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9,900 Original Miles: 1998 Ford Mustang GT

Ah, the SN95 Ford Mustang: the perpetually unloved generation of the classic muscle car. The shame of it is these were wholly decent vehicles, with the bad luck of coming immediately after one of the most popular eras of the Mustang, the much-loved Fox body. However, if you’re open to buying a car that isn’t ever going to be the poster child of Mustang ownership, then a low-mileage example like this 1998 model is definitely worth a look. This Mustang GT has the preferred V8/5-speed combination and just 10,000 original miles. It’s listed here on craigslist for $17,500.

Now, this car is no bargain at the asking price. Close to $18,000 is top of market for one of these, even if it’s as close to new as this one is. But I would venture to say it’s worth it, given you can’t touch a new GT fo anything close to this price. Yes, there are literal light years between those generations of the Mustang, but given the current car’s capabilities seem best fit for the track, I would prefer to keep some money in the bank and have a car I feel comfortable using every day. The Mustang GT is meant to be a simple but effective tool: V8 engine, manual gearbox, two doors, and cheap to own.

Cheap to own doesn’t necessarily apply to the current car. Have you priced a set of tires for a new Mustang GT? Good luck getting that done for under $1,000. The interior, while certainly an improvement over a car 17 years its senior, is still not meant to be a place of relaxation and comfort. A Mustang will always be a performance car first and foremost, so I wouldn’t necessarily put “interior comfort” as a top priority when shopping in this segment. Plus, with this 1998 model in like-new condition, the camel-colored leather seats still look to be in absolutely mint condition. And let’s face it: the SN95 was still leaps and bounds ahead of the Fox body in terms of interior quality.

The best part about this Mustang is just how clean it is. I didn’t understand why the low-mileage thing mattered so much to collectors but after buying a vehicle that had been sitting with under 60,000 original miles on the clock, I get it. The door panels are nice, the speaker grills aren’t trashed, the surfaces just feel clean. It’s entirely superficial but it’s meaningful, especially if you’re like me and used to feeling like you need a shower when you sit in a trashed junkyard car you just brought home. This Mustang is a very nice example and seems like a relative bargain compared to buying a Fox body or next-generation model with the same kind of mileage on the clock.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bob_in_TN Member

    Good write-up Jeff. Like the silver one a few days ago, this is a very clean, low mileage example. They may remain a lesser-liked generation of Mustangs (especially the 1994-1998 years), but I suspect their prices aren’t going down and are probably going up. This black/butterscotch combination was common, and almost gives it a 90’s “period correct” look. Could be a fun driver or even a very worthy car show participant.

    Like 9
  2. Avatar Big C

    Yeah, they said the same thing about the ’71-’73 Mustangs. “Unloved, too big, no one will ever collect these.” Have you seen the prices of these, lately?

    Like 8
  3. Avatar Randy b.

    I prefer the 99-04 to these having bought one of the first new ‘99’s in my area. Mine is a V6- 5 spd. with 75k mi. I paid $16,300 for it.This one would look very nice next to it in my garage.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Brad chipman

    Put a Paxton supercharger on it and clean up the exhaust and you have a runner. I’ve seen a few done that way turned out nice. Keep all the stock parts

    Like 5
    • Avatar Brad chipman

      I had a dodge srt10 at the time,shortbed with a 6 speed. My son had this exact car. I raced him to 80 while pulling a 20ft bass boat from a dead stop. He lost by a lot

      Like 1
  5. Avatar Darius

    I thought they changed the headlights in 97 so this looks more like a 96 with the 4.6 V8

    Like 0
  6. Avatar B Wallace

    I always liked the 71-73’s I had a 73 Cougar XR7 Convertible for years. in 1979 here are the cars I could have bought not to drive but just to stash away as I knew they would pay off one day these were all pristine mint examples. But no storage space was the issue or I would have grabbed them all.

    1) 71 Mach 1 429SCJ $4200 I told them that they were nuts at the used car lot that it was at the salesman said we can yank the engine and sell it to a speed shop for $2500 I have seen them go at auction for $200K

    2) 72 Mach 1 351 4V RA with every option 25K miles $2600

    3) 71 Boss 351 $3300

    Like 2
  7. Avatar Larry D

    Damn if this isn’t one nice 1998 Mule. However, if you announce the car has a clean Carfax, then how about showing us said Carfax?

    I wouldn’t mind having this car if not for being where it is and the stuff they put on the roads there. Ugh.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Vance

    These weren’t bad cars, they were just boring ones, and dropping in horsepower from the Fox body wasn’t too smart either. My first new car was a 1987 GT with t-tops and a 5speed. I never got into that car and didn’t smile, I truly loved it.This car just didn’t have the umph that the 5.0 had, it would get there eventually, but the 4.6 was an odd ball in 1998, and it didn’t feel fast. I sold a lot of these but wasn’t crazy about them.

    Like 0

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