Why the mustang?

[StangBang90]

Hey everyone, I've been studying up on the car I'm going to get. Up until now, I've been looking at camaros because of the pure sports car you find. However most of the camaros I was looking at had high miles and looked as if they had been driven more. I've been looking at the mustang, and they have less miles and are less expensive.
So basicly for all you mustang owners, I was wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are to owning a stang rather then some other sports car (mainly the camaro). Does the smaller 5.0 or even 4.6 liter engine compare with the 5.7 found in the camaro? Thanks for all your help. Btw, I'm looking at late 80's to mid 90's stangs.

 

[Mavrick]

Nothing sounds quite like a stang..

 

[Daggar]

You'll be hard pressed to find a 4.6 in anything up to mid 90's. 5 ohs up through 95. To answer the rest of your question, it might be helpful to us if you described a bit better what you're looking for in terms of power and handling, street or track, looks and ride comfort, etc.

For pure intimidation factor.... A great sounding 4 eye is my weapon of choice.

 

[StangBang90]

Power at acceleration is nice. As for the ride, I really dont care how it rides. Sound is the most important thing, what exaust system sounds good on a stang? Something that sounds like a racecar is what I'm going for.

 

[Daggar]

Personally, I like my Bassani exhaust system. Lots of folks seem to like the sound of Equal lengths, x-pipe, and 2 chamber flows.

 

[Mavrick]

Race car? You'll want long tube headers, and an X-pipe with spintech mufflers, dumped.

 

[StangBang90]

TD's are nice, but expensive.

 

[SouthFL]

I just sold my 460rwhp (540 hp) 2002 SS.
It was a heads/cam, stock cube setup, daily driven- ran 11's on the tires I would drive to work in. It sounded like it would eat you alive- but it was a totally different sound than a Mustang.
I now bought an '88 Fox and let me tell you, aftermarket parts are very cheap for the Stang (altough LS1 aftermarket parts are coming down in price rapidly as there is more competition now) - For the Stang I just bought a new, complete ORX and catback for $450 shipped! I was amazed.

5.0, 4.6, 5.7 LS1 (end even 5.7 LT1's) all have the same mod potential (more or less). You have to throw money at them to give you dividends. The LS1 is a wonderful motor for NA setups. Heads, cam and bolt-ons on an LS1 will give you forced induction numbers from other powerplants.

You can't go wrong with either an F-bod or a Stang. In the end, it's all about how much money you have to work with.

 

[custom89stang]

too put it into perspective for me, i bought a 5.0L because of the fact and forgive me for saying that it is a "poor mans" fast car....a nicely set up 4.6 or 5.0 + a power adder + exhaust (for the sound you want) has gobs and gobs of torque and sounds awesome... and the cost is minimal. so basically if u want cheap and fast go mustang. like they and you said above camaros are a little more pricey and the parts are too... hope this helps

 

[txstang84]

You'll be hard pressed to find a 4.6 in anything up to mid 90's. 5 ohs up through 95. To answer the rest of your question, it might be helpful to us if you described a bit better what you're looking for in terms of power and handling, street or track, looks and ride comfort, etc.

For pure intimidation factor.... A great sounding 4 eye is my weapon of choice.

amen brother

 

[steemin]

I agree with all of the above reasons.
One thing that has not been mentioned is the drivers seated position in the car.
In a mustang you are more upright. I feel more in control.
Whereas in a Camaro (or any other F body) I feel like I am laying down.
Scott

 

[Paul Perreca]

if your gonna buy a nice 2000 up camaro w/ a 350 lt1 or ls1 (watever it comes wit, not a camaro guy, sorry) your gonna spend about 10,000 minimum. OK, a foxbody the car is about 5,000, in decent shape, mid-high miles, ok got that? Now, you have 5 grand to spare, thats a supercharger, or a turbo, or one of those w/ nitrous, or H/C/I and Supercharger, or H/C/I and turbo, or H/C/I and etc..... Do the math, I think that if me and my friend bought a mustang and a camaro (respectively) - And we both had a budget of 10 G's, and we had to spend it on our cars, I'd build a faster car - and plus, wats the fun of buying a factory fast car unless its a lambo? Buy a project, or if you think your buying a quick car, trust me, you dont know what ur in for, it will become a project SOONER OR LATER --

GOOD LUCK - GET A FOX BODY -
Paul Perreca

 

[Foxfan88]

looking at the fox scene from the outside is different from actually being in it.
Its hard to explain but you wont be dissapointed with a fox.

