Well im moving on from my old stang and looking to get a 00-03 GT. I am just wondering if there are any advantages or disadvantages to any years. Or any major differences between the years. School me guys, Thanks!
I know performance wise they are the same. Im just wondering what cosmetic changes or interior changes there were. Also i know there is a switch from T-45 to T-3650 or something like that at some point as well. But im not sure which is better and when the change happened.
The '03 and '04 have much thicker A-pillars. Its for better rollover safety. The console design changed somewhere in SN95's, at least a few times.
01' was first year for Bullitt rims, taller hood scoop, and factory tinted headlights. I think I read somewhere the 01's harmonic balancer has most mass of all previous years of 96' up. Mass air sensor wiring is slightly different on the 02-04s. Mid year of 01, the 3650 5-speed was swapped in(supposedly more robust than the T-45). Rear defogger button is moved down to console instead of dash on 01'.
so i definitely like the blacked out head lights. SO ill have to focus on an 01+ for that. See this is the info that helps me make a choice! Keep it comin guys!
Also I may be wrong but I believe for the 03 and 04 they went to the adjustable tilting head rests. Mine is an 03 and I have it so I'm unsure about previous years. I like the look of my 03 so much that I really don't plan on many cosmetic changes. DD bullits on back and another Mach 1 chin spoiler are about all I'll be doing.
2001 and 1/2 technically... 99-00 4.6's are Windsor motors, 01-04 are Romeo. A few small differences between the engines, but none that will affect the power a car from either year(s) would make. 00-mid 2001 still have the T-45. Not as "strong" but ill be damned if it isnt 3x more reliable than the 3650's are. Mine shifts smooth as butter with almost 130k abusive miles on it. I beleive (correct me if im wrong please) either 2001 or 2002 got larger fuel injectors, 99-00/01 were 19lbs/hr and the newer ones are 21lbs/hr I beleive.
The 4-way tilting headrests were available on 03's and '04's that got the Interior Upgrade Package. If you didn't get the package, you still got the normal small headrests. 02-03's also have an overhead storage net that was deleted in '04. I think the interior of the 01+ is nicer. You get the 6-disk in-dash cd changer and the damn defrost button isn't under the headlight switch. Basically...buy the newest mustang with the least amount of miles you can afford. It's a buyer's market out there. Beleive me...i know. I've gone from $13K to $10K for my '03 GT and still can't sell it.
Basicly 2001-2004 look the same in and out, the 99-00s had the 98 interior, no hood scope, different wing and standard white head lights (01-04 are blacked out).
For 2002 the Mach 1000 audio system with MP3 capability was available with 2 subs and 4 amps in the trunk....
I was told from a ford service tech that the 03-04 models had more threads in the head to help with spark blug blowouts, someone please correct me if this is wrong though.
I think they changed the spark plug and not the head. I've seen plenty of 03/04's still spit the plugs
there is a difference in heads, at least on the machs. some heads take 4 turns to seat the plug. these were the ones prone to blowout. if it has the revised heads its should take about 8.
Yeah I know. Nobody wants a gas guzzling V8 with gas prices the way they are But it works for me because I'm planning on getting something new within the next year or so .
i was at the relvealing of the new lincoln mks at the dealer monday and was looking at the window sticker of the mkx x-over/suv (whatever it is) and the fuel economy rating was something like 17 city and 24 highway, with a 3.5 liter! im getting way better than that, must be pretty heavy i guess.
They are all 19lbs injectors, orange or pink they are the same. The 04's did get a revised head with more thread on the spark plugs. Depending on what you are looking to spend you can find some great deals on Mach 1's also. The funny thing is so many consider a V8 Mustang to be a gas guzzler yet mine gets consisently 21-22 MPG driving back and forth to work. That's close to double what my diesel truck was getting and it cut my monthly fuel costs down 60%. Bill
If you toss it in 5th the Mustang actually gets decent fuel economy. My window sticker says 25MPG highway i beleive. A lot of the V6's i'm looking at for a new car are rated at about the same.
