Advice/opinions = GT 350 VS. GT 350R

[I am Jeff]

Thank you.

Question I have for you is it sounds like you had a loaded gt 350 base like I currently have. Do you regret giving up some of the creature comforts that are in the base gt 350 for the performance of the R ?

Absolutely ZERO regrets! That is also taking into consideration the increase in cost. Like JR369 had mentioned, I also like my cars to be special. The smile was on my face the whole ride home. The car has been home with me for 3 weeks now, still no regrets.

One thing I will add is that to make sure you buy the car exactly the way you want. If you want a blue car, don't settle for a black car. You would want it to be exactly as you want it.

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[JR369]

It's an R man. It's raw. It's loud. It's in your face. Soccer moms hate you...because their kids stare and point at you thru the minivan window reminding you of a time when you first saw your favorite pony car. Neighbors think you suck for owning such a thing. They shake their head as you drive by disturbing their neighborhood walk. So, pop the throttle and make their pomapoo piss on their birkenstocks. Your work buddies hate you for having the balls to buy one. So, install your Track Attack pics and many of your own R pics scrolling thru on your work PC. If you're worried about "creature comforts" like back seats, power seats, heated/cooled seats...just get a 19 Non R. I don't want to read you bitching about it for the next two years. I would actually start to feel sorry for the R.

 

[RedRaptorME]

It's an R man. It's raw. It's loud. It's in your face. Soccer moms hate you...because their kids stare and point at you thru the minivan window reminding you of a time when you first saw your favorite pony car. Neighbors think you suck for owning such a thing. They shake their head as you drive by disturbing their neighborhood walk. So, pop the throttle and make their pomapoo piss on their birkenstocks. Your work buddies hate you for having the balls to buy one. So, install your Track Attack pics and many of your own R pics scrolling thru on your work PC. If you're worried about "creature comforts" like back seats, power seats, heated/cooled seats...just get a 19 Non R. I don't want to read you bitching about it for the next two years. I would actually start to feel sorry for the R.

YEP ! I do not think it could have been said better ! You just hit a real nerve and you hit all the Bullitt points spot on. Everything you just described I encounter now with my GT 350 from the liberals out for their nature walks( I'm a runner, so I should not talk) pissed off at me when I drive by to the locals that hate me as they drive there Subaru's and Prius's to the teenagers and even 40 year olds who give me the thumbs up in a base GT 350.

I think you just convinced me !

 

[I am Jeff]

YEP ! I do not think it could have been said better ! You just hit a real nerve and you hit all the Bullitt points spot on. Everything you just described I encounter now with my GT 350 from the liberals out for their nature walks( I'm a runner, so I should not talk) pissed off at me when I drive by to the locals that hate me as they drive there Subaru's and Prius's to the teenagers and even 40 year olds who give me the thumbs up in a base GT 350.

I think you just convinced me !

Just do it and thank us later!

 

[BillyJRacing]

The wheels are a HUGE part of what makes the R an R. No it's not the tires, and no the 2019 GT350 does not have Cup2s that are comparable to R Cup2s

The wheels are a huge part of the steering feel, balance and handling of the R. They are very strong and easily repairable if you have a tendency to destroy your wheels on any car on curbs.

https://motoiq.com/tested-carbon-revolution-carbon-fiber-wheels/

Stop being afraid of carbon wheels!

 

[Alain]

The wheels are a HUGE part of what makes the R an R. No it's not the tires, and no the 2019 GT350 does not have Cup2s that are comparable to R Cup2s

The wheels are a huge part of the steering feel, balance and handling of the R. They are very strong and easily repairable if you have a tendency to destroy your wheels on any car on curbs.

https://motoiq.com/tested-carbon-revolution-carbon-fiber-wheels/

Stop being afraid of carbon wheels!

I can’t believe more people don’t realize this !!!

Those wheels by themselves are worth the extra money payed for the R model!

OP, I would get the R. I spent the last 2.5 years looking for one. I’m about to finally close on a 19R !

Although it will still depreciate it won’t be as drastic as the base 350. It’s a legitimately limited production car with incredible capabilities and legacy.
Enjoy it responsibly and if you ever decide to get rid of it I guarantee you it won’t be hard to do. Especially after Ford stops making them.

Is it confirmed that 2020 is the last model year?

 

[RedRaptorME]

I can’t believe more people don’t realize this !!!

Those wheels by themselves are worth the extra money payed for the R model!

OP, I would get the R. I spent the last 2.5 years looking for one. I’m about to finally close on a 19R !

Although it will still depreciate it won’t be as drastic as the base 350. It’s a legitimately limited production car with incredible capabilities and legacy.
Enjoy it responsibly and if you ever decide to get rid of it I guarantee you it won’t be hard to do. Especially after Ford stops making them.

