Best Street and Track S550 Mustang Upgrades | Auto Otaku

The 2015-2021 S550 Ford Mustang GT is a one of the world’s most popular modern performance cars. It’s great off the showroom floor but can be made even better with quality aftermarket upgrades.
In Episode 7 of Driving Line's The Auto Otaku Mike Garrett takes us through his one year ownership journey with his 2016 Mustang GT Performance Pack from the drag strip to the autocross track to the daily grind.
He also breaks down a number of upgrades he’s done to the car to help take its street and track performance to the next level - while still being a great daily driver.
Here is the full list or aftermarket upgrades done to this car as described in the video:
-Nitto NT555 G2 Tires
www.nittotire.com/passenger-t...
-RTR Aero 7 Wheels
www.rtrvehicles.com/products/...
-ST Suspension XTA Adjustable Coilovers
www.steeda.com/st-suspension-...
-Steeda Sway Bar Kit
www.steeda.com/steeda-mustang...
-Steeda Billet Sway Bar Mounts
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-bi...
-Steeda Ultralite 2-Point G-Trac Brace
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-ul...
-Steeda ‘Ultimate Stop the Hop’ IRS Upgrade Package
www.steeda.com/steeda-mustang...
-Steeda 2-Piece Brake Rotor Set
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-pe...
-Hawk HPS 5.0 Street Brake Pad Set
www.steeda.com/Hawk-Mustang-H...
www.steeda.com/Hawk-Mustang-H...
-Steeda 3” Catback Exhaust System
www.steeda.com/steeda-555-361...
-Steeda ProFlow Ultimate Induction Power Pack
www.steeda.com/steeda-ultimat...
-Steeda Tri-Ax Shifter
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mu...
-Steeda Street Front Splitter
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-fr...
-Steeda Functional Race Wing
www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-fu...
-Steeda Coolant Expansion Tank
www.steeda.com/Steeda-Mustang...
-Steeda Hood Strut Conversion
www.steeda.com/steeda-555-068...
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www.drivingline.com/articles/...
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[@billymania11]

I'm an old guy with a 2023 Mustang GT 6 speed and it will be forever stock but it's fun to see what others do their Mustangs.

[@picodegallo1959]

Love how, towards the end of the video you're ripping around a track with the baby seat in the back. Awesome! Good job, pop!! Sweet job on the build, too. Really smart upgrades for what the car was intended for. Keep it up.

[@NigelsModellingBench]

What a fantastic video!! Thanks

[@MogulFarmer]

Well done video. Your build turned out awesome. The wheels look great. Thank you for including the Dyno data. I have a K&N CAI and a Roush cat-back and I always wondered how those mods affect the HP and torque. I’m going to do sone more mods and was thinking about working with Steeda and now I will for sure.

[@ninetres187]

Car looks so sick man!!!

[@lilannalucey]

Great video. I'm finally moving away from my 2010 Mazdaspeed 3, which I'd completely tracked out (roll cage, bucket w/ 6-point harness, much engine vibrations, etc) to something that will provide more growth at the track while keeping it stock enough to drive daily with my boys. Hoping to get a 2015 GT with the performance package this weekend. Want those factory Brembos and suspension upgrades so there's less to do before first track days in summer.

[@matthewhurt5572]

Awesome build! I upgraded my suspension as well, I went with the Ford Performance track pack kit. I also did White-line vertical links. I'm not sure if you upgraded to spherical bearings on your toe-links where it mounts to the knuckle. You have to press out the old ones and press the new ones in. It really does make a difference. Best of luck to you and enjoy your S550 brother!

[@scatpack1381]

Thank you for your review. 👍

[@shaunabs7681]

Great vid thanks!

[@therealcervenka]

Lookin’ good!

[@jackswartz6715]

great video!

[@natedogg9999]

Great Video

[@mariemccann5895]

Awesome, you speak a lot of real world sense.

[@Nardo_stpierre]

I bet it would be fun to have a s550 that is so well rounded. I made mine all about straight line speeds. I’m FBO E85 (JLT CAI, Long Tube Headers, etc) with lightweight kmember,lightweight front and rear bumper supports & one piece aluminum drive shaft. I got the 10Speed auto making about 485HP. It’s quick as hell but probably couldn’t reach you on a curvy track 😂

[@m7mdalameri923]

nice video

[@rickmassey1272]

The Barton Hybrid 3 Short Throw Shifter is the best shifter for mt82 equipped Mustangs...add the Steeda clutch Spring.

[@e.a3992]

Not dokken- it’s not love playing in each transition . Love it

[@hechtspeed]

I love the video man! Those wheels are hot. Ive been tracking the crap out of my 3v gt...so dar ive run a best of 1.29 at streets..and a 1.37 at big willow. Headed to butonwillow tokorrow actually. ..but im considering getting a s550 pp car. My only fear is that ill lose the raw feeling the old s197 chassis has vs the s550. Have any input as i know you had a 3v for a bit too

[@hechtspeed]

@mrsmith427 there is alot of feel with the early s197 chassis 3v cars. Non electric steering. No suspension assists

[@tatsuhirosatou5513]

Still nice that going to a 2018+ 10 speed has you putting down 420whp stock

[@chrisbouchard4719]

Put a good 200tw 305 30r19 on it with camber plates and a decent alignment and watch it really come alive

[@jg11596]

