Car writers say nothing looks, drives or feels like a Ford Mustang, whether you buy one new or used. More importantly, buying used rather than new will help you get that retro-cool vibe the current Mustang is known for. According to Edmunds, any Mustang made between 1986 and 2004 is perfect "if you prefer a V8 rumble to drown out the rattles from your cheap ride's aging interior," and you should be able to find one from that time period for less than $5,000. Cars.com reports the Mustang is one of the top-10 most popular used cars based on reports from dealers and private sellers.
Appropriate timing.. today I just spent over 1 hour doing the ashtray fix on my 1993. The whole car is put together like crap. Did I mention it's a Cobra that was supposed to have been pulled off the line 3 times to check for bad. My guys must have been out taking a shit when my car rolled by. Yip, she goes like snot, but I can't think of one clip that hasn't busted, or something that doesn't align and rattles. My favorite are the 5, yes, 5, runs in the factory paint. It's too bad, cause I've never NOT owned a Mustang and owned Fords all my life, but I seriously see why these cars weren't given sparkling reviews. I do have a 2006 Lincoln though and it seems pretty good after 3 years - no complaints. Ford might save its butt yet.
1986-2004 Ford Mustang Let's not forget the Ford Mustang - the car to buy if you prefer a V8 rumble to drown out the rattles from your cheap ride's aging interior. We're starting with the 1986 model year because that's the first year the
5.0-liter V8 was fuel-injected (third-generation Mustangs began production in 1979). The next major generational change didn't happen until 1994 and ended in 2004, but you'll find few cars newer than the 2000 model year for less than $5 grand.
Virtually any online classified source will yield an abundance of Mustang-powered rubber-smoking, mullet-flapping good times. And it can all be yours for less than $5 large.
Four body styles were available with the V8: hardtop, T-top (up to 1993 only) and convertible. There was even an unloved but cool notchback made famous by the California Highway Patrol and sold to the public throughout the '80s and early '90s. It died with the Fox body after 1993.
If it were our money: The clean lines of the 1987-'93 LX - mercifully free of the GT's side skirts, spoiler and general tackiness - are still easy on the eyes today. The LX came with the same 5.0-liter, 225-hp engine found in the GT. These cars could run high 13-second quarter-mile times in their day, which was quick enough to take anything but a Buick Grand National. We'll take ours with a five-speed: no T-tops, no ragtops.
Online sources: Ford Mustang history, Ford Mustang Forums, Mustang Heaven, Mustang Works
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