wrx or foxbody 5.0???

[RS200]

LOL @ 2008 Focus. Domestic econoboxes are crap when it comes to bang for the buck & quality. I'd take a used WRX over a new Focus any day of the week.

Plus alot of the Focus is made in Mexico.. what would you want - Japanese or Mexican labor?

I'd take the WRX. Anyone over the age of 25 should, too. Speed per dollar isn't the only thing when buying a car. Creeks and rattles (as mentioned), crap mileage, and having a daily driver being 20 years old are never good things. Do you want cheap speed, or do you want something reliable, peppy and worry-free?

 

[68keyblr]

If you enjoy working on cars and get satisfaction from "doing it yourself" and are prepared to spend time and money for a car you can be proud of, get yourself a fox Mustang. If you are just looking for reliable transportation, then go with something newer.

 

[dli1314]

I love these threads, mainly because I own both.
I may get flamed for saying this but, IF THIS IS YOUR ONLY CAR buy the WRX.
I would hate to see you or anyone buy a mustang for 5-6 thousand then mod it to 300+ rwhp and drive it safely in the rain and snow. It's just not possible, then your stuck buying another car anyways to be a Daily driver.
I love my Mustang(just got it about 1-2 weeks ago) but I can honestly say I will never neglect my WRX.
You will not get the same bang for buck as far as mods go though.
I've put about 8-9 thousand into my WRX to only make about 250 awhp.
While a mustang you put 3-4 thousand into it(h/c/i) and your close to 280 rwhp.

As far as "LaserSVT"'s comment, let the haters keep hating. You can drive the WRX rain, sleet, shine, or snow and get from A to B safely.
I'd rather be in a "rice rocket" and get somewhere safely with decent gas mileage (18-21 mpg) then check the weather everyday before and after I leave point A.

Good Luck!

you spent 9k in mods on a wrx and you are making 250awhp.... wow. ....wow...you should have a LOT more power than that for that kind of cash. dang. looks like you are getting raped on labor and installation costs.
looks like you didn't read the whole thread. he said he lives in socal..so no snow or terrible weather to worry about where you would need the AWD for getting around. gas milage maybe. but other than that i see no real reason to get the WRX. I love the cars, but i just wouldnt buy one if i was looking for bang for the buck performance/drivability.

What basic turbo kits are you guys bolting on to BONE stock 5.0s and making 450 rwhp?

My friend bought the Hellion 62mm Base kit. $5300 for the kit to the house. Car already had intake and exhaust. We installed the kit (had we payed for that, the $5300 would probably be well over $6000) which took a week or so on and off. Got the car running right, 9 psi and it made 350 rwhp 420 rwtq. He also spent a bit of money on other misc. items we needed. In the end he probably had $5500 into the kit, plus $500+ to tune it on a car that was not bone stock and made 100 less rwhp than people are saying it is EASY to make. To push 450 to the tire through a bone stock motor your going to be well into the 15 psi range on a 60+mm turbo.

I'm basing this off people saying just go spend $5000 on a $5000 turbo and make 450 rwhp, not going to happen without a good amount of supporting mods, more boost than they offer in the base kits, and a good tune.

With that said, you asked on a Mustang site, in the 5.0 section and basically told us you would rather have the Mustang (no snow, use the truck if you needed etc..). Get the 5.0, but remember it will be louder, more creaks and rattles, and be working on it more than the WRX. But it will probably be cheaper in the long run to make fast, and feel better to you.

ummm....350whp on a turbo mustang? what is wrong with that car? there are some serious tune/fuel issues if you can only safely make 350whp on the stock motor at that level of boost. 450whp with a turbo kit is fairly easy, and is a conservative estimate of horsepower levels on a turbo stang.

pick up the ponydown stage 2 kit. i guarantee you will make more than 350 to the wheels if it is tuned right and the motor is running as it should be.

 

[ryan218]

the 5.0...will alway sound better!

