Looking at newer Mustang like a 2003 GT [stupid rant warning]

[Boss 351]

I don't think I can trade the fox for a newer GT, my girlfriend would kill me

But sometimes I wonder how fun it would be to own a new'ish car to modify. So you can spend your cash on gears, supercharger, etc... instead of fixing everything that breaks due to age and mileage? Then again getting rid of a notch for a 2003 GT might be a

trade this:

for something like this:

Right now I'm not driving mine until I finish up the engine (forged internals, AFR or trickflow heads - getting ready to do a turbo setup) and do my black interior swap. I won't get her repainted (still on factory paint) until I buy a house and have a garage for it to sleep in.

Lots of "trading my fox for something else" threads, I just wanted to fit in

 

[QUICK91LX]

Having owned both, they both have their pros and cons. Like you said, you are constantly having to fix stuff that breaks on the fox simply due to age. There is much less of that on the newer, lower mileage car. I dont know your financial situation but it many cases the newer car carries with it a car payment, which takes away some of the mod money.

Performance wise, stock for stock they are about dead-nuts even with most people driving, though i did go 14.0 in my 03, and never beat a 14.4 in a stock fox. The fox is cheaper and easier to mod, but throwing a Kenne Bell with a tuner, exhaust and gears on the 03 will make it a dead reliable daily driving beast of a car, not to mention all the cosmetic mods for the new edge cars that simply look amazing.

Its awesome to see a clean, well done fox on the streets but at the same time its cool to see someone who has a nicely done new edge to seperate it from the zillions of people who use their newer mustangs as daily beaters.

Heres a pic of what my 03 looked like. I miss it like CRAZY

And before I got the Bullitts...

sorry, got a little carried away with the whoring though.

both cars have significant value in their own right, its just a matter of what suits you best

 

[Boss 351]

that's a sweet Mustang right there...

 

[Strype]

My 2001 GT

93

I currently own both as well I can tell you that you'd miss the fox. The 4.6 isn't nearly as torquey as the 4.6. No balls to the wall factor. Also there is MUCH less in the way of mods for the 99-04

 

[Boss 351]

I'm driving a hyundai accent right now, I ALREADY MISS MY FOX

 

[Strype]

I'm driving a hyundai accent right now, I ALREADY MISS MY FOX

 

[Chuckman]

My 2001 GT



The 4.6 isn't nearly as torquey as the 4.6.

whaaaaaaa?

 

[Strype]

whaaaaaaa?

I meant as the 5.0

 

[Boss 351]

I STILL HAVE THE NOTCH, I wouldn't trade my Mustang for a Hyundai It's just a daily "Gas saver" driver. My notch is off the road so I can finish it quicker. Still have the black interior to put (and find black seats and some stupid little things). Need to finish the engine bay detailing such as welding in all the little holes and such... so much work to do...

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Also there is MUCH less in the way of mods for the 99-04

Really, I disagree.....other than heads and intake selection, the 4.6's benefit from all of the same mods that the old 5.0L's did. Besides....the stock 4.6L heads/intake manifold moves more than enough air for most applications. That's why the aftermarket isn't littered with them. There really isn't any need to replace them unless you're planning on making some "real" power.

The mods might still be a little more expensive than the old OHV stuff, but not much. And considereing you've already got a good 35hp jump in horsepower over the 5.0L right from the start, you'd be surprised just how close the cost of modifying the two cars come after all is said and done.

Fox's will always have their place in history, but the sad truth is....you just can't fight the clock. Age has really caught up with these cars over the last 5-10 years and it's hardly feasable to keep sticking money into a 15-year-old plus car that's only going to continue to deteriorat at a more rapid pace as the years go on.

 

[Strype]

My 93 is from Never Never Land

 

[Boss 351]

Let's see if I sell my notch for (and prices are all canadian) for $6000

2002-2003 GT's go for around 17,000 around here. I would have to finance 11,000which don't make big payments. But if I were to sink 11 grand into my fox in one shot, I'd have all new brakes, rebuilt transmission, healthy engine (aluminum heads)... It would pretty much be like a new car minus the shiny paint perhaps.

I don't know, I would LOVE a Mach1

 

[BaXTeR3221]

Getting into a newer mustang was the best decision i've ever made as far as cars go. My notch was easier to work on and more rare, but the list of cons was bigger.

Newer car has better interior, stereo, suspension, body (subjectively speaking), and the mods are not that big a difference. Sure you can cheaply throw H/C/I at a 5.0 and make 300 to the wheels, but the 4.6 only needs cams to make the same numbers.

Everyone has their own opinion, but i would say go for it. Heres mine:

 

[Boss 351]

Ford did a great job with those models design wise... I sort of like them more than the 2005 version...

