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Ford Mustang (2004 and earlier)

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Comments

  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    Please do not type in ALL CAPS. It is difficult to read and people think you are yelling at them.
  • stangin4lifestangin4life Member Posts: 5
    Can u at least answer my question? im in desperate need of help.....
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Ok, Desperate - The pros for the Convertible are obviously the potential for droppin' the top, which makes this about the most attractive car for the money made. The V-8 is a Driver's car, but the insurance may be higher and fuel costs will be for sure. But if you like to put your foot in it a little, the engine is a sweet one. IMO, the best of both worlds, is the GT Convertible......
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    i would most def agree with nvbanker... the sweet spot is the GT convertible.. i bought my v6 convertible because of the nice looks plus its a convertible.. the engine performance didn't mean as much to me... but looking back, if this is my one and only car.. i would've gotten the GT convertible...

    its really based on what is more important to you... having the top down, not racing from stop lite to stop lite or having a muscle car with awesome performance..
  • stangin4lifestangin4life Member Posts: 5
    What about theft issues and amount of outside noise while driving with top up on convertibles?? How big of a problem are those for convertible owners????? Also....visibility out back when top is up? Let me know.......
    One more thing......when adding a sound system to a convertible....how much can you add without putting things into the trunk????

    Trying to make a smart decision.....
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    The Mustang top is double layered, and of high quality, so it's quieter than many, and seals well. Holds up to the car wash test with no leaks too. I've had mine sliced with a knife, but they didn't get inside. Had to have the top replaced. Cost me $1,000, insurance paid. Two day job. New one just as good as the old one. That's the one issue, vandalism can be a thing, but you gotta live a little. Like I said, they never got in. They can bash in your window too.
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    1) Has anyone owning a pre-'05 Stang raised their gas pedal? Maybe adding a block raiser or using a space under the pedal. It looks to me like it is hard to safely move the foot off the gas and to the brake without some considerable raising of the foot. Seems like you could accidentally get the side of the foot hitting the side of the brake instead of clearing to the top. And I assume heal and toe is impossible too.
    2) Those buying a convertible, also buying a roll bar?
    3) Can you actually average around 20 MPG with the V8 and 23 MPG with the V6 in all around driving. Maybe the V8 then is not too far off the gas mileage of the V6.
    4) Your insurance quotes per year between the V6 and the GT around $170 to $200 more on the GT. I believe that was about the range I was quoted, depending on year.

    If you garage a convertible, they are more easy to live with. If kept outdoors, there are a variety of issues to contend with. As for the feeling of top down driving, it can be fun indeed - sort of like a motorcycle ride. Well kinda. That said, if ya like comfort many a day is too hot or too cold for the top down. Convertibles do add weight to a car, so the performance speed wise and gas mileage can be a little less. There is more maintenance too. It is like buying a boat - be sure you will actually use it often, and not have it become a negative. It adds fun to the drive, in some cases. There is a sense of freedom and sport to the top down driving. Trust me, there are downsides too. And the inside of the car needs to be cleaned more, rattles, and well, lets just say consider where you park it, driving style, climate and all before buying. Be sure to use a roll bar and save your head!
    :shades: Loren
  • gslamsgslams Member Posts: 6
    I have test driven both the 05 v6 and the 04 gt and i love both the cars but I can't seem to make up my mind on which to buy, both are priced about the same
    05 v6 - $22 k , 04 gt - $20k , the delearship says it is new and they bought it and that is why it does not show up as new on the ford website. is it priced low due all the incentives ford offered for last year's model?? .
    The 05 sure does have killer looks but the 04 is a gt!!!. I don't think I can afford or more importantly wait indefinitley for the 05 gt!
  • gslamsgslams Member Posts: 6
    1) interesting, i noticed this problem when I was test driving the 04 gt recently. when I mentioned it to the sales guy, he was surprised by my observation. I was beginning to think that i had a learning curve on the v8.
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    Is that a base GT '04, never driven / registered? Offer them $19K for it. The $20K is not too bad I guess. There are some things to like about the new car. Some like the new interior. Will it looks like better material, I like the rounded dash better. While some like the new gauges, I see them obstructed by the wheel when trying to read them. Old ones look most functional. New seats are better, though the GT did have pretty good leather ones in the older model. Check the seat position too. I think the new one seems a lower position. Some people are having trouble getting gas into the new model car. Others had serious issues with the front end suspension. New car looks pretty good, but also looks like a replica car in some ways to the '68/'69 vintage. The '04 looks more modern. I like'em both, and really liked the '98 about the best. GT sounds better than the V6. New car has throttle-by-wire, so if you trust that, then it is OK. New car has the electric windows move up and down a half inch when open / close of the doors. Something to wear out, no doubt. New one will have better resale, or will it? It may. New one is the coolest to many and the new in thing -- this wears off soon. New one handles better. How much better? Remember the GT vs V6 is what you are comparing. Drive both and see.
    GT will cost more for insurance - could be a couple hundred. But GT = power. Let me know what ya decide on and what you find when really looking over both nose to tail.
    Loren
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    " 1) interesting, i noticed this problem when I was test driving the 04 gt recently. when I mentioned it to the sales guy, he was surprised by my observation. I was beginning to think that i had a learning curve on the v8. "

