Struggling... Upgrade my 2016 Tech Pack to Track car, or sell/trade and buy 2016 Track Pack or 2017 or newer model

[AgSurfer]

Thanks for all the info members' gave me last week on the trans and diff cooling equipment for a 2016 Tech Pack GT350. With the members' info, discussion with Ford Performance tech, and discussion with my local Ford dealer service department, I got this all costed out. Parts, tax, and labor, looks like $5,400 (rounded) - subject to confirming any shipping costs on the M-7000-M8S transmission from Ford Performance to my local Ford dealer.

Now the question - would members rather (a) upgrade a 2016 Tech Pack to a track pack by adding the track / R transmission, trans cooler, and diff cooler, or (b) sell / trade my 2016 Tech Pack and purchase a similar quality low mileage 2016 Track Pack or a 2017 or new model year?

My decision is not necessarily based cost, but rather sensibility. Is it more sensible to add the Track equipment mentioned above to my 2016 Tech car, or, buy a GT350 that already had this equipment originally installed from Ford? Also, I am fond of the Recaro seats and this factors into my decision making process. These are $3k as far as I can tell and not easily available on the after market. The "tech" features are not overly important to me; these are limited use pleasure vehicles and I drive them as such - and hope to be taking the GT350 to the track a few times this year. Hell they are mainly garage queens in NE Ohio - lets be honest. Not sure how much fun my Roush supercharged stang at already 750 crank HP would be at the race track - plus it is already scheduled to go into the shop next month for power upgrades and will be around 750 rwhp when all done. It is fun having them both; they are very different animals.

I did a lot of research this week on low-mileage used 2016 Track Pack GT350s and 2017 and newer model years (for which the trans and diff coolers were standard equipment). I found some solid options in a 150 mile radius and will be calling some dealers tomorrow to vet some pricing (I will admit - I am overly diligent and picky).

About my 2016 Tech Pack GT350: race red with black stripes, owned it for one year, bought it at 3k miles (one owner who barely drove it), currently has 5k miles, excellent condition, ceramic coated this fall, garage winters, no rain exposure since I owned it, resonator delete, JLT CAI with JLT factory tune, 490 rwhp on Mustang chassis dyno, and has not had any mechanical issues - so far. Car seems to be great overall.

I plan to make a decision very soon. I don't know how many Track / R transmissions Ford Performance has left at the $2k advertised price.

Appreciate your input.

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[svttim]

Good luck with that decision. If I were to upgrade cars, I would go with a 19 or a 20. Otherwise upgrade the car you have. The suspension was upgraded in 19 and the car is significantly faster on road courses. I am assuming you are not looking at the R. The 19 R got faster as a result of ABS upgrades but the margin is not as significant as the base. I upgraded my 16 with everything you have talked about except I went with the full tilt boogie diff cooler and stayed with the regular seats. I had no intension of selling my 16 until I was offered my R. Hope that helps a little

 

[AgSurfer]

Good luck with that decision. If I were to upgrade cars, I would go with a 19 or a 20. Otherwise upgrade the car you have. The suspension was upgraded in 19 and the car is significantly faster on road courses. I am assuming you are not looking at the R. The 19 R got faster as a result of ABS upgrades but the margin is not as significant as the base. I upgraded my 16 with everything you have talked about except I went with the full tilt boogie diff cooler and stayed with the regular seats. I had no intension of selling my 16 until I was offered my R. Hope that helps a little

That's what I have teed up if I keep the 16: Ford Performance Track / R transmission (which comes with the pump), Ford Performance trans cooler, and Full Tile Boogie diff cooler.

Appreciate the insights into the 19 and 20 upgrades / changes. I was not aware of those.

 

[Vettel-ish]

Steve,

I would say its all based on track time. Say your going 2-3 times a year. Enjoy your car and have a great time. More than 5.. time to start looking/building. If you are going to go down that road I would look at getting a 19 or newer. You can do some searching on these forums and see that the 15-16 tech is junk on track. However it would be fun to build a car.

Hopefully @honeybadger chips in on this. He built his.

 

[AgSurfer]

Steve,

I would say its all based on track time. Say your going 2-3 times a year. Enjoy your car and have a great time. More than 5.. time to start looking/building. If you are going to go down that road I would look at getting a 19 or newer. You can do some searching on these forums and see that the 15-16 tech is junk on track. However it would be fun to build a car.

