In this Nitpicker’s Guide, the Ford Mustang is not going to be nitpicked but the pros and cons of owning one here in the Philippines.

The Ford Mustang never fails to turn heads in the Philippines, or perhaps anywhere in the world. The loud rumble, the sheer power and its head turning looks will always be the best features of the Mustang. In the Philippines, the Mustang is still a rare species, only to be seen on weekends at the expressways or on TV and movies, and nowadays, vloggers at YouTube. With a price tag of over PhP 3.7 million for the Mustang GT Convertible, the rarity of the Mustang can be attributed to its market value. But one can also think of the pros and cons of owning a Mustang in the country – with its tropical weather and perennial calamities like its regular typhoons and flooding. How practical is it to own a Mustang in the Philippines?

Before everything else, let’s remind ourselves of why one, if with the thick wallet, should buy the Mustang.

A 5.0L V8 engine, which produces 460 Horsepower and 570 Newton meters of torque, paired with a Ford trademarked 10-Speed SelectShift Automatic transmission. Paddles on the steering wheel for that all sporty drive. Four selectable drive modes: Normal, Snow/Wet, Track+, and Drag Strip. (Now this is a car you can bring to track day, right?) Brembo brakes, with a 6-piston front brake calipers and very large rotors. All the technology in a modern car that you will ever need, starting from the Dual Electronic Automatic Climate Control, a 12-inch Digital Instrument Cluster, an 8-inch LCD touchscreen for infotainment, with Navigation, adaptive cruise control, a 12-speaker sound system with subwoofers at the trunk, individual tire pressure monitoring, a Personal Safety System, Heated and Cooled leather trimmed seats, Ford’s TrackApps, and much, much more!

All I can say is you are getting what you are paying for with all of these, and not only that, think of the sheer enjoyment, the adrenaline rush, the pogi factor, once you are behind the wheel of this perfect monstrosity of a car.

But then again, the question that seriously begs to get an answer is: how practical is it to own a Mustang in the Philippines?

Country Roads

In the countryside or going to the countryside is where the Mustang can really show its power. Imagine having a weekend to Subic. Imagine the drive to NLEX, and SCTEX up to Tipo Expressway. With the hills and scenery around you, the drive can be really, really enjoyable. Sadly, not all country roads are like going to Subic. There could be some places where the in-roads are still unpaved. An off-road opportunity is not what you want for your Mustang. These roads can also be tight, so the Mustang can sometimes find itself between a rock and a hard place, perhaps even literally. Potholes are also a great concern, and speed bumps and humps that are not up to code. Even a Vios reels when it hits these nuisances so how else does the Mustang. So if you are the type of person who likes a Mustang but needs it like an SUV, then you do need an SUV. Ergo, the Mustang must be your second or third or fourth car in the garage. Having one and bringing one to places can be limiting. You choices can be exhaustive and repetitive.

Track Day

The track can be the place you can bring your Mustang. I mean, yes the choices of places to go to can be limiting but running around in circles, lap after lap, on a track is never going to get old. This is where, legally, you can unleash power of the Mustang. Imagine finding the right racing line, hitting all apexes, experimenting on grip and slides, drifting on corners. Or maybe, just trying to hit your top speed on the straights. Imagine the intensity, the adrenaline rush. Imagine the exhilaration.

The only offset could be… there are not too many tracks where you can bring your Mustang in the Philippines. Being an archipelago, it can be tricky, although there are ways, to bring your Mustang from one island to another, in case there will be a new track to open somewhere in the islands.

Still, you wouldn’t be hitting the track every weekend right? Or would you? (I don’t know, I don’t own a Mustang. Maybe I’ll know when I actually own one. The blue one please, and thank you!)

City Driving 

This is a very Filipino issue. It’s always, what’s the mileage of this, how’s the fuel economy of that. It’s always a question that Pinoys consider before buying that beloved car. Remember what I said earlier about the Mustang, where it should be your second, or third or fourth car? Well, it also applies here since the Mustang should not be your daily driver if you are conscious with gas prices. I am not saying it couldn’t, but it shouldn’t. Look at the gas prices skyrocket recently, and the V8 gulp all of them in a jiff. Well, think about it. If you can afford the car with the very thick wallet then you can afford the gasoline to run it, right? Not to be elitist but these things has to be considered, right? If it is, then sadly, the Mustang it not for you.

Over-all Sentence

Owning a Ford mustang is like marriage. It’s a commitment, or at least until you own it. You should know all the repercussions – good and bad – of owning one. You should not be disappointed in the eventuality the cars do not fit the situation because, unlike in marriage with a human where it takes two to tango, your marriage with the Mustang can only driven by the person behind the wheel.

Also Read: How much is the maintenance cost of Ford Mustang in the Philippines