What V8 muscle/pony car is best?

What V8 muscle/pony car is best?

  • Mustang

    Votes: 55 67.1%
  • Camaro

    Votes: 3 3.7%
  • Challenger

    Votes: 6 7.3%
  • Something else

    Votes: 15 18.3%
  • I hate all Muscle/Pony cars

    Votes: 3 3.7%

  • Total voters
    82

Ryotsu

Active Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
156
Location
Poway California
Car(s)
2012 Ford Mustang V6 Performance
This has to do with Muscle/Pony cars you can get in America. The candidates are the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Camaro SS, and Dodge Challenger R/T (the SRT8 is in an upper price tier). There is also the option of 'Something else.' If you pick that one, please give the make and model. Also, if you hate muscle/pony cars, there is the option for that, but please tell us why. If you just don't care for muscle cars or prefer another type, just don't vote. The hate option is only for people who truely and completely hate muscle cars/pony cars.

Now, my opinion; we all know that the Challenger is crap, so it's between the Camaro and the Mustang. I own a Mustang (a v6), and I can tell you that the interior build quality is second to quite a lot of others, but it's not bad. The visibility is really good, and it comes with built in blind spot mirrors. The transmission (shared between V6 and V8) is VERY nice, and the clutch feels good. The steering, even in it's heaviest setting, is a bit numb, but not excessively. A guy came over o my house for a party who had a Camaro (also a V6), and i can tell you that the Camaro has a much nicer interior. Leather and ambient lighting are (apparently) standard. I can also confirm that's really hard to see out of. As for styling, they are quite close. The Camaro some how looks fatter than the Mustang, but the Camaro is more futuristic. As for performance, I (having only driven the V6 Mustang) can only report what I've heard. The Mustang goes 0-60 faster, brakes better, gets the quarter mile down just as fast, and puts more G down in the corners. There is also the fact that the Mustang has a much more extensive aftermarket scene than the Camaro, meaning that you can mod it more easily and cheaply, and have more variety. So I'll go with the Mustang.
 
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C63 AMG
 
C63 AMG is a muscle car.
 
C63 AMG is a muscle car.

Dude, the C63 AMG starts at $58200, about twice as much as all the others. Muscle cars are supposed to bring big horsepower to the common man. Most people can't afford $58200 for a car. The C63 AMG is a great car, no argument. But it is, by no means, a common man's car. As being accessible to the common class is one the main requirements for a muscle car, the C63 is not what I would consider a muscle car. Even $30000 is pricey, a couple of my closest friends' families don't make that much a year.
 
So used E39 M5 then? I'm not sure how expensive they're in the USA, but I'd guess you could buy an M5 and include the running costs for couple of years with budget of 30k :D
 
If the SRT8 was listed I'd pick the Challenger because it looks great and is still a true muscle/pony car in my mind.
But out of the choices give it'd have to be the Mustang, because it too looks very good and apparently is fantastic to drive.
 
So used E39 M5 then? I'm not sure how expensive they're in the USA, but I'd guess you could buy an M5 and include the running costs for couple of years with budget of 30k :D

You can get just about anything, even pretty nice Ferraris, for that much. I'm talking about new cars you'd find in show rooms. The M5 didn't start off cheap, and they don't do them in America anymore (I don't know if they ever did), but the M3 coupe starts at $58900.
 
Did you really just say the transmission in the Mustang is good? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Have you heard of all the issues people are having? Just a couple of the thousands of problems out there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ATBtw8dqXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IhadvWIX6o
^from the description:
"My 2011 Ford Mustang GT has been in the shop 6 times, 42 days out of service, 2 transmissions, 3 clutches, 3 flywheels, all with only 3000 miles on the car. And now THIS...

I've complained to Ford about this issue being a safety risk and they don't seem to care."


