First Mustang.
03-24-2012, 10:10 PM
#11
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location:
Posts: 246
Welcome!
First, welcome and definitely a great write up!
Now for a little advice from a long-time mad modder...
1. Some things are easy to change; others are hard to change. For instance, swapping wheels can be done any time the price is right, so don't rush it. Wait for the big sale and being patient pays big. On the other extreme, swapping a manual transmission for an automatic (or vice versa) will end up costing you way, WAY more time, money and pain than you'd ever imagine. You'll have to temper that by your skill level. Have you taken apart many cars or do you have friends who are willing and able to help? If so, there's a lot more you can do. Just know that nearly nothing is worse than that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach at 10:00 PM on Sunday evening when half your car is apart on the floor and you MUST have the car together to get to work tomorrow at 6AM. So be sure to know what's easy and hard when you make that first purchase.
2. Always beef up the chassis and brakes before adding power. On many cars - Mustangs especially - it's totally possible to add WAY more power than the chassis can reasonably handle. On the street or a road course (which is where I tend to hang out), if you can outbrake and outturn your opponent, you win 7 times out of 10. A pure drag racer, the big secret lies in that first 60' of track - and that's as much technique as car chassis setup. So - get the brakes and chassis the way you want them first, then add power to match. You'll be glad you did.
3. There are many, many, MANY power adders. BUT - if you're on a budget it's very hard to beat a nitrous system. Run it when you want to and the rest of the time (or when you don't have the jack to afford $5 gas) it's hurts nothing. From there, the old saying is true - "speed costs money, so how fast do you want to pay?" Just remember item #2 on the list first! (A lesson hard learned here!
)
4. Great to hear you're interested in art! The Mustang makes a great canvas, so take one of those "plain" looking silver or white cars and go nuts with it. (Imagine a tinted clear coat over silver...
) Yes, there are a lot of expensive add ons like body kits and wheels and hoods and louvers and headlights and taillights...etc. BUT if you've got some skills and the time, you can make YOUR car one of a kind with things like pinstriping, self-painted - or unpainted and polished! - wheels, hand-painted dress-up parts (how about a hand-painted dash instead of the satin bits?), or even print-to-order graphics and body wraps. On the interior, get some kind of color thing going with a set of good quality seat covers first and for much less dough, then if the money comes in you can reupholster or get some custom seats along those color lines later. Don't feel like you've got to spend to compete. Use this as an opportunity to develop some new artistic skills, and you'll have a one-of-a-kind Mustang that no money can buy. And maybe even discover some skills others would like to pay you for to obtain your services! 
Enjoy - and good luck!
Now for a little advice from a long-time mad modder...
1. Some things are easy to change; others are hard to change. For instance, swapping wheels can be done any time the price is right, so don't rush it. Wait for the big sale and being patient pays big. On the other extreme, swapping a manual transmission for an automatic (or vice versa) will end up costing you way, WAY more time, money and pain than you'd ever imagine. You'll have to temper that by your skill level. Have you taken apart many cars or do you have friends who are willing and able to help? If so, there's a lot more you can do. Just know that nearly nothing is worse than that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach at 10:00 PM on Sunday evening when half your car is apart on the floor and you MUST have the car together to get to work tomorrow at 6AM. So be sure to know what's easy and hard when you make that first purchase.
2. Always beef up the chassis and brakes before adding power. On many cars - Mustangs especially - it's totally possible to add WAY more power than the chassis can reasonably handle. On the street or a road course (which is where I tend to hang out), if you can outbrake and outturn your opponent, you win 7 times out of 10. A pure drag racer, the big secret lies in that first 60' of track - and that's as much technique as car chassis setup. So - get the brakes and chassis the way you want them first, then add power to match. You'll be glad you did.
3. There are many, many, MANY power adders. BUT - if you're on a budget it's very hard to beat a nitrous system. Run it when you want to and the rest of the time (or when you don't have the jack to afford $5 gas) it's hurts nothing. From there, the old saying is true - "speed costs money, so how fast do you want to pay?" Just remember item #2 on the list first! (A lesson hard learned here!
)4. Great to hear you're interested in art! The Mustang makes a great canvas, so take one of those "plain" looking silver or white cars and go nuts with it. (Imagine a tinted clear coat over silver...
