At what point does the 2016-2020 GT350 become age and cost prohibitive?

[MachNroll]

So, the GT350 ceased being produced in 2020. In January, the 2016 is a decade old, and the 2020's will be 6 years old. Looking at the used 2020's on the market, many are 3 owners, moderate + on the mileage, and are priced $55k on up. At what point (if such a point exists) is it not such a good idea to purchase a used GT350 due to the model's age, purchase cost, multiple owners etc? Meaning, it's a lot of money for a car that is older. I get that if one wants a GT350, one will spend for it regardless of the age of the car. But at what point would folks feel like it's a bad "investment?"

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[OldbutNew]

I'll go make some popcorn...

 

[robvas]

Do you want to keep the car 100% original?

the big ticket item is the engine and then probably the unique body parts.

Everything else you can easily keep going with current OEM or aftermarket parts

 

[Thomas]

It boils down to being honest with yourself about why you want it.

It is not, and never will be an actual financial investment if you actually want to drive it.

It needs to be a nearly brand new 350R to actually appreciate, and you cannot drive it, and at best it will match inflation.

People get way too hung up on age. The most desirable cars these days, are old cars. Especially in the enthusiast community.

What matters more is how it was cared for.

If you want to just have fun driving and can afford it, get it checked out and given a clean BOH, make a deal and buy. Forget the money. If you can’t forget it, I’d suggest trying to change your mindset before buying. Granted, that’s not easy.

People ask me how much my GT500 has appreciated more than I ever expected. I tell them it hasn’t. They are always shocked for some reason, and I have to explain that I actually drive it because it’s so much damn fun which is the whole point. The investment is in the day to day, the smiles, people you meet, and general mental health. My financial retirement is not dependent on, or affected by the car.

My 0.2.

 

[MachNroll]

I'll go make some popcorn...

Please make some for me too! Light butter, light salt.. and extra cold beer if you have it

 

[MachNroll]

It boils down to being honest with yourself about why you want it.

It is not, and never will be an actual financial investment if you actually want to drive it.

It needs to be a nearly brand new 350R to actually appreciate, and you cannot drive it, and at best it will match inflation.

People get way too hung up on age. The most desirable cars these days, are old cars. Especially in the enthusiast community.

What matters more is how it was cared for.

If you want to just have fun driving and can afford it, get it checked out and given a clean BOH, make a deal and buy. Forget the money. If you can’t forget it, I’d suggest trying to change your mindset before buying. Granted, that’s not easy.

People ask me how much my GT500 has appreciated more than I ever expected. I tell them it hasn’t. They are always shocked for some reason, and I have to explain that I actually drive it because it’s so much damn fun which is the whole point. The investment is in the day to day, the smiles, people you meet, and general mental health. My financial retirement is not dependent on, or affected by the car.

My 0.2.

I appreciate your thoughts. I agree, the most desirable cars these days are old cars. Or, in this case, older cars. It could be a personal preference/comfort level re buying a new Dark Horse HP for $75k fully warrantied or a used 2020 GT350 for the same price yet funding repairs out of pocket. I opine that one wouldn't get the same satisfaction with the Dark Horse. And, re, mental health, these cars (whether it is a GT, Mach 1, GT350, GT500, Bullitt etc.) do wonders in this area. My neighbors probably think I go to the grocery store a lot in my M1. But no, I am just out getting "therapy." Sometimes multiple times per day!

 

[Thomas]

I appreciate your thoughts. I agree, the most desirable cars these days are old cars. Or, in this case, older cars. It could be a personal preference/comfort level re buying a new Dark Horse HP for $75k fully warrantied or a used 2020 GT350 for the same price yet funding repairs out of pocket. I opine that one wouldn't get the same satisfaction with the Dark Horse. And, re, mental health, these cars (whether it is a GT, Mach 1, GT350, GT500, Bullitt etc.) do wonders in this area. My neighbors probably think I go to the grocery store a lot in my M1. But no, I am just out getting "therapy." Sometimes multiple times per day!

For what it's worth, I would vote the GT350. Given the cost of a DH, you can get a pretty lightly used one. I wasn't really paying attention to the fact you already have a Mach 1. I'm actually surprised you want to upgrade. I love how that car looks.

