2019 ZL1 is 3,883 pounds--I was surprised today..........

[Hack]

I first have to say, the GT500 IS A BEAST for sure, with that out of the way, Lebanon does in deed have a good performance "racket" going on there offering either Whipple or Roush supercharged base Mustang GTs or F150s for $40k, another dealer in that area called Beechmont Ford also offers those same packages, always an option for those that can't quite swing the 80k-110k MSRPs for the GT500.

I've seen some driving reviews of the Lebanon Ford offerings and they are all wheel spin. The review basically goes like this: driver steps on the gas pedal, car revs for a second, ECU pulls power to prevent wheel spin.

Then those cars don't have a beefed up drive train, so if you put super sticky tires on them you are taking a chance on breaking drive axles, rear diff, burning the clutch, transmission problems, etc.

I don't think a whipple GT or Roush GT is even close to a fair comparison with the GT500. They are a bargain for HP/$, but they aren't set up nearly as completely as the GT500.

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[shogun32]

They are a bargain for HP/$, but they aren't set up nearly as completely as the GT500

well of course. But 10 grand to finish the build is still miles ahead of the GT500 price point and availability to own. There are plenty of folk who like to brag about having a blower and occasionally show off their investment but are hopelessly ignorant as to how incomplete their purchase was from a holistic package that will survive earnest use.

Lebanon et. al. will happily advise the purchaser of additional mods that really need to be done. All one needs is some more money.

 

[cosmic charlie]

I've seen some driving reviews of the Lebanon Ford offerings and they are all wheel spin. The review basically goes like this: driver steps on the gas pedal, car revs for a second, ECU pulls power to prevent wheel spin.

Then those cars don't have a beefed up drive train, so if you put super sticky tires on them you are taking a chance on breaking drive axles, rear diff, burning the clutch, transmission problems, etc.

I don't think a whipple GT or Roush GT is even close to a fair comparison with the GT500. They are a bargain for HP/$, but they aren't set up nearly as completely as the GT500.

Like I said before.

Sure you can put a whipple on a stock GT and end up with 800 hp. If you want to be able to actually use the 800 hp it is going to cost you more. If you want to take turns and stop fast that is going to cost more. If you don't want everything to overheat in 10 minutes that will cost more. Bottom line is if you really want a GT that is in the same conversation as the GT 500 it will cost you at least the same. On the other hand if you are not a DCT fan it isn't a bad way to go.

 

[1MEAN18]

I've seen some driving reviews of the Lebanon Ford offerings and they are all wheel spin. The review basically goes like this: driver steps on the gas pedal, car revs for a second, ECU pulls power to prevent wheel spin.

Then those cars don't have a beefed up drive train, so if you put super sticky tires on them you are taking a chance on breaking drive axles, rear diff, burning the clutch, transmission problems, etc.

I don't think a whipple GT or Roush GT is even close to a fair comparison with the GT500. They are a bargain for HP/$, but they aren't set up nearly as completely as the GT500.

Everyone knows these cars don't come with a great factory 1/2 shaft or suspension...you gotta throw some money at that, like I did to get my GT to really put down the power. Mine went a best of 11.15 @ 124 n/a and it started out at 12.5 @ 117 and that's before I put on the cf driveshaft and front runners, she's likely a super high 10 second car now in good DA. A Lebanon Ford set up with the several grand thrown at it on a drag radial is a 9 second car...for well under $50k. I guess people hate going fast for less...I dunno. I have a little less than $50k total in my whole car as it sits. And even though I like new GT500, its not gonna rocket away from me at a stop light or ever get out of my sight on a normal highway here in Ohio. So I feel like I'm a winner too if you wanna talk about cash spent for the performance we bought.

 

[obspsd]

Everyone knows these cars don't come with a great factory 1/2 shaft or suspension...you gotta throw some money at that, like I did to get my GT to really put down the power. Mine went a best of 11.15 @ 124 n/a and it started out at 12.5 @ 117 and that's before I put on the cf driveshaft and front runners, she's likely a super high 10 second car now in good DA. A Lebanon Ford set up with the several grand thrown at it on a drag radial is a 9 second car...for well under $50k. I guess people hate going fast for less...I dunno. I have a little less than $50k total in my whole car as it sits. And even though I like new GT500, its not gonna rocket away from me at a stop light or ever get out of my sight on a normal highway here in Ohio. So I feel like I'm a winner too if you wanna talk about cash spent for the performance we bought.

A car (GT500) can still be in your sight a mile ahead of you.

 

[1MEAN18]

A car (GT500) can still be in your sight a mile ahead of you.

I see what you did there...

 

[nastang87xx]

I've seen some driving reviews of the Lebanon Ford offerings and they are all wheel spin. The review basically goes like this: driver steps on the gas pedal, car revs for a second, ECU pulls power to prevent wheel spin.

Then those cars don't have a beefed up drive train, so if you put super sticky tires on them you are taking a chance on breaking drive axles, rear diff, burning the clutch, transmission problems, etc.

I don't think a whipple GT or Roush GT is even close to a fair comparison with the GT500. They are a bargain for HP/$, but they aren't set up nearly as completely as the GT500.

All season tires too...yeah that Lebenon Ford packaging is a joke. Unless you know EXACTLY why you're buying one, terrible decision.

The 500 is a complete package that has OEM backing. Sure there's ways of going fast for cheaper but take that's a decision that one needs to make. A complete well thought out package from an OEM has some real meaning nowadays. This isn't the 1970's anymore. I hate that mentality. Rotting tires, performance packages consisting of stripes only...these ideologies that people continue to hold on to are beyond archaic. Ford has millions invested into the design of these vehicles and joe schmo who thinks he can outengineer that is just pure comedy especially when he comes onto the internet.

