acgreen7

Hey guys, hopefully this will be the first of many posts. Im heading out to california in the fall (in nyc now) and have my sights set on a 2006 mustang convertible... Id love a GT but havent been able to find one for under 15k so to get my feet wet i figure a v6 will do fine.

I found one in my area with 80000 miles and hes looking for 10k... says he commutes about 40mi each way to work and its mostly highway miles on it...

first of all, what do you guys think of the price (kbb has it around 10k)? and secondly im planning on having my mechanic look at it but was wondering how much the replaceable things like brake pads, etc usually run you?

aside from the tsbs anything else i should know or think about, this will be the first car i actually buy

kenthicken

Frankly, I'd say you should save up / borrow money to get what you really want. There's nothing worse than the "I should have bought the ________." Don't get me wrong - a V6 Mustang is a great car, but if you want a GT, do what it takes to get the GT.

Also, when buying a car, get your financing in place with a bank or credit union first, so you know what amount you are approved to. Plus, try not to buy a used car from a dealership - they have to make money, so they will mark up like crazy. Private party is good.

Brake pads, etc. are going to be around what you would pay with any other current vehicle on the road, so I wouldn't be too concerned about those things.

Welcome to MF, by the way!

pablito

You do know if you can find a new 2010 v6 base you can likely get it for 15-17k? I bougt mine friday for 15.8k + ttl. Just giving you a heads up.

SIGS.GT

that seems very high priced, i just picked up 05 GT with 48K, for 14,800...and in boston they are very hard to find in good shape, id say keep looking and get what you really want!

Taskiss

List price puts the convertible up about $5k over base. I have no idea what the used market price mark-up is for the rag-top.

As far as prices for brake pads, etc, you're looking at $30 and up per axle. Get a book and do it yourself - it's pretty much a rite of passage. Get your father or friends to help and you'll build more than just a car.

atldave

I also had a budget when I bought mine (or I should say my wife allowed me a certain budget). I had to choose between a 'vert and a GT at that price point. I decided I'd rather have the ragtop because I've been wanting one since my MG burned up in the 80s. I don't regret it at all. There is absolutely nothing like cruising with the top down on a beautiful day. If you are going to CA, you will really enjoy the ragtop a lot. I've spent about a grand on performance upgrades (CAI, tune, swaybars, duals) since then that have completely transformed the car. I'm not going to win any track races, but the car is fun to drive and gives me all the performance I want as a daily driver.

I wouldn't worry much about purchasing a V6 that has passed a thorough pre-purchase test from a mechanic. Generally the car got better as you move through the model years. See if you can find a 2007 or 2008. Consumer Reports lists the 2008 V6 as one of the most reliable cars on the road. (Much better reliability than the GT, btw.) It's like buying a Honda or Toyota.

Alec

This. As much as I love my car, there are a few things that I wish I would have waited for. Manual trans and IUP for example. Don't settle for something that you don't want 100%. Wait and find the right one

alkemist

Keep looking. If you want a GT droptop, then wait for one to come onto the market. There are plenty and many more showing up for sale. Especially with the 5.0's out now, people are trading up. You might also find a private seller that is in need of selling their car. Don't rush out and buy any one just because you want it now.

acgreen7

thanks for all the feedback, youre all right. the more i think about it the more it makes sense to wait and search. i figure ill keep looking for another month and see what i can/cant find and address it then.

i didnt know that about the 2008 v6s, i thought the differences between 2005-2009 were pretty minimal. guess i have to do some more research... what makes the 2008 models more reliable?

also, anyone have any experience with california inspection/emissions? ive heard from a few people that the state is a lot tougher compared to others, should that matter when it comes to a relatively new car from the east coast?

Alec

There's a thread floating around on 05-09 differences. I'd suggest reading it over

Edit: found it
https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...fferences.html