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Considering moving from a 350 to 500

Ablaze

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Seconded. All the dealerships in the DMV wanted $30-50k ADM. We ended up picking up a CFTP in the midwest for MSRP aka cheaper than they wanted for the base model locally.
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EF300

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If you’re willing to travel you can avoid a markup. Using a mustang app that I found on the App Store, I spent months plugging in zip codes all over the country. Eventually I had a choice of 4 brand new gt500s to choose from. I put 500 miles on my gt500 driving it home.

Hey whats the name of the App , i need this !
 

jpindustrie

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I was lucky enough to be chosen to attend the GT500 Track tour that Ford performance is running. There they gave the usual marketing song and dance on the specs/business case for the car but best of all they gave us an opportunity to drive the GT500 on a bonafide track for 3-4 laps in a lead follow configuration.

It seemed the guests cars were CFTP while instructor cars were base with Handling package

It was on the lightning config of NJMP , where I've driven my 2017 GT350 plenty of times so I would say I'm pretty familiar with the track and it was a great opportunity to compare.

Bottom line the car felt like GT350 Plus/MAX. Almost like they started off creating an 'RS' version of the GT350 and decided to go all the way. Lightning configuration of NJMP tests heel and toe , which of course the DCT solves. Randy Pobst would say the GT350R could use another 100 more HP, I always agreed with that assessment. It is a TRACK weapon - clear in its mission to run down all the competition at your local HPDE.

However the main dilemma is just the competition at its price range. Its true another $10-20k in performance over the GT350R is apparent but in the end it is still the same old S550 chassis. Not a bad thing but something one must keep in mind if they were shopping for an $85,000 sports car :)
 

GT 500 760

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I went from ok to abysmal. Only around 200 miles per tankful on a 16hr trip meant plenty of opportunities to buy the lone, burnt hotdog left on the rollers next to the gas station cashiers across the country.
Well at 75 mph the revs are like 2000. Maybe a 8 speed auto might have helped with the mpg. It’s a pain in the butt on any long trips. Plus I wish the Recaro seats had adjustable side wings. Those seats are a pain in the butt ...😂😂😂 after 5 hours.
 

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olaosunt

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I also briefly considered trade .....long story alert !

I am a bit of a boost junkie /used to be be “drag strip rat“ so the GT 350 was probably not the right car for me when I got my-tech pack in 2016 . But I was so impressed with the sound and pulling to 8500 on the test drive , I even agreed to pay $5K ADM (which I now regret ).

I have had multiple (and still have ) 800-1000 whp mustangs and their reliability issues (with no warranty )

So when I first heard about this GT 500 I felt this would be prefect for me especially as the “modding “ game was getting old , exhausting and expensive ($$ you never get back ). How many other cars can go mid 10’s off the showroom floor and cost less than $90K ?

I got inpatient waiting (it was a long wait from when it was first announced) and got caught up with all the hype about the 10r80 when the 18 GT came out ... so went down that rabbit hole again.... ...
Also got bored with the “lack of torque “ in the GT 350 so ended up adding a whipple ... and then a built motor to that (with a coupe of spare motors ).

I love the GT 350 now with 940 whp ... but it’s still a miserable failure (it’s even harder now ) at the drag strip .

I do have 2 automatic S550‘s that do that job well -15 GT /1000 whp TT /built motor/GT 350 heads and the 18/10r80/Gen 5 whipple. The TT car has gone bottom 9’s and should run 8’s with a trans brake . The 18 has gone mid 9’s and should go 8’s once I switchto the 10 rib set up .
I even have another 1000 whp S550 I was trying to get into the 9’s with the “man pedal” . A 15 GT Magnum XL /3.2 KB/built /sleeved 5.2/GT 350 head motor - failed so far since last 10.0 pass was 3 years and another built motor later .🥺

Since I turned 50 and my work schedule has become increasingly busy (in between deployments) ... I really hardly ever get to go the drag strip . To be honest when I do go these days it’s more scary than fun since I have zero safety gear in the cars ... May be I am just getting old 🥺.

I have come to the realization my car modding days maybe over (may be drag racing too ) so I have been looking to trim the herd /get rid of the “race cars “ to someone who has more nerve than me or can do it safer/put in cage (never really considered that ).