    Yes, it seems totally wrong to me, but it does accomplish two things.
    First, lower gas pedal means more comfort for the right leg, as you stretch out more.
    Second, some people may have mistaken the brake and gas pedals when using and
    thus for legal purpose they chose to lower the gas pedal.

    To me, it seem like you could raise it almost two inches, but I don't know if the dealer can do it. I was thinking a person could put a handicap gas pedal block on there. They have them for short people. I am kinda short too, come to think of it. Anyway, back to subject, this could be taken off before selling the car. But what if someone else drove the car and hit the gas by mistake -- I then would be responsible? Why can't they just do things right when making modern cars. My Miata ( '96 ) is just about even between gas and brake height and it sure is sweet that way. As for the placement of the stick shifter in the older Mustangs, well you know that is totally wrong. I take it a lot of automatics sold. Well you can change the station on the radio while shifting into third I guess, for those wishing to multi-task :D
    Loren
  • carfreak189carfreak189 Member Posts: 31
    Our mustang V-6 will be comming in, in 2-3 weeks. We read the stock tires are crap. What would be the best performance tires for the car, that also handle well in wet weather. btw in the winter we will put snow tires on it, so we are not looking for all-season. I always thought you should put 2 snow tires on, but is putting 4 better?
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    The Tire Rack, on the Internet has tons of info. and a tire finder for your auto. I have the Dunlop A2 tires on my car and they are OK. Bridgestone RE950 is a good one. The Yoko AVS-100 are also good. Toyo TS-1 is suppose to be just one awesome tire. Try doing a search on the Tire Rack. Just type the URL in Googles I'm Feeling Lucky or into Firefox browser, the best browser in the World, and hit Enter on the keyboard. I got wheels and tires combo from them and the balance was free and done on the good Hunter machine. They drop ship to a local dealer of choice to install. - Loren
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    also see the Mustang 2005 problems and solutions posting here on the board. Looks like lots of new entries to look over. I think there are some bugs in the new buggy. Read and decide yourself. Not saying everyone has a problem. Just a good idea to see how many are reporting the same thing. I PERSONALLY think that last year may end up having fewer problems. I guess we know by next years Consumer Reports, and JD Powers reports to follow. I did notice problems listed on the Mazda3 board which don't jive with the Consumer Reports data from users on the '04 model. Not sure what to think on that one.
    Lot's of people claim the same problems,,,, oh well, who knows. - Loren
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    :P I'm on my 2nd Mustang convertible. #1 was an '88 with a 4 cyl engine...it was fun but had no trunk and was really a "toy" car. #2 is a '00 v/6 and 5 summers later, its still a great car! The top is great and the noise level in the car, while louder than a car with a roof, is much quieter than my '88 was. The trunk while not huge does hold a lot of stuff and has more than enough room for a vacation trip. When the weather is right, there is nothing like top down driving and a top down Mustang is second to none for the fun factor. The top is tight and does not leak and even car washes are fine. As to security, I figure that the car is as vulnerable with the top up as it is with the top down. Paid extra and got a LOJAK when I bought it and make it a habit of never leaving anything on display in the car when its parked (tuck away that Sirius plug and play radio, expensive sun glasses, radar detector or anything else that might be theft-able). Also, to prevent the sliced top syndrome, I never lock the car when I leave it. I figure that when the top of your car is soft, why give someone an excuse to cut their way in.
    As to visibility, no a convertible with the top up has the same visibility that the same car does with the top down but it's really not a huge problem. My seats are cloth rather than leather as my 88 had vinyl and getting back into that after the sun was shining on it was kind of like ironing your pants while you were wearing them. A couple of years ago I bought a Windbaffle that attachés to the head rests and shields the driver and passenger from back drafts while driving. Works great keeping the cockpit warmer in the early parts of the season and means that in the hot summer you can drive with the top down and the air on and really feel comfortable in the car.

