Worth Upgrading to a GT350 over Camaro SS?

[Mustang Convert]

I am currently leasing a 2017 Camaro SS M/T that is my daily driver, and the lease is ending in a few weeks. Given how much used car prices have gone up, I can buy my lease out for $25k and realistically sell it for $34-35k. I love the SS but have had it for three years and the GT350 is something I’ve had my eye on for awhile as kind of the next step up from what I have now. I test drove one recently and loved the exhaust and shifter.

The Voodoo engine definitely has a different feel than the LT1, as it feels less torquey at lower RPMs but likes to rev out a lot more than the LT1. The SS fees faster around town and from a stop, and I’d guess the GT350 feels faster at speed when the revs are up. The exhaust note is incredible on the GT350 and would never get old hearing it. The GT350 also has a better feeling shifter.

One downside to me personally to the GT350 is that I used to have a 2015 EcoBoost Mustang Premium for 3 years prior to the Camaro, so everything else about the GT350 inside seems kind of old and familiar at this point, and it has fewer daily comforts than my old Mustang had. My Camaro is also the 2SS which has a nice interior and a lot of daily comforts like heated steering wheel and ventilated seats.

Anyway, a decent used GT350 is probably $45-$50k right now, so at least $20k more than I can buy out my Camaro SS for. I’m pretty torn about what to do but would love to hear anyone else’s thoughts as to whether this really justifies the premium. I’m not looking to track this or race, but I do value having a V8 RWD manual car that is fun to drive and is somewhat practical as a daily (likely ruling out a Corvette for that reason). I’m also not interested in a Mustang GT as that seems too similar to what I had before and not really a big enough upgrade over what I have now for the money.

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[460Fred]

First off, where do you live? Weather could be a deciding factor although some drive there GT350’’s year round, even in ice and snow with a different set of wheels and tires.
Can you daily it? Absolutely.
The whole interior creature comforts thing is very subjective. I’ve never owned a real luxury car so for me it’s not a big deal....comfortable enough for long distance driving. You really are connected to the road, you feel it.
My decision to not even consider a Camaro was poor visibility.
I‘ve only leased once. Dodge truck around 2000 that was worth way more than my buyout. Worked out real well.

 

[shogun32]

Going to GT350 is sorta like upgrading your SS to the 1LE package but you'll have to fix the 350 IRS/Diff bushings etc since despite it's major expense, it's just as bad as the ecoboost rental car.

I bought my '19 1SS/1LE new for 38 so unless you live in California your valuation is unrealistic.

 

[Mustang Convert]

First off, where do you live? Weather could be a deciding factor although some drive there GT350’’s year round, even in ice and snow with a different set of wheels and tires.
Can you daily it? Absolutely.
The whole interior creature comforts thing is very subjective. I’ve never owned a real luxury car so for me it’s not a big deal....comfortable enough for long distance driving. You really are connected to the road, you feel it.
My decision to not even consider a Camaro was poor visibility.
I‘ve only leased once. Dodge truck around 2000 that was worth way more than my buyout. Worked out real well.

In Wisconsin, but I've managed winters just fine with my Camaro SS with the right tires and obviously would need to do the same with the GT350. I don't have a long commute and the roads usually get cleaned up pretty quickly, and I always have the option to work from home anyway if conditions are bad.

 

[Vettel-ish]

Really hard to put the 350 in the same category as the SS and 5.0. It just so much more than that. Yeah the 5.2 has a lot to do with it however it way more balanced. Much much better brakes. Yeah the Tremic is awesome.

I would look at it from and experience level. Getting into a 350 is so much more of that special experience. Plus depending on what track they can hang with LT1 with way less power.

Good friend of mine has a SS and a 17 grand sport. Eveytime we track or go for rides together he wishes he bought a 350. that sounds is unlike anything.

Now to my downsides. I am not sure I could daily mine. Its too special to me to drive it all the time. I only take mine out to track or maybe a sunday drive now. Makes me appreciate it so much more.

 

[Vettel-ish]

In Wisconsin, but I've managed winters just fine with my Camaro SS with the right tires and obviously would need to do the same with the GT350. I don't have a long commute and the roads usually get cleaned up pretty quickly, and I always have the option to work from home anyway if conditions are bad.

O yeah! Where in WI?

 

[Mustang Convert]

I bought my '19 1SS/1LE new for 38 so unless you live in California your valuation is unrealistic.

