Are Ford Mustangs Expensive to Maintain?

No doubt, the Ford Mustang is a powerful muscle car that’s now capable of giving an astonishing sporty performance. With its manual and automatic transmission, it has become more versatile than ever. However, such advancement by Ford has brought new challenges in maintenance. Therefore, let’s learn about “are Ford Mustangs expensive to maintain,” or is it just a myth.

Ford Mustangs are a bit expensive if you compare their maintenance cost with other ordinary cars. But when it comes to sports cars, it’s way cheaper to maintain Ford Mustangs. Moreover, the maintenance cost shouldn’t be a deal-breaker when deciding to buy a Ford Mustang because it’s one of the most reliable cars available in the automobile market with super long-term quality.

Ford Mustang Maintenance Cost

First of all, you should know what’s included in the maintenance cost of any vehicle. The maintenance cost includes the following major replacements:

• Oil Change
• Tire Rotation or Replacement
• Brake Pad
• Battery

Oil Change

According to the experts’ suggestions, you should change the Mustang’s oil after achieving 5,000 – 7,500 miles. Of course, that’s for the newer models because the car oil is vital for the engine. Without making the routine oil change, the car’s engine might get weary sooner than you expect. Therefore, to avoid huge engine repair costs, it’s wise to keep changing the oil as a part of routine maintenance.

Besides, the average oil change ranges from $25-$55. If you go for the Full Synthetic Motor Oil that’s recommended for Ford Mustang newer models, the price may increase to $45 – $75.

Even if you don’t drive your Mustang frequently, it’s better to routinely change the oil after every 10-12 months. That will keep the Mustang’s engine at its performance.

Tire Rotation or Replacement

Tire rotation or replacement is one of the crucial factors of routine car maintenance. Since the condition of the tires decides your car’s performance on the road, you must rotate or replace the Mustang’s tires after hitting 5,000 miles each time. That’s the time of oil change as well.

If your Mustang’s tires are ragged or worn out (4/32 tread depth), that can increase the stopping distance of the Mustang by 87 feet on wet roads.

That’s pretty dangerous because even when you hard press the brakes, your Mustang will take time to completely stop when the road is wet.

Moreover, you should check out the condition of your Mustang’s tires and rotate them if necessary.

Tire rotation means changing the place of the tires to make sure that each tire faces a similar condition and lasts longer. Also, it’s better to rotate tires every 6 months or after every 6,000 – 8,000 miles.

Some automobile stations offer free tire rotation when you avail of other maintenance services for your car. But you should keep in mind that the tire rotation service costs between $30 – $50.

Now, if you feel that your Mustang needs tire replacement, you should replace all of the four tires. The tire replacement should be done every six years if you regularly rotate the tires. However, exceptions are always there.

Moreover, the tire replacement cost ranges from $450 to $1,900, depending on what quality of tires you want to buy for your Mustang.

Check out the Pirelli P ZERO High-Performance Tire.

Also, don’t forget to perform wheel alignment and tire balancing when you visit the service station. That also increases the average life expectancy of the Mustang’s tires.

Brake Pad

The brake pad replacement in Ford Mustangs is a bit tricky. Why?

Because there’s no specific timeline when to go for brake pad replacement. The two most important factors to consider for brake pad replacement are:

• Where Do You Drive Your Mustang More Often?
• Your Driving Habits

If you live in a commercial residency and face daily urban traffic, you need to replace the Mustang brake pads sooner. On the other hand, the brake pads will last longer if you drive on freeways or highways.

Also, your driving habits decide when to replace the brake pad. If you drive your Mustang at higher acceleration and press brakes completely, they will wear out sooner. But if your habit is to drive at a normal rate and you barely press the brakes completely, the brake pads might last longer.

Besides, your Ford Mustang will give you signs regarding when it needs brake pad replacement.

The most common sign is the screeching sound. When you press the brakes in your Mustang, the tires will squeal. That indicates that the brake pads need replacement.

Besides, the newer models might show an indicator light which means it’s time to visit the automobile station.

The brake pads replacement cost lies between $40 – $150, including all four wheels. You can also add the labor cost, that’s another $80 – $100.

Plus, the cost might vary depending on the model of your Ford Mustang and the brake pads you want to use.

Battery

Your Mustang’s battery has a finite lifetime which is around 3-5 years, depending on normal conditions. If the car battery is exposed to intense hot or cold temperatures, that will affect the battery life and performance.

Moreover, if you leave the car’s lights on, the battery will quickly drain out, and you might have to recharge it, which again affects the battery life.

Therefore, it’s better to preserve your car’s battery instead of replacing it before time. The average cost of battery replacement is from $80 – $250. That also depends on your Mustang’s model, the location you are living in, and the battery you want to buy.

These factors are the major ones. That means you can’t overlook other expenditures (insurance, registration fees, fuel, taxes) while only focusing on the above-mentioned maintenance costs.

Final Words

The maintenance of your Ford Mustang depends on your driving habit, the condition of your area, and how well the manufacturer guides you. In the detailed car manual, you might also find the car maintenance schedule.

Therefore, follow that schedule and keep the performance of your Ford Mustang optimum.