The SRT8 counts in this discussion in my book, it's price doesn't make it not count as a contender, just a major point against it. As far as real world results, the Camaro and Mustang are dead nuts, since not every car is driven to it's full potential in every race. If I had to pick, right now I'd go with the 5.0, just ever so slightly...this coming from a huge GM/LSX fan. The looks are about even, though I'd give a slight edge to the Camaro...but the weight and IRS are what kill it for me. If and when the Gen V LSX Alpha Camaro comes out leaner and meaner, I'd probably end up back on my usual side.

The SRT8 looks flat out mean, probably better than the Mustang and tied with the Camaro (again, looks are totally subjective). Now it has some serious balls to get it's fat ass moving, it's a real contender. That price though, it is the killer and the RT is only for those who don't care about speed and just want the looks.


For around the same money though, I'd just snatch a used LS3 Corvette, or a C6Z06 since they are falling down to and under $40,000 used, and waste all 3 of the above.


There is also the fact that the Mustang has a much more extensive aftermarket scene than the Camaro, meaning that you can mod it more easily and cheaply, and have more variety. So I'll go with the Mustang.

That must be a joke, unless you're speaking of only the V6 cars...which aren't muscle cars. The LSX platform has a GIGANTIC aftermarket scene...I mean, which motor is getting swapped into anything and everything you can think of? It's not the OHC motor. You obviously have no experience with the LSX aftermarket.
 
As being accessible to the common class is one the main requirements for a muscle car, the C63 is not what I would consider a muscle car.

Since when does a muscle car have anything to do with a price tag? Just because it doesn't comply with your definition of muscle car, it doesn't mean it's not one.

Dodge Viper, pretty much the definition of a muscle car. Price? a tad over $90000. Not a muscle car? I'm not so sure.
 
Did you really just say the transmission in the Mustang is good? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Have you heard of all the issues people are having? Just a couple of the thousands of problems out there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ATBtw8dqXE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IhadvWIX6o
^from the description:
"My 2011 Ford Mustang GT has been in the shop 6 times, 42 days out of service, 2 transmissions, 3 clutches, 3 flywheels, all with only 3000 miles on the car. And now THIS...

I've complained to Ford about this issue being a safety risk and they don't seem to care."


The SRT8 counts in this discussion in my book, it's price doesn't make it not count as a contender, just a major point against it. As far as real world results, the Camaro and Mustang are dead nuts, since not every car is driven to it's full potential in every race. If I had to pick, right now I'd go with the 5.0, just ever so slightly...this coming from a huge GM/LSX fan. The looks are about even, though I'd give a slight edge to the Camaro...but the weight and IRS are what kill it for me. If and when the Gen V LSX Alpha Camaro comes out leaner and meaner, I'd probably end up back on my usual side.

The SRT8 looks flat out mean, probably better than the Mustang and tied with the Camaro (again, looks are totally subjective). Now it has some serious balls to get it's fat ass moving, it's a real contender. That price though, it is the killer and the RT is only for those who don't care about speed and just want the looks.


For around the same money though, I'd just snatch a used LS3 Corvette, or a C6Z06 since they are falling down to and under $40,000 used, and waste all 3 of the above.




That must be a joke, unless you're speaking of only the V6 cars...which aren't muscle cars. The LSX platform has a GIGANTIC aftermarket scene...I mean, which motor is getting swapped into anything and everything you can think of? It's not the OHC motor. You obviously have no experience with the LSX aftermarket.


If you do burnouts, then yeah, you'll mess up the transmission. But the Mustang has, according to consumer reports, a MUCH higher level of reliability. I don't doubt that GM has a big aftermarket scene, but it seems the Mustang's is bigger. I've seen many more aftermarket parts around that are made just for the Mustang, than just for the Camaro. Maybe that's just because I was looking in the wrong places though (AmericanMuscle.com, mostly :lol:). If I had that kind of money, I would just modify my car (drop a V8 in it, fist of all :D), but if someone wanted a new two door car, with four seats, and reasonable comfort levels (not JUST speed), and had around $30000 to spend, what would you tell them to buy? After all, if the only thing you wanted was speed, you wouldn't be looking at any of these, or a Corvette for that matter, you'd buy a Caterham or a FactoryFive Cobra or some other track beast.

