khtm

How odd that nearly everyone who is currently or has been a mustang owner is defending the new 'stang, and nearly everyone that has never or will never be a mustang owner is destroying it.

I'm in the latter group, as the whole "mustang" image and the fact that they are a dime a dozen just doesn't cut it for me...I usually laugh a little inside whenever a mustang pulls up to me at a stoplight, EVEN when I was driving an '86 accord.

However, it would be interesting to see how this new model fairs in a couple years or so. I definitely like how it looks compared to the last generation.

paulg

I just bought an RX8 last week. I was looking at 3 cars.The Mini CooperS,The new Mustang GT,and the RX8. The Mini was nice but simply too small especially if you go on a trip. Also I was concerned about longevity of a british built car with a supercharger. The Mustang was easy. My wife could not see over the dashboard. Plus the Stang is a real big car. I also thought the plastic looked a bit cheap. I don't think the Stang is a bad car. Its just that I appreciate the engineering that went into the RX8

Baller

I drove the new GT, it was faster than my RX-8. It is also a good looking car.
But the build quality and fit and finish still looks like ****.
The American car builders (read not truck, SUV builders) still do not have it together,
An American car is still a piece of ****, save perhaps 2 or 3 which may include the Crossfire (woooops made in Germany) the new Vette (still has quality issues), the Magnum and 300.
The Escalade is a good choice for the brothers out there, I had a Hummer that was the biggest piece of crap and had the lemon law envoked.
The Baller did try the to buy American, but let's face it we are not car builders. We do build good aircraft and computers.

Baller

We also have Las Vegas, lets see some fuzzy little foreigner's build that.
We build wonderful furniture, our buildings are second to none.
We (America) can't build a good watch (not one in my vast collection).
We build great High-end Stereo, McIntosh, B&K and so on.
We have Bill Gates (we all know he is from another planet)
We make the best Movies, bar none.
Just because we can't build cars is not the end of the world.
The Baller is going to the Las Vegas Car show today (a big one), I will be taking valuim so when I look at the American cars I may not cry so much.

BaronVonBigmeat

Could anyone explain to me why people seriously expect the Mustang to have both an independent rear suspension and 300 HP for $24k? Most "performance" coupes in this price range aren't even RWD. And frankly, the average person buying a sporty car couldn't tell you the difference between IRS and a live axle, or the pros/cons of each (yes, the live axle is better in some situations).

Cars like the RX-8 have world class handling with decent acceleration. The Mustang has damn good acceleration with decent handling. It's like comparing an olympic sharpshooting rifle to a 10 guage shotgun. Which is best? What are your priorities? Are the roads where you live curvy or straight? etc.

I do hope that Ford offers an option package that puts the Mustang in the high $20's/low 30's, with an IRS and possibly a more powerful N/A motor. Something that fits between the GT and the Cobra, it shouldn't be too hard to do since the original chassis was developed with IRS in mind.

JeRKy 8 Owner

I saw a white 2005 Mustang drive by today. Almost made me puke. Ifyoure going to swap an Rx8 for onestay away from the white

Baller

Ya maybe NASCAR (you know red-necks that use push-rod engines and live axle.)

jrknu

the mustang has good fuel economy, more hp, decent looks, does not eat oil and costs less
than a 8. only downside is it has the same blind spots. it will be a winner hands down

dragula53

eating oil doesn't count for much.. oil is cheap. it just comes with the territory.

I doubt the mustang gets markedly better fuel economy than the 8. My bets are in the 8-12 range when you get on it. and 20ish when you don't.

Horsepower-- point conceded.

As fun to drive? Doubtful.

I'm open minded, and I am going to take a look at the new mustang, as a replacement for the '03 WRX.

The EPA universally overrates mileage, for enthusiast cars...

look around.. the one that comes to mind is the new GTO..

EPA says 28 mpg..

Motortrend (I think. It may have been some other magazine) says they were getting around 12.

Same with long term ownerships... somewhere, I saw the G35 as being ~15-16 miles per gallon.. and the rx-8 17 miles per gallon. not enough to stress me out.

this isn't to say that some owners got screwed up cars, but I think some levity is in order, too.

TyrellCorpNexus8

The new Mustang's exterior is ****.

Shamblerock

The mustang has a great engine and transmission, but the rest of the car is an Escort quality and build.

Sylan

I can say I'd much rather have the looks of the 8 compared to my old stang. Although having a mustang as a first car was fun and I personally enjoyed it. I still think the 8 would be much more fun. The only question I have about it at the moment is the clutch. I do love the heavier clutch in the mustang, how is the clutch in the 8?

dragula53

take an 8 for a test drive...

The clutch is probably far lighter than the clutch in your mustang, as it probably has 1/2 the torque. but the car is a hoot to drive.

zomzomp5

My brother recently traded in his 04 350z for and 04 cobra. He said he traded it in because the dealer was selling it for 27g. I was completly shock that he did that. After all, when we go out it kinda cool. He in his 350z and me in me Winning blue RX8. Now I don't feel the great cruzzing with him. Anyway, he came by last week and let my test drive it. And here is my take on it.
The Good!
1) 390hp and 390tq is great
2) The engin is smother than I thought it would be
3) Chase down a cople of sport bikers, can't do that with the 8
4) Engine not sound great only when the window is down. Otherwise, the soud seem mutted with it up.
The Bad!
1) Really didn't like the look of it. Too much like the regular Mustang. You think ford could have do a little more with the styling.
2) what up with the stock rims. Hell my last protege 5 had better looking stock rims.
3) I'm only 5'5 and I pull a muscle trying to adjust the seat. The power seat is located in the front , way in the bottom. I had never hurt myself before trying to adjust the seat in any cars.
4) The shifter is way too far forward for my short arm. I almost had to leave my seat to shift to 5th. And if I move the seat up any closer, the steering wheel would be in my chest.
5) I had the car for about 30 minutes and didn't get many looks. I would be posing for people in my 8 in 5 minutes.
6) Cheap interior compare to my 8.

nolarx8

The new mustang is faster than a stock 6speed 8
but with the correct mods no way i have never had a problem taking gts

dragula53

hah
correct mods.
how about accepting that the car isn't as fast as a mustang and roll with it. "correct mods" don't exist yet.
it is irrelevant anyway..
a correctly modified civic will outrun a ferrari.