to it. The 4.6 with hot rod cams is just sex on wheels.
@@lukelaw8981 The Coyote is a fantastic engine but if I was going to buy a Mustang I think I would probably have more fun with a 3V mainly because I could actually use all of it’s 300 HP without worrying about it getting away from me. Internet warriors seem to forget just how much 420 HP is.
@@pondmonserfox @pondmonserfox the 300 can get you into more than enough trouble on its own, and is still definitely dangerous when ur new to that level of power in a rwd. I know it caught me out a few times.
But the best part is, is that it's still enough to have fun even when u get used to it as you say, you really use all of it and know the car well enough to predict when it's gonna break traction. With the bigger numbers u just can't do that unless ur reallllly good.
@@pondmonserfox the main thing to remember is that 300hp comes with 315 torque as well - that's the real kicker
@@lukelaw8981 The torque is reallllllly nice to have for sure. It was really satisfying to be able to lug it around in 5th gear without any worries, it’s not something I’m used to since I drive a Miata, lol.
I kept waiting for at least one sideways smoky burnout! It's what they do best. Nice review. Good to see someone other than a Mustang channel talking about the positive side of these cars.
Amazing and really insightful review! Man that song at the end!!!!! Fire! Gread job! Keep on rocking! Keep on trucking!
Ooooo I got a 06 mustang gt, 5 speed manual and I love it. One of the best executed retro designs of all time imo. Sort of drives like a off the shelf $6000 restomod mustang, with the classic styling and retro designs and shapes, but with a modular v8 and just enough amenities and technology to keep you happy 😁😁
That and even for 300 horsepower even with some v6 that are made now a days it’s still a very fun and peppy car that can make you smile.
Just sold my 3v s197 for a 4runner and I’m already saving to get another s197, nothing can beat the nostalgic feel of that chassis and motor
As an S197 owner, this is the most brutally accurate and brutally hilarious video I have ever seen. Subscribed.
Doesnt care about the undeserved meme reputation its been given. And thats the truth!
The only time I spun out in my 2005 GT was when I forgot to turn off the traction control. Eff that TCS
Same here when I got mine. Just put the FRPP one piece driveshaft in my 07 GT today and did a burnout for the operational check. Ops check was good
RCR, the new memesters. Shits and giggles always, with a bit of history and actual driving input. Gotta love channels like these.
Still waiting for Rinaldi and Kline to dig me a hole...
I'm planning a trip to Kunkleman Chevrolet soon to get me something used, cheap and dirty, myself!
This car reminds me of my own S197 powerwheels i had when I was younger and was one of the reasons why I love mustangs and have a big passion for cars
I have waited millenia for this man to finally review this car and he does it on my birthday couldn't ask for a better gift life is good
so this is the giveaway car. knew it!
Cool... thanks...
I knew it was a stang, just wasn't sure what model
This is my dream car I’ve always wanted one with the red interior
This is hands down one of the best S197 reviews I've seen
My first car was an 05 V6 in red like this, it started my love. I've had a 67 302 swapped since then but I never ran to buy a mug so fast. I'd love another S197 with the right options this time.
The icon that this car began and the meme it sustained make it legendary.
Also for the giveaway, is the car shipped to the winner?
I love my s197. Thank you for this video. These are fantastic cars and are so under valued right now. I considered selling to buy a coyote but I just love the way mine looks and plus no one wants a 4.6 anymore. If I blow it up I can get a replacement 4.6 cheap.
I just became a stereotypical mustang owner. I was getting out of school and the road was wet, I was going to fast in a turn, spun out and hit a curb. The only one who was hurt was my mustang, the k member bent, sent the front right tire under the car, and pushed the fender into the door. My dad and the tow truck guy said it was fixable, and I hope they're right. I've only owned the car for a little under a year and I fell in love with it
I used to have a 2006 V6, a 2008 GT, and a 2007 GT500. I loved every single one of them. The S197 was my favorite chassis to drive by far.
These cars are very underrated. Even mustang guys (like myself) were disappointed that these didn’t come with the 4v as standard. I had a Mach 1 so it seemed like a step backwards at the time, then the Shelby came out and we were all impressed but they were too expensive for young guys (which is probably for the best).
Once the 2010 redesign came out these things basically vanished from consciousness and were dismissed as those mustangs that looked kind of cool and retro but were not that good.
Maybe we were too hard on these cars though. They have aged pretty well (looks-wise) and the 4.6 modular engine enjoys a great reputation for reliability so it would be a fun commuter for sure.
The S197. A bit of an oaf, not too bright, but always had good intentions. Unfortunately its size drew attention from those who only sought to take advantage for their own means. Once the trouble began, they laughed and sped away in their Corvettes, leaving the poor S197 to deal with the mess they left behind.
4:35 That was something that kind of blew me away when I first test drove a Mustang.
Like that was my introduction to torque was the realization that this thing can go uphill with just clutch, at least the coyote.
I drove one of these mustangs back in the day and everything RCR is saying about how it feels is spot on. Going from my Tiburon to this mustang, clutch felt like pushing on a brick wall and the shifter was tight nochy and precise.