Hey guys, I guess all of you would call me a newbie. First off, I don't even have a drivers license yet, still a permit. I'll be 16 in ~3 months and my dad plans on getting me a new 2010 Mustang GT. He said that he can trust me with his life and the least he can do is trust me with a car. He asked me what I wanted as a first car, but he made sure to make a few rules.
1. No rice rocket
2. No turbo\super charger (until I'm 18)
3. Must be ~35 grand or less
4. I (my dad) have to drive it first
We were in the car as he said this and we happened to be driving through Chicago at the time. We were down town and I look to my right and in the lane next to us, a 2010 Mustang GT. o.o "I want," is what I'm thinking in my head. So I point to that and my dad answers, "I always knew you were a good kid."
I must be the luckiest kid in the world. My dad only makes around 100k a year with his job and private catering business so I'm still shocked he plans on buying me a NEW Mustang GT . Tell me what you think and how your driving/Mustang years started. Looks like I'm getting lucky on both. Btw, it will be a 5 speed manual.
First of all.... let me say "Welcome to M.E."
Second...let me say "WOW!" If I'd have gotten something like that when I turned 16....umm....that'd just be baaaaaad! My ol'man almost got me a 67 chevelle with a 454.....but then he actually THOUGHT about it, so I ended-up with an 82 celica. There's no way in hell I'd buy my 16 yr old a gt....much less a new one! lol As a matter of fact, his mom and step-dad ended up getting him an 03 accord a few months ago(against my advice...lol). So honestly, consider yourself lucky. You must have a really cool dad! Down here in Southeast Alabama....100k a year is really nice cash! I'm sure the cost of living up your way is much higher, but 100k is still some serious jack! Hell, if I made 100k a year....not only would I have an 03/04 cobra termi, and a brand new gt or shelby, but I'd also buy the wifey a nice sixer ( just so I could mod the shizz out of it!)
The Mustang hobby is the best IMO out there, get with a local Mustang car group (not the high school car club BS) and enjoy events and such, its part of what makes the Mustang hobby great.
Only advise I will give you about begin 16 and owning a semi fast car that you dont pay for... respect it and take a little bit of time to calculate how much paying for a house/rent and other bills and then on top of that a car payment/insurance/gas actually costs... its an eye opener to realize just how much it costs to have such things.
Lucky s.o.b.! Wise words from SpectorV...I had my moments at 16 with my car, and I paid for everything...that wasn't too long ago, I remember how it was to have the newest, coolest, fastest (sadly enough) car in high school. I'm not saying you're going to do stupid stuff, don't take it the wrong way, it's just that we've all been there at one point and have done "things".
Oh, one more thing...I am currently taking donations for the sonicpony03 Cobra Terminator fund, so if your dad (or anyone else for that matter) would like to contribute, it'd be much appreciated
I am currently taking donations for the sonicpony03 Cobra Terminator fund, so if your dad (or anyone else for that matter) would like to contribute, it'd be much appreciated
You're very lucky if you have a car handed to you! I've had to purchase every single one of my cars, out of pocket, with no outside help
May I just say..
1) Enjoy the car
2) DONT KILL YOURSELF WITH IT, be responsible, if you're going to try it's limits, take it to a track, I was nearly killed by someone street racing his friend - don't be that guy
Thanks for the feed back guys. And don't worry, I have a family in the muscle car and hot rod hobby and if I do the slightest thing stupid, well I won't have a car. So I know not to screw up. My uncle owns a 68 (I think) Camero modded for the track. It only runs 10's but hell that's still fast. Grandpa owns a 60 Sadan delivery truck. I'll get some pics up in a bit. But they go to the track almost every weekend and I normally go with so no worries with me street racing. I appreciate all the advice you guys are giving me.
Btw, what mods should I do to the car? My brother, who is a ricer racer, says I need to lower the front end or the whole body a few inches. Thoughts? I'm also thinking of changing the exhaust to a 3'' x pattern because I plan to supercharge it later on.
I know this sounds like a after school special but be safe cars can be replaced you can't. I wrecked my Stang showing off after school trust me save the fun for the track.
As for your first mods it will depend on what you'll want to accomnplish first. Appearnce? Performance? Comforts?
If you go performance first a CAI and a tune with as much aftermarket exhaust you can add onto it (anywhere from cat-backs to full exhaust including headers). Usually an upgrade to new gears (3.73 for manuals, 4.10 for an automatic). Although I think the new manual transmission gearing is different so I've heard go with 4.10 for manual.
