SN95 Mustangs Anyone?

[6]

C.J. is 17. His jeep got crushed by a tree this last snow storm. I am assuming the insurance company is going to total it. If so, we are looking at cars in the $5000-$8000 price range.

We want him to have a COOL car to finish high school with. Ill never forget being 17 with my white GTA. He will remember next summer till he is 100. The only mandate i gave him is it needs to be a STICK SHIFT (he wants an auto, we said no way. You gotta learn sometime sunshine.)

Originally he wanted a e36 BMW, those are hard to find clean, i'm iffy on the reliability and even more iffy on working on it myself.. Looked at STI's, two words "Head Gasket".. So we switched gears to the Mustang. Fox is his first choice. $10k + for a clean one makes that a no go. The 2000's ones where.. Ehhh... Not my favorite, but he does like some of them. and the newer ones 2005+, finding a GT in a stick at our price point is hard.

There are some decent SN95's around in the $6000 range. Anyone have any experience with them? Anyone have any other ideas for cool cars in the price point? Found a 1992 300zx, but it was an auto.

[Captain 80s]

Just for giggles, I put in 5 - 8K with manual transmission on my local craigslist. Nothing I would consider "Senior cool" came up except for Subaru WRXs and those year Mustangs, which to me are the Ford Escort of Mustangs.

My neighbor who is a 35yr Post Office vehicle mechanic and who works on his daughter's cars, bought her one of those Mustangs and says it has been the most reliable and easy to work on car he's ever had. But, not a fair comparison, it's a V6. The other daughter has a modern Mini.... RUN from those.

I am on my second Subaru, and for me they have been great. The first one was the 2005 Saabaru, basically a dolled up WRX wagon. Loved that car, it would go anywhere on All-Season tires and have fun doing it. Got t-boned 20 yards from my house and totalled. Hit & run too, so that was awesome. Current "fun car", not my commuter, is a 2014 STi Hatch. Friggin' love it too.

[69Falcon]

Both my kids have 2015 Impreza, my son’s is a stick. A little underpowered, but the awd is nice.

[tian647]

Right now used cars are having a moment. Due to some combination of global supplychain new car disruption, bonkers cyptocurrency returns (once...), a halo of pandemic-inspired YOLO existentialism, and made frictionless by bourgeoning marketplaces like Bring a Trailer and Cars & Bids there isn't anything remotely cool that has remained cheap. Prices are softening now, and may or may not crash entirely but it's a hard time to buy in still for those not blessed with unlimited means.

I have tracked BMWs for a couple decades now and can unequivocally state that an E36 is a reliable platform, but they do suffer a consistent set of irritating failures - mostly due to being subject to mandatory recycled-content regulations causing parts to be less ruggedly constructed than the generation prior (E30s are supremely durable). They are mechanically sound even when used hard - we have a 328i endurance race car that has over 250k miles on and still tolerates 8- 12- and occasional 24-hour stints at full boogie on course. E36 prices are ticking up, even E46s are starting to as well but you can still find reasonable examples that haven't been thrashed with a bit of patience and luck.

Despite Captain 80's omninous warning I would point out an R56 Mini Cooper S or JCW as potentially good bang-for-buck, although they can be fragile. I have an '09 S that survived both of my daughters learning to drive a manual transmission and one of them learning how to autocross, rallycross and drive her first DE on a road course, so far...caveat emptor, YMMV, $0.02

[Captain 80s]

Despite Captain 80's omninous warning I would point out an R56 Mini Cooper S or JCW as potentially good bang-for-buck, although they can be fragile. I have an '09 S that survived both of my daughters learning to drive a manual transmission and one of them learning how to autocross, rallycross and drive her first DE on a road course, so far...caveat emptor, YMMV, $0.02

Not my warning (or my daughters)... my neighbor's. 2 heads and 2 clutches in not enough miles. And didn't like to work on it. It is a non "S", 1st gen model, btw. I've driven them and they are one of my favorite FWD car, along with a GTI.

Everybody has different experiences and how certain people are driving them has A LOT to do with that. My turbo Subarus have been great and I drive them like they were made to be driven, but I'm also not a 23 year old, vaping, gymkahna-be, douche with a melted rear diffuser. Or the 5th owner after them. My '05 9-2x I bought new (and put 170K on it), and my 2 owner 2014 STi has 13K miles.

Used market is fuckin' weird right now, glad I'm not looking, or need to.

