High-mileage 94-98 4.6s...

csxfbird · Aug 31, 2005

A friend of mine came across a black 97, 5-speed GT for sale, attractively priced at $2800 dollars, but unfortunately, reads 136,000 miles on the odometer. The only experience I have with Mustangs is with the first gens ( I have a 65 289 coupe), so I want to know your opinions on this car. It's fairly clean inside and out (according to her, I have yet to check it out myself), but obviously the biggest concern is the mileage.

So how durable are the 4.6s of these years? To be fair, I know the condition of a motor has a lot to due with how hard it was driven for all those miles, but let's say that the car as a whole seems to be in pretty good shape (aesthetically, at least). Are there any particular problems associated with the modular motors, especially with that many miles? Let's say we either wanted to refresh this motor, or replace it outright...what kind of cost am I looking at to either rebuild it or buy a brand new motor? This car is going to be a straight out daily driver...it's for a girl, so modifications would probably be limited to bolt-ons, at least initially, and reliability is the biggest factor here. I appeciate any info you guys can give me, thanks.

-Chris

shermie · Aug 31, 2005

wouldn't bother me any...but it'd be my beater....2800 sounds super cheap for a faily good condition car...

csxfbird · Aug 31, 2005

shermie said:
wouldn't bother me any...but it'd be my beater....2800 sounds super cheap for a faily good condition car...

Yea, the price is the thing that makes it seem worthwhile. Like I said, it's going to be a girl's daily driver, so reliability is the biggest thing here. Because if that car leaves her stranded somewhere, I'm in for it.

tomustang · Aug 31, 2005

4.6L's have proven time and time again to be good past 250,000 miles. the only thing you have to worry about is the plastic intake.

csxfbird · Aug 31, 2005

tomustang said:
4.6L's have proven time and time again to be good past 250,000 miles. the only thing you have to worry about is the plastic intake.

What's with the intakes? Subject to melting because they're plastic or something?

tomustang · Aug 31, 2005

they have a tendency to crack at the thermostat housing.

shermie · Aug 31, 2005

yeah man i would dew it

Kilgore Trout · Aug 31, 2005

Sounds like a good price to me.

tomustang · Aug 31, 2005

if you wont buy it, i will

csxfbird · Aug 31, 2005

tomustang said:
they have a tendency to crack at the thermostat housing.

Ok...and should this be a problem, what kind of price am I looking at to replace the intake? Anything else that coudl be done to prevent that from happening again?

Also, what kind of life expectency do you think the transmission has? Like I said, it's a 5-speed, and that's all I know about it.

DropTopPony · Aug 31, 2005

csxfbird said:
Ok...and should this be a problem, what kind of price am I looking at to replace the intake? Anything else that coudl be done to prevent that from happening again?

Also, what kind of life expectency do you think the transmission has? Like I said, it's a 5-speed, and that's all I know about it.

you may have to many miles to qualify for the recall, but if it brakes you can pick them up new for as little as 150 and that the inproved version thats not all plastic. And at 2800 thats a steal. As long as this is going to be a daily driver and not a hot rod You will be able to find used replacement motors for a song since most of us guys with 96-98 gt's swap in the motors from 99-04 gts for improved power. I've seen used low mileage motors for 500. So buy it and if you run into any problems just come back on here and we will point you where to go. Good luck......2800 damn that cheap..

forpit2000gt · Aug 31, 2005

any info as to when the clutch was last replaced if at all? oil clean? tranmission noise, shift through all the gears smoothly. Sounds like it is a good deal. It doesn't necessarily matter but has it been wrecked. Make sure there isn't a salvage title.
The engines last a long time. I bought a 97 F150 that had over 200,000 on it and had workers drive it to almost 300,000, then it was wrecked , the engine still ran fine.

Orions98GT · Aug 31, 2005

2800? were is this at

tomustang · Aug 31, 2005

tomustang said:
if you wont buy it, i will

Kilgore Trout · Aug 31, 2005

Are you agreeing with your other self? How many of you are in there?

tomustang · Aug 31, 2005

hehe.

vipergt · Sep 1, 2005

Im always the one who goes and hides behind a tree when a used car deal starts forming. Its not the high mileage that scares the piss out me. Its those ones like 01 or 02 with only like 15000 miles and look like they come off the show room floor, but has a brand new set of tires on it. Im serious they scare the pee pee out of me. I went to look at a 01 cobra a few days ago at the dealership it had 17000 miles and a brand new set of tires (1,000 or 2 miles at the most). It did not have the first damn scatch on it either. First off why would someone buy a brand new set of tires @ 225 bucks apiece(seen the reciept under the driver seat) and then trade it in 1 month later. Then a 4 year old car with not one damn scratch. Mine had a scratch before I left the dealership. Some things are too good to be true I think. Well Ill stop boring you guys with my phobias. Later.

green_fow_six · Sep 1, 2005

I'd go for it. My engine was running strong at 190K miles before I did a PI swap. Now I have a PI engine with a blower and though the transmission isn't perfect. It still works fine with all the extra torque and HP.

Joel's98GT · Sep 1, 2005

if it is properly maintained and makes good compression (via compression test) i would say go for it. Mine is till young at 116K and runs better than when it rolled of the assembly line and will drive anywhere. I have a frined with a 96 with 165K no problem other than typical (just replaced a clutch and brakes)

the 4.6L is a great motor, with allot of fleet police cruisers, cabs, ect. seeing 200K plus. That is a great price if it has been maintained well.

Kilgore Trout · Sep 1, 2005

vipergt said:
Im always the one who goes and hides behind a tree when a used car deal starts forming. Its not the high mileage that scares the piss out me. Its those ones like 01 or 02 with only like 15000 miles and look like they come off the show room floor, but has a brand new set of tires on it. Im serious they scare the pee pee out of me. I went to look at a 01 cobra a few days ago at the dealership it had 17000 miles and a brand new set of tires (1,000 or 2 miles at the most). It did not have the first damn scatch on it either. First off why would someone buy a brand new set of tires @ 225 bucks apiece(seen the reciept under the driver seat) and then trade it in 1 month later. Then a 4 year old car with not one damn scratch. Mine had a scratch before I left the dealership. Some things are too good to be true I think. Well Ill stop boring you guys with my phobias. Later.

The dealers have pretty strict regulations on the tires. They have to be in excellent condition. They usually replace them or will if you ask, they get them cheap.

But yeah, I hear what you are saying about deals that are too good to be true...

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