i want a mustang but............
 

ok i really wanted a mustang cause i thought they were one of the fastest cars around.
i went a test drove a 2002 gt 4.6 and was impressed and then i went to friends house a week later. i drove his stock 2001 trans am and couldnt beleive it. the TA had so much more power than the mustang that at first i didnt believe it was stock.
so then i went a test drove a trans am and found it was true. they are ALOT faster...............my question is, why do so many people run out and buy mustangs when they cant hold a candle?

from what I've read from car and driver, and on the internet, people buy mustangs over camaros and trans ams because they give a softer ride, and are easier to drive, while still being fast.

If all you're looking for is horsepower out of the box, be my guest and buy an F-Body...

Don't worry that the F-Body lost to the Mustang overall in Car and Driver
Don't worry when you start having rear-end problems
Don't worry when you're on your 3rd engine after heavy mods... (got a buddy who is on his 4th block)
Don't worry when you can't hear your exhaust over the rattles in the passenger compartment
Don't worry that the Mustang has a larger aftermarket.

Remember, there is a reason they no longer make the F-Body.
It didn't sell...

I'm over 60,000 miles on a stock block with 450hp at the crank.

Think about it....

haha, it's funny cause it's true.

I was a die hard Z28 man and still am in some ways. Hammer has it right. Look at the costs of the F-bodies and look at what you can do with the same cash to a same year stang. Look at the cost of aftermarket products for the F-Bodies. With only 30 thousand f-bodies a year produced not many companies want to invest in parts for a small market. The mustangs ride better, last longer and are better put together. Faster out of the box is relitive, for instance: 02 Z base model I looked at new was 30K with 300Hp or so, 02 GT loaded was around 27K with 260 hp or so. With the extra 3K I could slap a supercharger on and have over 350 hp easy. You get the point? the F-bodies came with more hp but at a much higher price and less quality. Part of the alure of having a sports car is doing the Mods to it. How many F-bodies do you see with body kits, exhaust mods etc..? If you do they have MAJOR money invested.

Just my 2 cents

Former: 69 Z, 71Z, (3) 78Z's, 80Z, 91Z owner ( all rattle traps)

Ease of maintenance is also an issue. I don't profess to have worked on my own car nearly as much as a lot of guys and girls here, but I do like to get out on a nice day and tinker...

I was a die-hard GM guy, but I fell in love with my 91 LX. After that was stolen, I test drove some Z-28s and Corvettes. They're great cars, don't get me wrong. But the Vettes were pricey and, as a 2-seater, a little impractical for my only car. The Camaros were again very nice but priced at least $2000 more on the used lots...and half the engine is under the windshield. I'd imagine this creates a great deal of hassle for the experienced car guy or girl, let alone a Saturday afternoon hobbyist like myself.

My loaded '00 GT has a sticker of $23,000. To buy the equivalent Z28 was a minimum of $3500 more. I too love the F-Body motor, but all the things Hammer listed are the exact reasons why I didn't buy one. I have sunk about $5500 into my car and I will roast anything short of a Corvette Z06, and I think it could give one of those a good run for it's money. Also, the resale seems to be much better on Mustangs than Z28's (at least in Jacksonville, FL). A buddy of mine just went through an exhaustive search for a new toy and ended up buying a '96 Z28 because all the mustangs were at least $1000 to $2000 more.

Well as you can see here there are a lot of reasons.

I think you guys hit it all on the head.

Re: i want a mustang but............
 

Because there is nothing like being the underdog and seeing that expression on an LS1 owners face when they get stomped by a GT with bolt-ons. :D Of course I'm not exactly your average bolt on car.

Bill

because nothingbeats the orignal pony car thats why people buy them all hail the mustang:D :D :D :D :D :D

Maybe its because they don't need a candle.
Maybe its because there is a 2003 Mustang.
Maybe its because chicks dig mustangs.

One thing I've noticed being a Ford guy is this. Most Mustang owners at the track wrench on their cars. Headswaps, intakes exhaust, no problem.

Most LS1 guys have "a lid". That's it.

I don't know if its because they can't work on their cars, but most of them don't. If you like wrenching on a car, buy a Mustang. If you want to be quick and lazy, get a Camaro.

they also have 69 more cubic inches under the hood.

its true...the stangs are much slower than the ls1 (not the lt1 tho) camaro and the ta's...but my brother has an 02 SS with 30k miles, and chevy's had to replace his engine already...hes always hearing noises...there are other problems chevy SERIOUSLY cant fix....it pulls like a damn shuttle launch, but its lifespan is short and annoying...add a blower to a stang and youve got a damn fast car...capable of blowing away any stock camaro or TA...and itll still be cheaper too...and more reliable...14k miles in 6months and my GT is still roaring with just oil changes and tire balances (turns out i had a flat spot on my rim and they replaced it and all my horrible vibrations are gone! woo)...

so if you wanna buy a car, then hope it lasts and sell it within a couple of years, grab an f-body...

if you want something that you can build up and still have last for a long time, get a mustang...

i personally like the looks of all domestiv sports cars (more or less)...so im just going on personal experience

I test drove an '01 T/A WS6 with a 6 speed. Yes it was quick. But like everyone has said that is the only thing going for them. The build quality is terrible and the quality of the materials is really bad. Your just looking for problems with the F-cars.