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Coupes & Convertibles Ford Mustang Ford Mustang GT vs C5 Corvette (2005)
108 messages, Last post on Aug 07, 2008 at 12:26 AM
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I am considering a Mustang GT Convertible (5sp) vs a pre-owned C5 Corvette. The C5 would probably be a coupe with removable roof. I plan on it being a daily driver. I live the advantages of the Mustang; new with warranty, back seat (small), price for new...... But it is not a Vette. The C5 would be, say..an 03 with low miles for very similar money. Anyone have thoughts or experience to share???? |
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Posted this in another thread about what Edmunds thinks.....about driving the Mustang GT back-to-back with the Corvette...... One test driver/editor said... "I drove the new 2005 Corvette the same day I drove the Mustang and I like the Mustang much better. The interior is nearly perfect — the adjustable gauge colors are a nice touch." Edmunds review highlights of the Mustang GT...... "The handling and steering feel are so impressive, in fact, that several road test editors that drove the car back-to-back with the new '05 Corvette felt that while the 'Vette is a bit faster in terms of actual performance numbers, the Mustang is actually more fun to drive. Settle into the thickly padded and extremely supportive high-back bucket seat, adjust the leather and aluminum steering wheel to the perfect height and survey your surroundings. Two large chrome-plated bezels in the dash place the speedo and tach front and center, right where they need to be. Despite the car's high beltline and sloping rear window, visibility is still excellent, and the broad expanse of aluminum trim makes you feel like the pilot of a full-tilt racer. Twist the key and the V8 snarls to life, and oh, what a sound it is. Ford somehow managed to duplicate the rippling growl of an aftermarket exhaust system without the resonance and annoying staccato those systems are known for. Once the car is rolling, it's an absolute blast. The steering feel is perfectly balanced and heavy enough to offer excellent feedback and confidence-inspiring control. The suspension felt nimble and tight (my note....there's no mention here of the Mustang's solid rear....just that it's "nimble and tight"). The overall design and build quality of the interior are outstanding. The clutch pedal is smooth and light without feeling soft or numb. In fact, the clutch is so silky and easy to feel that we didn't mind driving the car in bumper-to-bumper L.A. rush-hour traffic. Now that's a strong statement. The shifter is equally excellent. If there is such a thing as a fountain of youth, this is it. Any true American iron enthusiast will feel like they're a kid living in the glory days of the late '60s muscle car wars all over again. The best part is, the 2005 Mustang doesn't ask you to sacrifice comfort or reliability in the name of speed and style. You get top-notch handling, a roomy and stylish interior, 300 rip-snorting horsepower and loads of attitude, all for about the same price as a sensible Honda Accord." |
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Read other articles and get many other views. But let's go to the basic assumptions first. A GT with modest options will run in the mid $20k's but an '03 Vette will be above $30k if I'm to believe Edmunds. Even the '01 Vette is worth more than the Mustang with the value declining about $2.5k per year. So, '03 for $30k + the '02 for $27.5 and the '01 for right around $25k. Can you get a deal, sure but I'm guessing you can get deals on the Mustang as well if you look on the internet rather than most local markets. What do you get? I'd really wonder about any reviewer that ignores the solid axle rear end and goes on to say how nimble the car is. The Vette at almost 250# lighter is no picture of grace at the track when you start to push and the only Stang's I see have Saleen or Roush modified suspensions and they still don't do much without blowers against a stock Vette. The stock Vette is a great daily driver even with the 6sp and I'm putting on many more miles than I had hoped just because I won't bother with taking something else out of the garage. FWIW Randy |
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As Starrow points out, one will have to settle for a used Corvette, maybe a 2002 or 2003, to match the price of a new GT. A new car vs a 2 - 3 year old car could make quite a difference. I'm still amazed that Ford didn't put a 6 speed in the new GT. That would mean a lot to me. I've driven 4 F-bodies and believe me, I know where a live axle's limitations can be found. Even a 3 year old Corvette will out perform a new GT, from acceleration to braking. The GT does have a back seat. Appearance inside and out is subjective; lately, I've had trouble differentiating the new Mustang from the old ones until I get right up on them. That is a very good thing for one who liked the old Mustang's styling. Hey, I bought a 2003 Z06 in August of 2003 and it's a wonderful car, what can I say. I'll bet a used one could be found for $30K - $38K. In this comparison, you get more when you pay more. Good luck |
