Why are there so many low milelage used GT350's for sale?

The wife has been looking with me for a used GT350. There seems to be a lot out there with under 5,000 miles on them some with less than 2,500 miles. Her question is "What's wrong with it?" Why purchase a car and own it for less than two years and only put a couple of thousand miles on it and sell it? I don't have an answer for her.

Because many (most) GT350s, especially the R, are not daily drivers and are just for weekend or occassional use... they’re 2nd or 3rd (or 4th etc) car in a household, well most are. Nothing wrong with this. Plus the ones in the winter/snow states are usually tucked away most of the time.

Its called a weekend car or a garage ornament. People will argue with me, but I don't think you buy this car as a daily driver, even though some have.

Nothing wrong with the car at all. People keep the miles off and it realizes a greater trade in value. There are some that traded in and got all their money back, some almost. I was one of the guys who just about got my money back on a trade in towards an R.

Not many cars do that. These days, the trade in values have been in the mid to high 40's and low 50's for a standard 350.

I wouldn't buy one of these cars used unless I knew who had it and how it was cared for. You wouldn't want one of these cars it was beat on and not cared for.

I originally bought my Ford's "most track ready Mustang ever" as a daily driver in 2015. It was OUTSTANDING for the almost 2 years I owned it... until I hit the track as a 1st timer and it went into limp mode!

No fear... I traded it in for an R... which is now my weekend "fun" car.

If I had space for both... I would NOT have sold/traded in my 2016 Tech Pack GT350 as it never had any issue what so ever on the street and it would still be my daily.

I daily drive my tech car. Track it too. Trans swap next week. I'm retires so daily doesn't mean the same to me as it would to some people. Still drive it every chance I get.

I think a lot of people bought this car with no idea of what it really is...and what it isn't. It is not an on-off boost bomb. They are ok, my Audi SQ5 is one - but not for my toy. It is not a N/A low RPM torque specialist small block push rod motor that starts to loose steam at 5500 RPM. It is a very unique canyon carver, twisty road specialist, serious road track special which punches far above its weight (price wise) and can take out far more expensive cars like Audi R8s and Porsche GT3s when properly driven. What it is, is a very possible contender for one of the best American small block V8s made, a unique application of flat plane design in this country, combined with incredible handling. Ford gets kudos for doing that, and likely this is the only car that will have that engine. I don't think many people who originally bought it really understood that - buying it perhaps because of its styling, basic utility which far exceeds Camaro, and the most incredible exhaust sound you will find this side of $200k cars. So, they sold it.

And, there are a lot of people who are always looking for the next new car, and hop in and out of cars like a flu sufferer works through a Kleenex box. They must be richer than me or perhaps they love to have never ending high car payments?

Here is what I know. I had 9 Vettes over 40 years, including two ZR1s, and 3 Z06's - and I wanted something very different. I modified most of them, and most saw some track time. Wanted something different.
First Ford, first Shelby for me. I like this car because it has a presence, an attitude, a bit of a "finger in the eye" approach. I can't go anywhere in it where I don't get thumbs up, wide-eyed stares, whatever. I bought this for ME, no one else, but the reactions are interesting. As far as I know, there are only 3 or 4 of these near where I live. A recent oil change at the local good sized Ford dealership had 5 of their shop guys around the car. It does that.

Now, I will disagree somewhat with those that say you can ONLY enjoy this car on the track - IMHO depends where you live. Where I used to live in Northern Va, not a lot of places to "exercise." Where I live now, lots of two lane curvy roads that can still be driven reasonably and sanely and feel a bit what this car can do. And I have a road course track (1.8 mile more technical) 40 minutes from me. Daytona is 90 minutes away, but although I have had a lot of track time in my past - now being in my mid-sixties, I do not think it wise for me to do that track, we will see.