 

[MachNroll]

For what it's worth, I would vote the GT350. Given the cost of a DH, you can get a pretty lightly used one. I wasn't really paying attention to the fact you already have a Mach 1. I'm actually surprised you want to upgrade. I love how that car looks.

I'm not seriously looking to upgrade.. every now and then I get the itch to look around to see what is out there. I saw a lightly used 2020 GT350 that was a one owner that spurred the mental gymnastics hence my post here. I think Ford did a nice job with the M1. It is not a Shelby but it is a lot of fun and looks great.

 

[Mach 307]

I'm not seriously looking to upgrade.. every now and then I get the itch to look around to see what is out there. I saw a lightly used 2020 GT350 that was a one owner that spurred the mental gymnastics hence my post here. I think Ford did a nice job with the M1. It is not a Shelby but it is a lot of fun and looks great.

IMO… I think you already have the best of both worlds. I too was set on GT350’s before I got my Mach 1 HP. I couldn’t justify the cost of replacing a voodoo, and the Mach 1 allowed me to get a 10year/100k ESP. I think the GT350 would’ve been cool, and the voodoo I’m sure is unreal, but with this car I’ll get much more enjoyment, as well as more of that therapy you talk about, because I can enjoy it without stress. That’s where I say I think you have the best of both worlds, you get the coyote reliability a long with essentially the same chassis as a GT350.

 

[sk47]

It boils down to being honest with yourself about why you want it.

It is not, and never will be an actual financial investment if you actually want to drive it.

It needs to be a nearly brand new 350R to actually appreciate, and you cannot drive it, and at best it will match inflation.

People get way too hung up on age. The most desirable cars these days, are old cars. Especially in the enthusiast community.

What matters more is how it was cared for.

If you want to just have fun driving and can afford it, get it checked out and given a clean BOH, make a deal and buy. Forget the money. If you can’t forget it, I’d suggest trying to change your mindset before buying. Granted, that’s not easy.

People ask me how much my GT500 has appreciated more than I ever expected. I tell them it hasn’t. They are always shocked for some reason, and I have to explain that I actually drive it because it’s so much damn fun which is the whole point. The investment is in the day to day, the smiles, people you meet, and general mental health. My financial retirement is not dependent on, or affected by the car.

My 0.2.

I couldn’t justify the cost of replacing a voodoo,

Hello; Back around 2017 I offered a dealer $50K for a 2016 GT350. I was turned down. I do not know what it sold for a few weeks later. As time has passed it is hard to know if the having of that car would have been a good financial decision. Going by base numbers it would appear so. A thing which might skew the financial advantage is the inflation which has become the norm.
Around 2020 i had a deal for a base GT with a manual trans out the door for right at $30K. The car was a leftover previous model. The last two weeks I have been negotiating on a base Gt with a manual 2025 model. They wanted $46,700 OTD at first. I think they will take away $1500 of dealer add on stuff. (Ceramic wax, scotch fabric coating & window tint) but nothing in writing on that. The point being a 2016 GT350 at $50 K in 2016 dollars is not the same as in 2025 dollars. Inflation has been a fact of life for many decades. Back in 1970 a Chevy Camaro SS could be had for $4,000. Not sure if recent inflation was the worst but sure seems so.

The thing that tips the scale is the cost of fixing a ten-year-old hot rod. As Adr2600 pointed out. I rebuilt a 1963 Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 back in the later 1980's. I spent more on parts than I paid for the car over about four years. Had to sell it and maybe got less than half the money back & not a dime for the labor.

 

[lfunk11]

First, you can get a warranty on a used GT350. Second, what do you want to do with the car? If it is going to be a daily driver and you are concerned about maintenance costs, then maybe the new Darkhorse is a better option. People do daily the GT350s, and I have seen people post theirs with over 100K miles. The car is not like an exotic supercar and fragile, it is still a Mustang at heart and meant to be driven.

