Possible Newbie
 

Hi everyone

My wife was involved in a semi-series accident in her BmW 318ti. As a result of the accident we are planning on selling the vehicle and are seriously considering a 99 and up Mustang 3.8L V6. I have always been hesitant about Ford since my moms 96 Taurus. The fit and finish on that car was horrible.

What are your impressions on the new mustang. Is there something we should keep an eye out for in terms of a bad car. What about reliability?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mer

I think you would be happy with the new mustangs. The taurus want much of a car anyways. Get a v8 though. I just think the little 3.8's are under powered. If your not planning on making anymods to it its fine to drive back and forth to work or the grocery. But if you want a performance car get the V8

Brad

Hello 98 quick silver.

I'm glad to hear your wife is okay.

Of course my impressions of the 99+ Mustangs might be a little scwued. I have a 2000 GT, and absolutley love it. Its an awesome car that I got new for an Awesome price, for just a shade under 20,000 brand new.

I've had it a years and 4 months now, and its still holding up really well.

The fit and finish of the car is excellent, no wind noise, or leaks into the interior. THe doors are nice and solid and shut solidly.

Welcome to the site, and if you ever have an questions, dont be afraid to ask. Question for you...Have you considered getting a GT?

Ford's fit and finish on new cars are on par and in many cases much better than other makes in the same price range.

Let's face it, when you buy a new BMW, you pay a little more.... and you get what you pay for.

In my opinion, the best bang for your dollar is a new Mustang GT. If you want the true "Mustang" experience, you've got to get the 4.6 V8.

The current generation modular 4.6 powerplant is quite powerful and VERY reliable.... most of the kinks were worked out during the first generation 4.6s....

Two things the Mustang GT has over the BMW:

1. Aftermarket availability:
You may not be a gear-head, and you may not be interested in increasing horsepower. But most folks would really like to "personalize" their transportation. For a small amount of cash you can put some sport springs on to get that lower "aggressive" look while obtaining better cornering performance in the process.
Tint the windows to get some "mysterious" vibes flowing.
You're 2 mufflers away from getting your own personal exhaust sound....

2. Fun Factor
Once you turn the key, hear the exhaust, turn on some tunes and mash the pedal, you get something very rare these days:
FUN WHILE DRIVING!

The road is calling you.... ;)

I would love to get the GT model, however, the cost puts it out of reach. I am very much a gear head. I own a VW 98 GTIVR6. I have installed H&R Spring and Bilstein sport shocks on it. I work on all my cars as much as possible.

What can be done to the v6. I know stock has 190 hp but what will the typicall mods bring it up to. Such as exhaust, filter, chip.

Thanks

Mer

Why not just buy a M5 :D

Hammer mentioned something about lowering springs for stangs, which is a great improvement in the looks and handling.
Thats one thing about BMW's that I absolutely love, they sit PERFECT from the factory, the wheels are tucked up in the fenders nicely and the ground clearance is just enough to still have an aggressive look.

I'd stay away from the V6, but thats just me. By the time you spend the money to increase the power to anywhere near the GT's 260, you coulda bought a GT easily. I've seen used 99GT's with farily low mileage for right around $14,000, some even cheaper.

good luck, and welcome to the family

You can do a few things with the 6-banger (HP-wise),

Dual exhaust, springs, there's even a blower....

But 5 Oh is right,
By the time you factor in the cost of just a few mods, a used 99-00 GT will cost you about the same...

Welcome!!! you will find this board very enjoyable..Everyone here is really great. Like fiveohpatrol said..Welcome to the family:D

Is the car for your wife, or for you? It seems like most all the girls I know with stangs (present company excluded) drive the V6 versions. The guys I know most all drive the V8 versions. If you are just looking for a nice, comfortable, reliable car for your wife, the v6 fits the bill nicely. On the other hand, if you're thinking "mustang" because it is synonomous with "power," you will find that "mustang" "power" and "v6" do not go together. I've owned a 95 V6 stang, a 97 GT, and now the 2000 GT and the 94 cobra. I paid about 20K for the GT, and 8500 for the Cobra. Both car's are awesome, and my v6 was WORLDS away from the power the new GT's have. You can put a damn supercharger on the new V6's and still get beat by stock GTs. Think about it. If power is of little or no concern, the v6 stangs are perfect rides. If you think you will ever desire more HP from your stang, DEFINITELY go with the GT from the start; it will save you much money, time, and frusteration. Let us know what you decide. Good luck!

The car is for the wife. What I want is to get her a nice reliable car with some power. To be honest, I don't think she could handle the power of the GT. We are going to the dealership this weekend to see how they drive.

Mer

He specifically said the vehicle was for his wife. Not only that, he also said several times he was interested in the VEE SIX VERSION. 200 hp is not what I call underpowered, especially when I've seen the 5 speeds repeatedly smoke 96-98 V8 AODs...

Also, even the 3.8L will be faster than the motor that comes in the 318..which I believe is a bit anemic 4 cylinder...and I'm not someone that would suggest rushing a lady into a car she is not comfortable with. The V6 is good looking and peppy, and she will love it! Let us know how the test drive goes :)

Sorry for the 4.6-a-thon 98quicksilver....

I guess power is just in our blood.... ;)

I REALLY hope you guys like whatever Mustang you're interested in, 'cause we could always use some new stangers!!

4.6-a-thon?? HAHAHAHAHA:D I like that!!

I'd get her an SVT Focus. Test drive one and a Mustang and see which one you like best. If you wanted to build a dragracer then it would be another story.