So my warranty is up, options, advice?

[mikedahammer]

Don't take this wrong way, but if you have to ask this question then I think your gut is leaning one way. One thing we don't know is how much you love the car and how you use it (I am actually not asking).

I am not a fanboy of any makes or models and when I had a GT350 I wanted it for the track aspects. The GT350 is an expensive car to own and even more expensive if it needs repairs and it is on your dime and you don't have the skill set to fix it. For me, I couldn't take the hassle of something always breaking on my GT350 and then when my warranty was denied it sent me over the edge.

For you, you always have to keep in mind if something lets loose, even if you have a warranty, will the warranty cover it if the part that caused the failure is a noncovered part. Also could the warranty deny a claim because it already had a replaced engine so it has to be user error. I learned a lot dealing with warranty claims and contracts. Fortunately for me it wasn't the most expensive education I ever had.

Everyone values things different. The GT350 is a one of kind. I miss mine for multiple different reasons and it may have also been my first love. At one point, I even contemplated buying a used one that didn't have all the problems that mine had and getting an ESP warranty on it -that is how much I liked mine.

The one thing I don't miss is the mental space it was taking up in my brain and me always questioning its reliability (based on my experience with mine). I am also not the lucky kind. if something is going to break and not be covered you can bet it will happen to me.

I switched to a ZLE and put on 2600 track miles last year and **knock on wood** it was bulletproof. I bought it saying to myself that if it breaks it is cheaper to fix and will have parts availability for the foreseeable future. I also went into knowing that the motor for that monster (ZLE) will be around in future years and it is only $17K versus $30K. So for me it was cost comparing and investing in a different platform.

To each their own. Whatever you choose I hope it treats you well.

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[icecreamtruckz]

I’m in a similar spot. No one will truly warranty the GT350 that I can find once you pass out of the Ford warranty programs. Third parties limit engine coverage to 3-4K. That’s really the only thing I worry about. Catastrophic engine failure. I only have 33k miles, and so far the car has been truly mint. What can you do? I just do the maintenace perfectly and don’t beat the shit out of the car.

I just kind of accepted it. I am putting a certain amount every month into a rainy day fund. I have already mentally prepared myself that it’s unlikely but possible that one day I may need 20k or more to replace an engine.

It may never happen while I own the car. Then I can just use that money on the next one as down payment. Worth it. This car is sick.

 

[mikedahammer]

I just do the maintenace perfectly and don’t beat the shit out of the car.

I agree with this, maintenance was done properly on mine (I changed the oil every 500 track miles or if the temps exceeded 280 during a track day) but I did track it hard, but I didn't over rev it or beat on it, but it lived above 7000 rpm for much of its life. From what I have gathered over the years is that as long as you take care of it and don't track it/keep it in the higher rpm ranges for extended periods of time (like at a track) then those people have reported little to no problems.

I think generally if you haven't had a problem and have put on a decent amount of miles then you probably won't have an issue that would be anything different than any other modern car.

 

[P85596]

@P85596 What was the quote for? Premiumcare ESP? Extracare ESP?

6 Year 40,000 mile Premium care plan for a car that is OUT of warranty the best quote I got in Cali was $5,840.

 

[P85596]

You said you can’t get a warranty from Ford but you got a quote from a dealer?

Ford ESP is not based in California so they can't sell directly to me. I have to get one from a local dealer and they guy at ESP didn't even know what warranty I was talking about.

 

[P85596]

Get the hell out California.

Amen brother, got too much family here.

 

[P85596]

I’m in a similar spot. No one will truly warranty the GT350 that I can find once you pass out of the Ford warranty programs. Third parties limit engine coverage to 3-4K. That’s really the only thing I worry about. Catastrophic engine failure. I only have 33k miles, and so far the car has been truly mint. What can you do? I just do the maintenace perfectly and don’t beat the shit out of the car.

I just kind of accepted it. I am putting a certain amount every month into a rainy day fund. I have already mentally prepared myself that it’s unlikely but possible that one day I may need 20k or more to replace an engine.

It may never happen while I own the car. Then I can just use that money on the next one as down payment. Worth it. This car is sick.

My cars engine let loose at 28,000 miles at a stop light. I had the dealer do all the servicing, never tracked or abused it in anyway and waited for it to get to temp before exploring the farside of the tach. I must have a bad one. I've NEVER had a car with this many issues regardless of miles and I've owned a lot of high performance cars in my lifetime.

 

[P85596]

Don't take this wrong way, but if you have to ask this question then I think your gut is leaning one way. One thing we don't know is how much you love the car and how you use it (I am actually not asking).

I am not a fanboy of any makes or models and when I had a GT350 I wanted it for the track aspects. The GT350 is an expensive car to own and even more expensive if it needs repairs and it is on your dime and you don't have the skill set to fix it. For me, I couldn't take the hassle of something always breaking on my GT350 and then when my warranty was denied it sent me over the edge.

