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Ford Mustang (2005) vs. 2005 Pontiac GTO

2056 messages,  Last post on May 27, 2009 at 5:34 PM

You are in the Ford Mustang Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Mustang, Pontiac GTO, Coupe, Convertible

Messages Page 143 of 207

#1413 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [gottabgto] by gxpgtodanman

Aug 31, 2005 (8:12 am)

Replying to: gottabgto (Aug 31, 2005 7:39 am)
"Courtesy of a poster over on the GTO board - here is an article that fits right into this board:
 http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosconsumer/0508/31/F01-298066.htm"
 
Conclusions
Their muscle-car roots are remarkably similar, but the 2005 Ford Mustang GT and the 2005 Pontiac GTO hold great appeal for disparate reasons.If you're more into style and aesthetic appeal, the Mustang is the clear winner -- and it costs considerably less than the GTO.
 
If pure performance is the name of your game, and your ego is secure enough to drive a virtually anonymous design, the GTO simply walks away from the Mustang in nearly every measurable category -- as long as you're also willing to pay a premium for the privilege of owning one.
Overall winner: GTO
  
 
   I'm sure we will hear yet again how the Mustang is better because it sells better/more again which is starting to get old fast. It's an uneducated public out there, thats why.
 

#1414 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [gxpgtodanman] by rorr

Aug 31, 2005 (9:25 am)

Replying to: gxpgtodanman (Aug 31, 2005 8:12 am)
"I'm sure we will hear yet again how the Mustang is better because it sells better/more again which is starting to get old fast. It's an uneducated public out there, thats why."
 
In your opinion, what makes one car 'better' than the other in any particular segment?
 
My opinion - it depends on the segment. For mainstream family sedans, the 'better' car may be the one with the most room, with the most features/reliabilty/economy for the least price. For trucks it might be the most towing/hauling capacity.
 
And for sports coupes, it is some combination of performance and style.
 
However, for EACH segment, the manufacturers certainly understand what defines 'winners' and 'losers'. And the common yardstick regardless of the segment is sales. How else do you explain the demise of the F-body despite the fact the Mustang was soundly beaten from a pure performance standpoint for better than a decade? The F-body may have been 'better', but it's still dead.
 
You guys seem to be of the opinion that many (most?) Mustang buyers are simply buying the car BECAUSE it is popular. However, I'm simply stating that it's popularity is simply an indicator (IMO) that Ford struck a 'better' balance between pure performance, handling, and style ('better' in the sense that it appeals to more people).
 
The point is that there really is no "better" between these two. If a buyer were interested solely in performance and doesn't really care for audacious style, looking for more of a 'sleeper' capable of waxing unsuspecting victims in stoplight wars, then the Mustang would NOT be the right choice. For such a buyer, the GTO makes lots of sense.
 
However, some of the "uneducated public" understands that life is not a constant series of stoplight races. Perhaps the "uneducated public's" ego is strong enough that we don't need to constantly prove ourself with burnouts and the ability to claim the biggest motor.
 
Maybe we prefer to look better 100% of the time rather than lose a stoplight race 0.1% of the time.

#1415 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [gxpgtodanman] by blackflag3

Aug 31, 2005 (10:50 am)

Replying to: gxpgtodanman (Aug 31, 2005 8:12 am)
Conclusions
Their muscle-car roots are remarkably similar, but the 2005 Ford Mustang GT and the 2005 Pontiac GTO hold great appeal for disparate reasons.If you're more into style and aesthetic appeal, the Mustang is the clear winner -- and it costs considerably less than the GTO.
  
 
'If pure performance is the name of your game, and your ego is secure enough to drive a virtually anonymous design, the GTO simply walks away from the Mustang in nearly every measurable category -- as long as you're also willing to pay a premium for the privilege of owning one.
Overall winner: GTO"
     
  
   "I'm sure we will hear yet again how the Mustang is better because it sells better/more again which is starting to get old fast. It's an uneducated public out there, thats why
 
 The preacher has stated his case mainly using sales as the measuring stick as to which car is better, thusly his conclusion is, the Mustang is the better car.
There lies the rub, the word "better" Anologys have been made so I won't get into
making another one. He likes his Mustang, we like our GTO's.
Both cars have their attributes which have been pointed out in this debate.
The fact is the GTO is back and I have one, am happy with it, and that's whats important to me, not how many Mustangs are sold.

