Pre-purchase walkaround

1968 Ford Mustang (First Generation)

369 miles · asking $201,000

Five-year cost to own, maintenance and fuel

~$4,000

A first-gen pony car that is simple, mechanical, and easy to work on, but almost all survivors have decades of rust and prior repair to sort through. Money goes into sheet metal, brakes, fuel and wiring rot, not exotic parts.

The roadmap

0k → 60k mi · 12k a year

Year 1The ordinary rhythm: scheduled work and fuel.~$222

Year 2The quiet year.~$222

Yrs 3-5The ordinary rhythm: scheduled work and fuel. · Tires and the ordinary rhythm.~$3,520

Five years, all in~$4,000

typical parts + government labor rates (national labor rates) · an estimate, not a quote

What to look for on this one

Every used example of this chassis has the same questions. The bands show when each tends to surface; the gold line is this car at 369 miles.

Structural and floor rustpriced only if found

Condition-driven, not mileage-driven, so it is not in the totals and inspection is the only answer. Soft floor pans, rotten torque boxes, crusty shock towers, bubbling around rear quarters and cowl.

windows from 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA and community service data ·

2 recalls →

Recalls (verify completion by VIN)

STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM · 19E011000

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER · 77V043000

· profile researched with cited sources, review pending

Hand this to your inspector

A $300 inspection against this list is the best money in the whole deal.

01Probe floor pans, torque boxes, and frame rails with a screwdriver for hidden rot

02Pull the cowl vent area apart and check for trapped debris, rust holes, and water intrusion on passenger floor

03Inspect shock towers for cracking and rust, especially on V8 cars

04Verify VIN and data plate against the body, engine, and trans to confirm it is not a re-badged clone

Walking into a negotiation?

This roadmap as a PDF, priced for your zip code, with the inspection checklist, a fair price for this example, and the negotiation sheet. Saved to your garage the moment you pay.

$29

saved to your garage

Just keeping tabs? , no account needed.

typical parts + government labor rates · an estimate, not a quotecheck another car →