If you want a fun weekend car that will hold some value (better than a Darkhorse), then go for it. Look at the cost of a '13-'14 GT500, they sometimes are more than a GT350 so these cars can hold value to a degree. For me, the engine is special and the exhaust note is hard to beat in this price range. I have always loved the S550 Mustang styling, so the extra Shelby touch really makes them stand out. I know they are not rare, but I rarely see one out on the road. Oh yeah, the smooth manual transmission

I bought mine knowing some of the potential issues, but I am treating it like a factory race car. Race cars break, so I can afford to replace the engine if it ever came to that (knocking on every piece of wood I can find!). I have always wanted a Shelby so this car is staying with me for a long time.

One of your other comments on therapy is valid. I lost my wife in late 2024 to cancer, and this car has been the best form of therapy. Winter is going to suck, but I plan to hang out in the garage more and do some mods to spend some time with the car lol.

 

[MAGS1]

I appreciate your thoughts. I agree, the most desirable cars these days are old cars. Or, in this case, older cars. It could be a personal preference/comfort level re buying a new Dark Horse HP for $75k fully warrantied or a used 2020 GT350 for the same price yet funding repairs out of pocket. I opine that one wouldn't get the same satisfaction with the Dark Horse. And, re, mental health, these cars (whether it is a GT, Mach 1, GT350, GT500, Bullitt etc.) do wonders in this area. My neighbors probably think I go to the grocery store a lot in my M1. But no, I am just out getting "therapy." Sometimes multiple times per day!

Thomas made some great points. There seems to be a floor on the prices of the 350’s, assuming it’s clean with no accidents and no major mods.

I’ve had the opportunity to drive the Dark Horse HP, it’s a phenomenal car. Different from a 350/R (it’s heavier, doesn’t have the sound of the Voodoo), but the HP with the Trofeo tires sticks to the road quite nicely. As mentioned, your major repair item on the 350 is the Voodoo. They’re not making that motor anymore so they’re tough to come by. If something were to happen, you’d more than likely be looking at a rebuild vs replacement. The DH is pricey, but what new car isn’t these days. 500hp NA V8 that you can get in a manual (the Tremec, not the MT82), there’s not many options out there for something like that brand new. Lightly used will save you some coin too.

The 350/R is more raw than the DH, it’s lighter and more nimble. And as some others mentioned, your Mach has a lot of the good parts from the GT350 and GT500.

I think it comes down to what you really want. They’re all a little different and honestly, price/value is an individual opinion. I personally feel the GT350/R, GT500, Mach 1 and DH are all worth their current prices (for varying reasons). No wrong decision with what you’re weighing, I would opine that the GT350 is a little more analog compared to your Mach (which I like, others may not).

 

[GTP]

I'm out at breakfast in my Mustang this very minute because of a spat with the wife.

And it's raining.

So, yeah.

 

[wingnutt]

While I cannot answer your question, I CAN provide you the list of parts needed in the 78k miles of driving my 2016 350R, which has been out of warranty now for almost five years…

One Shifter
2 Splitters
One Starter
a Hi psi ac line
One Battery
One Water pump
Four sets of tires
and one clutch

 

[OldbutNew]

Doug, I say go for it.
I think the multiple owner situation is common among high-performance cars. Let's be honest, at the Bullit / Mach / PP1 level and UP, these cars are toys. They are opportunity meeting motive and discretionary income. Sometimes, the new owner finds out the limitations of the car post-purchase and sells it while it's still low miles and getting top dollar. Maybe they know they can buy it, drive it for a few months, and turn it for break-even or more. The next guy sees an opportunity to get one a little cheaper, or his dealer can't get him one, and then THEY figure out the car is not for them, or a situation comes up where they need to recoup that discretionary dollar. (My buddy sold his 350R to pay medical bills)
While I would LOVE to find a 350, at the price I was willing to spend, they're beat to crap. As a retired guy, a GT500 would indicate I have either hit the lotto or lost my mind. I was looking for a Mach when I found my current car. It's a Tremec shy of a Mach, (PP1, Magneride, active exh) and I saved 5 figures compared to a Mach. It was super-low miles and the Marti Reports says it's kind of a unicorn. So what? I want to DRIVE THE CAR. I am aware of the resale equation, and I will do what I can to preserve and and maintain the car, but I know better than to call it an investment.
The GT350 is an outstanding driver's car. There will always be a demand for that. I think the value floor is approaching. Buy the car right, maintain it, what ever money you lose was spent on entertainment.

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