[BillnOroville]

I just did some looking in Northern CA. I bought a new 2004 SVT blown 6sp IRS totally stock Cobra for 12 years. Yes, the last year of that body style. A few cobras show up that are the earlier rounded style. What I see are many convertibles for sale today on CL when I looked. There are a couple out of many, 2005-2007 fastback new style Mustangs. The nice thing is the V-6 model was offered with a manual transmission. Many aftermarket trim options available and if you wanted it could look like a GT500 with a mild drive train. At 74 my high powered car days are over now and driving a Maveric hybrid truck.

I do recommend buying the new body style Mustang, maybe a white 2005, manual transmission, put the double wide blue stripes down the middle, nice wheels, vent covers for the rear windows. Don't be in a hurry but be ready to jump with cash and watch ads everyday. One will show I bet. Used car prices are coming down a little now. Good luck with whatever you find.

[tian647]

Not my warning (or my daughters)... my neighbor's. 2 heads and 2 clutches in not enough miles. And didn't like to work on it. It is a non "S", 1st gen model, btw. I've driven them and they are one of my favorite FWD car, along with a GTI.

Everybody has different experiences and how certain people are driving them has A LOT to do with that. My turbo Subarus have been great and I drive them like they were made to be driven, but I'm also not a 23 year old, vaping, gymkahna-be, douche with a melted rear diffuser. Or the 5th owner after them. My '05 9-2x I bought new (and put 170K on it), and my 2 owner 2014 STi has 13K miles.

Used market is fuckin' weird right now, glad I'm not looking, or need to.

Driver inputs are a huge part of how durable a car might be, but that's hard to judge from a 15 minute testdrive/interview buying a used car from a stranger and no dealer has that information to share, nor want the liability of telling you if they do.

GTIs are quite nice but that whole 'used market is weird' thing definitely applies: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...olf-gti-16v-7/


I forgot to ask originally, hey 6 - tell us more about your hotrod Renault Alliance Oh, Pontiac, n/m...

[6]

Both my kids have 2015 Impreza, my son’s is a stick. A little underpowered, but the awd is nice.

Jan is here, she has a 2019-2020 Subaru, its a great car. Been driving it all week. Feels like a rolls royce compaired to my Rouge. Im impressed with the quality. THat would be a good long term car for him, but we are looking to take advantage of the situation where he can drive something incredibly impractically cool, because it just needs to go to high-school and Salisbury now and then. Maybe take his girlfriend to the beach. There is pleanty of time for him to have to be practical in the future . 17 is a burnout, loud pipes, loud paint, loud system year. hhah

[DaisyRose951]

My neighbor who is a 35yr Post Office vehicle mechanic and who works on his daughter's cars, bought her one of those Mustangs and says it has been the most reliable and easy to work on car he's ever had. But, not a fair comparison, it's a V6. The other daughter has a modern Mini.... RUN from those.

Thanks dude good info! And we wont be looking at minis. Kids a 180 lb basket ball player. Even if he would fit, he would lookf unny in one.

[DaisyRose951]

Sorry i was signed in as daisy. im on her thinkpad.

[6]

So an update on this one. Insurance gave him $10,000 for that POS.

Wooohoo!

We are looking at the newer mustangs now. We can get a 5 speed GT 05, 06, 07 for that price.

Anyone have any expirance with those? Are they decent?

He really wants a Challenger, but that is out of budget but im looking,.. . Also found a decent 350z (hard to find them not beat) but it sold before we got to look at it.

Fox's are now in budget, but he doesn't want anything older than he is.

[Captain 80s]

Now that's a budget to do something with. I would still love a 350Z, even though they are heavy and "old". Just a true sports car, no gimmicks really.

But I'll have to say... go with the GT. They are cool, fast and good looking with a ton aftermarket support now.

[6]

Now that's a budget to do something with. I would still love a 350Z, even though they are heavy and "old". Just a true sports car, no gimmicks really.

But I'll have to say... go with the GT. They are cool, fast and good looking with a ton aftermarket support now.

That's what I'm thinking too. A 350z is a cool car to an enthusiast or gear head. The Mustang GT is just globally, classically cool...

[rpcraft]

Sounds like fun will be had!!! If you get back into a mustang check into LMR. They not only sell upgrade stuff but oem type replacement parts for interior and exterior and have a pretty cool product line that updates some of the older generations with newer features (like big cup holders in fox body console and stuff, lol).

[bones]

https://york.craigslist.org/cto/d/commodore-85-corvette/7598634166.html

Just saying.