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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

Should I Buy The Fox??

  • Thread starter Thread starter J B
  • Start date Start date Jan 22, 2018
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    advice dalydriver fox body gt hatchback help new guy
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FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet
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#41
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #41
May I humbly recommend 2001-2002 Saturn SL2? 36-38 mpg (42 max). Fiberglass body (doesn't dent). Cheaper and as reliable as the corrolas. Super simple. Millions in the junkyards for cheap parts.
 
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Mstng93SSP

You have a nice rear end there Dave.
15 Year Member
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#42
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #42
Guys, Listen. This is like saying do you want the hot stripper girlfriend who does lots of "fun things", who might from time to time need some attention from another "mechanic", but is a 10+ on the fun factor hotness scale...or the 30 lb overweight nerd girlfriend who is loyal, low maintenance and her idea of a "good time" is dinner AND a movie? When you are in college, cars, like girls are temporary...go with the fun one.....
 
Reactions: Davedacarpainter

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,253
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Massachusetts
Jan 26, 2018
#43
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #43
Get a 99-04. Much better as a DD and most likely faster anyway
 
Reactions: 02 281 GT and FastDriver

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
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Jan 26, 2018
#44
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #44
Mstng93SSP said:
Guys, Listen. This is like saying do you want the hot stripper girlfriend who does lots of "fun things", who might from time to time need some attention from another "mechanic", but is a 10+ on the fun factor hotness scale...or the 30 lb overweight nerd girlfriend who is loyal, low maintenance and her idea of a "good time" is dinner AND a movie? When you are in college, cars, like girls are temporary...go with the fun one.....
Click to expand...


I thought fat chicks were like mopeds..........
 
Reactions: Davedacarpainter and Mstng93SSP

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor
Admin Dude
Jan 4, 1985
43,075
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234
Box behind Walmart
Jan 26, 2018
#45
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #45
I think roughly $5k on top of a good running, original mile, mostly stock Fox, will get you a reliable DD.

There's lots of threads around here about pulling all the junk out and putting good stuff in:

https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/1985-gt-i-finally-have-a-t-top-car.898132/

Here's one.
 
Reactions: General karthief

88LXSleeper

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#46
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #46
College parking lot, store parking lot, where ever you go stuff can happen. That's why mine is not too pretty, I would rather drive it and enjoy it rather than shine it up in the driveway and park it back in the garage. I've have known lots of cars too nice and people afraid to take it anywhere, what's the use, drive it and enjoy it, your only young once.
 
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FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet
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#47
  • Jan 26, 2018
  • #47
I believe you can drive it, enjoy it, and park it way the hell away from anyone if you try hard enough.
 
Reactions: General karthief and Mstng93SSP

Adieu

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.
20+ Year Stangneter
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#48
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #48
I had a fox for a daily driver once... and another fox as a backup car... and an old beat up Chevy pickup as a backup to the backup.

I don't recommend old cars for a daily unless they're Asian (and I don't include Mitsubishi in that category, they've been corrupted by Chrysler far too much) or a GM truck.

FastDriver said:
May I humbly recommend 2001-2002 Saturn SL2? 36-38 mpg (42 max). Fiberglass body (doesn't dent). Cheaper and as reliable as the corrolas. Super simple. Millions in the junkyards for cheap parts.
Click to expand...

There are exceptions. My 1994 Saturn SL1 (only FWD car I've ever owned, learned to drive stick in the thing) was indestructible.
 

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet
SN Certified Technician
Sep 5, 2001
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Jan 27, 2018
#49
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #49
I'd put my Saturn and Ford Truck up against anything from overseas or from Chevy .
 

Adieu

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 7, 2002
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#50
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #50
FastDriver said:
I'd put my Saturn and Ford Truck up against anything from overseas or from Chevy .
Click to expand...

Having owned all of the above and worked on all of the above for a living, nope. I've had two Ford trucks, one old and one new, not doing that again. Saturns are an exception because GM built them like Asian cars until they ruined the brand with badge-engineering in the early 2000s. When GM took Saturn's autonomy and identity, they destroyed the brand.
 
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Blown88GT

Founding Member
Nov 13, 1999
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Jan 27, 2018
#51
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #51
GroverDill said:
buy a toyota or some other cheap dependable car for this task
Click to expand...
Yes.
This is a car you want after you graduate & get a job.
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? ....
Click to expand...
I only have 57K on mine.
 

dgollem

20+ Year Stangneter
May 5, 2004
211
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Jan 27, 2018
#52
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #52
You don't say if you cac and do work on your own cars. If you don't, move on to something newer. Older cars tend to need more repairs like control arm bushings, rear axle bearings and seals, pinion seals, transmission seals, rear main seals, etc, and while the those parts are not that expensive, the labor can be a killer and can be very costly to pay a shop to replace.
 
Reactions: Adieu

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet
SN Certified Technician
Sep 5, 2001
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Vass, NC
Jan 27, 2018
#53
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #53
74stang2togo said:
Having owned all of the above and worked on all of the above for a living, nope. I've had two Ford trucks, one old and one new, not doing that again. Saturns are an exception because GM built them like Asian cars until they ruined the brand with badge-engineering in the early 2000s. When GM took Saturn's autonomy and identity, they destroyed the brand.
Click to expand...
Did you ever have a 7.3 powerstroke with a manual trans?
 

Adieu

Easy there, this ain't a dating site.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 7, 2002
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Jan 27, 2018
#54
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #54
FastDriver said:
Did you ever have a 7.3 powerstroke with a manual trans?
Click to expand...
Nope, '84 with a 302/AOD and 2014 with the 3.7/6R80. Both were worse in virtually every way than the 1999 GMC, 1975 and 1995 Chevy, 2003 Dodge, and now 2008 Toyota trucks I've owned.

Except for towing, that 2014 was an absolute BEAST at pulling a trailer, better than any I'd owned before (though the Toyota is surprisingly just as good, though better and worse in different ways).
 

Alley Oop

Member
Mar 29, 2017
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Jan 27, 2018
#55
  • Jan 27, 2018
  • #55
My $0.02 worth. Get yourself a Honda Civic or Toy Corolla. College is enough of a chore without the task of keeping a vehicle running. I did my college years driving a VW bug. It was cheap and it almost lasted until my final year (a bearing went, got a rebuild and it lasted until I graduated). This was 40 years ago. After grad I got myself a /70 Dodge Challenger 340, 4 speed stick. It was a blast and no college costs to consider. Got my first mustang a few years ago, 1990 7up with 5 speed. Great car. Life is way easier if you can keep the optional costs close to zero.
 
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