Mustang GT or 350Z?

[911man]

I have done a search and there is not much out their. I am very surprised these do not get cross-shopped more often. Price is very similar when you equate the discount you can get on the Z compared to the Stang. It would not be a daily driver and I have an Expedition for the kids. Here are some area's I have thought about already, anyone that already went through this please add more:

1. Looks-I say they both look great, but in a different way. Mustang is more Muscular and Z is more Sports Car.

2. Power-I must give this to the Stang, it has same HP stock, but with little mods will stomp all over Z. Z is hard to get any more HP out of. I would only do bolt-ons.

3. Handling-This is the one that has me looking at the Z, even with some mods I do not think the Stang can compare, am I wrong?

4. Interior-I give this a draw, neither is like my Audi, I do not expect them to be. That said, the new Z interior is in my opinion equal to the stang. Maybe the 07 Stang will change my mind, I am still waiting to see.

5. Storage-This goes to the Stang, 2 sets of golf clubs no problem and although I have an Expedition at least I can fit the 2 kids in the Stang and still have a decent size trunk.

6. Reliability-Hard to give this to the Stang. My brothers have Nissan's with over 200K and still kicking. That said, the Z has had a lot more trouble than the Stang in the last couple years so I will give it a draw.

7. Exhaust Note-Although the Z's is nice for a 6 cylinder, can not beat the Stang.

Obviously, you all picked the Stang and will naturally like it better, I am just looking for open-minded opinions at this point. Test drives are not enough for me to get the real feel of a car.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Rock36]

It sounds to me that you are over thinking yourself into indecisiveness. I think you should go with whatever excites you more, especially since it won't be your daily driver. The 350Z is a great car for all the reasons you mentioned...but I'll tell you that I have a Mustang because it just suits my taste in cars.

But if you need more reasons, a new Mustang GT is also generally cheaper than a new 350Z.

 

[firestang70]

Well posting this on a Stang site I think you will get a biased opinion. Ford I thought was announcing pricing on Mustangs at 500 over invoice unless you have an Aplan or simimlar. I purchased my Deluxe GT for 23647, 25500 out the door. Z can't touch that price. Performance I have seen some Zs at the track and all are running low to mid 14s. Handling look at Roush,Steeda,FRRP handling packages you will be amazed. I just added Steeda Ultralite springs and it handles like a dream. reliability... The new Zs have been horrible just look at Car and Driver long term results. I have had 0 problems(knock on wood) in the first 4k miles. You have to ask yourself what do you really want. A stylish chick car or a beautiful example of American muscle?

 

[billfisher]

are you kidding me? do you want to be fast or slow.


fast= mustang

slow= 350z

simple isn't it?

 

[stanmckinney]

I drove a 350Z. I liked the way the guage pods are slanted for the driver to see. Otherwise, I did not care that much for the car. I'll take my 05 Mustang over it any day.

 

[911man]

I am very surprised not one person so far had the same dilema. As far as the Mustang being faster, I am aware of that, but do not race and don't plan to anytime soon. In real world driving, they are close to the same speed. How you can call the 350z slow and in the same sentance call the Mustang fast is beyond me. Hit a couple turns and the 350 will lose the Stang. Anyway, I am not here to create a war on which car is faster, I already know that answer. I think both cars are great for their own reasons, but can not decide on just a test drive. I am leaning toward the Stang at this point.

 

[Blackballed]

I test drove a 350 before I bought my 06 and the choice was simple. The mustang has more power, room, actual trunk space, and it is the most sleekish looking car on the road. Oh and did I mention A LOT MORE POWER. I recently took mine to the track and ran a 13.7 @ 104mph. Last dyno run I am at 293RWHP; 311RWT, with a few upgrades.

 

[Guero]

you autta slap yourself for saying such things!lol jk, Gt all the way

 

[Bones187]

350 is for chicks to drive

If you want a six get the 350 I say. If you want the power of a V8 that handles pretty well than GT no question. I am seroius when I say everyone MUST own a Mustang in his/her lifetime. Like going to a baseball game or going to Disney World. It has to be done! Remember this saying

4 is for the poor

6 are for chicks

8's are great(or you have a big penis)-your choice on that one

 

[Big-Foot]

I shopped the 350Z, Honda S2000 and the Mustang. Obviously I chose the Mustang.

