Ford Mustang Forum : “how dependable is it”
hey ... had one of these in the automatic flavour... the only thing you want to watch for is the head gaskets every 110000 km they pretty religiously give up... 1500 dollar fix... other than that i never did any other work except for a leaky coolant line... simple oil changes and other fluid changes...
Watch out for the cooling system too. Check the coolant level. I had a '98, which was basically the same engine, and I let the coolant get a little low and it screwed up the whole system it seems. Also, like somebody else said, watch out for head gaskets in the 94 and 95 cars.
Like any car , as long as you do regular maintenance , it will be dependable.
Keep an eye on any re-calls , and check any online sites about the car that has info on any major problems or TSB"s.
read up on the "Lemon Aid" books to see if the car has any faults that will haunt you at a later date.
Fords with the V-6 , did have issues with head gaskets , as well as timing cover gaskets.
If this problem arises , you will need to have the heads pressure checked for leaks/cracks and measured for flatness( so it seals properly when you re-install it)
Same goes for the timing cover , it will need to be checked for corrosion( it is made from aluminum) around the water ports. Epoxy will help seal up any bad spots , or you can buy a new timing cover from an after market supplier such as Dorman ( cheaper that Ford)
Make sure you use high quality gaskets , Like Fel-Pro . Aftermarket gasket makers will most likely have an improved gasket for the vehicle , esp if it has been a problem gasket.
Finally , use a high quality anti freeze , and change any coolant hoses that are looking bad ( hard , or very spongy) or if the mileage is over 60K.
Does the term Found On Road Dead mean anything. LOL.
Want dependable get a civic. Want a real car, buy American.