    I would go for the drop top and think there always will be one in our family. My plan is to keep this car a couple of years more (it's only got about 32,000 miles so far) and then replace it with a new GT convert (probably 2007-2009 variety).

    Good luck with your decision...either way it will be fun!
  • debvilledebville Member Posts: 3
    Absolutely the convertible!!

    My goal this year was to finally get my convertible that I dreamed about all my life -during marriage, children, responsibilites, etc. I was int he process ofmaking great deal on a V6 2004 in December and kept looking at the beautiful 2005 coupe in the showroom- very retro - very exciting. I sat in the showroom car for a good 15 minutes and then said - hell I came for a convertibleII I want the convertible!!!

    I ended up with a 40th Anniversary model and I love it. The noise is actually minimal. I don't have a garage and it weathered a DC winter with no problems. I love as the weather is warming up, I can put the top down and away I go! A definite feeling of freeedom and fun.

    I will always have a convertible from here on out... and I agree with the person who wrote saying he leaves his car unlocked when the top is up.... and when I leave it with the top down, I just put loose items in the trunk!.

    Good luck with your choice! :)
  • debl01debl01 Member Posts: 1
    My son is looking at a 89 mustang GT 5.0 standard trans, 70,000, original paint. Inside and out is in good condition considering the age. A/C doesn't work, and not sure what else may need to be done. Having a mechanic look at it this weekend. They are asking $4500 and after researching Edmunds and others it seems to only be worth in the area of $2000. I don't want to insult the owner but what do you think would be reasonable? Thanks. Deb
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I have the same car you have - and I love it too. Congratulations!
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    You are right $2,150 with no air. Air is not cheap to fix. I assume he is only going for liability insurance, but that could be fairly high too being a performance car and drivers age.
    Check before buying. Expect good straight line performance, and not too stellar cornering ability. A good basic car, so having work done on it should be less than modern day cars.
    Loren
  • fdthirdfdthird Member Posts: 352
    Re the non-working AC,,,I had an 88 convert and my AC was no go to. Was told by my mechanic that Ford used a real crummy compressor in those years and that no one re-built them and you had to buy a whole new compressor and it was not a small repair. Keep that in mind.
  • carfreak189carfreak189 Member Posts: 31
    Thank you for your help. We are going to use these tires for a month and see how it is and then make our decision.
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    If you bought the 'o4 no problems. If you bought an 'o5 Stang, some have vibration and other front end problems, so keep the stock tires so that is not an issue if you need warranty work done. Hopefully yours is A-OK. Was just reading about some on the '05 Problems and Solutions thread here, so I thought I'd pass it on. Be sure to keep in touch with that board if ya got an 'o5. If you bought the 'o4, you are home. Great show going on here in Morro Bay, Ca. There will be many Stangs I am sure. I see so much '68 and some '69 in the new '05. There will be lot's of the oldies on display Saturday. They had the cruise night today. Ah the burn-outs and sounds of real engines! Gas is so expensive in CA, it may make little sense to return to a V8 after not owning one since say 1973 when I traded in my 1965 used Mustang for an Opel Manta Rallye, but it would be a finer note to the ears. Maybe I will have to get a used one just for fun. Something between the 1995 (5.0 or should i say 4.9) and the 2004 model may be cool !
    Loren :shades:
    P.S. the Miata is fun too!
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    just curious about everyone's stang..

