I would rather have a 99+ GT mustang then the 96 GT I have now. I almost bought a 01 silver vert GT from a dealership before I went on a hunt for a 96. Some dumb kid took it for a test drive and slammed into the back of another car a day before I was going to drive 100+ miles to get it.
I love my NPI 97 gt vert. really wish it did have more power though.. but that can still be fixed easily, just have to spend the time on it.. and as for looks it really jsut depends on the color for me.. some colors just set off the SN95 body style.
I bought my '96 because I do prefer the looks of the 94-98 GT's better than the 99-04. Now, the 03-04 cobra...that's a different story. In my opinion, the Terminator is the best looking mustang ever.
Anyway, I kind of like being looked down on. I like being an underdog. It makes it that much sweeter when I wipe that cocky smirk off of the faces of people driving 99-04's, LT1's, SRT-4's, the occasional 05+ GT's (stock), and even stock Evo's (yes, I've raced ONE Evo and won). Although 99-04's drivers are probably the least cocky of those aforementioned cars. Droptop said he didn't know anyone with a stock 96-98, and that's kind of true for me too. I know of a lot more bone-stock 99-04's around here than 96-98's.