Anybody rock a 2.3 daily driver?

QUICK91LX · Jan 17, 2009

Well my Volvo is developing a few nagging problems and, as if it was any surprise, Volvo parts can be expensive. So it comes down to do I want to put a little money into the Volvo and fix as much as I can afford to fix right now, still leaving me with a few problems...or do I venture out and get a small, cheap, economical type car to commute with?

I'd love to daily drive a fox again, but I know that if I get a 5.0 I will spend way too much money on it...so maybe a 2.3 would work? Just wanna get some input on how a 2.3 REALLY performs. There are a few within a reasonable distance from me that are priced under $2k. The benefit is that I can upgrade it somewhat using some spare 5.0 parts and throw a set of ponies on it and make it look good. I also know foxes pretty well and could easily work on it myself...I can work on my Volvo myself too, but not to the extent of a fox.

Of course I would be giving up my leather, power heated seats, power moonroof and 4-doors which are useful...not to mention my headlight wipers. Less things to go wrong, I guess. That is what I am after. Minimal cost of ownership. Since I cant afford to get a very new car, I figure this is a decent route to explore.

I just want a car that I actually care about and enjoy driving every day...and I love fox body Mustangs...obviously.

So this post was semi-incoherent but does anyone have any input?

1990_LX · Jan 17, 2009

2.3's are very strong little engines, as long as you keep up with the maintenance, it will last for a long time. If you really want to make it fun, slap a turbo on it.

Makdaddymac · Jan 17, 2009

nah...rule of thumb if aint a v8 it wasnt really meant for a mustang...svo aside

QUICK91LX · Jan 17, 2009

I've owned two different 2.3 turbo Mustangs, a 79 that came stock with it and an 88 with a turbocoupe swap. They were fun, but I wonder what the N/A motor is really like.

Don't forget that its the 4 and 6 cyl Mustangs that make the V8 ones possible. If not for the smaller motored cars selling so well, there would be no Mustang at all.

1990_LX · Jan 17, 2009

Makdaddymac said:
nah...rule of thumb if aint a v8 it wasnt really meant for a mustang...svo aside

Don't get me wrong, I'm big on a 8 cylinder Stang, I mean if I wasn't, I wouldn't be going though all of the work of doing 5.0 swap but saying that "if it ain't a V8, it wasn't meant for a Stang" is really an ignorant comment. Without the 4 and 6 cylinders, the Mustang would have turned into an econo-box car when things hit rock bottom during the gas crunch. Not just that but there are quite a few respectable 4 cylinder foxs. I'm not trying to be an ass but that's just the way I took your comment but I could have read it the wrong way and if that's the case I apologize... That aside I think you should definitely pick upa a nice little 2.3 for a DD.

1990_LX · Jan 17, 2009

QUICK91LX said:
I wonder what the N/A motor is really like. .

They aren't the fastest thing but it's still a fox. The gas mileage kind of shocked me...not too good for a 4 cylinder.

asecretfile · Jan 17, 2009

QUICK91LX said:
Well my Volvo is developing a few nagging problems and, as if it was any surprise, Volvo parts can be expensive. So it comes down to do I want to put a little money into the Volvo and fix as much as I can afford to fix right now, still leaving me with a few problems...or do I venture out and get a small, cheap, economical type car to commute with?

I'd love to daily drive a fox again, but I know that if I get a 5.0 I will spend way too much money on it...so maybe a 2.3 would work? Just wanna get some input on how a 2.3 REALLY performs. There are a few within a reasonable distance from me that are priced under $2k. The benefit is that I can upgrade it somewhat using some spare 5.0 parts and throw a set of ponies on it and make it look good. I also know foxes pretty well and could easily work on it myself...I can work on my Volvo myself too, but not to the extent of a fox.

Of course I would be giving up my leather, power heated seats, power moonroof and 4-doors which are useful...not to mention my headlight wipers. Less things to go wrong, I guess. That is what I am after. Minimal cost of ownership. Since I cant afford to get a very new car, I figure this is a decent route to explore.

I just want a car that I actually care about and enjoy driving every day...and I love fox body Mustangs...obviously.

So this post was semi-incoherent but does anyone have any input?

I DD my 92 2.3 automatic notch porno red interior

although a little underpowered they are fun to drive. Paid 800.00 for mine and wouldnt think twice about taking it on a trip

View attachment 276969

parrish5o · Jan 17, 2009

As far as the Volvo goes, my exgirlfriend owned one and I have never seen a car that was such a pain in the butt to work on. Even changing the belt made me want to choke a Swede. Some of them are kinda cool but I will never own one. The 4cyl Stang, well it is a Mustang but just how fun is it. If it dosen't make you smile every time you fire it up than it's not what you want. The good thing about is that a V8 will drop right in. I don't have anything against a 4banger, I used to have a TSI Conquest that was pretty damn cool. But then again I did trade it in on my GT. What it all comes down to is, do what ever makes you happy. And just like most people on this site the rumble of a V8 makes me happy, very very happy.

1990_LX · Jan 18, 2009

parrish5o said:
And just like most people on this site the rumble of a V8 makes me happy, very very happy.

It also makes gas pumps happy. But I agree with parrish, it's your call, do what ever you'd like.

Cobra912 · Jan 18, 2009

1990_LX said:
They are pretty peppy little engines and are pretty fun to drive, they can get up and go for only having something like 88 hp.