) Yes, there are a lot of expensive add ons like body kits and wheels and hoods and louvers and headlights and taillights...etc. BUT if you've got some skills and the time, you can make YOUR car one of a kind with things like pinstriping, self-painted - or unpainted and polished! - wheels, hand-painted dress-up parts (how about a hand-painted dash instead of the satin bits?), or even print-to-order graphics and body wraps. On the interior, get some kind of color thing going with a set of good quality seat covers first and for much less dough, then if the money comes in you can reupholster or get some custom seats along those color lines later. Don't feel like you've got to spend to compete. Use this as an opportunity to develop some new artistic skills, and you'll have a one-of-a-kind Mustang that no money can buy. And maybe even discover some skills others would like to pay you for to obtain your services! Enjoy - and good luck!
03-25-2012, 09:40 AM
#12
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 13
@Bitter:
Thanks for the reply! That seems pretty fair then, and that's around the mileage I've been finding for near that price!
@WindyMustang:
Thanks!
1. I personally don't have really any experience at all with taking apart, or putting back together cars, so most of the things added on would have to be either those held on with adhesive, like some from American Muscle, or I'd have to have a shop put them on, unless it was somehow easy enough for me to figure out. Hopefully I'm never in that situation, sounds really stressful
.
2. Should I just find some basic performance boosters, like, maybe sway bars (?) or something? I don't know about that kind of stuff really, or if it'd even be practical or helpful if you're not making high speed turns. As someone still in school and totally new to this kind of thing, it's terrifying how fast costs add up
.. I've seen steering wheels and seats going for $500+, which is a lot on a tight budget. I guess I'll look around at different brake and chassis options that wont brake the bank. 
3. I've been kind of overwhelmed by the amount of things you can do to increase performance.. and the price tags associated
. About the nitrous system; can it be used anywhere legally, does it need special engine mods, etc? I guess I should read up on that since I'm not even sure how it works. That's a really good saying, in fact.. I'm going to print that out and put it up on my little "Bulletin board of dreams" where I've begun to tack up pictures of different styles and ideas I like .
4. That's a really good idea! I like the look of the white car.. so long as I could keep it white, and no matter the color I end up with, I plan on babying this thing like crazy 
. That tinted clear coat sounds pretty nice, hopefully the pricing on that wouldn't be too much, I don't know much about the specifics or costs associated with painting, except that I've seen estimates for a full re-paint going for $3-4k+, but that looks much more involved. I like that idea of hand-painted parts! I think that'd give the inside a really unique look! I've been surprised from my searches so far at how much even seat COVERS are going for, some a lot more than I'd expect, although it'd still be a lot cheaper than new seats.
My main fear with custom paint (aside from the cost) is that either I'll have a fender bender caused by me, which hopefully wouldn't happen (I consider myself a pretty safe driver, and I try to stick close to the speed limit (not too common for kids my age) , although behind the wheel of a mustang
..), or that, given that I'll be parking in a lot behind my high school, with a lot of other inexperienced drivers, they'll end up dinging my hard work. I'll probably try to park on the very end away from people if possible.
Another thing I'm nervous about is that if I put all this work and money into my car, that someone would do something to it. This is probably just me being paranoid..
I found this picture the other day (ignore the lambo doors), and thought it was a pretty unique paint job:
Saw this kind of paint and thought it was unique, do you think it's over the top? I feel like if the whole car was like this it might be too much, especially since my intention isn't a show car. ( again.. ignore the lambo doors
):
Also my assumption is that the color-changing type paint would be at least a bit (if not a lot
) more than a normal paint job. Given that I probably wouldn't be able to afford a full body paint job without giving up all hopes for other tweaks, this probably isn't even an option.
You're right! This would be a fun way to learn new stuff, and it would be cool to find some kind of skill I could use to make money!
Wow, this post got long!
Thank you very much for the detailed response I really appreciate it!
-- After seeing your sig, and after looking on Google to check the approx time manufacturers release their next year's model, do you think the price on the 05-06's might drop a little as the 2013s roll out? It would be after summer too, so maybe that's a reason why I can't find too many for sale right now.
Again, thanks!
Thanks for the reply! That seems pretty fair then, and that's around the mileage I've been finding for near that price!
@WindyMustang:
Thanks!