#1417 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [rorr] by gxpgtodanman

Aug 31, 2005 (11:12 am)

Replying to: rorr (Aug 31, 2005 9:25 am)
"In your opinion, what makes one car 'better' than the other in any particular segment? "
 
High quality Materials and workmanship. Room, visibility, comfort, powertrain, ride quality, brakes take the cake over styling to me. Unfortunately most of the uneducated public judge the car by looks rather then whats underneath/interior/driving it, etc. It depends on the buyer on which car is better. We all have reasons for chosing GTO or Mustang.

#1418 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [rorr] by graphicguy

Aug 31, 2005 (11:27 am)

Replying to: rorr (Aug 31, 2005 9:25 am)
rorr....agreed. All 60,000 of us uneducated Mustang GT owners are wrong about what a muscle coupe should be.
 
Apparently, GM knows they've got work to do on the GTO before it's ready to be successful in this segment. They're, at the very least, stopping production in '07 to ready a more competitive "Mustang fighter" (as Motor Trend put it) on the streets. According to the same MT article, Pontiac realizes they have to do something with the suspension, too since it looks like they are going to be redoing it. I still say, trimming 300 lbs from the GTO along with more expressive styling, could cure a lot of it's ills.

#1419 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [gxpgtodanman] by rorr

Aug 31, 2005 (11:27 am)

Replying to: gxpgtodanman (Aug 31, 2005 11:12 am)
"High quality Materials and workmanship. Room, visibility, comfort, powertrain, ride quality, brakes take the cake over styling."
 
You forgot the little "IMHO" at the end.....
 
Haven't heard too many complaints about lack of room in the Mustang (although the GTO wins hands down on rear-seat room). Visibility out of the Mustang could be better (although it's not nearly as bad as the '71-'73 flatback models). Comfort? Haven't heard any complaints there either.
 
Powertrain? Hmmmmm, I don't know that most rational people who were NOT into stoplight drag races would have any complaints about the Mustang's powertrain. Although I have heard some complaints about the shift linkage in the GTO. Of course, if you desire an automatic this is not an issue.
 
Ride quality is exceptionally subjective. Some genuinely prefer the GTO, some the Mustang.
 
Brakes? I haven't heard any complaints about the Mustang brakes though I have heard that the GTO brakes could be a bit 'mushy' feeling (although the actual brake numbers are very good.....for a car as heavy as the GTO)
 
Look, I'm not trying to talk ANYONE out of a GTO. They are excellent cars. I do however take exception to insinuations that Mustang buyers are, for the most part, the 'uneducated public'. Just because some people may prefer a LOT more style (IMO) while sacrificing a LITTLE straight line performance (again, IMO), is no reason to label them 'uneducated'. They just have a different set of priorities.

#1420 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [blackflag3] by gxpgtodanman

Aug 31, 2005 (11:30 am)

Replying to: blackflag3 (Aug 31, 2005 10:50 am)
"The preacher has stated his case mainly using sales as the measuring stick as to which car is better, thusly his conclusion is, the Mustang is the better car.
There lies the rub, the word "better" Anologys have been made so I won't get into
making another one. He likes his Mustang, we like our GTO's.
Both cars have their attributes which have been pointed out in this debate.
The fact is the GTO is back and I have one, am happy with it, and that's whats important to me, not how many Mustangs are sold."
 
I agree, as long as we are all happy with our purchases, whether it be GTO or Mustang, thats cool. Now that gas is now over $3 a gallon in NJ here, this will be interesting to see how well either car sells.

#1421 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [rorr] by gxpgtodanman

Aug 31, 2005 (11:49 am)

Replying to: rorr (Aug 31, 2005 11:27 am)
I agree, your right. I shouldn't have labeled Mustang owners as the uneducated public. Unfortunately some people do buy a car just because it's popular/good looks. I am not trying to talk anyone out of buying a Mustang either. As you said, it's subjective and we have diff. priorties. They are both excellent choices.
 

#1422 of 2056 Re: Mustang Vs. GTO, agree with conclusion [gxpgtodanman] by rorr

Aug 31, 2005 (11:59 am)

Replying to: gxpgtodanman (Aug 31, 2005 11:49 am)
I just bought you a virtual beer. Drink up, before it gets warm.
 
For once, I agree with absolutely everything you said in that last post. Many people do buy a car just because of it's popularity/good looks. And GM did get almost everything right with the GTO. I just wish it looked a bit more distinctive (and shed a couple hundred pounds).
 
If I were to ever buy a GM car, the GTO would be it.

Messages Page 143 of 207

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