Possible Crash Cover Up: SHELBY GT350

[Voodooo]

Left rocker panel

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[Voodooo]

Right rocker panel

 

[Voodooo]

I spent about 4500 bucks of my own money fixing shit they messed up.
New Front bumper cover.
New rear bumper cover.
Both rocker panels.
Stripes.
Center console lid.
Small passenger side door ding.
Small driver side wheel well ding. (Dented from the inside out)
Small hood ding. (Dented from the inside out between the hood skin and inner reinforcement)
Nail in left front tire.
Plus my time, labor, paint and material.
THANKS FORD FLAT ROCK FOR THE QUALITY WORK!

Those 3 little letters in the top left side of the sticker say it all. UAW.

I have never owned anything but fords my whole life. (45 years old) and this gt350's assembly quality really left a sour taste of ford to me.

 

[Superdog]

I traded my 2015 GT for my 350. As I was walking around the GT cleaning it out, I noticed it had a very large gap where the right front fender meets the hood on the driver's side. I can't believe I went 1.5 years without noticing it. I'm sure it was factory error. Although, it was driven 300 miles by dealer and I had to replace a stem valve the second week I had it.

My 2015 had a huge gap in the trunk. No kidding. It was pointed out to me by AAA when I needed a jump as it died in my garage and I could not reach with cables.

It was brandy new and most def a QC issue at ford.

Grateful that I can't currently find any issues with 17 350.

 

[Voodooo]

My 2015 had a huge gap in the trunk. No kidding. It was pointed out to me by AAA when I needed a jump as it died in my garage and I could not reach with cables.

It was brandy new and most def a QC issue at ford.

Grateful that I can't currently find any issues with 17 350.

I'll inspect your gt350 for you. I'll bet I'll find some.

 

[Dominant1]

This thread is a sad testimony to the fact that we are so distracted as a society that we cant focus enough to build anything of quality anymore. Unless its a hell of a hamburger and or precision Weapons. The worm hole goes deeper then that but thats another off topic thread!

Sad, Sad, Sad!!!

 

[Cobra Jet]

Here's what pisses me off. I used to be a journeyman tool and die maker. One of our accounts were ford. You have no idea how tough ford is with their Q1 rating.
Yet they expect the consumer to accept this bullshit? Some people might say " the GT 350 is a bargain!" Which it is at a performance standpoint. But the panel fit and finish suck ass! Imagine this!
It's a fking world class car now! How does the rest of the world see this as Q1 quality?
Why can I buy a $23000 ford transit connect or a $28000 fusion or a $56000 f150 and they all have "world class" quality but a $60000 gt350 doesn't? My work van transit connect was made in Turkey for God sake and it had better panel fitment!
Ever see the tv show "how it's made"?
Look at the USA assembly line workers here in the USA vs the rest of the world. Ours look like ex cons! Not to mention they assembled the mustang like a ex con did it also.

It's not just the fit and finish SUCKS on ALL S550s, but the S550 has SO MANY Quality Control issues - it's obscene, regardless if we paid sub $30k, $30k+, $40k+ and $50-$65k+++!!!!

And you're absolutely 100% correct - some of the Ford Service Centers have assholes working in them who don't know anything - and when a Customer knows more than the Service Manager, Service Tech and/or Dealership Owner, they shrug off the Customer's concerns.

Then you have the Regional CSR Ford Service Reps who try to help, but seriously, how many times does a Ford Customer have to return to their Dealership to get the same damn initial concern fixed - that was never fixed from the start??? It's gets to be g-d ridiculous.

This site alone probably has the highest rate of Owners who have or are Lemoning their S550 or are in the middle of the time consuming Buy-Back process due the utter bullshit Quality of these vehicles AND the overall Customer experience. There is a Lemon thread in the TSB section if some of you have not visited there to see all of the QC issues.

I can't even believe that going into the 3rd model year (2017), the same damn issues are persistent and these cars are still coming off the line like they were built in a third world country.

The gaps around the body are atrocious on some S550s - the explanation or reasoning about the rear bumper cover on a Shelby S550 sagging could be accepted, but across the entire S550 line, the issue has been brought up numerous times on this site. The design of the clips/fastened and/or the way the cover is secured to the body is just a piss poor design that you would THINK would have been improved upon by the time 17's were released.

Trust me - I (and others) didn't pay "Shelby money" for our S550's, BUT we all feel the same regarding the piss poor overall QC and ill fitment of the panels...

Don't even get me started - the f'n paint on these S550s is so thin that if a fly shits on it, it chips.

 

[Superdog]

I'll inspect your gt350 for you. I'll bet I'll find some.

Id rather you didn't. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[bracky72]

My left rocker panel has that damage. I'm sure it came from someone carelessly getting into the car while it was on the showroom floor. Not a big deal to me.