That's a great deal, but I did a nationwide search for 6th gens with the 2SS package, under 40,000 miles (mine has 30,000), and M/T and cheapest anywhere in the country is $32k. Vroom offered $32k to buy mine. Median is around $35-36k. Cheapest within 150 miles of me is $35k. The manual seems to be fetching a lot more in the used market than the automatics.

 

[Mustang Convert]

Really hard to put the 350 in the same category as the SS and 5.0. It just so much more than that. Yeah the 5.2 has a lot to do with it however it way more balanced. Much much better brakes. Yeah the Tremic is awesome.

I would look at it from and experience level. Getting into a 350 is so much more of that special experience. Plus depending on what track they can hang with LT1 with way less power.

Good friend of mine has a SS and a 17 grand sport. Eveytime we track or go for rides together he wishes he bought a 350. that sounds is unlike anything.

Now to my downsides. I am not sure I could daily mine. Its too special to me to drive it all the time. I only take mine out to track or maybe a sunday drive now. Makes me appreciate it so much more.

In Milwaukee, so pretty easy city drive on well plowed roads in the winter. GT350 definitely does feel special, and I feel that it will likely hold its value better than the SS would if I buy it out. I loved the GT350, it's just somewhat tough to say it's basically worth 2x the price of what I can keep mine for is what I'm having a hard time with.

 

[Vettel-ish]

In Milwaukee, so pretty easy city drive on well plowed roads in the winter. GT350 definitely does feel special, and I feel that it will likely hold its value better than the SS would if I buy it out. I loved the GT350, it's just somewhat tough to say it's basically worth 2x the price of what I can keep mine for is what I'm having a hard time with.

Cool! There is a couple of 350 rolling around. I am in Oconomowoc. As long as we dont get a ton of snow you would be fine. Maybe look at some MP4S. Plus you have Road america and Blackhawk less than an hour away if you want to track it. We have a huge shelby group that all runs together.

 

[squid678]

Please do not assume that your experiences in your 15 Ecoboost will be at all similar to what you will experience in a GT350.
I have owned a 15 GT Performance Pack that I traded up for a 19 GT Performance Pack 2. I had the 15 for 3 years with modest bolt ons. I had the 19 for almost a year with also some modest bolt ons minus any suspension mods. I also had some seat time in my Uncle's 15 Ecoboost Premium. I recently upgraded to a GT350 this past July.
None of these cars come close to the unique experience that the GT350 literally throws at you. You are correct to assume that the interior controls are very similar. You will not have lighted door sills and floors that come with Ford's Mycolor and you will not have access to the digital dash.
However, where you find low end torque lacking, I find it an advantage in this car exploding out of the corners as the engine speed increases. The gearing of the 6 speed is will thought out. The mechanical grip is amazing without having the worry of the rear end kicking out in a high torque motor at low RPMs like the Camaro. The magnaride is even better than the PP2, and the ride is daily driveable even in the most aggressive setting.
The steering feel is completely different and cannot compare to a GT or Ecoboost.
I only had one opportunity to test drive a used GT350, and after that test drive, I was hooked.
There is indeed a premium in cost associated with a GT350.
I highly recommend that if you can, test drive the car. There are numerous intangibles that you will uniquely experience that will dictate to you if this premium is worth it to you or not. Any other comparable car seems numb to me in relation to a GT350. Good luck with your car decision!

 

[Mustang Convert]

Please do not assume that your experiences in your 15 Ecoboost will be at all similar to what you will experience in a GT350.

I agree the GT350 powertrain and handling is totally unique and wasn't comparing that to the EcoBoost in anyway. I just meant that in terms of the interior and to some extent the exterior looks, the GT350 is just a bit less exciting to me since I've already had the EcoBoost for three years before the Camaro and a lot of that is pretty similar to the GT350. I think if it weren't for that, I'd be a lot more sold on the GT350 since it would be all new and different to me. It just feels like going back to my old car in some respects which is part of the hangup I'm probably having. But, the powertrain is so good it might outweigh all of that.

 

[squid678]

Thanks, I missed that detail...

 

[17Magnetic5.0]

If you can get the Camaro for 25k I would go with that. Then you’re at least 20k cheaper than a gt350. You can still make so many upgrades to that and pocket the cash. The gt350 is a special car for sure but you already have a really great car too.

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