1. I personally don't have really any experience at all with taking apart, or putting back together cars, so most of the things added on would have to be either those held on with adhesive, like some from American Muscle, or I'd have to have a shop put them on, unless it was somehow easy enough for me to figure out. Hopefully I'm never in that situation, sounds really stressful
.2. Should I just find some basic performance boosters, like, maybe sway bars (?) or something? I don't know about that kind of stuff really, or if it'd even be practical or helpful if you're not making high speed turns. As someone still in school and totally new to this kind of thing, it's terrifying how fast costs add up
.. I've seen steering wheels and seats going for $500+, which is a lot on a tight budget. I guess I'll look around at different brake and chassis options that wont brake the bank. 3. I've been kind of overwhelmed by the amount of things you can do to increase performance.. and the price tags associated
. About the nitrous system; can it be used anywhere legally, does it need special engine mods, etc? I guess I should read up on that since I'm not even sure how it works. That's a really good saying, in fact.. I'm going to print that out and put it up on my little "Bulletin board of dreams" where I've begun to tack up pictures of different styles and ideas I like .4.
That's a really good idea! I like the look of the white car.. so long as I could keep it white, and no matter the color I end up with, I plan on babying this thing like crazy . That tinted clear coat sounds pretty nice, hopefully the pricing on that wouldn't be too much, I don't know much about the specifics or costs associated with painting, except that I've seen estimates for a full re-paint going for $3-4k+, but that looks much more involved. I like that idea of hand-painted parts! I think that'd give the inside a really unique look! I've been surprised from my searches so far at how much even seat COVERS are going for, some a lot more than I'd expect, although it'd still be a lot cheaper than new seats. My main fear with custom paint (aside from the cost) is that either I'll have a fender bender caused by me, which hopefully wouldn't happen (I consider myself a pretty safe driver, and I try to stick close to the speed limit (not too common for kids my age) , although behind the wheel of a mustang
..), or that, given that I'll be parking in a lot behind my high school, with a lot of other inexperienced drivers, they'll end up dinging my hard work. I'll probably try to park on the very end away from people if possible.Another thing I'm nervous about is that if I put all this work and money into my car, that someone would do something to it. This is probably just me being paranoid..
I found this picture the other day (ignore the lambo doors), and thought it was a pretty unique paint job:
Saw this kind of paint and thought it was unique, do you think it's over the top? I feel like if the whole car was like this it might be too much, especially since my intention isn't a show car. ( again.. ignore the lambo doors
):Also my assumption is that the color-changing type paint would be at least a bit (if not a lot
) more than a normal paint job. Given that I probably wouldn't be able to afford a full body paint job without giving up all hopes for other tweaks, this probably isn't even an option.You're right! This would be a fun way to learn new stuff
, and it would be cool to find some kind of skill I could use to make money!Wow, this post got long!
Thank you very much for the detailed response
I really appreciate it!-- After seeing your sig, and after looking on Google to check the approx time manufacturers release their next year's model, do you think the price on the 05-06's might drop a little as the 2013s roll out? It would be after summer too, so maybe that's a reason why I can't find too many for sale right now.
Again, thanks!
03-25-2012, 10:40 AM
#13
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Southeast Virginia
Posts: 6,409
Welcome to the forums! Modding can be expensive but if you look around on eBay and /or your local Craigslist, you can find some incredible deals on Mustang parts. I got these Silver Horse Racing louvers for a less on eBay. Also purchased a Chrome aux. plug for $10 compared to $30 on other sites. Just be patient and search.
03-25-2012, 11:59 AM
#14
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 13
@07 Stang
Thanks!
I think that's a great idea. Any money I can save is definitely worth the extra effort! I like your 1/4 window louver a lot, it really gives a meaner look to the car. The chrome plug looks really nice too! It'd go good with one of those interior kits that replace the *****/locks/door handles!
Thanks for the ideas and tips!
Thanks!
I think that's a great idea. Any money I can save is definitely worth the extra effort! I like your 1/4 window louver a lot, it really gives a meaner look to the car. The chrome plug looks really nice too! It'd go good with one of those interior kits that replace the *****/locks/door handles!
Thanks for the ideas and tips!
03-25-2012, 09:43 PM
#15
Zod, you have no idea how happy this post has made me! Welcome to the forums!
You'd be surprised by just how many young guys with attitudes and incoherent thought processes. You're a very welcome surprise!
1) First off, consider yourself very lucky that you can grab a car like this in high school! Sounds like your parents are being very generous. You remind me a lot of myself! I was in your position about 5 years ago. I was very lucky (don't shoot, please) that my parents bought me a base 2007 V6 brand new the summer before senior year. Of course, I had to keep my nose clean, perform well in baseball and football seasons, maintain my high GPA, and score well in ACT/SAT tests, so it wasn't all a walk in the park...