    what year are your mustangs and what type/size of rims do you have?

    i have a 99 mustang convertible with the 15in rims that come standard that year... not very pretty..but i'm upgrading to 2003 17in silver cobra rims..

    what are your favorite rims?
  • cankercanker Member Posts: 10
    He will laugh in your face if you offer $2k. Edmunds and KBB really aren't very good sources for those cars. They are worth a decent amount. The a/c probably just needs recharged and you can have that done for $100-$200ish depending on if you want to go r12 compatible or converter to r134. A 70k mile good condition GT is worth pretty much what he is asking. I think its to much but thats what everbody wants for them if not more with that kind of mileage. Thats why the one I bought had 120k miles and I still paid $3500 for my 89 5.0l 5 speed coupe with non-working a/c. Took me 7 months to find one price that fairly.

    I hope your son is a very responsible driver. These cars are very tail happy and in the rain very very easy to get yourself into trouble.
  • beliverbeliver Member Posts: 155
    As a loving father you should insist on your son attending a performance driving school before he gets the keys to a V-8 Mustang. These things are a handful even in the hands of a experienced club racer. Take it from me (SCCA driver) they will bite you, hard, if you don't know what you are doing!

    Believer
  • lateralglateralg Member Posts: 929
    Amen!!
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    "
    He will laugh in your face if you offer $2k. Edmunds and KBB really aren't very good sources for those cars. They are worth a decent amount. The a/c probably just needs recharged and you can have that done for $100-$200ish depending on if you want to go r12 compatible or converter to r134. A 70k mile good condition GT is worth pretty much what he is asking. I think its to much but thats what everybody wants for them if not more with that kind of mileage. Thats why the one I bought had 120k miles and I still paid $3500 for my 89 5.0l 5 speed coupe with non-working a/c. Took me 7 months to find one price that fairly.

    I hope your son is a very responsible driver. These cars are very tail happy and in the rain very very easy to get yourself into trouble. "

