going to look at a mustang today
 

im going to look at a 89 mustang lx is the anything i should look out for . i really dont know much about mustangs but i do know a little bit . so any help would be nice

thanks guy
jason

This is what i look for when buying a mustang:
1. Oil leaks, check underneath at the rear of the oil pan, oil travels down and back....old fords love to leak oil. also for any other oil/fluid leaks
2. Make sure the heater works and blows hot, heater cores are not fun to replace. i just replaced the one in my car, not bad, but a pain in the arse anyways. While your at it make sure it blows cold air if it's got AC
3. Check THOROUGHLY for repainted areas or any part of the frame (even underneath the car) for crimps and crumples for signs of an accident, mustangs are never the same after they've been totalled/frame damaged because of the unibody.
4. Check how it runs cold and take a short trip cold, make sure it shifts ok and there's no odd noises. park it and let it run, then take a longer trip while it's nice and warm to make sure it doesn't over heat/miss or do anything funny and that it still shifts ok. Also make sure there's no clunks while applying power/releasing power this could be anything from worn trans splines, worn universal joints, excessive gear backlash, or ripped torque boxes (holds the fronts of the controls arms, notorious for ripping under abuse).
5. ask for any maintainance history the owner can give and check the dipstick for tarnishing (dark areas on dipstick). Vehicles with irregular/extended oil change periods will stain the dipstick and in some cases the dipstick will get rusted/eaten by the acids in the oil (happened to a family friends truck).
6. Inventory all the things that don't work/worry you. It can be used as leverage in negotiations. Also DON'T fall in love with the car when you first see it....i've burned myself before doing that.

This is at least what i can think of off the top of my head. Good luck and happy hunting.

thanks alot ill try to look for these thing when im look at a car . hope a find one soon

thanks again
jason

Another trick my step dad taught me is to take a magnet along. It will obviously stick to any metel body panel, but if you find a spot that it won't stick to, this area has probably been wrecked and bondo has been used. The magnet won't stick to the bondo.

Try as hard as you can to NOT BUY A PREMODIFIED CAR. I thought mine was fine because the owner had reciepts and quality parts from what had been done but he beat the hell out of the engine and it is leaking oil through the rings at 100,000 miles :mad: :mad:

84LX89GT pretty much covered everything. Let me add, if/when you take the car for a test drive, make sure the owner isn't babbling while you drive b/c you need to listen to the car and not him/her. Turn down radio. Is it manual, 5.0, 4 cylinder......???

Did you look at it yet?

well the one i was looking at was a auto . but im also look at some 5 speeds wich was is better . no i have went to look at it yet cause when i was going i called him and he wasnt there .


thanks for all the help guys

jason