 

[Hack]

Lebanon Ford. Warranted and on pump 93. And in full street atire, they trap 140 with drag radials and suspension in otherwise stock form...and that's with Whipple's tuning, which wouldn't hold a candle to other known names in the game. For $40k. About as valid a comparison I anyone on this forum could ever make.

3 year 36 versus the GT500 5 year 60,000 warranty. Cheaper and everything about it is a little less than what you get with a GT500.

Like I said before.

Yes and you said it very well. And no matter how many times it's said, some people don't seem to get it.

Everyone knows these cars don't come with a great factory 1/2 shaft or suspension...you gotta throw some money at that, like I did to get my GT to really put down the power. Mine went a best of 11.15 @ 124 n/a and it started out at 12.5 @ 117 and that's before I put on the cf driveshaft and front runners, she's likely a super high 10 second car now in good DA. A Lebanon Ford set up with the several grand thrown at it on a drag radial is a 9 second car...for well under $50k. I guess people hate going fast for less...I dunno. I have a little less than $50k total in my whole car as it sits. And even though I like new GT500, its not gonna rocket away from me at a stop light or ever get out of my sight on a normal highway here in Ohio. So I feel like I'm a winner too if you wanna talk about cash spent for the performance we bought.

You got what you wanted. I'm not saying it's bad, but it's nowhere near a GT500 in many ways. If you wanted drag plus road course it would be a lot tougher to feel as though you got something close in performance to the GT500.

 

[shogun32]

All season tires too...yeah that Lebenon Ford packaging is a joke.

not to totally derail the thread, but base GT (MSRP 41K 36K) + Supercharger (7.7K parts) + labor (12hrs = 1.2K+, claimed by Rousch) = 50K 45K. Being sold for $40K (+ sales tax and?) but in broad strokes that's a 20% 10% discount. The vast majority of Mustang buyers can't even negotiate the dealer to sell the base GT to them for 10% off MSRP let alone 20.

Is it a turn-key drag racing car that can put up respectable numbers? Hell no. But it's a very good deal as a starting point and comes with a drivetrain warranty.

Edit: I had mistakenly used GT+PP1 as the starting point.

 

[nastang87xx]

Is it a turn-key drag racing car? Hell no. But it's a very good deal on a starting point.

Hence my next point:

"Unless you know EXACTLY why you're buying one, terrible decision."

 

[Jmtoast]

Ill be at Lebanon , ford on Wednesday ill inquire if that warranting a whippled GT is normal for them.

They just released a video that said whipple's warranty and tune is so horrible they won't mess with either anymore. They're instead custom tuning whipples and if anything breaks they personally will cover it.

 

[nastang87xx]

I have no clue how they're mkaing money on those packages. I'm assuming from service or something. They've got to be barely breaking even on invoice after the car walks out the door.

 

[Jmtoast]

I admire Ford's engineers for doing what they did with the GT500 and make it handle. God Bless America for giving us amazing options with the GT350/500, ZL1/1LE, Challenger and Charger 392/Hellcats etc.

Considering this is a ZL1 vs GT500 thread. I am going to stick with my 6MT, 3853LB, Alpha Chassis ZL1 1LE.

Pics below to ensure that it's real -




Shamless Plug for my IG Page: @red_fury_zle

They've always looked good on the outside (little too Euro but I would have lived with it) but that coffin inside was what drove me to my first Ford after having owned many chevy's including a Camaro and TA. Pissed me off when I got in that thing.

Btw, GT500 wrecks everything.

 

[shogun32]

"Unless you know EXACTLY why you're buying one, terrible decision."

How so? There are legions of people who put a blower on a Mustang without any rational basis beyond "I want to and my friends will think it's cool" or mindless bragging rights at the local coffee for having 700HP in a desperate plea for "look at me!". Find any other 'dealership' or speed shop that will provide the convenience of 1-stop shopping and has done so many they could do it blind-folded and one hand behind their back for the stated price. I suspect you'll be looking for a long while.

I have no clue how they're mkaing money on those packages.

Clearly they are better at business than you. 25-30% margin (cost of goods vs MSRP) is common (eg. my cost of motorcycle suspension parts is 25% under and I'm not even an official dealer) and 40% is not exactly unheard of.

If they make less than 10% but turn over enough of them then it's worthwhile. Or perhaps the intangible value of PR is worth it even if only breaking "even".

 

[1mic]

I admire Ford's engineers for doing what they did with the GT500 and make it handle. God Bless America for giving us amazing options with the GT350/500, ZL1/1LE, Challenger and Charger 392/Hellcats etc.

Considering this is a ZL1 vs GT500 thread. I am going to stick with my 6MT, 3853LB, Alpha Chassis ZL1 1LE.

Pics below to ensure that it's real -




Shamless Plug for my IG Page: @red_fury_zle

The zl1 1le is an amazing machine, I've seen how quick the regular zl1 is, it beats gt350r and corvette gs without a sweat. Icing on the cake is it comes in a manual.
Fords and mustangs are what I like, and it's sad gm killed the camaro off with shitty exterior design decisions. Guess what happens when there is no competition? We may be back to the 2005 days of crappy 3v mustangs. Days where a 10hp bump or minimal changes happened, 2005-2010.

Also people are expecting the c8 to be a home run, it already is considering this is their first attempt at making a production mid engine vette.
Cannot compare the new gt500 which has had revisions and tweaks since 2015 to a c8 which has been barely worked on for what maybe 2 years? The c8 is just coming out so there is no where to build off of until they get these cars out, THEN we will see what team corvette can do.

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