Dilemma. What would you do?

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Looks like the trans is dying in my 04 GT. At this point I have two options for dealing with the problem, and I'm simply looking for opinions/perspectives that I might not have considered.

Option 1: remove and replace. This will run a small fortune and add in a new clutch (might as well) = a lot for me to stomach. Add in the issues below and I have to wonder if this makes more financial sense, or....

Option 2: Dump the car and take the hit on another GT or early S197.

Details on my car, almost 110K, has been Timeserted on #4 cylinder, undercarriage in rear rusty (needs POR15 job), vibration through the wheel at 45-50 mph more often than not. Rust in lower quarters. Not bad...yet... but no telling if I'll address it before it gets too cold in NY because 4 month old daughter and very limited time to actually do it.

I'm leaning toward sayonara. My wife is leaning toward keep it because she's under the assumption I'll lose less $.

In my position I can afford about 8K on the high end. Still owe $ on it through early 2017.

Could use some thoughts on this one, I have a feeling I know what most will say, but let me hear it..........
 

Orange 94

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Sounds shitty...

If you don't have an attatment to it, dump it. Sounds like its far from being worth fixing.
At the same time its not going to be worth anything...

Do you DD the mustang? Is it actually a good idea to buy another mustang?
 

KingOsiris

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I was actually in this same situation before I bought my 94. I had a 91 fox and she was gorgeous on the outside but underneath and the frame rails were rusted to hell. Once you find rust there is at least 2x more that you didnt find Dump it and move on.
 

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Sounds like a lot of problems adding up and becoming one big problem, dump it and if you're able get another but if not just wait it out till the time is right. Like you said, winter is coming up anyway.
 
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dump it. Best of luck

Leaning this way. The payment$ could be a problem though and by the time a 5 year loan is up, I'm finishing off a loan on a 10-15 year old car. This more than anything else is the issue, as I see it. Again I'm still leaning toward pulling up anchor.

I was actually in this same situation before I bought my 94. I had a 91 fox and she was gorgeous on the outside but underneath and the frame rails were rusted to hell. Once you find rust there is at least 2x more that you didnt find Dump it and move on.

Not in the frame yet, but 10 year old CT/NY car that's never been garaged, it could just be that it didn't rot through yet (yikes). There's a bumper crop of rust starting at the bottom of the rear wheelwells, right where the rocker panel trim meets. I would repair, but I'm thinking that rust is deep in the rockers at this point, and I'm not opening a can of worms that I'm not able to handle on my own.

Sounds like a lot of problems adding up and becoming one big problem, dump it and if you're able get another but if not just wait it out till the time is right. Like you said, winter is coming up anyway.

Yeah it might end up parked all winter. Luckily we have two other cars, and I've been driving my wife's Altima coupe. The Highlander must always be around in case my daughter has some sudden medical emergency.

The Mustang is(was) my daily. This isn't a decision I can make lightly and honestly I'm agonizing over it. Don't want to put my family in a bad financial position either way.

Highly doubt I could sell it private party, so my only option is to accept a beating on a trade-in and end up rolling 1-2k over into another loan. To be honest I had second thoughts even about buying it back in 2011, but jumped because a) I really wanted another GT and b) my loan pre-approval was about to expire. Do or die time. I test drove 5 or 6 before it that I didn't like for whatever the reason...but at least 4 of them would have been better in the long run. Live and learn.
 

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Leaning this way. The payment$ could be a problem though and by the time a 5 year loan is up, I'm finishing off a loan on a 10-15 year old car. This more than anything else is the issue, as I see it. Again I'm still leaning toward pulling up anchor.

If payments are gonna be an issue, it's probably not the time to get another mustang. Buy a cheap civic or something and roll around in that til you can afford the car you actually want.

I will also agree in favor of dumping the car. It almost sounds like more of a headache than mine.
 
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If payments are gonna be an issue, it's probably not the time to get another mustang. Buy a cheap civic or something and roll around in that til you can afford the car you actually want.

