Unresolved issues prospective buyers should know?

[involutions]

After being sorely disappointed by my recent purchase of a 2022 mustang Mach 1 I figured I’d ask people who own the cars rather than rely on journalists who seldom report on problems that would be deal breakers if known about ahead of time.
So, what issues are new Z owners facing? Engine or transmission noises?
Driveline rattles?
Electronics issues?
Interior noises?
Brakes?
Suspension noises?
Body panel figment?

I’m basing this list on my 5,000 mile mustang. What other issues should I worry about specific to the Z?
What complaints do you have?

 

[MacCool]

My 2024 Z Performance 9AT model is about a year old and has about 6200 miles. I have no quality issues. The car is tight and rattle-free. No driveline issues. Brakes are superb. Body panel fitment is excellent (the guy that did the clear bra install even commented on that). Nothing going on in the interior. I will say that the Z is not a quiet car....your head is sitting about 20 inches from the rear wheel well, probably exacerbated by the OEM tires (which IMHO would not be my first choice - Michelin's will be next). My 2024 is quieter than my 2014 370Z was, however. That's just road noise, however. That 370Z, even with 60,000 miles, was still tight and rattle free. The only suspension noise I've had has been from the aftermarket Z1 sway bars, and was because the guy that installed them didnt' lube the bushings, despite the zerks. Once lubed...no issues. By the way...IMHO you do need sway bars.

The electronics...well, I hate Nissan's electronics. All the features are there, but their interface is arcane to say the least. They are reliable, but I have always hated what Nissan apparently thinks is a good human interface. It's almost as if no one at Nissan has ever used an iPhone. Thank god for CarPlay so that I don't have to rely on Nissan's navigation system for on-screen mapping.

The car is very fast and very responsive. I have recently discovered that, although I thought that the performance on 91 octane was impressive, the power is noticeably improve by using 93 octane as recommended by Nissan.

 

[Fanatic]

What issues did you have with your Ford mustang Mach 1? The tremec transmission is superior compared to the regular GT and it still has a coyote engine. I guess Ford's reliability and product quality is going downhill anyway, imo.

When I had my performance z and nismo z, the turbo engine is not as responsive as a naturally aspirated engine. Also this suspension on the performance z is wobbly and the nismo z gets it down better. Also the fuel runs out fairly quickly on turbo engines for whatever reason. Maybe just has a smaller gas tank. Also the front and rear parking sensor would go off at times randomly.

 

[D2M]

I purchased a brand new Mustang GT 6mt in 2013. I loved the car overall but yes the driveline was very sloppy and had a ton of backlash noises when going slow. My friend has a 2021 GT 6mt and its exactly the same as my old 2013. In 10 years nothing has improved, Ford drivelines always sucked and probably always will.

As far as my Nismo Z goes I've had no issues in the 7500 miles I've owned it, only one small rattle coming from the gauge cluster area that seems to be a common issue, this doesn't bother me however. Balding rear tires is another thing my Z suffers from.

 

[involutions]

What issues did you have with your Ford mustang Mach 1? The tremec transmission is superior compared to the regular GT and it still has a coyote engine. I guess Ford's reliability and product quality is going downhill anyway, imo.

When I had my performance z and nismo z, the turbo engine is not as responsive as a naturally aspirated engine. Also this suspension on the performance z is wobbly and the nismo z gets it down better. Also the fuel runs out fairly quickly on turbo engines for whatever reason. Maybe just has a smaller gas tank. Also the front and rear parking sensor would go off at times randomly.

Engine knocking sound, almost like a rod bearing at idle. Luckily it goes away above 1000 RPM
Engine Popping, known as the Coyote BBQ lighter noise.

Driveline rattles: I get an engine lugging vibration at 1500-1900 RPM in 6th gear. Despite having shorter final overall gearing and more power, the dealer said I'm lugging the engine?

Clunking in differential. Probably too much backlash.

Brakes: Seem to have good initial grab, but when I push harder on the pedal, it doesn't seem to stop much more. It's like the car is too heavy for the brakes, despite having large Brembos. It stops slower than my 2015 Mustang GT, which only has the regular brakes.

Suspension noises: Popping sound from strut area when backing out of my garage. Maybe a sway bar bushing or???

Body panel fitment: Driver's tail light was not aligned properly from the factory, but I was able to correct it easily.

Front bumper cover is slightly orange when the rest of the car is definitely red.

Also, for a car with a $60,000 MSRP, I expect the radio in the Mach 1 Premium to sound as good as my 9 year old Mustang GT Premium. It's shockingly worse.

Finally, my car came with a telematics router, and collects and uploads data to who knows where. Ford should give me a cut of the profit them make from selling my data....

