Need help on car decision

[James Morse]

Can I tell if an 08 V6 is base or Premium from the VIN? I'm looking at an 08 V6 135k miles, manual. Car will have to be shipped, can anyone refer me to who is good for shipping? It's in CA, I'm in VA, so, cross-country.

The car is listed as Premium but then when I talked to the guy he says I should check that because he's not sure it is a Premium. But it must have had some upgrades - the leather, at least.

Obviously I cannot see the car so I have to go by pictures and what they tell me. It has the really nice seats and I guess I have to say I want those - not that a decision should be made about that alone but I think it makes it less common. Also looks like spoiler delete unless that model didn't have spoiler. VIN is 1ZVHT80N985132836 so whatever anyone can decipher from that might help. I put a partially-refundable deposit on it, talked them down only a little, plus I have the shipping. I hate to even say because you all will probably say I'm overpaying, but I checked around quite a bit and from what I can tell the deal is ok and I kind of like (and maybe fear) the idea of car showing up like a present. Anyway, let me put some pics up on the albums and you can see it. I don't think I'd go horribly wrong (ok - 6850 is the price... now shoot me). I think that's not horrible for what I'm seeing - I'm told everything works on it, Carfax looks ok, in fact Carfax is saying it's worth 2k more than that, but I don't pay too much attention to them on their pricing.

The V6 is fine for me, I've driven them, they have adequate power. Plus, if I ever wanted to upgrade power, there are lots of options. It seems like a good daily driver which is what I need right now and so I too this plunge, at the worst, I'll be out a couple hundred of the deposit if I don't do it, but I don't see a lot out there like it and I felt like if it "called" to me I should do it. I know lots of people say save up for a GT but it's just not where I am financially right now, it's a big jump in price, plus, a lot of people really like the 4.0 and if I want more power I'm not tied to it down the road.

I sure will appreciate all info and comments. Oh, and if anyone is in Lemon Grove CA, you could see the car. Instead of putting pics can I just put a link to the ad for the car here, or is that violating some rules?

 

[MrAwesome987]

Upload some pics of it, we can tell if its premium or not just by looking at the interior pictures.

Premium should have:

• Shaker 500
• Power Driver Seat
• Chrome Spinners on the wheels

Popular packages that are nice to have:

• Leather
• IUP (Interior Upgrade Package). Comes with leather steering wheel, aluminum dash accents, fancy cluster with 6 gauges.

 

[James Morse]

OK you should be able to see in my album pics it only let me do 5 but maybe you can see enough to tell.
I don't see spinners. It says it has power driver seat but I better check that. Does have leather as you can see, but that could have been perhaps ordered on the non-Premium. Not sure if you can see enough of the dash to tell about that. Will upload more when I can. THANKS.

 

[MrAwesome987]

I looked at the pictures. Those seats have been recovered with aftermarket seat covers. It definitely doesn't have the IUP package, and it definitely doesn't have a power driver seat, or the correct spinners, if it were a premium.

I'd say this is a very base model.

 

[stkjock]

wouldn't this just have been easier....

https://www.motormaxsd.com/details/used-2008-ford-mustang/74981530

 

[James Morse]

Hm, well, that could change my mind. And really, the guy didn't tell me "it might not be a Premium" until after I had put the deposit, so, I might pass on it and be out a couple hundred (or have an argument, cuz, that wasn't really fair to me, was it?). Or it might still be an ok deal, but I'm not so excited as I was. I really appreciate the help.

 

[stkjock]

it's false advertising, grab a screen shot of it, if you used a CC for the deposit you'd have good standing IMO.

 

[MrAwesome987]

I also notice that the hood alignment with the passenger fender is suspect. Could have been wrecked or who knows what.

 

[James Morse]

Yeah man. Good idea, just got the screen grab. And I wrote them, I told them that's not the car advertised and you didn't tell me that until after I made the deposit. Well, good lesson for me, next time ask here first. I told them the pricing we agreed was based on it being Premium so, I might still be interested but it has to be a different price. Will see what they say. It could still be a good car, just, I kind of thought it was a bit special and turns out, not really. Probably at 6k... plus shipping... it might still be a decent deal, but I doubt they'll do that. Well, probably will have to now either argue to get the money back or will be out 200, but you know what, if I end up not getting it, and lost the 200, it might be well spent for the education, which is, don't believe anything the ad says until verified. Man. But like you say, if I make a deposit on a car listed as such and such and then find out after, it ain't that, seems like I have a case to ask for all the money back. Don't know what to do at this point as I can't reasonably say, keep the deposit active, but, I want it all back. I think the best thing is see if he moves substantially on price, if not, the heck with it, and keep looking.

