RollTide87

First post but I have been reading the board for a while now. I have been looking at 07 Mustang GT's. Actually, I had pretty much decided on getting one and was getting ready to put my current car up for sale and deciding on color and package for the GT when I became intrigued by another option. I was running some errands and drove by the local Pontiac dealer and they had a few 06 GTO's left that I might could get a really good deal on. A little background: I currently have a modified 99 Miata. It has a 4-point rollbar, aftemarket suspension upgrades, and intake/header/exhaust. Over the past few years, I have ran autocross and an occasional track day. Now, I want to get a new car for two reasons - one, I need a car with a back seat because my wife and I have a son (now 19 months) and only having one vehicle that will hold all three of us is a logistical pain at times and two, I want a new toy.

So I had test driven a 5-speed GT premium with 3.55 gears and liked it a lot. Then I saw the GTO and took it for a test drive and liked it as well. They both have their pro's and con's. I have only had brief test drives in both. I have also done some research on-line and in car magazines.

Mustang GT
* Styling - I really like the retro style. It looks agressive and the proportions are great.
* Handling - at least in the short test drive, the Mustang felt lighter on it's feet and a little more tossable. It's no Miata but seemed to handle pretty well. The test drive really didn't offer much of a chance to really push it to see if the live axle was an issue. Even though the external dimensions are all fairly close, the Mustang felt smaller and more nimble.
* Better gas milage and regular gas.
* Real trunk space
* Better aftermarket support and local chapter of Mustang club

GTO
* Styling is not as attactive as the Mustang. I think it looks nice but not great. Much more of a generic coupe look whereas the Mustang looks like nothing else on the road.
* Interior of the GTO felt much more upscale than the Mustang. It had almost a European feel to it. Much roomier back seat although neither car was the greatest in terms in ingress/egress.
* Acceleration - The Mustang may hook up better off the line than the IRS on the GTO but the 2nd gear, 25-mph acceleration of the GTO was impressive. Mustang was good but GTO felt much stronger. I am not into street racing or drag racing so a flat 0-60 or 1/4 mile is not critical.
* Exclusiveness - I know the GTO was slow seller but the upside is that you don't see them every day

I would like to know if anyone else cross-shopped these two and what your thoughts were. If the GTO was the same price as the Mustang, would you still choose the Mustang? In addition, I have some general questions:

I see people discussing taking their Mustang to the dragstip. Has anyone autocrossed or ran roadcourse track-days?
How reliable has the car been over 50k miles? 75? Anyone over 100?
Have the water leaks been fixed on the 07's? This seems to be the biggest reliability issue I have seen discussed on this board. Are there other major issues.

Any other thoughts? Am I missing anything. I plan to test drive each car again. Also, before I posted I did a search and found a thread on 05 Mustangs vs 05 GTO's and read it but I would like some more recent info. The thread also kind of fell into insults back and forth. Thanks for any input. (Sorry for the long post.)

StowesStang

I think you will find the opinion on this forum will lean toward the Mustang I have not compared the two but just wanted to chime in with input. Ive seen the GTOs inside and out but have never driven one. You are right, the styling of the GTO doesnt even touch the Mustang. I know that the GTO has more HP stock then a Mustang but since that is not your big selling point then Id have to consider the money spent. I think you will get more bang for your buck with the Mustang and if you ever decide to get crazy with it, the options are endless. Not saying anything bad about the GTO, I just think the Mustang is a better car in general!!

Either way, good luck, decisions, decisions!!!

P.S. The Vista Blue is particularly a great color!!!

Johnnytuinals

I think you can get a greattttt deal on a 2006 GTO,Make sure it does not cost yeaaa
over $26,000 NEWI think the Interior of the GTO is better then the stang gt.But the outside the GTO
looks like a grandam or grandprix.....
I like my stang but if you put both cars together at the same price you are better off with the GTO,because you don't need to do anything to the engine at all.....
You can get a Stang GT at INVOICE if you look around abit..............
For a family car its the GTO
Just for yourself its the stang gt....JT

mlcrycc

RollTide,
Three things....

