DavidMcK

I am looking at picking up a new 06 Mustang. It will be the coupe, not the convertible and the V6 engine. Im not a car fanatic so I don't know much else.

While I am buying it for the looks and the style, I dont plan on modifying it or racing it or anythign else like that. I want it to last me about 8 to 10 years and not have a ton of mechanical problems.

Given this, is the new 06 Mustang a good buy?

I have also heard that the interior can be a little cheap looking but when I test drove one, I didnt notice this a whole lot. Anyone else ever have any prolems with this?

Thanks in advance

STANMAN

If you want to see a cheap interior, drive a Corvette. The new Mustangs interior is very nice and retro. You'll love it!

TJ

Hi David

Welcome to the forums pretty new here myself but it's my favorite.

I can agree with that and don't forget fun to drive.


Yes!

David this new body style 05 just came out and like any first run there will be some problems but Ford takes care of most of them in what called TSB (technical service bulletins) and your car will come with a three year almost bumper to bumper warr. Since your getting a 06 a lot of the 05 TSB's will not affect your car. That being said if your going to keep it for 8-10 years I would definitely go with an extended warr. I would recommend go with Premium Care (almost bumper to bumper) plan don't skimp with one of the lesser plans it's not worth it. One you decide what term (see Ford website for length/prices) you want to call around diff dealerships

I found prices vary by calling different dealerships from $100.00-$500.00 you do not have to buy from where you bought the car. I went with a 6/60,000 Premium Care with a Zero deductible for $955.00 from a different dealership than where I purchased my car from.

Good luck

tonylentini

I bought a 2005 coupe GT. I got all options except for the Shaker 1000 as it takes up too much trunk space and I am not a boombox kind of guy. The Shaker 500 is great. I don't race or show mine, but the 300 hp GT is one great driving car, if you can take the lower mileage. But it runs on regular, so there is a savings there. I got 18-inch extra wide Pirelli tires from the dealer aftermarket, had racing stripes painted on at the dealer (the car is black with metallic red stripes), and ordered special wheels, Chrome Cobras that look like the old Cragar mags from my youth. I ordered cloth interior and had it removed and replaced with custom leather (black with red inserts) at the dealer. I love the car. I have owned about four Mustangs/Cougars before, dating back to a '67 and '71 new and a '69 and a '71 Cougar convertible used and the 2005 (and presumably the 2006) is the best of the lot by far. In fact, it is the best built American car I have ever driven, comparable to the Lexus LS 400, which is very high praise. I highly recommend the car. Fit and finish is excellent and I have had no problems. The sound of the GT engine is a throaty roar and I can pass anyone on the highway. The car is beautifully designed. My only gripes, and these are MINOR: No automatic on/off headlights, but a warning beeper that is loud enough for even these deaf ears to hear; and no telescoping steering wheel. It adjusts up and down, but not telescopically. Remember, if you can take the slightly lower gas mileage (it will only be about 10 mpg when you first buy it because you will be tromping the accelerator a lot at first, but it will get up to a respectiful 15-17 if you drive like an adult), get the GT!
My car should be posted soon in the photo section. Oh, one last thing. When I bought mine here in Houston, a couple of dealers tried to jack me around and make me pay more than sticker or else buy one on the lot that was not what I wanted. I kept looking until I found a dealer who would do what I wanted and not charge extra because the car was supposedly in such high demand and short supply. Don't let a jerk dealer give you the runaround. Find one like mine, Central Ford in Houston, who played it straight.
Tony

Stoenr

And like TJ's car, I recommend the pony package. I love it.

Derf00

I've had my 00 since new (fall of 99) and aside from regular maintenance and a new water pump and tranny clutch a couple of weeks ago, it runs like a top. Both of those items can be considered regular wear for a 93K mile car.

Mustangs are one of the best buys in this class in terms of performance vs cost vs reliability (arguable if you're comparing to a honda civic)

As far as interiors are concerned what's considered cheap? To someone that drives a midrange BMW, Acura, or Mercedes, yeah the Mustang feels cheap. Heck even the G35 Infiniti has a "cheap" interior...so take it for what it's worth. If YOU like the interior that's what matters.

