very high miles...5.0 vs 4.6

[mcompton]

For a long long time I have been wanting a mustang (if we are honest.....who doesnt want one at lest....)

Anyway, I am close to actually buying one....but I have a question.

I put about 1000 miles a WEEK on my cars. Now I realize that this is not a honda that is made as a comutter car, and so I will have to make some comprimises. For running up some high highway miles like this, what would be a better choice of car? the 5.0 or the 4.6? My main concerns are MPG and reliability.

some opinions please?

 

[battyice]

Both engines are extremely reliable and get decent fuel economy on the highway. Although I dare say that the 4.6 might be a tad easier on fuel. Best way to compare would be to talk to someone with a 4.6 and see what they get for mileage. My '89 will still get 25mpg on the interstate with 2.73's.

 

[millhouse]

I honestly think that it's going to be wash with the edge going to the 4.6 (and I'll tell you why in a second). Both engines have proven themselves to last a very very long time...and keep their performance with age (as long as they are well maintained). The 5.0 is going to be a bit cheaper for fixing common wear and tear items. Both are going to get a reasonable amount of gas mileage.

The only problem I see though with the 5.0 is that it is going to be more diffacult to find a lower mileage example for a reasonable price. That's not to say that it wont last if already has high mileage...but it certainly wouldnt hurt to have less.

The 4.6 is going to be a smoother ride due to it's engine, better chassis support, better brakes etc.

It will however be more expensive and diffacult to mod compaired to the 5.0.

I currently drive my 89 60+ miles per day with no problems. I get around 20 mpg with my mods and an average speed of 80+mph, and frequent downshifts to pass.

I used to drive her over 240 miles per day for three months if you could believe it.

 

[Jo_885o]

I'd say 4.6, even though i have a five-o, my friends 98 gt gets good mpg and has 90 on the clock. Most of them highway. But it drives the same as when brand new and does have a edge on the five with the susp. and brakes. (already metioned by millhouse) And he has some mods to go along with it. Its just a excellent daily driver in my opinion.

 

[chevyboy_z28]

I'd say 4.6, even though i have a five-o, my friends 98 gt gets good mpg and has 90 on the clock. Most of them highway. But it drives the same as when brand new and does have a edge on the five with the susp. and brakes. (already metioned by millhouse) And he has some mods to go along with it. Its just a excellent daily driver in my opinion.

actually shes closer to 100k, its at 99,xxx itll prolly be at 100k before we go to the dream cruise on saturday ...as for the drivability, it gets like 300 miles to the tank in city driving and could prolly stretch 400 on the highway. the synthetic oil, headers and intake stuff help out alot with the mpg but it always got decent mileage even stock, ide say go with the 4.6.

 

[Js5ohLX]

My old 88 with 273 gears and speed density went for 32-35 mpg on the highway. At the track with street tires, it ran 14.3 with 180,000 miles on it, and bone stock except for the removed air silencer. Plus, fox bodies look better. (just my opinion)

 

[Steedaq]

I don't know too much about the 5.0's, but I have a stock '99 GT with 140K hard miles on it that gets around 25 mpg (highway). I use Mobil 1 and change the oil every 5000. I'll go through about a quart every 5000 miles. Just my .02

 

[millhouse]

My old 88 with 273 gears and speed density went for 32-35 mpg on the highway. At the track with street tires, it ran 14.3 with 180,000 miles on it, and bone stock except for the removed air silencer. Plus, fox bodies look better. (just my opinion)

I'm sorry, I dont do this often but about the mpg. It's just not happening.

The average 5.0 stock with 2.73's is going to get 23-25mph tops on the freeway.

 

[Jo_885o]

hey chevyboy_z28 nate has some ported tw heads and did'nt even wanna tell us. Sounds like he had them for maybe a week or so, he got them from fox lake stage 1 or 2 ported.

 

[super302]

if its just a daily driver and you are gonna keep it stock, i would say get the 4.6.

 

[v8only]

I haven't experienced (unfortunetly) ownership of an sn95 vehicle, however, if you can find a low mileage 5.0, I'd put the money on that anyday.

reasons are plentiful. Maintainted (or even not) a 5.0 will go forever. My friends highly maintained 89 5.0 has 240k on the stock longblock, no rebuild and goes 13.5's racing at least two weekends out of the month.

Parts are WAY cheaper for the 5.0. you've also got the rest of the car to consider too. At 1000 miles a week, that's 4k a month, which is nearly 50k a year. At that rate, the sn95's gonna have a ton of miles, as will the 5.0. However, with the 5.0, you 've only got an eec iv computer, with the sn95, 4.6L, you've got to deal with the obd2, which enters a whole new realm of expense, and troubleshooting.

DOn't forget the drivetrain too. While the t5 is not a tko, imo, I would trust it any day over a t45 from a newer stang.

Honestly, if you were to take a 200k 5.0 mustang, and a 4.6 200k mustang, i'd take the 5.0 anyday. It's easier to work on by yourself, it's cheaper to maintain. In the end, both cars will likely have similar breakdown experiences, however, you'll wind up paying much more in the end for that sn95 car.

this ALL hinges on finding a VERY clean ultralow miles 5.0 and driving the piss out of it, or dropping in a new engine. at 4k a month, no old engine is going to last a long time.

best of both worlds, buy a 5.0 sn95 car...though I hear those are plaqued with electrical issues.

 

[afast93stang]

Ive got a 89 5.0/5spd with 166k miles on it in my 93 coupe, still get 25 mpg on the highway with my 3.08s... Its my daily driver also.

