2023 Mach 1 Damaged in Transit

[Traffic22]

I’m no tow expert by any means, but we’ve towed our race car over 5k miles at this point with 0 issues. (Other than having a hell of a time getting it on and off the trailer because it’s so low.)

I don’t like tire straps wrapping the wheel like in the photo because it puts stress on a single point on the wheel. Plus the downward angle of the straps means then the trailer starts and stops the car cars weight is sort of being held by the transmission in park. It allows a little forward and back weight transfer, which could in theory put some stress on the transmission and suspension components.

As shown in the photo, I’d actually prefer the car had the parking brake on, to help limit movement.

was told the safest way is to have the straps work against one another, looped at the mid point of the tire to distribute the load evenly.

Like I said, I’m not an expert, but we’ve never damaged our car towing it.

With all that said, if there was an issue, I think you would have noticed or found it by now, so I wouldn’t stress over it.

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[SheepDog]

Greetings! As the title reads, my 2023 Mach 1 was damaged in transit to me. When the carrier loaded the car onto the trailer, the incline was steep and the rear valance and exhaust tips were gouged the F up. Not really visible from up top, but it's there and it is a costly mistake. I'm positive that they were hoping that I'd miss this in my inspection.
Long story short -I've had the car about a month now- the carrier has ghosted me and the dealership on resolving the matter. So, the dealership is stepping up (as they should since they hired the carrier) and taking care of the matter.
Since the exhaust tips aren't a part, the entire exhaust from the resonator back has to be replaced. Ouch$!!! This is why the carrier has ghosted us.

So, I've been presented with 2 options by the dealership. 1) Replace with OE exhaust, but due to the odd & large size they supposedly have a high rate of being damaged in transit, which puts me back to square 1 for who knows how long since the part is already on back order. Or, 2) pick a cat-back system with active exhaust that has a higher chance of arriving undamaged due to smaller sections/boxes. However, in my limited research on AM active exhaust for the Mach 1, I've seen a couple of posts where the active exhaust has failed prematurely. I admit that I didn't research what the warranty was on those particular aftermarket brands, but if I were to go with OE, I should have the factory warranty + the extended warranty to cover this problem should/when it happen(s).

The dealership didn't say that I was limited to the cost of the OE when selecting AM, but even if they did I'd only be out of pocket a small amount.

My first reaction is to go with the OE setup for warranty purposes, however I wanted to get feedback from you all on whether I should take advantage of the aftermarket cat back setup, and which one. I prefer the sound of the double-H pipe and the Borla SwitchFire, which have a deeper note vs raspy.

Your positive input is greatly appreciated.

PS
Interestingly, the carrier also had another mischievous purple Mustang, GT500, to deliver next.

Stick with the factory Exhaust and resonator. If you go with long tubes later, your gonna regret getting rid of the resonator. Long tubes + H or X pipe = Loud AF

 

[WItoTX]

@McSkillet, take a look in the owners manual. It describes exactly how the car should be strapped down. In my owners manual, it says use wheel/tire slings. I don't have a M1 though.

As for what could be broken, or should be checked? Honestly, all of it. However, if my dealer picked this shipper, I would tell them I want the car inspected by my own mechanic (find someone well versed in S550's), and get some commitment from the dealer they will pay for the inspection.

Sucks you have to deal with this. Likely, everything is fine. And obviously I hope it is for you. But for my money, I am getting someone I trust to thoroughly inspect the suspension, cradle, camber arms, etc...

 

[McSkillet]

@McSkillet, take a look in the owners manual. It describes exactly how the car should be strapped down. In my owners manual, it says use wheel/tire slings. I don't have a M1 though.

As for what could be broken, or should be checked? Honestly, all of it. However, if my dealer picked this shipper, I would tell them I want the car inspected by my own mechanic (find someone well versed in S550's), and get some commitment from the dealer they will pay for the inspection.

Sucks you have to deal with this. Likely, everything is fine. And obviously I hope it is for you. But for my money, I am getting someone I trust to thoroughly inspect the suspension, cradle, camber arms, etc...

10-4, I'll look to see what my owners manual states on how to strap it down.

I have a guy that might can do the inspection. If he doesn't know the S550, I'm certain he has someone who does. I'll get on this asap so the dealer can't claim that it was my doings.

 

[dark_nite_gt]

That really sucks! Given the circumstances, I would hold out for OE and drive it as is for a while if it doesn't bother you. I only have a GT, but with Active Exhaust, stock, but I really like the way it sounds. It just needs a H, HH, or a Switchfire for just a bit more aggression.

