Good morning! Today’s matchup is simplicity itself: Both cars are rear-wheel-drive, and have V8 engines of the same displacement. Oh, and they’re both from Florida.
Yesterday, we looked at two American-built trucks with Japanese nameplates on them, and I knew before I even finished writing it what the result would be. Rust scares away votes, and four-wheel drive is a big help to almost any pickup truck. The Mazda B4000 won this round by a three-to-one margin.
I agree – with one caveat: I don’t like the lack of information in the Mazda’s ad. The seller even listed the mileage wrong; I only noticed because they posted a photo of the odometer. That’s the kind of thing that makes a listing feel hinky, even if it isn’t. I’d feel better about going to check out the Isuzu Hombre, even with the rust on its flanks. Its seller feels more honest.
All right; ready for some big V8s? Too bad. Here they are anyway.
2001 Ford Mustang GT – $3,500
Engine/drivetrain: 4.6-liter OHC V8, four-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Odometer reading: Unknown, but 20,000 miles since engine overhaul
Operational status: Runs and drives well
If you’re looking for cheap horsepower, I feel like your best bet might be whatever generation of Mustang GT is at the lowest point in its depreciation curve. Right now, that seems to be the SN95 and New Edge Mustangs. Their styling may not be to everyone’s taste, and you can’t expect much in the way of refinement, but in terms of dollars per horsepower, they’re tough to beat.
The standard-issue Mustang GT features a 260-horsepower version of Ford’s 4.6-liter Modular V8 – not a whole lot by today’s ridiculous standards, but enough to light up the rear tires just fine. Enthusiasts might prefer a five-speed manual version, but I almost think this one’s automatic transmission suits the Mustang’s character better: don’t think too much about it, just drop that T-handle into Drive and punch it. The seller doesn’t list this car’s total miles, but they do say the engine was rebuilt 20,000 miles ago, and the transmission not long before that. It runs great, but the seller says it “could use” a lower ball joint or lower control arm on the left side of the front end; I assume there’s a clunk going over bumps or something. It does have new brakes and tires, however.
The inside looks good, and it’s a well-optioned car. It has power windows, locks, and seats, as well as the big “Mach 460” stereo. A car like this needs a good loud stereo, so that’s a plus. The air conditioning works well, too. Honestly, what more do you need?
It has a bit of a crease in the left rear quarter panel, and the side marker light is missing on that corner, but you can’t expect flawlessness at this price. The clearcoat is also pretty much gone from the horizontal surfaces. But who cares? You’re not going to impress anybody by driving an old Mustang anyway, but no one is likely to give you shit about it either. It’s kind of a perfect car in that regard.
2011 Hyundai Genesis – $2,950
Engine/drivetrain: 4.6-liter DOHC V8, six-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Odometer reading: 226,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
Not very long ago, the idea of a rear-wheel-drive V8 sedan from Hyundai would have been laughable. The same company that filled so many parking lots with flimsy Excels and Scoupes, going toe-to-toe with European and Japanese sports sedans? Don’t be ridiculous. And yet, here we are. Depreciation hasn’t been kind to Hyundai’s big sedan, but that’s good news for bargain hunters like us.
Hyundai’s V8 is a DOHC unit, displacing 4.6 liters and making 378 horsepower (which the seller rounds up to 400 in the ad). It drives the rear wheels through a six-speed ZF automatic. The seller says this one manages 30 miles per gallon on the highway, which may be another slight exaggeration. It isn’t without some warning lights on the dash: the check engine, tire pressure monitor, and electronic stability control lights are all bathing the instrument panel in their warm yellow glow. How much of an issue that is, I leave up to you.
It shows some signs of wear and tear inside, but that’s not a surprise considering the mileage. I’ve certainly seen worse. There’s a tear in the driver’s seat, but the rest of the leather looks pretty good. The seller rattles off some features it has, but doesn’t comment on how many of them still work. Be prepared to try everything to make sure it works.
There are no obvious signs of damage outside, but the whole car just gives off a sense of tiredness. The paint is dull and unevenly faded, it’s missing a piece of trim on the front bumper, and the black wheels aren’t doing it any favors either. Some cars can wear their age gracefully, but this one just looks kind of sad.
All these years later, all the technological advances we have now, and sometimes it really is as simple as a big V8 and a cheap price tag. On the one hand, you have the classic pony car, and on the other, an upstart sports sedan. I’m sure they both make great V8 noises and can get to the end of an on-ramp plenty quickly. Which one do you prefer?
Is there anything that screams neglect louder than poorly painted, and highly scuffed, matte black OEM wheels? Yeesh, I wouldn’t get near that Genesis. The Mustang is far from perfect, but that interior shows decent care, and a few cans of SprayMax 2k (wear your respirator!) would finish the paint nicely.
I really like Hyundai Genesi (Genesises?) but I don’t trust this one, and the Mustang will offer some cheap summer fun. I trust that these Hyundai v8s are reliable to 200k-250kmi but I am skeptical beyond that for pretty much anything that isn’t LS based or in a Toyota, then again details on the “rebuilt” Mustang engine are light.
Among the red flags on the Hyundai is the mismatched tint, the side windows are DARK and look like cheap film was used or its getting old, but the rear window has the factory tint. Big sedan with shitty tint and check engine lights screams wannabe drug dealer to me (probably just pot), and they spend a lot of time idling so that odo might just be the tip of the iceberg.
Genesis, but just because I can refer to it as my Genesis Project.
….and then I can yell ‘Khaaaannnnn’ when it invariably breaks down.
The Mustang worries me because it’s already fragged an engine and transmission. Yeah, they’re now new replacements, but one of the less desirable Mustang eras combined with a seeming hard (ab)use gives me pause.
