Obviously......But like I said, his choice, not mine......

 

I don't care too much for the aftermarket modified Mustangs being compared to stock competitor models. Anyone can make a Yugo outrun a Ferrari, but in the end it is still a Yugo. While the Mustang is much better than a Yugo, I just feel that once you've seen a Mustang, you've seen them all. Aftermarket mods don't increase the value of the car and often you have to deal with headaches because the manufacturer didn't spend nearly as much time as the OEM with full evaluation and testing. I approve of using aftermarket mods to fix legitimate problems that the OEMs didn't bother to fix, but I don't see many of these types of mods for the S197.

The Lotus Elise and Exige are very outrageous sports cars and I wouldn't hesitate to take one over a Mustang. The handling on the Elise is extraordinary and they say the closest production car that has comparable handling and is more affordable is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. They were never intended to be muscular straight-line cars like the Mustangs, but they'll carve out corners like a plastic surgeon on a Beverly Hills floosey.

 

Metro, I would agree, there are many more expensive and slower cars that are great cornering cars, but the stock mustang can be greatly improved upon, the difference is night and day. At $30,000 and with many housewives and teenagers intended to by the stock model, the Mustang GT is intentionally released far under par as far as the suspensions goes, unlike most stock high performance cars, which it is excepted and desired at purchase to have a stiff and rigid great handling suspension.

That was my original point anyway, that the car is a partially painted canvas, but not complete by any means. Erik

 

both cars are pretty sweet. I would love to drive the lotus for a day

 

Cool story!

 

how can you say once you've seen one mustang you have seen them all. I think that is one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read on this site. Just looking throught the thousands of poseted pictures on this site alone of all the members cars, one can clearly see the vast amount of different looks people have acheived with various mods. Modifying a car is not about increasing the value of the car in a monetart fashion, but on a more personal level it greatly increases the value to the owner. Not only are there many diff looking mustangs on this site, but also ones with varying degrees of performance. Saying they are all the same is just ignorant. You say you wuold take the Lotus over your mustang at the first chance you got. Well that is your opnion and that means you bought the mustang more out of the fact of that was what you could afford rather than that is the car you loved more than any other. By taking a look at the amount of money people on this site spend on their cars, and sometimes the number of mustangs some people own. It is very clear that alot of the members on here could have easily afforded a "better" more expensive, better equipped, and better performing car. However, they chose to buy the mustang based upon other merits such as history, style, and it's easy ability to be modded to the owners own specs. It bothers me when people on here make comments that make it seems as though people are buying mustangs due to their inability to purchase more superior and more expensive cars.

 

I was in Maine this weekend and there were these 3 old ladies in their 80s in a parking lot getting into a van. I start the car and they all jump out of the van and watch me drive away. When I drive by them one of them gives me the "do a burnout finger twirl" hand signal. I was laughing so hard I almost hit a parked car.

 

This summer I participated in my very first car show. Now that I have a car worthy of entering, I figured I would enter my hometown show, The Fred Gibb Car Show. I knew it wasn't going to win any awards being a bone stock black '06 GT. But hey, I just wanted to enter.

As I get to the show, I am parked right next to a bright green Foose Mustang. I can respect all that went into that car, but its not my taste. And it was funny watching people go past all the mustangs. Their eyes were glued to the Foose, and then when they had pasted the foose, and right in front of my car, their eyes would skip over mine, and go to the late 80's one.

But it was all worth it when a girl and her grandpa came over. They were looking the foose over, and then the girl saw mine. And she came over, looked into the cab, and was like, "this is the one I want."

Here's my overall Flickr set from the show.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody24...7606544491931/

 

My brother has an 06 Elise and the power to weight ratio is off the chart, two completely different animals when it comes to it. The Elise is sweet to drive but not an everyday car for me at all...

 

One of the reasons I don't subscribe to MMFF and other modified Mustang magazines is because it is mostly a monthly catalog of parts. While everyone has their own taste, a Mustang with a big a$$ spoiler, cold air intake, or ultra loud mufflers is still a Mustang. Unless you do something drastically different with your Stang (like all-wheel drivetrain, rear engine mounting, 6-speed dual-clutch direct shift gearbox, etc...) it still just seems like any other Stang but with aftermarket parts.

 

I'm glad you were goaded into posting that pic, as I didn't know what it looked like. Looks completely awesome! Definitely yours over that toy Lotus, on looks alone!

 

Meh, if there are enough straights along those twisties all the cornering power in the world wont be enough to over come the power advantage.

Errr... power/weight advantage. IIRC the Exige has a better power/weight ratio. It would have won in both a straight line and on the curves.

 

Jeesh, everyone's trying to **** on my parade. I'm not saying the Mustang is more exotic, costs more, is faster, handles better, etc... I was just telling a quick story that I am proud of the work and design I put into my car, and I'm glad others appreciate it too. I feel like I've accomplished my own look, just like Foose, Roush, or Saleen do when they put their personal touches on their cars. Am I in their league? No, but take the nameplate and exclusivity off their car and many people wouldn't know the difference. I'm happy with it, I figure others have had the same thing happen to them and know what I'm talking about.

 

Well said. Actually, if you've seen one Lotus, you've seen them all. There's not much left to optimize or personalize.

 

If you don't like the car (or your car for that matter), then SELL IT, or just don't reply to these threads. Didn't you ever hear the phrase, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all?" . Your comment about those drastic changes are totally out of left field. How many people on this board (or any internet board for that matter) could afford to, or would even want to, do an AWD conversion, or a mid-mounted engine, or dual-clutch system, if for that matter could be done somewhat easily, which none can't? In a matter of words, 0 people. Heck, the only people that did that V12 Mustang was a speed shop and the Body on White was free from Ford, and they also got the Aston motor for a song and dance. Average joes can't do that type of conversions (and wouldn't want to). I LOVE MY CAR! Especially because its a Mustang. I'm a part of a huge culture of enthusiasts who love the same thing, and its alot of fun. The car has always been about fun, inexpensive performance, with the ability to modifiy and personalize for not alot of money. I LOVE that fact!

Right now, I got my car to a point where its totally different than any other Vista Blue with white stripe car out there. Its one of the loudest cars around without being obnoxious (people say they love the sound ALL THE TIME) and one of only a very few who use CS wheels. Most people say my car is tastly modified. I take pride in that comment. It means I haven't gone "overboard" and had the car overdone. If you think of your car as what it is, just a car, then maybe you aren't a real enthusiast afterall.

 

How did this go from a simple story to members arguing with each other. Lighten up people, lighten up!

 

In retrospect, I shouldn't have put "vs" in the title. People automatically assume it's a competition and something to argue about.

 

Hey John, not your fault at all man. I liked the story you posted. Its comments like Metro's that take the whole fun out of being an enthusiast and going off topic like he did. You have nothing to apolgize for buddy.

 

Hey A, I'm sorry, but just got tired of hearing him rip on a "Mustang for being a Mustang" comment.

 

Somebody takes Clarkson/Top Gear too seriously. A Elise is a cool toy but it's one step up from a go kart. I wouldn't want to take a road trip in one, and you can barely squeeze the driver in let alone a passenger. And people complain about a Mustang interior being uncomfortable? Plus for the price of an Elise, you could have one heck of a Mustang.