Why did you buy (or why do you want) a base R?

[Donkey]

Thank you for your unrelated contribution of the same thing we’ve heard every week for the past two years from the rando non-GT350 owner.

Is there not some way to put a fence up around the rest of the Mustang forum so these people don’t wander off from their pasture?

A quick click of his other posts reveals that he likely shouldn't be on any forum on 6g..

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[Tomster]

No way I'd want to drive up to 3 hours to a track in 100 degree heat in the middle of summer without A/C. I want to be as well-rested as I can be. Life is too short to skimp on the luxuries. If turning the car into a dedicated track monster that is trailered, would be different story.

And some feel so compelled that they do exactly that. The guy who owned Harold's car didn't think the base R was extreme enough for him, so he sold it and ordered a (Mustang) GT4. Just as you suggest, he trailers his car, so it makes perfect sense to me.

Over by you in San Fran, the temp is perfect for a base car. Every time I'm there it is cool. You could certainly get away with it there. However I get your point about driving away from the immediate area.

For people who collect cars or live in cooler States , the base R makes perfect sense. However if you are going to have one and you live in an area that gets hot, you have to have AC. I don't know if Harold sought out a base R when he was looking because they were hard to find then. But I couldn't live in the south and drive around in the summer months without AC. No way.

 

[Tomster]

A quick click of his other posts reveals that he likely shouldn't be on any forum on 6g..

Yes, a tool indeed

 

[FogcitySF]

seriously, 57 posts displaying zero content nor any desire to learn

perma-ignore...waste of time!

Yes, a tool indeed

A quick click of his other posts reveals that he likely shouldn't be on any forum on 6g..

 

[PP0001]

I don't recall stating anywhere that it was wrong, Harry.

Weight was being discussed in pretty much the entire post and I added my .02. I would guess I'm pretty accurate on those weights.. as I've seen pictures of a scaled base package already.

My point and the issue I have with the base (car, not those who choose to buy one), is it does not offer a significant advantage to be without the air and radio. If it puts someone in touch with their youth that's great, it just doesn't make the juice (sweat) worth the squeeze for me. I view having options like air and radio a lot like having a firearm, it's better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. If it's a typical summer day here with high humidity and temps in the 90-100 range, driving around sweating my ass off doesn't sound very enjoyable and more like what I do at work.

As someone stated in the other post that got this post started, if Ford would have made the base more like a club sport GT3RS with more track oriented seat, fire extinguisher and harness/roll bar I suppose I could see the desire, the desire to those who actually intend to purchase the base model for a track vehicle. Perhaps offering a combined option to have it with a more sleek forged caliper and 18" wheel which opens up more affordable track tire options and maybe include an R compound tire. Obviously I don't follow every R owners day to day life, but from what I can see there are very few (I can think of 1 possibly 2) base models that are tracked exclusively. Which for all intensive purposes was what the base model would have been geared toward. In reality, owning a base may not be for car show bragging rights but it's tending to be more for exclusivity or rarity than for having the advantage of fewer items in the car. I would suggest that's why you desire to have the base 920a.

For myself and the majority of R owners, it's nice to be able to crank up a favorite tune while cruising on the highway when you can't hear the exhaust anyway and cool the cabin on a hot day (provided the a/c system actually works), it's also nice to afford comfort for your significant other while going out for a nice dinner etc. If I had an array of performance vehicles at my disposal, then perhaps things would be different. While I'm sure many thing's in the 60's were better than they are today, having a few amenities is quite nice in a performance car. If I don't want a/c I turn it off, if I don't want the radio on, I turn it off. To each his/her own.

Andrew, I find it interesting that you and your buddy have gotten myself and ~140 base owners all figured out as to why we chose to purchase base R models.

On another post your buddy suggests that the only reason that us base owners purchase these cars is for bragging rights at car shows. Too funny!

Then you go on to suggest that the reason that I purchased a base R was because of rarity and exclusivity which is pure nonsense. When I ordered my first base R model on July 9th, 2015 do you honestly think that my motivation was based purely on that criteria? Back then very few of us really knew much about the base cars let alone the Electronics Package cars regarding build count and can tell you that I ordered my car based on the following.

First, I am a purist at heart and I really like the heritage and legacy of bare bones and basic cars much like the original '65 competition R's as well as the newest generation '93 R and 2000 R models. You do realize that each of these cars were also produced without AC or radios in order to save minimal weight gain?

Second, I grew up with HP cars way back and was very fortunate to own an L78 Camaro, A12 Road Runner and an SC/Rambler all of which could not be ordered with AC and got used to being without air on cars such as these therefore ordering a base R even living in the South did not bother me one bit. During the hot season down here I pick my spots when I drive my car and certainly don't intend on tracking it as I have been there and done that during the late 60's, 70's and 80's.

Third, I really like the Spartan look of the radio delete plate and a no frills dash along with a completely empty trunk. That is something that I grew up with and enjoy still to this day.

Last, without wanting AC or a radio (during ~15,000 miles of driving my Boss cars over the last 7 years I have never once on turned on the radio) why would I pay extra money for an option that I never really wanted such as the Electronics Package. Maybe an after tax saving of ~$10,000 is not a lot to you but to me that is a lot of money as I still work today in order to support my family and my present life style and watch my dollars closely.

While the weight savings of ~50# on a base car is cool it was never a factor in my decision as far as buying a base R. When ordering my first base R in July 2015 production numbers/rarity/exclusivity was an unknown and never entered into the equation as you would like to suggest but will admit as we have come to know these elements happen to be additional cool benefits of owning a base R.

