Yes or No on Performance Package

[Retnavy]

I have 27K on my non-pp. When I bought the car, my favorite tech told me to forgo the ACC which I did. I got the seats mainly for my wife on trips with her bad back. Okay deal there. However, I drive for a Ford dealer with delivery/pick-up of new and used models. Having drives several new Fords with ACC, I now wish that I'd have opted for it. It's an option worth having.
With added Corsa exhaust/Livernios tune/Airaid kit, I'm more than satisifed with the performance. Average about 28-29 MPG on trips witrh 70+cruise. Not to shabby for a car over 4000 lbs.

 

[Showgun]

I have the non-PP and drive it daily without the spare... Less weight, more rrom in the trunk... But if I were to drive it for a longer ride, I would put it back in. Worst case in my daily drive, if I have a flat tire, I will use a towing and pay the 75$... Only happened to me once in almost 20 years of driving 20K miles per year...

Yeah I've taken that chance too and not very comfortable doing it.
So much crap on the roads these days I don't want to get stranded.
Now if I were at the track -- that would be different.

 

[Showgun]

That would be nice! -- also got fingers crossed.

 

[LittleMichael]

Wow, you sure have a lot of great feedback to go off of with this thread!! Everyone really has given their honest opinion. Now for mine!

I would go for the performance package and the ACC radar / collision detection.

The spare tire is HUGE, and overall it makes for a tougher car while still giving you a smooth ride. The collision detection is a must IMO. The center console is great, don't get me wrong, but many times you find yourself looking at that screen to change settings. When you do this, your eyes are not on the road. Of course, yes, you can do many functions by pressing the up/down for the climate and using the steering wheel buttons, but when it comes to navigation you will need to be looking at that screen. There are studies on this, and ABC world news did one a while back about technology screens in cars.

So I would STRONGLY recommend getting the ACC with collision warning. It WILL save you from an accident during the car's life span. I will bet my life savings on that. It has already saved me over a dozen times!!!

 

[Showgun]

When I bought mine you had to choose between ACC and PP -- couldn't have both........at that time. It may have changed now not sure.

All the SHO's imported to CAnada have the ACC but no PP.
Agreed on getting the ACC for you guys in the US who can choose.

 

[RealityCheck]

1) Cruise control - especially ACC - is a driver disengagement feature. Marginally inappropriate on any car, highly in appropriate on a performance car.

2) No spare on the PP. Spares and toolkits (including the spare hold down) are widely available on ebay. Total cost should be less than $125.

3) Had I not be able to find a PP car and been forced to by a non-PP SHO, I would have immediately replaced the all season tires with real tires. I'm appalled Ford even puts these monstrosities on the SHO. Leave the minivan tires for the pedestrian versions of the Taurus.

3) As a car enthusiast, it didn't even cross my mind to forego value-added performance features (the PP is a bargain) for fluff like ACC. Unless you drive very gently (in which case an SEL may have been a better choice for you), the PP features are immediately apparent and become more apparent the harder you drive.

I suppose the fact the there are such strong opinions on PP vs non-PP is a testament to the SHO's appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers.

 

[Wardawg]

Wow, you sure have a lot of great feedback to go off of with this thread!! Everyone really has given their honest opinion. Now for mine!

I would go for the performance package and the ACC radar / collision detection.

The spare tire is HUGE, and overall it makes for a tougher car while still giving you a smooth ride. The collision detection is a must IMO. The center console is great, don't get me wrong, but many times you find yourself looking at that screen to change settings. When you do this, your eyes are not on the road. Of course, yes, you can do many functions by pressing the up/down for the climate and using the steering wheel buttons, but when it comes to navigation you will need to be looking at that screen. There are studies on this, and ABC world news did one a while back about technology screens in cars.

So I would STRONGLY recommend getting the ACC with collision warning. It WILL save you from an accident during the car's life span. I will bet my life savings on that. It has already saved me over a dozen times!!!

You have sync, why not just talk to it? I recently did this not even looking at the screen, telling sync the address of where I wanted to go.

