YACT: 2000 V6 Mustang for $4000?

[yhelothar]

150k miles, clean title, 5sp.
KBB shows $4200 for good condition and $4800 for excellent.

Is this car decently reliable? I'm guessing 150k miles must be mostly highway miles in order to get that many miles in such a small amount of time.

My other decision was to get a Miata that costs $4-5k

The Mustang seems slightly faster than the miata, at 7 second 0-60, but it probably doesn't handle as well. But if I get a miata for the same price, it'd have to be around a 95' model.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

The plastics in the Miata will be better than the Mustang's, that's something I look at anyway

 

[Pepsi90919]

IT'S NOT YAY OR NAY

 

[compuwiz1]

That's still quite a bit of car for that money. I'd be leary of any clutch with 150k miles on it, though. Also, the car is in that point in life, where virtually every hose and belt will need to be replaced, if not done already. $4000 is not good, if you end up spending $2000 on it for a bunch of maintenance / wear item replacement. Find out what all has been done already. You don't want to buy it, then go right out and have to replace clutch, belts, timing belt, brakes, etc....you get the picture.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
IT'S NOT YAY OR NAY

So yay or nay?!?!

 

[Cattlegod]

how large are you?

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
That's still quite a bit of car for that money. I'd be leary of any clutch with 150k miles on it, though. Also, the car is in that point in life, where virtually every hose and belt will need to be replaced, if not done already. $4000 is not good, if you end up spending $2000 on it for a bunch of maintenance / wear item replacement.

Good point. I'm going to have it checked out by a mechanic first if I do decide to get it.
So is the reliablility comparable to an average japanese car, like say a sentra or something.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
how large are you?

 

[Black88GTA]

I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.
Another thing about the Miata - if you do get one, make sure you don't get hit. :Q
Size / weight disparity of SUV vs Mustang is a lot more favorable than that of SUV vs Miata.

Personally, if it were me - I'd go with the Mustang, given the choice between those two. But I'd probably be looking at different cars entirely.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
how large are you?

A pretty small asian that would fit really well in the miata.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
That's still quite a bit of car for that money. I'd be leary of any clutch with 150k miles on it, though. Also, the car is in that point in life, where virtually every hose and belt will need to be replaced, if not done already. $4000 is not good, if you end up spending $2000 on it for a bunch of maintenance / wear item replacement. Find out what all has been done already. You don't want to buy it, then go right out and have to replace clutch, belts, timing belt, brakes, etc....you get the picture.

Agreed, if you do want to buy it then take it to a few places and get the highest quote possible for the repairs and everything. Ask for all the papers/records on the car and figure out what they haven't done and factor that in. Depending on the owner, you could get a steal!

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.
Another thing about the Miata - if you do get one, make sure you don't get hit. :Q
Size / weight disparity of SUV vs Mustang is a lot more favorable than that of SUV vs Miata.

Personally, if it were me - I'd go with the Mustang, given the choice between those two. But I'd probably be looking at different cars entirely.

Well I live in So. Cal, so it doesn't get too cold here.
I'm currently looking for a sports coupe with a pretty nice interior. The two cars that was at the top of my list was the 300ZX and the Miata. I was also considering the Accord EX Coupe, and a Lexus SC300. The car also must be stick.
I'm open to other options though. So if you have any ideas, I'd be interested.
Yeah I'm not exactly looking for the most practical point A to B cars.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.

He lives in SoCal.....that's not an issue.

Asian dude in a V6 Mustang? You should already know the answer to that one!

 

[suse920]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
how large are you?

A pretty small asian that would fit really well in the miata.

You must be tiny to not tell your real height :evil:

i'm just kidding. Umm yeah it has been said before, but you really need to find out how much has been done to the mustang recently.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.

He lives in SoCal.....that's not an issue.

Asian dude in a V6 Mustang? You should already know the answer to that one!

Yeah pretty rare.
I'd rather drive a mustang than the typical asian boycar, like a 240sx or an integra.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: suse920

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Xyclone

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
how large are you?

A pretty small asian that would fit really well in the miata.

You must be tiny to not tell your real height :evil:

i'm just kidding. Umm yeah it has been said before, but you really need to find out how much has been done to the mustang recently.

Haha. OK, I'm 5'6, 135lbs.
Yeah I'll go have it checked out.
So does anyone know how Mustangs' reliability compares to an average japanese car?

 

[yhelothar]

So I'm pretty surprised that the Mustang won by a landslide on the poll.
Anyone want to post any opinions on why the mustang is so much more desireable than the miata?

 

[compuwiz1]

Oh, and btw, I used to own a 2000 Mustang V-6 with a 5sp. It got decent mileage, handled well, and I spent nothing on repairs, but only kept it to 42k miles, then replaced it with an 04 GT.

 

[geckojohn]

Go with the Miata - it will hold its value more.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.

He lives in SoCal.....that's not an issue.

Asian dude in a V6 Mustang? You should already know the answer to that one!

Yeah pretty rare.
I'd rather drive a mustang than the typical asian boycar, like a 240sx or an integra.

Doesn't have to typical....

