This is going to sound absurd. I am looking at buying a 1998 Ford Escort or a 1984 Ford Mustang SVO. They want 2500 for the escort and 2800 for the SVO. The escort has roughly 115,000 miles, and the SVO has 120,000 or 130,000. Both seem to be in good shape. I know both the people who are selling them. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?
The Escourt will save you money but be boring.
The Mustang will cost you a lot more to own but be more fun.
Whichever you choose you’ll live with daily. Choose the one you like best. Be sure to get it thoroughly checked out before putting money down…neither of these is new. Either could be host to hidden problems.
as long as you are aware of MB’s last sentence, the difference is front vs rear wheel drive.
do you live in snow country?
that would be the deciding issue for me.
(even then i may pass on the escort in favor of an old corolla. just me)
Just to add to MB’s explanation, the Escort will be easier and cheaper to fix and keep running. Ford sold TONS of these, and the parts are plentiful and cheap (compared to other cars). The SVO is a special production car, and some parts may not be stocked, and may be hard to find. Other parts may not be in production anymore by anyone. This may force you to use junkyard parts when you don’t want to. I’d love to own the SVO, but understand that I’d be restoring it for fun, and wouldn’t dream of trying to use it as a daily driver.
Well I guess it depends on your age, but if you’re out of high school I’d pass on a 1984 Mustang. I mean unless you wear plain white t-shirts with cigarette packs stuck under you shirt sleeve and have an unusual taste in hairstyles 
The Escort will at least give the image of someone who’s smart about gas, doesn’t need to project an image, and who likes practicality. I know, I know, it shouldn’t matter what you drive, but…
You may want to check insurance cost before deciding.
Having owned several Escorts and Tracers, and I would still own one if Ford still made them, my two cents are for the Escort based on the fabulous gas mileage I got on all of them. They were all standard shifts so that may be a factor.
If money is an issue Escorts are great cars used. Decent reliability(they were recommended used cars to buy by Consumer reports) and not pricey to fix while giving great fuel economy.
If reliability risk is okay(maybe fine or nightmare) and fuel economy don’t matter I would go for the SVO Mustang as it really is unique in that it is a turbo car.
Seeing as you’re cross-shopping a Mustang with an Escort, I’m going to bet you’re still in, or just out of, high school. So that means you probably don’t have a good lot of money, which means I’m going to say get the Escort, for the following reasons:
1)The Escort is going to be much more reliable and easier and cheaper to repair.
2)The Escort is going to be much better on gas.
3)The Escort is going to cost much less to insure.
4)You will get fewer speeding tickets in the Escort.
5)The Escort will last much longer than the Mustang.
Also, the Mustang has likely been abused for all 120 or 130 thousand miles (by the way, why don’t you know for sure?), while the Escort likely has been treated well. Plus the Escort has plenty of life left - the Mustang at 24 years old is on borrowed time. So go with the Escort, and save up your money for a proper sporty car when you have your midlife crisis in 30 years.
Thanks for the input. I have decided probably on the Ford Escort. Going to check it out tomorrow. I graduated in 2007. Due to money (insurance,gas, and repairs) made it a little easier.
Guess I’m at odds here again. It depends on what you’re looking for in a car.
The Escort is typical bland transportation and the Mustang is a real kick.
The Mustang SVOs are a fairly desireable and rare car and if it is halfway straight and runs well it will be a better deal over the long run.
In 5 years the Escort may be crusher bait but the SVO will be worth whatever they’re asking for it now and then some.
My car guide (about 6 years out of date) shows an SVO in average condition is worth about 4 grand as it sits.
Parts for the SVO are not an issue because this car uses the common Ford 2.3 with turbocharger. Anything you may ever need is readily available for this car.
Considering the prices are close, it’s a no-brainer to me. The SVO wins hands down. Very neat cars; and fast.
You may be “at odds” simply because of lifestyle. Me, I commute, and the cost of doing that in the Mustang with gas well on its way to $4 a gallon would be significantly higher than the Escourt.
I agree that the Mustang would be lots more fun. But for my lifestyle the Escourt would be lots more affordable.
If I lived in a place with the right kind of roads for enjoying it, I would buy the Mustang. I would then drive it like I stole it whenever I thought I could get away with it.
I agree with you on that issue. The Mustang SVO can get about 20 MPG or a bit over so the Escort should easily beat that.
The OP certainly picked a pair of polar opposites to choose from though; bland econo car or turbocharged 4 banger muscle car.
(The SVOs came with 3:42???) rear axle gears so a conversion to 3:08s or 2:73s would probably pick the mileage up into the 25 MPG range if necessary).