2015 Mustang 5.0 Vs 2015 Camaro 2SS
Discussion
An age-old dilemma - most of which comes down to personal preference. The Mustang has become generic Ford in terms of styling (front half in particular and the Camaro has always been somewhat 'cartoonish' to many).
From a purely mechanical perspective, I would opt for the Ford. It has a livelier, more responsive engine, spectacularly good front and vastly improved rear suspension and the manual transmission is more precise. The Chevy's engine makes it's power and more importantly it's torque lower in the rev-range, which makes it a less frenetic drive, but the Coyote engine is a real pleasure to work hard and gets more satisfying the faster it spins - less the case with the LS3, in my view.
Both have pretty much unusable rear seats and the Camaro's instrument binnacle is supposed to be a nod to it's past, but is a plastic monstrosity to some eyes (mine included).
Trunk space is similar but the Camaro's trunk aperture is an odd shape.
My work has exposed me to a lot of time in both and I owned a 2012 Mustang GT, which I really liked, despite not really wanting to. My personal choice of the 2015 ponies? 392 Challenger - all day long. A little more expensive, but so much more character and stump-pulling ability (and 4 human-sized seats).
Both Mustang and Camaro have pretty much endless tuning/modifying/personalizing potential, which is also a fun aspect of ownership.
One final observation - the 15 Mustang is at the beginning of its lifecycle, the 15 Camaro is at the end - not sure what that does to value in Europe - it' the kiss of death here in the US.
From a purely mechanical perspective, I would opt for the Ford. It has a livelier, more responsive engine, spectacularly good front and vastly improved rear suspension and the manual transmission is more precise. The Chevy's engine makes it's power and more importantly it's torque lower in the rev-range, which makes it a less frenetic drive, but the Coyote engine is a real pleasure to work hard and gets more satisfying the faster it spins - less the case with the LS3, in my view.
Both have pretty much unusable rear seats and the Camaro's instrument binnacle is supposed to be a nod to it's past, but is a plastic monstrosity to some eyes (mine included).
Trunk space is similar but the Camaro's trunk aperture is an odd shape.
My work has exposed me to a lot of time in both and I owned a 2012 Mustang GT, which I really liked, despite not really wanting to. My personal choice of the 2015 ponies? 392 Challenger - all day long. A little more expensive, but so much more character and stump-pulling ability (and 4 human-sized seats).
Both Mustang and Camaro have pretty much endless tuning/modifying/personalizing potential, which is also a fun aspect of ownership.
One final observation - the 15 Mustang is at the beginning of its lifecycle, the 15 Camaro is at the end - not sure what that does to value in Europe - it' the kiss of death here in the US.
I've always liked LS engine characteristics and have owned a couple of LS powered cars. I also have a pushrod motor in my current car and like the low revs delivery.
However - the latest iteration of the Coyote DOHC is (in US) circa 430hp and an absolute GEM of an engine. The way the power delivery builds and builds beyond 3500rpm is so impressive and it maintains that momentum all the way to the red-line. The LS plateaus beyond 5k rpm - this is very evident when watching head-to-heads on a dragstrip.
The Camaro is a heavier car too, which is an appropriate consideration, when we move on to handling/roadholding. My view is that the Mustang is a more nimble, agile car - it's front geometry makes it really, really precise and makes it more 'pointable', in the opinion of most of the trade press.
It's easier to steer the Camaro on the throttle, but I don't think it's front end is as sharp as the Mustang's. I added a brace, poly-bushing and 6 piston brakes to mine and despite being nothing other than an average road driver and occasional bracket-racer, it was a more satisfying handling car than the Camaro (which I have spent a lot of time in, despite not being an owner - we do market research for one of the players in this segment).
A lot of people are heavily influenced by the noise that cars like these make - both have a stock system that subdues the exhaust tone - because they are required to. The aftermarket is absolutely massive and ranges from cheap as chips (Magnaflow etc) to rather spendy but really high end (Zoomer etc). Annoyingly, Ford have a really nasty plastic 'sound-tube' which pipes noise from the air intake into the cabin. It was one of the first things I removed from my Mustang. It's completely unnecessary and a horrible cheap piece of tat that clutters the under-hood space.
In the final analysis, it all boils down to what you personally prefer - it's not an easy choice - they are both great packages, intended to fight head-to-head.
In my own experience, I looked closely at all 3 pony cars, (5.7 R/T Challenger) plus a BMW and a Lexus. Frankly, I didn't want to like the Mustang, because it's such a common car where I live. The Dodge was too slow, The BM was soulless, as was the Lexus. The Camaro was a little oppressive from the inside (small windows, high belt-line) - but just wasn't as sharp and responsive. The Mustang was an easy yes for me, even though I didn't have a burning passion for it. It certainly grew on me as time and modifications took effect.
