rush0024
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 400
- Reaction score
- 587
- Location
- Shelbyville KY
- Vehicle(s)
- 2020 GT350R in Iconic Silver
- Thread starter
- #1
Hello all. New to the forum and this is my first post. I'm looking to buy a GT350R at some point soon, but I have a lot of questions and concerns before I actually pull the trigger.
I'll say right off the bat that I'm viewing the R as an long term investment and that is part of the reason why I've chosen this car. I believe the R's have a good chance to be a collector car in 20+ years. This doesn't necessary mean I will for sure sell in 20 years if it does. I could decide to keep it forever. But it would be nice to have that option. What are the other reasons? Well, obviously the car is special. I was hooked the moment I laid eyes on one in person. I've always been a naturally aspirated engine kind of guy, as well as a manual gearbox guy. I also love track focused cars. I do plan on tracking it at some point, but it will not be often.
Engine: Let's get this one out of the as it is the biggest concern for me. I've done a lot of research and know about the engine failures. At first I wasn't that concerned, a small percentage of ALL performance cars are going to fail, but it seems that this particular car has a lot more blown engines cases then most. It seems it's a combination of the unique high revving engine that requires an high level of care and knowledge to operate, as well as some bad parts such as the valves. This has been the best source of information (numbers wise) for engine failures https://overrunautomotive.com/articles/gt350-engine-failure-by-the-numbers/#comment-15. But it was published in October 2019, and there wasn't much information out at the time for the 2019 and 2020 models.
My question is, how are the Gen2 engines in the 2019 and 2020 holding up in comparison to the 2016-2018 models? Should I be focusing only on the 2019 or 2020 cars?
As I said earlier, I do plan on this being an investment long term, and I do not plan on putting a ton of miles of the car. Drive once or twice a week on a nice day. Take to car shows. No long distance trips. Track on occasion. If the engine blows, I do worry about it effecting the value of the car long term as it won't be numbers matching.
I'm aware of the oil consumption, and I would definitely check that shit every time I drive it. I'm also aware of the of letting the car warm up (190 degrees) before opening it up.
Idling: I've read a few places that letting the car idling to warm up is not great, and it's best to drive the car a low rpms to warm up. Is this true? I've heard some engines have actually failed during idle.
Cruising speeds: Let's say I did take it on the highway for a longer trip, what would you guys recommend for gear and rpm cruising speeds?
Other tips: Any other tips I should know about what to do or not to do when driving the GT350R, whether it be a cruise or high RPM's?
Warranty: I already plan on purchasing a extended warranty for the car. How long does an extended usually last for and how much are they? Is there ever a point when Ford would no longer allow a warranty to be extended on the car?
Oil change and equipment: I live in a small town in Kentucky. There is one Ford dealer in town, but I would be very worried about taking my car there for routine maintenance. I've never really done oil changes at home before. Guess I could start, but I would need to get the jacks and all the equipment to do that. Any recommendations? My garage is not very tall, so getting a full lift is not an option. Also, could Ford try to deny coverage for a blown engine if I do my own oil changes? Is the Motorcraft 5W-50 the best oil to use for road use? Will using a different oil void the factory warranty?
Driveway: So I know the regular GT350s are prone to scrape. I'm sure the R is even worse. My driveway doesn't have a curb, but the entrance does sit at the top of a small hill, so there is an immediate decline from the street. I'll post a pic tonight. Outside of repaving to level it out some, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on this one outside of using an angle to turn in?
Rocks: Is it better to use splash guards or to just go with PPF to protect the side of the car from rocks? Or should I not worry to much about it?
This really seems like a great community. Thanks in advance for your help. I really want to be as knowledgeable as possible before buying an R. If I missed anything that an a R owner should know, please let me know.
I'll say right off the bat that I'm viewing the R as an long term investment and that is part of the reason why I've chosen this car. I believe the R's have a good chance to be a collector car in 20+ years. This doesn't necessary mean I will for sure sell in 20 years if it does. I could decide to keep it forever. But it would be nice to have that option. What are the other reasons? Well, obviously the car is special. I was hooked the moment I laid eyes on one in person. I've always been a naturally aspirated engine kind of guy, as well as a manual gearbox guy. I also love track focused cars. I do plan on tracking it at some point, but it will not be often.
Engine: Let's get this one out of the as it is the biggest concern for me. I've done a lot of research and know about the engine failures. At first I wasn't that concerned, a small percentage of ALL performance cars are going to fail, but it seems that this particular car has a lot more blown engines cases then most. It seems it's a combination of the unique high revving engine that requires an high level of care and knowledge to operate, as well as some bad parts such as the valves. This has been the best source of information (numbers wise) for engine failures https://overrunautomotive.com/articles/gt350-engine-failure-by-the-numbers/#comment-15. But it was published in October 2019, and there wasn't much information out at the time for the 2019 and 2020 models.
My question is, how are the Gen2 engines in the 2019 and 2020 holding up in comparison to the 2016-2018 models? Should I be focusing only on the 2019 or 2020 cars?
As I said earlier, I do plan on this being an investment long term, and I do not plan on putting a ton of miles of the car. Drive once or twice a week on a nice day. Take to car shows. No long distance trips. Track on occasion. If the engine blows, I do worry about it effecting the value of the car long term as it won't be numbers matching.
I'm aware of the oil consumption, and I would definitely check that shit every time I drive it. I'm also aware of the of letting the car warm up (190 degrees) before opening it up.
Idling: I've read a few places that letting the car idling to warm up is not great, and it's best to drive the car a low rpms to warm up. Is this true? I've heard some engines have actually failed during idle.
Cruising speeds: Let's say I did take it on the highway for a longer trip, what would you guys recommend for gear and rpm cruising speeds?
Other tips: Any other tips I should know about what to do or not to do when driving the GT350R, whether it be a cruise or high RPM's?
Warranty: I already plan on purchasing a extended warranty for the car. How long does an extended usually last for and how much are they? Is there ever a point when Ford would no longer allow a warranty to be extended on the car?
Oil change and equipment: I live in a small town in Kentucky. There is one Ford dealer in town, but I would be very worried about taking my car there for routine maintenance. I've never really done oil changes at home before. Guess I could start, but I would need to get the jacks and all the equipment to do that. Any recommendations? My garage is not very tall, so getting a full lift is not an option. Also, could Ford try to deny coverage for a blown engine if I do my own oil changes? Is the Motorcraft 5W-50 the best oil to use for road use? Will using a different oil void the factory warranty?
Driveway: So I know the regular GT350s are prone to scrape. I'm sure the R is even worse. My driveway doesn't have a curb, but the entrance does sit at the top of a small hill, so there is an immediate decline from the street. I'll post a pic tonight. Outside of repaving to level it out some, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on this one outside of using an angle to turn in?
Rocks: Is it better to use splash guards or to just go with PPF to protect the side of the car from rocks? Or should I not worry to much about it?
This really seems like a great community. Thanks in advance for your help. I really want to be as knowledgeable as possible before buying an R. If I missed anything that an a R owner should know, please let me know.
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