Both the Honda and Nissan are more refined cars. Their handling is far above the capability of the Mustang in stock form. Both the Nissan and the Honda don't build a lot / much power until they are well up in the RPM band.

Why did I choose the Mustang then?

It appealed to my senses more than the other two.
It's retro styling was untouchable and as I tell others, my Mustang turns more heads than a College Cheerleader.

Any regrets?

Only when I'm at the gas pumps. Both the Nissan and Honda are capable of better fuel economy than my un-modded 4.6 V8. My mileage is not bad though at 16-18 around town and 26-28 on the highway.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[JTGrant]

If you are looking at a 350Z I would also look at the G35. At least you get a backseat with the G. I have driven the G35 and the 350Z the gearbox is the worst one I have ever felt. I have driven a lot of manual cars. By far the best gear I have ever driven was in my sold E36 M3. I would get the less expensive Mustang and spend the rest of the money on mods. The 350z/G35 puts down around 245RWHP(we dynoed a friends at school). They do weigh around the same (350z\Mustang) The 350z/g35 does handle better adn has better brakes. But the 350z/g35 is much more expensive. Plus my friend with the G35 has had his tranny replaced twice under warranty. The g35 does make okau torque but nothing like the mustang does. My friend and I (guy with the G) raced. His only mod is a lighweight flywheel. They only mods I had at the time was C&L intake and tune. We raced from a 60 roll going do the interstate and I waxed that A$$. My frind has the video on his camera I will see if he still has it and will post, if I can get it. GET THE MUSTANG

 

[QCStang]

I have done a search and there is not much out their. I am very surprised these do not get cross-shopped more often. Price is very similar when you equate the discount you can get on the Z compared to the Stang. It would not be a daily driver and I have an Expedition for the kids. Here are some area's I have thought about already, anyone that already went through this please add more:

1. Looks-I say they both look great, but in a different way. Mustang is more Muscular and Z is more Sports Car.

2. Power-I must give this to the Stang, it has same HP stock, but with little mods will stomp all over Z. Z is hard to get any more HP out of. I would only do bolt-ons.

3. Handling-This is the one that has me looking at the Z, even with some mods I do not think the Stang can compare, am I wrong?

4. Interior-I give this a draw, neither is like my Audi, I do not expect them to be. That said, the new Z interior is in my opinion equal to the stang. Maybe the 07 Stang will change my mind, I am still waiting to see.

5. Storage-This goes to the Stang, 2 sets of golf clubs no problem and although I have an Expedition at least I can fit the 2 kids in the Stang and still have a decent size trunk.

6. Reliability-Hard to give this to the Stang. My brothers have Nissan's with over 200K and still kicking. That said, the Z has had a lot more trouble than the Stang in the last couple years so I will give it a draw.

7. Exhaust Note-Although the Z's is nice for a 6 cylinder, can not beat the Stang.

Obviously, you all picked the Stang and will naturally like it better, I am just looking for open-minded opinions at this point. Test drives are not enough for me to get the real feel of a car.

Thanks,
Bill

Hiya Bill!
In answer to your questions?

1 - Agreed.

2 - Agreed. However. Boltons for the Z are very expensive, boltons for the Stang are a lot less, and will give you far more dramatic performance gains.

3 - Agreed - if stock. A few thousand dollars in suspension and tires ( and there are, quite litterally hundreds of options) will allow the Mustang to keep pace - or better the Z.

4 - Nope. The new Mustang with the option interior package is far better than the Z.

5 - Those are not really backseats for an adult in the Mustang unless you are in a pinch. At least they fold down to give you even more room to carry stuff. The 350 somehow manages to have the glove box BEHIND the passenger seat (?!!??).

6 - Reliability should go to the Mustang. Why? Its a truck engine and drivetrain moving half the weight of a truck. You will never have trouble with the rear axle - even some Cobra drivers go back to the 8.8 rear axle. My '95 Mustang GT is the most reliable car I have ever owned. Mustangs always get the crap beaten out of them, yet how many of them are still on the road? My goes all year round, from -40* in heavy snow in the terrible winter here, to 100% humidity and 100* in the summer. As a matter of fact, I boosted 3 other cars this winter.