I've owned two and they are slugs. I rather drive my 99 Malibu any day of the week because I can at least pass people on the highway.

Makdaddymac · Jan 18, 2009

i wasnt really dogging the lower cubic inches, i wouldt mind having a 2.3 if it was completely stock with some 3.73's and mint and looked clean......but thats cause i love foxes....the mpg isnt worth it imo, and they are slow especially in todays market...88hp is about 35hp is 2009

Mustang5L5 · Jan 18, 2009

I owned a 2.3L Mustang for about a year. It was dangerously underpowered. Since i do a lot of highway driving, i wouldn't feel safe cruising 50 miles/day with 88HP or fury.

1990_LX · Jan 18, 2009

Makdaddymac said:
i wasnt really dogging the lower cubic inches, i wouldt mind having a 2.3 if it was completely stock with some 3.73's and mint and looked clean......but thats cause i love foxes....the mpg isnt worth it imo, and they are slow especially in todays market...88hp is about 35hp is 2009

Okay, my bad man I read it the worng way. A 2.3l fox is like an enclosed go kart/

82CapriRS · Jan 18, 2009

you would think a 2.3 would be really cool to have as a dd, since it has a small 4cyl in it. but there not that good on gas, they barely make it up small hill on 80 without flooring it, idk just seems like it would annoy me until i did the 5.0 swap. i say dont do it bill, i have the perfect car for you..its auto, clean and will be around that price range...just gimme a week or so ha

glowstang93 · Jan 18, 2009

Up until yesterday, I daily drove my 93 2.3 105 hp for 15.5 yrs. I just turned 98,000 and its still a fun car to drive. No its not as fast as a 5.0, but it stil does the job. There are still repairs that have to be done from time to time, so don't let it kid you that the maintenance will be minimal. From the ICM to the coil packs to the IAC, etc, there are things that will need replaced. Take a look at my websites, the 2.3 is no slouch to still dress up and look nice. But if you go pre92, they are less hp. Good luck, if you have any more questions on 2.3's, would be glad to try to answer them.

Darkwriter77 · Jan 18, 2009

IMO, the gas mileage difference between the 5.0 and 2.3 (on average) isn't enough to really justify it, especially because the gross lack of power makes them miserable to drive - there are other cars with the same or only slightly more HP that fare MUCH better on the highway and turn in better MPG numbers. (Pontiac Fiero, Honda CRX, Toyota Turdsmell ... er, Tercel ... and other smaller turdboxes like that...)

The Fox isn't THAT heavy of a platform, but it's still too heavy for all but the '93 2.3 motors to really pull around economically and with reasonable pep, especially if you've got an AOD 2.3 (makes an already blah car Über-blah). Sorry, but the only way you'll ever see me rocking a four-banger that gets low-20's or high teens for gas mileage is if it's in a pickup truck, otherwise crap MPG like that is just inexcusable and defeats the purpose of driving a low-end motor.

FWIW, I've been getting 24 MPG with my '84 CFI 5.0, and it's even an AOD with 3.27's. That's as good as some of the numbers I've seen people report with 2.3's, especially with an AOD.

If you want a reasonable economical Mustang, I'd honestly look for an SN95 ('94 to '04) with a V6 and a manual trans, especially the '99-up models - same HP or better than the early 5.0 Foxes (160 to 190 HP), and pretty good gas mileage, too (Frankenstang's dad got 26+ MPG in her '04 just by keeping the RPM's below 2k). Just be aware the 3.8's don't like to run hot at all, as they tend to pop head gaskets very easily.

QUICK91LX · Jan 18, 2009

Thanks for all the input guys. I thought it would be neat to have a clean 2.3 car with a set of ponies maybe but it seems like the severe lack of power really is just that...severe. I have inquired about a few 2.3 cars over this weekend, maybe its a good sign that no one is returning my calls. I ended up with a pretty good lead on a Clean 2WD Ranger with a 2.9 V6/Auto and power windows/locks/cold a/c that could be a good useful vehicle, I miss having a truck. I do have to get something, though, I just sold my Volvo tonight and can't borrow my dad's Ranger for more than a few days.

Tyler, hurry up and get that car to a point where I can see/drive it...I'm interested!!!!

82CapriRS · Jan 18, 2009

im tryin bill, but if ya havent noticed, its been cold as balls out. just gettin better from the cold i had to. it will be at my house this week for sure and youc an technically come see it drive it whenever it gets here.

stykthyn · Jan 18, 2009

I think the best I ever avged on the hwy with a 2.3 car is 25 at 75mph. the A4LD is a life sucking piece of crap and the T5 makes it easy to bake the tires, but the lower gears are so steep that you have decent off the line pick up, but by the time you are exiting the off ramp you are out of ooomph and need to pray the no one else is at least 1/4 mile away from you. that being said they are fun to throw through the twisities and if you want to be back in a fox there are plenty of clean ones aroung. my only other gripe about the 2.3 is that maintenance wise they are every bit as expensive as the 5.0 so you arent saving anything there.

Mr. Rustypwnz · Jan 18, 2009

my dad just got 30-31mpg in his notch 2.3 auto, although its pretty much new, only has 46k on it..

Anybody rock a 2.3 daily driver?

QUICK91LX

1990_LX

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Makdaddymac

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asecretfile

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I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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