New: Mustang, Challenger, or other?

[Drumchaser]

Now that gas is tolerable, I have been daydreaming about a new muscle car.
Have not had one in a long long time.
Was thinking that a fellow might strike a good deal during the current climate.

Any takers?

Thanks

 

[evelrod]

If you can afford it, now is the best of times to think about buying a new car. There are a few exceptions, of course...e.g., Smart For Two and others like it are bringing a premium price. For a Mustang, the deals are phenomenal.
I'd like a new car, but my money is tied up in collector and vintage race cars for the foreseeable future. I really don't need a new car...BUT...if I did, I would buy one in the near future, for sure.
Fuel prices are low, for a time. They will go back up again, that is a given. If your going to let the fear of $5.00/gal gas deter you...shame on you. Go for it!

Rod

 

[rmw]

Gas won't be cheap for long. They got a taste of the profits possible at $4-5.00/gal and they will manipulate the supply to get it back up somewhere mid range between where it is now and what it was at the worst. Remember when we didn't complain at all about $2.80/gal gas?

If you owned the commodity (petroleum) wouldn't you?

I've been looking at Hummers but the truth of what I just said gives me great pause.

rmw

 

[GregLocock]

But the price of gas, even at 4 bucks a gallon, is not a very significant part of the cost of running a new car. SO, if you can buy a gas guzzler cheap rather than paying full whack for a Smart, you may well have made the economically rational choice, as well as having more fun.

Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[BrianPetersen]

All depends what you are using the vehicle for. Keep in mind that as others have noted, today's low fuel price will only be low until the economy recovers. Today's low price of oil is shutting down exploration, oil sands projects, alternative fuels, etc., many of which could take years to recover. In other words ... once the economy recovers, there is a very high probability that we will be paying MORE for fossil fuels, and the long-term trend is only upward.

Still ... Weekend plaything, not too high annual mileage, maybe the fuel consumption doesn't matter so much. Buy whatever you like, and now is indeed a good time to buy. (Tip for ya, though: Hang in there another month or two until you see the new Camaro. It might change your mind.)

But for something for a long commute and long trips in the summer, etc., I personally have taken the stand that every vehicle I buy for this purpose must use no more fuel than the vehicle it replaces ... and I'm at about 5.5 L/100 km now (diesel VW Jetta).

 

[SomptingGuy]

Fuel prices and/or economy are irrelevant if your driving is purely for pleasure. It's a bit like being late if you're not going anywhere.

- Steve

 

[Drumchaser]

Thanks for all the gas gloom and doom. I expect the price to go back up as well.

Sorry folks, I actually was wanting first hand knowledge on the performance, 1/4 mi. /top end, handling, initial prob.s etc.
Was aware of the new Camero SS in theory/pic.s
Have seen the raced up (SVT? SRT?) Challenger.
Also the Mustang Cobra, Bullet, GT 500 and GT, but do not know anyone who has either of these (in my vicinity).

From what I have read the GT would be the most middle of the road, for fuel economy as well as rompage.

Thanks

 

[NormPeterson]

I bought an '08 GT in Premium trim not quite a year ago as gas prices were still rising. Don't regret it a bit. We looked at the Bullitt, but wanted features not available on that model, and you can pretty much clone your own Bullitt through the FRPP catalog and others anyway. GT500 = 400 lbs too heavy, with most of that over the wrong wheels. A Shelby version of the GT (not the GT500) has won the SCCA F Stock National Solo (autocross) title two years running, and I know the guy who did it.


Norm

 

[Drumchaser]

Norm

Your pony -

1/4 mile?, is ECU gov'ed? In town - 13? Hwy. - 18?

30Kish?

6-speed?

Tunes pkge?

Will it git it?

Thanks

 

[evelrod]

Hmmmm. Interesting...I have owned hundreds of cars in the last fifty years and I never bought one of them because someone else liked it. I cannot conceive of using another mans judgment to pick a performance car. What will "git it" for me may not suit you at all. In fact, I strongly suspect that anything I might choose, from my streetable vehicles (seven) to my race cars (three), will NOT suit you!

I'm guessing that you are the "everyman" that advertising execs are always talking about. Get out and drive each one of the cars that "git it" for you and make up your own mind...At least if you choose wrong, you will know who to blame! )

Rod

 

[patprimmer]

And take it for a good drive covering a range of possible common uses conditions.

