Lets discus Mustang GTs.

Edit: Discuss, the word is discuss.

Namely 02-05 era. My wife has decided that is what she wants to replace the Liberty. I know nothing about them. It will be her DD as well as a autocross car. What to look out for or avoid.

Ehhh 99-04 was one era and 05-09 or 10 was another. Moms got a 99 gt that shes daily driven for 13 years and all thats been put on it was a new top, a set of tires, two sets of brake pads and rotors, an alternator, a set of shocks, and an intake manifold. 99 and 2000 had plastic coolant crossovers that crack, 01 was the updated metal crossover. Not a problem at all to replace the intake just go with the ford racing one instead of the dorman intake, the dorman one is based off the non pi and you loose 10hp across the bord. I found that out the hard way. Its been a dang reliable car and shes a blond woman whos a step away from legally blind so she doesnt treat it the way we would. I still enjoy driving it.

If dead set on the 99-04 generation, look for a nice Mach 1

Otherwise if the '05 is within budget, any of them would be better.

In reply to WOW Really Paul?:

You really think the extra 5k is worth is for his wifes daily? That extra 5k could make a gt WAY better than a mach1

chiodos wrote: In reply to WOW Really Paul?: You really think the extra 5k is worth is for his wifes daily? That extra 5k could make a gt WAY better than a mach1

Well, it should continue to hold it's value better than a dime-a-dozen GT, right?

I would also suggest a Bullitt.

99-04 is the last of the SN95/fox-chassis. The largest aftermarket in the world exists for that car, so the sky is the limit. Stock though, they were weaksauce. The 2V 4.6L made all of 225HP and only has 4 threads cut for each spark plug, so it will shoot the plugs out of the heads requiring a steel insert for each of them. The timing chains get super sloppy, especially if strict oil changes of 5W20 were not adhered to. They sit up like a 4x4 truck, have horrific plastic interiors, and weak brakes. All that said, there are options. As mentioned, the 03-04 Mach 1 looks way cooler and actually has a ton of kit over the GT including the 13" Cobra brakes, DOHC 4.6, lower suspension, and nicer seats. They are also holding their value pretty well. Stock for stock a Mach 1 is about 5x the car a GT is in both performance and fun. The BULLITT has a lot of the same appeal, but is still 2V. There's also the anemic 99 Cobra, and the slightly better 01-02 Cobra to think of.

05-09 is the S197 chassis which was a massive improvement in every measure. 3-link rear end, way better brakes, about a bazillion percent stiffer torsional rigidity, etc. The interior is one of the nicest in any Mustang ever (especially with the popular 1UP option package with a turned-alloy look dash face, chrome bezels, and some other goodies). The seats are better, the 3V motor is a serious improvement (and way less problematic, though still ensure it was fed a steady diet of 5W20 only), and the prices are holding as more people realize it will probably be he last truly good-looking Mustang. The sky is also the limit for mods here. Stock for stock an 05 GT will walk even a Mach 1 04- at nearly everything.

If somebody stuck a blue Mach 1 and a blue 05 GT in front of me and said "pick", I'd take the Mach. If it was BULLITT or GT to 05, I'd take the 05. In fact, short of an 03-04 Terminator Cobra or 03-04 Mach 1, I would take an 05-09 GT over every fox or SN95 Mustang.

In reply to Javelin:

Uhh...no 99-04 mustang gt made 225hp, that was the sn95 non pi which died in 98. The 99-04 made 260 which is still a bit weak compared to what gm was pumping out but its by no means weaksauce. And of the 4 modular 2v motors weve had in our family (immediate not extended, add 4 more for them) we racked up 850,000 miles and counting and not a single spark plug blow out like the internet makes you believe is inevitable.

That said the dohc in the mach1 is nice. But nothing a junkyard with a mk8 cant change in a normal gt.

In reply to Javelin:

No cobra in '02, but you nailed the point right on the head. You'd be better off finding the cleanest 94-95 GT possible over the new edge GT.

I honestly don't hate the New Edge GTs. My friend had one and it ran pretty good for the amount of power it made, enough to be entertaining while not so much that it was a hassle. He put a set of Flowmaster Super 44s and an X-pipe on it and that car made exhaust noises like no other. A set of Eibach lowering springs and some replica Saleen wheels had it looking pretty good too.