Is it confirmed that 2020 is the last model year?

Thank You for the info.

Do you or anybody else have any idea how many miles you should get out of the tires. I'm talking driving on the street somewhat aggressively, but not completely stupid every day.

Thanks.

 

[RedRaptorME]

Just do it and thank us later!

How MANY miles are you getting out of the stock tires ? not including track days. More daily driving aggressive, but not crazy stupid.

 

[I am Jeff]

How MANY miles are you getting out of the stock tires ? not including track days. More daily driving aggressive, but not crazy stupid.

If you're just daily driving it aggressively and not driving like an asshat, you can get 5-6k miles out of them. Then switch to michelin p4s longevity/grip compromise.

 

[RedRaptorME]

If you're just daily driving it aggressively and not driving like an asshat, you can get 5-6k miles out of them. Then switch to michelin p4s longevity/grip compromise.

Thank you for the heads up. Did you just run the stock Michelin tires out and then switch to the p4s ? Are you giving up much performance switching to the p4s ? Did you ever get caught in the rain with the stock tires ?

I am scheduled to trade in my gt 350 tomorrow morning and pick up the R. Black with the red pinstripe. Am I excited ? yes. Am I getting cold feet at 8:30 pm ? yes. I just took my GT 350 to fill it up with gas because I only had a 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and I have a 2 hour drive to the ford dealership. I have to be honest I was a little depressed driving the GT 350 to the gas station and back home because the Lightning Blue GT 350 has been a really enjoyable sports car and I have zero complaints, and I love it ! I have owned several performance cars from bmw m cars, Lexus, and Chevrolet. And other fords. And I have been in a few I did not personally own and I can tell you that my base GT 350 is the best handling, best sounding, best driving, best looking, and it gets the most attention out of all the other cars I have owned. I guess I have grown attached to the GT 350 in only 8 months of ownership. Absolutely love the car, and in 3000 miles I have not added a drop of oil. And yes, I have checked it atleast 6-7 times in 3000 miles ownership. And I watch the gauges like a hawk.

In one aspect I am excited and in another aspect I am a little sad and wondering if the GT 350 R is not just to much over the top for somebody who will probably only track the car once per year.

Thank you very much for your assistance. I really appreciated, you have been a big help.

 

[I am Jeff]

Thank you for the heads up. Did you just run the stock Michelin tires out and then switch to the p4s ? Are you giving up much performance switching to the p4s ? Did you ever get caught in the rain with the stock tires ?

I am scheduled to trade in my gt 350 tomorrow morning and pick up the R. Black with the red pinstripe. Am I excited ? yes. Am I getting cold feet at 8:30 pm ? yes. I just took my GT 350 to fill it up with gas because I only had a 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and I have a 2 hour drive to the ford dealership. I have to be honest I was a little depressed driving the GT 350 to the gas station and back home because the Lightning Blue GT 350 has been a really enjoyable sports car and I have zero complaints, and I love it ! I have owned several performance cars from bmw m cars, Lexus, and Chevrolet. And other fords. And I have been in a few I did not personally own and I can tell you that my base GT 350 is the best handling, best sounding, best driving, best looking, and it gets the most attention out of all the other cars I have owned. I guess I have grown attached to the GT 350 in only 8 months of ownership. Absolutely love the car, and in 3000 miles I have not added a drop of oil. And yes, I have checked it atleast 6-7 times in 3000 miles ownership. And I watch the gauges like a hawk.

In one aspect I am excited and in another aspect I am a little sad and wondering if the GT 350 R is not just to much over the top for somebody who will probably only track the car once per year.

Thank you very much for your assistance. I really appreciated, you have been a big help.

It depends on what you mean by giving up performance. The P4s gives up on track sticky grip performance, but gains wet weather traction and gains treadwear. Since you're not planning on tracking it, you're not really giving up much and gaining a lot more.

I will give you my experience and feelings when I traded in my 2018 Lightning blue for the 2019 Performance Blue. Lightning Blue is my favorite blue... I was up all night debating about the rational side of keeping my old car and having an extra 20k for upgrades vs giving into my emotional side and going for the R. I am normally a very rational and financially frugal person. The minute I took delivery of my new GT350R and started my drive home, I couldn't take the smile off my face. I didn't worry about the cost because I knew it was what I wanted. Like I have previously stated, let us know how you feel tomorrow after you have taken delivery of your new ride. The 19 has a bunch of nicer touches that shouldn't mean much in a performance car, but definitely makes the 19 car a nicer experience. The clutch pedal is heavier in a good way, the HD radio and B&O sounds significantly better, the cobra puddle lamps is a nice touch, and the soft material around the center console is better than the 18's hard plastic. The steering and acceleration feels more lively in the R, most likely due to the lighter rotational mass of the carbon fiber wheels, but that's also something that you will immediately notice.

