Should I Buy The Fox??

J B · Jan 22, 2018

Hey y’all,

I’m looking for some advice on buying a 1990 Foxbody GT hatchback. I’m needing a car to go to my college and back everyday, which is a 62 mile drive round trip mostly on the interstate. I’m wary of buying such an old car to drive that distance daily, but the car I’m looking at appears to be in great shape inside and out; it’s also WELL within my purchase range. It’s got 110k original miles on the clock, or so the seller claims, and it’s outfitted with headers, exhaust, and a smog pump delete, so it already has what I would want to slap on there as soon as I got it. But again, It’s 28 years old, and I’m wondering if it’s just not the car that I will be able to depend on. My first vehicle was a 91 Ford truck and it was/is a nightmare of fixing sh*t that always went out, but I know that that truck wasn’t well cared for until I bought it.
So educate me Fox gurus, does anyone dd their Foxes? Am I going to be fixing things on the car every few miles?
I’m probably going to get some affordable “economic” car if this is a bad idea (sigh).
Thanks

GroverDill · Jan 22, 2018

buy a toyota or some other cheap dependable car for this task

bird_dog0347 · Jan 22, 2018

So let me get this straight... you think a 28 year old car with those mods only has ONE hundred and ten thousand miles on it? That's like believing a stripper is a virgin.

As for buy the car or not, you didn't give us much to go on, pics and more details please? Otherwise I'd agree a C-Rolla or something along those lines is in order.

FastDriver · Jan 22, 2018

I only drive old cars. All of them are dependable, including the foxes. Foxes always have minor stuff that breaks or goes bad. Rarely though does something deadline a vehicle. That said, I am never dependent on one old vehicle. I have a 16 year old Saturn dd in addition to an 18 year old F250. That makes it easy for me to drop a vehicle off with a mechanic or take it apart for a few days whenever I need to. It still works out cheaper than owning a new vehicle. To this point, knock on wood, no fox has ever left me stranded. The only vehicle that has done that was a GMC Suburban.

General karthief · Jan 22, 2018

Welllll, it's a crap shoot, you could try it, just have an alternative ride to school, someone there will be traveling near or take a few bucks to pick you up for a couple days if needed. Breakdowns can happen with any car.
That said, school is more important
Me, I'd drive the wheels off it, given good tires and belts/hoses and stuff.
Key is alternate ride to school just in case.

bird_dog0347 · Jan 22, 2018

karthief said:
Welllll, it's a crap shoot, you could try it, just have an alternative ride to school, someone there will be traveling near or take a few bucks to pick you up for a couple days if needed. Breakdowns can happen with any car.
That said, school is more important
Me, I'd drive the wheels off it, given good tires and belts/hoses and stuff.
Key is alternate ride to school just in case.

There's always Uber.

95BlueStallion · Jan 22, 2018

If it runs well, and is seriously a solid car, I wouldnt be afraid to DD it. My high school DD '89 GT had 152,000 on it when I bought it (2001). No it wasnt as old, but still had high miles. It was bone stock except for welded in mufflers. I ran it hot on a trip to state wrestling 150 miles each way with low coolant (bad water pump leaked out all the coolant as I drove), replaced the water pump when I got back, and never had a problem with it. And I beat the ever living sht out of it daily.

Looking back I wouldnt do that to it again, but I was 18 and had very little car knowledge. If your truck runs and could be kept as an emergency back up, then it could be fun. Just have a back up plan, and if you cant do that, then buy an econobox to be safe.

J B · Jan 22, 2018

karthief said:
Welllll, it's a crap shoot, you could try it, just have an alternative ride to school, someone there will be traveling near or take a few bucks to pick you up for a couple days if needed. Breakdowns can happen with any car.
That said, school is more important
Me, I'd drive the wheels off it, given good tires and belts/hoses and stuff.
Key is alternate ride to school just in case.

That’s what I was thinking as well, school is more important than a cool car ( I can feel my granddad’s simultaneous agreement and disagreement lol ).
Perhaps I should look for a cheap economy car, but no yotas y'all I have my pride.