I will also agree in favor of dumping the car. It almost sounds like more of a headache than mine.

Difference, my friend, is that hot rod of yours is one 99% of this forum would take care of if you no longer wanted it. Count me in that group.

Your post is coincidental for me. Riding home in my wife's Altima, I found myself very relaxed. Quiet, smooth ride, leather seats shaped just right for my fat ass, Springsteen on XM, it was awfully nice. In the GT (channeling my inner Darrell Waltrip) it's "Green Flag Boogity Boogity Boogity!" and I'm half in battle mode because everybody wants a go. For this, and the financial stuff we're kicking around, maybe an older Hon-duh is a better option. Not one I *like* but makes more sense at this point in time.
 
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dump it and keep us updated on the s197 build :)

No dice. Not a huge fan, 05-06 too many minor issues that add up, and they just feel like boats. Honestly, I'm considering other cars at this point, finding a nice GT in my price range simply does not happen. Anywhere else in the country, you could do well, but in the NY/NJ area prices are inflated vs. say, the Midwest.

I hate rust. Enough said.

Yup. Couldn't agree more.
 

D3VST8R96GT

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Difference, my friend, is that hot rod of yours is one 99% of this forum would take care of if you no longer wanted it. Count me in that group.

Your post is coincidental for me. Riding home in my wife's Altima, I found myself very relaxed. Quiet, smooth ride, leather seats shaped just right for my fat ass, Springsteen on XM, it was awfully nice. In the GT (channeling my inner Darrell Waltrip) it's "Green Flag Boogity Boogity Boogity!" and I'm half in battle mode because everybody wants a go. For this, and the financial stuff we're kicking around, maybe an older Hon-duh is a better option. Not one I *like* but makes more sense at this point in time.

I know the feeling. Its growing up .... i still have that feeling in any car i drive its just more fun and realistic in the mustang lol....
 

96blak54

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Dump the car, pay rest of loan off, buy a garage, pay that loan off, have another kid, pay that loan off, buy a mini van, dream about your old mustang that you could still have, pay mini van loan off....buy another soccer transporter....and so on. Is another mustang in your sites? If your like me, the last kid will have to be 18+ before ill even be able to look at what I want.
 

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I would consider repairing it myself as I am not sure how you will come out in the long run since you still owe on it for almost 3 yrs and with the repair you need to make on it will make the resale next to nothing. By the time you take the loss on that car and hope to find a used car that you hope has not been driven like a rally car on the x-games I am afraid to know what it would all cost.
 

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So this 04 has a tranny issue and a little rust and you going to dump it to buy an older honda?(somebody elses headache)
Makes no sense to me as i see every car as a pile of metal and parts, there all the same. Atleast with your stang you know whats wrong. Rust can be repaired. Payments suck but what are you going to get for your mustang with a beat trans? 3K .. how much do you owe? Whats the tranny going to cost? I would be fixing the trans and rust before i took a loss on the car and bought someone elses nightmare.
 

ttocs

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Do you think he could get $3k? I got my parts car with a clean title and tranny issues for $1200. If money is the issue in this decision before you dump it at the very least take it to a mechanic to see what he thinks is wrong with it and how much it would cost. I mean even if the tranny was not repairable and you had to replace it I would think that just that repair/replacement would probably be less $$$ then you would loose on the sale of a damaged car vs what you owe.
 

96gt4.6

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buy a used transmission around $300 here and cheaper if you find a deal and throw it in yourself realistically its and easy job. even if you were going to trade it in i would throw a used transmission in before trading it in, that $300 would net a lot more at the dealer for the car
 

96blak54

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Threir is only a few special tools to rebuild our trannys which can be had at Orielys. Ive seen a many rust buckets turn jewel. Think this one through!
 
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Dump the car, pay rest of loan off, buy a garage, pay that loan off, have another kid, pay that loan off, buy a mini van, dream about your old mustang that you could still have, pay mini van loan off....buy another soccer transporter....and so on. Is another mustang in your sites? If your like me, the last kid will have to be 18+ before ill even be able to look at what I want.

