thill444
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2018
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 994
- Reaction score
- 837
- Location
- New England
- Vehicle(s)
- 20 SS1LE (sold 18 GT350)
- Thread starter
- #1
I searched high and low throughout New England (live in CT) for a GT350. I really wanted either a black or blue car. Recaros and electronics package was a must have and the target price was $49K or less with the majority of the warranty left. After a week of back and forth with a dealer in RI, I picked up a new to me 2018 Shadow Black GT 350 this past Friday. Car had everything I wanted (Recaro seats and electronics package) only had 1400 miles on the odometer and the majority of the bumper to bumper and powertrain warranty left and right at my target price!
I pulled the maintenance history as well as checked with Ford on the warranty and everything checked out. Apparently the previous owner traded it in on a Cadillac and the car looks pristine inside and out.
Well except the previous owner (according to the dealer) drilled the front bumper for the license plate. But it’s an easy fix, just pull that section of the vinyl racing stripe, fill the holes, and install a new section of the upper bumper vinyl stripe (already ordered and cost me $80).
Sorry this part is long..
Okay the story on how this all came to be. First a little car history. In the past 4 years I’ve owned a 2016 C7 Z51 (magride), a 2017 Focus RS, and recently a 2018 ND Miata Club (also have a 19 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S, and an 18 Honda Odyssey Touring). Prior to that have a long history of WRX/STI’s, BRZ, RX-7’s, and some German fun cars (Golf R, BMW M3, etc). When I bought the RS a few years ago, I fell in love with a 2017 GT350 they had in the showroom. But the dealer wanted MSRP+$10K ADM and I just didn’t feel good about it.
I drove the RS for a year and had some reliability issues and got a crazy offer to sell it for almost what I paid. I liked the car but didn't trust the long term reliability (car was built in Germany and parts are hard to source). Wife always wanted a Wrangler so surprised her on her birthday and had fun modding it myself. I bought a used 18 Miata for myself and though I liked the car, I missed the power and even with mods to the exhaust just didn’t love the exhaust note at all.
I came close to buying a C8 at MSRP (Z51, magride, etc) but I’m just not ready to give up the manual. I also saw one in person and did not like the back half of the car. I test drove a Camaro ZL1 and SS 1LE and loved the way they handled and the low end torque of the ZL1. But I just didn’t like the exterior looks and the poor visibility. I thought about another C7 (either GS or Z06), but been there, done that.. Then I remembered the GT350.. Did my research and the days of ADM are over near me, and lots of low mileage used ones within 100 miles. I read about oil consumption issues and failed motors, and it’s a concern, but did not scare me away..
What I love. Wow. Not much not to love. The sound.. Oh that glorious flat plane crank V8. Best sounding car I have ever owned and it’s not even close. It’s just beyond words how good this car sounds. I love the handling, the magnetic dampers are really dialed in, even on our crappy roads, Even in Sport and Track it’s so much better dampened than the Focus RS. I love the Recaro seats, and will track the car and wanted a seat that will hold me in. These seats are very comfortable too. These seats and the seats in the BRZ are some of my favorites.
Love the brakes. Good initial bite, good travel. Stops the car really well. Love the overall looks and tech. I can’t stand sports cars with too much over the top tech like lane assist, collision assist, etc etc. I find it all very intrusive and annoying. I love that the GT350 is just focused on the driving experience. Yes there’s some cheap plastic, but overall still a comfortable car and Sync 3 works really well. I love the backseats and my younger girls fit back there with no problem. Can’t do that in a Vette
So far I love this car so much. It’s just so well done, from the exhaust to the brakes, to the handling. It’s comfortable when it needs to be, and aggressive and really fun when you want that too.
Sorry for the novel, but more to come!
I pulled the maintenance history as well as checked with Ford on the warranty and everything checked out. Apparently the previous owner traded it in on a Cadillac and the car looks pristine inside and out.
Well except the previous owner (according to the dealer) drilled the front bumper for the license plate. But it’s an easy fix, just pull that section of the vinyl racing stripe, fill the holes, and install a new section of the upper bumper vinyl stripe (already ordered and cost me $80).
Sorry this part is long..
Okay the story on how this all came to be. First a little car history. In the past 4 years I’ve owned a 2016 C7 Z51 (magride), a 2017 Focus RS, and recently a 2018 ND Miata Club (also have a 19 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S, and an 18 Honda Odyssey Touring). Prior to that have a long history of WRX/STI’s, BRZ, RX-7’s, and some German fun cars (Golf R, BMW M3, etc). When I bought the RS a few years ago, I fell in love with a 2017 GT350 they had in the showroom. But the dealer wanted MSRP+$10K ADM and I just didn’t feel good about it.
I drove the RS for a year and had some reliability issues and got a crazy offer to sell it for almost what I paid. I liked the car but didn't trust the long term reliability (car was built in Germany and parts are hard to source). Wife always wanted a Wrangler so surprised her on her birthday and had fun modding it myself. I bought a used 18 Miata for myself and though I liked the car, I missed the power and even with mods to the exhaust just didn’t love the exhaust note at all.
I came close to buying a C8 at MSRP (Z51, magride, etc) but I’m just not ready to give up the manual. I also saw one in person and did not like the back half of the car. I test drove a Camaro ZL1 and SS 1LE and loved the way they handled and the low end torque of the ZL1. But I just didn’t like the exterior looks and the poor visibility. I thought about another C7 (either GS or Z06), but been there, done that.. Then I remembered the GT350.. Did my research and the days of ADM are over near me, and lots of low mileage used ones within 100 miles. I read about oil consumption issues and failed motors, and it’s a concern, but did not scare me away..
What I love. Wow. Not much not to love. The sound.. Oh that glorious flat plane crank V8. Best sounding car I have ever owned and it’s not even close. It’s just beyond words how good this car sounds. I love the handling, the magnetic dampers are really dialed in, even on our crappy roads, Even in Sport and Track it’s so much better dampened than the Focus RS. I love the Recaro seats, and will track the car and wanted a seat that will hold me in. These seats are very comfortable too. These seats and the seats in the BRZ are some of my favorites.
Love the brakes. Good initial bite, good travel. Stops the car really well. Love the overall looks and tech. I can’t stand sports cars with too much over the top tech like lane assist, collision assist, etc etc. I find it all very intrusive and annoying. I love that the GT350 is just focused on the driving experience. Yes there’s some cheap plastic, but overall still a comfortable car and Sync 3 works really well. I love the backseats and my younger girls fit back there with no problem. Can’t do that in a Vette
So far I love this car so much. It’s just so well done, from the exhaust to the brakes, to the handling. It’s comfortable when it needs to be, and aggressive and really fun when you want that too.
Sorry for the novel, but more to come!
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