I'm not exactly a "novice" to the hobby but have been without a Mustang now for over 10 years. I figured it was time for me to have a little fun again. Mustangs that I've owned have included an original 1970 Boss 302, 1971 Mustang Mach I 429 Super Cobra Jet, and a 1993 Mustang Cobra.

I just joined the forum today because I'm just about to purchase a Boss 302 Mustang and was wondering if there are any special areas of concern that I should be on the lookout for. It's a 2012 model with 22,000 miles. The car looks to be one owner and 100% stock except for a new set of Conti tires. We've ALMOST agreed on a sale price of $30K. What do I need to look for???

Thanks,

 

The only real issue is with the shifter linkage at higher revs. Do a search here and on BMO where there is more traffic. There are plenty of posts about it.

 

Also the clutch with the pedal not returning. Look to see if the helper spring was removed. if so this is a sign that he has had that problem.
Great car to own!

 

Welcome to TMS, you are about to become a VERY happy man. New tires at 22k seems just about right, as most owners get ~20k miles out of the OEM PZeros, I got 25k out of mine.

Check that you have all the original parts. Are they the stock mufflers? The originals are easy to spot with the inner pipe inside the exhaust tip (easier than getting on the ground to look for the part number stamped on it). When you open the hood, verify the sound tube is still installed (so you can remove it later, heh) on the right side of the engine coming off the air intake.

Ask if you can get the owners kit, that includes posters, a DVD, certificate specific to your Boss, and a keychain that is matched to the unit number on the intake.

You can punch the VIN into this link and see if it was ordered with the car cover;

http://fordlabels.webview.biz/webvie...BP8CU6C5246055 <-- replace your VIN after =

30k is a GREAT price for a no accidents Boss 302! Check the carfax, and consider having a mechanic inspect the car on a lift and verify its never been wrecked.

Also, get on your hands and knees and carefully inspect the exhaust side pipes on each side ahead of the rear tires. I saw my own mechanic about to jack up my Boss with the jack pad right under the side exhaust outlet, and it would have got crunched/dented had I not stopped him so he could instead jack it up on the pinch welds. There is another thread on the proper jack points on the Boss, the unibody 'frame rails' are a good 12" in from the side of the car, so you need a low profile jack to properly lift the Boss w/o damaging it.

Did the previous own mess with the faux headlight covers in the front grille? Some owners drilled these out to increase cooling, but those were the hardcore track guys. If yours is 100% stock it's unlikely to have this but worth verifying. I've seen used Boss Mustangs for sale that have been de-striped, partially de-striped, and even one idiot that took a red magic marker to the Boss 302 embroidery in the Recaros...

While it might seem obvious... check the oil. Some dealerships were putting in only 5 qts, and not even the right viscosity!! Does he have any service records of his oil changes?

Good luck, and let's see some pix when you bring her home

 

Thanks for all the great tips. I'm still waiting for him to accept my offer. Carfax and dealer checkup are on my list of things to do before I hand over the cash...

 

Tick tock, Neo...

 

My 2012 rig hasn't been tracked, but I did drill out the holes in the faux light covers, mainly because I thought it looked better.


What I would look for in a used B2, mainly, is that it hasn't been overly modified. That's the kind of thing that would concern me.

 

Do you consider MGW shifter, DSS shaft, stainless brake lines, Laguna Seca wheels, and completely new audio system 'overly modified' ? =D

 

@Snakeman,

You didn't mention TracKey. A 2012 Boss 302 isn't complete until the owner activates the red Trackey. 30k sounds like a great price if the car is as you describe.

 

Not personally. I've done some of these myself, almost all of that can be put back easily. I would want most of the stock stuff to come with the car, like the radio and wheels. Not the stock shifter, which I certainly didn't care for.


I would get a little antsy over tunes, cams, anything engine related if I was buying an expensive used sports car. Obviously, that's just my .02. Somebody who wants to buy something that somebody not related to Ford had been tinkering around under the hood can go right ahead.


Of course, mine isn't a weekend warrior, I have to trust a rig to get me to work everyday and the occasional business trip, so that influences a lot of how I look at things.

 

Agreed. I've kept all of my original OEM parts, and it can be returned to stock if need be. I would be wary of engine mods other than the Trackey tune.

 

It's complete with the Track Key, car cover, and all original documentation. It's also 100% original/unmodified except for the tires. I also found out that the owner has a transferable extended "bumper to bumper" warranty. I've raised my offer to $31K cash but still waiting for his answer...

 

I hope you are able to get it, they are wonderful cars.


I'm with ACE on the MGW, that's almost a must mod if you are able to pick the rig up. It made a huge difference to me in driving enjoyment. Has a much more positive, mechanical, feel.

 

I bought mine used with around 22k on the odo for about $34k a year ago. All it had was a new set of tires, MGW Shifter, and sound tube delete. Everything else was stock.

If you can get it for 31, I'd say that'd be a great deal!

It really is a fun car to own and the compliments you get on it are priceless! I'm approaching 35,000mi and will hit the original 3-year warranty in Dec so that kinda sucks.