Should I sell my 00 Mustang GT for a Mark VIII?! W/ Pics!

Hi all,

My name is Ryan. I am 19 years old and currently own a 2000 Mustang GT Convertible. It's an excellent car! Last week I rode in a 1994 Mark VIII. I was really impressed with the power and ride quality, not to mention the amazingly comfortable interior. The mustang currently has 89,000 miles on it. I was thinking about selling it and buying a 1998 Mark VIII LSC. They look really nice in the photos and I hear they are a blast to drive. I have done tons of research and read countless reviews on the car and it seems as though it is something I would want to get. My only dilemma as the fact that I have a really "cool" looking car. I'm in college and I like the attention of people asking about my car. Plus I have the rarest color they ever made them in Bright Atlantic Blue. It's an amazing color and every time I look at it I always tell myself I will never sell it.

My mind is really struggling with this problem. I like my car but want something with fewer miles on it and something that is really comfortable. All of my friends that I show the Mark VIII to think it looks like an "old person car". In all honesty it really is. But I want one anyway. I just want to hear from you guys that this is a good choice for me to make. I know everyone is going to say yes, but some explanations would be nice to read too.

I hope I do end up buying a nice Mark VIII but it's going to be hard to sell my car and have that gap where I'm looking for a car with no car for transportation. Like many of you, I want one with low miles and the exact colors I want. I'm willing to wait, but I know it's going to take some time.

Here are a couple pictures of my mustang. I had it lowered 2" and had the interior pieces painted the exterior color. There is also 5% tint all around. It looks awesome and the girls love it!

Absolutely!

Get rid of the Mustang.

I'm one of the younger people here. I bought my Mark back when I was a sophmore in college and I'm now 23. It has been the most reliable car that is in our family. (Family has 9 cars). I have put over 80K miles on my Mark now and the biggest problem I've had with it is probablly my alternator shooting craps. Suspension has been flawless. Yes the air ride lasts a very long time. I've taken this car on many roadtrips. Most aren't that long but in the 7 to 10 hour range. Its very comfortable, and just feels great. The car doesn't break a sweat at all doing 85 down the interstate hours at a time.

As far as performance goes... I can hold my own against your mustang I'm completly stock as well. I won't take you out of the hole but I'll wave as I go by on my way up to the speed limiter. I've only taken my car to the track once and it ran a 14.7@97. Not to bad for a 11 year old car. I also have a Trans Am, I've never raced them but I am fairly confident that the Mark has better acceleration from a highway roll (70ish mph).

As far as your friends saying its an old persons car... so what. I put up with it also. When I first bought my car my dad hated it because I bought a Lincoln and he kept telling me the matinance costs of it were going to kill me. He drove it a few weeks later and completly changed his mind. Plus I kind of proved him wrong on the matinance costs. The autoglide seats really impress the women too

I'd definetly do it in a heartbeat. Would I get rid of my Trans Am for it... NEVER. If it was an ordinary TA, yes I would.

Oh that is a gorgeous car!

Well - my son is 22 now. He used to love driving my Mark, but then we got him his own 00 GT (white), and he definitely prefers the Mustang. His Mustang is faster than my Mark, though, at least in the 1/4 mile. He also likes the standard vs. my automatic.

Personally, I love the room I have in the Mark and the comfort. Sometimes I like to take the Mustang cause it's fun, but my Mark rides much smoother and I still have power. And really, in traffic it is nice not to have to deal with constant shifting.

The other thing I think is special about the Marks is that they aren't something you see every day. I like to be different. And I think if you take a look, there are a lot of ways to modify the cars via looks to make it look less like an old persons car.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Beautiful Mustang.

I'll try to be objective here, It will be difficult since I'm a Lincoln owner.

Keep the Mustang and buy a Mark VIII also.

The cars are two totally different cars. I'd enjoy driving the Mustang one day and a Mark the next.

My other car is an MG convert. It's great switching between an MG and a Mark VIII. That's an even bigger difference.

I would not get rid of the Mustang and in comparison, I am old. That Mustang is beautiful.

Nice looking Mustang. I would not sell it for a Mark VIII. You will miss the convertable. That X bar isn't stock right?! From a cobra? The mustang WILL be more reliable than a gen II mark VIII since it has far less electronical gizmos.
You have to worry about the HIDs, Rear Neon, Steering Column and Blend door. None of those are issues with the stang.

FYI check the for sale section I am selling my low mile mark VIII with some nice mods in case you change your mind.

Agreed, that is a very clean looking mustang, I would hold onto it. I miss my 91 GT.

Keep the Mustang and buy a GEN 1!

Keep the GT and get a Mark VIII... they can be found cheap.

Ryan, nice to meet you and VERY nice write up on your car! That is a very killer color! I like the blue and while it is rare, paint is paint. I've been in that same boat as you....had a Mustang and wanted a Mark 8. I actually bought my M8 while I had my stang, but had the intentions of selling it.