2) In the past, I thought "If you could afford a GT, grab one!", but I've rethought that. If you buy a GT right away, you'll never appreciate the V6 and would be a huge jump in power from whatever you drive right now. Not only are the insurance rates for a big V8 a lot more expensive for a teen, but so is gas (although in the city, the V6 and V8 are very comparable depending on the driver, of course). Not only that, but most young drivers can't handle that kind of power. It's the reason why you see most higher-end cars in the student lots of high schools with so many dings, dents, and scrapes! And the very valid point you had about other drivers messing up your sweet ride... My suggestion to that is ALWAYS PARK IN A CORNER SPOT IF YOU CAN! A 10 second longer walk is much better than squeezing into a closer spot. And the bigger the spot and the closer you get to the curb, the better! I'm always parking in corner spots as close as possible to the curb to allow for clearance between myself and the next idiot driver.
3) Don't worry about mod prices! You don't have to do it all at once! Sure, there are some guys out there that are made of money that buy a car then buy new wheels, a supercharger, and appearance mods the week after. But most of us aren't that lucky. You're not the only one that's ever been on a budget! High school budgets are tight and small; I worked weekends as a busser and that's where the mod money came from. Christmas time was always a nice opportunity for little mods too! And work your butt off next summer and you'd be surprised by how quick the money adds up if you're smart with it. I had a CAI/tuner, exhaust, wheels, and a couple exterior mods in the course of a year in the half. Then I went off to college. Lived off of a 25 dollar weekly budget for fun. Played a lot of video games and worked out a lot to pass the time so I wouldn't be tempted to spend more haha. Needless to say, the only thing that was done to that car was vinyl stripes when Christmas rolled around. Then came the internship, and with it came mod money! Be patient and do what you can, when you can. This forum is an excellent place for ideas, but also tempts you to drain your wallet on a moments notice! My ride didn't get to where it is now overnight, and I can say the same for everyone else on this forum. We're not snobs, we're not rich, and we do what we can with the funds we have available!
4) You may not street race (many of us don't) and you may not race at the track, but let me tell you, a CAI/tune combo can really wake up your car. Well worth it in my opinion.
5)I had ZERO mechanical knowledge when I first got my car. Through the help of good installation instructions, good internet searches, and this forum (yes, this one), I have a pretty good amount of experience now. Hell, I drilled into my own front bumper to install my grille and I think it came out pretty damn good haha
It seems like you have very good taste (I chuckled when I saw you dismiss the lambo doors twice haha) and I'm sure that whatever color you get, you'll mod it appropriately and tastefully.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me. Like I said, you remind me a lot of myself in high school and I'm still plenty young enough to remember it clearly as well as the first mods I installed.
Oh and P.S: the girls will love your car. And if you get a manual, they'll love it even more. All of the varsity cheerleaders had to check it out and the teammates thought pretty highly of it too, even though it was a V6 haha
You'd be surprised by just how many young guys with attitudes and incoherent thought processes. You're a very welcome surprise!
1) First off, consider yourself very lucky that you can grab a car like this in high school! Sounds like your parents are being very generous. You remind me a lot of myself! I was in your position about 5 years ago. I was very lucky (don't shoot, please) that my parents bought me a base 2007 V6 brand new the summer before senior year. Of course, I had to keep my nose clean, perform well in baseball and football seasons, maintain my high GPA, and score well in ACT/SAT tests, so it wasn't all a walk in the park...
2) In the past, I thought "If you could afford a GT, grab one!", but I've rethought that. If you buy a GT right away, you'll never appreciate the V6 and would be a huge jump in power from whatever you drive right now. Not only are the insurance rates for a big V8 a lot more expensive for a teen, but so is gas (although in the city, the V6 and V8 are very comparable depending on the driver, of course). Not only that, but most young drivers can't handle that kind of power. It's the reason why you see most higher-end cars in the student lots of high schools with so many dings, dents, and scrapes! And the very valid point you had about other drivers messing up your sweet ride... My suggestion to that is ALWAYS PARK IN A CORNER SPOT IF YOU CAN! A 10 second longer walk is much better than squeezing into a closer spot. And the bigger the spot and the closer you get to the curb, the better! I'm always parking in corner spots as close as possible to the curb to allow for clearance between myself and the next idiot driver.
