Okay, I'll try not to be too long winded.

I currently own a 94 Mustang GT that has about $2k worth of body damage. It runs great, but now has about 100k miles, so it needs some attention. It also needs a clutch, rear end rebuild, and new front tires. To get it back on the road 100% ready its gonna cost about $5k. This includes installing the supercharger I have, and the stuff I already mentioned.

I also have my 03 CL-S6, which is in perfect condition and has 45k miles.


What I'm stuck at is what the best and most intelligent way to spend my car budget. I like that my mustang is paid off and CAN be made hella fast/handle good, but its gonna take a very healthy dose of cash to get it to that point. I also like that I dont have to carry full coverage on it since its paid off.

I have figured it out, and the way to get the most out of my mustang is to only fix the body damage, sell the SC & wheels & aftermarket mods, and try to get as close to $6k for the car. It still runs 110% good, with no mechanical problems. It would net me ~ $7k to put towards something else or buy something else outright.

I've been looking for a car between $10-$20k that is significantly faster, better handling, and better looking than my mustang. I'm not gonna jump into a new car unless its hands down better for the money than the one already in my garage.

Any opinions or ideas? Just looking for a different perspective other than my own.

 

How about selling both and getting one car thats fast and handles well? Or is the CLS more of a daily/winter car?

How about get a Camaro SS and mod that to hell.

And damn boy, you had that SC for awhile now. Do somthing with it!

You really just need to figure out if that stang is worth it to you. Some guys just cant let go a car they put so much work into. So anyones advice here needs to factor in how much you love that car. (if you do)

 

You can get a slightly used, low mileage LS1 GTO for what you are looking to spend.

 

GTO = Not any faster than my mustang right now, and they dont handle well. I already have a overweight boring coupe with a nice interior that runs low 14's.

The CLS is my daily/winter car, as I need it for the Michigan winters. I even thought of selling the mustang, getting a cheapo daily driver, and modding the CLS since its a nice new car that can be made pretty quick with a bunch of money.

And I know i've had the SC for awhile (since last winter), but I dont want to install it until i am 110% sure I know what I'm gonna do with the car. I dont wanna install/scratch it up installing it unless I know I'm gonna keep the car.

I dont have a HUGE emotional attachment to my mustang, but I do like it. I've done alot of the work myself and do enjoy it alot when I drive it.

 

Sell the stang and everything with it. Drive the CLS for a bit and save your cash. After that, if anything peaks your interest or if you see a deal on something, buy it.

Maybe you can get yourself one of the s/c 03-04 cobras. Modability on those is amazing!

 

Given your name is Joe5.0, i get the feeling that you will miss the 'stang alot.

 

How about a used vette?

 

www.factoryfive.com

turn your stang into a doaner car, and have at it!

 

My opinion, don't waste the money on a car. Keep your CLS and take the money that you could use to mod the car and invest it. Then, when you have earned a nice amount of cash, go spend it on a real sports car.

 

#1. fix the 5 grand in body damage other crap. the other 5-15 grand drop in a world product man of war motor and other goodies on the 5.0. the mods for a 5.0 is almost unlimited.keep the CL-S 6 speed while you fix the 5.0 mustang and also for daily driver. then have the 5.0 mustang for weekend and "fun car." IMO car payments suck. i'd rather pay on for mods a car i built.

 

Really would love that, but all the C5's I could afford are close to 100k miles, and not in the color combo i'd want.

And yeah i'd miss my car alot, but i havent driven it since last november, so I have learned to live without it.

And I didnt think of the FFR option, altho i was mildy looking into finding a engine-less car with already built driveline and suspension. I'm sure it would be hella fun, but thats a TON of work and time.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep em comin.

 

but, the reward will be second to none.

 

I say fix the mustang and sell it and buy like an eclipse gs-t to mess around with

 

Thats a pretty serious downgrade in potential, sound, and fun. And if you're gonna get a dsm why bother with the fwd???

 

have you ever heard of the term "crank walk"

 

 

Talons/Eclipses/4 bangers dont really appeal to me.

Sure I could go buy a SRT-4, or modded WRX, but I like torque & the V8 sound. Not to mention that fwd/awd is kinda ass backwards in a performance car.

 

FWD
AWD

 

Crashing a DSM on Gratiot really doesn't give you style points. Go with a Camaro.

 

What good is a car if you don't drive it?

I say sell that, sell the parts you have for it, and keep/invest that money. The CL-S6 will serve just fine as a daily driver and weekend fun car with a few modifications. Hell, you already drove it into the 13's. That's pretty quick.

And if memory serves me correctly, you even drove the CL at a road course (on stock tires, because the tire shop guys are idiots and sold your tires to somebody else ), so if you want, get some nice coilovers to upgrade the suspension and have fun with it.

I love my TL, but if I didn't drive it since November, I would have to consider getting rid of it. Again, what good is a car if you don't/can't drive it?

 

Well I would drive the car if the body damage was fixed. I just bought a house in january, so coming up with 2 grand for it hasnt been that easy.

And yes I used the CL at the road course, but to me it wasnt that fun. Even if it had coilovers, more power, and good tires it still is heavy and fwd.

Plus, I dont abuse the CL since it has to last me a long time. I plan on driving it into the ground, so hard launches, extreme cornering/braking, and powershifts arent ideal in a car you want to last a long time. I could do that kind of stuff to my mustang and it never skipped a beat. It just is built more for abuse than the CL is, plus if something does break its much easier and cheaper to fix.

 

I'm for selling the mustang keeping the CL & banking the $$.

 

Yes but if he is gonna mess around you would upgrade everything..you can make a 11-12 sec Gs-t easily

 

^ You can make 12s Cobras even easier (cheaper). Save up your cash and then get a terminator.

 

The CL is not an Integra; it's made for Grand Touring, not driving like a crazy maniac.

 

Says you

 

this is the first time i'll say this about Ohio's biggest hater:
I agree with you.
The Integra Type R was built to be driven like it was stolen.(even though it does get stolen a lot ) a CL-S even though has 2 more cylinders and more power out of the factory it #1. didn't handle like a ITR from the factory #2. it weighs a hell of a lot more.

 

An Integra is a Japanese-built sport compact. A CL is an Ohio-built midsize.
Big difference.

 

Well I've made my decision.

A co-worker is buying my mustang as is for $3k, and I'm keeping the SC. I found a badass & built 95 Cobra that is ready for my blower to be bolted on.

It has a professionally installed/machined 347 stroker (302 bored .30 over with a stroker crank), ported edelbrock heads, edelbrock intake, and custom cam. Tranny is stronger than stock tremec 5 speed, and rear end is built. It has a decent amount of suspension work and nice brakes.

It has a nice 8.5:1 compression and forged pistons, so it should be good for ~ 15psi and about 550rwhp.

If I can hook up without breaking anything should touch 10's if I can drive it.

I got it for $10k, and will have it paid off in no longer than 2 years, more likely like 18 months.

Here's some pics: