Looking at a 2012 GT w/ 58,000 miles.

[Jackal]

Yikes, it looks like this forum is all but dead these days? :\

Just joined. Also a member of Mustang6G. Looking at a 2012 GT Premium for my boy this week. Aside from all the typical things one needs to look at when gambling on a used vehicle, is there anything in particular to look out for on this model or S197's in general? The only concerns I am aware of is some paint chipping at the front edge of the hood and a little on the rear trunk lid, that looks like starting to see some surface rust on the under side at the rolled edge, and a worn steering wheel. It might also have some outstanding airbag recalls needing to be done, not positive, just maybe there is good reason someone would avoid having this recall work performed?

Thanks for any tips/advice on the S197, I am clueless. Wifey is on her second S550, but I was never cool enough to have an S197.

 

[JC SSP]

Not really a good way to introduce yourself to the BEST Mustang forum in the world...

Watch at the 2:36 mark! LOL

Clean car fax, good maintenance records, have the vehicles put on the lift and inspected by a reputable shop... standard used car buying 101

 

[Ret]

I bought a 2012 convertible with 62,000 miles on it. Before buying it took it to my mechanic. Worth the cost to be sure you're not buying someone else problems. No dents, scratches and well taken care of. Normal chips in the front. The rust, I don't know maybe have a paint shop look at it. the 2012 has a great engine in it.

Good luck.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

Yikes, it looks like this forum is all but dead these days? :\

Just joined. Also a member of Mustang6G. Looking at a 2012 GT Premium for my boy this week. Aside from all the typical things one needs to look at when gambling on a used vehicle, is there anything in particular to look out for on this model or S197's in general? The only concerns I am aware of is some paint chipping at the front edge of the hood and a little on the rear trunk lid, that looks like starting to see some surface rust on the under side at the rolled edge, and a worn steering wheel. It might also have some outstanding airbag recalls needing to be done, not positive, just maybe there is good reason someone would avoid having this recall work performed?

Thanks for any tips/advice on the S197, I am clueless. Wifey is on her second S550, but I was never cool enough to have an S197.

I have a 2012 GT Premium that I have owned since new. I ordered it in the spring of 2011, and it was delivered in late June. I have about 63,000 miles on the car now and I really have no complaints about reliability. I did have the airbag recall done, and I think there was a front suspension recall as well, but it was nothing major. Recalls are done under warranty, so I am not sure why someone wouldn't do them. Perhaps they didn't keep their address current with Ford and didn't have a Ford dealer service the car. I have had my car serviced at the dealer I bought it from ever since, but I can understand why many people don't choose to do that. I am retired now, and the car is no longer a daily driver. In the last two years I have put over 100 drag strip runs on the car, and nothing has broken yet.

 

[Dadasaurus_Rex]

Paint chips are pretty easy to manage. Rust is probably going to be somewhere here and there if it was not garage kept there in Missouri. I'm from Indiana originally so I know all about the midwest winters and salt all over the roads.

Your primary concerns should just be mechanical soundness. The only way to check that out is to ask to have the car taken to a shop for an inspection and offer to pay for it or see if they will let you take it yourself.

 

[Jackal]

Standby...

 

[yote0]

Is it a 6R80 or an MT82 car? The MT82 clutch can be problematic.

 

[Jackal]

6R80, thanks!

Any signs of "The Tick" here? How common of an issue is it where you actually see metal flakes in the oil? Will check for that for sure, as well as at full operating temp, w/ and w/o the AC on.

*deleted for now*

 

[skwerl]

The 5.0 4v in the new Mustangs is the best engine Ford has ever produced, no question. Ford FINALLY made an engine with power and reliability unmatched in earlier models. I owned a 2009 Bullitt with the 4.6 and a 2014 GT with the 5.0 and there is no comparison. VMP has a blower kit that can take your new Mustang to 650rwhp on stock internals.
I traded in my last Mustang in 2019 for a 2016 F150 with the 5.0 and it has been flawless. I have done nothing except change the oil, almost 90K miles now. Bulletproof engine with basic maintenance.
As far as the rest of the car, check all the obvious stuff. Also, buy new shocks for the car no matter what. Don't skimp, get good ones. The original shocks are long past dead after 12 years.

 

[yote0]

"The tick" is a normal sound from these engines. There are 32 valves and four cams operating. It is a non-issue.

That car looks great. 6R80 and Grabber Blue. Go for it if the price is reasonable.

 

[Jackal]

The worst of it:

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

What options did the car come with? Does the seller have the original sticker? What's been modified or replaced? The exhaust sounds a little louder than stock. CarFax will typically include a copy of the original sticker. Nice looking car for sure. Black or white over the top stripes would look great!

 

[Jackal]

It's a 401A, only optional equipment is auto trans.

There is a really nice one just like it with all the exterior cosmetic options, including white stripe, always garaged, 78k mi., but owner lived on gravel road and bottom side is either caked with that or a little too salt exposed for my liking, and they are 1-2k higher than I'd like right now. It also looked like the axle housing showed signs of seeping from the diff., but maybe this is typical.

 

[86GT351]

If interested, I can do a Carfax for you for 15.00

 

[Jackal]

Thank ya sir, but I have one left myself.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

Is it a 6R80 or an MT82 car? The MT82 clutch can be problematic.

There has certainly been plenty of valuable discussion about the MT82 clutch issues. My experience with the MT82, having owned my 2012 GT since it was new in June of 2011, has been fine for the most part. I had owned a 2006 GT with the Tremec 3650 before I bought my 2012 GT. The Tremec had a nice shifter feel and the engagement was crisp. The MT82 with the remote shifter definitely feels spongy in comparison to the Tremec, so at first that bothered me, but I got used to it. I occasionally did some spirited driving, breaking the tires loose at the 1-2 shift and getting a healthy chirp out of third, but I rarely missed a gear, shifting around 6000-6500 RPM. A few years ago, I added the Barton Two-Post shifter bracket and that removed some of the spongy feel.

It wasn't until I started drag racing the car (mostly test & tune) that I was stricken with the dreaded (eye-opening) 2-3 lockout, attempting to shift around 7000 RPM. The lockout is primarily caused by the clutch not releasing properly at that RPM, but other factors may also contribute to the issue. I did the typical things to help reduce the effect of those other things. The Barton short throw shifter and two-post shifter bracket, the Steeda transmission mount bushing insert and clutch pedal spring kit did help quite a bit. Of course, when you do the research, there are other choices, such as the MGW shifter which may produce better results. Some people just choose to do it all, clutch, shifter, bushing insert, clutch line, etc. In my opinion, unless you're racing the car, the MT82 performs well, and it is certainly fun to drive.

 

[yote0]

Some people just choose to do it all, clutch, shifter, bushing insert, clutch line, etc. In my opinion, unless you're racing the car, the MT82 performs well, and it is certainly fun to drive.

The clutch, and specifically the pressure plate, is the root of the problem. The fix is a real clutch like the McLeod RST.

I would pass on that car. If the decklid is that badly rusted, the undercar has got to be at least as bad. Maybe look for a southern car. Damn shame somebody let that car rust like that.

 

[Jackal]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, but the underside is remarkable. Carfax shows it got undercoating at the dealership at time of original sale. Working on a 2014 w/ 76k mi. but it has been diddled a little.

 

[yote0]

Post some pics or a link to the ad.

 

[Jackal]