 

[James Morse]

@MrAwesome987 yeah I was wondering about that. It was in fact in a "minor" accident front left I think - it's in the Carfax for it. thanks for pointing that out, because I'm not familiar enough with them to know if that was f-ed up or not.

 

[James Morse]

I called them, boss answered, he said he already told the guy refund the deposit, I guess because of this f up about the model wrong in the ad. Have to now actually see the refund done, but I didn't get any argument from them about it. He offered to knock 500 off the price, but you know, I kind of got soured on the car now, I think I can do better and probably locally too if I just keep my eyes open for stuff. It should have been a "tell" to me when I asked about the pony-logo seats and was told those weren't ever factory. Sure do appreciate all the help because I would have been an unhappy camper otherwise.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I sure will appreciate all info and comments.

My advice is never buy a car that's sight unseen. Unless I can see a car in the flesh and test drive it, I wouldn't part with any of my cash.

 

[Juice]

One database tells me Deluxe or Premium. The other says Standard. lol

 

[LarryJM]

I might buy a Carvana car but you will pay top dollar for a low mileage anything.

 

[James Morse]

Thanks. I got the deposit refunded - didn't show up in bank account yet but you can be sure if it doesn't I'll be back on the phone with them. There was no argument about it, they knew the listing was bad.

Well now you saved me from two bad decisions. I *think* I'm zeroing in on 05-09, if it's V6 I'd want the Premium or Deluxe or something kind of nice. Certainly GT if it's affordable. Manual shift in either situation. At least that helps me not look at cars I don't want.

I had an '85 GT back when and I liked it a lot. Mostly I drove Saabs for a lot of years and now although I could get a heck of a deal on them, I'm tired of them, and it's not practical, no one works on them, parts hard to get, etc. I had a lot of fun in the GT and then I drove that '06 V6, price and miles was too high, it was nothing special, but I liked the feel of it and that's what is making me zero in on them now.

@Juice thanks - yeah I couldn't tell either, but I'm pretty sure it's not Premium, it's missing too much stuff to be one.

Carvana looks pretty good, problem is their cheapest cars are like $15k - kind of out of my budget at the moment.

BTW looks like digits 5-7 in the VIN is the model. T80, then. Whatever THAT translates to for 08 (almost for sure it is base model). I bet someone knows.

Many thanks to all.

 

[MrAwesome987]

Just to let you know, there is only a "deluxe" and "premium" model, there is no "standard".

 

[James Morse]

Sounds like Premium is what I would prefer then. Just have to keep looking. I sure wouldn't mind coming across an 09 with a glass roof, that would probably be worth paying a little extra for. Thanks.

 

[James Morse]

P8A in VIN positions 5-7 tells you it's Premium. Otherwise it will be T80. I think. So that sounds like "Deluxe" is T80 and Premium is P8A. There are really quite a few differences.

 

[Juice]

Just to let you know, there is only a "deluxe" and "premium" model, there is no "standard".

Tell that to the estimating databases I ran the VIN through. Dont shoot the messenger! lol

Ps: I searched for mine, in 2012, needed a fun daily newish car. Manual v6 05-09 were rare and difficult to find. Half of those were ratted out and hacked up, and that was 9 years ago.

 

[James Morse]

Yeah, I'd really want to get manual if possible.
I never really figured out the model codes. For 05-09 which is all I looked at, I *think* true Premium cars have a different code. T82 is always a GT. T80 is always a V6. T85 is GT convertible. T84 is V6 convertible. But I think there might be codes that tell you if it's Premium, because I saw one P8A which is totally different than the others. I know for sure sometimes Premiums aren't stated as such, and some that ARE called Premiums, aren't, they just have some upgrades. It's pretty confusing - I guess what I'm saying is some that are called Premiums, when you look at them you see leather and perhaps some upgrades but not the tell tale features of a true Premium. I'm sure someone somewhere knows all the codes. I'm talking about digits 5-7 in the VIN.

But looks like you swapped things in your base so really it's quite a different car isn't it?

Thanks.