2003 Ford Mustang

There's nothing more American than apple pie, baseball, Jerry Springer and the Ford Mustang. For over 40 years, Ford has dazzled it's fans with its trendy little pony car. It's cheap to buy, cheap to modify and tons of fun.

Sporting a more modern look for '99, the Mustang continued to be all things-to-all people with it's coupe and convertible coming in either V6, or lusty V8 form. The base, V6 car is quite gutsy and can be modified to go just as fast as the V8 powered GT. Gas mileage figures are almost the same as the V8 cars, but insurance on the V6 is way cheaper.

As you would expect, there's a laundry list of special edition models and trim packages. So here's a quick rundown;

In '04, every Mustang had 40th Anniversary badges on the front fenders. In addition, a new 40th Anniversary Package was a no-cost option, and added exterior and interior upgrades to V-6 and GT models. The convertible were available with an upgraded Medium Parchment soft power-retractable top.

The Sport appearance group (V6 only) included a rear spoiler, bright alloy wheels, and body stripes.

The Pony Package (V6 only) included sport graphics and a non-functional hood scoop.

The Mach 1 edition got a high-performance, 310-hp 4.6-liter V8 with dual overhead-cams, stiffer springs, special shocks and struts, to lower ride height. On the outside, the Mach 1 was distinguished by its flat-black shaker hood, special exterior graphics and special 17-inch wheels. On the inside, you got special leather-trimmed seats, Mach 1 interior trim, and an in-dash six-disc CD stereo.

The Cobra was modified by Ford's in-house tuner SVT and featured a supercharged, SVT 4.6-liter V8 that produced 390 horsepower and 390 pounds-feet of torque. All those ponies were dispatched with a six-speed manual gearbox. Cobra's also had special 17" wheels and special interior and exterior treatments.

Regular Mustangs got a 190-hp 3.8-liter V6, while the GT got Ford's 4.6L V8 which was good for 260-hp. Either engine could be mated to a 4-sp automatic, or 5-sp manual. ABS and traction control were optional.

Mustangs came well equipped with standard air conditioning, power windows and door locks, tilt-steering column, a floor console, remote keyless entry system and interval windshield wipers. You had a choice of Standard, Deluxe, and Premium trim packages. The Deluxe package added a rear spoiler, color-keyed floor mats, a six-way power driver's seat, and speed control. The Premium came with all that plus leather.

The V8 powered Mustang GT coupe and convertible came with gas-pressure shocks with unique model calibrations, P245/45R17 performance tires on 17-inch painted alloy wheels, a Traction Loc rear axle, ABS and traction control. GTs come with sport bucket seats and fog lamps. Optional audio systems included the MACH 460 with an in-dash 6-CD changer and the MACH 1000.

Mustangs offer great value...and fun for the money. But be careful that you don't buy one that's been abused. Look for transmission and oil leaks as these are signs of the previous owner having too much fun, too often.

Model Year to Year Changes 1999: The Mustang got a make over for '99 which included new front and rear clips with styling cues from the original 1965 model and a new rear suspension. The Cobra got an even more-impressive fully independent rear suspension...finally 2000: The Sport appearance option for the V6 Mustang was new for 2000 and all models got two rear child safety-seat anchors and a tri-color-bar emblem on front fenders. Base models were available with new 6-spoke 15-inch alloy wheels and, for the first time, with the same 16-inch wheels and tire size used on the GT. 2001: The Cobra returned for 2001, and the limited-edition Bullitt GT joined the lineup. Other changes included a new floor console, repositioned front cup holder, added tissue holder, power point, and parking-brake boot. A rear defroster was now standard, the optional Mach 460 sound system was newly available with a 6-disc in-dash CD player, and GTs got standard 17-inch alloy wheels in place of 16s. Also, GTs and Cobras got new hood and side scoops. 2002: For '02, the major option packages were re designated as submodels called Standard, Deluxe, and Premium. An MP3/CD radio was newly available, and Base Mustangs got 16-inch alloy wheels to replace the standard 15s. The high-performance Cobra model sat out the first part of the 2002 model year. 2003: The hot Mach 1 and SVT Cobra editions joined the lineup and V6 models could have the Pony Package which included sport graphics and a non-functional hood scoop. 2004: The only news was the commemorative, 40th anniversary badges.

Model Year Things to Look For 1999-2001 AIR Pump - $260

1999-2001 Fuel Pump - $350

1999-2001 Differential Pressure Feedback EGR (DPFE) Sensor - $100