1995 5.0 Mustang thoughts as a first car on a budget

[threewood]

Last year for the old pushrod engine. It's dependable. Easy enough to work on and maintain. Not my favorite body style for Mustangs but it isn't bad. I say get it.

 

[Potts]

The Mustang 5.0 can easily get away from her and spin around. Too light in the back for that power.
Wotth mentioning, Seen it happen enough times.

 

[1STMP]

Cars, guns, your spouse. Treat them with respect
and they will serve you well.

 

[F4R/T]

Buy the mustang, keep good rubber on it, turn the getty up down for safety and let her be young.. safely! Just don’t buy a 3.8 V6 or 4.2 you’ll be putting head gaskets/ timing cover gaskets on it and they drink coolant..

 

[Hey-O]

I'd buy the Mustang.

 

[ESOXER]

What about an old Dakota? 5.2s run forever and you probably have some coin leftover for some mods.

 

[Billccm]

I am around most brands and years of cars , SUVs, trucks , week in and week out.
( Body Shop )
For a young drivers saftey and for your piece of mind also taking into account repair and maintenance.
At the price range your shopping at I would suggest a 07 to 12 chevy impala.
Full size safety , run forever , 30mpg.

I originally looked at ONLY low mileage Grand Marquis as I believe that is the best car ever made in terms of comfort, reliability, and even safety. Unfortunately several of her friends started with the "blue hair old people's car" jokes and that took the Grand Marquis off the list.

 

[streetmachine]

I originally looked at ONLY low mileage Grand Marquis as I believe that is the best car ever made in terms of comfort, reliability, and even safety. Unfortunately several of her friends started with the "blue hair old people's car" jokes and that took the Grand Marquis off the list.

I wouldn't worry about the blue hair jokes. My question to you is what do they drive? Anyways, a Marquis/Crown Vic can look good with Mustang wheels as far as 4 door car is concerned.

 

[streetmachine]

I've seen plenty of leaks diagnosed as rear main seals on 5.0's but I've only seen a couple that actually leaked... Rear intake fillers fail, valve covers leak... The rear main seal is a full circle one piece seal, they rarely leak...

95 GT is a pretty sold car, as others have mentioned they can be tail happy... Take some of that extra cash & sign your daughter up for a performance driving school... When the car goes down the road she keeps the skills & knowledge from the training... Then again when she blows your doors off it could be embarrassing...

I think mine is leaking now but, that's probably because I haven't really driven it much in 5 years plus it just rolled over 50k miles in the vehicle the 5.0 is in and the original seal. However, I'm going to look again and make sure it's not the intake or valve cover gaskets which already been replaced.

 

[streetmachine]

If she likes it. Why not?
Weakest point on these is probably the cheap interior ^^

Edit:

But consider this:

My first car was a 1972 cutlass supreme that i still have today. If possible i will never sell this one.
My moms first car was a at time of purchase 1 year old Rabbit MkI that she had for a very long time until my dad got involved in an accident where the car was totalled. She liked the car until the end.

So what i want to say is you might should not cheap out on the first car. If its a really nice one it might be the last car she ever buys? If it was a 60s or 70s mustang for example?
Obviously at this point it could be a mopar aswell.

View attachment 1208029

Ford's interior quality was better in the mid 90s than the late 80s and early 90s. The Lincoln Mark VII still used partial cardboard in the door panels and that model ran until 1992. I drove a 1998 Mustang V6 for a while and the the door panels and dash were slightly better than the Lincoln. Keep in mind the Lincoln was 30k at at that time.

 

[streetmachine]

The 5.0 will run forever. I would be a little worried about putting my daughter in one though. The rear gets pretty happy in the rain and if she was to drive it spirited. Other than that they are a solid runner. Good luck! Mike

Everyone is saying that 5.0 (302) has too much power in the rain. I'll disagree with that especially if it's stock form. I guess if it had 3.73 gears I could see but, the only way I can get a 5.0 HO in a Fox Body to spin the tires if I make a turn on wet payment and do intentionally. but, that's my experience with a Fox Lincoln with AOD and 3.27 gears. Not mine but, similar as far as color and wheels.