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: virtualgames0

Originally posted by: Black88GTA
I don't think a Miata would be a good "year round" car. The Mustang (although not the best either) would be more livable in the winter, IMO.
Another thing about the Miata - if you do get one, make sure you don't get hit. :Q
Size / weight disparity of SUV vs Mustang is a lot more favorable than that of SUV vs Miata.

Personally, if it were me - I'd go with the Mustang, given the choice between those two. But I'd probably be looking at different cars entirely.

Well I live in So. Cal, so it doesn't get too cold here.
I'm currently looking for a sports coupe with a pretty nice interior. The two cars that was at the top of my list was the 300ZX and the Miata. I was also considering the Accord EX Coupe, and a Lexus SC300. The car also must be stick.
I'm open to other options though. So if you have any ideas, I'd be interested.
Yeah I'm not exactly looking for the most practical point A to B cars.

Heh...next time, I'll check the profile first

300ZX is nice...till something breaks. And socal insurance for a young driver in a 300ZX will be murderous. Besides, the newest 300ZX you'll find is a 1996 model - don't know if that bothers you or not, but that's 10 years old now. Things WILL break.

Accord anything =/= "sports" coupe, IMO.

SC300 - cool, probably pretty reliable...IIRC, these have de-tuned Supra motors in them. Lots of upgrades available, should you want to go that route - although, as far as relative costs go, upgrading a Supra motor is not cheap.

Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 or Dodge Stealth TT - SWEET cars, but hard to work on, and somewhat delicate. Things like to break on these as well, and fixing them isn't cheap either. And again, with the insurance.

There's also the F-body (1998 - 2002 LS1 model would be best, as far as performance goes) or a V8 Mustang. But, those looking for a "nice" interior need not apply. That's not who those cars were built for.

Newer Prelude? Don't know much about the newer ones (I have an '89, and it's NOT fast)

Toyota MR2? Also nice, again, don't know much about them. Expensive for a decent used one.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Get yourself a used Honda or Subaru, maybe older but shouldn't be many more miles.

I wouldn't trust a Ford past 100K without serious work on it. My 97 Subbie Legacy GT has 206K miles on it (Not all by me ) and the only things that have broken are what I broke

Note: The head gaskets for 95-97 Legacy's are notorious for blowing, a defect as I understand it. If you look at one of those, see if its been replaced yet.

EDIT: As my girlfriend says (Who DOES know a thing or two about cars), "Dude, its a Ford" LOL

 

[imthebadguy]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Get yourself a used Honda or Subaru, maybe older but shouldn't be many more miles.

I wouldn't trust a Ford past 100K without serious work on it. My 97 Subbie Legacy GT has 206K miles on it (Not all by me ) and the only things that have broken are what I broke

Note: The head gaskets for 95-97 Legacy's are notorious for blowing, a defect as I understand it. If you look at one of those, see if its been replaced yet.

EDIT: As my girlfriend says (Who DOES know a thing or two about cars), "Dude, its a Ford" LOL

they're both Ford's as far as im concerned, and despite what you may think Fords are actually incredibaly reliable

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Get yourself a used Honda or Subaru, maybe older but shouldn't be many more miles.

I wouldn't trust a Ford past 100K without serious work on it. My 97 Subbie Legacy GT has 206K miles on it (Not all by me ) and the only things that have broken are what I broke

Note: The head gaskets for 95-97 Legacy's are notorious for blowing, a defect as I understand it. If you look at one of those, see if its been replaced yet.

EDIT: As my girlfriend says (Who DOES know a thing or two about cars), "Dude, its a Ford" LOL

they're both Ford's as far as im concerned, and despite what you may think Fords are actually incredibaly reliable

It has been proven that American cars (not all) tend to be more unreliable than the foreign cars. Mustangs are common to have problems here and then and has a higher chance of becoming a money eater. I guess the good thing is since these are fairly common types of cars the parts will be fairly cheap and easy to find.
Yea, if you are a pretty good mechanic then a Mustang wouldn't be too bad of a choice although I have to disagree with an Asian driving a Mustang.
If you want an American muscle car + are Asian, get a Corvette or Pontiact GTO (Love those new ones). But the ultimate decision is up to you.

Now about the 300ZX. That car is pretty good if you get 91' and above I think. Some of the newer body styles do not have airbags and maybe some other stuff. Do the research on that if you want that type of car.
Also, the weight on the 300ZX is pretty bad. The doors feel very heavy to me and I bet the car probably feels pretty heavy although it does have a good amount of torque.
The features on the 300ZX are also surprisingly good as it has heated mirrors, climate control (not just A/C - heater), and a pretty good interior. I don't know if all those come standard or not, but a pretty good sporty car. The rear of it is a great unique look that I absolutely like. Too bad the front of the car isn't my type of flavor.

Too me the Miata is too small of a car for a daily driver. I don't like those teeny tiny cars. Too easy to get smashed up in if you get in an accident.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: geckojohn
Go with the Miata - it will hold its value more.

Dude, its a $4k car.

I love mustangs and have an 89 5.0l but I'd probably go miata. The v6 mustangs don't interest me in the slightest but they are reliable and you aren't going to find another 2 door RWD coupe with its power for that price.