Out of all of them the GT 350 is hands down still the most fun on the street so that was going to be keeper . I was planning to eventually get a GT 500 but had no intention of ever paying ADM again ...

Well to the point.... an almost perfect opportunity came up.
Local dealer had sold 2 GT 500’s back to back to a local buyer who then decided he wanted to get rid of one .
They seemed interested in my GT 350 and GT’s and said they would try and work something out in trade for my 3 GT ‘s /and may be the GT 350 that I may be able to live with ....
So I got to take a test drive in “used “ base GT 500 . it only had 35 miles on it , smelt brand new and even had most of the plastic wrappings as delivered still on it. It’s just as I would option and other than the Recaro I think the only option is the technology package .

Loved every minute of the drive . It’s fast enough to have the tires get a little squirrelly . Not as fast of course as my “death machines “ but felt a lot safer . Sounds good too .. not as good as the GT 350 but better than the GT ‘s especially the the KB car which sounds like crap with the long tubes and cat deletes 🥺.
I did know if I included the GT 350 in the trade I would regret it so I asked them to put a deal together with just the GT’s .

Well I was all excited, a little nostalgic about giving up 3000 hp for 760 but I did not think I would regret the trade if it happened .

Unfortunately the guy paid ADM (must be at least $15K) if he paid $94K for the car and wants at least $91K .
I know and expect not to get much for modded cars but the offers were way too low with all the $$ and time I have invested .
I would be taking a beating both ways so decided to pass ....

Not the right time or car (Color was perfect as I don’t think the wife would have noticed it was different from my 18 😎) .
I am glad I did get the test drive (probably the only way I would have been able to get one ).
I do know I will one day have one next to the GT 350.

Here is the one that got away !

50CF0DF4-C8D0-458D-AFEC-982FD52CA376.jpeg
 
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olaosunt

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... now if my GT 350 had remained stock and I could get the same $47K being offered by Carvana from the dealer ,I know I would trade it for the GT 500 (even at that price ) in a heart beat ....but thats me “boost junkie” and may be soon to be retiring “drag strip (test and tuner only ) rat !
LOL
 

olaosunt

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Well .. still lusting for the GT 500 so I asked them to throw the GT 350 in the mix .
I got an offer for $52K taking of what I can .
That is an additional $3500 in tax savings if I trade .
so $56K is not far off what I wanted ... and I could take off
1. Gen 3 whipple with multiple pulley .
2. QA1 CF drive shaft .
3. triple pump fuel system and ID 1300’s
4. Custom gauges /N gauge
5. Not sure if worth taking off drag springs and BMR cradle lock out
6. ZLI on dive planes
I figure I could get at least $12K -$13K for above .
I would make out $7k more than I wanted when I listed it .
They would still get an upgraded motor and clutch ..
Not sure the GT 500 is worth almost twice my car (940 whp >> 600 ). I would also still have 2 very nice built voodoo motors (one built with Gen 2 block/Manley rod /valve spring /head studs
and , the other skeeved Gen 1 with I beam upgrade / RPG pistons and same head upgrades) to sell to get closer to their asking . Thats still a lot of swag to get one car . Lol


... but to be honest , being a drag racer I know the GT 350 is never going to be a drag car even with 940 whp ... I tried once and the low profile drag radials just spun . It’s was of course easier (still tough ) to launch NA .
I think fat house can run the times they do only because of the motech .

it’s probably best used in 1/2 mile events ... I don’t have much interest in those .

At least I would be able to use the GT 500 at the drag strip(would be occasional ) , run 10’s and not get thrown out after one pass .
d
Decisions 🥺... first world problems 😕

The service manager is also a friend (he set up the deal with sales ) and swears he would turn a blind eye .. he is actually encouraging a “pulley and tune “ mod if I get it .
I dunno though as it would not be up to him if I grenade a $30K DCT
 
