[lorraine25]

Hi guys,

My name is Lorraine and I just bought a new 2002 Ford mustang convertible for $15,000 and it has about 62,100 miles on it. I bought it for my husband as a surprise and we are to finish signing paperwork today. The only thing that I find is that the steering wheel shakes a lot when driving over 50mph. I was wondering if the car dealership can fix this before I finish signing paperwork and should I ask them to fix it. I did get the extended warranty for 2yrs.

Any advise would be helpful - Also will you please warm me of any other things we need to watch out for.

 

[Jarrett]

Have them balance the tires, check the brakes, and do an alignment before you buy it.
I would imagine the balancing should take care of it, but why not get everything you can.

 

[fuerza]

Hey where do you live? I will sell you mine for the same price. It has 43,000 miles on it and is in new condition! It is also a 2002 Blue convertible. It has always been in the garage, even at work! I just got brand new high performance tires for it too. I am the one and only owner and driver.

Be careful buying from a dealer!

 

[Fiat Freak]

Have them balance the tires, check the brakes, and do an alignment before you buy it.
I would imagine the balancing should take care of it, but why not get everything you can.

DITTO. Also, check the tires for unusual wear patterns, like worn outside/inside treads. This is a clear indication of an out-of alignment situation. If this alignment is not rectified, eventually you'll experience premature tire failures.

If you've not gone too far in your negotiations, you might get the dealer to pay some or all of this. And, I agree with fuerza. It sounds like you've paid top dollar for this vehicle.

 

[tripleblack]

GT Convertible

$15000 is about right for a Premium (leather, Mach 460 stereo, power everything, remote locks, etc) GT convertible in Clean Condition (not with a shimmy in the front end) with 62000 miles from a dealer - but you can probably find a car with lower mileage (as mentioned in the thread above) for that price or less from a private seller. (The private seller price for the same car would be closer to $13000). You won't get the extended warranty (how much did that cost - was it part of the $15000?) with a private seller, of course.

In general terms, extended warranties from used car dealers are not worth their cost - or even half their cost. I used to be a used car salesman, so heed this advice. They love selling the warranties - they make as much profit from those as they do from the sale of the car. Warranties issued by the manufacturer and marketed through their dealers (particularly via their "Certified Ford" program) are the only ones worth anything, and even then I'd negotiate a lower price (they tend to jack up the prices of Certified cars, and I suspect the 62000 mile item you're looking at would not qualify anyway).

If you are commited to the deal, insist that they fix the front end (4 wheel alignment and rebalance of all wheels MINIMUM). If the car still shakes, immediately return it to them and demand more work. If a rebalance and alignment doesn't fix it, it probably has tie rod or steering rack damage, which can run a hefty price to fix.

Finally, have them run a CarFax check on the car and print it out for you. This will give you an idea of the cars history, and if you see a major wreck on the list, you have an idea how it came to acquire a front end shimmy...

Please let us know how this goes. We're all pulling for you - its a wonderful gift you're trying to give your guy, and I hope it ends well.

tripleblack