Thoughts on pony car polls I, II and III

Maybe not completely scientific, but these are my thoughts on the 3 pony car polls.

As opposed to Ford, Mopar is more like neutral ground to Camaro enthusiasts. IF DCX releases a pony car like Challenger, with no Camaro on the market....GM can expect mass defections from Camaro enthusiasts. Mustang will pick up some share also.

If we get a Chevy coupe NOT called Camaro....many Camaro fans will buy it, but Challenger will siphon off many of these intenders.

If we get a Challenger and a Camaro...called Camaro....guess who gets the overwhelming majority of buyers, in our group.....by 80%. Challenger will be in a world of sales hurt among Camaro enthusiasts.

Basically, among Camaro enthusiasts....Challenger could become the Camaro replacement to them, if GM isn't careful about not blowing it.

Any thoughts?

Flame away Darth.......

I agree. :) You observed nicely. :D

Agreed. This is pretty much how I see it. Only problem is this... If Chevy doesnt make the Camaro, but if Pontiac was to continue with the GTO, I would get the GTO over the Challanger or Mustang.
Put it this way, I will look through out GM before I move to DCX. I will never go to Ford. Even if there is a 4dr V8 powerd RWD Grand Prix, I would go with taht before I went to DCX.
But I think im part of a small minority. I would much rather stay GM if they offered a similar vehicle.

FWIW, I'd buy a Ford Mustang before I bought anything built by Dodge. :D
That said, if the Chevy Coupe is not called Camaro, I may look at GTO, SSR or Corvette above anything else currently (or planned) on the market. As long as is a GM V8 with a 6 spd and RWD. ;)

Agreed. This is pretty much how I see it. Only problem is this... If Chevy doesnt make the Camaro, but if Pontiac was to continue with the GTO, I would get the GTO over the Challanger or Mustang.
Put it this way, I will look through out GM before I move to DCX. I will never go to Ford. Even if there is a 4dr V8 powerd RWD Grand Prix, I would go with taht before I went to DCX.
But I think im part of a small minority. I would much rather stay GM if they offered a similar vehicle.


Well, I'm waiting for the $25K GTO for my daily beater. I'm willing to pay more, for the right Camaro, however. ;)

Flame away Darth.......


I never "flame" anyone.

I never "flame" anyone.

Sure you don't :lol:

Hey Z284ever, I'll agree with your assumptions. For me though, if the Camaro is not an option for whatever reason, I will in all likelihood move to GTO and not either of the other two ponycars; unless the GTO moves closer and closer to Vette pricing territory and/or stays south of the border. That, of course, is, assuming all three ponycars are actually on to market and I can get a GTO. Otherwise..... hmmm I don't know.

Sure you don't :lol:

Flaming is personally attacking someone.

I have never, ever done that.

Try to find an example.

I am very careful never to do that... I go out of my way to word things so I don't.

Of course, there are many overly sensitive people on the forum who are incapable of carrying on an arguement without getting their feelings hurt.

After our family's personal expirences with DCX cars/trucks/vans I'd say that Hyundai has a better chance of getting my money with a FWD na 4 cylinder than DCX has with a RWD V8.

I guess the point here is that GM should not take anything for granted. The Mustang will already put lots of heat on GM. If DCX enters this segment with a worthy entry.......GM will really, really, really have to "sweat the details".

Good enough.........won't be.

I guess the point here is that GM should not take anything for granted. The Mustang will already put lots of heat on GM. If DCX enters this segment with a worthy entry.......GM will really, really, really have to "sweat the details".

Good enough.........won't be.

And this is good news for us and further reason to have hope that they'll make every attempt to get it right.

And this is good news for us and further reason to have hope that they'll make every attempt to get it right.

But assuming they've already got what they want (design wise) and are only waiting for approvals and a place to build it...let's hope they got it right a long time ago.

I think the assessment of the polls is right on. I am one of the ones if left a choice between Mustang and Challenger (I prefer Charger though), I would pick Challenger. It's not so much that I must pick Challenger, but that I do NOT pick Mustang. ;)

As funny as that is, I think a lot of people have the above attitude. It's almost as if buying a Mustang is admitting defeat for a Camaro owner. To me, owning a Camaro is a very personal thing. It's definitely not the smart buy for my daily driver situation, but here I am, owning one with two kids and driving it to work rain, snow or shine.

If you tell me tomorrow that I can have the same car, but it's called The Super Fluglebinder, then I'm out shopping for a WRX STi the next day. To me, it has to be a Camaro or I'm not buying. So GM, if you want to come out with some other-named RWD coupe, I hope you have an AWD GTO around the corner, or I will be gone, even with my discounts.