Now, that said, I did decide to do a little bit to move the onset of torque down a few hundred RPM, and add some torque and HP plus get rid of the "lazy" drive by wire throttle response which most new performance cars have. Engineers working with lawyers and warranty types I guess to prevent overly hormonal younger males from themselves. Car now feels much more "chippy" and even more "attitudinal" than before.

But that is the subject of another post I will start.

My advice, buy it. But as the sage advice offered previously, if buying used, be very careful. I bought mine new and followed break-in plus flushed oil at 1100 miles. Oil was clean, Blackstone analysis was thumbs-up, so I went ahead and did a few things. The vast majority of these engines are fine.

Thats a good question. For a car that had/has such a great hype about it and reviewed so well by enthusiast, The market seems to be flooded with them with low miles. Its weird and i only imagine it getting worst now that the GT500 has been confirmed for next year.

17RubyShelbyGT350 said:

Daytona is 90 minutes away, but although I have had a lot of track time in my past - now being in my mid-sixties, I do not think it wise for me to do that track, we will see.

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The Audi Club has an HPDE event the first week of December each year. Daytona is a lot of fun and I would be happy to assist you if you choose to give it a shot.

As being one of those owners, I can tell you I knew what the car was and bought it to enjoy the car for what it was made for. I have a truck and a take home work car so not a DD for me. That being said, I have come to realize the cost vs use is out of whack for me. Between note and insurance that’s $1,300 a month that I spend on a toy that is way underutilized for it’s design.
I’m having a hard time justifying the $1,300 a month for a car that is driven 5-7 days a month. I’m going to sell the car and wait a year and maybe get a Bullitt which would be more inline with what I would use it for.
Believe me, I absolutely love the car and I drive the car to its limits when I can but I guess it’s more car than I need to enjoy the thrill of driving.
Not sure if that makes sense.

Mine's a DD, I love the style, sound, ride, and everything about it.

I too bought the car knowing what it is and look forward to every time I drive it. I work 30 miles from my job and my Honda Crosstour is much more fuel efficient and comfortable in my nearly three hour total daily commute. Previous owner only put close to 5k miles in a little more than a year and traded the car in pristine condition on an R. I have had it seven months and only put about 3k on it so it is mainly a good light traffic work day, nice night ride, go to car shows, weekend car. Have no intention of trading it and enjoy the hell out of the car but my car would similarly fall into the low mileage, lightly used category.

EDIT: I do plan on driving it more when the weather gets better; maybe even go to a track event or two. Definitely will be hanging with a few of my car buddies more.

Mine is a 50% DD. I’ve had mine for almost 8 months and have 6,500 miles on it. I love this car. I smile every time I get in it.

Thanks for the responses. I live in the Pacific North West so a lot of the dealers here are still trying to get $10,000 ADM's on left over 17's so I'm looking for a used one. Car will be driven 3 to 4 days a week but most likely not tracked so a '16 Tech Pack will be what I look for.

482supersnake said:

Thanks for the responses. I live in the Pacific North West so a lot of the dealers here are still trying to get $10,000 ADM's on left over 17's so I'm looking for a used one. Car will be driven 3 to 4 days a week but most likely not tracked so a '16 Tech Pack will be what I look for.

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A bit of advice.......

You don't have to buy your car from your local car dealer. Pickup the phone and start calling around the country. It has gotten to the point that the non R is going for MSRP or less. Call it a road trip.

482supersnake said:

Thanks for the responses. I live in the Pacific North West so a lot of the dealers here are still trying to get $10,000 ADM's on left over 17's so I'm looking for a used one. Car will be driven 3 to 4 days a week but most likely not tracked so a '16 Tech Pack will be what I look for.

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I bought my 2017 for $1k under MSRP from Minnesota. I also traded in my 2014 Raptor. We did everything over text and fedex. They gave me $5k more for my trade and were $5,500 cheaper than any local dealer. They even hooked me up with a sweet deal to have my trade shipped to them and the GT350 shipped back to me.