The Cost of Muscle Car's

"Mythlin" (kxcmiles)
10/25/2015 at 12:00 • Filed to: muscle car, prices, increase, mustang, challenger, camaro

Wow, muscle cars have been getting real expensive lately. Oppo I went ahead and built muscle cars from the 3 major brands. These cars are the GT Premium, Challenger 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker, and Camaro 2SS. Now these aren’t the halo muscle cars like the Hellcat, GT350, or Zl1/Z28. I built these to show the price of a nicely optioned muscle car that an average joe would be buying as a daily, not a track or extreme performance based vehicle.

The prices of these cars after optioning them with leather, nice audio, wheels, appearance packages, and technology, these cars got out of hand fast. The Challenger had the highest starting MSRP of $42,595 for a 485hp land yacht, the Camaro started at $37,305, and the Mustang started at $36,395. None of these cars come optioned very well even with them being the highest trim levels of the “normal” V8 muscle cars, thats kind of surprising for these prices.

The Dodge Challenger after adding all normal amenities a person would use on a daily basis came out to a whooping $50,270, or about $709 a month according to Dodge(on a 72 month loan with $5k down). I don’t know about everyone else on here, but I don’t think an average Joe can afford to drop $700 a month on a car. This Challenger only had the Technology group, Driver convience group, interior Scat Pack appearance, and Harman Kardon sound system. These options added about $7,000 to the base price of the car, for honestly not that many things.

Next up, the Chevrolet Camaro. With a starting MSRP of $37,305 this car got expensive fast. I added an appearance package, Short throw shifter, better suspension and brakes, performance exhaust(because for any of these cars one way or another you’re adding an exhaust), Recaro seats, and a sunroof. Now this is a very well optioned Camaro, it will have a nicer interior and drive more aggressively then most other performance cars, but you are paying a price. The final MSRP came out to a ginormous $55,395. Yep, these options added $17,095 to our build, thats the price of a respectable used car. Now either the Camaro comes optioned very poorly even in the highest trim level of the SS, or these options put it into a whole other category of performance, but I’m guessing its the latter rather then former. Anyone who spends $55k on a SS deserves to have their license taken away, thats corvette money/Z1 money.

Finally, the Ford Mustang with a starting MSRP of $36,395 it is the cheapest of the bunch. On the Mustang I added a black roof, the 401A package(audio, blind spot, etc..), Performance Package, and Recaro seats. The total MSRP is $43,875, $11,520 less then the Camaro, and $6,395 less then the Challenger. The Mustang is in my opinion better equipped then the challenger, and slightly less equipped then the Camaro(it will win in brakes, and suspension). The Mustang is also in my opinion the nicest looking of the bunch, it appears to be the most expensive to the average person.

For reference a 2000 Mustang GT started at $21,205 which is equal to $29,300 in 2015 dollars. The 2015 Mustang GT(base) starts at $32,395 about a 10% increase in price over the course of 15 years. The Camaro SS of 1997 was $20,115 equal to $29,820 in 2015 dollars. The current base model SS starts at $34,500 a 15% increase! The Dodge Challengers most recent model year before 2008 is a large gap of time so take this information with a grain of salt. It was hard to find an exact number, but I kept finding them in the $27-3200 range so we will go with $3200. From 1974 to 2015 that $3200 is now worth $15,444 wait what? Why does a Challenger V6 start at $26,995? And if you want a base V8 it is $31,995 for the Hemi that no one wants. Basing the price difference off the R/T base model the Challenger has increased 107% in price, now if we compare the $3200 to our Scat Pack MSRP it is 175% more expensive in 2015 to purchase.

So what I want you to take away from this article is, wow muscle cars are way more expensive. I also always thought the Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang were all in the same price range, but I guess I was wrong. Is the Camaro really $11k better then the Mustang? Or is the Challenger really $6k better? The prices for the Camaro don’t even take into the account the 2016 price increase which will probably turn it into a $60k car. So Oppo, which of these three would you choose if you had to use your own money to buy them? Is the Mustang the best option? Sure its the slowest, but with how much your saving and how many mods are available it wont be for long. Is the Camaro the one you’d choose? You must like the appearance, or feel its the best vehicle. Maybe you’d even choose the Challenger, tell me why in the comments! Also how do you feel about the price of cars increasing so much over the years?(p.s. yes my calculations all included inflation)

DISCUSSION (36)

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 00:39

If i HAD to buy a muscle car, I’d snag a mustang up. In my life time though I will NEVER own a muscle car

wiffleballtony > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 00:44

I got this for under 30k when it was new. Basically no options.

Kinja'd!!!

M54B30 > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 00:58

Why buy a Challenger when a Charger can offer really similar performance at about the same price?

I guess if you were really against the extra doors but other other than that....

camaroboy68ss > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 00:58

Bought my 2014 Camaro SS in April for around $31k. has a few options, was brand new on the lot just a left over

Sneaky Pete > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 01:05

I’d buy a Gen II Viper GTS for about 5k less.

Sneaky Pete > wiffleballtony
10/24/2015 at 01:06

Ah, the last body style before Ford made them ugly.

I had a 2011, fun car.

Sam > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 01:10

Personally, I’d get an EcoBoost Mustang. Having driven it and the GT, the EcoBoost has so much more usable power. And the turbo sounds sweet. I’d also consider a V6 + supercharger.

Dunnik > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 01:20

I’ve spent some miles in rental base Challengers and Camaro RS’s, but I haven’t driven the new Mustangs.

