Buying first mustang, only 38k miles but 5 owners ????

[deezdrama]

Long story short,
Was a chevy guy most of my life untill one year I really needed a cheap car and bought a p71 vic with 200k miles. That car and the modular ford 4.6 impressed me with new respect for fords.
Ive since wanted a 05-2010 gt but couldnt afford one and bought a super clean low mileage 2010 p71 a couple years back, also bought a 5.4 nav and even a e350 camper van so yeah Im a ford guy now.

Anyway, my credit is now very good and taking tomorrow off work to buy my first Mustang, finally.
Was actually going to get a 5.7 challenger rt but never owned a dodge, dont know how reliable they are, and only one I can afford nearby is $14k with 120k miles.

So........ Ive narrowed it down to 3 mustang GT's

The first one has super low miles but had 5 owners which has me baffled. Each one only had put 5-10k miles on it and sold it? Is the thing haunted? Christine? LOL
Anyway, its a 2008 gt deluxe. Gray, 17" alloy rims, leather seats, looks super clean but the mileage to owner ratio has me leery. Wanting $14,990

The second one is at a sister lot close to the first and both are about a 40min trip away and could drive both while there. This one is a black (the color I really want) 2010 GT premium.
Has the newer body style which I like especially the hood and tailights, has 18" alloys,2 owner, but this one is cloth seats and has 84k miles asking $14,500

Then theres a 2010 GT about 4 hours away that I wish I wouldnt of seen because its the best of both worlds but too far away to go test drive and come back to talk to bank for loan then drive back to get..... Black, looks like a Roush hood, white race stripe, 18" rims, heated leather, rear quarter louvers, very slick....was a repossession.... $14,900 with 66k miles.

Ive been jumping back and forth from wanting a challenger, to a charger, to a mustang, Ive decided to stick with what I know and trust and getting a Mustang hopefully tomorrow.
I know noone can really give suggestions without seeing/driving these vehicles but just wondered what anyone else thought of why a car would have only 38k miles but have had 5 owners???
Any thoughts-suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Gabe]

Premiums usually have leather, Deluxes have cloth seats.

That aside, I think the 2010 with the 84k might be the best option out of those 3.
Especially if you can knock off some more money off the price.
Used cars have more "room" in their price than new cars most of the time. When I sold cars back in '02-'03 I made much better money selling used than new.
Is it at a new-car dealer or some small used-car lot?
Either way, I would think you should be able to get another thousand off fairly easily.
"I was thinking more around the $12k range ... " and let the salesman go back to his manager ... they'll come back with something lower than the $14,500

 

[Brandon08GT]

All of those prices are kind of high. Join some of the pages on Facebook and you will find far better deals.

 

[deezdrama]

Its a medium sized new car dealer that the 2010 is at, they have a used car lot in the next town over (5min away) and thats where the low mile / 5 owner 2008 is.

Ive owned several 2v 4.6 vehicles but never a 3v or mustang..... anythings specific to look for when checking them out?

I called off work just now and waiting for them to open to call about them and then going to test drive if they hopefully still have them.

 

[deezdrama]

All of those prices are kind of high. Join some of the pages on Facebook and you will find far better deals.

I dont do fb... and feel like my bank feels more comfortable giving me a loan on a dealer car.
Ive been in ocd mode looking for a car for weeks and around here mustangs seem to go for a little higher than average for whatever reason. Ive looked in the local wheels and deals, have a buddy and nephew sending me facebook screenshots of gt's all the time, checked all the local lots, checked all dealer websites within 50mi, checked on cargurus website.....been slim pickins on gt's and the ones I do find are high mileage or look like they been ran to hell. Plenty of v6 stangs though but been looking for weeks and just need to get something before all the tax refunded grab everything up. Ill try and hit em with $13k offers and see where it goes.

Appreciate the feedback here!
I joined a dodge site 3 weeks ago and asked about the 5.7 longevity of a challenger rt with 115k miles i thought about getting and never got a response lol...... ill stick with ford.

 

[skwerl]

I wouldn't buy the Mustang with 5 previous owners. That's just asking for problems. I believe that lemons truly exist (I've bought a few of them) and that just screams out "LEMON!"

