My Sister is Considering a SN95

"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
01/28/2019 at 12:30 • Filed to: car buying, car shopping, mustang

Actual car

I’m not so sure it’s the car for her.

Went car shopping with one of my sisters (the Explorer-driving one, not the one with my old T-bird) the other day. She’s looking for something small and reliable. Small, because she wants something easy to park, and reliable because while she’s not afraid to pick up a wrench, her schedule is busier than it used to be.

She found a 2000 Mustang GT (automatic) she liked, and I liked it too. My ’95 GT has been pretty reliable except for a few relatively easy fixes (a starter here, a water pump there, stuff like that) and road debris puncturing a tire. And of course a healthy diet of preventative maintenance.

Anyway, she found a ’00 convertible that looked like it was going to be a great candidate. GT model, so it’s got the mod motor and 8.8 axle. And at only 8x,xxx miles, it didn’t seem like it would be quite due for anything like ball-joints, wheel bearings, stuff that I’ve already gone through on my ’95. The only thing I was really concerned about was whether or not the plastic intake had been replaced yet.

Alas, somebody snatched it up before we could go look at it. But this dealer (who employs a trustworthy salesman from her church) had another one that had just come in on trade, so we checked that out instead.

While both cars were automatic convertibles, almost everything I liked about the ’00 GT was absent from this 2004 base model. 3.9L V6, 7.5" rear end, and 140,000 miles on it. It’s a fresh trade-in that hasn’t even had a chance to go through reconditioning, and a bit of a fixer-upper.

Which is fine, maybe. She’s not a demanding driver anyway so it’s not like she really needs the V8 or the 8.8. She could probably use those extra MPGs too. Besides, these ones aren’t as prone towards head gasket failures like the earlier V6s, and being a New Edge, it has the digital odometer so she doesn’t have to worry about the plastic gears in the dash failing.

But the higher mileage means that unless those items have already been addressed, it could very well be due for ball-joints, wheel bearings, U-joints... all manageable stuff, but not the sort of thing that she has a lot of time to deal with herself.

We took it for a test drive, and FWIW didn’t pick up on any telltale squeaks, hums, or vibrations. Maybe the wind noise had something to do with that though...

But she liked it. Quite a bit. She’s never driven a SN95 before, and coming from Explorers and Moutnaineers, she really enjoyed the responsiveness. Despite my concerns, I have a hunch that she’s already fallen in love with it.

The dealer has started to go through it, cleaning and addressing a few initial needs (inop fuel gauge, missing oil fill cap), and inspecting for stuff they would typically include in their reconditioning. She has a hold on it so that they can keep the price low by not fixing every little thing (like the cloudy headlamps which she can totally take care of polishing herself). But we’ll see what they come up with.

DISCUSSION (16)

Nibby > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 12:37

tell her to buy a ford tempo instead, much more fun

Urambo Tauro > Nibby
01/28/2019 at 12:41

She doesn’t want something that old, but I wonder if she’d go for a Contour...

T5Killer > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 12:43

The new edge GTs are good cars BUT they are prone to the plastic intake cracking near on the water crossover from ‘99 to ‘01 model years. Personally I would go with the V6 if the V8 power is not required.

Urambo Tauro > T5Killer
01/28/2019 at 12:46

Yeah that’s the only thing I was really concerned about with the ’00 she missed out on.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 12:49

SVT Contour?

Urambo Tauro > Future next gen S2000 owner
01/28/2019 at 12:50

I kinda like the sound of that, but she’s not an enthusiast. She don’t need a SVT.

3point8isgreat > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 13:05

I’ve got a ‘97 sn95 with the 3.8, and it’s honestly been fantastic as a daily driver for over a decade now. If power isn’t a concern then like you said there’s no need for the V8 and 8.8 rear end.

Parts are cheap, and maintenance is easy. I’ve only had to do a few non-wear item replacements. Most failed things at this point fall under the It’s a 21 year old car with 230+k miles, stored outdoors, and driven hard on occasion.

Chuckles > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 13:15

I am not sure I'd consider a Mustang small and easy to park compared to an Explorer. Aren't they about the same length?

Urambo Tauro > Chuckles
01/28/2019 at 13:23

Th e Explorer is longer by about half a foot . Not sure about turning radius.

I have to admit, one thing that surprised me though, was how much smaller the convertible’s rear window is.

Chuckles > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 13:27

Is it a glass rear window? If so, they probably wanted to keep the weight down.

I think that a Mustang convertible is a fine car, but the terms “small” and "easy to park" don't immediately come to mind, especially when the top is up. Of course, my two cars are a 94 Miata and a 2012 Fiat 500 so my scale of car sizes may need a recalibration.

Jason Spears > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 13:49

Gotta drive more than one car or it’s not shopping, it’s an impulse buy. Don’t impulse buy a car.

Urambo Tauro > Jason Spears
01/28/2019 at 13:54

She drove a 1st-gen Fusion while she w as there too. Didn’t like it at all .

Urambo Tauro > Chuckles
01/28/2019 at 14:10

Vi nyl, IIRC. With a dumb bumper sticker on it too.

Variance > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 17:45

One thing to watch for on the V6 SN95s is that the passenger side exhaust manifold will eventually crack due to condensation from the A/C dripping on it. A friend of mine in college had it happen to his, and it’s apparently pretty common.

Urambo Tauro > Variance
01/28/2019 at 17:50

Y’know, come to think of it, I keep seeing threads on the forums about V6 exhaust manifold issues, but I never bothered clicking through to find out what the cause was. Interesting.

Jason Spears > Urambo Tauro
01/28/2019 at 18:01

Okay, well that’s just plain unfair, lol.