You're 100% right on, it's just too bad that's the type of thing people concern themselves with. I've got more important things to do (like surf internet auto sites )

 

You guys need to check out some of the comparo tests out there.

2011 BMW M3 Coupe vs. 2011 Ford Mustang GT Comparison - Motor Trend

1/4 mile drag movie
2011 BMW M3 Coupe vs. 2011 Ford Mustang GT - Packages and Pricing - Motor Trend


Track testing
2011 BMW M3 Coupe vs. 2011 Ford Mustang GT Comparison - Motor Trend


The new 5.0 Mustang is NO joke.

It does not have the bling factor of the M3 but man you have $30k in your pocket. And you can mod the thing for like 5k and get it way faster.
So you could almost get a 2009 G37 and a 5.0 Mustang for the price of the M3.

I would agree with everyone that the paint and quality of the Ford may not be up to standard, but they are getting close.

I say go for it. Just make sure you get a good radar detector.

 

One thing that seems to be lost in this thread:
F.O.R.D. Fix Or Repair Daily

 

Ford has actually been doing pretty good in the reliability ratings lately.

 

I have owned 3 mustangs, all 3 were GT convertibles and a long time ago. They were fun cars, but I would not drive one of those nowaday. I did not take the 4.6 litter mustangs seriously becasue they were marginally faster than cars like a G37. The 5.0 is adifferent story, that's serious performance. Great car, yes, but not for $45,000 for a loaded one. Still has cheezy interior and still has a solid rear axle. It will keep up with an M3 on a track, yes, but in daily driving? C'mon... 26mpg? Yeh, right... LOL

 

Not so much anymore....the quality gap has closed in recent years...just read information from JD Powers and Consumer Reports. Watch out Infiniti...Ford is improving across all model lines. (And I am not a FORD fan)

 

Fords have been reliable for a while. Mustangs historically so, especially for at least the last 15 years.

There just wasn't much that went wrong with them. Can't fault them for that.

I came to Infiniti because it seems like we have similar legacies of reliability. After dumping 7-8K into a Bimmer that was worth as much, I had it with them and any makes with similar reliability issues/build problems.

 

About the Mustang milage... I just had to post this picture I took a while back...


It's a Hertz Shelby on Maui back in 2006. Notice the tank is a bit over half full and the 'puter sayz 41 miles to empty. I averaged around 6 MPG.
Hana, Haleakala etc. Not a G, but, a fun car in a different way.

 

Do it!!!!!!!

 

+1....my exact experience. Became so tired of SES lights, suspension repairs, cooling system challenges, etc....... Never had such problems with Toyota, Honda, Acura, or Nissan.

 

Is this a Mustang thread or a paint thread?

I thought the 09 G37 added 'self healing paint' compared to previous years. I know, that is a pretty laughable description, but essentially to me it means a more durable clear coat. So did the change make things worse or is the 07 G35 paint even worse then the G37?

I also suppose it depends on where you live. If you live where there is sand on the road in winter a lot of the time, I'm sure that it is much harder on the paint. Also the color probably makes a difference as far as how noticeable the 'issues' are?

 

Sure you can crank one up over 40 grand, the one I tested was just a GT 6spd w/ premium, but I'm old school I guess and it had most everything I'd need. The leather was much thicker and seemingly better quality than our Gs leather. It did lack a lot of the niceties that the G offers like dual memory seats and the center screen, but I could live w/ the 33.3k version just fine.
Our 07 G35 slate blue was horrible in regards to chipping and very susceptible to swirls and scratches. Our 09 "self healer" is no better in that regard and has actually been worse in regards to chips, it's Obsidian Black so everything appears worse. The self-healing feature does indeed work for small scratches and when you leave the car in the sun the scratches float back into the clear coat and the lighter ones will fade away. The main problem I have w/ the Gs compared to all previous vehicles I've owned is the chipping, the paint just doesn't seem to have a tight bond to the bare metal, I've never seen anything quite like it. I know the technology exists w/ currrent low VOC requirements to make a durable top coat, Hyundai has found a way as has many of the better European makes. Even our 09 Ford Escape has much tougher paint.

 

I forgot to mention another factor is how the paint is taken care of. I've had quite a few cars and at some point became my own detailing expert after hours of reading and dozen of products tried. I found this KLASSE product which is not wax, but an acrylic based product. It bonds very well and lasts twice as long as the best carnubas I've used and all the cars I've used it on have retained pristine paint jobs. But then that involves a complete detail every 3-4 months + I haven't owned any black or white cars lately + plus I live in the Pacific Northwest which gets little to no snow in the winter, no acid rain, limited sun exposure half the year, etc. etc. I'm sure on average the G doesn't compare to the paint job on like an Acura RL, or my Volvo S60R, but I suppose if you are **** enough about caring for it and don't live in a place with harsh winter conditions, it can be mitigated.

I'm a little concerned now though about my detailing method given the unique 'soft' clear coat?

Oh and regarding the Mustang I have this to say.... If I was to buy American, brand new right now, the only brands I would considered for a sports car or sedan are Ford or Cadillac with maybe the exception of the Corvette. In my opinion everything else is mostly still crap, except for trucks but even then I'd drive a Toyota Tundra before a Chevy Silverado. I was thinking of stepping outside the box and getting something interesting like a Dodge Magnum Hemi R/T Wagon AWD. They only come with a 40K bumper to bumper warranty (which says a lot right there - they stopped making them in 08) and when I went to the Magnum forums and saw WAY more maintenance issue posts than I've seen for pretty much any other car - it confirmed my gut feeling. No thank you. But I think Ford quality is up to snuff these days as far as American Cars go, hence they didn't go bankrupt. But American cars still have a ways to go in general on interior quality materials, fit and finish and warranty length. They've come a long ways though in the past 5-7 years.