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Coming from a position of a bit more experience and knowledge than most casual internet forum people, I can honestly say nearly all bashing comes from nothing other than a place of ignorance or fear. Therefore, although difficult to do...it should generally be ignored and none of it should be taken personally.
That being said, my first exposure to bashing was when I bought my first muscle car, a 1993 5.0L Fox Body Mustang GT Convertible. I almost immediately started getting hate from the Chevy crowd. It bothered me, and sometimes I did even feel a misdirected resentment towards the Camaro (because of the Mustang haters). However, after the American Musclecar crowd had to endure the rise of the Fast & the Furious generation, I honestly think we banded together, and now an American Musclecar fan is an American Musclecar fan. I see nearly no hatred between the Ford/Chevy/Mopar camps...at least towards each other. The hate is mainly guided at imports and such, but much of that has even gone by the wayside over time. Mostly people just appreciate a nice car, which is the way it should be.
Having driven LOTS of Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, SRT8 Jeeps, etc., I can tell you that they all have some really good things going for them. Granted, the way I form my opinions is different than most because all of my opinions are formed after the supercharger install. Stock does not register in my brain.
The new (2005+) Mustang is a great platform that becomes a LOT of fun once the blower is installed. They drive and handle great, have good potential, and are much more comfortable than previous body styles. There is a ton of aftermarket support for these cars, and many options are available to purchase already enhanced from a Dealership near you. I have one as my daily driver...you can check it out in my garage.
Any Mustang guy who bashes the new Camaro, I would have to ask them "Have you actually ever driven one?" Honestly, they feel very similar to the newer Mustangs in a lot of ways, and supercharged they are AMAZING. These things perform so well supercharged that I have had more than one Vortech Supercharged Camaro driver inform me that their cars are so fast it is scary. The LS3's potential is basically a thing of legend, and additional power gains can be obtained easily. I don't think I need to go into any other specifics on why these cars are great, right? This is a Camaro forum, after all...
All of the ST8 cars (Challenger, Charger, Magnum, 300C) are all cool, but to me feel more suited as cruisers. They are spacious, very comfortable, and have the potential to make good power. Once supercharged, they are fast, but deceptively so...you don't notice how fast you are going until you look at the speedo! One great thing about them is that because there are multiple vehicles with the exact same powerplant, Mopar likely has an SRT8 that appeals to virtually everyone. Most people do tend to address the Challenger as the leader of the pack among these offerings, and the Magnum is no longer offered, but can still be purchased used.
The one that will surprise you is the SRT8 Jeep. Although even more spacious and comfortable than the other HEMI offerings, once the Vortech goes on they become an incredible snarling AWD beast that will introduce you to a whole different kind of fast. Trust me. Nobody believes me until they ride in one, but they should. We are talking about a vehicle that weighs over 5,000 pounds that will propel you from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. I suggest taking a ride in a Vortech supercharged SRT8 Jeep if you ever have the chance.
My philosophy is just to appreciate a car for what it is, not for what brand name comes stamped on it...
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