G2Z--
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Posting from a phone, so please excuse me for being brief. I wil try to post a more full review later on, once I've gotten in more time with* the mustang.
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Driving Experience: The Mustang definitely feels (and is) a lot bigger. The most obvious thing to me is how freaking WIDE the thing is. There's a lot of room in the interior too, which is nice. The seating position is also higher than the Z, and there is thankfully enough headroom that I can finally fit in with a helmet on! There is a notably more body movement, although I am comparing to a ride on swifts...don't really remember the ride on the stock springs, though I am pretty sure the Mustang is still looser. Once you get past that, though, the ride is incredible. There is a ton of grip, and it handles pretty much anything you throw at it. Part of this, of course, is attributable to the tires...not sure exactly how much.
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One of my favorite things is the driving dynamic. The Mustang is set up to ride a lot more neutral than the Z, which just PUSHES all day long. If you take your Z to the limit, unless you absolutely wrench the steering wheel, the front goes out first. With the mustang, all 4 tires go out at the limit. It requires a bit more skill and concentration to drive at the limit (which you shouldn't ever be doing on road), but makes it a lot more fun (and faster).
Having a couple of settings for sport mode (at least on the brembo cars) is pretty cool too. There is full-on traction control, sport mode, and traction control off. When I hit the twisties, I put it on sport mode, and it lets me have fun without getting in too much trouble if I mess up.
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The Mustang's manners on the highway are also pretty impressive. The 2012's have 3 steering modes, Comfort, Standard, and Sport. I don't think the comfort is even needed, I pretty much run sport all the time-- and I think the car still behaves better on the highway than the Z (although it has been a while since I've driven a Z without aggressive alignment specs). The turn in is a little bit slower as a result, although again, I am remembering the 0* toe setup on my Z, which turns in significantly quicker than the stock setup.
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One of the big experiences that sealed the deal for me was riding along with m4a1mustang on the dragon in his 5.0. He was able to run the road quicker than most of the Z's, and from inside the cabin, it didn't really feel like there was much drama. The live rear axle stayed in check, and while the suspension might feel a bit underdamped, it works great. The car is VERY fast on pretty much any back road, and obviously in a straight line.
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The power and power delivery are both super impressive. There is power everywhere, and gobs of it. This isn't new to anyone though, so no need to beat a dead horse. The engine sounds amazing on the 5.0 though. Even with the stock exhaust it is absolutely invigorating to hear the engine rip-- made me realize how lame the VQ sounded, even with the Invidia. I'll post up some vids, and M4a1 has some from ZdayZ worth checking out too.
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The transmission/clutch get lambasted by some people, but from a feel perspective they are far better than those in the Z. My wife was driving the 5.0 after we traded in the Z, and commented that the Z's transmission felt like the old crappy Mustang transmissions, and the Mustang's felt like you'd expect the Z too-- which pretty much sums up how I feel about it.
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Interior: I got the GT Prem, the leather seats are nice. Very comfy, but you still won't slide all over the place in them. The instrument cluster is kinda love/hate. I think the retro look is cool, but I did prefer the Z's cluster. Shaker 500 is fine. I'll probably swap the stereo at some point. SYNC is amazing though. Integrates FAR better with my phone than the Z's setup ever did. I do miss my navi, but that's not a straight comparison. Kinda cool that you can get turn-by-turn directions on the non-nav Mustang, though I think you have to be on the phone
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Having a backseat is nice. I wouldn't want to ride in it, but it's nice that it is there just in case.
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Changing the dash/lighting/whatever colors is cool, but mostly a gimmick. At least you aren't stuck with something, although the radio isn't adjustable to match the rest of the lighting.
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Exterior: The Z looks better IMO, but the 5.0 has a look I really like. The paint is miles better on the 5.0. Besides the paint, this is pretty much subjective.
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Brakes: My Z didn't have the sport package, but I've driven several with it. Subjectively, I like the feel of the Brembo's more. Objectively, I haven't tested enough to provide any meaningful data, but I think the Mustang brakes would compare favorably. Definitely spring for the Brembo package if you get the car-- the suspension tweaks and the brake performance are well worth it IMO.
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Cliff Notes:
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Looks: Z -- even though this is subjective, I don't think anyone in their right mind prefers the mustang's look
Exterior Quality: Paint on the mustang is FAR better. I had one of the best examples of SR Z paint I've seen, and the Mustang is still far better
Interior: Push. Z looks marginally cleaner, quality about the same. Back seats might make this a Mustang win if you need them
Highway manners: Mustang, no question
Backroad fun: Very close, and depends on the dynamic you prefer. I'd pick the mustang though.
Turn-in: Z, at least based on my setup (0* toe, 2.2* front camber). I think the Z is still slightly better than the stang stock for stock though
Power: Mustang, in every respect
LSD: The clutch-type diff in the stang embarasses the VLSD in the Z all day.
Brakes: Stang, by feel alone
Transmission: Mustang
Dynamic: Mustang is far more neutral
Chassis: I think the Z has a slight edge here. Very stiff and solid. Hard to tell with the differing suspension, etc.
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I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you have.
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