My neighbors are selling their '06 Mustang V6 automatic convertible for $2,,500 and I'm kinda tempted. Body is nice, driver's seat is trash, needs a top and has 170,000 miles on the clock. I really don't know anything about the longevity of this power train. Seems to run well, but I want to be careful not to fall into a money pit.
Completely without a clue and hoping that someone might have a bit of knowledge to share. Is 170,000 miles about the end of the life span for the engine/trans? Sure could use some help/advice !
Thanks—
In reply to TeamEvil:
Hey dude, I bought an '05 V6 'vert back in December and sounds like mine was about as good condition as the one your looking at. The price sounds about right for the condition without seeing pics. The V6's seem to be good long life engines.
Check out my thread in the projects forum for info on tackling the worn out top and other issues from a higher miles S197 Project link.
If you purchase it and need specific help I'll be glad to offer my findings from mine.
V6 auto Mustang?
Congratulations on graduating hairdressing school. 
In reply to Trans_Maro:
Aw man. I thought you'd be more accepting given that you're Trans Maro
In reply to LuxInterior:
Ha!
I've owned a Fiero and a V6 auto Mustang. I'm allowed to make jokes.
If you can't/won't do it yourself, call around to the good shops to see what it would cost to replace the top. Don't be shocked when parts/labor are in the $1500-2000 range.
You could probably find a decent used seat for not much, but replacing the top would make it a deal breaker for me. And likely part of the reason they are selling it.
Thanks for the help, much appreciated !
I drive a 2006 Legend Lime Mustang fastback, V6 Pony Package, but mines got 45,000 or so on the clock and has been flawless so far. Well maintained and really not much of a gauge for the high milage convert.
Since my nephew would really like to have my car, and I like the styling of the '06 Mustang, I thought that this convertible would make a good replacement. I AM finding the convertible top replacement to be on the high side and I wouldn't know how to replace it myself, so factor that into the price. Looks like a set kit will run around $500/$700 so add that in as well along with the eventual brakes/bushings/bearings/tune up/fluids and filters. etc.
This will run the cost up past the "bargain" and put me a little past the buy-in point.
t25torx, thank you VERY much for the link to your thread and offer, could you let me know the stock number on the vinyl upholstery kit? Couldn't find one from Pony Cars that seems right for the car.
All in all, might still be worth getting, thanks for the info/cautions ! I guess that the high milage isn't the issue that I thought that it might be. Seems pretty high, but then I kinda thought that the 45,000 on my own car was getting up there, so . . . what do I know—
Try to find a complete roof and frame from a 2012 car, the whole top is a better design and it's much easier to replace the whole top, frame and all than just the cover. I ended up paying $500 for the top I put on mine.
Yeah parts can add up quickly, I'm into mine now with the seats, new top, wheels and tires, and other parts, closing in on $5500 now, which sounds like a lot, and it is, but mines in much better shape than any $5500 vert in my local market.
Here's the kit for the seats, can't comment on quality or fit yet, still waiting to receive it. http://www.cjponyparts.com/tmi-upholstery-oem-style-non-airbag-v6-gt-2005-2007/p/U211-V/
I went over for a closer look at the Mustang convertible since I was getting pretty close to a decision. It will need bushings up front and tie rod ends really soon. exhaust looked better than I thought, hood is corroding badly along the front edge, water has been leaking badly through the rear window seal.
Along with everything else, the cost of getting it to where I want it would bring the total up past $5,000/$6,000. Kinda too much for me right now considering that the car is a V6/AOD.
I still have the MGA project to work on, so . . .
Thanks for the help/info/etc !!
Don't mean to hijack, but what do we think of an early s197 v6 for DD duty with some ability to tear up mountain roads when asked? I ask only because I've seen several '05-'07 manual v6s for sub 4K around me.
The design of the 4.0 SOHC always gives me pause as the early ones were known to lunch themselves due to timing chain tensioner issues. There's a timing chain in the front and the rear of the engine, so it's not a simple, easy, or cheap job. They supposedly fixed the issue at some point though.
If it were me, I'd hold out for a later one with the 3.7l since it had more power and better fuel economy. But that's a biased opinion.
I only have experience driving the V6/AOD, but really found it lacking in any real grunt. Don't know the torque number, but the engine (against the AOD) really can't get out of it's own way at around town speeds.
On the highway, it's a whole 'nother thing. Great acceleration from 50mph to the end of the speedo, tons of power from 80 mph on up. Just seems to LOVE high speed driving. A read dud off the line and around town though.
Backed up against the five speed, it may well be a decent performer, just not sure.