 

[ZGrand]

You never know. I am the 4th owner of my ‘06 I bought 3 years ago. Not a single problem so far (knock wood). Based on it’s condition and how it drives, I’m assuming the previous owners were like most of us here - considered it their baby and treated it as such.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

I agree here with skwerl and don't be in a hurry. Keep looking. And don't be afraid to drive a little. Just because you made the trip doesn't mean you buy the car. One thing I looked at seriously on a carfax was teh total number of ACTUAL owners. You have to be careful because sometimes carfax mistakes title transfers between dealers as actual ownership. Another thing I look for is how long the car has set on their lot. Longer it has set, the more they are willing to deal to move it. Doesn't mean the car is a bad one, just may mean it was bad season timing when they took it in. Right now is prime for dealing on a summer car. Another 3-4 weeks and the dealers wont be as apt to come down as much with Spring lurking in the twinkle of everyone's eye. I drove 7 hours one way to pick up my 14 Gt premium. I was more than willing to drive home without it, but it was as the dealer had indicated and was very clean. Even the story behind the car and why it had such low miles was authenticated when I received the title paperwork.

Also I see you are in Illinois. There is a respectable dealer in Carol Stream Illinois (from my experience) I almost made a purchase with a few years ago, but we weren't able to come to a price agreement. They do appear to be a quality place though they only deal in used. The name of the place is Auto Showcase. You may wish to check them out. autoshowcase1.com is the site.

 

[Gabe]

5.7 Hemis are known for dropping valve seats, especially if they run hot or overheat. It distorts the head and the seat falls out, ends up doing pretty good internal damage.
There's plenty out there with 200k on them, but I certainly wouldn't buy a 100k+ car
They also have very weak/powdered-metal pistons and they don't take well to any kind of boost.
Add in the fact that they all weigh over 4,000 lbs and they ARE Chrysler products, and I really can't recommend them.

 

[deezdrama]

Im not married so its too bad- the bank pre approved me for $15k but doesnt want to go higher and even then would like me to put a down payment, my ol lady and I been together 16 years and she makes more than I do and covers half the bills but dont know if the bank would care to hear about that or not being unmarried.

Seems like for a few grand more ($17-18k) I could get in a newer 5.0 gt although honestly im not sure if I should go that route anyway since the 4.6 is tried and true even though lacking in performance compared to the 5.0. Ill be happy with the 4.6 and would have fun throwing on some bolt ons and gears down the road.
Ive considered the newer 305hp v6's ....just dont know how id feel about having the v6 when ive wanted a gt for so long.

Anyway...just thinking out loud sipping coffee waiting for dealer to open lol.

 

[eighty6gt]

My friend sold his 2012 5.0 in great shape in that range.

There isn't a chance in $$#$ I'd buy a 4.6 to save $3000. Esp. if I was financing.

Save your money for a few more months, get a 5.0. There are deals on used parts floating since everyone is moving into the S550 world now. I'd get some used long tubes/full exhaust and a tune from VMP, that's it.

 

[deezdrama]

It sucks because ill have $6-7k here with tax refund but my lazy company hasnt released our w2's yet. Problem is I sold our navigator to a friend in need a few months back, the ol lady is driving my 2010 vic and my 2007 vic has 300k miles and looks like it been through hell/needs alternator, im driving the e350 pedo van as a dd and its developed a tick thats getting worse and really need to get a vehicle today while im off.

 

[eighty6gt]

enterprise.com

You seem stretched to the max - good luck.

 

[redfirepearlgt]

get the old gal to cosign for the loan difference........

 

[tjm73]

5 owners in ten years with low milage is probably a series of owners that bought it it as a show toy, got tired of it and the payment after a year or two and traded it off. I would look into it's service history and if that is clean, give it serious consideration. If it has multiple or unresolved issues, the history will show it.

You won't be happy with a V6 if you really want a GT.

The 4.6 3V is a blower with small upgrades from 5.0 DOHC power for less money over all. IMO.

 

[eighty6gt]

The only difference is you need the blower. And the 5.0 won't toss the rocker followers off into the valve covers at the slightest provocation.

 

[ox white]

Get either one of the 2010s or better yet a Coyote. They are "tried and true". It's in its eighth year of production. The 3V GTs were in production for six years.

 

[deezdrama]

Prior to today I only talked to my bank about financing, they offered me 5.7% and 4 year term on anything older than 2013.

The dealer had 6 different banks offering me rates and ended up talking them down to $13.6k with 3% 6yr. Probably could of got a newer 5.0 but wanted to stick with the 4.6. Drove good but the big sales lady rode with so couldnt really get on it.
Clean, no leaks,didnt see any bubbling except on front of hood which i used to offer less, they met me in the middle.
has aftermarket cai.... I thought the 2010 4.6 had a newly designed cai and thats where the 15 extra hp came from?

Anyway...going back in a little to pick it up.

 

[tjm73]

Last time I test drove a Mustang I ran it to redline twice with the salesmen with me. If I am thinking about buying it, I am going to drive it the way I will always drive it. That includes a burst to the top of the tach every now and again.

Congrats.

 

[ox white]

has aftermarket cai....

Which means it has an aftermarket tune, and not likely for 87 octane. I'd put 91 octane minimum in it until you install a known tune.