I bought my first Mustang back in March. A 1990 LX 5.0 Hatchback. It looked really great for the year and the owner took great care of it. I was so excited to be a 5.0 owner and was looking forward to turning it into an all original showcar for Autorama. All it needed was a few tiny cosmetic things and that was it.
Well, after a few weeks, it was time for inspection, and the car didn't pass. It really pissed me off. I take great pride in keeping my cars in tip top shape and this was like a punch in the face. It put out too much NOx which means the egr valve was probably bad. It passed the second time through....barely. If that wasn't enough, the check engine light came on a week later, the A/C went out, my driver's side door handle broke, and my 3rd gear syncro was shot. The sucker was also due for an oil change, and all i ever use is either Mobil 1 or Royal Purple synthetic oils. (the
stang was always run with synthetic just in case you thought i was switching after 100K miles
) I was really starting to think this was a bad idea. I figured i'd just say screw this
stang thing and get a newer Firebird or Camaro.
I figured i'd just grab a new
tranny, sell the old one and be done with the car. But as soon as that new Tremec T5 was in and i could finally shift into 3rd without grinding, i thought i was in heaven. But the engine light and the cosmetic problems still bugged me, and the thought of selling the
stang was still appealing.
Until the day the check engine light turned off. I replaced the o2 sensors to no avail, but replacing the egr valve did the trick. The motor was running great, and even better, i did all the work myself. Soon, i found a bodyshop owned by a friend of mine to take care of my cosmetic problems. Things were looking up.
Now, with a new front bumper, steel door handles, new paint with original pinstripe, new headlight lenses, and a great running motor, i feel like i have a new 5.0. The excitement has come back and now, i get thumbs up everywhere i go. I enjoy talking with other 5.0 owners around town and getting respect from other muscle car drivers. It's a great feeling to be back and i feel stupid for even contemplating the thought of selling my
Stang.
What a great car the 5.0 is. And the company of the other drivers is just as inviting. Thanks for all the help guys, and wish me luck with my "new" 5.0.
A bit of a reborn 5.0 owner 
