Car people. Buying used car, looking at 89 mustang???? - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

hbwright · 02-11-2013, 12:14 AM

I am looking for something both for my daughter and myself. I have a SUV that needs quite a bit of work and quite frankly was a lemon, but wasn't really able to do anything about it until after warranty, the throttle body module something or other has been tried to be fixed since I bought it and has never been fixed. This causes me to have to cut the engine and restart and I just don't want my young daughter to have to do this. So, we are looking at something affordable and used.

My husbands friend has an 89 Mustang conv that is in amazing shape. He has kept covers on the seats so even the seats have barely seen any sun. No rust, excellent exterior and interior. He says it "Needs a vacuum line for climate control but that's 2.95 also tops in good shape just front hinges need a tack weld but operates great. I am asking 1400 but negotiable."

Funny thing is, this is the same make/model/year car that I learned to drive on when I had my permit until I got my own car and I loved this car. But, my daddy did too and wasn't willing to part with it for a new driver.

We will have my husband's dad look at it as he used to be a mechanic, but does anybody have any ideas about this car in particular? We have back-up obviously but do want a decently reliable car that both my daughter and I will enjoy driving.

Any thoughts or concerns?

SupermotoMike · 02-11-2013, 02:11 AM

What motor/trans?

They call those 'fox' body mustangs. No real glaring problems as long as its been maintained.

If the vac line for climate control is only $3 why doesnt he fix it?

hbwright · 02-11-2013, 03:06 AM

I'm not sure about the motor. It is an automatic transmission. He talked to my husband about a month ago after he just bought a new family vehicle that he just hasn't gotten around to it. At that time he wasn't planning on selling it because he wanted to keep it as a playing around vehicle for when he didn't have to be picking up the kids.

Both he and my husband have always done their own oil changes, so not a whole lot as far as maintanence records,but from the appearance it has been well taken care of. The price sounds right to be also, but other than changing oil, neither my husband or I know beans about cars, though hubby won't admit it.

falnfenix · 02-11-2013, 05:49 AM

they're the easiest of the mustangs to work on and they're frequently nicknamed "LEGO" cars because you can swap in just about any engine and trans you like. pretty much dead reliable, too, but they're awful on gas.

Beaumont67 · 02-11-2013, 06:29 AM

$!400 for a Mustang Conv. is a real good deal IMO, for a rust free one.
- interested in what part of the USA your from, rust free on the outside (paint) is not always the same when it comes to the undercharage and structure, on an old car

If you don`t live in a snow belt, the rear wheel drive (RWD) car would be good for a teenager...parts are cheap for those cars.
15 years ago we put our son in our wifes 10 year old Nissan Pathfinder 4x4, because of the winter roads condition here, and we felt safer with a frame (no unibody) around him.

Spend $100 and have the car prechecked safety by good trusty mechanic (brakes, front end steering components, exhaust, tires, etc. $$) and look for floor rust, do engine compression test and test drive it to insure the transmission switches gears smoothly. I don`t know if your State has emission testing, but that may be something to do ahead of time or have the owner provide it...or can`t plate with a fail.

I could care less about maintenance records and I have been buying used and a few collision units, for 40 years. I just study the sound of the engine (check for dirty and low dip stick engine oil) and check the exhaust tailpipe for unwanted smoke (inspect for red flag, deal breaker). I have never heard of a $3 AC fix - my experience over 2 decades have been $100 freon charge to $2500 once (new compressor pump, AC lines, evaporator, etc.).
Overall the Mustang sounds like real good value, for daughter and moms backup.

**greenkouki** · 02-11-2013, 09:30 AM

The foxbody mustang is a good one, the 2.3l especially and they are super cheap to fix if anything breaks. The early 90s ford rangers are also great reliable little trucks that you can pick up for cheap too, though I'd avoid automatic ford trucks so look for a 5spd. If you can find a cheaper Corolla or Civic they're very good cars that are likely to never have major mechanical problems but it can be a challenge because they generally also cost a bit more for this reason.

hbwright · 02-12-2013, 02:59 AM

Lol, Spencer. I love driving manual vehicles, but I don't think Lara could handle it. She is a great driver but not the most coordinated. I'd be replacing the clutch yearly.