 

[steve142857]

Here I am again trying to defend the Non-PP... lol!
Beside the gear ratio, which I still believe is not faster, unless you do the quarter mile, but from 0-60 perspective, it cannot be faster since you need one more shift...
The PP has better tires, which can be changed no problem, better braking, with better pads, issue resolved, on the non-PP you have the spare, which you can remove if you want to reduce wait when going at the track...
Really, I don't see that much of a bargain in the PP.
BTW I had asked my vendor how much it would cost for a gear ratio change and he was talking somewhere around 1000$... Don't know if it is validated or just a number he threw at me...
After 30K miles, once you have had the tires changed for performance summer tires, the brake pads upgraded, the suspension with H&R springs redone... I don't see much difference between the non-PP and the PP beside the gear ratio... no?

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Chiming in ... If you get a "Brick" version... You get the 3.16 Axle, A/S tires, a spare, 2 tone outside and a bigger trunk! But NO ACC at least till 2013.

LOL LOL LOL

 

[Crash712us]

And if there is a tentative gear change in the works, who knows maybe even a lower final drive gear like 3.55? that would surely drop ET's significantly.

 

[steve142857]

I would agree Steve, the biggest "bonus" with the PP pkg is the gear change.

The 3.17 found in the PP -versus- the 2.77 in the Non-PP versions, is, for all inclusive purposes, worth about .2 to .3 in the 1/4 mile.

I've overheard discussion from various vendors about the possiblity of doing the gear swap only, but was never quoted a price.

As far as an over all package (for the PP) I also agree that the rest of the "offerings" were just merely superfilious fluff.

Part of me wishes I knew about the PP when I bought my SHO, but part of me is also glad that I did not. Hearing that a gear swap is tentatively in the works, makes me rest easier knowing that I got the Non-PP.

I'd rather install better aftermarket stuff for all of the rest of it anyhow.

I would like to see someone with the PP do in the 12 sec with no methanol... Then I would be convinced that the PP gear change actually cuts the ET. Until now, my non-PP seems to be as fast or faster than most PP cars... If that 3.17 gear is cutting 0.2 or 0.3 tenth, how come there is only Darrell and Rick's car in the 12 seconds? Nobody tried their PP car at the track on a cooler night (below 75F)? We should see a bunch of 12's if PP were faster, no?

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

Believe Darrell's 2 bar no W/M time was on an average night. Beefcake supposedly ran a 12.6 or .7, but it has come to pass that he had a KB Boost-a-pump, so maybe had other things like W/M & 3-bar sensor. Even if BC chimes in... we'll never know exactly, positively, for sure... LLLLOL........

How about it Darreli????

 

[SFM5S159]

I would like to see someone with the PP do in the 12 sec with no methanol... Then I would be convinced that the PP gear change actually cuts the ET. Until now, my non-PP seems to be as fast or faster than most PP cars... If that 3.17 gear is cutting 0.2 or 0.3 tenth, how come there is only Darrell and Rick's car in the 12 seconds? Nobody tried their PP car at the track on a cooler night (below 75F)? We should see a bunch of 12's if PP were faster, no?

I kinda chuckle at the whole debate on this...I think while the Gen 4 SHO is a pretty nice car (I did buy one of course) it's no race car. It's a 4200lb sedan that allows for some "spirited" driving. To debate tenths of a second is something that most of us will never be able to distinguish on the street.
I guess it can be used for a weekend warrior at the strip and yes, bragging rights are important, but who are we kidding? These are pretty well done four-door sleds! You want a performace car that goes well straight, turns and stops well? Go buy a 'vette or a Porshce 911 of some kind.
At best the SHO is a nice, sleeper sedan with good straight line performance.
I'm O/T here, but I'd say if you have a couple extra $$, get the PP, I did and it seemed to me that in the used market, it really didn't add any cost vs. the non-PP cars.
Get what YOU like and don't worry about a few tenths of a second!

To clairify: I'm not putting anyone or their car down; I LIKE the cars! I think for the money and features they are damn hard to beat; I just don't look at them as much more than a nice performance sedan.

 

[SpoolinX2]

What you say makes perfect sense. The only thing I disagree on is that .2-.3 ET is a pretty noticeable difference when you're doing 100+ mph.

 

[steve142857]

I kinda chuckle at the whole debate on this...I think while the Gen 4 SHO is a pretty nice car (I did buy one of course) it's no race car. It's a 4200lb sedan that allows for some "spirited" driving. To debate tenths of a second is something that most of us will never be able to distinguish on the street.
I guess it can be used for a weekend warrior at the strip and yes, bragging rights are important, but who are we kidding? These are pretty well done four-door sleds! You want a performace car that goes well straight, turns and stops well? Go buy a 'vette or a Porshce 911 of some kind.
At best the SHO is a nice, sleeper sedan with good straight line performance.
I'm O/T here, but I'd say if you have a couple extra $$, get the PP, I did and it seemed to me that in the used market, it really didn't add any cost vs. the non-PP cars.
Get what YOU like and don't worry about a few tenths of a second!

