GT350/R Long-Term Reliability

[95CobraR]

I think if you have about 6 or 7 LB/HP you are in terrific shape. So for a car that weighs about 2800 like my GR86 you want about 400-450 HP. Even 300 HP would be acceptable to me.

I don't even know what a GR86 is? Just guessing but sounds like a Subaru?

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[Hack]

I don't even know what a GR86 is? Just guessing but sounds like a Subaru?

Yep exactly right. Pretty amazing "guess". All you need to know about the car is it turns like it weighs 1,000 lbs less than a Mustang and the CoG is probably most of a foot lower.

 

[95CobraR]

..Yep exactly right. Pretty amazing "guess". All you need to know about the car is it turns like it weighs 1,000 lbs less than a Mustang and the CoG is probably most of a foot lower...

Did you really think a Mustang place was a good place to mention your Datsun GR86?

Can you post some pictures?

 

[Hack]

Did you really think a Mustang place was a good place to mention your Datsun GR86?

Can you post some pictures?

You've talked about your Porsche here and people were very polite about it. I understand it's easy to mock a "performance bargain". Porsches cost way too much for what you get. I would consider purchasing one of their cars with GT in the name if they didn't cost house money here in flyover territory. Plus Porsche likes to install automatics in the GT cars. Bleh. The non-GT Porsches are not for me. Too boring on the street at reasonable speeds and not built for track time either. But hey, they work well for showing you spent a lot on a car. I do think they are beautiful, well constructed and the manual transmissions are good. I mainly bought the GR86 because ever since I owned a 944 I've felt it was the best car I've driven (other than my dislike for momentum cars) and I really wanted something similar. I like front engine, rear drive vehicles and I prefer them over mid or rear engine models.

Regarding the GR86, I think it's a great choice for a winter beater and daily for poor weather days. It's not fast. It has about the power of a Fox Mustang and weighs about 600 lbs less. So it's not a total slug, but it's still slow. I like it more than the Fiesta I was using previously for winter driving.

I haven't been in a hurry to dig out my GT this year, because the 86 is pretty fun to drive. But the worst thing about it is the engine. It doesn't feel like my soul is slowly dying when I drive this car like the feeling I get when I drive a vehicle with an automatic transmission, but laying on the gas and winding it out above 7,000 rpm won't give you the feeling you get with the Voodoo.

No I won't post pics. I'm sure you've seen a lot of them in Cammisa's videos or Savage Geese, etc. Frankly it's a little over exposed as far as media coverage goes.

 

[95CobraR]

You've talked about your Porsche here and people were very polite about it. I understand it's easy to mock a "performance bargain". Porsches cost way too much for what you get. I would consider purchasing one of their cars with GT in the name if they didn't cost house money here in flyover territory. Plus Porsche likes to install automatics in the GT cars. Bleh. The non-GT Porsches are not for me. Too boring on the street at reasonable speeds and not built for track time either. But hey, they work well for showing you spent a lot on a car. I do think they are beautiful, well constructed and the manual transmissions are good. I mainly bought the GR86 because ever since I owned a 944 I've felt it was the best car I've driven (other than my dislike for momentum cars) and I really wanted something similar. I like front engine, rear drive vehicles and I prefer them over mid or rear engine models.

Regarding the GR86, I think it's a great choice for a winter beater and daily for poor weather days. It's not fast. It has about the power of a Fox Mustang and weighs about 600 lbs less. So it's not a total slug, but it's still slow. I like it more than the Fiesta I was using previously for winter driving.

I haven't been in a hurry to dig out my GT this year, because the 86 is pretty fun to drive. But the worst thing about it is the engine. It doesn't feel like my soul is slowly dying when I drive this car like the feeling I get when I drive a vehicle with an automatic transmission, but laying on the gas and winding it out above 7,000 rpm won't give you the feeling you get with the Voodoo.

No I won't post pics. I'm sure you've seen a lot of them in Cammisa's videos or Savage Geese, etc. Frankly it's a little over exposed as far as media coverage goes.

 

[95CobraR]

You just don't understand.

You screw with me as a long-time Ford race car driver and owner. I have won more races with a Ford than anyone else that I know of (except the NASCAR teams).

You can go your own way with your:
2022 GR86 (a slow Japanese "tuner car" car)
2017 GT PP1 (the best car that you own)

I own a Porsche as I like the finish, and their long time racing successes. I had always wanted their car. Excuse me from having some business sucess and to be able to own more than a silly little Japanese tuner car.

 

[Hack]

You just don't understand.

You screw with me as a long-time Ford race car driver and owner. I have won more races with a Ford than anyone else that I know of (except the NASCAR teams).

You can go your own way with your:
2022 GR86 (a slow Japanese "tuner car" car)
2017 GT PP1 (the best car that you own)

I own a Porsche as I like the finish, and their long time racing successes. I had always wanted their car. Excuse me from having some business sucess and to be able to own more than a silly little Japanese tuner car.

That's cool that you have raced cars. And that they were Fords. That is great as well. I'm not sure why you bring it up, though. Is it supposed to make me feel that your choices are better?

I know what it's like to drive a GT350, having put over 30,000 miles on the one I owned. Pretty fun.