I looked online for a quick search and have found the lines for under 6.00 and they have diagrams for attaching them so this doesn't seem to be a big deal. I have no idea about the "tack weld". My husband called so we'll go look and drive maybe sometime this week.

Beaumont, we are in the southeast. Not much for snow around here. Maybe in a bad winter we'll get 2 snowfalls that last a day on the ground max and a good ice storm every 10 years or so. Its not uncommon to go a winter without snow at all. So far this year I have yet to see a single flake. If needed I would definitely drive my truck in the snow and she will not be driving in snow for quite a while. There just isn't any place here to practice that. When I was growing up we moved to Ohio and my dad took me to learn to drive in it because it was an every day thing. Blech!

Thanks Spencer for the other suggestions. We are still looking around so hopefully if we don't go with this we'll find something good and reliable for us.

falnfenix · 02-12-2013, 05:09 AM

no, see, you let her burn up the clutch and you replace it the first time. and you show her the bill. after that, she replaces it.

Mustangs are forgiving if they don't have race clutches. i learned on one. it was terrifying but i figured it out...and i'm hardly coordinated. i'm the freak who has dropped a motorcycle on herself every time i've ridden one.

Beaumont67 · 02-12-2013, 05:48 AM

LOL...O'h the clutch thing.

+30 years ago.
When we got married I wanted to take the Saturday morning motorcycle driver ed program at a local college parking lot.
Just for fun...$100 to ride 125cc Honda trail bikes.
- and my wife though it would be fun to, so we both took the course together
- so she learned the hand clutch first

A few months later I bought a Datsun B210 (pre Nissan) with clutch for the family car.
With her motorcycle training earlier, she was driving a stick shift quite good with only 5 minutes practice, around the sub division.

+15 years ago.
Our son got his drivers licence and Dad bought him a GMC short box pickup with standard transmission.
He didn't want a stick so I flipped the truck for profit and he got moms Pathfinder automatic.
He said he didn't want to learn to drive a stick, and a few years later had the change to drive a Viper V10 and Dad laughed at him when he said he could only drive an auto...and woundn't even be able to get the car out the driveway.
- I have a 4 speed muscle car (Beaunont big block) and sold a 1970 GTO Judge 4 speed earlier
Son soon realized there was much to miss out on, not learning to drive a standard trans.
In his early 20's he bought a Nissan 350Z and he wore off $1000 worth of rear tires in the first month.
- but it was a fun sports car we both enjoyed driving, for a few years

dobermansrule · 02-12-2013, 10:09 AM

I've had two Mustangs - a '65 and a '71. As much nostalgia I attach to them, from my younger years, I would never own one today. '89 is later model, but IMHO, the Mustang went down hill. If you are looking for a reliable daily driver, I would look elsewhere.

blueberry · 02-12-2013, 10:15 AM

My parents bought me a 1988 one (it was a few years old when I got it) It seemed to have a few expensive problems. I don't think I would want another one....

AgileDobe · 02-12-2013, 10:45 AM

I am not the car junkie in the house, so I don't really know the cars inside and out; heck, I can't drive a manual! I drive an '02 Ford Escape- it makes a good great dog hauling vehicle and is still small enough for city driving and parking. My father bought it as a repairable, and it has served me well. Since I was born my parents have had Mustangs, so it sort of runs in the family. Cars are the "other" hobby in the house after the dogs.

The 89' GT though is up there as one one of my favorites. I do have my new and old favorites though. For new- it is hands down the 2013 Boss 302. What a car...

I couldn't find photos of just the '89 my mother owns, so here is the collection.

falnfenix · 02-12-2013, 10:46 AM

any car can have expensive problems if you don't know how to fix them OR if you go to a shop that overcharges. it also depends on what your idea of expensive is.

an older domestic is probably the cheapest on repair costs. parts are easy to find, shops know how to work on them, and you don't have issues with ECUs and sensors and all that hooey. they're also easy enough to work on if you've got the willingness to learn.

my SO's first car was a Mustang 2, and he learned how to fix the engine by taking it apart, putting all the parts on a sheet in the order in which he took them off, finding the broken part (and buying a new one at the parts store a short bike ride from his houe), then reversing the order in which he took everything off. if a 16-year-old can do it, so can anyone else.

hbwright · 02-13-2013, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AgileDobe

Wow, what a collection!! To think I collect nothing but paperwork on my desk!! lol

Thanks y'all for the opinions. We have not heard back from him since my husband left a message yesterday so we're waiting.

