Friday 24 May 2013

Which Muscle Car Is Right For Me

So you decided that you are going to embrace that midlife crisis and double down on that muscle car you always wanted. Now you probably have a favorite brand in mind already but you still want some quality for your money and doing your research beforehand can help in the long run. Let’s do some comparisons. For the record, this is strictly muscle cars and not sports cars such as the Miata or BRZ.
2013 Ford Mustang
There is a reason why the Mustang is so popular and it takes our spot at number one.  It’s mean, slick and stylish and it can own the road. It offers a wide range of engine options from the base V6 to the super powerful V8 and don’t forget to slap a supercharger on that bad boy for even more fun. Its transmission shifts more smoothly than its rivals and it is agile and nimble. It also has good fuel economy for its class. Additionally, it has high safety and reliability ratings to keep you and it running longer. Typical for its class the back seat isn’t very adult friendly and some of the interior qualities, like the plastic door panels, feel cheap.  You can’t go wrong with it considering its low base price, although if you want features like USB then be prepared to pay more. The base engine is a 3.7 liter, V6 with 19/29mpg.
2013 Chevrolet Camaro
The Ford Mustang’s biggest rival comes in second to it again with the Chevy Camaro. The outside is attractive with a bold, muscle car look and it too has a wide range of engines going from the 323 horsepower V6 to the amazing 580hp supercharged V8. As for driving it, handles well and offers up a competitive driving performance to its rivals. One big advantage is the perfect safety rating and high reliability ratings it possesses. Of course, the back seat is cramped, they all are but worse is the poor outward visibility it suffers from. In fact, it is recommended you upgrade to rearview cam and parking sensors to help with the visibility issues.  The biggest knock on it is the standard knock on Chevy; mainly that the interior cabin is made of cheap materials that may or may not last long.  It also tends to be a little more affordable then the Mustang. The base engine is 3.6 liter, V6 with 17/28mpg.
2013 Dodge Challenger
Despite its brilliant, retro look, the Dodge Challenger still comes in at third on our list. Everybody loves the muscle car look and roomier interior but it does have some complaints. It does have a wide range of engine choices including the standard V6 and V8 to the smoking fast SRT8 technology. While it can’t match the agility of its rivals it does take corners well and the extra interior space makes it less cramped and its size makes its ride much smoother. Unlike many other in its class it also has a spacious back seat and trunk. The complaints are that the interior styling is bland and the material feels cheap. As for safety it is top notch but it take a hit with average reliability. It does have nice standard features such as push button start, automatic climate control and auxiliary radio input.  The base engine is a 3.6 liter, V6 with 18/27mpg.
That being said, many people still can’t afford a new car just yet. If so, you can buy a used car from a dealer such as  http://www.enterprisecarsales.com/usedcars. It is still a quality car at a much more affordable price that should give you several good years of driving.

Aiden Jefferson lives in Southern California.  One good resource for used cars is http://www.autotrader.com.