Thinkin' of buyin' an SC

I'm looking at an '89 SC manual w/ 160,000 mi, seems like a good price, guy says the only problem is a high idle (sounded like IAC, from the search I did here). Anyway.........I'm 17, owned an '89 GT Stang for nearly a year and a half, decided I might like a little change - nicer interior, exterior, suspension, etc. Plus I've wanted to know what a roots charged car is like for quite a while. My plan was to keep the 'Stang, fix it enough to sell it while I drove the SC, make sure I like it.
My main question is, am I going to be getting in over my head? I've heard one way and another that these are too high-maintenance and expensive to work on, but it sounds to me like what usually happens with buying used cars - some are good, others turn out like crap. So what's it really like to own one?

SC's can be like a woman, have you cursing the day they were born one minute but knowing that you can never be as satisfied by anything else. I have owned two Turbo Coupe's, three Mustang GT's and two 69 Mustang Coupes and I wouldn't trade any of them for my SC, and I have only had mine on the road for a week. Get one if you have the chance. They are a little harder to work on but if you have average mechanical aptitude and the desire to work on one you can do quite a bit. This forum is a wealth of good info and suggestions.

89 SC purchase with 160k miles

It all depends on the conditions, if you are talking about buying it for$1500 to $2000.00, thats a good price, but, you may find yourself spending a lot of time fixing it up.

I have a 91 5 speed, 120k, has had lots of repairs over the years, prev. owner kept it like new, having a ball driving it as an everyday driver. Time will tell, but, most of the big ticket items have already been replaced on this car.

If you are handy and can do some of the repairs, etc. makes the ownership far more tolerable; if you have to have the Ford Dealer take care of it, you are going to be spending some serious money.

I would shop for one that is newly rebuilt with most of the major mech. work completed, and, pay the higher price to get it, usually $4k for the 91, 92 to $5k to $6k for the 93, 94, 95 SC's run (if in great shape) $7k and higher, and, worth every penny.

Good luck, dont' make a hasty decision.....there is no such thing as a real bargain, you have your junkers and parts cars, and then you have true, investment grade......Very nice SC's are hard to find, and getting more so every day.

Stu,

these guys are right on target. The main thing is to get the best condition SC you can afford, of course. The information that you can glean from this forum puts shop manuals to shame sometimes. These guys have been there, done that, and have the t-shirts. Patience and thought is the best way to approach a problem with these SC's. I have had, well, a lot of neat cars in the past and haven't yet found one that does for me what an SC does. Good luck and I hope you have a lot of fun.

Happy Holidays.

sc's are definitely a good buy. i wouldn't trade mine for anything except another one

take it for a test drive. youll like it. i would suggest tryin to find one with a little less miles. but either way, its an SC. they grow on you. good luck

the SC is built like a tank.
you'll never find a better car for the price...and with magnumpowers.com add-ons (magnaport II blower, etc) at about $1700 and exhaust mods you'll be flyin....