For you, you always have to keep in mind if something lets loose, even if you have a warranty, will the warranty cover it if the part that caused the failure is a noncovered part. Also could the warranty deny a claim because it already had a replaced engine so it has to be user error. I learned a lot dealing with warranty claims and contracts. Fortunately for me it wasn't the most expensive education I ever had.

Everyone values things different. The GT350 is a one of kind. I miss mine for multiple different reasons and it may have also been my first love. At one point, I even contemplated buying a used one that didn't have all the problems that mine had and getting an ESP warranty on it -that is how much I liked mine.

The one thing I don't miss is the mental space it was taking up in my brain and me always questioning its reliability (based on my experience with mine). I am also not the lucky kind. if something is going to break and not be covered you can bet it will happen to me.

I switched to a ZLE and put on 2600 track miles last year and **knock on wood** it was bulletproof. I bought it saying to myself that if it breaks it is cheaper to fix and will have parts availability for the foreseeable future. I also went into knowing that the motor for that monster (ZLE) will be around in future years and it is only $17K versus $30K. So for me it was cost comparing and investing in a different platform.

To each their own. Whatever you choose I hope it treats you well.

Thank you for your well reasoned reply.
That's the thing, I REALLY like this car. The last car I had that gave me this many smiles was my 1988 MR2 Supercharged (which I abused mercilessly and it never gave me one ounce of trouble in 100,000 miles). I've looked at other cars for the last few months because I knew this time was approaching but I can't find anything that will be less trouble than what I already have, BMW, Mercede's etc....I'll most likely end up biting the bullet and getting the warranty and keeping what I know.

 

[icecreamtruckz]

My cars engine let loose at 28,000 miles at a stop light. I had the dealer do all the servicing, never tracked or abused it in anyway and waited for it to get to temp before exploring the farside of the tach. I must have a bad one. I've NEVER had a car with this many issues regardless of miles and I've owned a lot of high performance cars in my lifetime.

I have heard of this happening at 8k miles. It does seem like there is a certain number that for whatever reason just failed without any justification.

There is a reason no one else is making 8k RPM v8s aside from Ferrari. And those cars do not ever get the mileage that ours do. The engine is further on the scale of race motor than most others. It’s father along the knife edge than most of the competition. Using lower compression and boost seems to be a more resilient way to make power than rpm alone.

The trade off is you get an 8K rpm V8. It’s a godamn hoot. It’s got soul. It sings.

Fingers crossed I don’t become a statistic while I own the car. If it does blow up, I may not even use another Voodoo. Can get a 600-700 hp crate motor for half the price or less. Time will tell.

 

[S550HPP]

5400 for additional six years is a deal. I'd dump the car ASAP though seems like endless issues.

 

[wingnutt]

I don’t know why everyone gets hung up on this 20-30k for an engine thing. If you want a new factory long block installed by Ford, then sure…but this engine doesn't require pixie dust to put it together.

if you pop the thing, pull it and send it off to someone like RPG on the west coast, or that other group on the east coast (Florida?) and either of them can get you up and running for way less then that

 

[MAGS1]

Just be glad you don't have the current 6.2 chevy. 10's of thousands of trucks waiting to detonate because GM switched a parts supplier, and those parts are failing consistently.

Yeah and they can’t make the replacement engines fast enough, folks aren’t going to get their broken trucks back for a while. NTSB is involved now too

 

[edunn14]

I don’t know why everyone gets hung up on this 20-30k for an engine thing. If you want a new factory long block installed by Ford, then sure…but this engine doesn't require pixie dust to put it together.

if you pop the thing, pull it and send it off to someone like RPG on the west coast, or that other group on the east coast (Florida?) and either of them can get you up and running for way less then that

Commenting so I can find this later, hoping I never need to!

 

[Cobra Jet]

I think if it was me I would sell what you have and put the warranty money towards another Mustang with less miles on it. Sometimes cars will just keep going wrong and no amount of time and cash will ever see them right.

^^^ That’s actually the best advice right there. Get out of the vehicle and into another if it’s been problematic since your ownership.

If you cannot sell/get out of the vehicle due to finances and you’re going to opt for an extended warranty plan - the best advice I can give you:

Read ALL the fine print and see exactly what that warranty does NOT cover…. Many people hyperfocus on what “is covered” but 90% of the buyers don’t focus on (A) out of pocket deductible $$$ and (B) what is NOT covered in the event of a major repair. With modern vehicles today there’s a shit ton of electronics and modules - make sure that the warranty covers the major electrical components of the vehicle too…. So again, read that fine print…

Also with buying ANY extended warranty from a 3rd party - make sure:
- The warranty contract is accepted at major and small repair shops. Not all locations accept some 3rd party programs OR sometimes you will have to pay up front and then the warranty company will reimburse.

- How many more years are you intending on keeping the vehicle? Does the years vs. miles driven being offered in the coverage provisions make sense for YOUR use and the cost of the plan?

 

[ice445]

I think it's worth it if you like the car. The secondary vibration aspect of the Voodoo is just really good at finding any weakness. Doesn't necessarily mean they're unreliable, but it's just a fact of life with the design.

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