    ---end quote---

    Ummm, this is not a Corvette ya know. If he is going to pay $4k+ just move it on up a couple K more and get a Corvette and it may go up in value some day ;) Seriously, the car without air is not worth that much... with air it is not worth that much. As for handling, I had a base '85 and it handled pretty sloppy. I had a V8 '65 and it was fun, and wagged the tail, but I was never a crazy driver even when young. And yeap, as a rule, not the best car to teach kids on. Most learn on FWD cars now which are a different game. And too much power may be a bad thing indeed. If I get a Stang again, I am looking at a '98 or maybe the flat sides era '99-'04. Handling is better these days. I will stand on the price of that used Stang of '89 vintage at say $2k to maybe $2.8 if it is otherwise mint. Would get an estimate on a fix for the air first. Heck, maybe it will be driven only in cooler weather!
    Loren
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I bought a red 2000 V6 Mustang convertible with 42,000 miles for $11,000 after having spent a miserable month in a 2006 Toyota Solara SLE convertible with all options. It exhibited a lot of convertible flex (body shudder) at low speeds on less than perfect roads and also felt like it had iron shocks. Visibility out the back was terrible, too. I was a victim of the automotive press which praised the smooth ride and Lexus-like qualities of this great automobile. My 2001 Malibu rides like a Cadillac compared to the Toyota. The Edmunds Forum is full of delighted drivers who probably drove Yugos or Porsche 944's before purchasing a Toyota. They love the ride, handling, etc. Even the 315 watt stereo is crappy. The Mustang stereo is much better with better stereo separation. I drove the 2005 Mustang and frankly don't see much difference between the ride of my 2000 and the ride of the new one except that it is new and therefore tighter. One of the side benefits of owning a Mustang is getting in the Mustang Club of America which has changed its policies. Back in the late 80's when I drove a 1984 Mustang convertible the Club was totally interested in the "classic" Mustangs (64's to '70's). Now it seems as though the Club is interested in all Mustangs -new and old. Luckily I was able to dump the Toyota at 325 miles and only suffered a loss of a couple of thousand dollars. Those readers who are considering one need to seriously drive it. If there is not a convertible in your area find one in a nearby city -it is worth the trip. I didn't drive one before buying it and it was a huge mistake. If nothing else, I now take automotive writers with a grain of salt. I really like my 2000 in Performance Red with grey fabric upholstery. It feels like a normal car and is what I'm used to after owning GM and Ford cars and trucks over the years. I'll wait until they get the bugs out of the '05 and get another convertible in a couple of years. I'll always have at least one!
  • rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    I posted this a while back when you where first complaining about the ride in your Solara -

    DID YOU CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURES?????

    I simply can't believe, for one minute, that a Solara rides rougher than a Mustang. Body flex - yes. The Solara has been known to flex like overcooked linguini but a harsh ride? Are you kidding? Usually the Solara is accused of being too much of a marshmellow.

    You are aware that typically new cars are shipped with as much as 60 psi in the tires. This is supposed to be taken care of by the dealer as part of their new car prep but it is sometimes overlooked. I'd hate to think you lost a few thousand dollars in trading a brand new Solara over something as silly as tire pressures........
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    Well, other than the Godzilla styling of the Solara and it being a Camry, I can not see how this guy had the problems he did. Four wheel independent, Macpherson struts, and it was a harsh ride compared to a solid axle Mustang? Interesting. Yes, tire pressure should be at around 32 PSI for that car, I think it is. The Mustang will be fun, and many cities have local clubs to join. If I get an older Stang, I will probably go with the V8. There is a little more cost involved each year, as the overall gas mileage is 3 MPG difference and the insurance is around $175 more on the V8 compared to the V6. With the V6 you may have to change the muffler system to get any throaty sound out the back, if ya want something which sounds closer to a sports car. I think the head gasket problem was over by the time they built the '99 models - not sure. Other than that, the 3.8 V6 should work fine. I just did some quick math and it looks like between GT insurance difference and gas difference over the course of 15K miles, it is around $620.00 more a year to have the power and sound of the V8. That's $1.70 a day. Hummm, maybe I will double check the insurance on these again, and think it over as to how heavy my foot may get. It could be more like $2 a day. Oh well, just dump the cable TV and go out and drive :D
    Loren
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    anyone had any experience with taking off the rear bumper of a mustang? i'm wondering if i need to remove all the trunk trim to get to the bolts that hold onto the rear bumper.... thanks
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Obviously I checked the tire pressure. The delivering dealer delivered it with 52 pounds of air in each tire and I reduced it to 32 psi which is what is required. The car rides smoothly on a smooth road -like the ones in Southern California where the car road testers live. It also rides fairly smoothly at 70 mph on an Interstate. The SLE has bigger tires than the SE and according to the dealer has a "performance suspension". On city streets and less than perfect rural roads at normal speeds (25-45) which is where I do my most driving (I have an '03 Deville for trips) there is a lot of shuddering and flexing/jiggling that is uncomfortable. It is kind of hard to explain but in domestic (GM/Ford/Chrysler) cars the shock absorbers seem to have some give in them when you go over a bump. The Toyota doesn't.The car looks funny -the design of the Mustang is much nicer looking but that is only in my opinion. Everybody in the United States and most likely the world except me loves anything built with a Toyota label especially the Solara convertible including the members of the Mustang forum. I'll stick with my Mustang. To me it feels like a normal car despite the fact that compared to the Toyota it has a solid rear axle and the suspension system is not anywhere as sophisticated.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    See my recent post about the Toyota ride. It is not all bad -just uncomfortable on the roads and at the speeds I normally drive. My dislike of this car has nothing to do with the build quality , looks (although the Mustang is nicer looking IMO), or the Lexus-like qualities which everyone is crazy about. I don't like convertible flexing and shuddering/jiggling. The Mustang doesn't do it. The Toyota did. So the Toyota went. Simple as that.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    The previous owner of my 2000 Mustang Convertible (V6) went to Wal-Mart I assume and put a set of Douglas Touring tires on it. The tires seem to be ok and the ride is ok but when I replace them I'd like to put the original equipment ones on. Can anyone tell me what brand and model of tire (like Firestone Affinity for example) was originally put on the 2000 V6 Convertible?
  • rorrrorr Member Posts: 3,630
    No offense meant with the "check the air pressure" comment. I made it because: a) dealers sometimes fail to adjust the tire pressures during dealer prep (as yours did) and b) few people check their own tire pressures.