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Jmeo

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Well .. still lusting for the GT 500 so I asked them to throw the GT 350 in the mix .
I got an offer for $52K taking of what I can .
That is an additional $3500 in tax savings if I trade .
so $56K is not far off what I wanted ... and I could take off
1. Gen 3 whipple with multiple pulley .
2. QA1 CF drive shaft .
3. triple pump fuel system and ID 1300’s
4. Custom gauges /N gauge
5. Not sure if worth taking off drag springs and BMR cradle lock out
6. ZLI on dive planes
I figure I could get at least $12K -$13K for above .
I would make out $7k more than I wanted when I listed it .
They would still get an upgraded motor and clutch ..
Not sure the GT 500 is worth almost twice my car (940 whp >> 600 ). I would also still have 2 very nice built voodoo motors (one built with Gen 2 block/Manley rod /valve spring /head studs
and , the other skeeved Gen 1 with I beam upgrade / RPG pistons and same head upgrades) to sell to get closer to their asking . Thats still a lot of swag to get one car . Lol


... but to be honest , being a drag racer I know the GT 350 is never going to be a drag car even with 940 whp ... I tried once and the low profile drag radials just spun . It’s was of course easier (still tough ) to launch NA .
I think fat house can run the times they do only because of the motech .

it’s probably best used in 1/2 mile events ... I don’t have much interest in those .

At least I would be able to use the GT 500 at the drag strip(would be occasional ) , run 10’s and not get thrown out after one pass .
d
Decisions 🥺... first world problems 😕

The service manager is also a friend (he set up the deal with sales ) and swears he would turn a blind eye .. he is actually encouraging a “pulley and tune “ mod if I get it .
I dunno though as it would not be up to him if I grenade a $30K DCT
Coming from a 816 RWHP (1,025 ish crank) 2017 Whippled GT mustang, I don't think you'll be disappointed. This car out performs the car I parted out & traded on every level, even with the drop in HP.
 

Mikepol2

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Some observations from an outsider browsing random threads… this is more Sunday morning philosophy than technical car stuff.

In our little corner of the world, my wife and I look around and feel like we have done well for ourselves in life. Well enough to have taken a deep breath and ordered a Mach 1, the most expensive car we have ever purchased (if it ever actually gets here). Completely impractical and unnecessary but we should be able to make it work.

Then I see threads like this and think wow, who the heck could ever afford a GT500? Not sure there is anything we could have done differently with our careers to get to that point. But some of you guys have BOTH a 350 (or other cars) and a 500?? This is mind boggling. And it's clear from your posts that you are car guys who don't take your good fortune for granted, and appreciate your opportunities to be able to do it. Hats off to you!

The other thought is regarding ADM's. There must be people that pay them, or dealers wouldn't charge them. Someone in our area just bought a new Mach 1 listed with a $7K ADM. This is probably more relevant for past years without the chip shortage, but it seems in general like a marketing miss by manufacturers if they didn't realize there are so many people who will pay more than sticker, especially for higher priced cars like 350s and 500s. Seems like it would be a no brainer to make more of them and charge more, and make a few less lower-profit-margin cars like base model Focuses (Foci? LOL).

OK time for another cup of coffee. Enjoy your cars guys and congratulations!
 

SSSICK

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Then I see threads like this and think wow, who the heck could ever afford a GT500? Not sure there is anything we could have done differently with our careers to get to that point. But some of you guys have BOTH a 350 (or other cars) and a 500?? This is mind boggling. And it's clear from your posts that you are car guys who don't take your good fortune for granted, and appreciate your opportunities to be able to do it. Hats off to you!

The other thought is regarding ADM's. There must be people that pay them, or dealers wouldn't charge them. Someone in our area just bought a new Mach 1 listed with a $7K ADM.
I'm not rich by any means and contribute some of it to pure luck. I've made friends with the right people along with making a few smart financial decisions over the years and I believe that has helped me get to where I am today. I don't waste my money on fancy clothes or expensive dinners - I spend it on my cars. They are all paid for and that makes me feel very good.

Regarding ADM, yep, I definitely had to pay over sticker. I tried my best to avoid it and even had an opportunity a few months back to buy one here in town for MSRP but unfortunately I was not in a position at that time to jump on it. Now with the chip shortage in place, it's only made the ADM situation worse. Pretty much every dealer I talked to wanted a 10k markup on average. When I finally found one in stock and they were only asking for a 5k markup, I jumped on it. Got them to come down another grand to 4k by offering to finance half the amount thru them (will be paid off once I receive the statement) so that helped too. Based on all the reviews I've watched and read though, I have high hopes that once I get behind the wheel and smash the throttle, the ADM I paid will become a distant memory as I roast the tires racing off into the sunset :)
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