1. Welcome to the forum.

2. Personally, I would not by a car that has been DQ'ed....(personal choice)

3. I would like to commend you on probably one of the most eloquent, first posts I have ever read!!

Good luck with your decision,
Mike

PBR_Streetgang

My experience and first post on this forum was very similar to yours. This is what I found when I first searched internet forums:
Mustang forums: "GTOs are ugly!"
GTO forums: "Rustangs are slow!"
...when I finally got the opportunity to get "my" (vice a family) car, I was initially all set on the Mustang. Then I started reading different reviews to see what else was out there and gave the GTO a couple of test drives. Like you, I was pretty impressed with the Goat, not turned off by its looks (not turned on, either), and it gave me a slight pause before I marched off to the Ford dealership.

You've got the comparison nailed, now it's just up to you to see what you want from the car.
For me the Mustang was more fun to drive and a better fit both in ergonomic and practical terms, so it wasn't really a tough decision after all. And yeah, the Mustang's looks and personality prevailed over the sheer power/speed numbers the GTO produced. Had I been able to get a GTO at 28-29k, I still would've chosen the Mustang...I've always been a sucker for a pretty face and nice lines.

I picked up my Mustang about 3 weeks ago, so I can't personally speak to any reliability issues. As far as the Mustang's real track/road performance, there are a lot of smart dudes on this forum who can talk you through all that.A fewof these guys are nails when it comes to handling performance and engine tuning. I'm still at the gunning-it-between stop lights and goofy grinning stage. It's a blast. Even if it is slow.

RUFDRAFT

If you want a car that looks like a Grand Am- get the Goat.

It's not just how fast you go - it's how you go fast.

My Mustang isn't slow!

Ruf -


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Sprzout

Ok...That "European" feel to the new GTOs? That's not European, that's Australian. What you're buying is a Holden Monaro coupe that GM rebadged under a musclecar name.

Me, personally, I wouldn't buy it. The car didn't feel comfortable when I drove it, and while it had a lot of horsepower, it just felt like it wasn't solid. But then, I've not been impressed with a lot of GM's products as of late...They've got a long way to go in restructuring and turning the company around again before they make a good car. Plus, GM upper management won't let any other cars be their main sports car, other than the Corvette. Back in the late 90's, Chevy's Monte Carlo was a hotter car than the Corvette, and GM upper management had the car de-tuned to make the Corvette the hot one. Any company that has to put all of their eggs in one basket like that...I dunno.

Go with the Mustang. You'll be a LOT happier.

nonstopred

First of all...mustangs look better. and theres also more modding options. theres like 5 superchargers available, how many websites for aftermarket parts and numerous forums. You could get a gto but the expandability of it will be nil. and also, It looks like any other pontiac, nothing significant looking. (and the rear tire looks small because the rear wheel weel is smaller.

.see small wheel look (odd)

also compare this... to the beastlyness of the stang

BAMFstang

Welcome to the forum!

My opinion is get the stang.

I think the GTO is just "Blah" in appearance.

You said yourself your not a racer so weighing the options wouldn't you like to drive something that has power AND turns heads as opposed to one that has power and no one notices at all.

I could be a little biased though.

06 gt

I wanted a GTO or a Mustang. I am a GM guy, and so was my father.When I was 22, I brought home a 1986 Mustang GT I was test driving, and my dad said "nice, but you will never park it in my driveway". That is how GM I was raised. I all ways look at power and speed when I look at cars. The look of the Mustang is unbeatable. At 42 I bought my first Ford.I bought an '06 GT over a GTO because of looks alone. Ford got the look so right!!! Yes the GTO has more power, but no look, at all. Recently I parked next to a blueGTO (the color I wanted) at the store. On my way out I just kept looking at both cars, making comparisons. I made the RIGHT pick! Short of a Ferrari, Lamborghini,or a 'Vette, nothing out there looks as good as my Vista Blue '06 GT premium with 18" chrome bullit wheels, IMO. I even have women driving Corvettes checking out my Mustang. My friend is as much a GM guy as I am, hates the GTO, but he loves my car! The s197 is an instant classic, and a legend in it's own time. I still love to sit and look at it, I love this car!

06 GT