I am looking into buying a mustang as my next vehicle but I am new to the Mustang scene and am not really sure what to look for when going to look at them. I am currently going to look at a 98, 2000, and 2001 Mustang and was wondering if there is anything specific to mustangs I should look for when inspecting the car? Are there any problem spots or areas that arent easily noticeable that I should be looking for?

Thanks for the help

 

You have neglected to include some necessary information.

Whats your price range?
V6 or V8?
What are your future plans for the car?
What are you looking for, speed or appearance, or both?

 

I can't give you much myself, I'm sure other guys will come fill in the gaps I leave. You can expect to hear lots of small vibrating "rattles" from the center console trim (gear shift up). And if its got the stock CD changer in it then it probably is worn out and gets CDs stuck inside. I think (for me) I would stay away from a heavily modded stang cause its probably been beat on to hell and back. And last piece od advice I can give ya, if your wallet can take it, look into a 2002 or newer (if your looking at a GT) due to the transmission and Performance Improved (PI) heads. A late model 01 has all the better stuff but I don't know how to tell the difference myself.

If ya really want a special stang get either an 03 or 04 Cobra, or Mach 1. Them models have a better power plant than the GTs

Good luck and keep us informed on how your purchase goes and we hope to see some pics soon!

 

My price range is around 3000-4000
From what Ive seen Im looking at straight V6's in that price range
I am looking for a reliable daily driver that I can eventually work on after I finish college
and Im looking for a little bit of both speed and performance but again with the proce range Im prolly looking more for the appearance side for now

 

Thanks for the info...
Im def looking at the more conservative and closer to stock stangs...
and I wish I could afford an 03 or 04 cobra or mach 1...those cars are incredible

 

Years?
94-95, 96-98, 99-2004?

You might be able to pick up a 94-95 GT for that price, with average miles.

 

Im looking mainly at the 99-04 years but I would def buy something in the 96-98 range if it was a good deal

 

It will be tough finding a good condition 99/00 V6 for your price range but its possible.

 

96-98 are called turd stangs for a reason. Stay 99+ and avoid modded cars unless you want a project. Test drive it, listen for clunking and grinding sounds. Little rattles are common but no big deal. Look for discolored brake rotors, wear on the insides of the front tires and. Make sure the oil looks good after the test drive, that it shifts cleanly and doesn't fight you on gear changes.

don't pay more than you have to. mustangs are a dime a dozen price wise. Even a 01GT though shouldn't be but 10k or thereabouts.

if the car has been built, new engine, supercharger, gears, brakes and all the goodies, the price doesn't change much. Mods should add almost no price premium.

EDIT: for 4 grand you can have a BITCHIN fox body (79-93).

 

His price range is 3-4k..

 

Thanks guys...

I have a couple lined up that I am going to look at pretty soon. A 2000 and 2001 that both look pretty good and relatively stock.

 

depending on where you live....craigslist cobra 04 or any year you like!!! tons of them in my area that are going for your price range!!

just be smart about who you choose and don't get robbed!!

 

03 Cobras for 3-4k...?

 

a cobra for $3k - $4k.,....post a link.

the biggest thing i want in a car is "STOCK". look for things that most people miss, like the trunk. is it dirty, stained...missing a spare etc. although it seems silly, if somebody abuses the truck they might not have babied the car like they say. i prefer a dusty, engine bay that shows a little leaking from a valve cover over a "freshly detailed" and spotless.

i stay away from mods, unless they can provide documentation of the work done, reciepts, warranty info. etc......

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1629184265.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1620153745.html

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/1616903452.html

 

One is for over 10 grand.

The other has internal issues.

The other needs a new transmission.

They are also probably high mileaged and will have more issues coming along the way.

And none of them are 03-04 Cobras which are different then the 99s..03-04 Cobras come supercharged from the factory, 6 speed transmission, forged crank, ect.

 

never said they were perfect!!! just said you could find a cobra out there for 3-5 grand!!

also thought you wanted to work on your car?!?

 

I didn't say anything about me wanting to work on my car. The car I used to own was complete, for the most part.

Yea find a Cobra for 3-5 grand, and invest another 5 grand to fix it. Then you're into it about 10 thousand..to basically have it running how it should.

 

I just sold my v6 on craigslist for 4500
it had 106k miles but it ran pretty clean..
plus it looked really nice too (i miss it =,(

point is: im sure you can get a clean 01+ v6 for around 4k, just look on craigs listings and be patient.

 

if you want a gt you can find a fox or 94-98(i would stick with the 5.0 94-95) in that price range anything newer in that price range will probably be a v6. if you look long enough though you get lucky. just depends on how much time you want to spend looking. as far as special mustang problems, it's just like any other car if it was taken care of it will hold up if it was beat to **** then you will be working on it sooner or later. look for leaks under the car on the side of the motor. check to see what the fluid looks like(if has been changed when it should of). test drive it without any radio or distracting noise.

 

stick with a 99 and up v6... makes decent power.. like 190 - 193 hp,, and 225 FT/LB torque... the GT's make 260 and 300+.. but thats at the crank...

I put 45k miles on my car from 60k and all ive had to do is change oil regularily,, set of brakes and rotors, alternator, 2 front ends... damn dogs, and 2 front hub assemblys due to wheel bearings. thats bout it... the v6's may make a tapping sound at startup, thats an exhaust leak and very common in the v6's.. it will go away as it heats up and the gaskets expand.. You'd be plenty happy with a 99 up v6.

 

Thanks for the continued response guys...

Im actually going this saturday to look at my first stang to get the ball rolling.
Its an 01 with 137k on it...looks clean and close to stock besides some rims and the guy sounded like an older guy who wasn't rushing to get rid of the car so hopefully itll be in really good shape.

 

good luck hope you find something u can have fun with

 

EnRich13, I'm telling you you'll want a v8 after a while. I had a 98 v-6 auto and wasn't happy with the parts you could get and power for cost. I traded it in plus some cash for an 03 gt (a lot of aftermarket parts to keep you up grading for a long time). If I were you I'd save up for a 5.0 or a gt. You'll be happy you did.