 

[streetmachine]

What about an old Dakota? 5.2s run forever and you probably have some coin leftover for some mods.

I like the old Dakota 5.2 but, I'll thrown in the old 3.9s as well. Yes, I know they're less power and about the same fuel economy but, my first high school ride was an 1987 Dakota Long Bed 2wd with the 3.9L (2bbl carb) and A999 transmission. The carburetor was a pain at times but, it ran for a long time. I really miss that truck. A family member ran it to 300k miles and then it got sold off and probably junked not long after. Didn't really have much issues with it that I recall other than the carburetor here and there.

And actually now that I think about I'll throw another out to the list but, be warned some of the parts would be hard to find. I throw out there a 1989-1991 Dodge Dakota Convertible. Probably out of the price range these days but, I'll throw it out there. Those are only 125 hp and 195 lbs ft of torque. The only thing is that like most Dakotas, good luck finding one that isn't ragged out these days plus the convertible specific parts are like hens teeth and expensive unless you buy a spare truck or parts.

 

[Budnicks]

If fox body prices are any indication this version of mustang may be at the very bottom of the depreciation curve and has nowhere to go but up.
Regardless life is too short to drive appliance like cars. My daughter may not be that interested in cars, but she does seem to appreciate a Mustang over all of the appliances we have test driven.

if it helps make her happy, that's a big part

there may be better cars, but in the price range
it's not a bad buy
(& I don't like any Mustang between 1973 & 2003,
with select few exceptions)

easy to find parts, an abundance of cheap parts

of the cars you listed in the 1st post
the Mustang would be my choice, of them
(again I don't even like em')

I always thought of those years of Mustangs
as secretary cars/chick cars, dime a dozen
good fit for women

unless it was a Toyota 4x4 SR5 pickup,
then I'd go with that, they will run forever
& get great milage too, for what they are

good luck with your choice

 

[Budnicks]

You could get a 2nd gen 97-99 Dakota
way better looking & are relatively inexpensive too
I love my 99 4x4 SLT 5.2, bought it as a demo off the lot new
still driving it as my DD today
The only things I've had to replace was regular maintenance stuff
just did front brakes & had 2 sensors go bad over 22 years
one on the trans & one ABS one on the rear axles

 

[MIKESPOLARA]

Mustang is good, just try to find one with the lowest possible miles on it. 130000 scares me

 

[Mike67]

I originally looked at ONLY low mileage Grand Marquis as I believe that is the best car ever made in terms of comfort, reliability, and even safety. Unfortunately several of her friends started with the "blue hair old people's car" jokes and that took the Grand Marquis off the list.

I want a Grand Marquis....said no 21 year old ever....lol! Come on Bill!!!

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I want a Grand Marquis....said no 21 year old ever....lol! Come on Bill!!!

True.. But they are without question the best built vehicle in the Ford lineup...

 

[Mike67]

True.. But they are without question the best built vehicle in the Ford lineup...

I dunno, the Taurus aren't bad. Found a 02/03 for my nephew with 3.0 several years ago I think it had around 150k. It was super clean and other than replacing the compressor has been a great car.
I think he has over 200k on it now and hasn't had any issue's

 

[1 Wild R/T]

I dunno, the Taurus aren't bad. Found a 02/03 for my nephew with 3.0 several years ago I think it had around 150k. It was super clean and other than replacing the compressor has been a great car.
I think he has over 200k on it now and hasn't had any issue's

Tic Tic Tic....... Transmission..... Trust me, I made my living for a lot of years working on Fords...

 

[74gtx]

Sorry I respectfully disagree with streetmachine. I’ve had fox body mustangs for close to 35 years. I still have one and a new edge. Maybe the Lincoln has more weight behind the wheels. I can’t say as I have never had one. I can say for certain the mustangs are light in the rear and can definitely be a handful for a low horsepower v8. The sn95 has very similar traits but has a better survival rate is the best I can explain it. ( they don’t split in half as easily). I would look for a two valve 4.6 to be safe. Way less torque and will go 300k plus. The new edge is a decent car but like any other has a few quirks. If had several so if you need more info please feel free to ask.