7 - Agreed.

8 - Gas milage is 1 mpg better in the Z, but it has to use premium fuel, the stang uses 87 octane, up here - that equates to 40 cents per gallon more.

9 - Stereo. No options for a better system on the Z, and its a real nightmare - if even possible to upgrade. The 2 optional stereos on the Mustang will make a difference.

Here's a head to head to head test for the Mustang GT, RX-8 and the 350Z.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=104196/pageNumber=1

Yes, I am biased, I'm hoping to get an 07 stang next year. My '95 GT will become my winter only car.

Best of all, I would suggest a test drive. May the Torque be with you.


Edit: I don't know where you got your pricing from, but a Z is about $8,000 more up here.

 

[QCStang]

Oh , forgot to mention the convertibles.

Sorry to say, the 350Z vert is probably the uglest car on the market.

 

[V8JamesGT]

I considered the 350Z before I bought the 05 Mustang GT and I can't be more satisfied with my decision! The number of aftermarket companies making parts for this car is just nuts. The power and styling for the price can not be touched. Buy the mustang gt, spend a little money on a new suspention, springs/shocks/struts, and intake/tune and you'll be VERY impressed at how much better the mustang gt can be then the 350Z in power and handling and still is cheaper after spending money on those aftermarket upgrades.

 

[hatchttu]

I recently drove a Z and I felt like I was sitting way too high compared to the guages. And unless you are pretty skinny you wont fit well into the seat. I was very uncomfortable driving it. maybe I just couldnt get the seat adjusted to my body.

 

[ramjetlx]

I like any V8 powered mustang but I had decided before that I wanted buy a 06 350Z. I was at the dealer for almost 5 hours trying to drop a price tag of $36,000. Yes it looks good, but I argued why should I pay that much for a V6 with only two seats. Well on my way back from the Nissan dealer, I saw Ford, and thought to myself, you idiot, what about the new 06 Mustang. One hour later I drove away in a black fully loaded GT with every option available for $31,000 which included extended warranty and a paint and interior protectant.
So why did I buy it?
1. Its looks. No car has its styling.
2. Its a 300hp V8, which was still not enough power for me, but it does respond to simple bolt ons very well and runs on 87 octane.
3. The exhaust on it sounds alot better then the whine of the 350'z exhaust.
4. More room.
5. It can be modded in so many ways to reflect your tastes unlike the limited selection for the 350Z. Look at how big the aftermarket is for the mustang, for any given year.

Now about its handling. I have ran many 350Z'z and I stick them well. Maybe they are bad drivers or I have more balls. The suspension is not like the mustangs of the past. Coil overs with lighter control arms. three link live axle with panhard hard bar and a very strong frame. I believe the FR500C mustangs were blowing away the EVO's, Firebirds, and Porches in the Grand Am series. All they did was change the springs, shocks, and upgrade the front brakes for the suspension. So a couple of changes to the suspension will put you miles ahead of the 350Z. Is my opinion bias about the new Mustang? Maybe, but this is a Mustang site. But I rather spend alot less on a car with far more potential then a more expensive car that is near its max potential. Good luck on your choice, and if you choose the mustang, we would be more then happy to welcome you to the family and help you with any questions you might have for modifying your mustang.

 

[jt14894]

I own both a 350Z and a Mustang GT and get the best of both worlds.
My family has a history of owning Zs and Stangs (Grandpa's 1965 Fastback, Father's 1980 & 1982 280ZX, 1991 300ZX TT, Cousin's 1991 LX 5.0 hatch, brother's 1996 GT) so I've always had an interested in them.
I did expect own them both, but what hell. You only live once.
Anyway, these are how I compare the two.

How about acceleration?
For acceleration, I give the edge to my Stang. They're 0-60 and 1/4 times are close (350Z 5.4 - 5.6, 14.1 @ 101 MPH vs Stang 5.1 - 5.3, 13.9 @ 104 mph), but I know my stang will beat it in a tight race, with professional drivers in both cars. But if we're talking about average drivers here, then its a close race.
I'm assuming both drivers are the same level so the edge would have to go to the Stang.

