Advice on my first Mustang purchase, 2010/2011?
12-17-2016, 06:52 AM
#21
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Clinton, Tennessee
Posts: 375
Well, the OP is looking for a Mustang in the 7-8 thousand dollar price range. He isn't going to find anything in the 2011 Plus, v6 or v8 
. He is going to end up with a worn out high mileage piece of crap and spend the rest of his days bashing the Mustang as being, 'no good'. Just my opinion 
. He is going to end up with a worn out high mileage piece of crap and spend the rest of his days bashing the Mustang as being, 'no good'. Just my opinion
12-18-2016, 06:54 AM
#22
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: state of confusion
Posts: 7,635
FWIW, the 2008 GT in the video above does not have AdvanceTrak or any other stability control nanny making the car look better than it is "all by itself".
I don't know how much $ the earlier S197 cars are going for.
Norm
I don't know how much $ the earlier S197 cars are going for.
Norm
12-18-2016, 07:49 AM
#23
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Alliston Ontario
Posts: 20
Not sure what the prices are in your area for cars are but it looks like the 2011 5.0 will be out of your price range. You will likely be in the 2010 or older area. That's still a good car for the money. It has decent power and you can modify to your liking. Not sure where the road racing and sport bike comparisons came from but what you will have is a decent car. Not a drag racing king but enough power to have fun with.
12-23-2016, 09:16 AM
#24
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Colorado
Posts: 2,652
Dear OP - looks like you want a detailed post instead of a short one, so I'll give you my long winded .02!
It's great that you have decided to purchase a Mustang. Ford is so much better than all other manufacturers. We are so happy that you have chosen to be part of such a fantastic tradition.
Your choice of 2010 or 2011 is entirely up to you. I myself currently own a 2014 Gotta Have It Green convertible, a 2007 Shelby GT 500 and a 2007 Mustang GT with a Ford Racing supercharger and Ford Racing suspension. I have owned 2 1997 Mustangs. One was an Autumn Orange v6 which unfortunately I totalled in an accident. The second 1997 was an Autumn Orange GT convertible which I redid the interior and lots of mechanical restoration. I have owned a 2005 Mustang GT in Tungsten Gray and also a 2010 Mustang GT in Tungsten which I had a supercharger installed on and lots of work I did myself.
Given that you have completed the basic research of the horsepower specifications for the v6 and GT models and the 2010 and 2011 model years respectively in your original post, I won't recite them to you. Thank you for providing this information so that we wouldn't need to provide it to you.
Thank you also for providing the information regarding the research you've performed on Craigslist as well as some of your ability to pay for the new car you would like. With that, I'll provide my opinion on your questions.
1) "What kind of prices am I looking at for 2010-2011 base/GT for 80-150K miles? I'd LOVE to get the 5.0 Coyote, but I'm not sure how much I should expect to pay for one of those. Note that I plan on buying the car from an auction." Unfortunately this is a difficult question to answer. There are a great many variables, especially when it comes to an auction. The prices at auction will vary with the mustang at auction depending on supply and demand. For example, in Colorado, I would speculate that the prices would be higher in spring and summer at auction for a Mustang then they would be in winter when there's snow around. How many people are at the auction? How many of those are there specifically for a Mustang? How many would be dealers looking to purchase with an acceptable profit margin versus those those that are there to make a private purchase and willing to perhaps pay more? It is a difficult question to answer with too many variables for me to answer. Therefore, I would wish you luck with an auction purchase.
2) What exactly does the premium package add? Is it worth it? - I know of some of the things that the premium package includes, but rather than take a chance that I might forget some of the things that are included, I've asked a source who can certainly answer better than I can. Click on http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2010+mustang+premium+package to see for the 2010 model year and here http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2011+mustang+premium+package for the 2011 model year. I personally have always opted for the premium package for 2 reasons. I do not like the instrument cluster nor the sound system included with the non-premium packages.
3) I plan on doing some mods (intake, exhaust, tune, cosmetic etc.). Is the 2010 V6 model a joke? What about the 2011 V6? I'd like to add a Flowmaster or Borla axle-back for the sound as well. It sounds like you have some great ideas for mods. As for the v6's being a joke, no they are not. Every mustang is fun! You might not win every race, but you are not a loser ever when you drive a Mustang! I myself prefer the V8 models, but for some people, they choose a V6 for price, mileage or any other number of reasons.
4) How much better is the 2011 V6 compared to the 2010 V6? I know there's extra power, but what else? Should I even consider a 2010? - Hrm this is a great question. I can only speculate based on the GT, but I would say that if you're looking for any major differences in helping make the decision other than power, I would say there would not be anything significant enough to support choosing one model year over the other besides power.
5) Is insurance affected by base/GT or year model? What should I be expecting? (22M) - The first question here is very easy to answer. Insurance is most definitely higher for the GT over the V6. Also, with increased power, my guess would be that the insurance would indeed be higher for the newer model. To answer the second question and perhaps give you better insight, this is something that you could call your current insurance agent and ask them to give you a quote for all 4 models that you are considering. Then you would know with a much better degree of precision than we can speculate here.
6) What are some other things I should be looking out for? - This is such a broad question, but I'll take a swag. Look for a Mustang with the lowest number of miles that you can find in your price range. If possible, ask for all of the maintenance records on the Mustang. Examine the exterior of the car. Looks for damage, rust or other issues to paint, dings or other damage to the metal and plastic surfaces. Ensure that all movable components (handles, locks, hood and trunk latch) are functioning normally. How new are the tires and how much tread is left? Is there any abnormal wear showing on the tires? Do all exterior lights function normally? Is the glass intact and in good shape? Do the mirrors function normally? Underneath, look for signs of fluid leaks or damage to components. Open the engine. Is it clean and free of leaks? Are all fluid levels proper and examine the fluids to make sure they within specifications. Is the air filter and cabin air filter clean? Are there any after market modifications already to the car? Inside the interior, it's important to place close attention. You will be spending most of your time here. Test everything to make sure it works and that the surfaces are in good shape. In the interest of brevity, here's what I would do with the drivers seat. Fully examine the material on the seat for excessive wear, stains or tears. Make sure the head rest functions normally from both the seat itself and behind the seat. Move the seat back, forward, up and down. How does the foam bolstering feel? Does the overall seat feel comfortable when you sit in it? Are you able to place the seat in a spot where you have adequate head, torso, and leg room? Can you operate the vehicle safely from your preferred seat position? I'd be happy to provide more insights depending on what facet of the car buying experience you should look for, but it might help if you could be more specific about what you'd like insight on. For instance, how to make sure the entertainment system should be tested, how to test the steering wheel, etc....
I hope my post has been insightful for you and thorough enough to meet your discriminating eye. I wish you the best in this adventure of your car buying experience and welcome to the Mustang family!
It's great that you have decided to purchase a Mustang. Ford is so much better than all other manufacturers. We are so happy that you have chosen to be part of such a fantastic tradition.
Your choice of 2010 or 2011 is entirely up to you. I myself currently own a 2014 Gotta Have It Green convertible, a 2007 Shelby GT 500 and a 2007 Mustang GT with a Ford Racing supercharger and Ford Racing suspension. I have owned 2 1997 Mustangs. One was an Autumn Orange v6 which unfortunately I totalled in an accident. The second 1997 was an Autumn Orange GT convertible which I redid the interior and lots of mechanical restoration. I have owned a 2005 Mustang GT in Tungsten Gray and also a 2010 Mustang GT in Tungsten which I had a supercharger installed on and lots of work I did myself.
Given that you have completed the basic research of the horsepower specifications for the v6 and GT models and the 2010 and 2011 model years respectively in your original post, I won't recite them to you. Thank you for providing this information so that we wouldn't need to provide it to you.
Thank you also for providing the information regarding the research you've performed on Craigslist as well as some of your ability to pay for the new car you would like. With that, I'll provide my opinion on your questions.
1) "What kind of prices am I looking at for 2010-2011 base/GT for 80-150K miles? I'd LOVE to get the 5.0 Coyote, but I'm not sure how much I should expect to pay for one of those. Note that I plan on buying the car from an auction." Unfortunately this is a difficult question to answer. There are a great many variables, especially when it comes to an auction. The prices at auction will vary with the mustang at auction depending on supply and demand. For example, in Colorado, I would speculate that the prices would be higher in spring and summer at auction for a Mustang then they would be in winter when there's snow around. How many people are at the auction? How many of those are there specifically for a Mustang? How many would be dealers looking to purchase with an acceptable profit margin versus those those that are there to make a private purchase and willing to perhaps pay more? It is a difficult question to answer with too many variables for me to answer. Therefore, I would wish you luck with an auction purchase.
