V6 Camaro vs V6 Stang, Mazdeuce come on in

I fully understand that the FRS might be a better option

I know we're talking about current 3.7L v6 mustangs (i.e. the 'good' ones) but this comment totally reminded me of that video that came up in here a while back showing a modded FRS struggling mightily to keep up with an older 4.0 v6 Mustang on stock base model (6.5 wide??) wheels. It was sort of hilarious.

Personally, if it was MOSTLY a track car, i'd go for the one that fits the biggest rubber and that's probably the Camaro.

But why would you go for a current GEN v6 Camaro or Mustang vs an older one?

As many others have said, the new camaros are great packages that do absolutely nothing for me. I'd take my red '13 mustang v6 back in a heartbeat through.

Keep it simple. CAI, bigger throttle body, headers, catted x-pipe and a good dual cat-back with a tune will add a good amount of power. Add a torsen lsd once you kill the stock clutch type, springs with good dampers (Vorshlag?), and better brakes under the widest 18's that will fit both ends. Maybe nitrous and slicks or drag radials on a second set of rear wheels for drag strip trips. That would be a fun do it all car...

In reply to Jaynen:

Because this would need to haul kids and get 30 mpgs driving to work every day(for me). Also, I am in the category of thinking 300hp is likely enough and the lighter weight make sense.

I thought of mazdeuce's comment earlier today when I stumbled across a '14 V6 MT Camaro at the Carsense dealer where I bought my van. A little on the pricey side, and Carsense generally prices their cars under book value (they have a no-haggle set-up): http://www.carsense.com/used-car/2014-Chevrolet-Camaro-LT-A51779A/

While the Camaro can fit some big tires, they aren't cheap. The 305 tires GRM installed on the project car are almost $2000 for the set.

So much of this is just a personal preference thing. They're both great cars from the 2010/11 vintage, with not much to set them apart.

When I was working in Oregon for an extended period, I was lucky enough to score a rental version of each. I didn't find the Camaro visibility poor - sure, not as good as the Mustangs, but you sit quite low in both, and if you want good visibility, get a mini-van.

Both of those rental cars got a good wringing along some of those coastal pass roads - Eugene to Florence, Cottage Grove to Reedsport and Coos Bay to Roseburg (BTW, those roads around there are awesome and it's a gorgeous part of the world so go see it). I loved the Camaro but couldn't like the Mustang. Don't know why, just didn't. I think the V6 Camaro with a low boost twin-turbo set-up would be amazing, especially with better suspension and brakes (the stock brakes are not confidence inspiring in hard stops )

But again, personal preference. Either would make a great do-it-all car (especially with more power )

When they first came out and one of the mags tested them the v6 camaro actually stopped shorter than the ss with brembos. They said it was weight or weight distribution.

But the Brembos are the same on the older ctsv and an evo, and you can buy loaded calipers super cheap like 160 cheap, as of 2 yrs ago, so you could upgrade the v6 to Brembos for even better stopping.

singleslammer wrote: In reply to Jaynen: Because this would need to haul kids and get 30 mpgs driving to work every day(for me). Also, I am in the category of thinking 300hp is likely enough and the lighter weight make sense.

Ah, are you talking 30ish hwy best case for both cars? I can't imagine their combined mileage is anywhere close to that. I agree 300hp is plenty. My kids are still too little to do the 2 door thing.

Also bear in mind that because of the design of the driveshaft on the mustang, it's got a 110MPH limiter built in, and you don't want to take that limiter off unless you replace the driveshaft first.

the_machina wrote: Also bear in mind that because of the design of the driveshaft on the mustang, it's got a 110MPH limiter built in, and you don't want to take that limiter off unless you replace the driveshaft first.

Eh? This is the first I've ever heard of a Mustang driveshaft limiting it to 110 MPH. Can you elaborate?

In reply to KyAllroad:

It's because the Mustang uses a goofy driveshaft with companion flanges on both ends and a slip joint in the middle of the driveshaft on the V6 models. Very strange set up.