Hopefully @honeybadger chips in on this. He built his.

Thank you

 

[torque124]

My personal opinion is that you get an R, no matter what year, lowest mileage you can find. I am very happy with 2016 year builds, my second one. none burned oil, nothing broke down, awesome cars.

 

[honeybadger]

How much time do you plan to spend on track? 1-2 times a year? A Few times a year? 20+ days?

 

[AgSurfer]

How much time do you plan to spend on track? 1-2 times a year? A Few times a year? 20+ days?

Hopefully a few times a year, and at least half-day visits each time. Thanks.

 

[honeybadger]

Hopefully a few times a year, and at least half-day visits each time. Thanks.

I'd probably sell it and buy an R honestly. Sounds like you're a pretty meticulous fellow and half-done stuff will bother you. To do it all right, you'll spend way too much $$, IMHO. A track pack could work too, but sure seems like a bunch of effort for a very similar car.

You could also build one, but the cost is astronomical and really isn't worth it unless you're on track A LOT.

 

[AgSurfer]

I'd probably sell it and buy an R honestly. Sounds like you're a pretty meticulous fellow and half-done stuff will bother you. To do it all right, you'll spend way too much $$, IMHO. A track pack could work too, but sure seems like a bunch of effort for a very similar car.

You could also build one, but the cost is astronomical and really isn't worth it unless you're on track A LOT.

I hear you and very much appreciate your input. Low mileage used R's are not easy to find. I've taken all the good feedback from others on the site and done math. All in, it will be $5,700 to add the Track / R transmission, trans cooler, and diff cooler to my 2016 Tech Pack. There are positives with this - for one, I know the car, as I have owned it for a year now and put a couple thousand miles on it. I know it runs great. Has no mechanical issues (so far - knock on wood). It is in excellent condition. Further, I get a brand new tranny that's heftier than the 2016 tech pack tranny.

The negatives, as I see it, are pumping another $5,700 into my tech pack GT350 when I could put that money to the purchase of a 2017 or newer low mileage used GT350 (tech or base model) or possibly find a low mileage R. As you know, pricing for a low mileage used GT 350 is very different versus a low mileage used R.

Outside of the "technology features" are there any meaningful mechanical / functional differences between a 2017 or newer model base v. tech pack? The beefier tranny, trans cooler, diff cooler, etc. all came standard on 2017 and new models - right?

Thanks.

 

[svttim]

I hear you and very much appreciate your input. Low mileage used R's are not easy to find. I've taken all the good feedback from others on the site and done math. All in, it will be $5,700 to add the Track / R transmission, trans cooler, and diff cooler to my 2016 Tech Pack. There are positives with this - for one, I know the car, as I have owned it for a year now and put a couple thousand miles on it. I know it runs great. Has no mechanical issues (so far - knock on wood). It is in excellent condition. Further, I get a brand new tranny that's heftier than the 2016 tech pack tranny.

The negatives, as I see it, are pumping another $5,700 into my tech pack GT350 when I could put that money to the purchase of a 2017 or newer low mileage used GT350 (tech or base model) or possibly find a low mileage R. As you know, pricing for a low mileage used GT 350 is very different versus a low mileage used R.

Outside of the "technology features" are there any meaningful mechanical / functional differences between a 2017 or newer model base v. tech pack? The beefier tranny, trans cooler, diff cooler, etc. all came standard on 2017 and new models - right?

Thanks.

The trans is not any different except the provision for cooling

 

[AgSurfer]

The trans is not any different except the provision for cooling

Got it; thanks for clarifying. So the track / R tranny just has the ports / plumbing to accept the trans cooler equipment and fluids.

 

[svttim]

Got it; thanks for clarifying. So the track / R tranny just has the ports / plumbing to accept the trans cooler equipment and fluids.

Integral pump as well

 

[AgSurfer]

Integral pump as well

right. I confirmed with Ford Performance that the track / R tranny comes with the pump - and they price is $1,999. Very reasonably priced.

Just so on the fence on build v. buy in order to have a trackable GT350. Want to get it done sooner than later.

 

[milner_7]

Dude save yourself $3k and just get the cooler and external pump and call it a day.

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