 

[I am Jeff]

Thank you for the heads up. Did you just run the stock Michelin tires out and then switch to the p4s ? Are you giving up much performance switching to the p4s ? Did you ever get caught in the rain with the stock tires ?

I am scheduled to trade in my gt 350 tomorrow morning and pick up the R. Black with the red pinstripe. Am I excited ? yes. Am I getting cold feet at 8:30 pm ? yes. I just took my GT 350 to fill it up with gas because I only had a 1/4 of a tank of fuel left and I have a 2 hour drive to the ford dealership. I have to be honest I was a little depressed driving the GT 350 to the gas station and back home because the Lightning Blue GT 350 has been a really enjoyable sports car and I have zero complaints, and I love it ! I have owned several performance cars from bmw m cars, Lexus, and Chevrolet. And other fords. And I have been in a few I did not personally own and I can tell you that my base GT 350 is the best handling, best sounding, best driving, best looking, and it gets the most attention out of all the other cars I have owned. I guess I have grown attached to the GT 350 in only 8 months of ownership. Absolutely love the car, and in 3000 miles I have not added a drop of oil. And yes, I have checked it atleast 6-7 times in 3000 miles ownership. And I watch the gauges like a hawk.

In one aspect I am excited and in another aspect I am a little sad and wondering if the GT 350 R is not just to much over the top for somebody who will probably only track the car once per year.

Thank you very much for your assistance. I really appreciated, you have been a big help.

I forgot to add that you can always sell your Cup2's to fund your new p4s tires. I'm sure that there are track members who would be willing to purchase your delivery mile tires.

 

[RedRaptorME]

It depends on what you mean by giving up performance. The P4s gives up on track sticky grip performance, but gains wet weather traction and gains treadwear. Since you're not planning on tracking it, you're not really giving up much and gaining a lot more.

I will give you my experience and feelings when I traded in my 2018 Lightning blue for the 2019 Performance Blue. Lightning Blue is my favorite blue... I was up all night debating about the rational side of keeping my old car and having an extra 20k for upgrades vs giving into my emotional side and going for the R. I am normally a very rational and financially frugal person. The minute I took delivery of my new GT350R and started my drive home, I couldn't take the smile off my face. I didn't worry about the cost because I knew it was what I wanted. Like I have previously stated, let us know how you feel tomorrow after you have taken delivery of your new ride. The 19 has a bunch of nicer touches that shouldn't mean much in a performance car, but definitely makes the 19 car a nicer experience. The clutch pedal is heavier in a good way, the HD radio and B&O sounds significantly better, the cobra puddle lamps is a nice touch, and the soft material around the center console is better than the 18's hard plastic. The steering and acceleration feels more lively in the R, most likely due to the lighter rotational mass of the carbon fiber wheels, but that's also something that you will immediately notice.

It sounds like you and me went thru the exact same indecision the night before, because I am going thru the exact same feelings tonight you went thru. Another question I have is what is the break in period and what RPM range should you stay in and for how many miles ? And how is your R burning oil ?

 

[RedRaptorME]

I forgot to add that you can always sell your Cup2's to fund your new p4s tires. I'm sure that there are track members who would be willing to purchase your delivery mile tires.

Good Idea. Thank you.

By the way I remember in a earlier post you mentioned to " get the car exactly the way you want it ". I agree with 100 percent on this. My only problem is no dealership in maine has been allocated a GT 350 R until this summer. This black GT 350 R is the first of 2 R'S that have been allocated since 2015. So my choices are a little bit limited because I do not have the time to start looking for R's in other parts of the country and dealing with markups. I did look at used R'S but the used R's I saw were all at just about original MSRP even 2017 R's. Yes I would rather have velocity blue or race red, but at MSRP and being offered $ 46,500.00 for my 2017 GT 350, black is not so bad.

 

[I am Jeff]

It sounds like you and me went thru the exact same indecision the night before, because I am going thru the exact same feelings tonight you went thru. Another question I have is what is the break in period and what RPM range should you stay in and for how many miles ? And how is your R burning oil ?

I stayed off the highway and went through the rev range up to 5k. My 18 didn't burn any oil. My 19 is still full on the dipstick, but still too new to tell. All the velocity blues are in Florida, 5 that I can tell. 2 are in Michigan, but with massive markups. A few of the Florida cars are selling at sticker. Your situation is tricky just like mine, you also have a traditional variable that needs to make sense. As long as the R is what you want, and you're willing to deal with the extra maintenance and care of a black car, you're golden.

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