How about a track?
At an oval track, top speed for the Z is 150 - 155 mph and the Stang is 145 - 150 mph so that would be another close race, but I'd probably give the edge to my Z.
At an autocross, I would have to give the edge to my Z, again. Its tighter suspension and lower profile would give it better handling around the tight curves and turns.
But, if I added suspension upgrades to the Stang, I think it will hang with my Z.

But wait there's more:

2005 Mustang GT

* 4-seater
Throaty V-8 rumble
Excellent straight line acceleration
Power feels available when you need it.
Smooth sporty ride
Stable at high speeds
5-speed Manual
Light clutch
Smoothe shifter
More cargo space
Mods very afforable
Spacious engine bay
Message center: AVE MPG, Gallons used, Odometer, Trip Odomoter, Distance to Empty, AVG MPH, MyColor settings
Value for the money
Classic retro style
Regular Unleaded for best performance
Insurance: 6-month premium $406.80

Newest stuff:
K&N Air filter
DiabloSport tuner

AVG MPG combined city/hwy: 23.1

2003 350Z Touring

* 2-seater
Ricer killing V-6 rumble
Great Acceleration
Better handling/cornering
Stiffer suspension
Very stable at high speeds
6-speed manual
Light clutch
Short throw shifter
Limited truck space (rear strut bar)
Tight engine bay.
Mods more expensive:
$1000+ for NISMO exhaust
$3300+ for NISMO wheels
Trip computer: Speed indicator, Air Temp, Dist to Empty, AVG MPG/MPH, Elapsed time/Trip Odo, Stopwatch, Tire PSI, Upshift indicator, MPH.
Affordable
Retro style
Super Unleaded for best performance
Insurance: 6-month premium $331.70

Current Mods:
NISMO LMGT4 Silver rims
NISMO Cat-back

Mods coming soon:
NISMO intake
Plenum Spacer

AVG MPG combined city/hwy: 24.4


Its definitely less expensive to mod a Stang than a Z.
When I got my NISMO exhaust, it cost me $1100 (including labor and tax) to install, but I love they way it sounds now. The stock exhaust just didn't cut it for me.
I'm currently working on adding an intake (NISMO $330) and plenum spacer ($250) so I think I got a pretty decent deal ($580) to install everything.
That should pretty much be all that I'm going to do to my Z so then I can concentrate on my Stang.
As for the Stang, I just got a DiabloSport tuner ($319.99) so I'm looking forward to working with different tunes.
The next thing after that will probably be an intake, 4.10 gears, drive shaft, and exhaust. CHA CHING!!!! CHA CHING!!!! CHA CHING!!!! CHA CHING!!!!
Total all that, and it would probably equal my $1,100 NISMO exhaust + $580 intake and spacer.

I'll have to admit that I've been babying my Stang, but at track day in 2 weeks, its no holds barr. YEAH BABY!! YEAH!!

I wish I could bring both cars to the track, but oh well.
I didn't tell the Z that I was taking the Stang so I hope the Stang keeps it quite because my Z is going to get really jealous. I'll just have to deal with it and promise to make it up to my Z.

If you any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Hypnotist]

Between the two, as a DD, I think you'll have more fun in a Mustang. The noise, power, head turning... And if you need to take 3 people somewhere, and luggage, this car can do it.

I looked at the 350Z, RX-8, and the Mustang GT when I went shopping.

RX-8:
overpriced (I think)
at 6'4", I DO NOT fit in the driver's seat (head hits the roof)
only 2 seater
350Z:
Wanted that car since I first saw it
only 2 seater
hefty price tag for a V6
couldn't find a dealer that would let me test drive one (?)
Mustang:
Eye-catching style
V8 at low price
4 seater (3 if I'm in it)
87 octane (this is a big one)

And with all that, money was still a big factor, so Mustang it was. If money were not a factor, it probably still would have been the Mustang (oh, and the Z).

BUT To each his own... the most important part is to have fun! Anything you have to spend that much $ on ought to be a blast!

 

[Ryder]

Get the GT!

 

[CatmanJJ]

I own both a 350Z and a Mustang GT and get the best of both worlds.

That's awesome, I'm jealous.