Quality of interior Plastics in Camaro\Mustang\Challenger - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

mlevere1992 · 01-21-2008, 10:45 AM

Believe it or not, for the first time I sat in a new '08 Mustang GT this last Friday and was appalled by the quality of the plastics on the interior of this car. This was a $24,000 car and it has plastics on the dash like they should have belonged in an Escort.

I drive a '04 Mazda 6 and it has a much high quality feel to its plastics and dash. The leather in the Mustang also felt cheap. There was nothing that I liked about the interior of the Mustang.

I sure hope the Chevy looks at that and decides to make the interior of the Camaro much better than that. If the quality of the Mustang interior is what I have to look forward to in the Camaro, count me out. I love the looks of the outside but 99.9% of the time I will be looking at the interior of the car and if it looks and feels like crap, I will probably be looking at another Mazda6, mazda3, Pontiac G8, or even a BMW 135.

Sorry for the rant but I was just so disappointed in the Mustang when I really looked at it up close. I wanted to like it but just can't. I hope that Dodge is doing something as well for their Challenger. The interior of the Charger is also that same plastic feeling. I just can't get over the quality of the plastics in American cars.

*GTAHVIT* · 01-21-2008, 10:53 AM

I agree, We have a Mazda 3 with the interior upgrades and it is really nice. Much better than the grocery getters in the GM, Ford, Chrysler line ups. Mazda 3 = less than 20K loaded.... I'm thinking the higher end Gen 5's will be similar to the CTS(V) in interior quality. Functional, simple, clean.

acscamarochick06 · 01-21-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlevere1992

Believe it or not, for the first time I sat in a new '08 Mustang GT this last Friday and was appalled by the quality of the plastics on the interior of this car. This was a $24,000 car and it has plastics on the dash like they should have belonged in an Escort.

I drive a '04 Mazda 6 and it has a much high quality feel to its plastics and dash. The leather in the Mustang also felt cheap. There was nothing that I liked about the interior of the Mustang.

I sure hope the Chevy looks at that and decides to make the interior of the Camaro much better than that. If the quality of the Mustang interior is what I have to look forward to in the Camaro, count me out. I love the looks of the outside but 99.9% of the time I will be looking at the interior of the car and if it looks and feels like crap, I will probably be looking at another Mazda6, mazda3, Pontiac G8, or even a BMW 135.

Sorry for the rant but I was just so disappointed in the Mustang when I really looked at it up close. I wanted to like it but just can't. I hope that Dodge is doing something as well for their Challenger. The interior of the Charger is also that same plastic feeling. I just can't get over the quality of the plastics in American cars.

One of my friends has an 07 Mustang GT and the seats are HORRIBLY uncomfortable. When she got it she wanted me to go for a ride in it, and I didn't want to be rude so I kind of had to. I was not impressed at all, with the performance of the car or with the interior. She let me drive it and needless to say, I will never own a Mustang.

It just didn't feel like it had much power at all. I agree, the interior seemed kind of... cheap? The seats were hard and not comfortable... My vote? 2 thumbs way down...

mlevere1992 · 01-21-2008, 11:09 AM

You would think that Ford would learn from Mazda, since they do own a controlling share of Mazda, how to make a reasonably priced car with a more up-market feel.

*GTAHVIT* · 01-21-2008, 11:22 AM

There have been a few Fords I'd own. Mostly from the truck line. But I typically don't like them. Now, I love my Mazda. 30+ MPG, good handling, decent power ( I can get out of trouble when I need to), airbags all over the place, intelligent brake system, and nice amenities.

rray200 · 01-21-2008, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acscamarochick06

One of my friends has an 07 Mustang GT and the seats are HORRIBLY uncomfortable. When she got it she wanted me to go for a ride in it, and I didn't want to be rude so I kind of had to. I was not impressed at all, with the performance of the car or with the interior. She let me drive it and needless to say, I will never own a Mustang.

It just didn't feel like it had much power at all. I agree, the interior seemed kind of... cheap? The seats were hard and not comfortable... My vote? 2 thumbs way down...

The new Mustang is still an improvement interior wise over the last generation Mustang ('99-'04). Now those had about the cheapest interior one could make. Horrible. A friend of mine had an '01 GT and it was the most uncomfortable car I ever drove. Ergonomically incorrect in everyway. No matter how many times I adjusted the power seats, it felt uncomfortable. Plus the thin steering wheel made you feel like you were driving a Lincoln from the '70s.
By contrast, the current generation Stangs are a big improvement.

stovt001 · 01-21-2008, 01:00 PM

I agree 100%, I hope the Camaro has good interior materials. I'm not expecting concept-level quality, but something along the lines of the G8 would be just fine. One thing I don't like about my Cobalt is the interior quality (though the panel gaps did making installing satellite radio pretty easy) so I hope the Camaro improves on that a bit. I agree that Mazda-level quality is a good target for this price range. I would be perfectly pleased with that.

GothamCamaro · 01-21-2008, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlevere1992

You would think that Ford would learn from Mazda, since they do own a controlling share of Mazda, how to make a reasonably priced car with a more up-market feel.

I was going to say the same. Now that I got a good idea how the outside will fill out for the Camaro, my focus is on the interior. I know we saw those couple of photos of the pre-production but obviously those don't count.

