ORIGINAL: Dboy23

Well this has been on my mind for a while now and I can get a donor car for about $6,000 and I was considering putting on a whole Saleen Body kit on an 05+ Mustang and I figured out the prices if I got it straight from Saleen or if I bought the parts and such online at other places. From Saleen the kit with Hood, Exhaust, Seats, and Wheels would cost me roughly $9,900 plus at least another $1,500 for paint and such. So I went online and shopped around and came up with the same items from $6,000 - $6,500 plus another $1,500 for the paint. So my question is, for $14,000 is it worth having a real looking fake Saleen (I opt for an automatic tranmission and V6 because I'm only 17, gas is expensive, and it'll be my daily driver). Also I'm adding another $1,000 to the prices for small items such as the cluster (speedometer), floor mats, the trunk liner, decals, and badges to make it basically a real Saleen with an automatic V6, just like I wanted.

So, is $15,000 a good price for something like that or do you guys think it's pointless and I'm a complete idiot. Any and all advice is appreciated.

ORIGINAL: Saleen326

Save you money and buy a real Saleen. No matter what you do to it, it will always be a V6 mustang (not that this is bad). It wouldn't be worth that much after you throw all that money at it either. And for 15k, with the market right now, you could buy a REAL Saleen for that price. JMHO

ORIGINAL: IWinULose

In my honest opinion, I wouldn't do it. Sure, you'd have a nice looking ride. But at your age, if you have $15k to drop on a conversion, then gas shouldn't be a worry. Secondly, if it were me, I'd drop the $21,000 you plan to spend overall on a used GT for about $10k - $12k(99-04) and bank the rest. Actually, you should really bank the majority of it, but if you're dead set on having a newer Stang, then that would be the route I'd go. I'm not a whole helluva lot older than you, but I've learned a lot in life through trial and error, and have became fairly good with handling finances. But hindsight is 20/20, and looking back, there is a lot of things I did with money that now I realize was stupid. I've had many many vehicles, and spent thousands upon thousands modding them, then tiring of them, and getting rid of them. In the end, you come to the realization that you wasted that money to have something that was fashionable for the moment. You need to be very sure that when you start spending money on cars and modding that it is something you really want to do, and that you are going to be happy with, and that you are going to keep and enjoy(because you will never get your money back out of them). Case in point, I had an 04 GT modded to the hilt. Had almost everything done that I wanted to do, was paid for, etc etc. This past fall, I traded it on a diesel truck because I thought that's what I wanted to do. In less than 4 months, I was tired of the diesel, and missed my Mustang a whole lot. I tracked it down in Maryland, and begged and pleaded the new owners to sell it to me, even at off the wall prices, they refused. I then went shopping and bought the car I have now. I will have this one for a long long time. With all of that being said, the only person that can make the decision is you, and you are also the only one that has to live with the decision you make. So just really think things through before you get in over your head.

ORIGINAL: Dboy23

First off I highly appreciate your opinion and I thank you for it.

Well I have my heart set on a 2005+ Saleen, I have $14,000 saved up now and at the age of 17 I've already owned 9 cars on last count. I change my mind alot and I've purchased a vast variety of vehicals. The car with the conversion will cost me $15,000 MAX, I've done some figuring and it should come out to less, plus I wouldn't be doing all of the modifications right away. There's an auction that my dad goes to and I'm waiting for there to be a V6 coupe that was a theft with no seats or wheels, the more that's missing the better, also I want it to be hit. I had seen one before just like that but I had my 07' Charger R/T at that time and really liked it until I figured out it was a lemon, plus it wasn't the TOP OF THE LINE. In my eyes you can't get any Mustang better than a Saleen and there's nothing out there that could make me want it less (like the SRT8 Charger did). I'm most likely not going to mod it anything past maybe tinted windows but other than that I want it to be a stock looking Saleen and for it to be numbered #423 on account of that is my birthday.

If anyone has any input please don't be shy to post.

ORIGINAL: IWinULose

The bold above is why you should not spend your savings on something like this. Also, your remark about 'TOP OF THE LINE' is useless, because you are using a V6. And last, I have a question for you. In another thread you said you were having a dealership look for a Saleen for you. What gives?

ORIGINAL: Saleen326

No where did I saw a 05+ Saleen for 15K. You can easily get an 87-2000ish Saleen right now for that price if you look hard enough. Where you find a 6,000 dollar decent 05+ V6 is beyond me. I had the same plan as you, only with a 95 GT. I really wanted a Saleen and figured that if I were to do it right, it would cost me 12-15k plus the cost of the car, SO 18k invested on a car that may at the most be worth 5k and it still wouldn't be a real Saleen. In my books, that is a waste of money. When I can easily take that 18k and purchase a real Saleen and then have the exclusivity of owning one. If you want the financial smart answer, don't do it. However it is your money and you have the choice to do what you want. I personally would not. 15k is a nice down payment for a house and a much better investment than any car.

As far as wanting a V6, that's fine. I feel that it would be a waste of money in the long run to throw that amount of cash into a car that will ultimately depreciate. Am I saying that I would never do this, No. But when I throw 10k into restoring my car, I have the reassurance that in the future it is a real Saleen and hope to recoup some of that investment. Will I see a full return, probably not. But a lot better return than if I converted my 95GT to Saleen specs.

This is just my opinion and take it with a grain of salt. However, it is your cash and you have the freedom to do what you want.

ORIGINAL: Dboy23

They're trying to locate me a Saleen with an Automatic tranmission with no luck. Personally I just love the LOOK of the Saleen, the performace comes second to me.

Edit: To clear it up I'm going to call the sales guy tomorrow and tell him to stop looking because when I want a car I always HAVE to find a way to get it. Plus about me changing my mind, that's why I'm not getting a brand new one, and not a real Saleen, I know it sounds stupid but that's just how I think.