After reaching 100,000 miles in my 2007 Ford Mustang I began thinking of replacing it. In April 2014 Ford unveiled the design of the next Mustang and I liked it.  After following the news releases of the specifications and reviews, I was finally able to see one when they started appearing at dealerships in the fall.  I wanted a sport coupe again, but by this time most manufacturers had abandoned that class.  The 2015 Ford Mustang’s competition was the Dodge Challenger, which I thought was too large and heavy, and the Chevy Camaro which I thought was ugly.  I thought the new Mustang’s design was beautiful, a well executed combination of modern and retro style. It was a bit less retro than the previous one but still enough that you could tell it carried the Mustang heritage as it entered its 50th year.

The base engine in the 2015 Ford Mustang was a 300hp 3.7L V6, which felt considerably faster than the 2007. The other choice (besides the GT 5.0) was a new 2.3L Ecoboost 4 cylinder turbo which makes just slightly more power. I didn’t want to pay more; the V6 was a very good and strong engine for this car.

What I didn’t like was that the V6 model had very few options.  I was able to get an option package that included fog lights and the same wheels that were standard on the GT; it did come with a complete set of features including power accessories but there were no choices on the V6 model for interior color, upgraded stereo, or other safety features like blind-spot monitoring. Those were all reserved for the higher models.  As for the color, I chose “Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat”. Its a slightly different color than the previous Redfire but gorgeous. It is a 3-stage paint – base coat, tinted clearcoat, and clearcoat. This gave it a real pop when sunlight hit it. I was also considering “Deep Impact Blue” which was a good looking deep blue metallic.

On the 2017 models, Ford removed the option package that included fog lights and upgraded wheels and discontinued the V6 model in 2018. It was evident from the introduction of this new generation that Ford was definitely trying to move buyers into either the turbo or the V8.

I really liked the style and power of the 2015 Ford Mustang.  There were several issues that required repair under warranty and I learned from other owners of far worse problems than mine. I was not happy with the quality level of this car but I was planning to keep it for some time.

In late March 2017 we had a severe thunderstorm one night when I was at home, and the Mustang was parked at the end of a row with a tree next to it. Lightning struck the tree and caused one of the large branches to fall on the left rear quarter. There was significant damage to the sheet metal of the quarter panel & glass, the left tail light, and the trunk lid. The insurance company declared it a total loss based on the repair estimate. Because the damage extended up along the upper door surround past the point where it would need to be cut to replace the quarter panel, that part would need to be replaced as well.  According to the insurance estimate it would have required nearly the entire side and that is a significant amount of sheet metal labor. After two Mustangs and not being satisfied with the quality of this one, I decided to move on from Ford and sport coupes for my next car.

Check out the original window sticker and photos below (click for a larger view).  I was truly disappointed that my 2015 Ford Mustang met an early end this way, with only 34,000 miles on it, but I’m glad I had the chance to experience it.  I was also disappointed with Ford’s quality.  One issue that came up in the 2007 model was that the paint along the hood panel seam under the front edge would bubble up and peel off.  The same thing happened on my 2015 model.  Ford never corrected this manufacturing defect in 8 years.  The hood was aluminum in both 2007 and 2015, and it had to do with paint prep at the factory.  The only remedy is replacement & painting of the hood.  I thought Ford should have done better, especially on a car whose higher trim levels priced in the mid $40,000 range.  Poor execution of a beautiful design.