The plastic cheap look does bother me, I'm hoping that GM understands we want the inside to be as gorgeous as the outside. Those concept seats looked really comfortable. We'll have to wait to see what they got going.

stovt001 · 01-21-2008, 01:57 PM

Overall I think Holden does a great job on interiors, so hopefully the Camaro's development time down under allows some of that interior goodness to rub off on it.

Moose · 01-21-2008, 02:54 PM

I believe GM has made great improvements recently in the interiors.

Prime examples are the new Malibu, Cadillac's, Corvette's, and the full-size trucks.

I honestly believe we have nothing to worry about.

*Mr. Wyndham* · 01-21-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose

I honestly believe we have nothing to worry about.

Emher · 01-21-2008, 04:50 PM

As long as it's beats the interior of my worn Saab I'm happy. And it's going to do that.

Sterling · 01-21-2008, 10:50 PM

GM is definitely moving in the right direction and making a lot of really great improvments to the quality of their vehicles. I have the faith...

*TAG UR IT* · 01-22-2008, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

+1....=

^I don't know what tha'ts supposed to mean. Too tired.

Nothing to worry about.

01-21-2008, 10:45 AM	#1
mlevere1992 Drives: 1981 Camaro, 2004 Mazda 6 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Waukee IA Posts: 10	Quality of interior Plastics in Camaro\Mustang\Challenger Believe it or not, for the first time I sat in a new '08 Mustang GT this last Friday and was appalled by the quality of the plastics on the interior of this car. This was a $24,000 car and it has plastics on the dash like they should have belonged in an Escort. I drive a '04 Mazda 6 and it has a much high quality feel to its plastics and dash. The leather in the Mustang also felt cheap. There was nothing that I liked about the interior of the Mustang. I sure hope the Chevy looks at that and decides to make the interior of the Camaro much better than that. If the quality of the Mustang interior is what I have to look forward to in the Camaro, count me out. I love the looks of the outside but 99.9% of the time I will be looking at the interior of the car and if it looks and feels like crap, I will probably be looking at another Mazda6, mazda3, Pontiac G8, or even a BMW 135. Sorry for the rant but I was just so disappointed in the Mustang when I really looked at it up close. I wanted to like it but just can't. I hope that Dodge is doing something as well for their Challenger. The interior of the Charger is also that same plastic feeling. I just can't get over the quality of the plastics in American cars.

01-21-2008, 10:53 AM	#2
GTAHVIT Blessed Drives: 2013 Sonic RS MT Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saint Augustine FL Posts: 28,444 View My Garage	I agree, We have a Mazda 3 with the interior upgrades and it is really nice. Much better than the grocery getters in the GM, Ford, Chrysler line ups. Mazda 3 = less than 20K loaded.... I'm thinking the higher end Gen 5's will be similar to the CTS(V) in interior quality. Functional, simple, clean. __________________ Click image to see build thread. PQ - "the love of cars. It's a boys first step toward manhood and a mans last hold on boyhood." Fbodfather - "We do not want to use the Z28 moniker on a car that does not deserve this hallowed name." The_Blur - "Let's not confuse competitors with equals."

01-21-2008, 11:22 AM	#5
GTAHVIT Blessed Drives: 2013 Sonic RS MT Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saint Augustine FL Posts: 28,444 View My Garage	There have been a few Fords I'd own. Mostly from the truck line. But I typically don't like them. Now, I love my Mazda. 30+ MPG, good handling, decent power ( I can get out of trouble when I need to), airbags all over the place, intelligent brake system, and nice amenities. __________________ Click image to see build thread. PQ - "the love of cars. It's a boys first step toward manhood and a mans last hold on boyhood." Fbodfather - "We do not want to use the Z28 moniker on a car that does not deserve this hallowed name." The_Blur - "Let's not confuse competitors with equals." Last edited by GTAHVIT; 01-21-2008 at 01:59 PM.

01-21-2008, 04:50 PM	#12
Emher Pillaging Viking Drives: Saab 9-5 '99 (Hey it's a GM!) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,189	As long as it's beats the interior of my worn Saab I'm happy. And it's going to do that. __________________ "Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?"

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01-21-2008, 11:09 AM	#4
mlevere1992 Drives: 1981 Camaro, 2004 Mazda 6 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Waukee IA Posts: 10	You would think that Ford would learn from Mazda, since they do own a controlling share of Mazda, how to make a reasonably priced car with a more up-market feel.

01-21-2008, 01:00 PM	#7
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,812	I agree 100%, I hope the Camaro has good interior materials. I'm not expecting concept-level quality, but something along the lines of the G8 would be just fine. One thing I don't like about my Cobalt is the interior quality (though the panel gaps did making installing satellite radio pretty easy) so I hope the Camaro improves on that a bit. I agree that Mazda-level quality is a good target for this price range. I would be perfectly pleased with that.

01-21-2008, 01:57 PM	#9
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,812	Overall I think Holden does a great job on interiors, so hopefully the Camaro's development time down under allows some of that interior goodness to rub off on it.

01-21-2008, 02:54 PM	#10
Moose Moderator Drives: '99 Camaro SS #1392 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Newtown, Pa. Posts: 3,982	I believe GM has made great improvements recently in the interiors. Prime examples are the new Malibu, Cadillac's, Corvette's, and the full-size trucks. I honestly believe we have nothing to worry about.

01-21-2008, 10:50 PM	#13
Sterling Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LT/RS M6 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Fairhaven, MA Posts: 5,885 View My Garage	GM is definitely moving in the right direction and making a lot of really great improvments to the quality of their vehicles. I have the faith...