It's a nice finish overall, but chips, nubs, and a bubble in the wheel wells have this detailer questioning Ford's quality control.
A Chicago-based detail shop literally shined a light on some peculiar paint defects found on a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse with 144 miles. Chicago Auto Pros shared the inspection in a video on YouTube, and while the majority of the ‘Stang’s exterior passed with flying colors, the wheel wells showed some interesting discrepancies.
What exactly is going on with this Ford? Speaking in the video, Jason Otterness of Chicago Auto Pros first highlights a paint chip on the end of the front fascia where it meets the passenger side fender at the wheel well. There’s no way to tell if that occurred at the factory, but moving to the rear, he finds “boogers” on the lip of the wheel well. These are little chunks of paint that could lead to chips if removed, and on the driver-side rear, there’s a paint chip on the wheel well lip where the panel meets the rear fascia. It’s notable because there’s a flap of paint still there, visibly peeling up from the surface.
The largest flaw comes from the front wheel well on the driver’s side of the Mustang. Here Otterness finds a sizable air bubble in the paint. While chips can certainly happen after the assembly process, he notes that bubbles usually occur if a surface isn’t prepped properly before painting. Because of this and the other issues around the wheel wells, he states he couldn’t apply paint protection to the car.
Is this an isolated case? That’s certainly possible, and we’ve reached out both to Ford and Chicago Auto Pros to investigate further. In a statement, a Ford spokesperson said:
With the launch of the all-new Mustang, we made numerous manufacturing improvements to further raise the quality of Mustang and provide owners the best customer experience with their new car. If customers should have a vehicle concern, they should visit their local dealer to have their car inspected.
We contacted Chicago Auto Pros to ask whether they’ve inspected other 2024 Mustangs, but we didn’t receive a response prior to publication. We will jump in with an update if new information becomes available.
Gallery: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse First Drive Review
As for the rest of the car, the inspection is largely positive. A small dent just below the rear window along with sanding marks suggests some repair work was done after assembly, though there’s no evidence of a repaint. Some small panel gaps were noted in areas, though nothing close to what we’ve seen from the likes of Tesla.
With a starting price of $60,865 (including a $1,595 destination fee), the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse slots at the top of the current Mustang hierarchy. The video states this car has Ford’s Blue Ember paint – available only on the Dark Horse Premium with the Dark Horse Appearance Package – which bumps the sticker to $66,360 before adding any other options. We don’t know what options this particular Mustang has, but a fully equipped 2024 Dark Horse costs approximately $80,000.
Keyword: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Criticized By Pro Detailer For Paint Issues