3) Don't worry about mod prices! You don't have to do it all at once! Sure, there are some guys out there that are made of money that buy a car then buy new wheels, a supercharger, and appearance mods the week after. But most of us aren't that lucky. You're not the only one that's ever been on a budget! High school budgets are tight and small; I worked weekends as a busser and that's where the mod money came from. Christmas time was always a nice opportunity for little mods too! And work your butt off next summer and you'd be surprised by how quick the money adds up if you're smart with it. I had a CAI/tuner, exhaust, wheels, and a couple exterior mods in the course of a year in the half. Then I went off to college. Lived off of a 25 dollar weekly budget for fun. Played a lot of video games and worked out a lot to pass the time so I wouldn't be tempted to spend more haha. Needless to say, the only thing that was done to that car was vinyl stripes when Christmas rolled around. Then came the internship, and with it came mod money! Be patient and do what you can, when you can. This forum is an excellent place for ideas, but also tempts you to drain your wallet on a moments notice! My ride didn't get to where it is now overnight, and I can say the same for everyone else on this forum. We're not snobs, we're not rich, and we do what we can with the funds we have available!
4) You may not street race (many of us don't) and you may not race at the track, but let me tell you, a CAI/tune combo can really wake up your car. Well worth it in my opinion.
5)I had ZERO mechanical knowledge when I first got my car. Through the help of good installation instructions, good internet searches, and this forum (yes, this one), I have a pretty good amount of experience now. Hell, I drilled into my own front bumper to install my grille and I think it came out pretty damn good haha
It seems like you have very good taste (I chuckled when I saw you dismiss the lambo doors twice haha) and I'm sure that whatever color you get, you'll mod it appropriately and tastefully.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me. Like I said, you remind me a lot of myself in high school and I'm still plenty young enough to remember it clearly as well as the first mods I installed.
Oh and P.S: the girls will love your car. And if you get a manual, they'll love it even more. All of the varsity cheerleaders had to check it out and the teammates thought pretty highly of it too, even though it was a V6 haha
03-25-2012, 11:10 PM
#16
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: WA
Posts: 255
BTW About six months ago I went through pretty much the exact same thing your going through right now the excitement, the preparation, and finally... the payoff (boy is it worth the wait). I know that thinking of driving such a nice car gets you excited well trust me... actually driving it will be that much better!
I'm glad to see your so enthusiastic about getting your car, and to be honest I'm a little excited for you. I can't wait for you to put those lambo doors on your mustang.... oh wait you were pointing out the paint not the lambo... Well whatever you do good luck, I know you'll enjoy it.P.S sorry if in my last post i sounded kinda like a Dick I didn't mean to come off like that but reading it again I think I kind of did Lol! My only point was I think if you get your car and leave it stock for awhile then when you finally get those mods they will be that much more sweet!
03-26-2012, 06:44 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 13
@MadStang40; Thank you! That makes me glad to hear! I really don't like people with attitudes and the general immaturity and stuff, and I'm glad I came here too!
1) I do completely feel like I'm lucky to be able to get this :3. When we first talked about it they seemed completely fine with the idea (like when I posted the thread and prior), but lately for some reason my mom has been encouraging me to not spend my money on it. I think what she's worried about is the insurance prices, cause I've seen some horrible horrible rates for teenagers driving even 04 and earlier mustangs. Jeez! I partly wish my parents would buy me a brand new one, or even pay for a used one for that matter. On the other hand though I feel like (since them buying it totally is not an option anyway) working my *** off to pay for it will be very rewarding. I'd do anything to be able to get one of these, like work my butt off for high grades (or maintain my current As and Bs), etc. I've even told them that I'd go to a community college which isn't very far away, allowing me to live at home, to save them the cost of room & board along with meal plans and such.
2) I'm glad I've found some people who don't say "JUMP AT THE V8", etc. A lot of places I've looked have been people hating on anyone who drives a v6, or an automatic, because it ruins the car's image or something. I can't even imagine the insurance on a v8 with all that power, even a v6 just for being a sports car will probably siphon a lot of mod money away. That definitely makes sense for why there's so many dinged up cars! I don't like the attitudes a lot of these teenage guys have. They buy these cheap cars (nothing wrong with that), put big awkward rims on them, and fly around at 20 over the speed limit doing stupid stuff. Just this year there have been quite a few speed-related accidents just in the junior class (usually happening when there's 5 teens crammed in a small car, typical..). There's been a roll over (everyone was OK I think), some people hit trees, and a girl totaled a car her parents GAVE her by not looking both ways coming out of a driveway.
