Newbie here.

gforcejunkie · Nov 13, 2004

Hi,

I'm considering buying something like a '97-'99 MGT for my 16.9 year old son.
Well I might drive it myself occasionally.

I've got a lot of questions.

1. I live in an emissions testing county, Harris County, Texas. I worry about how hard it's gonna be to pass if I get a GT with some minor engine mods or if we add minimal mods ourselves. Plus with the car being 5-7 years old...

2. I don't have to have the fastest car on the road. Besides the drag racing laws here suck big time now. So very high performance is not a big issue. I'm more concerned with reliability, reasonable performance, and fairly decent gas mileage. Do ya'll think the GT is the right car for this?

3. Manual tranny is a must. But I've heard that the '98 had minor clutch probs. Isn't there a good aftermarket clutch that's rock solid? About how much $?

4. What other probs. should I look for in the '97-'99 era?

5. What are the best mods to do? Nothing radical, no nos, turbos, etc...
Okay, well maybe a small shot of nos in the future.

6. How's the brakes? Rear disc?

That's enough for now. More to come.

Thanking you all in advance.

Charlie

Indiana · Nov 13, 2004

Welcome to SN.

I think the GT is great choice, of course, I am biased. You might consider a 99 or newer. They have "performance improved" heads, and are quicker than the 98.

The mods that a lot of people do first are a K&N filter (or equiv) and a cat-back exhaust. Also, I wish I had swapped to the Steeda shifter on day one. It is a HUGE improvement.

Evenflow · Nov 13, 2004

I am alittle older than your son, 17.5 and I recently got a 2004 Mustang GT 5 speed, and haven't looked back yet.

Sounds like your definetly in the market for a 99+, good luck.

arkansas mystic · Nov 13, 2004

Im 19, and bought my cobra back in January of this year. My buddy bought a 2000 GT a month or so later. Both of us are completely satisfied and nerver would think twice about trading for anything else. You can pick up a 96-00 gt, or even a cobra, for a very reasonable price, and i think they are the single funnest car to begin on, without being too much for a beginer to handle. Also, when you get ready to upgrade, the aftermarket for late modle stangs is huge, it is nearly limitless to how far you can go when you get ready. My car has some of the basic mods you are asking about (see signature below), and i've been satisfied with all of them. I think it would be a graet choice with any (v8) stang. imo

myponyrocks · Nov 13, 2004

As far as the emissions thing goes, you may be better off buying a used 99+ If you buy it private party dont believe any thing they say about emissions, while just like a delaership they are concerned about a sale, they have no responsibility for your emissions after the sale.

Most midpipes will not pass strict emissions, catless ones will not at all. Say the car has a non-catted or even a catted midpipe that wont pass, youre looking at 200+ to remedy this. As far as the other mods, they shouldnt affect that at all.

Good luck and welcome to our world

tomustang · Nov 13, 2004

reliability is good, but you should be more concerned about the insurance rates for your son

ACSPONY · Nov 13, 2004

gforcejunkie said:
5. What are the best mods to do? Nothing radical, no nos, turbos, etc...
Okay, well maybe a small shot of nos in the future.

I'm workin on the mods right now...but take a look at everyone's signature (the box below their posts) and you should get an idea of some good/fun things to give the pony some giddyup. I'm 16 and my GT isn't too much to handle, of course I haven't really gotten it up there too fast but your son shouldn't have a problem. A lot of my friends are drivin 2001 this and 2004 that but in my opinion, nothing beats the history and beauty of a stang
Good luck, and welcome to the boards.
~A.C.

arkansas mystic · Nov 13, 2004

Forgot to mention that, insurance on a teenage male with a stang is a (insert word of choice here).

Get E Up 98 · Nov 13, 2004

arkansas mystic said:
Forgot to mention that, insurance on a teenage male with a stang is a (insert word of choice here).

agreed he will be paying quite a bit for his insurance...although im 23 I am paying a pretty low monthly insurance payment

TrevX · Nov 13, 2004

I'm 17...will be 18 on Jan 22nd of 2005.....I am happy with my '04 GT...my parents bought me it for christmas/birthday last december that just past...it'll be a year old this upcoming month. The 2004's are faster than the 97-98's and are really reliable cars. As far as gas mileage that just depends on the driver (me myself probably I get around 15mpg because my foots in it all the time) lol. But in the city they say your suppose to get around 17mpg on an average driver.

Plus on the newer mustangs they seem to take light mods alot better than the old ones.

*edit:* If he does end up getting a Mustang GT...keep him on your insurance because it will be alot cheaper for him...even if your going to make him pay the insurance just make him give you the money for it...its alot cheaper.

Pitch Black · Nov 13, 2004

Insurance won't be a problem if he's on YOUR policy and the car is NOT under his name. I had 98 Camaro Z28 when I was 17. The car was under my fathers name and I was just an added insured driver on the policy. Insurance was around $100 a month with the student and DDC discounts.

gforcejunkie · Nov 13, 2004

Get E Up 98 said:
agreed he will be paying quite a bit for his insurance...although im 23 I am paying a pretty low monthly insurance payment

For just liability only, my insurance agent said it doesn't matter what kind of car he gets. I was really suprised at this. Farmers Insurance, Texas. About $728 for 6 months.

Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking 2000 GT now, 5 speed, black or maybe white, minimal mods or bone stock. The first thing he does (or doesn't do) to piss me off, the Stang's mine.

gforcejunkie · Nov 13, 2004

Get E Up 98 said:
agreed he will be paying quite a bit for his insurance...although im 23 I am paying a pretty low monthly insurance payment

For just liability only, my insurance agent said it doesn't matter what kind of car he gets.
I was really suprised at this. Farmers Insurance, Texas. About $728 for 6 months.

Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking 2000 GT now, 5 speed, black or maybe white,
minimal mods or bone stock (for now ).
The first thing he does (or doesn't do) to piss me off, the Stang's mine.

TrevX · Nov 13, 2004

Thats harsh ! Oh well.

Btw...I'd go with black. (IMO)

gforcejunkie · Nov 13, 2004

TrevX said:
Thats harsh ! Oh well.

Btw...I'd go with black. (IMO)

I'm not really that mean. But, I'll probably come up with some good excuses why I need to drive the GT and he needs to drive the 4 cyl. HONDA Accord.

Yeah, I'd really prefer the black.

BTW, how do you delete posts?

onesticker · Nov 13, 2004

You must not be that mean....my father didn't buy me a car when I was a kid. Certainly not a Mustang.

tomustang · Nov 13, 2004

TrevX said:
Btw...I'd go with black. (IMO)

i second the motion

good luck

tomustang · Nov 13, 2004

gforcejunkie said:
BTW, how do you delete posts?

you become moderator

gforcejunkie · Nov 14, 2004

Damn, couldn't sleep last night. Kept thinking about Mustang GT's and mods and stuff. I'm sick.

Another idea.
What about getting a '90? It would be a lot cheaper, leaving more $ for mods and stuff. Plus, the '90 looks to me to be a bit smaller than the later ones.
Any known problems with those? Or does this idea suck?

tomustang · Nov 14, 2004

you got hit by the horsepower bug...

whoa one question at a time. are you sure you're buying this car for your son. i really wouldn't want to get my kid a fast car and then make it a really fast car...

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