Reliability

[GH1086]

I will possibly be getting a 93 GT manual, is this a reliable car, I will be driving it everyday, and my friend has had bad experiences with older cars, I absolutely need this car to run everyday, if this is the case should I be looking for a different car? Or are the things that go wrong just minor little things?

 

[HISSIN50]

Well, this could be a little more vague. Are you good at working on cars? what is the condition of this car you are looking at? Information like that might help.

However, whether these cars are reliable: plenty of people use them as their only DD. Sure, there are always a few small things going wrong and bigger things crop up (gets back to whether you are inclined to work on things and dont mind it). If you are one to have a mechanic work on the car whenever something breaks, a newer car might be a better choice (though these are pretty straight-forward to work on, and you know you have a forum of folks waiting to help you out however they can).

Good luck with the decision.

 

[wythors]

I got my 93 in early 99 with about 30,000 miles on it. It is now at about 93,000 and was my daily driver for the first 5 years I've owned it. During that time, the only things that I've had to replace due to wear were the tires and the convertible top. Other than that, just regular maintenance stuff like spark plugs and oil changes regularly and the upgrades that I've made have been it. This has been the best car that I've ever owned. But it will all depend upon how the car you're looking at has been taken care of. Good luck.

 

[VG30DE]

I drove my car to florida last july, drove it to new york last weekend, and take it whenever and wherever I want to go, the fox is a damn reliable vehicle, especially if you dont race it, but even if you do.

 

[sirr0bin]

I daily drove my mustang for 2 summers, and it was dead reliable. Always started, anything that was going to break gave me lots of warning, and lucky there was very little that broke

 

[CJMcLean]

The 5.0 is probably one of the most reliable engines around provided it is maintained and taken care of. A family friend of ours clocked over 330,000 on a Lincoln Towncar w/ 5.0 engine with normal maintenance and frequent oil changes. You will, however, be likely to replace accessories like power steering pumps, alternators, etc.

 

[tjm73]

I will possibly be getting a 93 GT manual, is this a reliable car, I will be driving it everyday, and my friend has had bad experiences with older cars, I absolutely need this car to run everyday, if this is the case should I be looking for a different car? Or are the things that go wrong just minor little things?

Due to it's age you will have maintenance things that pop up from time to time. But if it's near stock, it'll be one of the best cars you ever own. I've never had a Mustang let me down or leave me stranded. As long as you keep oil and water in the 302 I don't think you can break it at stock or near stock power levels.

Things to think about...
Does it needs new sturts & shocks?
Does it need new suspension bushings?
Does it need new brakes?
What are the door seals like?

But as long as everything is in order, they are dead reliable.
It will probably need a tune up (plugs/wires/cap/rotor/etc...)

 

[oldman]

Bought my 93 GT new. At 160,000 miles replaced engine. Water pump at 130,000. Other than regular main. nothing else. Now has 197,000 miles. Original heater core, radiator, fan, dist., tranny. Now that I've said this, it will prob. drop dead tomorrow...lol. Anyway, mine's been very reliable.

Randy

 

[rd]

I think they are some of the best vehicles around. Fast, comfortable, reliable, and relatively easy to fix when needed. Fords generally fail with minor stuff, or wear it out, or partially fail and will usually get you home one way or another, unlike most other cars I have owned.

I have 265,000 on my 79, still capable of being driven every day, even though it isn't.

 

[trbkrb]

My car has been my daily driver for over 18 years and 257,000 miles. IMO with regular maintenance and a little bit of care, it will last a good long time. Has my car broken down? Yes, it has. Has it stranded me? Yes a few times (4 or 5). But overall, the repairs were minor and I was back on the road in a few hours or a few days at the most. If you are inclined to work on them yourself, they are pretty easy to fix.

But the reliability of your particular car will largely depend on how it was maintained. Some have bought "trouble free" cars, and others have bought lemons due to the careless prior owners.

Good luck on your search, and hope you can find a good one.