Mudflap

Well, not surprisingly this board is going to be slanted towards the GT.[8D] I've driven the Mazdaspeed and its quite nice actually. If you want more a nice cruiser, I'd consider that one. It wasn't all that fast however. WRX's are fun, have huge aftermarket support, and lots of potential. I had an '03 that was a Stage II setup also with brakes, suspension, etc. I had fun modifying that car, so I definitely wouldn't shoot that one down. I had a bunch of money into mine though, it got expensive. I sort of feel like I've "been there done that" on the import thing though, and eventually was drawn back to the american muscle. I guess at least I can say my "ricer" years were respectable though, everything on that car was top-notch and legit right down to the *real* $2000 cf STi wing, etc. lol Anyway, here she was in one of her forms. My advice is to test drive all the cars and buy the one that you get most excited about.

johnnyv8

Margarita Girl

I am a seasonal driver of the GT and I love it.

But I have to admit, because I live in the Northeast, if I could only keep one car, it would have to be my Subaru Forester XT.

If you want to have fun in the sun and the snow, you can't go wrong with the WRX!

acascianelli

Gas mileage: If you're carefull, you should have no problems getting 19-20mpg in the city and 26-27mpg on the highway.
Handling: The Mustang is more a straight line car, but it will carve corners very well.
Straight power: High 13's in the 1/4 and low 5s 0-60 off the showroom floor.


If you decide against a Mustang GT, my first choice among those cars you've picked would be the WRX, followed by the Mazdaspeed 6. The WRX is stupid easy to make fast.

spuddogg

+1 to all three points made.

And consider this - while all of the cars you're considering are good ones with varying degrees of capability regarding performance, aftermarket custom parts, etc., the fact is that you'll not get anywhere near the appreciative smiles (and jealous glares) from people when you're cruising down the street in any of them that you will get in your mustang.
Nor will you get the same silly, ****-eating grin on your face when you stomp the gas pedal and 8 pony-filled pistons serenade you (and everyone else in a several hundred yard radius).
Also, that V6 pony ain't nothing to sneeze at. A couple grand in mods and you got yourself a sleeper that'll give stock GTs a run for their money.

Drop Top 06

Well, a few other considerations/questions:

1. are you buying new or used? that makes a big difference. I'd rather buy a subaru legacy or MS6 used, as they probably weren't beat on like a red-headed stepchild.

2. mileage - Mustang GT (18/23... the 18 is right, 23 is a lil on the low side for hwy. I get 26-29) WRX (20/27), MS6 (19/25) Legacy (20/60) - they're all pretty much in the same range. I'm pretty sure the Mustang is the only one you can run 87 octane on. As the Subies and MS6 are turbo, they more than likely require premium.

3. Is this a dd or a strip car? The WRX will have better launches due to its AWD, and should take a stock GT. The MS6 is AWD as well, and I'm not sure if much else can be done to it. Does it snow where you are? Do you need AWD?

4. Test drive them all. As my bro is an engineer for Ford, i was more inclined to look at the MS6 and the Mustang GT when I was in the market. The MS6 was crisp and quick, but didn't have the styling I was looking for. When I heard the Mustang GT start up, I knew that sound was gonna cost me 30 Large....

In summary, you've got a good group of cars you're working with. Gas mileage is relatively the same in these. Straight power goes to the Mustang GT. Handling, well, on the stang, the steering wheel is an option, but you don't need it. It only goes straight! LOL. I am very happy with my 06 GT conv. The only thing I would trade it in for would be a GT 500, or a GT if I had 150K to spare.

Last point - Think about the woman that would look at a mustang and then check out the driver, versus the woman who would look at a WRX and then look away! [sm=icon_rock.gif]

Margarita Girl

I think if you took a survey, most women check out guys who drive a new truck.

slySTANGguy

I used to have a wrx. It was a fun, fast, great handling car. Very practical too. The WRX did not stand out like the mustang, although its sound did. Great when i added boost controller and intake. although i drove mine hard and broke second gear, 2 clutches, and the center differential. If you want to go fast in any of those japanese cars remember they will break. All the components are designed around each other, the transmission can hardly handle the stock power, much less anymore. Especially being all wheel drive, the tires grip, and the engine revs, the transmission gets all the stress and strain and breaks.

The Mustang can handle so much more power, and alot better looking. Everytime someone looks at me i get a compliment. The only people to give me compliments before were kids. Now even old men tell me how nice my car is.

acascianelli

The Mustang GT is the fastest of all the cars he listed. A WRX may take a GT off the line but the GT would quickly catch up.

A bit on driving in the snow. I live in Detroit, MI, I drove my GT this last winter. It was a pain in the *** at times, and I was driving in the right hand lane doing 30mph on the highway at times but it wasn't impossible.

Mustang3GT07

I love my GT. But i have also been thinking about a 04 cobra