Professor Wizard

My youngest son just turned 19 and has already wrecked 4 cars!...

What do you think I would tell him about getting a GT?

Collins, I know you don't want to hear this, but unless your some truly exceptionally mature 17 year old male, Starting out with a 300 horsepower car is a really BAD idea. And it is not that your dad is afraid you will wreck the car - but rather he is afraid you will KILL yourself. BAD crap happens reall damn fast in a car like that if your not in completel control.

Like Fin1 said... it is BEST if you wait just a little longer and get a few more "driving hours" under your belt.

Your not alone... every16/17 year old male wants to start at the TOP of the performance heap! Every 16/17 year old thinks they are good drivers and can handle the power... Unfortunately, far too many grave yards are full of them.

Get the V6!... it is Still a MUISTANG, and you can mod it to get some serious performance, especially if you go with a 5speed manual.

Besides.... Have you called your insurance company and inquired as to the cost of a 17 year old male in a 300hp GT?

SilverR1_04

Some excellent points!

For the one, the Mustang is an awesome car, you will be the envy of your friends with either the V6 or GT. Remember the V6 still has 201 horses! Secondly, check that insurance rate.. that might be a killer.

mustangman02232

Im 16 and i want the V-6. With very few mods it can take a 99-04 GT, my dad has an 02 V-6 in which third gear is good until about 119 mph and thats fast enough on a long road. I say get a V-6, put on a CAI, Flowmasters and a chip to get rid of the govenor, maybe some 17" rims on 245/55/17 rubber and you should be all set.

xRockThePonyx

I have a v6, and I got it when I was 17. It kills me to have a car payment, insurance (even though I get TONS of discounts on that) and all my other bills. I'm in college full time, working 40 hours a week-- and I still barely have enough to get by for extras.

I truly think you need to get the v6, and maybe an older, used one at that. If you really want a GT, look into a 99-04. Coming from someone who knows how it is to go to college and manage all this right now, I can honestly say that you're gonna screw yourself in the end by getting a brand new GT. If your car payments are low, you'll still have hella high insurance, and ontop of other bills, you're gonna be really stressed out.

The v6 engines in stangs are great for modding. Especially the 3.8L in the 99-03s-- they can take on a lot and you'll pay a hell of a lot less.

It's up to you though, but I think at 17, you need to think logically instead of trying to get something that you may not be able to keep up on paying for.

mustangman02232

My friend has a 1999 Mustang GT and is paying $4800 a year for insurance, and gets around 15 mpg. I pay $2800 To drive the 2002 V-6 convert and get 23 mpg if i keep my foot out of it. Dont forget its not the car that costs, its all the little B.S charges you get with it.

New2Ford

I am not going to tell you how to mislead your dad so you can get a GT. What I am here to say is that I learned how to drive on a 400+ h.p car(from the age of 11),then my first car at the age of 16 had 400+ h.p,both had a 4 speed(manual). To date I have never been in an accident (outside of the track). All of this was in the 80's with muscle cars,so they were not as user friendly as cars are today.

My point is that, its not if you THINK you can handle the car,you have to KNOW you can handle the car.Have you ever driven a car with 300+ h.p? When you own a car with serious h.p(300+) you WILL push it,test it,use it, as much as you can.The thing is you have to be able to handle it. The most h.p I have laid my feet up against is 900,so I am not going to hop in a top fuel car and expect to know what the hell I am doing,or push it,because that is just stupid,I am still working my way up!

Also if you have never driven anything but your celica(100 h.p???) the even the V-6 may be too much,thoose things do have some *****!
N2F

Ebein

I would talk it over with your dad, offer to pay your way to a performance driving school if he will let you
get a GT, that will cost you a few grand but will put your dads mind at ease that you can handle the cars
power. You still have to show prove to him that you can be mature with 300 horses under the hood.

Just my .02$. BTW I have a 3 and 5 yo boys and they wont get a fast car untill they can prove to me
they can be mature with them AND they have gone to a High Performance Drivers Ed.

Monch

there's some great adivce, along with alot of other great advice.

insurance on a v8 rwd sports car will kill you at 17. it will keep on killing you until your 25, where it'll begin to maim you.

older v6 + blower = gt killer.

Fatblazer

I'm only 21. I Just purchused a 2005 GT. I have owned 5 cars and wrecked 2. I am paying over $4900 for my insurance. I have a good job, but I am out of school. Personally, if you really want to get a 05 stick with the V6. You will not only save money, but save gray hair from your father worrying about you. 300HP is a good amount of kick. I have fun but I have been driving for 6 years, and I still say its not enough. At 17 I would have loved one, but It surely would'nt be the best Idea. Good Luck,

Peter T.

Tres Wright

I agree with the others, check on insurance before you take another step. It will likely discourage you from getting a new GT, you will likely be looking at a monthly premium that is as much at your age as a big car payment. I'm guessing 400 bucks a month. The V6 will be cheaper, but not by much. The saleswoman that sold me my vert said an 18 y.o. girl was looking at a V-6 coupe they have on the lot and the insurance was over 300 a month. What's the hurry? I didn't own my first new car until I was 25, I owned muscle cars that were 10+ years old before that and I loved them. Get yourself a nice older Mustang, there are some real steals on GTs with low miles that are several years old. And the insurance would be a lot less. Then get a new car later when you are more financially independent. And you'll be older which will give you a break on insurance.

Just FYI on insurance rates, I'm 43 with a clean record. The rates for me for a V-6 vert was 493.68/ 6 months and for a GT vert was 536.68/ 6 months. My daily driver before the stang was a 2001 PT Cruiser, it was around 450 for 6 months! There wasn't much of a difference in insurance for me moving to a stang. I guess age has its privileges