TJ

David I should have mentioned it but like Stoner said look at the Pony Package (if you like my grille pictured below) aside from the nice retro looking grille (which I also love) you get alot of nice options in one package deal check out what it comes in that package. The pony grille with fogs, 17 inch Bullit wheels, traction control, Anti lock brakes front and rear stabilizer bars plus more can't remember



Tonylentini Pictures
Sounds Nice!

ford4v429

a couple suggestions:

if getting the v6, I'd get the pony package too- you might get more out of it when you decide to part with it someday, and until then it adds a lot for the cost.

if thinking about buying one, call your local tripleA- just found out a week ago they sell cars, but buy thru fleet, should get best price and no allocation bs...let alone the sheer joy that is talking to a car dealer...they do it all for you, find you best price, etc...look over in blueovalforums.com in the mustang section...


as far as 'worth it'- well...I'm about as pessimistic as they come towards new cars, but saw the 05 at the cleveland auto show, spent a couple hours there talking to reps, they had all the right answers(except windveil was the only blue at that time- was begging for an acapulco shade...they did finally come out with sonic, and now vista). My sister-in-law works at a dealer, she called me when they got their first and only 05 in...was a white GT. spent a hour or so crawling around/all over it(they were really glad when I left the showroom), and the ONLY nit-picking I could do was:

1) thought the grill looked 'cheep' at first glance- would prefer powdercoated expanded metal in there instead. purely personal taste type of thing...

2) I really dont like the quarter glass...still hope to weld over/paint mine/add 69 emblems there. purely personal taste type of thing again...

3) if front seat set for average driver, there is almost zero legroom in the rear. I actually had to doublecheck the seat bottom was actually in place, it was. My 5 year old had to turn his feet sideways to get in...its terrible. The seats look much more comfortable than my 85 camaro rears were, but there just is not any rear legroom to speak of. Small kids and/or short trips only. My kids are small, but in a few years will not be able to ride very comfortably in there...3" more legroom would have been nice, but cant have everything...

4) I didnt care for the quarter panel assembly- the skin is crimped like a doorskin to the wheelhouse, which does 2 things- one, it leaves no shelf for dirt/salt to get on, a good thing. two it makes a very very thin top edge which would bend fairly easily- my biggest worry though is that upside down crimped seam- a chip in the paint lets any moisture in there, its gonna rust(just like a bottom door edge- in ohio, usually that and similar rocker crimps are first rot.) This still concerns me- my plans are to use POR-15 gas tank sealer inside the quarter(will remove interior panels for access) to totally seal this seam from the inside, then por-15 a couple coats over the underside where crimp edge is at, then a coat of spray-on bedliner roller applied on top of the por15 to further prevent gravel chips.

as far as everything else, it looks 'strong like bull' as a buddy used to say, and son of a gun I just couldnt find a way to 'not' love this car. even in the snug back seats my boys were all too excited about the car still, its even pretty cool to little kids! For the money, I dont think theres anything else out there that would come close to this car. I had swore I'd never buy another new car, as by the time theyre paid for, they are worthless...this car has 'classic' written all over it. Actually the v6 is probably a smarter buy, as the v8 has a lot of tricks up its sleeve to get the incredible performance and efficiency it does...gonna be expensive someday when the throttle servo/variable camshaft timing/intake manifold charge control plates/spark plug-coil assemblies/long timing chains/etc... need worked on after the warranty...
I'm confident ford did a good enough job on these 'non-DIY' things, they still didnt scare me away, and I love the v8 sound, so ordered a GT anyways...test drove a v6, its a great car. hoping the GT will be even better, and really hope my next one arrives intact(first one damaged in the dealers lot by the hauler...)and soon.

any other car out there(except the gt40) is just gonna be a old car in 5-10 years. I really think Ford is currently building the next classic mustang today, and definitely fell its both the best mustang ever, and the first new car I've EVER seen that was in my opinion actually worth the asking price.

My biggest fear is that if ford would up the price rather than increase the production. If they could build large volumes of similarly appealing cars, they could turn this entire economy around. I worry though the supply and demand gurus will get involved and push the price out of reach of the few working families left and drive another nail in the coffin for ford. Cars like this could revive the entire industry. I think if ford added another plant and knocked 5-10% off the cost(tooling/engineering is already paid for by over the top sales already) they could keep more americans working, and really get their cashflow going in the right direction. Downsizing might be easiest way to save money, but I still feel the best way is simply to build products people want to run out and buy- this car is it for a lot more folks than ford ever imagined...strike while the iron is hot. If there were ten on every lot and dealers were giving deals instead of gouging, I bet sales would easily top 250k units a year instead of the 100 they projected, or the 180k projected this year...coulda been 1966 again. keeping my fingers crossed...

SPARTAN VI

8-10 years without mechanical problems? Hmm..

These stangs have the nastiest warranty 3 years / 36,000 miles parts/labor. When I hit my first 5k mile checkup, I'll need to get my fuel tank replaced as well as a replacement plastic screw for the trunk's trim... and thank god that's all that's wrong with my stang.

DavidMcK

Thanks all for the replies. And yeah, I didn't think the interior looked too bad, looked ok by me.

I think I am gonna wait a bit and save up a few more dollars and pick up the 06 later in the year. When i can get a more reasonable car payment

Might just go for the convertible at that time as well.