So, I'm looking to buy my first car!

GoogleFace · May 4, 2009

Yep its about that time. I've saved up $3,000 and I've been looking for a nice fox body mustang. I'm in the tri-state, so if anyone has any leads please do let me know!!

I've been looking at an 87 Mustang GT. It's currently garaged, has a recent paint job, the trans and motor are from an 88 and it has some things like a steeda clutch, steeda clutch cable and some other things. Here is the listing.

Up for grabs is an 87 Mustang GT that I was going to be completely redo. The car is not finished, and I am in a bad financial situation so the car must go sadly. I bought the car 2 years ago for 2500, and have since replaced the floor pans (a common problem on must of these body styles) and also repainted, carpeted and upholstered the interior which cost about 2000 alone!! The car has had 88 engine and tranny swap which have about 90,000 miles on it. I do not have the documentation, but you can clearly see the work was done, and also by matching the engine numbers you can see that it is not the original eq. The car has flowmaster exhaust, cold air intake, centerforce clutch, short throw shifter, and steeda clutch cable adjuster. The car runs and drives great, just needs to be finished off. Currently the battery is dead, so the car will not start...but I can assure you it runs great. I have all parts that were removed and repainted, and clean title. New tires also.

First 2000 takes it.

The seats aren't installed and I will have to buy some seat rails before I can install the racing seats that the current owner has.

The floor pans were all replaced and the interior has been redone. All the parts in the picture that aren't shown were taken off and repainted and are included.

I'm just looking for a car I can work on here and there, that can reliably get me where I need to go, and is above all safe.

The $2,000 price is a reduction from $3,500.

So guys, what do you think?

LOTS of information appreciated!!!!

LaserSVT · May 4, 2009

I like it. $1700 should take it. Does it come with all the interior pieces or do you have to get them? Also the seat brackets can be quite expensive depending on what brand seats you have. Looks like a fun project and I see its a stripper model

GoogleFace · May 4, 2009

LaserSVT said:
I like it. $1700 should take it. Does it come with all the interior pieces or do you have to get them? Also the seat brackets can be quite expensive depending on what brand seats you have. Looks like a fun project and I see its a stripper model

LOL dude, stripper model?

Yep, it comes with all the interior pieces. I'll give him another call tomorrow.

If I get it, the first thing I am buying for it are some 18x9 Chrome Saleen wheels and some 5 lug conversion spacers.

foxmustangman · May 5, 2009

looks nice. That will be a nice project to work on with half of it already done and torn apart. Hope you get it!

QUICK91LX · May 5, 2009

I am local to you...I passed on that car myself. You can get something better than that with your $3000

strtrcr50 · May 5, 2009

1990 Mustang Conv. GT
I'd be very leary of a car that has had the floor pans changed. Who knows if it was done right.

GoogleFace · May 5, 2009

QUICK91LX said:
I am local to you...I passed on that car myself. You can get something better than that with your $3000

Hey there man, did you go and see it?

Thanks for all the replies guys!!!

NIKwoaC · May 5, 2009

Unless it is an absolutely amazing one-in-a-lifetime steal, I would NEVER buy someone's failed project. Believe me, there is a reason he ran out of money trying to build it, and you don't want to blow your savings only to find that for one reason or another its undrivable and you don't have enough coin to get it there.

My suggestion to you is to keep looking. It may be hard to find a straight Fox for just 3 grand these days, but they are still out there. Convertibles seem to go for cheaper than hard tops, so keep that in mind.

Above all, avoid cars that are already torn into. Believe me, years down the road you'll have some obscure problem that you can't seem to figure out, and it will turn out to be due to shoddy work of the previous owner. Try to find something relatively stock, and you'll have less headaches.

Lastly, be patient. It took me a year to find my car, but I picked it up for just 5000$. Try to find a bone-stock '86 GT T-Top with only 30K miles on it these days for less than that- you won't. Keep looking, the deals are out there.

Mustang5L5 · May 5, 2009

GoogleFace said:
I'm just looking for a car I can work on here and there, that can reliably get me where I need to go, and is above all safe.

Then a Mustang is not what you are looking for.

An 87 is 22 years old. I know 5.0's are considered reliable cars, but sound's like you are looking into someone's failed project.

GoogleFace · May 5, 2009

NikwoaC said:
Unless it is an absolutely amazing one-in-a-lifetime steal, I would NEVER buy someone's failed project. Believe me, there is a reason he ran out of money trying to build it, and you don't want to blow your savings only to find that for one reason or another its undrivable and you don't have enough coin to get it there.