Upgrading the suspension will help both performance and appearence. Again I don't know for the new cars but a 1" drop should look good. New shocks/struts and springs. If you want you can rake the car (lowered in the front, rear end higher) but I don't know how well that will look on a daily driver. The rear end on these cars is already big so you won't want amplify that (think: "Do these jeans make my butt look fat?"). OF course I guess that's a matter more of opinion.
You can always upgrade internals and do a port and polish on the heads for some increase in HP. Stay away from ricer exhaust tips, I don't know how big the new exhaust is, but is 3" a little too big?
If you go performance first a CAI and a tune with as much aftermarket exhaust you can add onto it (anywhere from cat-backs to full exhaust including headers). Usually an upgrade to new gears (3.73 for manuals, 4.10 for an automatic). Although I think the new manual transmission gearing is different so I've heard go with 4.10 for manual.
Osiris is saying something about 3.73 for new manual gears. Anyone care to explain this and possibly link me to a how to page or something of the sort. And my uncle does have a press and he's skilled. If need be, he'd be more than happy to help me out.
I think it's still 2.25 inches from the factory. I personally wouldn't go above 2.5" on those cars if it's N/A. Most aftermarket systems are 2.5" mandrel bent. 3" is only really necessary when forced induction is used, and even then it's a stretch...there are plenty of guys who use 2.5" piping and run a supercharger.
Ah sounds good. I'm going for a manual tranny so would doing the gear job at home be possible. My uncle will let me use his home shop, I'm just wondering if there is a big possibility of me screwing it up.
If your talking about rear end gears which have nothing to do with the trans probably not. Unless you are very skilled and have a press. If your talking about a short throw shifter ya thats very easy to do.
He said 3.73 for manuals because the very common 4.10 gears would make first gear to quick. That is why they are put into automatics. Go to americanmuscle.com look up gears for your car and toward the bottom of the page there is a how to. But unless your uncle has been a mechanic for some time just pay a shop to do it it will be about 400 bucks.
/= $$$$$< would be the problem. My uncle build both the Camero and the hot rod shown above from the ground up. He was also a mechanic for 20+ years so if I can't do it, I'd rather have him do it. I see where you guys are coming from though, that warranty will be nice for sure. I'd hate to void it out. But hell I don't even have the car yet. I start my new job up next week, so by then, maybe money won't be a problem. I'll have to wait and see. Once again guys, I appreciate all your help and suggestions.
Well if your uncle is willing to help out with the install or do it completely and you believe he has the experience/ability, have him do it. If he is willing to do it, be there with him, its a great way to learn about your car.
I only push the Ford dealership route because most people know "a mechanic" that is probably most efficient in oil changes and tire rotations and not larger projects like gear installs. They bring the car to the mechanic, he installs the gears incorrectly or forgets to set the backlash or something critical and then doesn't make things right. It's up to you, there's no saying a Ford dealership install will go perfectly, but that warranty usually is a safeguard to make things right.
I was thinking, if you wanted to surpass the whole gear install, you could order the GT with the track pack. It is a $1,400 option, but then you'd get the 3.73 gears, beefier tlok (limited slip differential), GT500 control arms, tougher brake pads and 19" wheels.
Just throwing it out there since your getting the car new...though it wouldn't cost $1400 to have the gears installed after you buy the car (avg $500-1000), I guess it depends on what you want to do with the car...the rear end would be ready to handle a supercharger, and you'd have some decent looking wheels.
Yeah I'll most likely go with that. Only problem is I want the body kit, which the build it your self, won't let me have with the track pack. Can the dealer I order that from get around that some how?
go back to "build your own", just dump the track-pack....and get the 3.73 package, then you should be able to get whatever body package you want. But you should seriously think about that before you actually order it. Looks like there's some good stuff in the track-pack (the only thing I don't like is the spoiler delete). In my opinion, to hell with the body kits, get the track-pack (cause of all the good stuff in it). I think it'd be cheaper to do the body with after market ( or just have the dealer install it), than it would be to add all the track-pack stuff as after market. So, essentially....you're set for performance and suspension for the most part, and can do the cosmetic stuff whenever you want.
:welcome:
I would have never bought any of my kids a new car. It takes a lot of will power when your peers are trying to get you to do something that might get you into trouble.
Good luck and be safe.
True that friend. Just ask my buddy from high school who almost rolled his parents' highlander trying to do donuts and burnt up the tranny on their "traveling van (big chevy conversion van)" doing burnouts.
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