Back on topic.. I probably will try for the corner spots, although I'm scared just to drive near half the teenagers who drive haha!
3) All the stylish cars in the pictures make me drool over the expensive mods! It's definitely going to take some saving, especially if I have to pay for all of my insurance myself, and I totally forgot about Christmas! That would be a good chance to get some smaller mods maybe! I think one of the first thing's I'd change would be the wheels/rims. They seem to be a really key feature, and even without mods for a while, good rims can really make even the stock look a lot nicer! Haha! I think I'll be putting a lot of my money towards the car, so staying busy will be a really good idea. Just looking online I see so many things I want it's so frustrating! One of the things that kinda makes me mad is when they show, say, a front fascia mod thing. Yea, the mod is attractive by itself, but the picture almost over-glorifies it, because it's not like you see just that mod on a stock Mustang. Oh no. In that picture is also a new hood, fancy headlights, giant rims, louvers, etc. It almost fools you, because it is attractive but it makes you want the whole deal, which is probably thousands on top of just the part you're looking at!
4) Are they expensive? I really don't know much about motors (basically nothing), but if it isn't too much money I'll definitely consider it. I don't street race, and probably wouldn't even with this car, or race anywhere most likely! I feel like I'd get shut down too quick with all the knowledge and thus performance a lot of racer's have. I think it would be fun to go to a track sometime just to have a legal way to get the car to it's max (I've read of some people doing late night highway runs when they're pretty empty, but getting caught going 100 would both get me a ticket which would even further limit mod money, as well as probably get me banned by my parents from the car for some time aha).
5) That's where I am haha! Just reading and browsing online though I too have been starting to get some knowledge, or at least names of different parts. As an example I would have had no idea what a louver was if someone had asked me before.. But boy I'd be pretty scared doing any drilling or cutting myself :X
Thank you! Yea when I was looking at other cars I liked the idea of them, but am coming to realize I'll look pretty foolish getting out in a high school parking lot with lambo doors, not to mention the fury it brings up in people when people put lambo doors on a mustang :x.
Thanks for the offer! I might end up doing that I hope I always remember my first Mustang, and how hard I worked to get it, and the mods for it! I can't wait until I'm in a full time job someday, just so I'll be on my own and able to get the newer models out then, and seeing how mean the 2012's look, I wonder what they'll look like in 2017+ after college.. gosh that seems so far out.
Haha that'd be pretty sick if they did. I don't know if I could get a manual, since I have no idea how to drive one, and they seem a lot easier to mess up, but I definitely think the car would turn some heads, even stock (they can just wait till I get it modded!)!
@This guy; That must be such an awesome feeling I hope it's worth the wait eeek. The one major tackle now will be insurance. I've read a lot of horror stories of how much it'll cost, but I'd honestly pay it to be able to drive this. Don't worry you didn't sound like a dick haha I think I'm gonna go stock for a while after thinking long and hard about it. Actually lately I've been kinda generous with the mod buying time-frame. The thing now is that the insurance rates are stuck in my head.. so that might drain mod money pretty quick. I'm not sure exactly how much it could go but I've seen insane prices, of course being a teenage male driver is bad enough, but a sports car apparently makes it a lot worse . Anyway about the time-frame now I'm thinking I could drive stock for a while, and maybe by this time next year (if any money is saved after the horrible insurance rates) I could get some mods. I'm hoping the stock price drops with the release of the 2013 sometime this fall, and if I get it modded by this time next year it'll be a beauty by the time prom rolls around . Going to senior prom dressed in a nice suit or tux driving a nice stylishly modded mustang would be insane :O!