To clairify: I'm not putting anyone or their car down; I LIKE the cars! I think for the money and features they are damn hard to beat; I just don't look at them as much more than a nice performance sedan.

It is a fast sport sedan especially when modified. Maybe not a sport car, but when it is as fast as or able to beat Mustang GT, Camaro SS, SRT8, Audi S5, BMW M3, Lexus IF-S, etc. I consider it fast and justify to talk about performances, 1/4 mile and tenth of seconds. Actually, many of us in this forum like to talk about our car under that perspective and like to consider it as sporty... even if it is not a Porsche... But again, talking straight line, it can make sweat many Porsches Carrera/Targa and Corvette owners at a red light!

 

[SFM5S159]

Steve, you make many good points, no doubt. Yes, it's fast and yep many view it the way you do I'm sure. I just look at it a little different. I don't want to open a huge debate BUT the M3 has something like 420hp and a weight of 3600#, so it's hard to imagine a SHO winning in a 1/4 mile, if both were stock. Also, take a look at the C63 AMG Benz...another slick sedan with impressive performance. Either one is far more costly than the SHO; so again, I like the SHO, hands down.
Yes, it is sporty; it's just not a sports car! Uh oh...here come the insults~!
I just want to offer a different point of view. I'm not saying I'm right or anything; just offering an opinion. And yes, my SHO is quicker than my 911!

 

[Crash712us]

I like to find out if my sho was faster then my buddies 87 930 turbo ruff. It has only 4000mi and is babied big time. I have driven a few times but I have always driven very respectfully. I have once put my foot into a little bit, cars disappear quickly out the rear view mirror.

 

[steve142857]

Steve, you make many good points, no doubt. Yes, it's fast and yep many view it the way you do I'm sure. I just look at it a little different. I don't want to open a huge debate BUT the M3 has something like 420hp and a weight of 3600#, so it's hard to imagine a SHO winning in a 1/4 mile, if both were stock. Also, take a look at the C63 AMG Benz...another slick sedan with impressive performance. Either one is far more costly than the SHO; so again, I like the SHO, hands down.
Yes, it is sporty; it's just not a sports car! Uh oh...here come the insults~!
I just want to offer a different point of view. I'm not saying I'm right or anything; just offering an opinion. And yes, my SHO is quicker than my 911!

No insults, just fun to discuss about it that's all! Not a sport car, but once modified, it is fast. Really not far from M3 and C63AMG... they run around 12.7-12.8 and my SHO is now in the 12.9's... You can even put the RS4 in the package... And yes it is better in straight lines than curves, but if we can get to the curve before other sport cars, than I can take the curve easy and still win the race! lol
Gotta love it... Cheers!
Steve

 

[steve142857]

I like to find out if my sho was faster then my buddies 87 930 turbo ruff. It has only 4000mi and is babied big time. I have driven a few times but I have always driven very respectfully. I have once put my foot into a little bit, cars disappear quickly out the rear view mirror.

Your 1987 930 turbo should be a good match with the SHO : 0-60 is 5 sec flat ad 1/4 mile estimated of 13.4 sec. You can actually find a list (not that many recent cars, but still quite a good list). It is impressive to see how faster newer cars are. If you put the sort according to the 1/4 mile ET, you will notice that our SHO (once modified) is on the top of that list... Since most cars out there aren't modified and most are not cars of the year and since most of the cars aren't AWD nor running on slicks, our SHO is really in the top 1% fastest from one stop to another... and there aren't any curves there, so no need of a sport car...
Ok I am done and sorry to the OP for deviating on the debate...
http://www.ssmoparmuscle.com/speedcomp.htm

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

I kinda chuckle at the whole debate on this...I think while the Gen 4 SHO is a pretty nice car (I did buy one of course) it's no race car. It's a 4200lb sedan that allows for some "spirited" driving. .

So... what do you call a 5K "Brick" with the same engine??? LOL LOL!

I call it: GRANDPA'S TOY! or... MISTER SLEEPER!!! or.. WHAT THE **** WAS THAT???????

But.. Not as fast as my other toys!!!!!