Despite that, for my money, now that you price it out? Mustang.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Sam
10/24/2015 at 01:23

Okay, Ima stop you right there. I too, have driven the Ecoboost, and damn well know that it makes no noise other than the intake sound pumped into the cabin.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 01:25

This is what happens when you compete with the Germans or pretty much everyone else. The affordable pony cars of yesteryear are gone. -_-

Sam > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
10/24/2015 at 01:30

Huh, I remember turbo noise coming into boost. Or maybe I was thinking of the 3.5...

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Sam
10/24/2015 at 02:14

It might be on really light throttle inputs at moderate rpms, but if you’re accelerating and pushing it a little, you should only here sound symposer noises. At least that was the comment I made in comparison to the ST.

Expo2k > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 02:40

Bought a ‘15 GT Premium (auto for my wife so no performance package or Recaros) for 34.9k before tax and license. At the ~40k MSRP I would have definitely passed on it, though.

Some days I wish we had gone for the 401A, but the memory seats and mirrors are the only option I miss, and they’re not worth $1800 and don’t add much to the resale value down the road.

It would be better if it were the size of a Fox body (or even our ‘04 G35 coupe it replaced) and had a lower seating position, but at least it’s got reasonable visibility. It will probably be the last new American car I buy though, because their depreciation makes me almost as sad as my wife does when she rejects stick-shift lessons.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 02:42

Nice writeup, thanks for posting!

Pretty interesting comparison, and a little surprising. It would be interesting to know how different the street prices are, maybe with discounts and such the gap narrows?

All that said, personal preference is for the Mustang, but I'd definitely drive all three before making the final decision. :-)

Shoop > Mythlin
10/24/2015 at 02:50

Your saying a 500 hp grand tourer with leather a nice stereo and a bunch of options is expensive? Shocking.

Expo2k > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/24/2015 at 02:56

I said the same thing, but now I’m hooked on big-inch V-8 power and added a ‘15 Mustang GT to our garage. I still drive a modded ‘09 WRX hatch most days, but in a few years I’ll start looking for a 6-speed second-gen CTS-V sedan to replace it.

BeaterGT > Sam
10/25/2015 at 12:06

We’re talking about muscle cars.

BeaterGT > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 12:07

4th gen for the win.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > BeaterGT
10/25/2015 at 12:21

Since it will shame a large number of vintage muscle cars, I think it qualifies.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 12:24

For that kind of money, I’d do an LS swap and own something unique that could smoke rubber.

Opposite Locksmith > Sam
10/25/2015 at 12:28

Wat

Opposite Locksmith > M54B30
10/25/2015 at 12:29

Your name is clutch over auto and you don't see the reason for the challenger?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 12:31

To be fair to the camaro’s price, you added a $4.5k brake package off the ZL1 when the SS already has Brembos as well as the 1LE suspension package, which takes the heavy as shit camaro and makes it a ballet dancer.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 12:45

I would still go buy a challenger over the other 2. I like the fact it’s the only one of the 3 muscle cars that is a muscle car, and not a pony car.

Sure, there’s buildings that will out-handle it on a racetrack, but nothing beats the challenger in charisma in it's field.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 12:55

Why is your headline possessive?

The plural of car is cars. No apostrophe needed.

M54B30 > Opposite Locksmith
10/25/2015 at 13:00

Good point - my family side overpowered my left leg.

I’m also one of the few hoping to see a manual find it’s way into a Charger.

Opposite Locksmith > M54B30
10/25/2015 at 13:14

I’m still waiting for a challenger wagon.

We all wish the charger came with a stick. We'd have a 100% middle finger to the M5 with the hellcat, now it's only a 90%

M54B30 > Opposite Locksmith
10/25/2015 at 13:42

All these good models not being made, but FCA thinks we want a 500L and Renegade

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
10/25/2015 at 14:06

Me too but I’m old, fat, and will have lower back problems soon and the challenger doesn’t beat you up on the highway like the mustang and camaro.

LongbowMkII > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 14:15

Average Joe wouldn’t spend for a HK sound system. He’d have his buddy down at the tint/detail/car audio shack hook him up.

DoYouEvenShift > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 14:56

Sure theyre more expensive. But theyre also better built, faster, safer, more reliable, etc.

16 Camaro SS does 0-60 in 3.9, 12.3 in the 1/4. Even the V6 runs mid 13s!

Saying all that, yes theyre damn expensive.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mythlin
10/25/2015 at 15:03

Well the reason why they’re so expensive is because you’re optioning them with a lot of luxurious, non-performance options.

Muscle cars used to be cheap because they were very basic, non-luxurious cars that didn’t turn or stop too well.

Today’s muscle cars are actually halfway to the high end “Luxury Performance coupes” of the past... like what the Ford Thunderbird and Chevy Monte Carlo once were.

wiffleballtony > Sneaky Pete
10/27/2015 at 15:11

I don’t know what it was with the 13s and 14s but they looked fatter. I also didn’t like how all the trims basically looked identical. The only thing I liked about them was the blacked out deck lid and the lights. The current generation doesn’t do it for me, they’re okay looking but doesn’t scream Muscle to me.

Sneaky Pete > wiffleballtony
10/27/2015 at 16:59

To me the new ones (aside from the GT350) look like they were left outside too long and the ends got melty and drooped.

wiffleballtony > Sneaky Pete
10/27/2015 at 17:05

The GT350 is amazeballs. I agree with you.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > K-Roll-PorscheTamer
12/28/2015 at 07:53

That’s all I hear on my ST. The turbo is so quiet that you’ll barely hear it for brief moments before the symposer kicks in and drowns it out.

I wish the symposer was either on or off all the time.