Poll: Is a GT500 an upgrade over a GT350?

[Ninjak]

I will say the Gt350/R's were incredible machines. They were something new Ford wanted to try, and they nearly succeeded. You can discount the fact that the 5.2 Voodoo engine is a "hit or miss". I loved my GT350, I loved the sound, I loved shifting in the 8k range. I loved everything about it until it put number 7 through the block at 75Mph. Then I absolutely hated the fight I had to have to have the engine replaced. Yes, it worked out in the end, but this was the reason that when I went to look for another vehicle with a man-pedal, my initial thought was to buy another GT350. Then I came home and looked through my GT350 files, and decided...um no. Not trying to do that again.

I know owners who have not had any issues, but they all have told me it is not top of mind. I personally did not want that in another vehicle. Especially if I was going to pay 70~90k, which is what a lot of lower mileage GEN1 Voodoos are going for. There are a sprinkle of GEN2 Voodoo's out there, but heh, the prices are stiff, which also boils down to how well received the GT350s are.

In the end, and I answered this, I still feel the GT500 is an upgrade from the GT350. This is not to say the GT350 is not a great piece of Ford machinery. The GT500 is also a great vehicle, and the upcoming DHSC will be even better. That is what evolution is. It is as it should be.

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[Hack]

I didn't answer the poll because I have never owned or even driven a GT500. I usually dislike cars that don't have a manual transmission, but how can I be 100% sure without owning it and driving it regularly both on the street and on track? I always think every car I've driven could use more power, but based on reviews, it's possible the GT500 would be an exception.

My choice is a lowly, older S550. I think it's an upgrade because it leaves me more spending money for other things. Consumables are relatively inexpensive too.

The upgrade thing is a very gray area. We all saw the Mach 1 has lapped faster than the GT350 in at least one comparison. And even new they were slightly less expensive. So everyone is going to have different views on how important the cool exterior body changes and exclusivity of the GT350 are and what they mean for desirability. Some people probably prefer a sticker on the hood and a Coyote over the GT350 front end and a Voodoo.

Who am I to say they are wrong?

 

[wingnutt]

Who am I to say they are wrong?

Al Bundy would like to have a word with you…

 

[Mikepol2]

Just did an Autotrader search within 200 miles of my zip code for 2016 and newer Mustangs and found the following cars available:

48 Dark Horses
33 GT500's
17 GT350's
16 Mach 1's
2 GT350R's

The R's definitely are hard to come by.

 

[TonyNJ]

I didn't answer the poll because I have never owned or even driven a GT500. I usually dislike cars that don't have a manual transmission, but how can I be 100% sure without owning it and driving it regularly both on the street and on track? I always think every car I've driven could use more power, but based on reviews, it's possible the GT500 would be an exception.

My choice is a lowly, older S550. I think it's an upgrade because it leaves me more spending money for other things. Consumables are relatively inexpensive too.

The upgrade thing is a very gray area.

Who am I to say they are wrong?

Your post is fair and thoughtful.

I own two of each, and do not consider the GT500 an upgrade, all things considered. For every arguable "upgrade ", like power, there is a trade off, like weight. The GT500 isn't a downgrade either. It's different.

As for the comment about your lowly, older S550... my favorite car of the four in the garage is the oldest one with the least bells and whistles. It feels the most "special" when driving it.

The arguments about which is the upgrade is very subjective. But for someone with both, I stand firmly on the "Not an upgrade" side because to me, the upgrade shouldn't be a more expensive, less enjoyable version.

 

[TonyNJ]

Just did an Autotrader search within 200 miles of my zip code for 2016 and newer Mustangs and found the following cars available:

48 Dark Horses
33 GT500's
17 GT350's
16 Mach 1's
2 GT350R's

The R's definitely are hard to come by.

I think people move on from the GT500s because they're expensive to operate. Especially with the gas prices lately. That's why mine have been getting driven less lately anyway.

 

[mabcim]

I think people move on from the GT500s because they're expensive to operate. Especially with the gas prices lately. That's why mine have been getting driven less lately anyway.

A lot of them I see are very low miles. So low, it is almost like they drove them home and parked them. Seems most might have been dealer owners would bought and stored them. Probably moving on to DarkHorse SC or GTDs.

 

[Whitedevil95]

The last paragraph has some misinformation. Ferrari and most all fpcs have excessive vibration as well and they deal with it via engine mounts that mitigate it. Ferrari design fpcs as such from inception. Also their crank is 0,180,180,0 like 2 I4s vs Voodoo’s 0,180,0,180 to stick with a single intake for F/R engine packaging. And, Ford pushed things more with a 5.2 vs Ferrari’s typical <4.5L.

Regarding investments and illusions of value, well, I bought my 350 to drive, hence the 6 yr extended warranty, and the market determines value, illusory or no. The 350 is/has/will out value the Mach 1, that just wasn’t my concern at all.

My final argument is that Patrick Henry and most of the Founding Fathers were not safe, and rational, they were visionaries reaching for something heretofore only successful millennia prior - a Democratic Republic of, by, and for the people. The rational folks mostly sided with the Crown because that was the far safer and more rational play.

Gets mad about me making fun of VooDoos exploding and burning oil... gets a 6 year extended warranty for when his engine blows up

 

[geep81]

engine that doesn't make any torque down low. The slow shifting manual that costs you time at every gear change.

See, you just named two of the best things about the car to me.

 

[geep81]

gets a 6 year extended warranty for when his engine blows up

You're trying too hard there I'd say. It's a Ford product. You get middle of the pack reliability at best here.

Lots of shit go wrong on these Fords, I'd have been a lot smarter if I bought the extended warranty in hindsight. I'd have more money that's for sure.

 

[Whitedevil95]

You're trying too hard there I'd say. It's a Ford product. You get middle of the pack reliability at best here.

Lots of shit go wrong on these Fords, I'd have been a lot smarter if I bought the extended warranty in hindsight. I'd have more money that's for sure.

Spend 10 min going through the 350 forum and about 1/3 of the posts are about where to get the warranty so you dont have to pay 25k to get your motor repaced.

 

[geep81]

Spend 10 min going through the 350 forum and about 1/3 of the posts are about where to get the warranty so you dont have to pay 25k to get your motor repaced.

This forum is filled with people asking where to get extended warranty for their Mustang.

I went to the GT350 forum just for fun and didn't see one mention of warranty on the first 3 pages of recent posts. Maybe there is a different GT350 forum.

 

[Whitedevil95]

This forum is filled with people asking where to get extended warranty for their Mustang.

I went to the GT350 forum just for fun and didn't see one mention of warranty on the first 3 pages of recent posts. Maybe there is a different GT350 forum.

I spent several months there researching daily as I made my decision between the two cars. I saw constant discussions about it. You can deflect but we all know the reason he got the extra warranty was because of the ticking time bomb under the hood.

 

[geep81]

You can deflect but we all know the reason he got the extra warranty was because of the ticking time bomb under the hood.

Sounds like maybe a bit of projection.
You fear it so you think everyone does.
Because you, like me, got it all figured out because we read forums a lot.
When really I just wanted to not pay $3700 to replace my steering rack.

 

[wingnutt]

I spent several months there researching daily as I made my decision between the two cars. I saw constant discussions about it. You can deflect but we all know the reason he got the extra warranty was because of the ticking time bomb under the hood.

ah yes, THERE it is…it’s usually those that don’t have/didn’t get that are the loudest about how awful the voodoo is


anywhoo, looks like the NO votes have the edge as of 3pm CST

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