Help me decide

[explorerguy96]

I'm in the process of selling my motorcycle so that I can buy another car, I think I have decided on a 96 Mustang, but what I was wondering, and please be honest, is the 5.0 V8 enough? I mean I have read it only puts out 215 hp, I havent ever owned a sports car before, and I'm just wondering if all you are happy with the power output or if your left wishing for more?? oh, and I'm looking at 5 speeds, if that makes that big of a difference, thanks

 

[Killercanary]

Well the '96 comes with the 215HP 4.6l, not the 5.0L. It will leave you wanting more... I garantee it.

 

[super302]

ya the 5speed is a ton quicker than the auto, i know 215 doesn't sound like a lot but with a few mods, it can be dam quick. How much money do you have? Honestly i would go with a 89-92 (not 87,88,93, b/c speed density, hypersomething pistons) and put a supercharger on it. Gears should be your first mod by the way.

 

[HtownGT]

96 is a piece, you will love any 5.0 except the 3 listed b/c of the torque. But i would decide what body you want first then the engine. But you cannot go wrong with a 94-95 5.0 and like before mentioned a few mods and you wont have to worry at all.

 

[greenlantern]

Both 94-95 and 96-98 pretty much bring the same hp to the table 215 to 220. I think the 94-95 may bring a little more. 302's are gonna be a lot cheaper to make fast than the mod motor in the 96. They tend to get real expensive. There is no limit to the parts out there for 5.0s. The stock 5.0 has a lot better torque curve than the 4.6 and was the deciding factor when I bought mine.

 

[wytstang]

Its cheaper to mod a 5.0 than any 4.6. Also 94-97 came with 215hp & 285trq I've heard the 98 came with 225hp(<--that's what I read in the 4.6 forum ). You will want more but than again thats the fun of it to keep going until your happy . It really depends on you and how much you want to invest in your car as far as parts go and how much you want to pay for these parts as well. Good luck

 

[super302]

the 5.0 engine has millions of aftermarket parts and is a ton cheaper...like someone mentioned the early 4.6's are pieces (don't know firsthand tho) If you plan on modding go with the 5.0.

 

[Silver95Stint]

I believe the 4.6's SOHC came with 225 hps and 285trq, and the 94-95's came with 215 and close to 300rtq. You can definitely feel the lowend torque in the 302, and where the 4.6 lacks in that department it more than makes up for on the highend. Both of them have ups and down, so the choice is yours.

 

[Black95GTS]

I know I'm gonna get flamed, but if you're looking to go fast, nothing beats a sport bike. Nothing. For 2 grand you can pick up a bike and run 11s all day long. My fraternity brother just picked up a 5 year old R6, he paid 1800, its got 15k miles, its got 120 horse stock (he's got an aftermarket exhaust) and weighs 370 pounds. If you adjust that horsepower per weight ratio, a mustang would have to have roughly 1000 horsepower. I took it for a spin this weekend and I was kinda scared to lean into it, I'm not afraid to admit. Damn thing redlines at 15.5K rpms.

For comparison, the 2.0 liter VW Jetta has 137 horse power.

Just throwin it out there.