^ Kind of reminded me of some dramatic moment, camera at ground level, getting out of a nice, shiny, sick looking car in a fancy suit. Haha I don't even know.. just romanticizing the idea. :3
Oops yea I was pointing out the paint, not the lambo doors aha! Everywhere I've seen mustangs with lambo doors online, I've also seen an angry mod bashing them for "ruining" their car. :x
Good god I write replies longer than what I get for responses
I really don't like people with attitudes and the general immaturity and stuff, and I'm glad I came here too! 1) I do completely feel like I'm lucky to be able to get this :3. When we first talked about it they seemed completely fine with the idea (like when I posted the thread and prior), but lately for some reason my mom has been encouraging me to not spend my money on it. I think what she's worried about is the insurance prices, cause I've seen some horrible horrible rates for teenagers driving even 04 and earlier mustangs. Jeez! I partly wish my parents would buy me a brand new one, or even pay for a used one for that matter. On the other hand though I feel like (since them buying it totally is not an option anyway) working my *** off to pay for it will be very rewarding
. I'd do anything to be able to get one of these, like work my butt off for high grades (or maintain my current As and Bs), etc. I've even told them that I'd go to a community college which isn't very far away, allowing me to live at home, to save them the cost of room & board along with meal plans and such.2) I'm glad I've found some people who don't say "JUMP AT THE V8", etc. A lot of places I've looked have been people hating on anyone who drives a v6, or an automatic, because it ruins the car's image or something. I can't even imagine the insurance on a v8 with all that power, even a v6 just for being a sports car will probably siphon a lot of mod money away. That definitely makes sense for why there's so many dinged up cars! I don't like the attitudes a lot of these teenage guys have. They buy these cheap cars (nothing wrong with that), put big awkward rims on them, and fly around at 20 over the speed limit doing stupid stuff. Just this year there have been quite a few speed-related accidents just in the junior class (usually happening when there's 5 teens crammed in a small car, typical..). There's been a roll over (everyone was OK I think), some people hit trees, and a girl totaled a car her parents GAVE her by not looking both ways coming out of a driveway.
Back on topic.. I probably will try for the corner spots, although I'm scared just to drive near half the teenagers who drive haha!
3) All the stylish cars in the pictures make me drool over the expensive mods! It's definitely going to take some saving, especially if I have to pay for all of my insurance myself, and I totally forgot about Christmas! That would be a good chance to get some smaller mods maybe
! I think one of the first thing's I'd change would be the wheels/rims. They seem to be a really key feature, and even without mods for a while, good rims can really make even the stock look a lot nicer! Haha! I think I'll be putting a lot of my money towards the car, so staying busy will be a really good idea. Just looking online I see so many things I want it's so frustrating! One of the things that kinda makes me mad is when they show, say, a front fascia mod thing. Yea, the mod is attractive by itself, but the picture almost over-glorifies it, because it's not like you see just that mod on a stock Mustang. Oh no. In that picture is also a new hood, fancy headlights, giant rims, louvers, etc. It almost fools you, because it is attractive but it makes you want the whole deal, which is probably thousands on top of just the part you're looking at! 4) Are they expensive? I really don't know much about motors (basically nothing), but if it isn't too much money I'll definitely consider it. I don't street race, and probably wouldn't even with this car, or race anywhere most likely! I feel like I'd get shut down too quick with all the knowledge and thus performance a lot of racer's have. I think it would be fun to go to a track sometime just to have a legal way to get the car to it's max (I've read of some people doing late night highway runs when they're pretty empty, but getting caught going 100 would both get me a ticket which would even further limit mod money, as well as probably get me banned by my parents from the car for some time aha).
5) That's where I am haha! Just reading and browsing online though I too have been starting to get some knowledge, or at least names of different parts. As an example I would have had no idea what a louver was if someone had asked me before.. But boy I'd be pretty scared doing any drilling or cutting myself :X
Thank you!
Yea when I was looking at other cars I liked the idea of them, but am coming to realize I'll look pretty foolish getting out in a high school parking lot with lambo doors, not to mention the fury it brings up in people when people put lambo doors on a mustang :x.Thanks for the offer! I might end up doing that
I hope I always remember my first Mustang, and how hard I worked to get it, and the mods for it! I can't wait until I'm in a full time job someday, just so I'll be on my own and able to get the newer models out then, and seeing how mean the 2012's look, I wonder what they'll look like in 2017+ after college.. gosh that seems so far out.Haha that'd be pretty sick if they did
. I don't know if I could get a manual, since I have no idea how to drive one, and they seem a lot easier to mess up, but I definitely think the car would turn some heads, even stock (they can just wait till I get it modded!)!@This guy; That must be such an awesome feeling
I hope it's worth the wait eeek. The one major tackle now will be insurance. I've read a lot of horror stories of how much it'll cost, but I'd honestly pay it to be able to drive this. Don't worry you didn't sound like a dick haha I think I'm gonna go stock for a while after thinking long and hard about it. Actually lately I've been kinda generous with the mod buying time-frame. The thing now is that the insurance rates are stuck in my head.. so that might drain mod money pretty quick. I'm not sure exactly how much it could go but I've seen insane prices, of course being a teenage male driver is bad enough, but a sports car apparently makes it a lot worse . Anyway about the time-frame now I'm thinking I could drive stock for a while, and maybe by this time next year (if any money is saved after the horrible insurance rates) I could get some mods. I'm hoping the stock price drops with the release of the 2013 sometime this fall, and if I get it modded by this time next year it'll be a beauty by the time prom rolls around . Going to senior prom dressed in a nice suit or tux driving a nice stylishly modded mustang would be insane :O!^ Kind of reminded me of some dramatic moment, camera at ground level, getting out of a nice, shiny, sick looking car in a fancy suit. Haha I don't even know.. just romanticizing the idea. :3
Oops yea I was pointing out the paint, not the lambo doors aha! Everywhere I've seen mustangs with lambo doors online, I've also seen an angry mod bashing them for "ruining" their car. :x
Good god I write replies longer than what I get for responses
03-26-2012, 07:58 PM
#18
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 256
Consider a 5 speed. It's a little less expensive, will get you better gas mileage and you'll learn quickly how to drive one. They are truly a pain in the butt if you drive in a lot of stop and go traffic, but if that's not what you're faced with often, they are a real fun ride.
