Help Me Choose a Vehicle Replacement

[placelast]

My T100s been with me for 10 years now, and with 300k miles it was a good time to move on as it is fully depreciated. It's sold, awaiting payment closure.

I've always wanted a Mustang, but never had the opportunity before, with insurance, money, college, then marriage, kids, and now we're empty nest-ers.

A 59 YO coworker, has a garage queen up for sale. It's a 1993 Mustang 2-door LX, last of the Fox bodies, with a 5.0l V8 and a 5 speed. 38k miles. Very clean and no problems; needs nothing. One day I took off work and drove it to mechanics and others (6 guys somewhat in the know, and one professional auto-body shop owner who has two Mustangs in his showroom) for their opinions, and they said either it's a deal or I'm crazy not to buy it - to do it.

His price is more than reasonable considering the pristine condition, and he is not into dealing with all the sellers; plans on trading it in on his new car when it arrives from Detroit soon.

I'm thinking of using it for a daily driver (sorry) and put a hitch on it (sorry 2x) to pull a small trailer for dirt biking; I absolutely cannot have more than one vehicle. My wife is opposed to me getting it, having a problematic Camaro when we met - it was a money pit, and she thinks this is a mid-life-crisis car.

On the other hand, I found a new-leftover 2007 Tundra, short bed-regular cab SR5 4.7L V8; this too would be a daily driver. They want under $20k.

So my wife and I went to the Toy dealer late this afternoon - those things are huge and bulbous now! Don't know if I cannot bump into things. She was more interested in a replacement car for her (!) and wandered off with the old salesman to look at Avalons. I think she might rob my new-vehicle savings account!

One is certainly more fun to drive on a daily basis (sounds great, has factory fat tires); the other utilitarian on ride days. One gets better mileage than the other, but one would have less reliability problems in the long run. One is relatively inexpensive, the other would take all my car savings account and then some to buy.

So what do you all think? I must make my decision by Tuesday mid-day - Mustang or Tundra?

 

[Cman250]

My .02 Although the truck cost's more initially, in the long run the reliability will pay for it self over having a cheaper car initially and having to pay for parts and services down the road(no pun intended). The truck will defenitley serve you better for hauling your toys around. Your best bet would probably be to go with the truck.

Plan B: If that stang is as much of a deal as you describe: buy it and then resell it for more , use it while you have it up for sale, make a profit, then buy the truck and save money doing so. Just an idea. Good Luck with your choice.

 

[joey450]

Tundra , go for the reliability

 

[Ol'89r]

Gotta agree with Joey.

Go for the Tundra John. After putting 300,000 miles on your T100 that should be an easy decision.

I can't imagine getting 300K trouble-free miles with a '93 Mustang. :whoa:

 

[mideastrider]

Tundra

 

[truespode]

If you want the Mustang just tell your wife it is better to have a MLC car instead of a MLC secretary on the side :)

If it was me I'd get the Tundra though.

Ivan

 

[Patman]

I'd go for a 2008 Mustang :)

 

[_JOE_]

Those new Tundras are sweet. I think if you buy the Mustang you will really miss a truck. Ol89er hit it on the head.

 

[mkelly04]

I would say go for the truck simply because it would be easier to get your bike around.


However, be careful. I've read that the tundra tailgates are made of a material only slightly stronger then aluminum foil. As usual with toyota it will probably take a class action suit before they acknowledge the problem and fix it.


However, if money is tight you can save a lot of money with the mustang. Remember, not only will the mustang be much cheaper the insurance will be a lot cheaper so it will save you every month.

 

[thumbs]

Mustang might be fun for a while but you will get tired of shifting gears, filling the tank, noisy ride due to soft-top, chicks hitting on you, sleeping on the ground (no more cool tent in truck bed) and speeding tickets. Not to mention the long term reliability and the fact that you will now need to get a trailer and store that as well.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[holeshot]

I'd go for a 2008 Mustang :)

That's what I was thinking ... not that it was a rational thought or anything ... :coocoo: :laugh:

 

[placelast]

No offense intended toward Tundra owners but those new ones have a face only a mother would love! Other than costing 4x the Mustang and being so big, I like them.

Sold my pickup to a fellow in Jackson, MS. I will drive and meet him in Dallas/Ft. Worth - he will pay for fuel there and for my flight back to El Paso.

I'm thinking it's a good one-day drive (yes?), going this Thursday/Friday, and will spend one night at a hotel/motel in Dallas/Ft. Worth, then fly back Saturday or Sunday. Hotel/motel recommendations requested.

Now she asked what I'm going to buy (bait), then said (trounce) that was a bit much to pay for a pickup...a guy can't win...

