[02MustangV6e9]

I drive a 2002 v6, auto. She has almost 119k miles on her. Thing is, I don't know if the day comes if I can sell her. My first car, the car I wanted since I was a kid. My first ticket, we went through the key/egg ordeal. Last summer I put $1,600 in maintenance into her.

Question is, is it a lost cause at this point? Am I better off selling her while she's still worth SOMETHING, or hold on to her?

Is there anything I can do to prolong the life/ make keeping her more worth while. Thanks.

[DeMello]

just keep fluids fresh and up to date in it, 119 isnt that bad. if the motor goes, drop a v8 in it

[mcqueen]

Really the best you can do is keep up on your maintenance and don't push her too hard. If you want to sell her, sell her while she's worth something. The older and more miles she gets, the less she'll be worth as time goes on. If you want to keep it, just keep on driving. When the motor finally craps out on you, you can throw a new one in there and enjoy your baby for many years to come or you could just part it out. Depending on how modded it is by then, you could always get another Mustang and swap parts over or even part her out for extra money.

[02MustangV6e9]

How much would I be looking at for a new motor when that day comes? Like I know crates can cost 10's of 1000's of dollars, but, can you pull an 8 out of a car at the junkyard and make it work?

[mcqueen]

Yeah you can. And while you're there you can pick up the wire harness and probably most everything you'll need for the swap too. Just find one with decent miles and drive it until it dies. Repeat the process until you decide to retire the Mustang.

[goren813]

I'm at 130k and going strong. Same boat as you, first car, so many memories and so many dollars poured into her already, its not worth selling at all, I would take a loss for sure. So as time passes I replace the things that go with performance where I can/what is necessary, and she runs great. Once the motor starts to go it will be re-built with performance parts, so in essence the car will be around forever. Fingers crossed. These things are worth so little now a days that to me, unless you can afford to take on car payments it isn't worth selling really.

[DeMello]

Originally Posted by 02MustangV6e9 How much would I be looking at for a new motor when that day comes? Like I know crates can cost 10's of 1000's of dollars, but, can you pull an 8 out of a car at the junkyard and make it work?

i bought my mark viii motor for 309 bucks. about 450 shipped from new york to florida. if i didnt swap intakes or get headers when i did the swap i could of kept my expenses under a grand total. but i got a badass deal

you can typcially find 2v pi (99-04 gt) engines for 500-700 bucks and they are VERY easy to find

the labor however is wats going to kill you

but i dont see why your motor cant hit 200k if you take care of it so you have a while to save up

[mcqueen]

Originally Posted by DeMello the labor however is wats going to kill you

That's why you make sure you have mechanically inclined friends and plenty of beer

[joshridge]

^^ this is how im getting all my parts installed when i get home! lmao

[Matts]

I have two 4.0 engines sitting in my garage, both clocked in at 25k and I bought both off of Ebay for around $1,700. Just in case my current one blows out, I'll just drop the next one in. I have a all long to go because my current motor I have now just clocked in at 59,800. My car is priceless to me and I would never sell her.

[DeMello]

Originally Posted by Matts I have two 4.0 engines sitting in my garage, both clocked in at 25k and I bought both off of Ebay for around $1,700. Just in case my current one blows out, I'll just drop the next one in. I have a all long to go because my current motor I have now just clocked in at 59,800. My car is priceless to me and I would never sell her.

thats alot of money for 200 hp

[ridinfast03]

Getting ready to turn 148k in a 2001 manual. Good fluids, meaning not the dollar brand, buy all my parts from reputable part warehouses (not autozone, oreily, advanced auto, wal-mart, napa, you name it) that shizz is almost always from china. Be selective in aftermarket brands too - most of them would never admit but they simply copy the oem and make it weaker but shinnyer so that you'll buy it.

And yes if your motor were to go depending on what breaks your looking at roughly 500 to a 1000 to get her running again or 2k to 5k for a moddest motor swap. Several details change these prices though so they are a "best gestamate"

I personally plan on dying with my Mustang in my garage, owned her from day 1 since I was 16 - now Im 25

[D-Brow]

Originally Posted by ridinfast03 I personally plan on dying with my Mustang in my garage, owned her from day 1 since I was 16 - now Im 25

^I'm with him, bought mine when I was 16, now I'm 20, and I plan on keeping it till it rusts away from existance, though that'll never happen cause I'll keep upgrading and modifying it