• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Looks like a fun Summer car

Zap

Zap

Elite Member
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=295148944

Cliff notes:
1998 Mustang GT convertible
$8900 asking price
black with OEM Cobra wheels
manual transmission
new tires
leather seats
aftermarket performance exhaust, catalytic converters, suspension, differential
supercharger!!!

Years ago I used to drive a 1986 Mustang GT. The brakes sucked, suspension sucked, everything rattled, non-drivetrain stuff was always breaking... but that thing was a hoot to drive!

I don't lack for speedy cars in my life, with my 2007 Mazdaspeed 6 and my wife's 2011 Subaru WRX. We have snow tires for both (heck it even snowed today here in Wisconsin) and I enjoy driving both of them.

Why am I now looking at picking up a used and modded Mustang GT? Is this my midlife crisis? Do fast computers no longer fill my need for expensive adult toys?

Personal issues aside, would a 12 model year newer Mustang have much better build quality and reliability than my memories of that mid-80s Mustang? What are the chances that the car is really beat up? Would the engine mods make it much less reliable or much more prone to breaking down?

Is buying a 13 year old modded car a bad idea for someone who doesn't do his own wrenching?

Around this time last year a 1999 Mustang Cobra came up on Autotrader. Supposedly always garaged and never driven in Winter, original owner and only around 20k or 30k original miles and in perfect shape. Oh yeah, and the asking price was under $5k. Was it a scam? I don't know, but I never looked into it and it only lasted about 2 weeks before the ad was pulled. Supposedly the owner lived only 30 miles from me so it would have been easy to at least see if the car existed. If it was legit, I'd be kicking myself for passing up on it. This one I linked to above is from a dealer that specializes in more premium but not super exotic vehicles, so the deal is likely somewhat legit (other than usual wariness about use car lot scams).

Heck, two years ago I was looking into either a used scooter (modded Yamaha Zuma 50cc) or a used entry level naked sports bike (Buell Blast).

Yup, must be mid-life crisis.

Back to the Mustang GT I linked to above... the dealer is just over 100 miles away from me. However, in middle of April I will be at a LAN party around 30 miles from there, so if it is still available I can swing over to look at it and maybe test drive it. Should I?
 
Not a fan of the bland jellybean blob generation of Mustang. The New Edge update looked so much nicer.
2001-red-convertible-mustang-gt.jpg
 
WTF almost 9 grand for a 13yr old Mustang??? Aftermarket parts, no matter what kind, don't add value to a car, they almost always subtract value. WAAAAAAAAAY too much.
 
I've always liked that generation Mustang. I don't know enough about them to tell you if it's a good deal or not, though.

zerocool84 said:
WTF almost 9 grand for a 13yr old Mustang??? Aftermarket parts, no matter what kind, don't add value to a car, they almost always subtract value. WAAAAAAAAAY too much.
Click to expand...

The price might be a bit high, but in some cases mods can add value. I saw a 726whp caged race-ready MR2 for sale for $15.5k a few months ago. Way more than book, way less than replacement cost. 😛
 
Mods do often add value. If a mod is difficult and costs a decent chunk of money, you pay more for a vehicle that already has it done. For example a Miata with a V8 swap is worth more than a stock.
 
I owned a 1986 Mustang GT convertible and everything you said about it is true. It was a fun car in the summertime but when it rained it leaked, the brakes sucked, cowl shake and chassis flex were pronounced. I also owned a 1994 Mustang GT after that and it was better in every way.

I say go for it. Just make sure the top is in good condition, no rips or tears, and check the engine for compression. It is easy to go too far with the boost and blown head gaskets are the result. Make sure it shifts easily through all the gears and there is no whine from the transmission or rear end.

If all this checks out I say go for it. They are pretty reliable and fun to drive. I'd have sub-frame connectors welded in and install a short throw shifter if it doesn't already have that.

Edit-NADA lists a clean retail sale of that car at $7875. I'd offer him $8k and see if he takes it. It is a nice car with a lot of worthwhile upgrades. If it checks out mechanically I don't see how you could go wrong.
 
Last edited:
skip it.. if you really have the jones for a nice fast mustang.. spring for a Terminator 03/04 worth the extra funds.
 