 

[Gearbanger 101]

But if I were to sink 11 grand into my fox in one shot, I'd have all new brakes, rebuilt transmission, healthy engine (aluminum heads)... It would pretty much be like a new car minus the shiny paint perhaps.

But you'd still be saddled with a car that's got 19-year-old front and rear end components, wiring, brake lines, fuel lines, sensors, rubber seals, ignition, wear and tear, creaks and groans, rust and all the other things that will nickel and dime you to death over the next few years. It's not the major components that you see that kills ya, it's the ones that you don't see that pop up unexpectedly that makes the frustration and maintenance not worth while.....not as a daily driver anyway.

I've put $17,000 into my '96 XR7 over the last two years and the only conclusion that I've derived from it, is that I need to have my head examined! Sure, it's fast, unique and it's primary components will last the life of the car, but just exactly how long is that? It's still got age dragging it further and further into the grave every day....which unless I want to spend even more money on, isn't worth the hassle.

There's an old saying that surprisingly still holds true. You’ve got money to put into a car and you've got to ask yourself. Do you want to sink it into a car that you're able to drive and enjoy on a daily basis for the first half of its life, or one that you'll have to maintain and deal with on a daily basis during its last half? If you break it down into those two very simple categories, the choice should be clear.

 

[Boss 351]

It sure can be a money pit. I spent about 12 hours or so installing all new weatherstripping (water leaking in car like crazy) and restoring my black trim pieces (even the 1/4 windows). That was a whole weekend almost, while if I had a newer stang, I would have been able to sleep in and relax lol

It's a good thing I do all my own work on these things. I guess I'll make a realistic list of what exactly needs to be done and weigh the options. They're not hard to sell, I get offers every week for my car and it's not a great looking car in person with peeling paint and all. At least now I have the time to work on it properly since it's not a daily driver anymore.

It's a hard decision to make for sure but since I bought the car, I only had three real problems (clutch, rad and waterpump). The waterpump job took me MANY hours (yes hours) because the bolts were all seized in the timing cover (which ended up costing me another used timing cover). So far I've put in an aluminum rad, new battery, 3G alternator (because 2G + underdrives and e-fan = suckage), new water pump and coolant hoses, new heater core (preventive, mine wasn't leaking but had the dash off so...)... It hasn't been "too" bad really. Now I need new tires and brakes (just normal usage things that ALL cars have).

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well, since we are all tossing pics of our New Edge Mustangs around, here's a shot of my 2003 GT.

View attachment 381719

I still have my '88 5.0, but i needed a comfortable daily driver. The new cars ride better, handle better, BRAKE BETTER, have cozy seats, nice A/C and the Mach 460 6-disk sounds good (was voted best factory stereo under $25K when these cars were new)

However, like all mustangs it's a money pit. If i did it all over again now i would NOT get a GT. They need serious cash thrown at them to be competitive. All my friends have Mach 1's and Terminators and i can't compare at all without a power adder.

I've never had a problem with it. It has 42K miles and the front suspension is getting a small squeak but nothing major other than routine maintainence. I get thumbs up and compliments on it all the time, everyone wants to race and i hate to say it but most of the Fox mustangs i come across (mostly worn out stockers with exhaust) are easily beaten...especially from a roll.

The 4.6 is not as torquey as the 5.0, so you gotta learn to keep the revs up like am import motor. Floor it at 2000RPM in 2nd and you won't move at all. Floor it again at 3500RPM in 2nd and it will take off like a bat out of hell. These cars scream on the highway, especially with stock gears. I just love 4th gear on a wide open highway. Just by rolling on the gas you can zip from 65 to 85MPH with ease to pass cars. 5th gear on the 2003's is lower than older stangs (0.62 ratio) so in 5th i'm only turning 1800RPM or so at 75MPH. I haven't done gears because i do a lot of highway driving.

 

[QUICK91LX]

yeah they really are highway screamers, as long as there are no DOHC 4.6's hanging around anyplace...lol...but one time last summer on my way home from a mustang meet, i put a whoopin on an older style (96-ish) M3 whose driver thought he was hot sheezy, flipping me off as he flew by. never saw him coming until he was passing me with the bird out the window, so i threw it to third at 65 mph and put my foot into it...reeled him in and rode on past...every time he tried to make a run on me i just had to throw it back down and lay into it a bit and he was far behind me. then once off the highway on a 2-lane road thru a state park he tried to pass me on the shoulder. he hit a storm drain grate and blew his right rear tire. hahahaha

just thought id share

 

[Boss 351]

road rage stories

 

[cervinistang]

Im not gonna lie, The saleen new edge gets me horny.