considering getting into mustangs

[iranmeba 10]

So i am completely new to mustangs, in fact i can't even drive yet (legally lol) but am considering getting a stang as my first car. i don't know that much about cars, literally the only thing i really know how to do is like change brake pads, rotars, and the oil and simple stuff like that. i was telling my uncle about wanting to get one but he is trying to persuade me not to because these cars are supposedly really difficult to maintain (he mentioned something about the suspension) anyway i was hoping you guys could give me any information you can to help me out with making this decision.

 

the one i am looking at is a 69 coupe with a rebuilt 351w engine and a new 4barel holly carb. if i do get it my plans are to put in a new sound system, put in some slick racing seats, get it painted, hook it up with keyless ignition/security system, and eventually supercharge it.

 

Cameron

[69GT 0]

Well, my 69 is my first and only car. I bought it back when I was a junior in high school and didnt know anything about mustangs or classic mustangs for that matter. If anything id say theyre easier to work on because just about everything is pretty accessible. I learned alot about cars with it and how to do procedures and change things out.

 

I was actually thinking about getting a Ford Ranger or something but im glad I found this car. Its staying with me for a very long time.

[GreaseMonkey 102]

Pretty much same with me 69GT, exept i got mine beetween my junior and senior years of high school. i didnt know much about Mustangs either, i am learning more and more as i go, but i still have a lot to learn. having a project car is a great way to learn about cars i think.

 

a lot of people tried to talk me out of getting an older project car as well. i dont think your uncle is totally right but the only thing is, if your planning to use it as a daily driver, being an older car, it will need more maintenance to keep it running at its best than a newer car. but other than that you shouldnt have many problems. just as long as you understand that with buying an older project car you arent just buying a car, your getting into a hobby. and im sure everyone on here will back me up with this, it is a great hobby. i think the extra work you put in is totally worth being able to drive and own the coolest car on the block. :thumbup1:

 

by the way you were smart to come here and post BEFORE buying a car. personally i got my '69 coupe and then came here and was like aaaaahh wtf have i gotten into!!!! but i still have no regrets!

[BAMF69 11]

My first car was a 69 mustang BEST THING EVER TO HAPPEN TO ME!..

 

Yeah it is a POS right now but when it's done it's going to be my dream car!!

 

I also got into mercedes but i don't suggest you get one unless you know how to work on them...if you don't their EXPENSIVE!

[69 Coupe de jour 10]

I have had Mustangs since 1983, GT's, SVO's, Cobra's and now my 69. They are a passion that I hope to have until the Lord calls me home. In fact, when I get to Heaven, I hope the lord says" good job Randy, heres your 69 Shelby Convertible" Seriously, all my friends from High School got out of cars, got mini vans or little imports, and now are miserable. I went back home after 10 yrs and only one guy still had his Mustang. They are reliable, fun, and don't gripe like a woman!

[bnickel 10,004]

My first car was a 69 mustang BEST THING EVER TO HAPPEN TO ME!..

 

Yeah it is a POS right now but when it's done it's going to be my dream car!!

 

I also got into mercedes but i don't suggest you get one unless you know how to work on them...if you don't their EXPENSIVE!

 

unfortunately, i know how to work on mercedes too well. when i was in high school auto shop out instructor was the former local mercedes head technician and he had a ton of customers who wouldn't take their cars to anyone but him so needless to say we got to work on a lot of them. even one the local GM dealers brought his Benz to us for any and all work rather than get one of his mechanics at the dealership to work on it, which would have been cheaper i'm sure even though it was mostly high school kids doing the actual labor our teacher still got paid for getting his customers fixed, mostly parts markup and such.

[ForceFed70 14]

Here's my outlook:

 

Classic mustang as a 1st car:

 

Good:

- Cool car

- Lots of fun

- Great project

 

Bad:

- Expect frequent problems

- Poor gas mileage

- Costs more money to keep running.

- Expect to get stranded on side of road at least once a year.

 

I bought a mustang as my 1st car and while I loved the car and learned how to work on cars because of it... it sure was a headache. Gas cost a fortune and the car always seemed to need work. Not so bad if you have the skill, money, and time. But for a College kid paying for his own school and working at McDonalds to do it...that car was nearly the end of me.