Throckmorton said:
Mods do often add value. If a mod is difficult and costs a decent chunk of money, you pay more for a vehicle that already has it done. For example a Miata with a V8 swap is worth more than a stock.
Click to expand...

Is that even possible? The only thing you keep would be the chasis and skin, maybe.
 
sdifox said:
Is that even possible? The only thing you keep would be the chasis and skin, maybe.
Click to expand...

Monster Miatas with a 302 V8 have been around for decades.

yes it's very possible as are V8 conversions of the Sky and Solstice.

very cool stuff.
 
As others have already said, I'd look for a year newer ('99 or later), as I also don't like that 93(?)-98 generation. I'd also steer far clear of any modded Mustang - it just screams 'abused', and it's hard to know, unless you're a decent mechanic yourself, that the mods were done correctly.
 
JulesMaximus said:
I owned a 1986 Mustang GT convertible and everything you said about it is true. It was a fun car in the summertime but when it rained it leaked, the brakes sucked, cowl shake and chassis flex were pronounced. I also owned a 1994 Mustang GT after that and it was better in every way.
Click to expand...

OMG yes! Actually, leaks were the one thing I didn't have, but then again at the time I lived in SoCal in the desert. Braking from freeway speeds made the Mustang shake like a death trap. At freeway speeds the side windows would get sucked out. Some times the brakes worked great, other times they didn't - I once rolled into an intersection with a red light because it didn't stop, and I once almost hit a car that started doing a left turn in front of me and then changed their mind half in my lane, but other times the front brakes would lock up. And backing up, the fronts would lock but I would keep going backwards (rear had drum brakes). It was so noisy at freeway speeds too. If I wasn't going in a straight line, going over Botts Dots would cause the rear to skip sideways.

Thanks for the comment about your 1994 Mustang. Makes me feel a lot better about even considering that generation.

CVSiN said:
skip it.. if you really have the jones for a nice fast mustang.. spring for a Terminator 03/04 worth the extra funds.
Click to expand...

The problem is those cost a lot more, starting at rather close to $20k. That's getting tough for an impulse buy for a weekend ride.
 
CVSiN said:
Monster Miatas with a 302 V8 have been around for decades.

yes it's very possible as are V8 conversions of the Sky and Solstice.

very cool stuff.
Click to expand...

So, you swap out everything except the chasis, cabin and the skin right?
 
I love my 02 GT, it never fails to put a smile on my face.

A newer (02-04) GT should be right around that price point with very low mileage, & it will probably be a cheaper car to live with. Aside from normal maintenance stuff (oil/tires/brake pads) I've done nearly nothing to mine in 30K miles - Just a coil pack + fuel injector as a shotgun approach to one cylinder that was occasionally missing.

The biggest expense by far is gas & tires, I get around 13-15 mpg normally & about $60 a month on tires.

Viper GTS
 
Find a cheap 99 Cobra, should be < $10k. It will have IRS and better brakes to address your concerns above. The supercharger on that 98 2V won't mean much on a stock engine anyway, 300-400 whp tops. The 4v engine is a vastly superior base to mod.

If that car doesn't have at least one of: a dyno sheet with AFR, a wideband, or an build sheet for the bottom end, run away. No telling how much borrowed time that engine is on.

Id also recommend a coupe over a convertible. The Mustang chassis, like many cars not designed as a convertible from ground up, does not have sufficient floor structure to remain rigid when the roof is cut off. The novelty of having a convertible wears of in less than a year, and the enthusiast in you wil demand a coupe. If you really want a convertible, get something like a Miata, S2000, Boxster, etc.
 
exdeath said:
Find a cheap 99 Cobra, should be < $10k. It will have IRS and better brakes to address your concerns above. The supercharger on that 98 2V won't mean much on a stock engine anyway, 300-400 whp tops. The 4v engine is a vastly superior base to mod.

If that car doesn't have at least one of: a dyno sheet with AFR, a wideband, or an build sheet for the bottom end, run away. No telling how much borrowed time that engine is on.