Really you have to figure out what you want. Are you going to miss that top as much as you think. I have a sunroof in my M8 and its open everyday, but with a push of the button I can open/close it at 100mph...not in a vert

My stang was a stick and sure...I miss dropn the clutch and going sideways around a corner, or I miss the straight axle donuts, but when it comes down to it, I prefer the auto for as much as I drive. Sit back, drinkn my Pepsi with my arm out the window.....ahhhh.

Power......its a car man, you can always ADD parts! You stang will be a bit quicker than a stock Mark, but thats only because its a 5 speed.

Old persons car? Lmao....does this look like an old persons car?








Ok you're right....it does! haha....that was when I bought it 2 years ago. This is now.


You have an infinite amount of things you can do to make your mark yours, to stand out from the rest. I like to be like Sharon and make my cars unique. Heck....here is the stang I sold to help fund some of the stuff for my Mark. It was my baby......and I still sold it.





Find the car that you want, test drive it, and go from there. Whatevers meant to happen will happen. Go drive a couple Marks...see if you indeed want a Gen 2(97-98) and if you like the Gen 1's(93-96)(Faster, lol) you can probably KEEP the mustang and get yourself a nice fixer upper M8 that you can customize into your own car, how YOU want it. Or if you're like some people, you can buy one that is tastefully modded and be where you want to right off the bat. You can probably sell your stang, buy a 98 LSC and still have money left over.

Thanks for the awesome responses everybody! Either way I go, I'm going to get a Mark VIII. I appreciate all the positive responses towards my Mustang. It is nice to hear somebody else say it's beautiful. All of my friends are the get from point A to point B types. So they really can't look at a car and compliment it.

Lol...I DON'T admit to calling it beautiful. Maybe manly, or handsome but NEVER beautiful.

Keep the Mustang. Save for the Mark, they really are not that expensive.
I just took my first road trip in mine, 950 miles. I've made the same trip in several vehicles. The Mark by far was the most enjoyable. Great ride, but I did notice the gas mileage drops of quite a bit after 85mph

J said:

Old persons car? Lmao....does this look like an old persons car?


Ok you're right....it does! haha....

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Old persons car! Fine, I'll put my Mark up against any Young Persons car anyday!:laugh:

Bring it boy! Wait...you were talking about other cars that are NOT Marks right?

Yeah....after 85mph I'm getting pretty crappy mpg, but I do have 4.10's

J said:

Bring it boy! Wait...you were talking about other cars that are NOT Marks right?

Yeah....after 85mph I'm getting pretty crappy mpg, but I do have 4.10's

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Yea not Marks, and certainly not yours. I might be crazy, but not stupid!

The mileage was much better at 75mph, but the car just kept speeding up, i can't explain it.:wink2-green

J said:

Bring it boy! Wait...you were talking about other cars that are NOT Marks right?

Yeah....after 85mph I'm getting pretty crappy mpg, but I do have 4.10's

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I would guess that the mileage drops off sharply when the IMRC's open...which for you 4.10er's would be around 80-85 mph. But that is just a guess.

logres said:

I would guess that the mileage drops off sharply when the IMRC's open...which for you 4.10er's would be around 80-85 mph. But that is just a guess.

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True...actually about 85ish, but I was under the impression that the IMRC's open at WOT or slightly before. Now you got me all confused!

Be2lose said:

Yea not Marks, and certainly not yours. I might be crazy, but not stupid!

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Haha...I wasn't directly threatening you, but thanks for the compliment I just now....FINALLY...got into the 13's!! Woot!

J said:

True...actually about 85ish, but I was under the impression that the IMRC's open at WOT or slightly before. Now you got me all confused!

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The IMRCs are RPM actuated by the PCM at approximately 3200 rpms regardless of throttle.

driller said:

The IMRCs are RPM actuated by the PCM at approximately 3200 rpms regardless of throttle.

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So, no matter what they are 100% open, no matter what throttle position after 3200 rpms, or are they "variable" based on load and throttle? Sounds VERY unconventional to me. I would think it would be based on the TPS and if you're at a 50% throttle load or more they would open, but under "normal" acceleration they wouldn't be needed unless over a certain "load".

Does that make sense? Like the old carbs....under a certain load the secondaries would start to open, but again open only based on how much throttle you give. So, you'd be waisting a butt load of fuel if you held first gear up past 3200 rpms with 10% throttle load and the secondaries opened all the way up, you'd be drawing HUGE amounts of air therefor pulling in a HUGE amount of fuel, which I imagine would flood the engine.

Lets say I put my car in first and go under "normal" acceleration and load(granny'n it) and as soon as the rpms go past 3200 my IMRC's will still open!? There is NO reason for the extra amount of air....the load on the car/engine is minute. I could see it based on the TPS signal, and them being partially open, but definitally NOT 100% or 0%.

Be2lose said:

OK second thought I will race you! But you have to give me a running start!:laugh:

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That would be fun....I definitely am NOT one of those "my car is the f'n sh*t" type of people I race for the fun of it, as long as both racers are laughing