 

[placelast]

Of all things she approached me tonight (before my drive to Dallas in the 'morrow - sold pickup delivery to the new owner) and asked when I was going to gt the car...car I said? She said climbing out of the Tundra made her feel frail from that height, like she could break a hip or something. And the expense...

So the 'stang it is.

 

[Pushin50]

In the last 28 years I have had a Mustang, Sirocco, two MG's and three Camaros. I bought all of them as older low mileage cars. People buy their "dream car" and then never drive it. It spends years in the garage, loses much of its value, and then they sell it.
I currently drive a 97 Camaro SS convertible. I bought it in 2001. I paid about half the price the owner paid for it and it only had 4700 miles on it. The Mustang deal sounds like a good one. Don't let it get away.

 

[jayden122]

get a mtb, only vehicle you can get with 26" rims yo.
lol

 

[RM85rider123]

TUNDRA, TUNDRA, TUNDRA, TUNDRA :cool:
MUSTANG= :bang:=to many problems= :bang:

 

[placelast]

So I delivered my former pickup to the new owner in Dallas; he's from Mississippi, and offered to meet me near the airport (an 8-hour drive for him), having relatives nearby. The deal was he was to pay my fuel to get to Dallas plus my flight back home.

I left Las Cruces, NM on Thanksgiving day/morning @ 3:30 am and ran into some rain, then snow most of the way though Texas. I've never had so much ice build up before - seem like the fenders were done with wide fairings! Wipers did little good as they froze; ice surrounded/framed the windshield yet the defroster did some good. At one rest stop I picked off the thick layer of ice from the headlights! Did I say it was ccc-ccoooooollllllddddd?

Yes, things are bigger in Texas - even the snow flakes, being the size of quarters and half dollars at times.

Since it was coming down well, I decided to keep going as they could close the interstate anytime, and I did not want to get stranded. After 12-long hours on the road, I found a hotel in SW Dallas of the thrifty persuasion; the first thing that went on was the heater!

I went brain dead and turned on the tube to see what was to become of the storm. Oh: tomorrow is Black Friday! Macy's boasts about opening at 6 am; Target 5 am; others at 4; and WalMart never closes! Geesh!

I sleep my best in weeks, especially after seeing The Incredibles (hilarious animated movie).

Outside it is ssssssooooooo cooooooolllllllllddddd, though most of the ice is gone from the pickup. I find a self-serv car wash and clean it for the new owner - my hands became numb in the process, though the hotel towels sure came in handy (yes, I returned them, and had to run hot water over my hands!) to prevent water spots.

I stopped at the air museum, and though good displays, passed on it as there's nothing of particular interest and I'm here alone - would rather see it all with others.

Now the new owner was to meet me, 4-6 pm at Whole Foods market in Dallas, near the airport. So I wander up around those parts of town, with a lot of time to burn. Going up and down revealed lots of high-end car dealers - Maserati (sp?), Lambo, Ferrari, MBZ, BMW, Lexus, Infinity; nothing which interests me but that's fine for others, e$pecially in thi$ area. Asking around revealed no local Toyota dealer! Too budget-orineted? One salesman was kind enough to make some calls and found at least one in the distance. I wasted time on their lot sitting in Tundras, and asked for a license-plate filler - they would not do it! See: New Mexico has a keep-your-issued-plate policy, but I did not want the buyer to drive all that way without a filler, to keep smokey at bay. He'll mail it back to me, now.

My next stop was at the Speed Zone (.com), where they have three kart tracks; none interested me (my son and I did the indoor one in Phoenix, which is difficult to top). They did have what was called a top eliminator-dragster strip; looks likt GM 350s with (they claimed) 400 HP?! Look like fun, folks doing burnouts, and certainly something to do one day.

Back at Whole Foods to buy artisan bread, wild rice, spices and other things one cannot find in the hick town where we live; with cell phone in hand, my wife directed me from aisle to aisle for those precious few things to fill my travel bag.

The new buyer arrived about an hour later, and after doing our business and me babeling on about what is this noise, how to do this and that, he drove me to the terminal for my departure back to El Paso. The shuttle delivered me home at 11 pm - what an experience.

Oh: the Mustang is in the garage...I feel young again - an era of my youth has returned; don't know how long that will last...

 

[Ol'89r]

Congrats John. :cool:

Ya gotta do whatever makes ya grin. ;) Especially at your age. :yikes: :rotfl:

Great story by the way. I almost had to go put on a sweater just reading it. :nod:

Enjoy your new ride buddy.

 

[holeshot]

...I feel young again - an era of my youth has returned; don't know how long that will last...

If it doesn't last, you can always trade up to an '08 'stang. :nod: