Looking at a 2008 Procharged GT, what do I need to pay attention to?

[cbehr1]

Hello everyone, I've been in the market for a Mustang for the past month or so and came across one I thought seemed interesting. I wanted to stay in the $15k(this is a little more) or so range which really rules out anything with a coyote in it. With that being said I would like a convertible, V8, stick and prefer something that's just not the standard run of the mill stock GT although there is certainly nothing wrong with that. I came across a 2008 2nd owner with about 35k miles that seems to be in really nice shape with a lot of money into it(see list below). Although I've been reading as much as I can lately I'm still someone new to the mustang world. With the mods below and given the year etc what should I be concerned about or pay more attention to when I go and look at this car? Thanks for any help or suggestions you can provide!

• Procharger, tuned making low 500 WHP
• Sniper Standalone CAN Shift Light
• Staggered Saleen Style Black Wheel & Mickey Thompson Tire Kit - 18x9/10
• Barton Short Throw Shifter w/ Shift Knob
• Auto Meter Full A-Pillar Gauge Pod - Triple
• Dual Color Oil Pressure Digital Gauge - Electrical - Green/White
• Dual Color Digital Wideband Air/Fuel Ratio Gauge - Green/White
• Dual Color Digital 35 PSI Boost/Vac Gauge - Electrical - Green/White
• McLeod High Performance Hydraulic Clutch Line Upgrade
• Vividline Reverse Light LED Conversion Kit
• License Plate & Glove Box Light LED Conversion Kit
• SpeedForm Bullitt Style Black Fuel Door
• Ford Performance GT500 Style Strut Mount Upgrade
• Roush Lowering Springs
• Roush Rear Shocks
• Ford Performance Front & Rear Sway Bars
• CDC Classic Chin Spoiler - Unpainted
• Modern Billet Satin Power Plug - Tri-Bar Logo
• MMD by FOOSE Rear Valance Diffuser
• Ford Performance One-Piece Aluminum Driveshaft
• Ford Performance Differential Cover - 8.8 in.
• BBK 1-5/8 in. Ceramic Tuned Length Shorty Headers
• Vividline Headlight LED Conversion Bulb Kit
• Vividline Fog Light LED Conversion Bulb Kit
• Xtreme Stop Precision Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotor w/ Ceramic Brake Pad Kit
• Raxiom Sequential Tail Light Kit - Plug-and-Play
• SpeedForm Fixed Black Antenna
• Roush Extreme Performance Cat-Back System
• SR Performance Stainless Steel Exhaust Hanger Kit
• Strut Tower Covers - Black
• Ford Performance High Performance Intake Manifold
• Ford Performance Laser Etched Valve Covers
• McLeod Stock Style Hydraulic Throwout Bearing
• McLeod Lightened Steel Flywheel - 6 Bolt
• Ford Performance Roller Pilot Bearing
• McLeod Street Extreme Clutch Kit
• BMR Non-Adjustable Rear Upper Control Arm - Poly Bushing - Hammertone
• BMR Non-Adjustable Panhard Bar - Hammertone
• BMR Upper Panhard Bar Support Brace
• BMR Boxed Subframe Connectors - Hammertone
• Ford Performance Twin 62mm Throttle Body
• Modern Billet Polished Stainless Steel Radiator Cover
• BBK 1-5/8 in. Ceramic X pipe High Flow Cats

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Coyotes are selling for less than 15k.

 

[cbehr1]

Coyotes are selling for less than 15k.

I haven't found a convertible 6spd when searching within 500 miles of my house on every car search engine I can think of in the past few weeks...I see a couple in the 19k range but most are lost 20's at best.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

For a vert its going to be hard. On facebook classifieds there are a ton of coupes for less than 16

 

[1950StangJump$]

Like anything, it comes down to mileage, condition, options, mods, and preferences.

Personally, I'd take a blown 4.6 over an NA Coyote, all other things equal. OP, the car you describe is a lot of car with low mileage. If the condition matches the description, it's worth it, IMO. The owner has a ton of money into it, and you will reap the rewards . . . there's probably $20k in mods alone there.

I don't know if similarly priced Coyotes are that low mileage or have all the other upgrades.

P.S. 500 at the wheels is pushing the limits of the 4.6 if the internals are stock. Worth mentioning.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Coyotes are cheap because the market is saturated with 18's and 19's. You also have people selling due to the new GT500 and Corvette.

 

[cbehr1]

Like anything, it comes down to mileage, condition, options, mods, and preferences.

Personally, I'd take a blown 4.6 over an NA Coyote, all other things equal. OP, the car you describe is a lot of car with low mileage. If the condition matches the description, it's worth it, IMO. The owner has a ton of money into it, and you will reap the rewards . . . there's probably $20k in mods alone there.