I have a few thoughts on aftermarket I'd like to share, just my own opinion here. From what I've heard of the louder coyotes round my way, and the videos of aftermarket axlebacks, i think they are a bit too much, and don't sound as good to me. Not sure how to put it, but i think they need some amount of dampening, and replacing the factory Active Exhaust with aftermarket ones usually remove some dampen

I like power/thrash metal as my favorite niche of metal music, and an analogy I would use based on my own metal music preferences would be: Going aftermarket AE would be like changing your band's sound from something like Power/Thrash Metal to like Grindcore type stuff. Loud, brutal sounding metal, vs powerful, well composed fast heavy metal. Sure all play loud heavy stuff, but I would get much more pleasure from my preferred style, I like clean powerful vocals in addition to the more aggressive sounding vocals. But, you may be more into Grindcore for your Exhaust sound needs than I would be, to which i would say go Aftermarket, get the loudest, best sounding system you can find! You will be the one jamming to your car, so if that notion does suit you at all, you may as well do it on ford's dime, which hopefully is ultimately the carrier's dime!

If you need a warranty in that situation, tell them that is the car ford provided you with and you're okay if they just replace it factory as that is what would have been on there had there not been an incident outside of any of the parties' involved control. They will likely fight it, give you crap for it (and they will), but in my experience if you give people a rational out, they may try to take it as this makes them look bad if word gets out, but good if they cough it up. (And words would get out if it were bad, if it were me!) Tons of risk here obviously, and you'd have to be the type of person to do this kind of thing, as well as really really want the exhaust and warranty to work but sometimes things can surprise you. Especially if you put just the right tone in your voice. Just need the right one for the right situations! Sometimes people's humanity wins out.

Oh, don't do this, just kidding! Don't bet things on people's humanity and kindness in the business/warranty world, not when profits are better to deny your claim. Not a good bet at all... But I did want to put that in your mind as well, just in case. You may have level 100 speechcraft and/or possible addiction to the high stakes thrills of making risky life decisions that are not entirely based in best interests of any person, but the THRILL of the game!

That really sucks! Given the circumstances, I would hold out for OE and drive it as is for a while if it doesn't bother you. I only have a GT, but with Active Exhaust, stock, but I really like the way it sounds. It just needs a H, HH, or a Switchfire for just a bit more aggression.

I have a few thoughts on aftermarket I'd like to share, just my own opinion here. From what I've heard of the louder coyotes round my way, and the videos of aftermarket axlebacks, i think they are a bit too much, and don't sound as good to me. Not sure how to put it, but i think they need some amount of dampening, and replacing the factory Active Exhaust with aftermarket ones usually remove some dampening and it just doesnt sound as good to me. Kinda ugly sounding, while i tend to prefer a meaner, aggressive tone, the coyote just has too much bite from the factory to turn up too loud.

I like power/thrash metal as my favorite niche of metal music, and an analogy I would use based on my own metal music preferences would be: Going aftermarket AE would be like changing your band's sound from something like Power/Thrash Metal to like Grindcore type stuff. Loud, brutal sounding metal, vs powerful, well composed fast heavy metal. Sure all play loud heavy stuff, but I would get much more pleasure from my preferred style, I like clean powerful vocals in addition to the more aggressive sounding vocals. But, you may be more into Grindcore for your Exhaust sound needs than I would be, to which i would say go Aftermarket, get the loudest, best sounding system you can find! You will be the one jamming to your car, so if that notion does suit you at all, you may as well do it on ford's dime, which hopefully is ultimately the carrier's dime!

If you need a warranty in that situation, tell them that is the car ford provided you with and you're okay if they just replace it factory as that is what would have been on there had there not been an incident outside of any of the parties' involved control. They will likely fight it, give you crap for it (and they will), but in my experience if you give people a rational out, they may try to take it as this makes them look bad if word gets out, but good if they cough it up. (And words would get out if it were bad, if it were me!) Tons of risk here obviously, and you'd have to be the type of person to do this kind of thing, as well as really really want the exhaust and warranty to work but sometimes things can surprise you. Especially if you put just the right tone in your voice. Just need the right one for the right situations! Sometimes people's humanity wins out.

Oh, don't do this, just kidding! Don't bet things on people's humanity and kindness in the business/warranty world, not when profits are better to deny your claim. Not a good bet at all... But I did want to put that in your mind as well, just in case. You may have level 100 speechcraft and/or possible addiction to the high stakes thrills of making risky life decisions that are not entirely based in best interests of any person, but the THRILL of the game!

That really sucks! Given the circumstances, I would hold out for OE and drive it as is for a while if it doesn't bother you. I only have a GT, but with Active Exhaust, stock, but I really like the way it sounds. It just needs a H, HH, or a Switchfire for just a bit more aggression.

I have a few thoughts on aftermarket I'd like to share, just my own opinion here. From what I've heard of the louder coyotes round my way, and the videos of aftermarket axlebacks, i think they are a bit too much, and don't sound as good to me. Not sure how to put it, but i think they need some amount of dampening, and replacing the factory Active Exhaust with aftermarket ones usually remove some dampening and it just doesnt sound as good to me. Kinda ugly sounding, while i tend to prefer a meaner, aggressive tone, the coyote just has too much bite from the factory to turn up too loud.