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Replying to: adg1 (Apr 18, 2005 11:00 am) Now, I have an 05 Mustang. For my daily driving and getting rowdy on the streets (not racing), the Stang is 90-95% of the Vette. I don't have to worry about breaking it. It will be much cheaper to fix. Frankly, the solid rear axle is a blast, again I don't have to worry about breaking it. Note that most of my concern is with the amount of damage that the roads around here do to the car. This is why I drove an SUV exclusively for two years after getting rid of the Vette. I just couldn't stand not standing on it for so long. Had to have something fast. I'd say that your main concerns are: 1. Do the roads where you live tend to destroy the car? 2. Do you routinely have to enter a driveway that is steep? 3. Do you want to take more than one passenger with you? 4. Is your reason to get this car, NOT to go racing at the racetrack? If the answer to any ONE of these questions yes, then get the Mustang. If you can honestly say no to all of these questions, then get the Vette. |
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Ummmm, okay. I think the previous post pointed out that if you intend to track your car, a used C5 made more sense than a new Mustang. That isn't the issue. And he also used to have a C5 and pointed out that for day to day use, the Mustang made more sense for him. BTW - my cousin vintage races a '66 Shelby GT350 (you know, tinny little 289, solid rear axle, drum rear brakes, squirrelly little 60-series tires on 15" rims) and regularly beats Z06's on open track days at Texas World Speedway. They don't like it. And he's also beaten numerous vintage 'vettes (including one running a dry-sump 454).
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If ADG1 is trying to decide between a used C5 and a New Mustang, I have to assume that he has already answered the 2-seater thing, else the two seater Corvette wouldn't be in the running at all. My Corvette is not my only car, so it becomes an organizing task, deciding which car to use on a given day, based on what has to be done. Hey Houstonsmaug, I hear you about bad roads. I have to travel on about .5 miles of dirt road going to my house. There are a lot of rocks on this road too. The Corvette is very low to the ground and one day I took my eyes off the road, hit a big rock, and put a hole in the Corvette's oil pan. $1500 later all was well. That was 2 years ago. I'm just very careful now. The Mustang wouldn't be as susceptible to this kind of thing. However, on paved roads, I don't see the Corvette as being any more susceptible to road damage than the Mustang if one can deal with the "low to ground" factor. Entering my garage is also an issue as there are steel hooks on the bottom of the frame that hit the concrete. The sound is awful, but the only damage being done is to the concrete, which has scratches where the hooks scrape. I have decided that for me, the performance I get from the Z06 far, far outweighs those issues I just described. I know ADG1 is not necessarily looking for a Z06, but my experience can certainly be a data point. Also, rorr, I have to assume that the GT500 that is beating up on the Z06s in Texas is not stock, right? I'm just wondering what the performance of a non stock GT500 from the 1960s has to do with this car choice. |
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GT350, not GT500. The GT500's are pigs on a road course. Stock? Well, it's not a stock '66 Mustang. It's not even a stock '66 Shelby GT350H. It is equipped to compete in Vintage events and so it is limited to whatever was 'legal' for SCCA B Production in 1966. The guy who runs the restoration shop where the car was built has nearly 40-years worth of racing experience with Shelbys (Walt Hane; he drove FOR Shelby in the '67 Trans-Am season). What does this have to do with this discussion? Not a thing. Just trying to point out that a properly set up a 'tinny' Ford small-block, solid rear end, and 40-year old technology can beat some of the best current street cars, including a Z06. Does this mean that a new '05 Mustang will keep up with a Z06 (or even a base C5) on the track? Uh, no. No way. But, UNLESS YOU INTEND TO RACE, the Mustang has more than enough performance for public streets. Is the Corvette quicker in a straight line? Sure. Is it faster on a road course? You betcha. Does that mean it is more entertaining on the street? I can't answer that; I've never driven a C5. But I CAN tell you this: my cousin who vintage races his '66 GT350 also has a C5 M6 (actually - it's his wife's car; he usually drives a full size F350 pickup). He recently bought a Mini Cooper S for his daily driver and has told me, numerous times, that the Cooper is MORE FUN to drive on the street than his wifes C5. Haven't you heard the expression that it can be more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow? The Mustang is by no means 'slow' but just because the C5 may be 'faster' doesn't automatically make it more fun. |
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