So, I'm hoping to get a car that was designed and built by people who car...

 

[CaliforniaZ]

Here I was considering a 2019 mach 1

 

[ZillaZ]

No issues with my 2024 Perf A/T.
About 3,500 miles on it so far.

 

[METROdigital]

5K on my performance mt with no issues.

My biggest issue is lack of space on road trips.

 

[Z-ski]

I have a 9AT Performance with ~3000mi. Overall, I love the car so far, but you asked specifically for the issues, so, going down your list:

Transmission: I had a Ford 6AT before, and the 9AT definitely likes to shift more frequently, which can be awkward at times. Mitigated in Sport mode somewhat. Not a huge deal, and I'm still "learning" the transmission behavior. I believe this is tied to the "lurches" some people get coming to a stop.

Electronics: No wireless android auto. The infotainment system isn't great, but I hardly interact with it. The backup camera is really poor resolution. Like awful. One of my biggest complaints.

Noises: It's not quiet inside, you hear the road and the wind and the engine and all the pebbles the stock tires like to kick up. Personally, I love that, but it's not for everyone.

Brakes: No issues so far, nice and firm with no squeaking.

Fitment: Don't pay much attention tbh, but I noticed the passenger side katana is slightly off.

Other issues: I'm not a sports car expert, but I can feel the body roll as well in a hard turn. Strongly considering stiffer sway bars at some point. I wish the drivers seat had about 1/2in more rear travel for leg stretching. The performance floor mats are super deep pile, almost shag. I ended up replacing the driver's side with one from a sport model, which is short pile with a heel "skid" area.

 

[bpeckham]

In terms of daily driving, I love the Z. The SRM on the 6MT literally makes shifting seamless. You want a gear? Press the clutch. Throw the shifter. Release. Done. So smooth.

My complaints are about fit and finish. The hatch half unlocks and other minor issues. The hatch thing is annoying because on days I commute, I open the hatch four times. The frustration is additive.

 

[trackratZ]

How have paint quality been? My prev Maxima years ago, super black, had thin paint, terrible w stone chips.

 

[involutions]

I have a 9AT Performance with ~3000mi. Overall, I love the car so far, but you asked specifically for the issues, so, going down your list:

Transmission: I had a Ford 6AT before, and the 9AT definitely likes to shift more frequently, which can be awkward at times. Mitigated in Sport mode somewhat. Not a huge deal, and I'm still "learning" the transmission behavior. I believe this is tied to the "lurches" some people get coming to a stop.

Electronics: No wireless android auto. The infotainment system isn't great, but I hardly interact with it. The backup camera is really poor resolution. Like awful. One of my biggest complaints.

Noises: It's not quiet inside, you hear the road and the wind and the engine and all the pebbles the stock tires like to kick up. Personally, I love that, but it's not for everyone.

Brakes: No issues so far, nice and firm with no squeaking.

Fitment: Don't pay much attention tbh, but I noticed the passenger side katana is slightly off.

Other issues: I'm not a sports car expert, but I can feel the body roll as well in a hard turn. Strongly considering stiffer sway bars at some point. I wish the drivers seat had about 1/2in more rear travel for leg stretching. The performance floor mats are super deep pile, almost shag. I ended up replacing the driver's side with one from a sport model, which is short pile with a heel "skid" area.

Good info. Thanks for taking the time to write that.

 

[Z-ski]

Good info. Thanks for taking the time to write that.

No problem. You mentioned car reviews, so my thoughts on that:

I saw all the track reviews and drag races and whatnot, and I was worried about the performance.

On the road though, the car is incredibly powerful and torquey, with a nice engine howl when you get her going.

It is heavy for it's size, but still lighter than a GT, and a lot smaller, so it still feels manuverable.

Those reviews are really testing cars at the limit, which some people need, but for me at least the car isn't the limit, it's the driver.

 

[bpeckham]

How have paint quality been? My prev Maxima years ago, super black, had thin paint, terrible w stone chips.

I had some paint issues on delivery (noticed after delivery), but I had a detail shop do paint correction and a ceramic coating, and it looks great now. The detailer who applied the ceramic coating mentioned that the paint was thin.

Disclaimer: I have only 8k miles and I garage the car, so it's basically still new.

 

[vern24]

I bought a 6 speed Performance model in May of this year. Close to 7000kms on it now. ZERO problems. I like the Android auto and user interface - I am a low tech guy however - I get tons of complements on the car, it's fast and fun to drive. I think the trans shift could be tighter, a bit less sloppy, and I had a minor fuel gauge reading issue once, that resolved itself on the next fill up. I love the car and drive it wherever I can. Long trips or grocery runs, it's a nice car. And it's looks are terrific!