93' LX 5.0 V8 vs. 97' LX 3.8 V6
- Thread starter Jeff Junk
- Start date
Both cars have about 30,000 miles.. so there hasn't been much maintenance.. both cars have been garage kept.. but have been sitting.. Do you think that's an issue for these things? The 97' is 2-3k less than the 93'.. but the 93' I believe is the "Sport Edition".. red interior.. Is the extra dough worth it?
Yes, just get the 93. It’s low miles, and it would be a much better driving experience.
What about parts availability with that engine vs. the 3.8..? Unless I'm wrong I read they stopped making the 302 in 2001.. but the 3.8 fuel injected V6 has been used extensively and parts availability is not even a concern with them..
the MN12 93 5.0 HO has a few differences in comparison to the Fox Mustang HO , headers are slightly more restrictive, going to guess the rest of the exhaust as well , intake the same , fairly minor things that when added up drop the output from 220s down to 200 .
Body style is personal preference , the 3.8NA is a bit low on power especially compared to what is out there now and the heads are far more prone to blow the gaskets than a 5.0 , but as said the newer 4R70W is a better unit than the AOD .... if you are not planning on pounding on it with nitros or over weight towing the AOD is fine for a daily driver ... I am not a fan of the AOD but if built they can hold a fair amount of power [ mostly in the first three gears ] , the 5.0 can be modded with basic stuff like aftermarket heads , TB and Mass Air to give it a fair amount more performance and still get pretty reasonable fuel mileage and drivability... the 5.0 will most likely have a higher future value for resale than the NA-V6 , so basically its what do you want out of it in the long run , if its more performance now and also later then go with the 5.0 but just to drive it as basic transportation they are pretty equal that way ... you could always add a turbo to the V6 .... just sayin .
Body style is personal preference , the 3.8NA is a bit low on power especially compared to what is out there now and the heads are far more prone to blow the gaskets than a 5.0 , but as said the newer 4R70W is a better unit than the AOD .... if you are not planning on pounding on it with nitros or over weight towing the AOD is fine for a daily driver ... I am not a fan of the AOD but if built they can hold a fair amount of power [ mostly in the first three gears ] , the 5.0 can be modded with basic stuff like aftermarket heads , TB and Mass Air to give it a fair amount more performance and still get pretty reasonable fuel mileage and drivability... the 5.0 will most likely have a higher future value for resale than the NA-V6 , so basically its what do you want out of it in the long run , if its more performance now and also later then go with the 5.0 but just to drive it as basic transportation they are pretty equal that way ... you could always add a turbo to the V6 .... just sayin .
if it can run at idle with no over heating for half an hour with no oils/fluids dripping underneath, transmission shifts properly and the brake lines visually look good [ don't pull the e brake just in case it sticks on you for the drive ] you should be fine .
Ask if the fuel is fresh, if its not hopefully the tank is low and you can top it up with premium for the first run, make sure the rad is at proper level as well before you start it and after you let it idle and warm up for half an hour .
Either way, good luck .
Dave.
If your going to drive it that far I would change the oil, put at new air filter and check all the fluids.
They said it passed "Pennsylvania Inspection".. I'm not certain what all that entails..
Me either but doing all what I said should only take 20 minutes. Better safe than sorry.
Of course.. I absolutely will! I'll take my good ol'time and make sure everything checks out.. Thank you all for the input! I love the T Bird support!
97 mostly likely has the smaller instrument cluster, drum brakes and a 7.5 pumpkin. The smaller cluster I personally don't like the look of, drum brakes speak for themself's less stopping power and harder/more time consuming to change brake shoes, and the 7.5 pumpkin isn't as well built. Also the 3.8NA is something like 140hp but it's in a 3700lb car so to me that's a very weak engine in a fairly heavy car meaning you have to use more throttle to move at same speeds as other cars, causing the engine to work harder just leads to more failures. as mentioned the head gaskets are an issue.
The 5.0 has a better looking cluster, most likely 4 wheel disc, 8.8 pumpkin and more hp (no it's not a massive hp gain) but it suits the weight of the car better. Personally I don't like the AOD or the 4r70w transmissions (unless rebuilt and upgraded) the exhaust system has a better sound (when slightly upgraded with better mufflers)
The 5.0 has a better looking cluster, most likely 4 wheel disc, 8.8 pumpkin and more hp (no it's not a massive hp gain) but it suits the weight of the car better. Personally I don't like the AOD or the 4r70w transmissions (unless rebuilt and upgraded) the exhaust system has a better sound (when slightly upgraded with better mufflers)
I believe the all 97’s had disc brakes and 8.8 pumpkins. I’m not sure about the 93 5.0 having disc or drums. I’ve driven a 89 3.8 and a 97 3.8 and I can tell the difference from the better gearing making it have better acceleration around town.