Excellent video. I'm considering a used S550 2018+ and would likely do some of the mods you did to yours. I've never owned a Ford and in doing research have read that the Getrag MT82 6 speed manual transmission is prong to breaking. Do you have any comments on this? Any advice for me on buying a pre owned S550? Thanks

[@nozopoke1782]

I own a manual 19 gt and it holds up real good. A lot of people break them but then again, a lot of people abuse these cars. Depends what you want with the car, if you go super high power, it will break

[@claudei6072]

Assuming that you don’t do a lot of drop clutch digs the MT82 is plenty durable. My ‘20 GT PP2 has a Roush Phase 2 750hp blower with about 13K miles of use with the blower. Haven’t had any durability issues at all. What you WILL have though is 1-2 lockout at high revs and a generally stubborn shifter. I have solved these by installing a Barton shifter and a weighted shift knob. Shifts are now excellent and no lockout. Still wish that Ford would have installed the Tremec though…

[@11B_GRUNT]

@@nozopoke1782 I had a 2019 6 speed with full bolt ons and the MT82 held up great no problem. I now have a 2019 10 speed automatic procchared with other goodies, pushing 813 horsepower and its a beast. The automatics are ridiculous, they hit hard when changing gears. It makes them so much faster once you add more power to them

[@lobbyrobby]

I'm now a proud owner of a 2020 pp1. I plan on a HPDE session next summer. I've never been on a track. I hope a stock pp1 will hold up for a couple days. It should because it's not like I'll be super fast. Car is stock aside from steeda lowering springs and bmr stage 2 cradle lockout kit.

[@danielcamacho1913]

When I asked around about tracking my 2020 PP1, I heard over and over that - even with the bigger PP1 brakes - I'll need brakes just for track day. The stock brakes wouldn't take very many lap sessions. ...And I know from another car I own that track brakes hated the drive to work, never warmed up, and screeched at every stop.

[@lobbyrobby]

@@danielcamacho1913 I've heard it both ways. I think if you're an amateur driver and won't be driving super aggressively the factory brakes will be fine for several track days. But yes I also read that you should change the brakes right away so I don't know. I haven't done it yet but if I ever do I will probably just bring an extra set of pads with me case I need I need to swap them out

[@Hauser03]

@@lobbyrobbyyou absolutely should change your brake fluid if you haven’t been out in track yet, I have a 18 Gt PP1 and I put motul RBF600 in, just finished my first track day today and the brakes did good, no fade but I’m definitely going to change the pads at least before my next event

[@lobbyrobby]

@@Hauser03 good advice

[@gimpfoot]

Nice I have 700whp and I already want more. 😂

[@zgblundell]

Gotta stiffen up those adjustable rear sway bars

[@gg4bone951]

Swapping a 5.0 into my eco boost 2017 smh I need help lil 😅 with wiring to get all gauges to work

[@overweight_miata]

Roughly how much was the chassis and suspension upgrades? Just asking because this is exactly spot on with what I’m trying to accomplish with my mustang

[@ThrottleHavoc]

You’re looking at about 4-6k depending on how much the coil overs were. I did a somewhat similar set up on my channel and that’s right around what it came up to. I did a few more mods to the suspension/chassis than he did though so that’s why I gave that price range.

[@michaelgeorge1712]

And total price?

[@m7mdalameri923]

11:56 me too

[@nozopoke1782]

Do you miss the R? I was going to do the opposite, sell the mustang to get the civic.

[@bernsantos4737]

Hi what wheels and size

[@brettlarson912]

Those are the RTR Aero 7s. 20” but can’t remember what width they come in.

[@dustinkuhn4458]

20by 9.5

[@dustinkuhn4458]

I think 275F 295R

[@dmxmike2]

You lost me when you said steeda is the best in the business. Cheers

[@rickmassey1272]

I'm sorry but, looking at your console and rear valance that's a base model mustang with the gauge package not a performance pack but it's a very nice car because... hell... why pay for performance pack equipment you're just going to replace anyway.

[@thephantom6027]

The brakes are a dead give away that it's a performance pack. Non PP GTs don't have those black Brembos.

[@josecortezalvarado1795]

Don’t buy the steeda cold air intake. It only gives you 1hp

[@kevinbooher7574]

Steeda steeda steeda somebody is sponsored..

[@johnalcala]

Isn't steeda about the best for Mustangs?

[@SirJamesTND]

@@johnalcaladepends. Steeda bmr and kelltrac

[@rickmassey1272]

He said he only replaced the rotors but those are not the factory brake calipers

[@chrisbouchard4719]

Yes they are. S550 performce back brembos are 15 inch 6 piston giant monsters.

[@danielcamacho1913]

@@chrisbouchard4719 The main reason I got the Performance Pack was for those brakes. 😁 The standard GT brakes apparently SUUUUUCK for track use. It's not just that they're smaller, but they're a weird shape. Vented, but cast with a shape that makes it hard to get air in the vents. Cooling ducts from the inside won't do any good, as the air would just be hitting a solid surface. Cooling air has to come through the wheels, and *why?* Nobody designs wheels for that any more, much less for Mustangs.

[@TboneSTEAK111]

@@danielcamacho1913 Just buy a pair of powerstops for $300 and dont even worry about it

[@douglasbaker5949]

Thank you for not calling the Mustang a “Sports Car” it is a muscle car. The Corvette is a sports car.

[@R0cketRed]

Just put a supercharger on it and it'll be better than the 350R.

[@rickmassey1272]

Whoever you bought the car from DID add some mods.

[@samanthanayeli4876]

I'm Alone 😍😥