 

Honestly: Unless you are not planning on college or have parents with money... get a little import. Finish school and then buy the mustang when you have the resources to maintain it. Or at the very least... buy the mustang, but also buy a little beater car. Fix up the mustang while you drive the beater. It's also alot easier to fix a car up when you know you don't have to have it running for work on Monday.

[bnickel 10,004]

i'd take what bottlefed said one step further. rather than just buying a beater car like a honda or something, instead get a small pickup like a ranger or toyota or something, doesn't have to be fancy just a 4 banger 5 speed for good economy and to haul around mustang parts in it. it doesn't have to cost a lot either a $1000 truck that has at least been decently taken care of mechanically would be fine. drive the mustang daily but you'd have the truck if you need it to get to work or school, or if you need to go to the wrecking yard to pick up dirty, greasy, nasty parts for the stang or something to big to fit into a regular car. i drove my mustang everyday when i was younger but learned that they don't great daily drivers especially if you like to hot rod them, stuff breaks. now, if it was a completely restored car i wouldn't worry nearly as much driving it every day from a reliability stand point but then you have to worry about someone smashing the car all to hell like what happened to Pakrat or just getting nicks and dings in the parking lot and crap like that. that's one reason that even after i got my car sorted out mechanically it stayed in primer while i was driving it all the time.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yeah too true and mine was hardly a daily. I averaged 1000 miles a year on the road and i still almost had my dream taken away, hell my mobility almost went with it as well.

 

Lots of folks use their cars as DD's and I think that is great, especially if you live in the west coast area and not the rust belt like I do. Personally I think of myself more as a temporary keeper of a piece of history than a cool car owner, one that will hopefully outlive me and be driven with pride for another century. I took me anothoer 16 years to buy the car I wanted when I was 16. I have no regrets though because back then I could not afford two cars and I wanted to do what I thought was right as opposed to just what I desired. As soon as I could afford a Mustang and second beater though and got all my educating and carrer out of the way, that is exactly what I did. As was said this is a hobby and your car will not start on many a monring for no reason and leave you stranded from school or work. It will also nickle and dime you to death if you can not fix it yourself. Most of us still wouldn't have it any other way though.

[69_302RustangFB 10]

Just another thing to think on, I would imagine that your parents will add the car to their insurance policy, which is good at first, but if you transfer the car to a policy of your own later on (if your still under the age of 25) then for a first time policy holder on a classic mustang or any car for that fact even with a good driving record its not going to be cheap. I only know this from experience, I still cringe every month when my insurance payment rolls around. Luckily that will change soon. Other wise if you can work it out and have the determination to keep working on the car, then I would deffinatley buy it. Its well worth it.

[351carlo 10]

The best thing I ever bought for my Mustang was my HONDA.

 

My recommendation would be get a cheap Honda or equivalent (4 banger truck in good condition would rock) and then have the Stang for cruiser duty. Without going into details there were things that took too long to complete properly when I was daily driving the Mustang. Simple repairs could turn into months of waiting for a machine shop, or backordered parts that would take a week to get. The high insurance costs, even on my parents plan, and the gas cost quickly justified my '89 Accord purchase.

[dlinebar 2]

Hey,

 

Love the idea of you wanting a classic stang, I love my 69 convertable but BE CAREFULL!! There are many pitfalls to old cars of any kind and I would not recommend that you buy it as your primary driver/first car. If you buy one as a primary or just a cruiser have an adult friend who has restored cars check it our and be honest about how much work/money you need to put into it......and then double or triple that amount to get to the real number. Here is a link to my car, it looked good and drove nice but it had major issues. I knew this when I bought it but someone else could have gotten themself into BIG trouble

 

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/classicstang

 

Restoring cars can be alot of fun and rewarding but its also alot of work, be ready for it. Use your head, you need a good reliable car for daily driving. These cars are antiques, however cool they are. Much as you would like it don't use it as a daily driver....not good for you or the car.....

 

My two cents........

 

Dan

[bnickel 10,004]

the biggest problem with using a classic mustang as a DD these days is teh lack of parts in the local wrecking yard, i lived on used parts when i was using mine as a driver. while it's true the repro parts market is huge for these cars most repro parts are pretty expensive and that can be a big drawback to daily driving. i'm NOT saying don't use one as a DD because they can be just as reliable as a newer car if the car has been well taken care of and you keep it that way but after 40 years most of them tend to be a little tired and have been hacked on by some dumb ass previous owner.