Rent one for a weekend before you buy if possible.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers for professional engineers

 

[patprimmer]

Also test drive a few second hand ones with quite a few miles on them if possible.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers for professional engineers

 

[NormPeterson]

You really need to test-drive the contenders back-to-back, paying close attention to the driving aspects that mean the most to you. I can only comment on the GT at this point, and even that is from a point of view that is decidedly different from that of the majority of muscle/pony car enthusiasts.

1/4 mile? . . . magazine tests put it variously in the 13's. Being primarily oriented toward autocross and sports cars as opposed to traditional muscle cars and the drags, and having no desire to risk breaking drivetrain bits, I have no idea what my specific car will do in that regard.

is ECU gov'ed? . . . ??? I haven't run the rpms all the way up to fuel cut or attempted to verify R&T's 143 mph estimate, if that's what you're looking for.

In town - 13? . . . (varies widely)
Hwy. - 18? . . . 22 or better at 75-ish mph not using cruise control. How smart/steady is YOUR right foot?

6-speed? . . . 5-speed. Unless you're into road course open-tracking the car AND need an economical highway gear, one overdrive gear ought to be sufficient for a car with ~150 mph capability.

Tunes pkge? . . . FRPP (conservative as those things go, but it's warranted for 3 years if installed by a Ford service dep't at or maybe immediately after delivery)

Will it git it? . . . ???, see Rod's comment. Comments here regarding subjective matters might perhaps be a bit more reliable than most of what you'd read at any of the dedicated Mustang/Camaro/Challenger/etc. fora, but this is still a subjective thing . . . (Hints, anyway: what impresses me more are things like cornering and emergency-level handling, at which the GT is pretty darn good for a 3500 lb stick-axle car on all-season tires. For straight line quicker/faster, I could assemble something quite a bit stronger based on stuff I've got laying 'round the house, but it's at least 'adequate')


Norm

 

[Drumchaser]

Thanks Rod
Thanks Pat
Thanks Norm:

Your mileage qoutes (hwy) are better than I would have hoped.
The 13's are more than adequate for my needs. At present I have only driven the automatic plain GT, but would prefer the stick for sure.

 

[thundair]

Let me put a plug in here for the Z06, for the same price as one of these new ones you can grab 2 year old sub 12 second Z06.
Although it wont cart the family around I believe a man should have his own car. It will git it for me.

Cheers

I don't know anything but the people that do.

 

[tripleZ]

Alright, my two cents...why new??? In my area, classic VW bugs are going for a few grand (2-4). $15-20K ought to get you a frame off restoration, a nice paintjob, new upholstery, and 2300+ CC blown engine. =) That's my current dream. Were finances not an issue I'd be starting to restore one myself right now.

That being said, I'm guessing you could find a slightly used Charger SRT 6.1L for under $25K. Resale on my R/T is crap...around $15K. A few extra grand in chips and other goodies will get more ponies that you'd likely need. Gas mileage around town will be crap (my R/T pulls around 14 MPG in winter), but at a cruise on the highway it shuts down to 4 cyl and you'll get around 26 MPH. Plus if you have a family you still get a 4-door that looks sharp (IMO that is).

If you live in a winter climate though and plan on using it during the winter, forget the Charger. The thing is pure crap in the snow. Stability control works well, but traction is anything but nice. It's hard to keep those wheels from spinning. =)

 

[bvanhiel]

New: ABS...better handling...better fuel economy...air bags...reliability...warranty...low maintenance costs...more horsepower...traction control

Old: Rust

Unless you're a collector and just love a certain car, new pretty much trumps old in every category. I considered doing a late 80's 911 in lieu of a nearly new S2000. The S pretty much out performs the 911 of that era in every way I could think of except for the lack of Porsche nameplate.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Woo hoo, go S2000 Taking mine for a rear alignment in 10 minutes after replacing the rear subframe this past weekend (powder coated the frame and chromed the bolts after having it all seize a couple of years ago due to road salt).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Drumchaser]

Drove a new Bullit, 5 speed, nice and torqy. Saw a new black Challenger and want to experience that next.

 

[tripleZ]

I've always just wanted to have a "unique" car that not everybody has. Something about a classic Beetle that's been restored and customized just speaks to me. Don't know why. Some of the guys in the Harsh Winters VW Club down around Chicago have some really nice ones. Some of those guys have set the bar for what I'd like to have one day. Gotta dream small though...VWs are in my price range. Classic cars and 'rods are pretty much out of my league (financially) and will always be. Probably the reason I've stuck with sportbikes up to this point. Fast, easy to fix, and you can find some really cheap salvage bikes out there to work on.