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Old 07-21-2012, 08:33 AM
 
25,733 posts, read 16,354,005 times
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The Mustang GT, the Challenger and the Camero--my problem with them is that all I ever see is old farts like me with grey hair driving them. I'm 50 so was in at the end of the muscle car era back in the day. I had a '68 Dodge Charger and a '70 Dodge Dart Swinger 340. I loved those cars back then, but I don't need to relive that anymore. I have moved on.

The problem I see is they have these new retro cars so overpriced that the people who should be driving them cannot afford them. The idea behind the performance cars back in the day was to attract young buyers and build excitement in a brand of car so you can try to keep them as long range customers. Dodge hoped that the 19 year old Charger or Challenger driver would eventually trade that in for a Fury Wagon someday.

Now these old farts are running around in these cars and ruining the entire idea IMO. This is a dead end for the big 3.

Now VW, Toyota and Nissan-they get it. They make cool cars that young people can afford and they build long term customers.
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:48 AM
 
3,463 posts, read 5,630,876 times
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Take a shot of Metamucil, slap on some Hia Karate and put some Tom Jones on the 8-track . . . loosen up a little !!

Im 53 and had a few muscle cars in the 70's. I dont care about cars too much anymore ---would prolly buy a Fiat if I had to buy a new one--- But I'm glad anyone is buying them. I get a little sappy and maudlin and think back to my HotWheels cars or cruising the Micky D's on friday night in 1975 every time I see one of the new Pony's.

I'd love to have a new Challenger just to sit n my driveway and listen to the radio in, cuz I surely couldnt afford the gas and insurance to drive it !
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:49 AM
 
Location: Tioga County
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..good point....Go to a muscle car, street rod, etc..meet or show....most of the participants are social security eligible..lol
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:58 AM
 
Location: NJ
17,574 posts, read 45,983,675 times
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Hey, I'm under 40 and have one.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Tioga County
954 posts, read 2,485,908 times
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...I say this as a motorhead in his mid fifties...and as someone who has run the gamut of the motorhead lifestyle....muscle cars(69' rrdnnr), street rod(37' Chev), drag car(resto'd altered), antique(56'F-100), tractors(Many Allis-Chalmers), 4WD's(Scouts and Jeeps), military restored(Dodge WW2 truck). Currently doin' the Jeep "thing" w/my sons...There seems to be less formality and attitude w/the 4WD crowd...mostly younger. By the time I sold my my street rod, I had my fill of the well'heeled, nitpikin, older crowd that seems to own a big part of that segment of the car hobby.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:04 AM
 
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
4,472 posts, read 17,631,600 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PullMyFinger View Post
The Mustang GT, the Challenger and the Camero--my problem with them is that all I ever see is old farts like me with grey hair driving them. I'm 50 so was in at the end of the muscle car era back in the day. I had a '68 Dodge Charger and a '70 Dodge Dart Swinger 340. I loved those cars back then, but I don't need to relive that anymore. I have moved on.

The problem I see is they have these new retro cars so overpriced that the people who should be driving them cannot afford them. The idea behind the performance cars back in the day was to attract young buyers and build excitement in a brand of car so you can try to keep them as long range customers. Dodge hoped that the 19 year old Charger or Challenger driver would eventually trade that in for a Fury Wagon someday.

Now these old farts are running around in these cars and ruining the entire idea IMO. This is a dead end for the big 3.

Now VW, Toyota and Nissan-they get it. They make cool cars that young people can afford and they build long term customers.
I don't necessarily agree that they're overpriced and while I see older guys driving the new retro-rides, I also see quite a few younger adults in them as well.

The Camaro/Challenger/Mustang are all pretty affordable with each starting in the low to mid $20K range. Unless you're buying the top-spec ZL1/GT500/SRT8, the price is within reach for almost anyone making a somewhat decent salary.

What cool cars do Nissan and Toyota build that young people want? The Supra is dead and gone and the base 370Z is quite a bit more spendy than the Camaro/Challenger/Mustang. Unless you're a female and want one of the "cute" subcompacts, I don't really see what vehicles you're talking about. In my experience, aspiring young people want German automobiles rather than anything made by the Japanese. Back in the 60's all the young guys wanted a Corvette/Mustang/GTO/Camaro/etc but nowadays most of them yearn for a BMW or Audi.

I actually think the retro muscle rides have been exceedingly successful in getting young adults to start looking at domestic automakers again. I'm 31 so I don't know if I qualify for that category anymore but many my age who used to buy imports-only are starting to build up some brand loyalty towards the Detroit automakers again thanks to these type of vehicles.

The other thing you have to realize is that many 20-something and 30-something males usually have a family to support so a sports car (no matter how affordable) isn't exactly in the cards at this point. Who DOES have the disposable income and space for a weekend cruiser? Quite a few baby boomers.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:06 AM
 
Location: Earth
4,237 posts, read 24,697,102 times
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Well of course you will mostly see old coots at a muscle car show as the only ones with them. It seems most of them are trying to relive their youth.

But yes I too have noticed the newer retro cars often driven by those in their 50's-60's...maybe they too are trying to relive their youth, except they're taking advantage of the technology.

As for pricing....can't speak on that one. All the gadgets, gizmos, safety stuff....have really hiked up the price....besides inflation.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:18 AM
 
25,733 posts, read 16,354,005 times
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I think that we can all agree though that when you see a really cool Mustang GT and then see the driver is 60 years old, it completely ruins the image that the manufacturer SHOULD be going for. Youth, excitement and freedom. That is what it used to mean to me when I was young. Watching my rear view mirror for cops or other idiots just like me in fast cars who wanted to race. Getting a kick out of seeing a cop and going around the corner and lighting up the back tires and then getting out of Dodge before you get busted. Taking a road trip with your buddies to the Black Hills or somewhere else and hitting 100+ mph every hour on the hour.

I blame the manufacturers. Like someone mentioned in the thread, there are some models that are affordable, the ones with the V6 ect. They should have designed them with no frills and more performance to keep the coolest ones the lowest priced.

I would love to see Dodge come out with the Barricuda (since Plymouth is history) Build it on the Challenger chassis. No AC, crank up windows. Simple interior. Make it in only 3 colors--red, black or white. Put in a hemi V8 with manual tranny only and a roll bar inside.

Then hire Kenny Chesney or some guy the young people are nuts about to market it. Now ThAT would build excitement. Could even call it a Road Runner.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:20 AM
 
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana
14,100 posts, read 28,392,241 times
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For Nissan, the closest affordable excitement is either the V6 Altima coupe or Sentra SE-R specV. Toyota finally brought back a little excitement with their Scion Toyobaru. It's the closest Toyota has come to a Celica in years. Corolla left performance behind a few decades ago. The V6 Mustang and Camaro offer plenty of punch to make it fun.
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Old 07-21-2012, 09:24 AM
 
25,733 posts, read 16,354,005 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sailordave View Post
For Nissan, the closest affordable excitement is either the V6 Altima coupe or Sentra SE-R specV. Toyota finally brought back a little excitement with their Scion Toyobaru. It's the closest Toyota has come to a Celica in years. Corolla left performance behind a few decades ago. The V6 Mustang and Camaro offer plenty of punch to make it fun.
I see 10 hopped up Civics for every Mustang on the road and almost always the Civics are driven by young people. And they are really cool, lowered with nice wheels and exhaust.

I haven't seen a new, modified Mustang, Camero or Challenger yet. Always stock and always driven by older folks. That is my experience anyway.
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