[Idaho2018GTPremium]

I had a 2018 Mustang GT Premium and now have a '21 ZL1. I think the panel gaps between the two cars are similar - but I'd give the edge to the ZL1 because the hood is aligned better. The hood on my GT was not centered properly so the gap on one side of the car was smaller than the other side.

Where the ZL1 is much better is panel alignment between the fenders and lower skirt and other trim pieces. The GT trim pieces were slightly longer than the metal fenders, and therefore hung past the metal at each fender/wheel well contact point. The ZL1 is better in this regards.

Paint - I'd have to give to the ZL1, it just seemed to have less orange peel, although I think they were pretty similar in this regard.

I had to have the Mustang's windshield replaced under warranty because it was a faulty windshield - it had noticeable waves to it in a few areas, slightly distorting the outward view.

The interiors were of similar quality, but the Mustang had a few rattles and creaks that the ZL1 doesn't have, which makes a huge difference. I think the hard plastic in the center console of my Mustang felt better quality than the Camaro. The cup holders looked nicer since they had bright trim surrounding the entire cup holder, vs. the ZL1 that is hard black plastic, except for a small amount of bright trim in the middle between the two cup holders.

Also - the GT Premium had soft touch on the top half of the entire length of the door. The ZL1 door panel is nice where it is Alcantara, but otherwise, there's more hard plastic.

The top of the dash is softer on the Mustang, whereas the ZL1 has all hard plastic. Though, that's a minor issue because the hard plastic top of the dash looks like it would be soft touch, until you touch it.

That said, there are places where the ZL1 is better, like in the quantity of Alcantara - that makes a big difference. The stitched vinyl on the ZL1 armrest feels a little bit nicer as well.

Button-wise, they are similar to me.

Overall, from a design standpoint I think the ZL1 feels more like a sports car interior than the Mustang (all trims including the GT5000) and I prefer it over the Mustang's interior.

[Jeb114]

There all mass produced vehicles that depend on the motivation of the Union worker that put that part on. They are not hand built.

[JamesNoBrakes]

Originally Posted by Jeb114

There all mass produced vehicles that depend on the motivation of the Union worker that put that part on. They are not hand built.

Congrats on the contradictory post.

[wjones14]

These are pictures of the rear diffuser on my 2018. Left side and right side. I just accepted it rather than take it back to the dealer and take the chance of them making it worse, jacking it up wrong, etc.

[Scottyz]

Originally Posted by Jeb114

There all mass produced vehicles that depend on the motivation of the Union worker that put that part on. They are not hand built.

Yep sometimes.
Sometimes it’s the parts suppliers too. All the components and machinery have life expectancies. I have worked at automotive assembly plants. Sometimes the parts supplied don’t fit correctly. I can explain further but it’s not just the worker. The plastic, rubber, stamping can be off from the supplier. It happens unfortunately.
If a stamping machine is good for say 5000 pieces and is used to 7000 pieces before they swap out the tooling then there is a good chance those remaining 2000 pieces will be off. This then sometimes plays a part in the worker recognizing this and notifying the supervisor.
I’ve seen literally thousands of components have to be sent back to the manufacturer for bad fit or they don’t fit at all.
It comes down to bad quality control by not just GM or Ford or Fiat. It’s also the companies supplying the parts.

[avalonandl]

I was lucky. My 2017 2SS in Garnet red had great paint and coachwork. The 2019 ZL is is good but not great.

[ember1205]

One word: Tolerances

We all sort of expect that every car will be identical and perfect because they're assembled from mass-produced parts. Each part is allowed to be subtly different from the spec and these small differences can add up across a number of pieces bolted together.

Panel gaps in certain areas of the car, like between the rear fenders and the rear bumper, are designed into the car. And, as temperatures change, so will the gaps. If they were pressed up tight like everyone seems to want, there would be a lot of paint damage that the same folks would be upset about.

[lbls1]

I can't really speak about Mustang, but Camaro's fit and finish can definitely be measured. The 4th Gen Camaro's fit and finish was average, or in plainer english, left much to be desired. Body gap differences were definitely apparent, and there was generous use of plastic everywhere. The leather/vinyl interior wasn't the greatest as well, but with care it was acceptable. Where the 4th gen shined was with its powertrain and its structural integrity. There was a significant amount of chassis flex, especially when driven hard, but the shell integrity was quite good, and it proved itself with keeping its occupants safe in mild to moderate accidents.

The 5th Gen's fit and finish was a good improvement overall, but at the cost of added weight and bulk. I observed things such as body gap and soundness feel were greatly improved. Materials improved as well, but of course there was still a generous amount of plastics throughout its interior.