I'm definitely prioritizing other things over cars both with my time as well as my money. I would love to have a GT350 instead of a PP1 GT. Definitely the GT350 is better on track and I really enjoyed my 2016 over the years that I owned it. I am happy with what I currently have for the money I have invested.

And you don't understand. I could own a GT350 and a rear engine Porsche with an automatic, but I have chosen not to. Instead I own what I prefer. If you would drive your Porsche and GT350 in the salt and snow commuting to work here in MN, more power to you. To me that would seem more wasteful even than owning them and not driving them 6 months out of the year.

 

[CorralesR]

.

 

[Lorne34]

Lmao

Here I am having lemoned my GT350 along with so many others. You can't dismiss the abnormal defects inherent to this car.

OP, I had a 2020. Bought new. Problems started at 13.5k. Finally got it taken off my hands come 30k. I did a proper break-in, always ensured it was up to temp before taking beyond 4k rpm, and always allowed it to cool down. I also kept oil levels in check and replaced every 7500 miles.

It's a total gamble. My car shook itself to death and everything electronic was failing.

I just ran into a guy who has a brand new GT500 that has been going into limp mode/engine running rough at the track. The dealership which specializes in performance vehicles/support was at the track swapping parts trying to figure out what is wrong. It's been several months and no solution other than it appears to be a electrical failure somewhere in the system. This is a He got a "friday afternoon assembly" vehicle. Most likely what happened with yours as well.

 

[CorralesR]

I'm curious to know how many or percentage of Shelby's with over 30k trouble free miles. We hear a lot about the failures but I'd bet it's still a small fraction of the total.

 

[dpAtlanta]

45,000+ miles on my 2019 GT350 and no troubles & I’m not planning on slowing down.

Non GT350 owners love to show up on these posts and :



If it makes them feel good while they stir up trouble about our GT350’s, I say we feed their addiction and let them bash in peace… meanwhile, I’m going for a drive to listen to my VooDoo!

 

[Lorne34]

I've addressed threads like this before and for me it was a long process or deciding whether the risk was worth it. In the end I decided to take the plunge and haven't regretted it. Life is full of risks and not everything is satisfying or has a happy ending. But for me the experience of owning this vehicle, being able to go to the track for the first time has made it worthwhile.

 

[Mjc1241]

36k miles on a 2016 GT350 Track Pack and I'm the second owner after the first 5800 miles. Still on the Gen 1 motor, burns maybe a quart or so of oil every 5k miles. Other than the AC evaporator, which the original owner replaced in the first year of ownership, and the AC compressor that I recently had replaced due to excessive groaning, the car has been trouble free. More of a weekend pleasure car now due to working from home, but I do drive it hard when I get the chance. Still very happy with the car, including a whole host of "mods" and will be keeping the car for the long term. Unless I can figure out a way to get either a Gen V Viper or C8 ZO6. Now that the C8 can be tuned, a heads, cam, intake, CAI, full exhaust C8 Z51 might be a hoot too.

 

[svttim]

Yea, it could have been so much more.....

By people who cant get the most of the car anyways?

Oh, and I'm not just talking about the engine either. What would a true unequal A arm rear do....

The only failure I know of from the voodoo is it has a flat plane crank with all the detriments and none of the benefits.

None of the benefits except making the Coyote feel slow?

I'm always amazed at the easily hurt feelings of GT350 owners.

Not but hurt but sick of all the disinformation out there. Yea, there are issues. No, they are not as bad as posted

Interesting issues you had. I bought mine used. The carfax showed like 15 trips to the dealer for "electrical" in the first year. My wife said thats a red flag. I said nope....looks like he got it all worked out for me LOL.

Electrical problems are across the Ford line up. I have heard other manufacturers have the same. These systems are so complex even engineers have issues finding problems let alone a Mechanic at the local dealership

 

[Kachow]

The motor in my 2017 just went at 12,000 miles. Complete loss of oil pressure. I bought it with 8k so its possible the previous owner dogged it - but the car was absolutely mint when I purchased it. I always let it come up to temp, changed oil, etc. Ford hasn't told me what the point of failure is yet, but it sits at the dealer right now awaiting a new motor.

After all of my research (really hard to find concrete stats) and combative posts on the GT350 facebook group when ANYONE posts about Gen 1 vs Gen 2 failures etc - I knew I had to buy the warranty right after purchase. It's pretty evident as I read through the 100+ page thread regarding failures that was created pre 2018 I think. I applaud those that have had trouble free ownership but if you're a realist as I am, you want to be prepared. These are finicky cars.

You have to understand with these cars the inherent risks due to the uniqueness of the motor. I commend Ford for building it. If the GT350 wasn't as amazing of an experience as it is, people wouldn't take the risk - including myself.

I'm currently debating on what to do with the car when I get it back. I just love it to pieces though. The sound, high revving excitement, how it looks, total dude magnet and everyone waves/revs/wants to chat at gas station - I love it. It all makes for a fantastic ownership experience in the short 9 months I've owned it. Really my favorite I have owned thus far, even with the engine going out.

My wife and family members keep asking "What are you going to trade it in for" but the GT350 really does speak to you. I fear if I go to a Mach 1 or back over to GM...i'll miss it.

I'm thinking about extended the extended warranty if that is even possible. I just don't want to deal with the motor pooping out again, several tows, coordinating with dealer. The worst part is the wait, honestly. I just want to drive it again......

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