    I know of one individual in one of the GTO forums who drove his new GTO around for a few months with 60psi in the tires (and the shipping spacers still in the springs), damaging his car in the process. When I saw your initial post regarding the rock-hard suspension in your Solara (huh? a rough suspension in a Solara???), I remembered the GTO story.

    Yes, the Solara convertible has a "fair" amount of chassis squirm. I think this has been noted in some of the reviews of the car. What consitutes a "normal" ride obviously varies between individuals (I'd probably get offended at what you think about my Celica GTS). That being said, if you are happy with your Mustang then that is all that matters. I think this just reinforces the notion that despite the reviews you read about ANY car (foreign or domestic), DRIVE THE THING before buying.

    In your opinion, how does the body structure of your Mustang 'vert compare to the Solara 'vert?
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I wasn't offended. I probably have bought somewhere around 20 brand new cars in my lifetime and on none of them did I think to check the air pressure until I either got new tires or one looked low. I knew when I left the dealership that something was seriously wrong with the ride of the Toyota. It improved somewhat with 32 psi. I can't really compare body structures except that the Mustang feels like a normal domestic car. It doesn't ride like a Cadillac but nothing about the ride stands out or is annoying. It is a bit stiffer than my Malibu but the convertibles are beefed up to avoid or minimize flexing. I haven't experienced any flexing, shuddering or jiggling in the Mustang. The Toyota wasn't terrible by any means -as indicated by the enthusiastic owners on the Solara forum everybody loved it except one guy who admitted the ride was bad and bought a used Seville. What I'm looking forward to is a Cadillac CTS convertible which may be on the horizon. Unfortunately GM could sell them for $29.95 and people would still buy Toyotas.
    No I wouldn't have a Celica GTS -I had a Celica back in '82 for a couple of years (turned it in on the big Audi) but Celica owners would love the Solara at least on a smooth road. I certainly agree with the "drive it first" recommendation. Obviously there were no convertibles to drive anywhere near here but I could have driven 6.5 hours to Ft. Worth and driven one. It retrospect I should have.
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    So what gas mileage are you getting with that V6 Stang?

