Hi everyone,

I have three options for myself in purchasing my first mustang! Was hoping to get some expert opinions on which route I should go. My biggest concern is KM's and how concerned I should be.

Option 1: 2010 Black Convertible automatic 4L V-6 with 140,000 KM. Asking price is $16,500 CND.

Option 2: 2008 Black Convertible 5 speed manual 4L V-6 with 100,000 KM. Asking price is $10,500.

Option 3: 2005 Black GT with Red Racing Stripe Convertible automatic 4.6L V-8 with 170,000 KM.

If anyone wouldn't mind sharing their opinions on these cars and the stages of their life they are currently at compared to the price that would be much appreciated!

 

All seem pretty fair for sub 100k MILE cars in the states thats the general mark for a "high Mileage" vehicle as far as resale values are concerned. Both of these engines are pretty stout however i see the 4.6l going a lot longer than the 4.0's. Its not uncommon to see taxis or cop cars with 300k plus miles on them still running strong. Not to sure about the mustang version but i just upgraded from a ranger and the ranger 4.0's were known for timing chain trouble between 150-200k miles so something to watch out for. If you hear rattling walk away the front chains are an easy fix but the rear one require engine removal to fix (big money). Also the 2005 4.6l had the spark plug issues but are far easier to deal with. The only thing with the v8 is first years of a new gen always have issues but its old enough now that most have been discovered and fixes for them have been found. But always do your homework a good pre purchase inspection is always money well spent. By the way you didn't include a price for the 05.

 

Sorry the price of the GT is $12,000 CDN. Sounds like you would put your money on the 05' GT banking on the fact it'll out last the other two even though it has a few extra thousand clicks on it?

Thanks for your opinion, much appreciated!.

 

You have not told us anything about yourself and about how you plan to use the car. That could make a difference in our recommendations.

 

I am 22 years old, plan on driving it to school (year left) then having it for only 3 or 4 more years. Looking for a fun car to drive that wont kill me on repairs.

 

On the face of it, the safe bet is #2 with a lower price and fewer miles.

That's assuming of course that all else is equal....condition, service history, and Carfax or it's equivalent. Buying a used car is always a crap shoot. A GT in that mix throws off the comparison a bit.

 

Absolutely!! Stangrook, you have told us absolutely nothing about these cars. We don't even know if the titles are clean. Is one of the cars a well maintained, garage kept, one owner highway miles ride? Is one of them a car kept outside during Canadian winters, driven in city traffic, and currently owned by a an 18 year old that beat it? How many owners on any of these cars? Maintenance history? Do they need tires or repairs now? If you are worried about repairs in the future while you attend school, you MUST have a history of any car you seriously think about buying. Everything affects the price you pay. You just can't 'broad brush' it. One owner cars are usually much easier to figure out as the maintenance history won't be lost with multiple owners or how the car was driven. I would pay retail for any Mustang that has had one or two owners, was garage kept, has maintenance records and has lower miles. Once you deviate from that, the price heads south, right down to, "I don't want it at any price."
Be careful and good luck!

 

I bought my '06 4.0L convertible with about 100,000 kms back in 2011. I wouldn't be afraid of a 100k Mustang but I'm not sure I'd want to go a whole lot higher. Out of these three choices (with only information presented), I would choose the '08 for the lower price and lower kms as long as it's mechanically sound and looks like it was cared for. If it's just a fun car for a few years, there's no point spending a ton of money on it. Save the cash now and start saving for the car you really want in a few years time.

 

Not to say you have not done the research, but what part of Canada are you in ? From what I found during my searches for my car you can find many a mustang with lower k's for that money. Be patient (easy to say, not to do ) and you will find a gem.

Ps. I paid 28000 CDN for my 14 GT TP with 5000 km due to patience and being completely unreasonable during price negotiations. 😊

Find the one you have to have and be aggressive, but for the money you are talking about there is better out there.

 

Agreed! Also it helps to deal with an individual most dealers think everything they have is worth its weight in gold and they have the inventory not to always have to negotiate. An individual may be more reasonable as he's not taking the dealership trade hit so they will most likely be willing to deal. I got lucky on mine with a dealer not sure they new what they really had and due to a typo on their part with the paperwork my transfer fee got applied as a downpayment. I was right side up within 2 months which is hard to do in the used car market. Keep at it you will find a good deal i scoured the internet for 6 months for the perfect one. I got exactly what i wanted and love it more today than when i first saw it. Don't buy just because its the first ok deal you find.