I’d be embarrassed to be seen in either of these, but a little less so in the Genesis, I guess. I hate illuminated warning lights on instrument panels (except when starting the car and they’re supposed to light up for a moment). I wonder if sorting the causes of the lit ones on the Genesis would be cheaper than a repair of the Mustang’s worn/damaged left front suspension?
That Genesis is shouting “Warning Will Robinson, return to the ship!”
I really dislike the sn95 generation of mustangs, partially due to the time I went to high school they were driven by most the d bags I had to deal with but also I just don’t care how they look just look to soft and not muscle/pony car looking. The Genesis on the other hand is almost the same deal I knew a d bag guy that drove one thought it was the best thing since sliced bread also to me it is very boring looking and does nothing for me. Also neither of these has a manual which is even more meh. But in the end I voted the mustang as it looks overall better shape but wish I could vote neither.
Another thanks, but no thanks today.
I understand how this game works, but…
Never owned a Korean car, and this one looks beat to shit.
Have owned many Mustangs though. This generation does not light my fire.
Even in today’s “inflation is gone” economy, both seem over priced too.
Good job finding two real turds for today’s shitbox though.
I came in expecting to vote for the Genesis, but boy is that thing a beat-up pile of crap. Those new edge Mustangs are a lot more fun with the 5-speed, but it still gets my vote today.
“no obvious signs of damage” except the terribly paint matched bumpers and inconsistent hood gap. That Genesis is heavily worn and beat to shit, the tints and plasti dip don’t help the case at all.
I’d take the Mustang…someone cared enough to rebuild the mechanicals and overall it actually looks pretty clean. Anything that is worn and needs replacing will be cheap and well documented and widely available.
I pick the Mustang because the other car is just a fancy Hyundai that I want no part of.
Not too excited about either, but a tired pseudo luxury car with warning lights already aglow suggests endless troubleshooting and annoyance.
That’s not the greatest Mustang ever, but it’s cheap enough I don’t care. Aftermarket support means anything that breaks us cheap and easy to fix. Time to pony up!
Is it just me, or does the peeling clearcoat really go well with that gold paint? Like the burn marks behind an aircraft engine. In short, I’m weirdly charmed by that Mustang.
I already forgot which car it’s up against.
I was gonna say Hyundai. But hoboy- the seller of that is at best ignorant if they’re adding 22hp to the factory rating. And it has limo tint. And plasti-dip. And trouble lights. Something doesn’t add up.
At least with the Mustang the one adding power that didn’t exist to the rating was actually the manufacturer. Ain’t Care Mustang it is. Blower on the motor, built transmission, DOT drag tires, go to the strip and have fun.
As someone who’s owned one of these Mustangs since new, simple fun is an understatement. They’re dinosaurs.
Ford even went backward with them, like doing away with the Fox body’s heavily bolstered Euro-performance car seats in favor of 60s style buckets. All of which is to say they’re a fantastic throwback experience, if you’re aware of what you’re getting into. Modern performance cars they’re not, more like a late 60s pony car that anachronistically has airbags and ABS.
Fellow “new edge” owner here. I completely agree with your assessment. Just old fashioned good cheap fun.
I really wanted to vote Genesis. I’m getting to the age where a nice comfy cruiser seems like a good idea.
But I agree, that one looks BEAT. Guess I’ll hang onto my youth a bit longer.
I guess the Genesis but the CEL gives me concern.
Never been a Mustang fan, sounds like too many issues that might be there and might be hidden.
But I’ll say neither really do much for me.
Mustang. I never had an issue with how these looked (though some do) and at least the information in the ad seems fair and from an owner who seemed to care enough about the car. That Genesis just… it doesn’t feel right, even though this is a rare Hyundai powertrain that has a good reputation. I’m pretty sure it’s the wheels that are telling me to run away.
It’s also 10 years newer, along with:
It has 120 more horsepower, 30 more ft.lbs of torque, and 2 more gears. With only an 800lb weight penalty.
And it’s cheaper. For the price difference, you may be able to fix the Genesis issues.
I probably should have mentioned the warnings too, lol.
My experience with a 2012 Hyundai, was the check engine light was due to a cracked EVAP canister, which could only be replaced by dropping the fuel tank. Not super fun. The stability control light? A bad steering angle sensor, which is common with this era of Hyundai product, that requires total disassembly of the steering column to access. Also not fun.
Are these the issues? No idea. But it brings back too many bad memories, lol. And again, are those rattle-canned wheels? I just get bad vibes here.
I’ll add, that same Hyundai (an Elantra Touring, and yeah I get it, not similar to this Genesis but also not entirely divorced from it) likely experienced these failures because a lot of the sound deadening and adhesives in the dash began to break down and created this seemingly endless supply of greasy goo that killed said steering sensor, and the stereo head unit. Maybe this was just one weird piece of shit car, but yeah, there’s a reason why these early ’10s Hyundais have seemingly all disappeared (that and you know, engine failures).
They’re still fairly thick on the ground around me. Which is notable in the rust belt.
Yeah my understanding is that the powertrain in this is genuinely one of Hyundai’s best. I don’t think it’s crazy to go after it. I just don’t want to deal with it, lol.
Granted, I wouldn’t buy either of these cars unless someone forced me to.
I hated this generation of Mustang. Looks like a Fisher Price my first car. I guess the Hyundai.
I already own a newer, nicer manual Mustang. In addition the Hyundai would be a much more comfortable highway cruiser and so it gets my vote.
As I almost bought one of those, Genesis, all day, every day. I love a nice luxury sedan and I’ve never been into Mustangs. Even with the high miles, it’s Genesis at that nothing price.
the 4.6 Tau is neigh indestructible, as is the 6spd ZF cog box.
That right there would be my new beater.
They would have to pay me to take the hyundai.
Not today.