Id also recommend a coupe over a convertible. The Mustang chassis, like many cars not designed as a convertible from ground up, does not have sufficient floor structure to remain rigid when the roof is cut off. The novelty of having a convertible wears of in less than a year, and the enthusiast in you wil demand a coupe. If you really want a convertible, get something like a Miata, S2000, Boxster, etc.
Click to expand...

yup everything he said..
Also had a vert 5.0 95 Cobra and exactly as Exdeath said way too heavy and much too much flex and slop.

It's too bad the 03/04 is out of your price range you really get so much more car.
 
exdeath said:
Find a cheap 99 Cobra, should be < $10k. It will have IRS and better brakes to address your concerns above. The supercharger on that 98 2V won't mean much on a stock engine anyway, 300-400 whp tops. The 4v engine is a vastly superior base to mod.

If that car doesn't have at least one of: a dyno sheet with AFR, a wideband, or an build sheet for the bottom end, run away. No telling how much borrowed time that engine is on.

Id also recommend a coupe over a convertible. The Mustang chassis, like many cars not designed as a convertible from ground up, does not have sufficient floor structure to remain rigid when the roof is cut off. The novelty of having a convertible wears of in less than a year, and the enthusiast in you wil demand a coupe. If you really want a convertible, get something like a Miata, S2000, Boxster, etc.
Click to expand...

Sub-frame connectors help that immensely I suspect. It did on my '94 although, I had a GT coupe...not a convertible SN95. The coupes were lighter and much more rigid. I had a bunch of mods but never did major engine upgrades or forced induction. I liked that car a lot but commuting with a 5 spd through San Diego traffic ultimately made me decide to get rid of it.
 
You realize that even with the supercharger, it's probably no faster than your MS6 or WRX? It will probably pull on the top end, but down low the turbo+shorter gears will catch up with the anemic blown 4.6 and tall gears.

I agree, $9K is too much. If they don't have install receipts from a reputable shop, the mods do NOT add value for me. You don't know who installed it, if everything works perfectly, if any deviations were made from the standard install, etc.

To pay $9K for this car, it would have to have a special place in your heart. There's nothing wrong with that, but for the average person it won't be worth it.

Be prepared to dig through and find little quirks in all the aftermarket parts!
 
well now i've been reading fox mustang refurbishing threads all afternoon, thanks! 😡


edit: the angry smiley here sucks. FT's was better.
 
JulesMaximus said:
Sub-frame connectors help that immensely I suspect. It did on my '94 although, I had a GT coupe...not a convertible SN95. The coupes were lighter and much more rigid. I had a bunch of mods but never did major engine upgrades or forced induction. I liked that car a lot but commuting with a 5 spd through San Diego traffic ultimately made me decide to get rid of it.
Click to expand...

What subframe connectors do on a vert they do 10x better still on a coupe. Subframe connectors should be first mod on any Mustang, but on a vert, ditching the bolt in factory connectors for full length weld ins is absolutely mandatory. The Mustang floor pan and rocker panels just weren't ever designed with a convertible in mind, esp those years.
 
OP don't let me scare you away from a convertible, if that's what you have your heart set on go for it. That's just the hard core enthusiast in me talking. There are thousands of convertible Mustangs out there cruising around just fine. I'm just being picky, having gone from convertible to coupe myself.

Ive looked myself at older cheaper Mustangs that would be fun to just screw around in, except I was thinking like a notchback Fox. 408 stroker, sumped tank with external pumps, gutted interior, cage, and a bottle or a turbo our two just for something cheap and new to me.
 
Last edited:
fbrdphreak said:
You realize that even with the supercharger, it's probably no faster than your MS6 or WRX?
Click to expand...

Yes, I know that. However, it will likely be "entertaining" to drive. Heck, the WRX is somewhat entertaining to drive because of the louder exhaust. My MS6 is pretty quiet so is really stealthy. My wife (then GF) used to know when I showed up at her place because she could hear the rumbling of that stock 1986 Mustang GT from inside her place. That, and the ease of breaking the rear tires free. 😀 Our AWD turbos are fast, but damned if I can get the tires to even make a squeak from a dead stop.

exdeath said:
just for something cheap and new to me.
Click to expand...

That's exactly it. :thumbsup: Not even sure if I'll end up getting anything, but I just want something to "play" with that is not my daily driver.

Maybe I'll look for a stock GT though. Something either as old and cheaper, or newer and the same cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top