In reply to KyAllroad:

I remember a story of a driveshaft coming through the floor on a guy who removed the limiter and he was pissed at ford about it

Personally, I would go with the Mustang here. I have driven both V6 Camaros and V6 Mustangs, and the V6 Mustang (3.7L) felt quicker and all-around livelier. Not to mention the Chevy 3.6L is a fairly trouble-prone unit and sounds like a kid playing a kazoo in a coffee can.

In reply to NickD:

I think the 3.6 has one of the better sounds, for a V6. V6 engines all sound pretty terrible with a couple exceptions.

Any thoughts on the ecoboost mustang? I feel like it should fit into this conversation. I've started seeing them used for under $20k and there are youtube videos of them running in the 12s with bolt on mods.

2002maniac wrote: Any thoughts on the ecoboost mustang? I feel like it should fit into this conversation. I've started seeing them used for under $20k and there are youtube videos of them running in the 12s with bolt on mods.

I'm a bit leery of buying used turbo cars for the reasons you just mentioned.

V6 Mustang driveshaft fail video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZXBjVIrR08

Neither. I'd buy a 98-02 Camaro/Firebird with the 3800 V6 and enjoy a far superior suspension (SLA front, torque-arm rear versus MacStruts and camber-swing IRS), a 600 pound weight savings, and still fit 305's on all 4 corners. Not to mention the 3800 has the best aftermarket of any V6 on the planet, and 1000HP is not unreasonable if you want to go that far down the rabbit hole. I'm sure you'd the aero to be a skosh better, too...

Javelin wrote: Neither. I'd buy a 98-02 Camaro/Firebird with the 3800 V6 and enjoy a far superior suspension (SLA front, torque-arm rear versus MacStruts and camber-swing IRS), a 600 pound weight savings, and still fit 305's on all 4 corners. Not to mention the 3800 has the best aftermarket of any V6 on the planet, and 1000HP is not unreasonable if you want to go that far down the rabbit hole. I'm sure you'd the aero to be a skosh better, too...

The man has a point. And less irritating electronic nannies to spoil the fun.

Javelin wrote: Neither. I'd buy a 98-02 Camaro/Firebird with the 3800 V6 and enjoy a far superior suspension (SLA front, torque-arm rear versus MacStruts and camber-swing IRS), a 600 pound weight savings, and still fit 305's on all 4 corners. Not to mention the 3800 has the best aftermarket of any V6 on the planet, and 1000HP is not unreasonable if you want to go that far down the rabbit hole. I'm sure you'd the aero to be a skosh better, too...

Except lets be honest, in anything besides performance 4th gen camaro's are awful vehicles.

Don't get me wrong, I've owned a couple and will own one again. My father has a 2002 Camaro SS convertible that is awesome. But as a car, its a piece of junk. All of the interior is garbage, the unibody flexes and groans, the doors shut like crap, the paint is thin, the plastics are hard and scratch/gouge if you look at them funny, etc etc. What a camaro has going for it is power, looks, and general badassness (and they can be made to handle).

So I wouldn't DD a 98-02 V6 if I had the money for a newer one. There are lots of other cars I would own at that point that would accomplish the same thing.

I agree with you on the 4th generation. My uncle had an SS that I was forced to drive after his second DUI. I absolutely hated everything about that car except for the power. Not only did it have gobs of it, but it could put it down without any issues.

Just a shame the rest of the car was not up to that standard.

As a pure racecar, it would probably be just as good or better than the current generation due to the reasons listed above

I agree absolutely, the 4th gen F-Body is a terrible street car, but the question was about track car.

You are correct, I thought it was mentioned somewhere something about kids, but that could have been another poster.

And actually, he does say weekend beater, so not strictly a track car.

This was supposed to be a catch all thread. I was curious why people would pick one or the other. So far, the Camaro takes it on the availability of the Z28 package, in my book. I am sure that for similar is available for the Stang but I wonder what the ride quality would be like compared to the Camaro at that point. There are lots and lots of all out track car options but these are two new and cheap (sort of but in 5 years just think what a v6 camaro will be worth!) cars that can get decent MPGs and be somewhat civil to drive in a non-sporting manner befit of a soon to be father.

In reply to Javelin:

I see your point about the suspension design, BUT, I imagine that in similarly stock(ish) trim either of the newer cars would destroy the 4th gen mullet mobile.