My suggestion to you is to keep looking. It may be hard to find a straight Fox for just 3 grand these days, but they are still out there. Convertibles seem to go for cheaper than hard tops, so keep that in mind.

Above all, avoid cars that are already torn into. Believe me, years down the road you'll have some obscure problem that you can't seem to figure out, and it will turn out to be due to shoddy work of the previous owner. Try to find something relatively stock, and you'll have less headaches.

Lastly, be patient. It took me a year to find my car, but I picked it up for just 5000$. Try to find a bone-stock '86 GT T-Top with only 30K miles on it these days for less than that- you won't. Keep looking, the deals are out there.

Yeah dude, you are probably right. I've been looking for a while and it really sucks when you get your hopes up for a car, then you go and see it and it really sucks. It has happened before.

I guess it won't hurt to go take a look at the car.

Also, the car DOES NOT have a clean title. There was an accident where a previous hit a deer or something. At least this is what the current owner has told me. Who knows.

25thmustang · May 5, 2009

Buy a carfax account, look into everything online, and go see them. Without driving, and looking around, in and under noone here can say yes or no on buying it. What looks good in a 2x3 photo on the net, might be hacked together junk, or the best deal in town?

Where are you looking to buy? You say Tri-state area, so I assume, NY, NJ, CT?

S&B · May 5, 2009

sounds fishy, wait till something better comes along, it will

strtrcr50 · May 5, 2009

NikwoaC said:
Lastly, be patient. It took me a year to find my car, but I picked it up for just 5000$. Try to find a bone-stock '86 GT T-Top with only 30K miles on it these days for less than that- you won't. Keep looking, the deals are out there.

+1 It took me months to find a car that was bone stock down to the air silencer with working A/C.

S&B · May 5, 2009

I bought my notch (first one) wayyyyy to quick now I know, Fwiw i scored my 92 vert in mint condition for 3,800 b/c i waited. Its probably near imposible for a person of your age to wait, i wouldn't have, but if you do it will pay off

GoogleFace · May 5, 2009

Wow guys, thanks for all the replies and advice.

I think you guys are right, maybe it is better to just wait for something, however it is really hard because every 5.0 is so tempting!!!

strtrcr50 · May 5, 2009

GoogleFace said:
Wow guys, thanks for all the replies and advice.

I think you guys are right, maybe it is better to just wait for something, however it is really hard because every 5.0 is so tempting!!!

Go hit craigslist. I found the one I posted in less than a minute.

GoogleFace · May 5, 2009

25thmustang said:
Buy a carfax account, look into everything online, and go see them. Without driving, and looking around, in and under noone here can say yes or no on buying it. What looks good in a 2x3 photo on the net, might be hacked together junk, or the best deal in town?

Where are you looking to buy? You say Tri-state area, so I assume, NY, NJ, CT?

Yep, NY, NJ and CT.

I don't really want to travel over an hour away.

S&B · May 5, 2009

go look at cars that are 4-4,500 thats going to be your target. If you decide to go look at a car take out all your money so you have 3k CAsh in hand. You didn't say how old you were so I am going to assume your old enough to know how to handle buying the car.

I always look it over very well, and when i look under the car at the tq boxes i always look a bit dissapointed. No one ever knows what your looking at under the car anyway then take it for a ride if all pans out, tell the guy about the economy and the work you have to do to get it were it needs to be. Say you have 3K Show them the cash, and very rarly will people turn you down. Now if someone is asking more than 4,500 forget it at that price people are not going to move 2k.

If they say no here's a trick i learned from my dad. Tell them that you have another car your looking at the next day. Give them your phone number talk with them about hom much selling a car is a PITA. Then say that your offer stands untill 9PM that night after that forget about the 3K. Usually they call back at about 8:30. It worked for me an my dad when we got a boat (7,500 for 5k) and when I bought my house.
If not move on to the next one, some people think there crap is gold, Its just a car your not buying a 1993 cobra, there are over a MILLION out there

If your 16, make sure you take your dad

90lxcoupe · May 5, 2009

I probably looked at 20 cars before i found the right one... dont buy someones junk though, if its modified take a good look at the person that did the work, what thier yard looks like, house garage whatever. These things have nothing to do with a car, but if you go to someones house and the siding is falling off and thier lawn is a foot high, do you really think that they "Changed the oil every 3000 miles with MOBIL 1" like every add says????

GoogleFace · May 5, 2009

Wow guys, I appreciate all of the replies and comments-I seriously do.

I'm 19 and I wheel and deal all the time. So being able to widdle down the price of a car shouldn't be a huge problem for me.

Your right guys, maybe I should save more money and just keep waiting.

After all, patience is a virtue.

So, I'm looking to buy my first car!

GoogleFace

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