J B · Jan 22, 2018

95BlueStallion said:
If it runs well, and is seriously a solid car, I wouldnt be afraid to DD it. My high school DD '89 GT had 152,000 on it when I bought it (2001). No it wasnt as old, but still had high miles. It was bone stock except for welded in mufflers. I ran it hot on a trip to state wrestling 150 miles each way with low coolant (bad water pump leaked out all the coolant as I drove), replaced the water pump when I got back, and never had a problem with it. And I beat the ever living sht out of it daily.

Looking back I wouldnt do that to it again, but I was 18 and had very little car knowledge. If your truck runs and could be kept as an emergency back up, then it could be fun. Just have a back up plan, and if you cant do that, then buy an econobox to be safe.

Thanks for the input, the truck is eh right now but It’s still going. Actually I’m taking it in for some more work later this week now that we’re back to our normal southern winter.

J B · Jan 22, 2018

bird_dog0347 said:
So let me get this straight... you think a 28 year old car with those mods only has ONE hundred and ten thousand miles on it? That's like believing a stripper is a virgin.

As for buy the car or not, you didn't give us much to go on, pics and more details please? Otherwise I'd agree a C-Rolla or something along those lines is in order.

I don’t know man, it’s possible to have lower miles, but I have my doubts too. I posted some pictures in the original post, I meant to do it initially but forgot. I haven’t contacted the guy yet because I’m still undecided. Details from what I gather seem to be like I said, mods listed, claimed low miles, decent shape.

slow84lx · Jan 22, 2018

You need a Honda for this task. They are plentiful, relatively cheap, and dead reliable. It's a lot better to be practical for now, you can have the fun car in a few years when college is behind you and a career started.

95BlueStallion · Jan 22, 2018

^ Sound advice.

However, it looks pretty clean. I would see how it drives, handles, and how the transmission shifts, and go from there.

Rdub6 · Jan 22, 2018

J B said:
That’s what I was thinking as well, school is more important than a cool car ( I can feel my granddad’s simultaneous agreement and disagreement lol ).
Perhaps I should look for a cheap economy car, but no yotas y'all I have my pride.

Stay in school. Get yourself a good job, and in no time you’ll be building whatever car you want! But until then, drive that car and have some fun!

J B · Jan 22, 2018

Y’all are making me think more rationally about this, I think what I might do is go get a thorough look at this car and then decide if it’s worth the trouble. If it’s a no-go then I will look at some more modern economy cars, maybe a civic or something.
That being said, anyone else feel free to chime in with your opinions/experiences I appreciate it.

Rdub6 · Jan 22, 2018

I had a 65 Mustang ..... 4 spd with a 70 something 302 when I was going to college in the early 90’s. It wasn’t working out trying to work on it and drive back and forth to school.
I sold it and bought a fox body, I guess it was about 6 or 7 years old at the time. I had a blast with it, and here I am with a Fox again....... but damn do I miss that 65.
Your Foxes were my 65’s. If you got a chance to get a good one, GET IT !

mikestang63 · Jan 22, 2018

you got tools?

Mstng93SSP · Jan 23, 2018

bird_dog0347 said:
So let me get this straight... you think a 28 year old car with those mods only has ONE hundred and ten thousand miles on it? That's like believing a stripper is a virgin.

Wait....you are making me feel uneasy about my virgin stripper girlfriend Bambi....and the 12k original mile '85 we cruise in......

Personally I would buy the fox...they are so easy to fix if anything breaks.

Steel1 · Jan 23, 2018

I would buy.....(insert mid 2000s Japanese car here).....for now, plentiful, cheap to buy/repair and if you stick with the big brands reliable.
Also is snow a concern where you are? Although it seems to snow/sleet everywhere these days.

Mustang5L5 · Jan 23, 2018

I actually don't know what to recommend here.

But I miss college, but sure don't miss paying for it.

General karthief · Jan 23, 2018

Dump the college, grab the fox, get a job at wal mart, beat the snot outta that stang, it's the american way!

Should I Buy The Fox??

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I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

still married haven't seen testicles in years

My assy trans to myself

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clean it good before insertion

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So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

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So while I wait to figure out my rear end issues

You have a nice rear end there Dave.

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

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