However - the latest iteration of the Coyote DOHC is (in US) circa 430hp and an absolute GEM of an engine. The way the power delivery builds and builds beyond 3500rpm is so impressive and it maintains that momentum all the way to the red-line. The LS plateaus beyond 5k rpm - this is very evident when watching head-to-heads on a dragstrip.
The Camaro is a heavier car too, which is an appropriate consideration, when we move on to handling/roadholding. My view is that the Mustang is a more nimble, agile car - it's front geometry makes it really, really precise and makes it more 'pointable', in the opinion of most of the trade press.
It's easier to steer the Camaro on the throttle, but I don't think it's front end is as sharp as the Mustang's. I added a brace, poly-bushing and 6 piston brakes to mine and despite being nothing other than an average road driver and occasional bracket-racer, it was a more satisfying handling car than the Camaro (which I have spent a lot of time in, despite not being an owner - we do market research for one of the players in this segment).
A lot of people are heavily influenced by the noise that cars like these make - both have a stock system that subdues the exhaust tone - because they are required to. The aftermarket is absolutely massive and ranges from cheap as chips (Magnaflow etc) to rather spendy but really high end (Zoomer etc). Annoyingly, Ford have a really nasty plastic 'sound-tube' which pipes noise from the air intake into the cabin. It was one of the first things I removed from my Mustang. It's completely unnecessary and a horrible cheap piece of tat that clutters the under-hood space.
In the final analysis, it all boils down to what you personally prefer - it's not an easy choice - they are both great packages, intended to fight head-to-head.
In my own experience, I looked closely at all 3 pony cars, (5.7 R/T Challenger) plus a BMW and a Lexus. Frankly, I didn't want to like the Mustang, because it's such a common car where I live. The Dodge was too slow, The BM was soulless, as was the Lexus. The Camaro was a little oppressive from the inside (small windows, high belt-line) - but just wasn't as sharp and responsive. The Mustang was an easy yes for me, even though I didn't have a burning passion for it. It certainly grew on me as time and modifications took effect.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Looks are horses for courses I suppose. I like the new Mustang AND the Camaro, so no worries there.
Size wise, the only stipulation is that a baby seat will fit in the back, and they both pass on that count.
Are there any major quality differences between the two (under the skin)...? AFAIK they both have slippy diffs, right?
The best I can tell the full US spec performance pack on the Mustang is std. on EU models, is this also the case with the 1LE (I think?) performance package on the EU Camaros?
Mechanically, they are both pretty much bullet-proof. Trim-wise, they are both mediocre, but better than they were when launched. Neither offers opulent surroundings - nor should they.Size wise, the only stipulation is that a baby seat will fit in the back, and they both pass on that count.
Are there any major quality differences between the two (under the skin)...? AFAIK they both have slippy diffs, right?
The best I can tell the full US spec performance pack on the Mustang is std. on EU models, is this also the case with the 1LE (I think?) performance package on the EU Camaros?
So the NL govt applies a 350% 'luxury tax'? What determines 'luxury'?
Whilst I appreciate that a good dealer experience is important to most people when buying a new car, I'm less influenced to be truthful. The reason being that unless there is warranty work that has to be done, I'm not going to let them anywhere near my car anyway.
Of the 3 new cars I've bought in the US (a 2006 Chevy Suburban, 2012 Mustang GT and my current 2015 Challenger), I have done all of the routine maintenance myself.
In essence that consists of oil/filter changes, brake-pad replacement and (very occasionally) trans/diff service. Scheduled replacement of the spark-plugs on a 5.0 Ford motor is now 100,000 miles - they are just so easy to look after - and I enjoy doing it and knowing it's been done right. My Dodge dealer tried to coerce me into having them do my oil services by saying DIY would invalidate the warranty. This is b
ks, as long as the correct lubes/OEM parts are used and you keep receipts/records.
My Suburban has never missed a beat - nothing EVER failed on it. My Mustang had an ignition pack failure on #5 cyl that threw a code, making it run a bit lumpy (fixed under warranty) and drivers seat fore/aft motor failure (also under warranty). Challenger is new, but so far, so good and am now 2 oil changes in.
I get that some people have neither the time, resources or inclination to crawl around under their cars - but for me, it's all part of the experience - particularly as modifying and improving can be so rewarding in terms of sense of achievement and improved performance. It can become quite addictive.
Whilst I appreciate that a good dealer experience is important to most people when buying a new car, I'm less influenced to be truthful. The reason being that unless there is warranty work that has to be done, I'm not going to let them anywhere near my car anyway.
Of the 3 new cars I've bought in the US (a 2006 Chevy Suburban, 2012 Mustang GT and my current 2015 Challenger), I have done all of the routine maintenance myself.
