[King Oriax]

So I had a 2001 ford mustang for my first car and its basically a piece of junk now, it cant hit 70 and auto shops say i need to put at least 4k to get it to run like new again so Im getting a new car.

I've been looking at mustangs from like 07-09 as they are the best price with low miles, and its after the body was changed up to the more aggressive look that I really love now.
I found a really awesome 07 Gt coupe for 12k but I'm hoping to spend less than 12 so this isnt really my first pick, i just really fricking love the black and white stripes

I also found a Deluxe Convertible 08 for 9k with a built in gps and 93k miles which isnt bad.

And then there's a 08 deluxe convertible for 10k with 85k miles and a better color, and the headlights look badass to me

also found an 05 premium convertible that's got a nice color, has 106k miles and is at 8k

All of them are awsome looking but i dont know to much about them even with the bit of research ive done so hoping you pros can help me out.

Sorry if this isnt the right place to post this but ive loved mustangs since I was 13 and I don't want to **** up buying one of them.
Also ill get pics if anyone is curious.

 

[RandomForumGuy]

The first one sounds the best. Here in cali 12k is right around the stanard price for a bone stock with medium amount of miles(around 50k). With the s197's milage is a huge factor, more than other cars. P.s. black and white stangs are just sexy all around haha

 

[King Oriax]

The first one sounds the best. Here in cali 12k is right around the stanard price for a bone stock with medium amount of miles(around 50k). With the s197's milage is a huge factor, more than other cars. P.s. black and white stangs are just sexy all around haha

it's nice but it has over 100k miles which is why im so iffy about spending that much, my friend bought a car a few months ago with over 100k miles and he had an engine issue after a few weeks that cost him over 2k

the 05 also has a sexy black and white look even if its not as good, is slower, but it costs 4k less which could be used for body mods or something somewhere down the road. idk the other 2 are solid red but they're no where near as good looking as the black with white racing stripes.

 

[RandomForumGuy]

Yea, most people have transmission issues and even failures after a good amount of miles. It isnt that uncommon for the s197's. If i were to buy the first and foremost thing i would consider is milage, even before color. And if you dont find a car that matches your criteria just wait. The right one is bound to reveal itself on the used market sooner or later. For me i use craigslist. Not only locals with good mustangs but local dealers post on there as well. That is a good place to start.

 

[ghunt]

Are you looking for a v6 or gt? Obviously you can get a newer/lower mileage v6 for less than you'd spend on the equivalent GT. The '08's sound like they are V6's based on the price.

 

[JBert]

Of course the lower the mileage and the later the year, the better. But, since your budget is limited, you'll need to pick a maximum budget number and shop around for the best car for that money. Be patient and you will find a good deal eventually.

Since you are looking a relatively high mileage cars, personally I would avoid the convertibles. They add to the price and I would suspect they might have problems. Non-convertible couple is simpler, cheaper, and should stand up better over time.

The V8 (GT) will cost a little more than the V6, but to me it would be worth it. Also be aware there are different option packages; the biggest difference is the leather versus cloth seats. If you are OK with cloth seats that should save some bucks, and they might actually stand up better than the leather over time . . . you'll have to look a them to see.

There are some great on-line tools to get "market prices" for used cars; you can use those to see if the prices are "reasonable" but always shoot for the low end of the range when negotiating.