I like power/thrash metal as my favorite niche of metal music, and an analogy I would use based on my own metal music preferences would be: Going aftermarket AE would be like changing your band's sound from something like Power/Thrash Metal to like Grindcore type stuff. Loud, brutal sounding metal, vs powerful, well composed fast heavy metal. Sure all play loud heavy stuff, but I would get much more pleasure from my preferred style, I like clean powerful vocals in addition to the more aggressive sounding vocals. But, you may be more into Grindcore for your Exhaust sound needs than I would be, to which i would say go Aftermarket, get the loudest, best sounding system you can find! You will be the one jamming to your car, so if that notion does suit you at all, you may as well do it on ford's dime, which hopefully is ultimately the carrier's dime!

If you need a warranty in that situation, tell them that is the car ford provided you with and you're okay if they just replace it factory as that is what would have been on there had there not been an incident outside of any of the parties' involved control. They will likely fight it, give you crap for it (and they will), but in my experience if you give people a rational out, they may try to take it as this makes them look bad if word gets out, but good if they cough it up. (And words would get out if it were bad, if it were me!) Tons of risk here obviously, and you'd have to be the type of person to do this kind of thing, as well as really really want the exhaust and warranty to work but sometimes things can surprise you. Especially if you put just the right tone in your voice. Just need the right one for the right situations! Sometimes people's humanity wins out.

Oh, don't do this, just kidding! Don't bet things on people's humanity and kindness in the business/warranty world, not when profits are better to deny your claim. Not a good bet at all... But I did want to put that in your mind as well, just in case. You may have level 100 speechcraft and/or possible addiction to the high stakes thrills of making risky life decisions that are not entirely based in best interests of any person, but the THRILL of the game!

The Power Metal analogy is quite possibly the greatest response I've read on this forum! I love it!! # Metal #Helloween #GammaRay

 

[black22gt]

The Power Metal analogy is quite possibly the greatest response I've read on this forum! I love it!! # Metal #Helloween #GammaRay

Heck yeah! I just watched the lockdown live stream show for Gamma Ray the other night, absolutely killer! Glad to hear another fan is out there jamming in their 'stang as well!

 

[dark_nite_gt]

Heck yeah! I just watched the lockdown live stream show for Gamma Ray the other night, absolutely killer! Glad to hear another fan is out there jamming in their 'stang as well!

The lockdown live show was awesome!!

Btw, whenever I blast "Ride The Sky" or "Somewhere Out In Space", my driving experience goes to a whole new level!

 

[black22gt]

The lockdown live show was awesome!!

Btw, whenever I blast "Ride The Sky" or "Somewhere Out In Space", my driving experience goes to a whole new level!

Now I'm gonna have to jam those on the way home, good timing! lol Wings of Destiny does that for me as well, the intro buildup. Good stuff!

 

[Jimmy Dean]

Wow! Thanks to all for the prompt feedback.
@Jimmy Dean Lucky you I'm in North Mobile (Satsuma). There's a white Mach 1 that I see every day on my way to work. Not sure if she is on the forum.

@22MAVXLT The driver didn't speak any English, I had to use Google translate to communicate with him, so it's likely.

@WItoTX Other than visible damage, what other damage could potentially happen from being transported like it was? This is my first car to have delivered, I've driven them home myself in the past, so I don't have much experience on the correct way it should have arrived. I did think it odd that there weren't any wheel chocks on either vehicle. So, yeah, car in gear and handbrake on.

@TEAsGrabber The dealership price for the OEM exhaust part (MR3Z-5230G) is $3,437 + shipping. So, about $3700-ish.

As for my choice of which exhaust to go with, it looks like the clear choice is OEM. I do like the deeper growl of the OEM and don't want to risk losing that as @cerbomark stated. Since I'm new to the Mustang platform and there being several aftermarket options available, I was concerned that I might be overlooking an opportunity to upgrade.
As others have similarly mentioned, if I do decide to go aftermarket in the future and decide to sell the car, having the OEM exhaust in mint condition will be beneficial because most buyers want the OEM parts, too.

Again, thanks to all for your helpful input. Now my only concern is what y'all might come back with on my question concerning the transport.

I saw a white mach 1 around Bay Minnette two weekends ago. wonder if the same? saw a red one crossing the bay, and an orange one at my first apartment I had in town just outside the 65 loop off of airport blvd. was my neighbor. was the first one I had seen in person, a year after I ordered mine and was still waiting on mine to get delivered.

However, I have not seen another HP one in town, so so far mines the only HP that I know of. There is a red HP around Biloxi area, I've seen it on the interstate and one of my sisters saw it at a casino.

 

[McSkillet]

Would they just cut you a check for 4K and call it good?

saves them labor etc.. I’d eat that up if so. Polish the bottom out call it good, if it’s just the exhaust tip bottom scuffed up.

Interestingly, this is exactly what they offered. Yeah, I took it.

 

[noac]

OE or FP kit which is same….all aftermarket parts do is just devalue a car.

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