I just drove a Mustang for the first time

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
05/07/2015 at 21:24 • Filed to: mustang, review, pony cars

It was far better than I expected, but I also drove the most un-Mustang Mustang of all time: A 1989 Mustang LX V6 auto. And I loved it.

Let’s get this out of the way first: I am not a Mustang person. By any means. I laugh at their solid rear axles, their leaf springs, the heavy weight (many Mustangs are on par with the Murdersofa weight-wise), and the ridiculous popularity amongst tryhards. My girlfriend has been trying to find some transportation, and I was considering which of several 90s Buick LeSabres would be a good candidate for some decent $300 here-to-there transportation. Then I remembered this beat-up horrid yellow Mustang languishing in the yard, owned at one point by the same guy who owned my Civic.

It was a bit of a mess. The driver’s glass had been smashed out and it leaked coolant out of the heater core like a sieve. Luckily I had a vacuum and a coupling, so I bypassed the heater core, filled it up with coolant, and vacuumed up the smashed glass. A few minutes on a battery charger and it was good to go.

My first impression: Damn this seat is comfy.

My second impression: Damn that exhaust rattle is awful.

My third impression: Dear god it is so 80s in here I love it . The square dashboard with round gauges, the grid pattern on the dash surround, the tiny little steering wheel with cruise control (!!!) buttons, the T-shifter... damn. It was, as Mr. Regular said, nostalgia for something I never experienced.

My fourth impression was that the seating position honestly sucks dick and I, as a short person, couldn’t see a damn thing because of how low I was sitting relative to the rest of the car. The seat might be broken, I dunno, but it was kind of annoying.

So what’s it actually like to drive? I took it on a 6 mile journey composed of half 45 mph city driving and a stint of 70mph highway, and I was honestly really impressed. It felt fine. Not old, not decrepid, just an honest vehicle with a surprisingly nice ride. Handling was slightly better than the Murdersofa, and it accelerated similarly (? it was really hard to tell). It doesn’t make the best noise in the world but it wasn’t awful, and most importantly it didn’t have any vibrations at speed. And all the lights worked. And the turn signals.

This is the first pony car, mustang, oldest car, and smallest car I’ve ever driven, so I don’t have a whole lot to compare it to. I liked the experience, and for $1000 I think my girlfriend will be getting a hell of a deal on it. Sure, it needs a lot of work to be a nice car, but as it is it’s a good car and decent transportation. A few weekends wiring up some speakers and a radio, bolting down a few rattling interior bits, putting in some new $80 driver’s side door glass (some asshole kicked it in), possibly doing some exhaust work (moar loud? definitely fixing the rattle), and Rustoleum-ing the black lower half of the car and some trim pieces will improve the car massively and turn it into a genuinely nice thing to have and an excellent way to get her into cars (muahaha). I can’t wait, and hope I can convince her to take the plunge.

Bonus picture of the comparison nobody asked for: 1998 Honda Civic sedan vs 1989 Mustang LX

DISCUSSION (17)

dogisbadob > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 21:30

I drove a 4-cylinder convertible. Eh I guess it was ok

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > dogisbadob
05/07/2015 at 21:33

The V6 is better. Because more cylinders.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 21:42

That front end ended in ‘86...

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/07/2015 at 21:43

Miracles do exist.

ranwhenparked > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 21:52

I would argue that the ‘73 Mustang Grande was the most un-Mustang Mustang of all time - a Mustang that was pretending to be a Thunderbird.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 21:54

100% positive that’s not an ‘89, strictly because of the interior.

Kinja'd!!!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/07/2015 at 22:10

Huh. I guess it’s mislabeled in our inventory software.

Funktheduck > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 22:24

We’ve had several fox bodies and I agree: can’t be ‘89. Most recently we had an ‘88 and ‘89 and neither had those headlights

Funktheduck > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 22:25

http://funktheduck.kinja.com/funk-finds-uni…

Find and drive one of these

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Funktheduck
05/07/2015 at 22:27

Jay Lauer’s dad has one in matte black plastidip. Maybe he’ll let me drive it sometime if I ask nicely and promise not to totally destroy his tires.

pitstop_pitowski > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 22:31

I had an ‘84 V-6 auto as my first car in H.S. Same interior but different front clip. I think that one is an ‘86. Still the worst car i’ve ever driven in my life. Thankful it died the summer of my junior year. Hilariously, it also pissed coolant like a horse.

crowmolly > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 22:32

I’m mostly stunned at the interior. Usually a car that age that looks like that outside has an interior that looks like a group of badgers had an orgy in it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > crowmolly
05/07/2015 at 22:35

I was impressed, as well. And this thing has had no window for a couple of months in the weather.

Sam > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 22:59

My friend had a ‘79 Pace Car 5.0. (Which was a big deal at the time, as the Mustang GT was still a 4.6L V8)

It sucked down gas and overheated, but damn was that thing quick. We allegedly beat a WRX at the lights at one point, and it left freaking 6 foot long 11’s off the line without even trying.

AJ Feldman (alecmets2011) > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/07/2015 at 23:09

Drive an S197 5.0

You’ll be surprised how fun they are, though maybe i’m biased

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/07/2015 at 23:45

I was gonna say that the interior looked painfully ‘80s

AthomSfere > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
05/08/2015 at 00:04

lol. If memory serves that Civic has more horsepower.