In essence that consists of oil/filter changes, brake-pad replacement and (very occasionally) trans/diff service. Scheduled replacement of the spark-plugs on a 5.0 Ford motor is now 100,000 miles - they are just so easy to look after - and I enjoy doing it and knowing it's been done right. My Dodge dealer tried to coerce me into having them do my oil services by saying DIY would invalidate the warranty. This is b
ks, as long as the correct lubes/OEM parts are used and you keep receipts/records. My Suburban has never missed a beat - nothing EVER failed on it. My Mustang had an ignition pack failure on #5 cyl that threw a code, making it run a bit lumpy (fixed under warranty) and drivers seat fore/aft motor failure (also under warranty). Challenger is new, but so far, so good and am now 2 oil changes in.
I get that some people have neither the time, resources or inclination to crawl around under their cars - but for me, it's all part of the experience - particularly as modifying and improving can be so rewarding in terms of sense of achievement and improved performance. It can become quite addictive.
That's a tough question - I'm mulling an older Camaro (2010/2011) for around $22k US over a new Mustang in the UK (£37k).. but were I waiting, I'd just get the new Camaro since it's smaller, lighter and more powerful (and the interior is leagues ahead of the old car).
Today? No idea. I love the Camaro but the Mustang makes a lot of sense right now. LHD doesn't bother me so that helps somewhat!
For you? Sounds like a tough sell either way at those costs.
Today? No idea. I love the Camaro but the Mustang makes a lot of sense right now. LHD doesn't bother me so that helps somewhat!
For you? Sounds like a tough sell either way at those costs.
You need to drive both V8's and take your time around the cars and decide what is best. I think the 2013-2014 mustang is much nicer than the 2015 mustang, I am biased as I have a 2013 GT mustang. I've driven the 2015 mustang and preferred mine.
However if your dead set on the 2015 mustang or 2015 camaro, I'd get the camaro ss. They are very similar weight and the 1le package demonstrates you can get the car to handle excellently. You need to drive both as it's an emotional decision.
However if your dead set on the 2015 mustang or 2015 camaro, I'd get the camaro ss. They are very similar weight and the 1le package demonstrates you can get the car to handle excellently. You need to drive both as it's an emotional decision.
5ohmustang said:
However if your dead set on the 2015 mustang or 2015 camaro, I'd get the camaro ss. They are very similar weight and the 1le package demonstrates you can get the car to handle excellently. You need to drive both as it's an emotional decision.
I'm not so sure about the 1LE Camaro - it's more than 200lbs heavier, with less hp - and pretty much all of it's handling prowess is down to the mega expensive tires.Still a nice car - but by no means a slam-dunk over a Mustang GT in my view.
Difficult choice as the Mustang is the "new model" 9however much you like or loathe the looks) while the Camaro is now "the old model".
Now in the case of S550 vs S197, may will prefer the styling of the "old model" so I doubt their desirability will be affected by the new kid on the block.
However, the new Camaro is very much an evolution of the old and, really, so much better, in terms of lightness and performance, that I think "old models" will suffer in terms of desirability because the new is a quantum leap over the old, smaller, lighter, faster.
I'd still but the Camaro but only because I don't like the styling of the S550. I would probably wait and Buy a new Camaro but understand that's not an option.
Now in the case of S550 vs S197, may will prefer the styling of the "old model" so I doubt their desirability will be affected by the new kid on the block.
However, the new Camaro is very much an evolution of the old and, really, so much better, in terms of lightness and performance, that I think "old models" will suffer in terms of desirability because the new is a quantum leap over the old, smaller, lighter, faster.
I'd still but the Camaro but only because I don't like the styling of the S550. I would probably wait and Buy a new Camaro but understand that's not an option.
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Going older is not an option - the main reason I am able to have one of these cars now is because they are finally properly EU homologated with warranty and dealer support etc.
In that case, it's a Mustang. I had little luck getting help with a UK Camaro; with Chevy pulling out of Europe they pointed me to a German dealer... At least with the Mustang, you have a network (at least, at the moment you do). The next gen Camaro is using a different approach.Wowzer, that looks epic. It looks a million light years better than the S550. I would not have left there without one.
The other thing is and I don't know what it's like in Europe, is that in our American car club, here in the UK, we have at least 4 S197s (including mine) so, despite being rare, we get ribbed about them being "common". We had one Camaro for about a week so it still remains a very rare car.
For me, the plethora of S550s that are likely to appear would detract from that.
The other thing is and I don't know what it's like in Europe, is that in our American car club, here in the UK, we have at least 4 S197s (including mine) so, despite being rare, we get ribbed about them being "common". We had one Camaro for about a week so it still remains a very rare car.
For me, the plethora of S550s that are likely to appear would detract from that.
Edited by LuS1fer on Friday 18th December 18:03
kapiteinlangzaam said:
Ive heard about these 1-4th shifts an auto cars before, but never on a manual. How does it work, does it physically block the gates on 2 & 3 with a solenoid or something?
In effect, the shift is forced into the higher gear. I had it on my Corvette C5 Z06 and a plug and play item stopped it but my mate never bothered, on his and with a 5.7 or 6 litres-odd, it's not exactly lacking grunt.Gassing Station | Yank Motors | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff