Greybullit68

Hey guys,

I've been a mustang lover for a long time. We've had a 68 GT Fastback in the family for a long time.

Im currently looking to pick up a 2005-2009 GT. I've been doing a lot of searching and my goal is to get one under 65k miles. 5 speed is a must for me.

I'm just curious to see if anyone has a good list of thing to look out for in these years. Generally speaking I know what to look for when buying a used car however anything specifically related to these mustangs would be great knowledge. Thanks in advance!

runstang22

I've had my 06 for about 5 years now. The only real issue its had was a leak in the air conditioning system. Oh and when it rains the water falls just right to leak down and wet switch that controls the on the side of the drivers seat. Also power lumbar support has gone out and I don't feel like spending the money to replace it. I'm about to be on my second battery. Keep the oil changed and buy one with very low mileage. I think you'll really enjoy this car.

danzcool

The '05-early '08 head design used a high thread count spark plug which causes anxiety when changing spark plugs because they can break. There's a process of dealing with it, and a tool for removal if it breaks, so it's really not a deal breaker, and lat 08-09's can also break, but it was generally thought of as a better design with the lower thread count. Passenger side leak, check passenger footwell to see if it's damp or if there's signs of leakage around the SJB in the passenger footwell kick panel. Stock alternators have been known to go bad, not really much to check there other than the car runs. If possible, see if you can test the car on a cold start, some transmissions had an issue with the 2-3 shift on cold start, wher it would grind the first time you would shift 2-3. Overall it's a pretty solid engine and shouldn't really see any engine issues up to at least 200K miles. Other than that, be patient and get the color style you want, there are so many of them out there you should be able to find exactly what you want.

ghunt

I thought the issue was two piece plugs, not thread count?

Dino Dino Bambino

The 5R55S automatic is also a 5-speed.

danzcool

It is, however the high thread count compounds the issue, making it even more likely for them to break.
Replace them with one-piece plugs either way and use the anti-seize and it will be good.

Nuke

The 05's thru some '07s were plagued with some issues. Check the TSB's (there's a LOT of 'em) but '08 and up are your best bet.

drewsky

Don't freak out about the water leak issue. If you buy a used mustang that has been taken care if and garage kept I can almost guarantee it had never leaked before. It only does when leaves and debris clog a drain hole and the water builds up after heavy rain causing it to come through the cabin filter. The spark plug thing in the early years is nothing to be terrified of either. Just make sure the car has been taken care of with all it's fluid changes and stuff. If you get from a dealership look for a clean car fax as usual and use some common sense to see if has been cared for ( seats and faded paint( ext. You get the idea.

danzcool

That's one water leak, but the more problematic one is where the paper gaskets deteriorate and create a water path that doesn't required a plugged up drain to leak. There's a TSB that outlines the fix, so that's the good news, everything has pretty much been figured out now.

TPony

I've had my 06 since new. My only issues have been: dead battery and difficulty filling the tank up...both covered at length in the forums.