1999 Ford Mustang

I’ve heard many people give Ford a rap, but my 1999 Ford Mustang was the best car ever!

I purchased my Mustang in 2001. I had actually been looking at a Mercury Cougar at the time, and had returned for a second test drive when that beautiful black pony caught my eye. I gave it a spin instead, and I immediately fell in love. It was only a V6, but since I wasn’t racing for pinks, it suited my needs just fine.

I had never driven a rear wheel drive car before, so that took some getting used to. Traction control was not standard back then, so I had to make do without it. That meant watching the acceleration on loose gravel, coming out of the car wash, etc. It also meant parking during heavy snowfall. I spent quite a bit of time spinning my wheels after a snow storm, although, if I had better tires, it might not have been so bad.

Of course, every time spring arrived, all my winter woes were forgotten. My Mustang handled like a dream. I loved construction areas with makeshift roads that required you to slalom your way down the highway. She had plenty of power, enough for me to outdo a Lexus sports car one day (although that guy may have been toying with me). And even though I was a lead foot, I never got a ticket in that car. Not sure I can attribute that to Ford, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway.

The seating was comfortable, but only for the folks in front. I never had the joy of sitting in the back, but from what I heard from my friends, it was no picnic. As the driver, if you try to give rear passengers any kind of leg room, you will be driving up under the steering wheel. Of course, no one gets a Mustang to carpool anyway. That alone gets you out of having to haul everyone to lunch. The back seat is just there to lay your jacket down and to keep insurance costs lower.

Now let’s talk reliability. In the eight years that I owned that car, I only had one issue. One of the arms inside my power windows got bent and then broke. The part was very inexpensive and I repaired it myself. It was hard to get to all nuts and bolts, but I eventually got it working correctly again. Other than that and normal maintenance (tires, brake pads, etc.), I had no problems. Never once had a mechanic under the hood. Never broke down. Never been stranded. In fact, she purred like a kitten til her dying day. I was t-boned at an intersection, and my girl was totaled. I don’t mind saying that I cried like a baby when the insurance company told me the news.

Despite the minor inconveniences, I have to say that my 1999 Ford Mustang was an awesome car. Never before have I ever had a trouble free car, or one that was so much fun. I’d highly recommend it to anyone, even if it’s only a V6. If it weren’t for that accident, I’m sure we’d still be together, enjoying our 9th year. RIP…