Faults:

The driver seat shows its age and needs a new foam.

Since I bought it, I changed the headlights because they looked faded, but remained functional.

The lighter socket wiring needs to be fixed.

The grounding to the radio needs to be checked.

In recent years, the automatic transmission would feel a bit rough when idling in heavy traffic in very hot weather. It runs fine if I turn off the overdrive.

I must keep an eye on the differential vent because it tends to get clogged by road dirt and cause the gasket to leak. Apparently this is still an issue with newer models.

I changed the 99Y rated tires for 95H rated ones, to get a smoother and quieter ride. The battery/alternator combo was replaced once the originals wore out, but they where replaced again under warranty, due to poor quality.

For a 22 year old car, I find it acceptable.

General Comments:

Bought this white 2004 Mustang GT 4.6 SOHC V8 used. Carfax indicated multiple owners before with an average ownership of 2 years, but the car looked and drove very well. It has never been modified. The paint still looks great.

I drive it only from April to October and it spends every cold and snowy month inside. I have not found rust when I last checked, except on the surface of the exhaust system. So far, I really enjoyed it, with minimum maintenance.

This is my second Mustang GT and I would definitely buy another one. It is a very solid driver.

Faults:

Slight rattle from center stack trim piece. Cured for a few dollars worth of neoprene spacers.

General Comments:

The Mach 1 is a very "mechanical" driver's car, having much of the personality of classic American high-performance vehicles. Not terribly sophisticated, but a very sound and reliable design. The engine makes its horsepower at a higher RPM than typical American V-8s and is not a "torque monster", but once the revs ramp up the power surge is impressive.

The Mach 1 does require premium fuel. The engine and exhaust sounds are music to the ears of people who enjoy sensory driving experiences. The transmission shifts smooth with throws that are a bit long and the clutch is somewhat heavy and can be tiring in stop-and-go driving.

Handling is predictable, but the ride will be too harsh for some people. Braking is very effective with short, straight stops. The rear end is light and with a solid rear axle, traction in wet conditions is not of the best sort.

Seats are comfortable for long distances and provide good lateral support, but the seating position is low as is typical in Mustangs. Air conditioning is very effective and the Mach sound system is very good. Road noise can be rather high if high-speed tires are fitted.

Overall, this is a driver's car. Hybrid owners need not apply.

Faults:

Sticking left-front brake caliper.

Shorted-out COP on #2 cylinder.

A/C blower motor resistor went out. $20 part and 5-minute fix.

That's it.

General Comments:

This is my second GT, my first being a '97. I've upgraded the exhaust and it has a short-throw shifter, so by Mustang standards it's stock. No other upgrades have been performed.

It's been very reliable as a daily driver, save the minor problems listed above. And the coil on plug that died was a result of me not being careful when washing the engine. Parts are fairly cheap and these cars are very easy to work on. A perk of Ford using the same chassis for 25 years with revisions along the way.

Power is OK. Not enough low-end for my taste, but it pulls like a freight train after 4000 RPM when the PI heads/intake/cams do their thing. Low-end is actually softer than my '97 was. If I had the means, I'd throw 3.73's in it to wake it up. The TR3650 5-speed is a bit notchy, but that's just how they are. The earlier T45 shifted smoother but couldn't handle as much power. Installing a Pro 5.0 Power Tower shifter made for much more precise shifting, and with the Tr-Ax handle, the shifter sits at about stock height.

The ride is (duh) firm, but never overly harsh/unreasonably stiff. Over extremely bumpy roads, you will get thrown around, though, and you will experience live axle "two-step.". Some minor cowl shake can be observed on rough roads, but it's the nature of the beast. You can add subframes and a strut-tower brace, but for a daily driver I don't really think they're totally necessary. Steering is a little numb and overboosted, but it responds quickly to your input.

Interior build quality is good, even though the materials are cheap, but this is a Mustang and not a Lincoln. Ergonomics are reasonable, the controls make sense, but since I need to leave the seat all the way back, I have to lean forward to use them. The seats are OK, but after 2-3 hours, my back isn't too happy. I rarely have the car out for that long, so no big deal.

I'll hate to see it go when its time is up.