No other Mustangs in my price range that a) aren't ragged-out V6's b) are convertibles c)are GT 5-speeds in respectable condition.
No minivans for us, we're set on that, but that's besides the point. I see what you're saying, and your situation is exactly what my father-in-law went through. Had gorgeous Z28's in the early '80s, then my brother in law and wife came up...bye bye Z's and don't get him started on the K-cars. You just might die. lol...

I would consider repairing it myself as I am not sure how you will come out in the long run since you still owe on it for almost 3 yrs and with the repair you need to make on it will make the resale next to nothing. By the time you take the loss on that car and hope to find a used car that you hope has not been driven like a rally car on the x-games I am afraid to know what it would all cost.

Scott- I've seen your work, you are very talented. I am not; more or less I'm your basic maintenance/brakes/suspension weekend warrior. No power tools either. I know what the job requires but I don't have the ability to deal with rusted H-pipe to manifold studs or broken top starter bolt. Must think of worst case. As for old Honda...not a ragged out Civic... a mid-00's Accord 5-speed. Different clientele drove them, not boy racers.

So this 04 has a tranny issue and a little rust and you going to dump it to buy an older honda?(somebody elses headache)
Makes no sense to me as i see every car as a pile of metal and parts, there all the same. Atleast with your stang you know whats wrong. Rust can be repaired. Payments suck but what are you going to get for your mustang with a beat trans? 3K .. how much do you owe? Whats the tranny going to cost? I would be fixing the trans and rust before i took a loss on the car and bought someone elses nightmare.

What I said about Scott is true of you, too. You have both ability and talent I couldn't hold a candle to. If you saw what the inner 1/4s, rear floor, bumper support, gas tank, floorboards, and radiator core support looked like... you would probably see it differently. 10 years of no garage and winter road salt = not long until it's Swiss cheese. I don't have the time or ability to go after it effectively. Cost of repairing trans will be pushing 800 or so. The 3650's have to be completely town down to get to what needs to be replaced. Add that to the list of problems in my first post and you get the idea...

Do you think he could get $3k? I got my parts car with a clean title and tranny issues for $1200. If money is the issue in this decision before you dump it at the very least take it to a mechanic to see what he thinks is wrong with it and how much it would cost. I mean even if the tranny was not repairable and you had to replace it I would think that just that repair/replacement would probably be less $$$ then you would loose on the sale of a damaged car vs what you owe.

buy a used transmission around $300 here and cheaper if you find a deal and throw it in yourself realistically its and easy job. even if you were going to trade it in i would throw a used transmission in before trading it in, that $300 would net a lot more at the dealer for the car

$300...where in the country are you? In NY/tri-state area (where I am) you can't touch a 3650 for twice that. Again, though, I don't have the tools or ability to do it solo. I get real edgy when I'm under a car supported only by jackstands for any length of time.

Threir is only a few special tools to rebuild our trannys which can be had at Orielys. Ive seen a many rust buckets turn jewel. Think this one through!

Uncover some rust, and you'll find more, and more, and more... This one won't become a jewel though; it is what it is; a daily driver with 110K in average condition. And sometimes, even stock ones, you get tired of the daily grind and feeling the chassis flex over even slight undulations in the road. Limp-noodle throwbacks are fun in limited doses. No $ to mod, other priorities in life right now.

Yes, I am making this decision carefully, and definitely not lightly. Update, it's going to my dad's dealership tomorrow so that my dad can try to get a better diagnosis. Also going to ask him to assess the rust. He's a Ford man from way back; his first car was a Frankensteined '65 Galaxie; good powertrain from one and good body from the other. Needless to say he has my full trust. Should also mention he had three Fox 5.0's and an '04 when they were new; he knows what's up.

What it really is...hopefully lady luck is with me...

I'm also asking him to get it appraised on trade-in so that I know approximately where I am. Like I said, getting as much info as possible, to make an intelligent decision.

More info to come tomorrow.
 

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