You've opened a big can of worms. (I) would first buy what was appealing to me. That way you wont disire somting different too soon afterward. If you choose a classic and wish to keep it a classic,the parts you will need may cost a little more and somtimes hard to find. Classic's will retain most of there value if properly maintained. Around here older cars in very good "reliable" shape sell in the 5k and up range. Air conditioner may also be a consideration for you in Cali. As maybe gas prices. Fighting traffic in a classic cannot be endorsed by me. If you want a daily driver you may want to have the classic updated in the saftey department,ie:brakes,steering,suspension etc. Some older cars can be a handful to drive without it. I work on my own cars and would recommend taking a hard look at a later model for a safe daily driver.If you have a person that can spend the time preforming semi-annual checks and maitenence then go for for the classic. Dependability will be determined by what you buy & how you drive it. If your more or less on an island,go late model. And welcome to the Mustang Family no matter what you choose.