If it were up to me I'd love a manual trans. I learned on one and had a lot of fun teaching friends, one time at a field at a bike rally so my friend could help me drive to the back from the mountains that night. Surprisingly the car survived that night. I had no trouble learning at all as it just came naturally to me. My daughter, on the other hand, can barely breath and walk at the same time.

ajp240 · 02-13-2013, 09:18 AM

I personally would look elsewhere. I had a '90 mustang convertible and it was a total pain. Always something to fix.

What about looking at older Hondas or Toyotas? One of the best cars reliability-wise I owned was an '87 Honda Prelude Si, or a '97 Honda Civic Ex. Sporty(ish), fun, looks good, RELIABLE.

Sounds like you are looking for reliability, which all day-every day would mean an older Honda to me.

I'm in the auto industry, and have been working on cars with my dad since I was 14. If I needed a cheap car, that's the route I would take.

Dobiewankanobi · 02-13-2013, 09:33 AM

Had a '92 Fox body and kick my self all the time for selling it! Also had a '94 for a long time. Finally traded that in for my current-- an 04 GT that I bought brand new and REFUSE to sell though I rarely drive it anymore.

All 3 were daily drivers, though the '04 only has 60,000 on her. All 3 were inexpensive to repair and relatively easy to repair as well. I'd love to have another fox body, but currently drive an Explorer because it hauls dogs better!

Ojai Sho-Shawnee · 02-13-2013, 01:15 PM

Oh Memory Lane!

We were the "Mustang Family" on the block when I was in my teens. My favorite hands down was the '86 GT 5.0 with a 5sp. It was red with the T-tops. I was one of the few girls I knew who drove a stick, but I was daddy's girl and I cut my teeth on his '73 Jeep CJ5. I had been driving that thing around the property since I was 11.

Anyway, that GT was amazing. It was a rocket. I had more fun driving that car but as needs must (and a ticket or two) I bought my own Toyota SR5 4x4 with a shell. More practical.

That Mustang is still on the road today. My folks put just over 300K miles on it and gave it to a family friend. Last I heard it was over 400k and still rolling.
That being said I would still look for a Toyota if ou want the engine to go "vroom" every time you turn the key.

I don't think our experience with the GT was the norm. If I could get a hold of one now in decent shape though, I'd be sorely tempted.

Since that was probably not helpful at all, I'll thank you for a trip down a great memory lane.

Good luck!

~Bev~

hbwright · 02-13-2013, 09:36 PM

I am definitely keeping my eye out for other options. I am not sold by any means, just interested because this is one we could pay for up front. All the others, even older ones, seem to be almost as much as my first car was new.

hbwright · 02-18-2013, 01:58 AM

Okay, my daughter will be getting her car in the next couple weeks. He is actually moving also in the next month and does not want to transport the car. She went to drive it this weekend and liked it so my husband had it checked out. He went down to 1000 on the price and is going to fix the vacuum line himself. The weld thing for the top is just that the top needs a little help closing the last foot, no real biggy.

I didn't think my daughter would particularly care for the corny red interior (I love the retro look myself) but she does like it and everything in this car is tip top shape. It has less miles than my 2004 truck, 147,000 miles.

So, here are the pictures

She's thrilled and we are happy with the purchase. He'll be fixing the line in the next couple weeks and she'll be driving her own car home! I'm also going to be buying some of the plug and chug cup holders because I need my coffee when she's driving.

falnfenix · 02-18-2013, 04:42 AM

nice! hope she stays off the cell and keeps that car as nice as possible!

hbwright · 02-18-2013, 02:23 PM

Haha, the cell phone isn't happening! I told all my kids the rules before they even got them. I catch her once and the phone and car are mine! I wouldn't mind this car for myself.