Back to the transmission though. I said it was good because the shifts are short and feel really good, and mine is still working fine. You hear horror stories about all these performance cars, they are meant to be driven fast, but when people do that too much, they can mess something up. You can do that in any car (even a Hilux, if you REALLY tried :) ).
 
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Dude, the C63 AMG starts at $58200, about twice as much as all the others. Muscle cars are supposed to bring big horsepower to the common man. Most people can't afford $58200 for a car. The C63 AMG is a great car, no argument. But it is, by no means, a common man's car. As being accessible to the common class is one the main requirements for a muscle car, the C63 is not what I would consider a muscle car. Even $30000 is pricey, a couple of my closest friends' families don't make that much a year.

Ryotsu, I admire your passion about the subject, but keep in mind muscle cars weren't always cheap. Back in the Sixties, if you weren't careful checking off the options, you could easily end up with a GTO that cost as much as a Cadillac of the day. That was one reason why Plymouth introduced the Road Runner as budget muscle car, by keeping the options down and selling it for $3000.
And one definition of a muscle car is "the biggest engine available in the smallest car it can fit in". By that criteria, The C63 AMG Mercedes is a muscle car.

Oh, and Mustang for me. As much as I like the looks of the Camaro, I like Mustang's lighter weight and better visibility more.
 
Drive a new Mustang. You'll see why it's the best.
 
K, I really shouldn't limit this "muscle/pony car" to only what I believe fits that definition. Since this is turning out to be an interesting topic, I'm going to create a thread "How do you define 'Muscle Car?'" Even if the BMW M5 and the Mercedes C63 AMG and whatever other over priced German exec cars are included in the definition of 'muscle car,' I'd still rather have a Mustang, and use the money that I've saved making it fast (and with that much money, you could make it much faster than any of those German businessmen cars). If you like it, and you'd call it a muscle car, feel free to vote on it.

Also, I'm seeing some votes for the Challenger, but no explanation of why. Please tell us, we'd like to hear it!
 
If we're talking new Muscle cars, I'd go for the Mustang 5.0l, I loved that car so much when I test drove it.

But classics, oh my, there is so much to choose from. Can't I have them all?
 
Mustang. Easy answer. Lighter, faster and cheaper. Why bother with the bloated cramped Camaro and heavy pig Chrysler if the Stang is available. Taking the Mustang out the Challenger is serious business, weight aside they are BRILLIANT. They are more of a musclecar than anything else out there, but the Mustang is better at being everything while the Challenger is great at just being red light to red light noise blasting awesomeness.

The new Camaro is the biggest disappointment ever. I hate almost everything about it.

My dealer has received exactly zero 5.0 Mustangs with transmission failures. And by failure I meant defects that don't include the owners clutch dumping at 6,000rpm or doing doughnuts.

HatePersonified:
Seriously? The Mustang GT is more of a pure pony/musclecar than the 4th gen FBody. Cheaper, lighter, does more with less and never got discontinued because of sales like the FBody did. If GM would of kept the 4th gen alive even 1 more year the Terminator Cobra would of wiped the floor with any FBody for the same money.
 
So used E39 M5 then?
Bah, obviously anything that can take a corner isn't a muscle car. :p

Of the three new 'muscle' cars, I'd take the Mustang. And I wouldn't mind the Challenger if my job called for a lot of highway driving. As for the Camaro; it seems that anything it can do the Mustang can do better. But that's a moot point for me, because I'd buy a '64-'72 GM A-body before any of them.
 
Just so you know, I HAVE smoked the tires on my car (yeah, in a V6, which I think is pretty cool) and my trany is still working perfectly fine. Also, Living in So Cal means doing LOTS of hill starts, hold it on the clutch while you switch brake to gas, and I have had no problems.
 
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