So i checked out some ‘murican muscle this weekend. I tested a few new GT premiums and one camaro LT1 v8 manual.
The Camaro was simply an incredible drivers car. Like a scalpel but with brutal torque. You pay some visibility penalty but it's definitely not a deal breaker At my 5'10.5" height. Unfortunately i was not yet able to test the 10 speed camaro. Perhaps i will rent a hertz model on their 3 day rent to buy deal. The 6 speed makes you skip shift 1st to 4th unless you really get on it. But thats okay cause this thing can pull hard from 1000 rpm in 4th and very light throttle. The precision and shift quality is stunning. Very impressive power, feels much stronger down low than the stang. Looking in the engine bay the GM is so clean and has space to reach everything.
The mustangs? Wow you can see out of these better and its more comfortable. The manual mustang simply had subpar shift quality, so i would only want a 10 speed. The GT premium 10 speed non performance pack is a real winner for a cruiser with power. I am seriously interested. I did not care for the recaro seat option as the regular heated and cooled seats were so nice.
I did talk numbers on both the GT Premium 10A and the LT1 6 speed. Ford has some 0% for 72-84 months but it costs a rebate so its really like 2.5% or so. The camaros are like unicorns on lots and hard to find so no jaw dropping deals there. It seems i would pay only a few thousand more for the nicely equipped GT Premium vs the camaro base.
The mustang appears to be the winner for day to day easy enjoyment. The Camaro needs full attention and precision driving but that is also part of the fun right?
I need to test the higher trim 10 speed camaro as i think it may offer some of that mustang daily comfort and still be a 6.2 liter gem of a power plant. To get this i would need to go used, like 20k miles, and a 2019 with the less attractive front grill. One dealer that had a new 2020 2SS was like 2k off 46k, hah no thanks. Hertz is 30k for same thing with 20k miles. But if i do go used i can consider the SS sedan, also in these similar price ranges but more useful and unique.
Impressions on Camaro VS Mustang V8
- Thread starter dareo
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The "skip shift" on the Camaro can be eliminated for a $19 plug in part on the tranny solenoid wiring. Ten minute install and shift as you wish. Have it on my manual tranny Holden-Chevy SS Sedan and you should consider that ride. The SS sedan should hold value better than the Camaro or Mustang.
The Camaro is a nice car but unfortunately it's done again. Oh well my wife is a Mustang Girl.
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Do the new Mustang GT's automatics have diy serviceable transmissions? That would be the only dealbreaker for me,an unserviceable transmission.
The 8 and 10 speed auto trans are not easily self serviceable. No dipstick, specific temperatures needed, ect. But its not hard to just get it done. They did my trucks 8AT while i played with the mustang, cost me like 150.00 with a filter and i provided fluid.
The biggest issue with the Muffstain is that it's a Muffstain. Get the Camaro and don't look back, literally, don't look back once you have blown his doors off. I was heavily into the street racing scene some years back and local Muffstains never came around after being continuously whipped by Chevelles, Nova's , Road Runners, Cuda's, AMX....etc. Every once in a while a bad boy from out of town, Sacto, Bay area.....would come around. Just once though. Shooting fish in a barrel. Camaro, Corvette,Hellcat, Viper are the choices here. Leave the Muff's to the florists and hand models.
Originally Posted by MCompact
For me it would have to be either a GT Premium with the Performance Package(1 or 2) or a 2SS with the 1LE package. With three pedals.
In the old days Mustangs were STONES. Nowadays not so much.
Initial impression? RIchard cars for inexperienced youths and Retirees.
I was lured to these as a young man and owned a few.
I found REAL driving pleasure elsewhere.
Used V8 Camaros are a dime a dozen up here.
BIG drop in value. "Stang seem to be holdling on for ??? reason.
Originally Posted by sloinker
The biggest issue with the Muffstain is that it's a Muffstain. Get the Camaro and don't look back, literally, don't look back once you have blown his doors off. I was heavily into the street racing scene some years back and local Muffstains never came around after being continuously whipped by Chevelles, Nova's , Road Runners, Cuda's, AMX....etc. Every once in a while a bad boy from out of town, Sacto, Bay area.....would come around. Just once though. Shooting fish in a barrel. Camaro, Corvette,Hellcat, Viper are the choices here. Leave the Muff's to the florists and hand models.
Both of these cars are favorites of mine to rent. Remember, at times (prior to the current economy) I rented as many as 3 cars per week. Often for 4-7 hour highway trips, both in the South East, and North East.
The Camaro SS has some serious "throttle by wire" lag, programming and timing issues. There are tunes that help to address this problem, but they can't fix it completely. The best that can be said is there is a 50% improvement in throttle behavior. It's particularly bad with the automatic, and getting any sort of sporty performance (fast, but not full power) out of it is often impossible. It either goes slow, or, all out. I find it infuriating, and I'm not alone on that one.
The Mustang's engine is much more revvvvy and responsive, it will do what you want most of the time. The Mustang's 10 speed automatic can at times be absolute magic. A mustang with a tune and a few tweaks is a drivers car and will rival the above mentioned "driving pleasure" of other high end cars. There is a reason the Shelby GT350 is considered among the best "drivers cars", despite it's relatively average performance numbers, it's seriously fun.
If I'm going to take a highway road trip, the Mustang GT premium is more comfortable inside, has a nicer quality interior and over the hours, is a lot more pleasant than the Camaro SS. It's my first choice when I must spend hours in the car. It's also my first choice when driving the NY backroads into Vermont.
The Camaro SS, on the other hand feels like an unrefined and cheap beast, but behaves exceptionally well at the limit with no bad habits at all when pushed. I'd not describe it as a scalpel, but rather a 9 pound splitting maul that splits an oak log into firewood on the first strike. Very good at it's job, but falls short otherwise. Also, the digital rear view mirror is difficult for old eyes to focus on, remember a real mirror has focal distance at infinity, like the traffic ahead and a digital screen about 18 inches. The transition from road to mirror during spirited driving is not a good one for older eyes (if you need reading glasses, you probably won't like the digital mirror) . Turn it off.
Originally Posted by Mr Nice
1LE is way too harsh for the street use verses 5% of the time on the track. I drove one and could not stand it after 10 minutes.
4WD
$50 site donor 2023
I don't think you look at any pony car if big windows are your thing
Camaro? Yuck. Gm really needs to hire some designers
Originally Posted by 4WD
I don't think you look at any pony car if big windows are your thing
I test drove one in 2011 in Salisbury.
This thing is not near Borderline, but full-on M1 abrahams mouse trap clastrophobic.
and I'm 6'1" with a long torso
Horrendous. and too bad. I liked the V6. - silky smooth plenty of go.
Then I also made the assessment that it would'tn go anywhere in the Winter up here.
If the thing didn't have a junk chinese 6M trans that was unusable, I may have gone for it.
I really thought the stick was going to fall out onto the road at one point!
I was attracted like a high school girls to the coachwork at the rear fenders and rear glass.
But Ill take sleepers. The Cops used to follow me around all the time, I dont want to give them an excuse
driving some flashy car.
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I definitely prefer the Mustang. How are the standard trannys on the current ones?