 

[5.0's 4 ever]

Gas mileage I would give the upper hand to 4.6, my cobra gets 21mpg on the highway. That is with 4.30s going 80mph at close to 3100rpms. When stock the best my 88 would do is 20mpg with an AOD and 3.27s on the highway. Reliability I would say the 5.0, the engine can just take more abuse and neglect. When buying a 5.0 now you are buying a pretty old car. Suspension components more than likely will be worn out along with other stuff, so be ready to spend some money. You could buy an older 5.0 that the previous owner has already replaced a majority of things but that will reflect in the price.

 

[87'GTstang]

I'm sorry, I dont do this often but about the mpg. It's just not happening.

The average 5.0 stock with 2.73's is going to get 23-25mph tops on the freeway.

I second that one

The 5.0 is God when it comes to reliability and it is nothing short of legendary. It was a great engine and was made for nearly 40 years (289 included) and rightfully so. It took a long time to find something to beat it, but the bottom line remains that it can take a lot of abuse and keep on ticking. I have an original longblock in the 87' with 282k miles and it runs so strong that i'm toying with the idea of just reconditioning it and seeing how long it will last (being the only problem is 1 qt of oil every 500 miles). The 4.6 will get better gas mileage and for good reason. It was born in an era of more stingent fuel economy and had the programming to make it run that way. I've seen all-around mpg of the 5.0 to be 18-23 and the 4.6 to be 20-26. Of course numbers change all the time but this seems to be the average range of "real" answers for both from which I have personally heard from times past.

 

[chevyboy_z28]

all you guys keep saying that 5.0s last forever and there the greatest thing to grace a mustang, but every high mileage 5.0 ive seen needs an oil pump becasue its ***** the bed, or the motor has been rebuilt for other reasons! i have never seen a 100K+ mileage 5.0 with stock internals that runs decent. now a motor that will truly last forever is the genII LT1, itll get 200k easily. however since this guy is only considering mustangs thats really irrevelant. as for the comment that fox bodies look better...are you out of your dam mind?

 

[millhouse]

all you guys keep saying that 5.0s last forever and there the greatest thing to grace a mustang, but every high mileage 5.0 ive seen needs an oil pump becasue its ***** the bed, or the motor has been rebuilt for other reasons! i have never seen a 100K+ mileage 5.0 with stock internals that runs decent. now a motor that will truly last forever is the genII LT1, itll get 200k easily. however since this guy is only considering mustangs thats really irrevelant. as for the comment that fox bodies look better...are you out of your dam mind?

As your name suggest, you seem to be quite biased...and perhaps a bit blinded by brand loyalty.

If you were to do a search about high mileage 5.0's in here, you will see that that are many...many still running great near or past 200k miles

I have also never heard of this mass oil pump issues that you claim the 5.0 suffers. Almost every high mileage 5.0 I've see still has the stock pump in place with no issues.

I have several camaro friends I hang around with, and every single one of them hates the lts for one major reason. The optijunk ignition.

As far as looks go, they are subjective. I personally despise the looks of the 3rd gens. As they say though, opinions are like

 

[chevyboy_z28]

maybe its all coincidence that most 5.0s i see are junk , maybe i just dont know jack about cars , maybe i should just crawl back into my chevy loving hole (camaroz28.com) and cry about how much i miss my camaro ...maybe not ! i prolly havent been at this car stuff for as long as some of you may have, but im a good observer and i know what ive seen. 5.0s blow oil pumps, and four6s split intakes! you should be proud that your car isnt a piece of crap like some of its siblings, but the point at hand is if this guy, who hasnt even posted again since he started this thread doesnt know much about cars or isnt mechanically inclined, then he'll prolly run into alot of problems with both the fiveO, and the four6... im not necessarily saying that the 4.6 is a better motor of the 2, b/c for one there of two different breeds, however you have to admit, overall the 4.6 does seem better suited for this guys needs? anyway i apologize for bringing up chevy so much in my posts, its just so hard to adapt to this change...its like im used to eating sirloin steak and now im fed dog food j/k!

 

[Jo_885o]

hahaha!!!!!

 

[millhouse]

maybe its all coincidence that most 5.0s i see are junk , maybe i just dont know jack about cars , maybe i should just crawl back into my chevy loving hole (camaroz28.com) and cry about how much i miss my camaro ...maybe not ! i prolly havent been at this car stuff for as long as some of you may have, but im a good observer and i know what ive seen. 5.0s blow oil pumps, and four6s split intakes! you should be proud that your car isnt a piece of crap like some of its siblings, but the point at hand is if this guy, who hasnt even posted again since he started this thread doesnt know much about cars or isnt mechanically inclined, then he'll prolly run into alot of problems with both the fiveO, and the four6... im not necessarily saying that the 4.6 is a better motor of the 2, b/c for one there of two different breeds, however you have to admit, overall the 4.6 does seem better suited for this guys needs? anyway i apologize for bringing up chevy so much in my posts, its just so hard to adapt to this change...its like im used to eating sirloin steak and now im fed dog food j/k!

To say that all, or a majority of 5.0's are going to blow their oil pumps, and all (again, or a majority) of 4.6's are going to split their intakes is a reduculios assumtion. Just because you have seen a friends do so does not make it the norm. In fact it is very, very very much not the norm. The 4.6 intake problem only comes on when adding nitrous. Backfires can be vicious, and are particually destructive when it comes to plastic.

Perhaps you should go back to cz28 if for anything else just to get away from me....but oh wait, I'm a member their too (btw, I'm kidding )

I do agree with the 4.6 being a better daily driver though. As a matter of fact, I expressed said opinions on the first page

 

[tunedin302]

Mcompton - I'm in a similar position. I drive a 1982 Volvo w/ 250,000 miles as a daily driver (I put about 120 miles a day on it). Then my stang gets almost 1000 miles a year. Get a beater car and save the stang. It will cost you more to replace all the worn parts on the stang after 50,000 a year than to spend $1000 on a beater/daily driver.