6 Things I’ve Learned From Buying A V8 Mustang Convertible

I mentioned a few days ago that I bought another car after selling the faithful Infiniti I35 last week. I had $3500 into the Infiniti with the purchase price and maintenance all figured in, and it sold in just two days for my full asking price of $4000. It’s not my most profitable flip, but it definitely set a new record for being the quickest. It was a great car, but I didn’t give it enough credit for being the awesomely understated luxury sports sedan it was. In other words, I sold it too cheap.

That’s okay, because I came upon this little gem a couple of days later and bought it on the spot for $3500.

That’s right, CT’s muscle car fanboy got himself another Mustang. In this case it’s a 1995 GT convertible, packing the old-school 5.0-litre V8 with a five-speed manual transmission. It’s done 97,000 miles; the top was replaced a couple of years ago, the clutch only has about 500 miles, and it’s in good all-around condition with zero rust issues. That’s not a thinly veiled swipe at a certain MX-5 by the way. Well maybe just a bit. That’s okay though, because Phil gets his own back by being nearly as fast in a straight line stock, despite having less than half the motor - with the MX-5 turbo’d, the Mustang wouldn’t stand a chance.

That’s because a good condition 1995 Mustang GT still only packs 215bhp from the old-school V8. If I were to find myself in a race with the Infiniti I just sold, or a V6 Toyota Camry, or most pickup trucks from the last five years, I’d probably lose. It’s not exactly slow; 0-60 happens in about 6.5 seconds which is enough to best a Pontiac Grand Am. And with almost 300lb ft of torque I can hang the tail out for a smoky drift with a twitch of my right foot, so I’m happy.

Ford’s 5.0-litre engine is a legend with all kinds of aftermarket support for easy horsepower, so that makes me happier. The convertible top and clutch work alone amount to roughly $2000, so to score this car for $3500 (about £2500) makes me happiest of all.

This is my third used Mustang, so it’s not like I’m a rookie to these cars. But it’s my first SN95, so after a week there are some interesting things I’ve learned about this particular Mustang era. Tie that into everything I’ve learned about used Mustangs in general over the years, and you have yourself a list post…

1. Gas station clerks love them

I should clarify that by saying gas station attendants love the cheap slow ones. I never got a single comment on my 500bhp 2003 SVT Cobra, but my old 1992 automatic with loud exhaust and this one with loud-ish exhaust (the only mod I’ve been able to confirm so far) seem to be magnets for folks behind the counter who look like they had a few too many “special” brownies.

2. Parts store clerks want to buy them

My first trip to the parts store for this car went something like this:

Me: I need plugs, wires, cap and rotor for a 1995 Mustang, 5.0-litre.
Him: 5.0! Hey you wanna sell it?
Me: I just bought it.
Him: Oh wow. ’95 was the last year for the 5.0 in these cars.
Me: Well, except when they brought it back in 2011 with like double the horsepower.
Him: Yeah but those aren’t real 5.0s. This is the last pushrod; it’s way better.
Me (confused): Uh, okay. I’ll sell it for $6000. That’s alot cheaper than the new 5.0s.
Him: Aw man, I’d buy it right now if I could afford it. I used to have an ‘87 with the four banger, but it was still fast.
Me: Riiiight.

Honestly, I’m not out looking for a street race. It’s a V8 Mustang that’s shiny and sounds throaty. That doesn’t mean I have the teeniest bit of interest in throwing down every time I come to a stop. Most car people know this era Mustang wasn’t terrifically quick, so I think some of the unwanted attention stems from that reputation. Also, guys like this crybaby Mustang driver don’t help the rest of us.

I’ve clearly noticed a difference in other drivers on the road since getting this car. It’s a red Mustang that’s a little loud, so I guess they expect me to weave through traffic, cut people off, and crash at random - you know, all the things douchebag drivers do. So to make sure they’re not a victim, they go on the attack by cutting me off first. And once again, it’s not as if there aren’t plenty of douchebag Mustang drivers giving the rest of us a bad name.

5. Rev matching on downshifts is a must

I’m not just saying that because the V8 makes delicious burbles and pops with every downshift. This gearbox is the epitome of everything bad you’ve ever heard about American transmissions, so a quick blip of the throttle makes the whole process so much easier. Yes, you can shift this car without such efforts and still get down the road alright, but a quick blip of the throttle will make life better.

6. You always tempt Mother Nature to do her worst

I won’t say this happens every single time I buy a Mustang convertible. Actually, yes it has happened. Every. Single. Time. Two days prior to this photo it was 23 degrees Celsius, and now it’s -3 with a bunch of snow. That’s okay, just gives me more time to order go-fast parts and get them installed so I can race cars uphill. This is going to be fun.