Even though you don't agree with Ford on this issue keep in mind that there are ~140 of us base R enthusiasts out here that have agreed with Ford's direction on these base R's including Jamal Hameedi (Global Ford Performance Chief Engineer) who was very instrumental on the build of the R model and had the choice of any configuration of R model that he wanted and chose HR001 as a base R for his daily driver. Maybe he got it all wrong as well!

;)

 

[Zitrosounds]

And some feel so compelled that they do exactly that. The guy who owned Harold's car didn't think the base R was extreme enough for him, so he sold it and ordered a (Mustang) GT4. Just as you suggest, he trailers his car, so it makes perfect sense to me.

Over by you in San Fran, the temp is perfect for a base car. Every time I'm there it is cool. You could certainly get away with it there. However I get your point about driving away from the immediate area.

For people who collect cars or live in cooler States , the base R makes perfect sense. However if you are going to have one and you live in an area that gets hot, you have to have AC. I don't know if Harold sought out a base R when he was looking because they were hard to find then. But I couldn't live in the south and drive around in the summer months without AC. No way.

Quite the contrary, there were many more electronic packages available versus a base model. GR033 was the only base for sale at the time I could find in that spec. I wanted the base model. I don't daily the car and do not attend track days in the summer, Spring fall and winters are awesome in the south. John did want more car but did not find it right to alter the R. In fact, He has asked to be offered first dibs on the car if I decide to sell. Weight and balance, I did (do) not want any further weight in the car. I will do some math at work to find the CG of the car and see how much it moves with 50 or so pounds over the nose. The Base is obviously not a hot summer day car. It's all about preferences and I got exactly as I wanted.

 

[Jimgolf1]

Here are 4 base R's for sale if anyone is looking, and a regular R. Seem like decent deals if you don't mind paying ADM. I don't understand why none of them mention they are base models in the title of the ad.

One is $75k (used), $83k (used), $84k (new) or make offer base R:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Ford-...ash=item2856d8fffb:g:W8UAAOSwCMFaMsm6&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Ford-...ash=item3d5e67f2d6:g:lnkAAOSwc1FZyGfa&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-Ford-...ash=item2aa5442d1b:g:XbwAAOSw5lJatsqt&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2017-Ford-...ash=item239cb45e18:g:UF0AAOSw5ipasY8f&vxp=mtr

They are asking $73k (used) for the regular R or make an offer:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mustang-Sh...ash=item5d7bcd6dc3:g:-MQAAOSw42paxttv&vxp=mtr

 

[zzrat]

FYI, The one down yonder in the sunshine state could be bought for 68.5 when we were working on a deal.

 

[Jimgolf1]

Here is a lead on a base R if anyone is looking. No affiliation. I did confirm it is still for sale at that price and the color is Magnetic. Small market I guess for radio delete cars.

"2017 GT350R - Selling at $62K this week!!! No mods except for full clear bra, low miles. Don’t wait, call 505-292-0000 ask for Reece!! HyperStangs.com by Rich Ford in Albuquerque, NM"

 

[Donkey]

Here is a lead on a base R if anyone is looking. No affiliation. I did confirm it is still for sale at that price and the color is Magnetic. Small market I guess for radio delete cars.

"2017 GT350R - Selling at $62K this week!!! No mods except for full clear bra, low miles. Don’t wait, call 505-292-0000 ask for Reece!! HyperStangs.com by Rich Ford in Albuquerque, NM"

It's used too I believe. 4xxx miles.

 

[PP0001]

Here is a lead on a base R if anyone is looking. No affiliation. I did confirm it is still for sale at that price and the color is Magnetic. Small market I guess for radio delete cars.

"2017 GT350R - Selling at $62K this week!!! No mods except for full clear bra, low miles. Don’t wait, call 505-292-0000 ask for Reece!! HyperStangs.com by Rich Ford in Albuquerque, NM"

Looks like a cool car but the price that I looked at was only ~$500 below MSRP which was $64,000 and this car has almost 5000 miles on it.

Hopefully all of the documentation comes with this car which is important to many enthusiasts and with only 44 Base cars built for the 2017MY and probably many less Base cars than that built for the 2018MY this may be a good buy for someone?

;)

 

[Dr. JL]

GR033 still for sale in GA. eBay listing has a low asking price since no CF wheels are included with the car (I inquired). Temping, even for a Texan.

 

[Tomster]

He probably thought he was pretty slick when he made an extra 8K by selling off those CF wheels. Now he is stuck with an incomplete car that nobody wants unless it has the CF wheels.

Dr. JL. I don't recall what he was asking for the car, but maybe you could scoop it up and find a set of CF wheels.

 

[PP0001]

GR033 still for sale in GA. eBay listing has a low asking price since no CF wheels are included with the car (I inquired). Temping, even for a Texan.

Looks like you still have or had a couple of 2016 R's already with myself having owned GR107 which was a SB with Black OTT stripes Base R therefore certainly like your taste in cars.

It is difficult to critique a vehicle of this nature based on computer images but have to say it looks pretty clean and after speaking with the dealership they are very impressed with the overall condition of this vehicle and even though this car has the look of a track vehicle they are suggesting that it has not been tracked.

1 of 8 Base R's produced in Avalanche Gray for 2016 with another 3 of these same cars produced in 2017.

Even though they cars never came with floor mats the original owner decided to put some in which is a huge bonus!

Bottom line is that aside from the CF wheels MIA this is a pretty cool looking car and suggest that anyone seriously interested in this car that they do an Oasis Report on it and suggest that the 5 year power train warranty should still be in place until this Fall and suggest that this car was built in September of 2015 but could be off by a few weeks.

Lastly I would ask the dealership to put this car on their lift and ask for confirmation that the engine and tranny are original to the car.

 

[Dr. JL]

I still have GR227 and 378. I have an extra set of Carbon Revs. I want (irrational) another R...

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