 

[TokyoJoe]

LOL at this thread. Not many people contemplate and AWD turbo car against an old american pushrod

 

[25thmustang]

ummm....350whp on a turbo mustang? what is wrong with that car? there are some serious tune/fuel issues if you can only safely make 350whp on the stock motor at that level of boost. 450whp with a turbo kit is fairly easy, and is a conservative estimate of horsepower levels on a turbo stang.

pick up the ponydown stage 2 kit. i guarantee you will make more than 350 to the wheels if it is tuned right and the motor is running as it should be.

Umm, how many 450 rwhp stock motored 5.0s do you know of with base turbo kits??? I know a lot of people with turbo cars, they seem to be huge around here, and a stock HCI fox with a turbo set up at 10 psi roughly will not just toss down 450 to the tire on a conservative tune. Like I stated in mine 15 psi or a bunch of mods, stock motors and 10 psi doesnt make 450 to the tire.

 

[grey5.0beast]

I've put about 8-9 thousand into my WRX to only make about 250 awhp.
While a mustang you put 3-4 thousand into it(h/c/i) and your close to 280 rwhp.

Good Luck!

WOW.... what HCI are you buying?? A GOOD HCI ie. afr 185s holley intake and a custom cam would be around 2400 max and that combo could easily put down more than 330hp to the wheels...EASILY!!!

 

[85ragtop]

Keep this civil.

 

[Redeemedsoul]

I spent 8-9k on my WRX but it wasnt all performance. I didnt want to go bigger turbo just from fear of blowing everything up. Meanwhile, I did suspension tires, all bolt on's, got a custom tune, put in a stronger tranny and a better clutch. It doesnt put down the numbers I would have hoped to see with that much invested but it moves and is reliably built.

Didn't see you said so. cal, but none the less i would either go newer mustang or wrx. Having an older car for every day driving, IMO, is just asking for trouble. Hearing rattles, and creeks, getting poor gas mileage, less than adequate heat or a/c.

It's up to you really test drive the WRX, and a Mustang and see which one you like.

 

[Redeemedsoul]

WOW.... what HCI are you buying?? A GOOD HCI ie. afr 185s holley intake and a custom cam would be around 2400 max and that combo could easily put down more than 330hp to the wheels...EASILY!!!

You fail to see that then you would have to do all supporting mods, exhaust, midpipe (h or x) intake throttle body, maybe fuel pump and injectors.

So now your 3-4 in and still havent done suspension, let alone your on a stock transmission and if we are talking about an older 5.0 foxbody who knows what its been through already.
The H/C/I will always need supporting mods, so the 3-4 grand is low IMO.

Like my above post i still think test driving any and all possible cars the purchaser has in mind will make up his decision, not us bickering on the forums.

-----------
I own both, WRX and FOX, No bias here

 

[1.8kmint]

This is the basically same as the newer 4.6 vs 5.0 thread... Its going to be a matter of preference... I thought we already determined b4 in another thread that rice was an attitude and that the wrx would be many peoples only consideration if they didnt have a fox. THIS IS A MUSTANG FORUM BUY THE MUSTANG... It will bring you a lot more fun and joy and a lot more headache but at least it won't be boring.

 

[NKau]

Not sure where all of this crap about "unreliable old cars" comes from. The only time I've ever been 'stranded' in a 5.0 mustang was when a TFI module went out on me in my old '89 LX.

You'll have small things like door lock actuators freezing up, a window motor going bad, or a heater core starting to leak, but an old five liter is about the easiest vehicle to fix or work on that you will find. 5.0 cars with 5-speeds are dead reliable vehicles IMO.

If you beat on an older vehicle constantly, or are too stupid to do routine maintenance, what do you expect to happen? I don't see what makes a 5.0 mustang any less reliable than a wrx if you start with a nice one and keep it that way?

 

[88blacklx]

buy the mustang and spend the other 7,000 on an AWD swap

 

[Daggar]

... and thus ends another useless thread.