Ur-Turn: I Bought A Mustang On A Whim

Justin Crenshaw
by Justin Crenshaw

Back in 2009 I wrote a blog about buying a Z4M on a whim. Four years later, I’ve made another impulse buy. Prior to moving to Seattle last summer my wife and I downsized our car stable and I purchased an $8k E39 530 as my daily driver. Given how expensive Seattle can be I didn’t want a big car payment until we got our new housing budget in check. Finding a new place took less time than expected, and soon enough, I started the research process to lease a new vehicle for my 50 minute commute.

Being away from my shop and tools I left in Oklahoma, buying an old BMW like usual wasn’t the best option. I looked at everything new in the mid-size lux segment–BMW 5-series, Lexus GS, Audi A6, etc.All of them leasing in the $800 monthly range. After leaving a car show on Sunday, my wife and I stopped by a Ford dealer to look at Mustangs. The reason why is still a little fuzzy.

Since it was a Sunday, I assumed I was safe to just browse and check out what was on the lot. It turned out that in Washington, car dealers are open on Sundays, and I was quickly intercepted by a salesman. He didn’t have to work very hard to get me into a Mustang, and one drive was all it took. I giggled like a child as I roared through the empty streets of Tacoma, and all of a sudden, I had signed a lease. Within about an hour of taking the car home, I had already ordered a Ford Racing exhaust.

I’ve never been a muscle car guy to this point, but at a time when my beloved BMWs have efficiency stickers plastered on them, and cars are coming with start-stop systems and low rolling resistance tires I absolutely relish my American V8. I charge down mountain roads passing hipsters in Foresters, giving them a blip and a downshift; the exhaust actually uttering the word “Merica” as I pass.

By researching Internet reviews, getting price quotes, and test driving every car in the segment, everyone likes to think they make conservative car buying decisions. However, should you make a hasty purchase riddled with passion I’m here to let you know it’s ok. You did it because you’re a gearhead. Could I have saved $40 a month by going home and working the phones? Sure, but then I wouldn’t get to tell the story about the time I drove a candy apple red Mustang off a showroom floor.

Justin Crenshaw
Justin Crenshaw

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  • Brett_murphy Brett_murphy on Sep 24, 2013

    If you're passing somebody in a Forester on a twisty mountain road, the person you're passing can't drive worth beans.

  • Zenofchaos Zenofchaos on Sep 26, 2013

    Got my license in '93. My first vehicle was a 1978 Ford Bronco with a full-time xfer case (Never had to turn any hubs) Trailer special with a 37 Gallon fuel tank (almost gives me a stroke when I think about how much that would cost to fill now) Gas was around a buck a gallon, so it wasn't too much of a concern. Had the good ole malaise era Ford 400 (midblock?) and when that went tits-up, it was replaced with a 351 Modified. Absolutely loved that truck. Besides that, my other V8 vehicles included a '68 Pontiac Catalina (Poncho 400) a 1976 GMC Truck (454) 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am (Malaise Poncho 400) and my 1987 Pontiac Trans-Am (350). Man, I would have loved to put that 400 from the Catalina in the T-A...

  • 1995 SC At least you can still get one. There isn't much for Ford folks to be happy about nowadays, but the existence of the Mustang and the fact that the lessons from back in the 90s when Ford tried to kill it and replace it with the then flavor of the day seem to have been learned (the only lessons they seem to remember) are a win not only for Ford folks but for car people in general. One day my Super Coupe will pop its headgaskets (I know it will...I read it on the Internet). I hope I will still be physically up to dropping the supercharged Terminator Cobra motor into it. in all seriousness, The Mustang is a.win for car guys.
  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
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