My rear bumpe cover has the exact same gap. I'll attempt to fix it myself.

My biggest issues are there are several spots where the white paint is so thin you can see through it to a darker color underneath.

 

[jasonstang]

Not really defending Ford but you do get more than you pay for. A loaded V6 Camry is in the same cost range of a Mustang GT. Depending on your perspective, the GT is a screaming deal.

Here is the thing. They CAN do better. It's not the cost of the vehicle. Look at all other Fords like the Focus and Fusion. They all have pretty good fit and finish. The Mustang is not on the same standards.

 

[MCarsFan]

There isnt that much of a price difference between base corvette stringray and 2017 gt350. Corvette compared to this car is 10/10. Thats also made in USA, by union workers. What gives?

 

[thehygienist]

Those 3 little letters in the top left side of the sticker say it all. UAW.

So the theory you are promoting is that ALL union workers are lazy and incompetent and Ford would have better quality if the workers themselves were lower paid and and fewer benefits?

Do you realize that Ford management and Ford executives are responsible for the Quality Assurance program and zero defects program? They are not in the union.

I think you did have an usually bad experience, and you uncovered some things others wouldn't have worried about. That doesn't translate into a wholesale condemnation of the UAW, but if that gives you a scapegoat to make you feel better... I suppose you're one of these people who feel like unions should never exist. That's usually a political attitude rather than a reflection of having never worked anywhere that the workers felt the need to organize.

I have been in many underground mines, factories, and other places and I can tell you that in non-union shops, the safety and health of the workers is far more at risk in non-union shops. Many unions exist for reasons that go well beyond wages and they are the reason safety laws exist in this country, going back to the relatively new OSHA Act in 1970.

 

[btown93]

FWIW, my S197 Boss 302 panel alignment was prettty spot on. of course, that was also 7-8 years after the first S197s were built. HOWEVER....

the forums are filled with complaints about water in the passenger side quarter and sloshing after driving in the rain, and many cars needed the quarter panel and inner quarter to have seam sealer applied in front of the rear tire. Also, many cars have or will have the paint peeling problem on the front of the hoods. As far as the paint quality, I felt like if I even looked at the car it scratched the paint was so soft.
I guess my point is, while there is definitely room for improvement, every model has their own issues. my dealer had a 2016 GT350 and the hood/fender alignment was awful....the hood and fender were almost touching on the driver side. My 17 is just about as good as my Boss was as far as panel fit, and I feel like the paint is more robust.

 

[Dominant1]

Same here my s-197 had no flaws i could find! Hope with the 18 refresh they get their sh&$t together!!

 

[Voodooo]

So the theory you are promoting is that ALL union workers are lazy and incompetent and Ford would have better quality if the workers themselves were lower paid and and fewer benefits?

Do you realize that Ford management and Ford executives are responsible for the Quality Assurance program and zero defects program? They are not in the union.

I think you did have an usually bad experience, and you uncovered some things others wouldn't have worried about. That doesn't translate into a wholesale condemnation of the UAW, but if that gives you a scapegoat to make you feel better... I suppose you're one of these people who feel like unions should never exist. That's usually a political attitude rather than a reflection of having never worked anywhere that the workers felt the need to organize.

I have been in many underground mines, factories, and other places and I can tell you that in non-union shops, the safety and health of the workers is far more at risk in non-union shops. Many unions exist for reasons that go well beyond wages and they are the reason safety laws exist in this country, going back to the relatively new OSHA Act in 1970.

My point is that this is a product of a world class manufacturer. This is a reflection of the employees of that world class manufacturer! The 1/4 glass window sticker says so. It has nothing to do with safety or health! The point is nobody cares or takes pride in their work. All they care about is their personal life, their pay check, and what they are going to do after work! Don't tell me I'm wrong because I own a business and I know how employees are. I worked for businesses before also so I know both sides of the fence. My car is not the only one out there with poor handling of assembly! Explain to me why a person making $7.00 a day or hour puts more pride into a job then one that makes $30.00 an hour.
To bad you don't see my point but as I said. Some people do not take pride in their job. I myself do. I realize we're not all alike and somethings are important to one might not be to another.

And no where did I say UAW workers are lazy or incompetent. Those are your words. If you enjoy working your ass off for a living just to spend your hard earned money on something that's short of being in "brand new" condition good for you. I didn't spend $60000.00+ for a new to used appearing car. I bought a brand new car and it already appeared as if it were used with just 5 miles on the odometer. This is 2016. Not 1916.

Who ever installed my bumper cover was a great employee that really cared. If I had just one assembly flaw I could understand that. But the 6 or more I had wasn't done by one person. Each asshole has a job.

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