I don't know if similarly priced Coyotes are that low mileage or have all the other upgrades.

P.S. 500 at the wheels is pushing the limits of the 4.6 if the internals are stock. Worth mentioning.

Thanks, he has dropped the price 2k for me and actually is taking of the blower on Wednesday to sell them separately if I don't pull the trigger. I still can't quite make up my mind what to do, blown 4.6 convert sounds awesome but as good as reaping the rewards from someone's else $$$ it still makes me a bit nervous as you still don't 100% know how everything was done etc...just don't need to explain to my wife the car I talked her into needs a new engine after 2 months.

I don't know where you guys live but I did a 500 miles search for 2012+ GT's and the cheapest ones were mid $17k range and those had 85k-100k miles. Maybe towards fall/winter the prices would drop more.

 

[1950StangJump$]

Thanks, he has dropped the price 2k for me and actually is taking of the blower on Wednesday to sell them separately if I don't pull the trigger. I still can't quite make up my mind what to do, blown 4.6 convert sounds awesome but as good as reaping the rewards from someone's else $$$ it still makes me a bit nervous as you still don't 100% know how everything was done etc...just don't need to explain to my wife the car I talked her into needs a new engine after 2 months.

I don't know where you guys live but I did a 500 miles search for 2012+ GT's and the cheapest ones were mid $17k range and those had 85k-100k miles. Maybe towards fall/winter the prices would drop more.

There is certainly an inherent amount of risk involved anytime you buy a heavily modified car . . . you don't know what might have went wrong that has now induced the owner to bail.

That said . . . that is a truckload of vehicle there for the money. Especially given the low mileage. In 2017, I paid $21k for my heavily modified 08 Mustang that had 17k miles on the odometer.

I probably overpaid. But, when I checked KBB at that time, I found that price meant I was paying a $4k premium (above dealer average price) for $12k in modifications.

I rationalized it in my head that way, but I probably could have done better. It's spilled milk. If you are in the $15-17k range for the car you listed, I think it's reasonable . . . assuming the condition in person matches. That list is well beyond the $12k in modifications mine had.

 

[Aerofinz]

If it's been driven a 1/4 mile at a time, run!

How many miles are with the supercharger and who/how was the tune done? Like others have stated, it's living on the edge. Upgraded clutch, shift light, etc. could indicate a build intended to be used, not cruised.

If the current owner is bragging about stop light hauls, burnouts, 1/4 mile numbers, etc. I wouldn't want it. If it sounds more like it was used as a fun cruiser, it could be a good value.

A 'vert is less likely to be built for hardcore track/strip use, so that's in your favor. YMMV.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Just ask the owner why he's selling it. He may be either having problems with it or, like many, has just decided to buy a newer model.
This car is a gamble whichever way you look at it. On the one hand, it's had a lot of money put into it and the low mileage suggests it's a weekend car, so it could be a performance bargain. On the other, it's a potential money pit. My biggest concern would be the engine; 500+rwhp is pushing the limits of the stock rods/pistons. Find out who tuned it 'cause that could make all the difference. Most important of all, take the car for an extensive test drive. If there's even a hint of the engine pinging, walk away.

 

[eighty6gt]

Pistons good to at least 650.


That list of mods reads like stuff that would be purchased by an old fogey who just pooted around. Find out what poor soul installed it all, call them and see if they sound like idiots/yokels.

Hope you are or have a good mechanic, get lito to look at the tune, enjoy the car.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

I just reread the post, personally id be worried some kind of engine damage has been done. Boosted 3 valves and cats usually dont play well together.

 

[eighty6gt]

Especially shitty bbk cats.


Is it not possible to have the car looked over by a competent mechanic??? Compression test, look for evidence of major mechanical wrecks.

 

[1950StangJump$]

There have been Kooks high flow cats on my boosted 4.6 since 2009.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

There have been Kooks high flow cats on my boosted 4.6 since 2009.

you have been lucky or you dont beat on it

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Cats with a metallic substrate are fine in boosted applications. It's those with a ceramic substrate that you should worry about.

 

[1950StangJump$]

you have been lucky or you dont beat on it

Assume much?

 

[eighty6gt]

hey hey mr. lucky guy!

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

Im not assuming shit. Its been proven that they will blow with cats. They clog and pistons melt.

Dino ive seen metallic substrate cats clog and burn an engine down.

 

[fdjizm]

Dino is really into Catalytic converters for some reason.
Metal...

There was also a pic around here a couple years back from someone who was able to pull about a foot of unwrapped metallic cat from their pipes. It unwound and bunched up almost killing the engine.