Ok, I have a $15,000 budget to buy a car. I might have to keep the car for 10 years. Just use it to drive to work and the occasional trip, 10,000-12,000 miles a year. Wife has decent car already.

I would like to get a used (2 year old, or so) Mustang GT, with under 25,000 miles. I have a friend in the car business who can find one at a dealer auction for me.

I realize this is not the best choice for a car to go 10 years but I'm not getting any younger and would like to get a sporty, somewhat powerful car. I've been driving family sedans for the last 20 years.

A friend of mine has a 98 Honda Accord EX V6 with 54,000 on it that I can get for 13k or so. It's in cherry condition and well maintained. That should be the car to get for 10 years, 100,000 miles but it doesn't quite throb like the Mustang and it's an automatic.

What do you guys think, and is there another car I'm missing out on that I should consider?

I love Mustangs but prefer the older ones with 5 liters. If I had $15,000 to buy a used car I would look for the newest year Corvette I could get.  If you had to get a Mustang I would get like a 93 Cobra.  You buy a used car you want something that might be worth something as it gets older.

for 15,000 you can get a 1996 nissan 300zx:
w/50,000 miles, it's a stick, two seat, twin turbo 300hp that has a 250,000 mile engine.

I can't really fault the mustang ( I've had 6) but if you are lokijg for a sports car you can pic up a nice 91-96 corvette with reasonable miles for you budget.
the vette market especially the C4(1984-96) cars is in the dumper right now and its a buyers market.

You want sporty, get a corvette.
You want sh!tty, get a mustang.

But pick either before buying a damn japmobile, or worse -- a kia (any coincidence those cheap plastic cars are made by a company who shares a set of letters with 'Killed In Action'?)

Good european cars are ok (Jag, BMW, Ferrari, etc), but those "other" cars (like that crappy little "mini" and anything made by the french)....well....stay the fuck away from them.

FOTBR

If you are looking for a sporty car and also at the same time a family hauler.. You might want to look into a 95 to 96 chevy impala ss.. They are a nice heavy duty car with lots of power.. They have a 5.7l LT1 corvette motor 260hp with a top speed of about 140mph.. These cars are already somewhat fo a collectables.. Good luck with what ever you decide.. If you go with the mustang I believe either 94 or 95 was the last year for the 5.0.. Although the 4.6 makes great power, I dont know about the longevity of these motors.. For impala questions check out www.impalassforum.com and for mustangs check out www.corral.net. good luck

1983 911SC with no more than 150K miles.  At that price, you can get a really pretty car.  Make sure the chain tensioners have been replaced.  If you can find a 1984, so much the better.  Closest thing to driving free.  There is no substitute.