    Loren
  • m1miatam1miata Member Posts: 4,551
    Well the three car mentioned are different beasts. I test drove a Celica GT, and it is impressive for handling. It is a bit high strung, so maybe one would prefer the more lay back V6 of the Solara or Mustang for a daily driver or longer trips. I like the Celica or Mustang over the more luxury class Solara, with its different if not strange styling. I would not get the GTS Celica with the lift bolts which could possibly break and the harder to live with 6 sp. with pretty close gates. The last of the Celicas was truly a drivers car. It is FWD, but can keep up with most all the RWD coupes out there. It will out handle the Mustang. As an everyday car, that looks sporty, both Mustang and Celica seem like a good choice. The Celica is a little less in power, but taken through the gears, really fun. The GTS at high RPM is going to be quick, but the revs have to be pretty high. The Mustang is a five star in crash tests and the Celica is a four star rating. A pretty high four star. Most numbers look pretty good. And for gas mileage Celica is a much better average between in town and freeway. This is not to say Mustangs have the worse mileage in the world. The '94 - '96 Stangs V6 can blow headers, so avoid those years. The 5.o ( 4.9 ) and the 3.8 or 3.9 engine should be pretty good with the afore mentioned years in 3.8. - Loren
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    The '82 Celica GT I owned was perfectly fine. I had an automatic on it and especially liked the stereo which was better than any stereo I've experienced in any car since for some reason. I had to haul some carpool riders so I got the coupe but would have much preferred the hatchback which looked much better. I didn't like the flexing and stiff ride in the '06 Solara SLE convertible but I'm sure the coupe is better -probably the base coupe with smaller tires. The present Celica is much better looking than the Solara. How it drives is a question but it is being promoted to young people as evidenced by the last brochure/comic book.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I don't know. I have a friend with one and he got 32 on some long distance highway trips. I am still on my first tank. I'll check when I fill up next time and start keeping a record. I assume in town somewhere around 20-22. It is similar to my Malibu.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Loren - I think if I were you I'd look at a 1999-2004. There doesn't seem to be a lot of price differential between 2000 and 2004 (3 or 4 thousand at the most). I've seen 2004 convertibles (V6) for around 15-16k. with under 30k miles. I'd get the latest model you can afford. I certainly like my 2000 but should have shopped around and gotten a newer model. It wouldn't have cost much more. There is virtually no external difference between the 1999 and 2004 -hard to tell them apart.
  • stkntrafficstkntraffic Member Posts: 172
    My 98 GT is the best car I've ever owned. It has 49K miles, and is absolutely cherry. I've never had any problems with it, except for a noise coming from the suspension.

    When I hit an imperfection in the road, I sometimes hear a "ringing" sound from the suspension, almost like loose change. It doesn't happen all the time, but I'm going crazy trying to pinpoint it.

    Has anyone else had this problem?
  • camarillobrillcamarillobrill Member Posts: 44
    for 2001 bullitt- anyone know?
  • dan1dan1 Member Posts: 76
    Ford produced around 5500 of them mines # 2605. There were around 1000 black, 700+ True Blue and the rest were Dark Highland Green like mine.
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    i'm looking into getting a paint job for my mustang... and saw this: Integrated clear coat

    what is this? is this the normal clear coat?
  • kyleknickskyleknicks Member Posts: 433
    can someone help me out by looking under their hood of their 99 to 2004 mustang? i had crashed my mustang and my headlites popped out... i bought new aftermarket headlites, but for some reason, they didn't come with some sort of brace or brackets that hold the lites in place...

    now, i dont know what they're suppose to look like and the ford dealership wasn't sure exactly which part i need. Does anyone know or can look under their hood.. thanks!
  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    Just to further elaborate, the exact Bullitt numbers were:
    Total - 5582
    of which: 3041 were DHG, 1818 were Black (Ebony), and 723 were True Blue.
  • dan1dan1 Member Posts: 76
    I would be interested to know where you got the numbers from I have never been able to pin them down!
  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    Dan1 - I know you are aware of IMBOC from previous posts of yours. I don't think Edmunds allows a direct reference, but go to IMBOC and search around or use the related links. The exact numbers are there. I also have them for Canada only. As I am in BC (regardless of the US flag which keeps coming up on my profile), mine is #2873 and is one of 458 in Canada, of which 338 (IIRC) are DHG.
  • ClairesClaires Member Posts: 1,222
    Kyleknicks, you might also want to ask the folks in the Paint & Body Maintenance & Repair Forum.

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