 

[Euphoric306]

5000 will net u a nice modded fox

stock theyre closer to about 2500 in nice condition with under 100k miles

at least in southern cali

 

[-=Red5.0GT=-]

One of my buddies owns an 88 iroc-z camaro and have a 91 gt and we have compared specs on them. Basically the iroc has the same top speed, 0 - 60 and all that bs. The 350 is so tuned down that they have the same hp as the 302 also. Plus the camaro is so f-ing heavy compared to the mustang. On the other had his car handles like no other. i can take him easily on a straight away but in turns he's got me. My opinion is go with the 5.0 its way better and a lot easier to mod.

 

[larrendeuce]

Try working on the engine of any LT1 or LS1 camaro with a fox mustang being the comparison.

 

[Sage427]

However most of the camaros I was looking at had high miles and looked as if they had been driven more. I've been looking at the mustang, and they have less miles and are less expensive.

Coming from a chevy fan, I made this choice in Feb. i was looking at camaros and mustangs. I needed a daily driver until I could mod the living crap out of it. i was originally going to get a camaro. but i found an awesome stang for LESS than what I could have got a camaro for and with more features. i'll probably get flamed for saying this, but IMO a 5.7 is the best to mod (though any V8 is mean if you set it up right, and you should also consider a 5.8). the problem is LT1s and LS1s, as stated, are pricey to mod. You might want to find a standard 4 bolt 350, build it up, stroke it and put it in a camaro. I do love the get up and go of the camaros. I was gonna find a 99 model to gut and rebuild.

After I researched parts and prices for the stangs, i wanted one. They are less expensive to mod as compared to camaros. but it also depends on what you wanna do and spend. As far as the 4.6L block, i'm not a big fan of them, i've drove a few 99-04 GT's and wasn't impressed at all with them and i don't like the way they handle (it does depend alot on what your used to when it comes to handling). A 5.0 or 5.8 would probably be the best to fully bore, stroke, mod, and find alot of parts for. Though, I would have to say a Fox may need more work than an SN95, but may be better in the long run depending on your own taste. if you want a good project car i'd probably go with a Fox, i went with an SN95 b/c I had to have something with low miles for everyday use. later i'm going to change everything from the radiator to the rearend

GOOD LUCK!

 

[_jb_]

The only reason I don't have a 4th gen T/A in the driveway is the insurance. I'm 20 with NOTHING on my record, lowest quote is about $1300 for full coverage, for 6 months. Plus the car payments would equal not a lot of extra money around.
I love T/As and Stangs, but if power, handling, ect was the same, I would still be a Stang guy!

 

[Kerpal]

Honestly, the 5.7L LT1's are pretty nice engines, you'll get a lot more power out of an LT1 in stock form than you will with a Mustang 5.0L, and they do have a lot of potential (as does the stang). However I'm not a big fan of the cars themselves. I think they're too large on the outside with to little useable space on the inside, the interiors seem cheap and poorly designed, the seating position is a little weird as stated, and I don't care much for the styling. But all of that is just my own personal opinion. The F bodies are a bit more expensive to buy and mod, although still a good value for the performance you get.

Even though the Mustang doesn't have as much power as the Camaro from the factory, it still has tons of potential, and I just like the total package much more. Since you're starting out with a cheaper car, and mods are so inexpensive, you can build up a pretty nice stang for cheap. That was a big reason why I decided to buy one.

As far as sound, a lot of people will tell you that not many domestic V8's sound nicer than a 5.0L. Mavrick is completely right... an X-pipe and Spintechs will definately provide a mean, racecar like howl. I like my off road H and Mac exhaust, it has a lumpy idle and a deep musclecar-like sound.

 

[HighMileage]

Oh, boy. That's quite a question you got there.


I think most people choose a car mostly by the looks of it. It either fits their taste or it doesn't. I bet some GM owners would only drive Firebirds and never Camaros. Just a different look, I guess.


Now that doesn't mean I consider the engine any less important. It either fits you or it doesn't. But can't tell that unless you drive it.


Regardless of what you like, these questions will always limit you.

How much can your budget limit handle?
What is the lowest condition you would still be willing to buy the car?
How long are you willing to search for your choice?

Just from my experience, I gave up looking for mine. Someone else actually found it for me.