I may get flamed for this, but I really wouldn't mind if GM just came out with a "Z28" with the word "Camaro" no where to be found on the car. But that's as far as I will go. If GM calls it the "SS", not only am I gone, I'm going to make fun of GM until they cry like a the little school girls they are.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

But assuming they've already got what they want (design wise) and are only waiting for approvals and a place to build it...let's hope they got it right a long time ago.

Nope. Lots and lots of work left to do. Now is not the time to let them think that they can start snoozing.

It's a little early to have a Chrysler ponycar worrying GM.

For starters, I haven't heard any word that Daimler signed off on it. They very well may have already, but at least we KNOW Camaro is in route.

The second thing is that Chrysler's pony car isn't even out yet. I have no doubts whatsoever that it will be every bit a quality piece as the Magnum & 300 seems to be. But what do we really know about the "Challenger" save that it's a coupe and will have at least 1 V8? No clue how it looks, no clue what the interior will look like, no clue as to weight, or anything else.

The "Challenger" IF Daimler in Germany signs (or signed) off on it, may accelerate hard enough to shred the lugs through the rims or be quick enough to peel the paint off the car, and may be built extremely well. But if it doesn't look right, is too big, or weighs as much as a 300C, then Camaro will have nothing to worry about from DCX.

BTW: I've never owned a Chrysler vehicle. If I cave in to the Magnum Hemi (don't laugh....it's a "truck" meaning you can write it off if you use it for "work"... just like those people writing off Escalades & Hummers! ;) ) Charger or the "rumored" 2 door coupe (which will be pretty unlikely when 2004 GTOs starting hit under $25,000) then that will be my 1st.

My Mustang has been a fantastic car - the most reliable I've owned thus far (I'm not counting the Baja because I only have 2400 miles on it). So I'd go for a Mustang before going for a Camaro. However, if GM sweated the details and had a great, well built car, I would definately consider it. Especially if it had a Targa top.

IMHO, the last Camaro was a poorly built car with the powertrain (and what a powertrain it was!) as the sole selling feature. There were lots of things I loved about it, but there were just as many things that I hated about it.

I don't think I would ever buy a Chrysler. I just wouldn't trust the reliability, even though the new ones look sweet.

IMHO, the last Camaro was a poorly built car with the powertrain (and what a powertrain it was!) as the sole selling feature. There were lots of things I loved about it, but there were just as many things that I hated about it.



The same could be said for the Mustang (sans the powertrain part) :p

4th gens and Mustangs interior are both equaly worthless. At least GM gave there car power. :)

After our family's personal expirences with DCX cars/trucks/vans I'd say that Hyundai has a better chance of getting my money with a FWD na 4 cylinder than DCX has with a RWD V8.

I've had 3 Dodges.

The first was my beloved '84 GLH. What a fun car! But after about 50,000 miles it started to heavily nickel and dime me...and with weird stuff. Broken shift linkage (twice), blown headgasket (twice), fried voltage regulator (twice), broken tach (twice), cat converter (twice).

Our '98 Caravan Sport was probably the best damn vehicle I've ever owned. Absolutely the most reliable and best built vehicle that I could have asked for.
It stood up to the blatant abuse that my wife and three kids...and ALL their friends, inflicted on it for 105,000 miles...without a complaint. Didn't even have a SINGLE rattle during that whole time. The ONLY thing I spent money on during that time, were two sets of front pads, one pair of front rotors, one set of rear brakes shoes and two sets of tires. Oh..and I would change it's synthetic oil....whenever I'd get around to it.

Replaced the Caravan with a Hemi Durango a couple of months ago. Too soon to tell what sort of service we'll get out of that....

Since Xed wont flame I'll pick up the sllack..........

Um.... Your a f****** f*g, and I hate you :p

j/k

I think more people would leap over to the Mustang bandwagon than your polls would show. Because lots of people dont want to admit it, on a camaro board or even to themselves while their is stil F-body hope that they would buy a Mustang. Myself included. However faced with the void if we dont get the Camaro, or if GM somehow botches it in its comback I think lots of guys would cross over.

I agree that many GM enthusisnts see DCX as middle ground, and they would take a large share, Im just saying Mustang would get more than any poll here would indicate, especially being that IMO Mustang will likely be the cheapest of the 3 possible pony's.

That being said I cant see why anyone would buy one of those new Mustangs I still stand firm that they are hideous.