1997 Ford Mustang

Coupe

3.8L 232Cu. In. V6 GAS OHV Naturally Aspirated

Automatic

1FALP4042VF200553

Clear

GAS

This is my daughter’s 1997 Ford Mustang. We bought it to get her through college, and now she has bought an SUV and is moving to California so it’s time to sell. This has been an absolutely fantastic car for her and has never let us down. According to the clean CARFAX, we are the third owners and there are no accidents or other issues reported (The "Auto Check" feature on here is inaccurate, as I have paperwork showing that I have owned the car in Nashville, TN since 2/2011). The car has approximately 168,400 (mostly highway) miles as it was driven back and forth several times per month between Nashville to Chattanooga. Car has been meticulously maintained and I would not hesitate to drive it anywhere. Car has a clear title. I will try and describe it as completely and honestly as possible. Like I said, the car has been meticulously maintained since we bought it and mechanically the car is in excellent shape. It does not smoke, does not burn oil, and the coolant stays full. It sometimes sits parked on our driveway for several days and there are no drips or leaks. Earlier this year the “check engine” light came on and our local garage changed out the oxygen sensors and that fixed the problem, so there are currently no lights or warnings on the dash. Vehicle passed the most recent emissions test in March of 2013. 3.8 liter fuel injected engine starts and runs smooth every time and transmission shifts exactly as it should. Air conditioning was completely, professionally rebuilt in 2012 including new compressor, lines, evaporator, dryer, and switches at a cost of over $1,100 and blows ICE cold. In 2011 it received new tensioner and idler pulleys, serpentine belt, camshaft synchronizer, wheel bearings, rotors, and brakes. In 2012 I replaced the battery, alternator, and relay control module. It also developed a small radiator leak last year so I installed a new dual core radiator as well. Engine temp, oil pressure, and alternator gauges all run straight-up normal. Just last month I had another brake job completed, so it is good to go! I have paperwork for all of these repairs. Brand new wheels and tires were installed last year and only have about 5,000 miles on them. Wheels are black Mustang style five-spokes wrapped in 255/40/ZR17 low profile Nexen N3000 radials. As far as the exterior is concerned, the car is straight and free of any significant scratches, dents, or other issues. There is no indication that it has ever been in an accident. The dealer I bought the car from had repainted it the factory red color in early 2011. The paint looks good but not what I would call “show” quality (but as you can tell from the pictures it looks great and cleans up nicely). There are some small areas of overspray on the black rubber (apparently their “tape guy” was a rookie) but nothing too significant. There are a couple of stone chips on the front as shown in the pictures. One is on the hood just above the left headlight and the other is on the right front corner of the bumper. I didn’t bother touching them up so you could see exactly what it looks like. There is also some “road rash” on the front bumper that you get with interstate driving, but less than you would expect from a 16 year old car. To me, the most significant issue is the black rally stripes. They must have been poor quality because they have started to shrink slightly and even form wrinkles in a few places. I worked on a small spot and they do peel off fairly easily, so I would suggest buying a new striping kit off of eBay and simply redoing them. I tend to be a perfectionist though, and they look fine from about 10 feet. Undercarriage is clean and rust-free. A professional buff/wax and new stripes would make this a show car! The interior is excellent as well. While we have kept the car clean, a professional shampoo would probably do wonders for the cloth seats and carpet. We have not smoked in the car for the three years we’ve owned it, but apparently the previous owners did as there are a couple of small cigarette burns; one on the driver’s seat and a couple on the carpet. There is one small nick and one small tear on the driver’s side door panel, but they are still in very good condition. Dash, headliner, console, and instrument panel is nearly perfect with no cracks or tears. Every option is in good working condition including power windows, power locks, A/C, power seat, power mirrors, and cruise control. Aftermarket Sony AM/FM/CD player works great and has an auxiliary jack for use with an iPhone or MP3 player. I require $500 deposit (preferably via PayPal) within 48 hours with remainder of payment due within 7 days. Car should be picked up within 10 days unless other arrangements are made. The reserve price for the Mustang is slightly below the “Buy It Now” price which is also below the recommended private party Kelly Blue Book price, even for a car with this mileage. Car is for sale locally at the “Buy It Now” price so seller reserves the right to end the auction early if sold. I have provided a lot of information, but I wanted you to know exactly what you’re getting. As of today, this car needs nothing and I wouldn’t hesitate to drive it anywhere or I can assist with shipping. Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have. You will not be disappointed!