Used 2003 Ford Mustang for Sale near Illinois

I purchased this Dark Shadow Gray Mach 1, based on the limited availability of the model, coupled with the fact that it had the same DOHC 4.6 litre engine as the Cobra, without the supercharger, but had ram air with the functional shaker hood scoop. Of course, the ram air is only partly true, as most of the intake still comes from the fender well as in all other Mustangs, and the shaker hood scoop, while functional, just brings in part of the air. In any case, the engine is a high winder, as found in overhead cam, versus overhead valve engines. It winds freely but the torque doesn't seem to kick in until you hit about 5,000 rpm, which left me feeling rather cold about the power. I was used to the pushrod Mustangs and the low RPM power curves, so maybe I was just disappointed in the lack of low end power, that would have been better satisfied by the Cobra with the supercharger, since that does produce gobs more low end power. I also noted many of the Mach 1 enthusiasts were retrofitting superchargers to their cars and thus were ending up with the proverbial "poor man's Cobra". Fit and finish were good, the paint job was about as fine as I have ever seen on a Ford product. Glass like and flawless. The black leather interior was nicely done and the bucket seats were comfortable. As always, the back seats are fine for a short trip for kids and small adults but not for any long hauls for anyone else. The five speed manual gearbox was relatively smooth, although a six speed would have been a lot better. All in all, a nice vehicle, but it should have had more power, more low end torque and maybe a longer production run. The two year run of the car proved it perhaps wasn't as popular as it should be, as many sat on dealer lots, and sold for many thousands off the MSRP as dealers deep discounted them to move them out.

I absolutely loved this car. Mine had about 5 to 6 grand invested, which really made the car what it was. Very impressive acceleration, handling, everything. It was a Steeda Stage 2 without the body. Tons of fun.

I love this car, I love the color, the sound, the feeling you get being in it and I love the premium package. This car will not let anyone down, in being reliable and won't let anyone down on expectations.

Only dislike is the fact that I dislike that I don't have the money to drop a KB Supercharger, Lambo doors, HID lights, Dual stripes, Cobra R front bumper, Cobra R wing, Mach 2 hood and Cobra front and rear slotted disc brakes 13F/11R Performance- acceleration is very good, braking a little scary coming down from 90 mph for a 90 degree left turn, handling is solid Build Quality-its a Ford, a little squeaks, window motor replaced, biggest thing is keeping the engine healthy. Appearance-Just look at her Cost of Ownership-Its a sport car, maintenance can get expensive and gas is high, but really fun to drive Fun Factor-raced and won over a S2000, G35, Turbo Civic and Eclipse. Mazda 8 won't even try. Have done 110mph on the 134!

Performance: Lackluster when stock, but with a few modifications, it is now a blast to drive Build Quality: Typical Ford craftsmanship, so it has its rattles and shakes, but so far nothing serious has broken. It is cheap to keep up with maintenance. Appearance: Black is best and when its clean this car outshines vehicles of much higher price. Love it. I get lots of looks and comments. Cost: Very cheap to maintain. Insurance is a bit over the top, but I am under 25 years old. Gas mileage averages around 28-29 on highway, 20-22 in town. I do all maintenance myself, so its been cheap for me not having to pay a mechanic, but all parts for maintenance have been inexpensive and easy to work on. Fun Factor: Definitely fun. Wish it had removable top or sunroof, but I'm just as happy cruising with the windows down.