As enthusiasts, we’re always thinking about the next car we want to build. Whether it’s a daily driver, a project car, or both, we’re always keeping an eye out for the next deal to score. Let’s face it, most of us aren’t happy unless we have multiple cars in our stable. For those of you who may be in the market for a brand-new ’16 Mustang GT or ’16 Shelby GT350, you may also be considering buying used. Specifically, a used ’07-’09 GT500.

Image Source: Cars.com

The Old New vs Used Debate

When it comes to these two cars, it’s ultimately going to boil down to your goals. Are you looking for a daily driver? A new project car? Are you looking for the latest technology in a car, or can you handle driving a car that’s almost 10 years old? These are the questions you need to ask yourself.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about the differences in pricing. If you’re considering a brand-new ’16 Mustang GT, the starting MSRP for a base model is $34,595 after a $900 destination fee. For that amount of money, you get a brand new Mustang which is powered by a 5.0 liter DOHC Coyote V8 engine with 435 horsepower, a 6-speed manual transmission, an adequate radio, cloth bucket seats, a standard factory warranty, and a first for Mustangs – a standard independent rear suspension. What’s not to love? On paper, everything looks great. But what if we were to tell you that you could buy a used Shelby GT500, for the same price or lower?

There’s just something special about a GT500 without stripes.

Power Per Dollar

The ’07-’09 Shelby GT500 was a spectacular vehicle. It’s the car that we feel really started the modern muscle horsepower wars, with its 500 horsepower supercharged 5.4 liter 4-valve DOHC V8. While the latest Coyote powered Mustang is only 65 horsepower away from this supercharged beast, we think it still commands a certain respect almost ten years later.

Cars like this ’07 Shelby GT500 with only 29,000 miles on the clock still demand a premium price tag, but not as much as you’d think. This particular GT500 has a completely clean title, low miles, is a one-owner vehicle, and is up for sale at only $28,995. For that amount of money, you get an almost brand new GT500 which includes some pretty awesome amenities. This GT500 comes standard equipped with a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission, full leather bucket seats, and an optional Shaker 1,000 audio sound system. According to the dealership, you also have the option to purchase an extended warranty (although this is specific to this dealership, and not always available).

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a new daily driver, a project car, or both, either option will fill the void and then some. It’s obvious that both of these Mustangs are more than capable of making power and looking good while doing it. In terms of pricing, it’s hard to say as they’re both very similar. But at the end of the day, it really comes down to whether you’re dead set of buying a brand-new car or considering buying used.

If you’re in the market for an additional car, which would would you choose, and why? Let us know in the comments.