Please help me decide to buy or not

[ahhjaws]

Hey, I have always wanted a Mustang, any type, and year. Well, I came across this repo'd one today. It's a '97 Boss Mustang. 4.6L 5 speed, 116,000 miles, but I don't know if the previous owner did any other modifications (he had NOS system installed but took someof it). Was that a good year? Is the 4.6L a good engine? Any pros/cons do you think? Thanks a lot!

[Maroon 5.0 LX]

I would be very leery of buying that car. First, it's been modded, and probably had the heck run out of it.

Second, it's a repo, so the person probably neglected it, knowing he would be repopped.

[ahhjaws]

Well, I ran a carfax on it, and everything checked out. It looks like there were 2 owners, and the the guy who put in the NOS and mods only had it for about 15,000 miles. The first owner registered it as a fleet vehicle, so I'm guessing he just used it for travelling with a business, and thats where the miles added up. But I'm checking it out more in just a little bit. If anything (if the other guy hadn't already) I'll swap in the +99 heads since that is what everyone says is wrong with that year.

And the reason he lost it was that he lost his job.

[surfbeast]

If the price is right go for it. Check to make sure that the 97 is actually a BOSS car. Many stangs had that sticker package put on them. If it is a real BOSS car there may be some extra value to it. I'm not real sure about that particular model. As far as the engine goes, they are a strng angine. All you need is the neew heads and a blower and you got a fast ride!

[ahhjaws]

Yeah, we took it for a test today, and all seemed fine. We are taking a closer look at the engine tomorrow. From the looks of it, NOS was not ever installed, so that a relief. That was some misinformation given to me. The engine does have some editions that I like though, so I might go ahead and go for it.

[xxxBlakexxx]

It looks like a really nice car! The bottom line is that 116k is a HUGE amount of miles, and if you pay the right price for it, you will probably be happy. What are your needs? If you are looking for a daily driver to get to work or school, this might be a poor choice, but if this is going to be a project car or just a second car, and reliability is not a big issue, then this car might be a better fit for you.

You will never really know how the car was driven or taken care of unless there are meticulous records. You sound like you are doing all the right things as far as checking the car out.

If I were you and you wanted the car, have it checked out. Pay to have it checked out including a compression. Make sure the mechanic finds a few things wrong so you can use this info to leverage your offer. And above all else, don't seem overly interested...there is always another car out there.

To address your earlier question about the year of the car, I prefer 99+ if your going with a 4.6. But, if it is a BOSS I think that would really add some special value to the car.

Again, if you pay the right price and the car fits your needs, then it is a smart decision.

Good luck!

[Hammer]

1. Be very wary. The "Boss" Shinoda package is nothing more than some stickers, a bit of a body kit, and basic mods.

2. Considering the crappy APC taillights, I honestly think what your looking at is a standard GT with a cold air kit, caster\camber plates, some "Boss" stickers, and maybe some aftermarket pulleys.

3. 116k is a lot of miles. If you like the car, I'd say go for it, but offer no more than the blue book value of a 97 GT, and considering the mileage, maybe less.

4. To be honest, if your looking for a used stang, I would be looking at 91-93 5.0 foxes for the price of mods or 99 and up modulars if you like the 4.6.

[ahhjaws]

Thanks for all your input guys. I'm still being very wary, and all of this info is helping me decide. I'll figure something out tomorrow. But if I do get it, you can be sure I'm replacing the tail lights.

[96_4.6]

Yea for sure ditch the tail lights and i was never a big fan of the flaming pony grill