2) What exactly does the premium package add? Is it worth it? - I know of some of the things that the premium package includes, but rather than take a chance that I might forget some of the things that are included, I've asked a source who can certainly answer better than I can. Click on http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2010+mustang+premium+package to see for the 2010 model year and here http://lmgtfy.com/?q=2011+mustang+premium+package for the 2011 model year. I personally have always opted for the premium package for 2 reasons. I do not like the instrument cluster nor the sound system included with the non-premium packages.
3) I plan on doing some mods (intake, exhaust, tune, cosmetic etc.). Is the 2010 V6 model a joke? What about the 2011 V6? I'd like to add a Flowmaster or Borla axle-back for the sound as well. It sounds like you have some great ideas for mods. As for the v6's being a joke, no they are not. Every mustang is fun! You might not win every race, but you are not a loser ever when you drive a Mustang! I myself prefer the V8 models, but for some people, they choose a V6 for price, mileage or any other number of reasons.
4) How much better is the 2011 V6 compared to the 2010 V6? I know there's extra power, but what else? Should I even consider a 2010? - Hrm this is a great question. I can only speculate based on the GT, but I would say that if you're looking for any major differences in helping make the decision other than power, I would say there would not be anything significant enough to support choosing one model year over the other besides power.
5) Is insurance affected by base/GT or year model? What should I be expecting? (22M) - The first question here is very easy to answer. Insurance is most definitely higher for the GT over the V6. Also, with increased power, my guess would be that the insurance would indeed be higher for the newer model. To answer the second question and perhaps give you better insight, this is something that you could call your current insurance agent and ask them to give you a quote for all 4 models that you are considering. Then you would know with a much better degree of precision than we can speculate here.
6) What are some other things I should be looking out for? - This is such a broad question, but I'll take a swag. Look for a Mustang with the lowest number of miles that you can find in your price range. If possible, ask for all of the maintenance records on the Mustang. Examine the exterior of the car. Looks for damage, rust or other issues to paint, dings or other damage to the metal and plastic surfaces. Ensure that all movable components (handles, locks, hood and trunk latch) are functioning normally. How new are the tires and how much tread is left? Is there any abnormal wear showing on the tires? Do all exterior lights function normally? Is the glass intact and in good shape? Do the mirrors function normally? Underneath, look for signs of fluid leaks or damage to components. Open the engine. Is it clean and free of leaks? Are all fluid levels proper and examine the fluids to make sure they within specifications. Is the air filter and cabin air filter clean? Are there any after market modifications already to the car? Inside the interior, it's important to place close attention. You will be spending most of your time here. Test everything to make sure it works and that the surfaces are in good shape. In the interest of brevity, here's what I would do with the drivers seat. Fully examine the material on the seat for excessive wear, stains or tears. Make sure the head rest functions normally from both the seat itself and behind the seat. Move the seat back, forward, up and down. How does the foam bolstering feel? Does the overall seat feel comfortable when you sit in it? Are you able to place the seat in a spot where you have adequate head, torso, and leg room? Can you operate the vehicle safely from your preferred seat position? I'd be happy to provide more insights depending on what facet of the car buying experience you should look for, but it might help if you could be more specific about what you'd like insight on. For instance, how to make sure the entertainment system should be tested, how to test the steering wheel, etc....
I hope my post has been insightful for you and thorough enough to meet your discriminating eye. I wish you the best in this adventure of your car buying experience and welcome to the Mustang family!
12-23-2016, 01:53 PM
#25
keep in mind if your looking to go to a 5.4 super charged engine for your mustang the years are 2005 to 2009are separate 2010-2012 they are there own year check you may need the ford control pack 2012 -2013 they are there own year this will be important if you upgrade from a v6 to v8 as the wiring changes, you will need to buy new engine harnesses and a ford control pack for 2010 and 2011 please double check with ford racing