03-26-2012, 09:50 PM
#19
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location:
Posts: 246
On 1....yeah, it can be a real buzz kill, but if you plan your time wisely it can be alot of fun too.
On 2...the first brake and chassis mods I would recommend are (a) GT brake rotor upgrade + pads and (b) lowering springs. Both can be had from several places, so be sure to shop around! Almost forgot...don't hesitate to raid the occasional junkyard for parts too!
On 3...there are very few ordinances against a nitrous system, but obviously if you jump to warp speed in the wrong place you'll have one of those ever so special meetings with the po-po. Save it for the track.
Liked the white color scheme (sans lambo doors too)...bet you could do that on a white car for less than $2k if you shop around. If you've never learned to use an airbrush, now's the time! Pick up a scrap hood or door at that junkyard and give it a try. You'd be amazed how quickly you can get a pretty good result.
And yeah, waiting about 6 months as the 2013s come out will save you a bit too. BUT - it's probably more important to know what you want and be ready to strike whenever it comes up.
One more thing...hold out for the 5 speed manual, even if you've never used one. Once you get the hang of it you'll never go back.
On 2...the first brake and chassis mods I would recommend are (a) GT brake rotor upgrade + pads and (b) lowering springs. Both can be had from several places, so be sure to shop around! Almost forgot...don't hesitate to raid the occasional junkyard for parts too!
On 3...there are very few ordinances against a nitrous system, but obviously if you jump to warp speed in the wrong place you'll have one of those ever so special meetings with the po-po. Save it for the track.
Liked the white color scheme (sans lambo doors too)...bet you could do that on a white car for less than $2k if you shop around. If you've never learned to use an airbrush, now's the time! Pick up a scrap hood or door at that junkyard and give it a try. You'd be amazed how quickly you can get a pretty good result.
And yeah, waiting about 6 months as the 2013s come out will save you a bit too. BUT - it's probably more important to know what you want and be ready to strike whenever it comes up.
One more thing...hold out for the 5 speed manual, even if you've never used one. Once you get the hang of it you'll never go back.
Last edited by WindyMustang; 03-26-2012 at 09:53 PM.
03-27-2012, 12:50 PM
#20
It really helps to have someone teach you on their car first. My dad taught me on my first car (1998 Ford Ranger with an inline 4!). I hated it at first and wasn't getting the concept very well until he threw me the keys and said "Go drive the truck around the neighborhood". I drove it at 15 years old, in residential streets by myself. And actually learned quickly. One of those throw your kids into the middle of the pool to teach him out to swim techniques. Works like a charm. Don't be intimidated. you WILL stall. Heck, I stalled the other day misjudging how much gas I needed as I backed into my garage spot. But it'll get easier as time goes on and you just may learn to appreciate it. Stop and go traffic isn't the most fun, but for me, it's tolerable.
A CAI and tuner install is a piece of cake. All the tools that are required are screwdrivers and maybe a wrench. Manufacturers typically give really well written directions too. I believe a CAI and tuner combo run about $575-$675 on Americanmuscle.com
A CAI and tuner install is a piece of cake. All the tools that are required are screwdrivers and maybe a wrench. Manufacturers typically give really well written directions too. I believe a CAI and tuner combo run about $575-$675 on Americanmuscle.com