Used GT350 buying guide

[stanglife]

Well, I posted because I was feeling bored and a bit belligerent. And also because this post appeared on the front page and I legitimately did want to make OP aware of (what I consider) to be the better option, unless he has literally piles of money to burn.



By that same logic, a GT350 is just a GT with a different engine (especially the 2015/2016 base GT350's). Like it or not, the Mach and GT350 are pretty much the same car, and I'll die on that hill.



I should add I am a GT350 fan and was originally planning on getting one before pandemic pricing made everything squirrelly. But if you can get over losing the sound of the Voodoo and the special badging....the Mach is really the better option right now, and offers a substantially similar driving experience.

Does the Mach have the same suspension geometry? Spindles?

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[br_an]

My two cents: check out the stickies on the forum, buy the GT350, get an ESP, drive it and enjoy!

 

[Joe Mac]

Hello all,
Is there a guide on buying a USED GT350? What to look for, potential dealbreakers, things I can use against the dealership to reduce the price?
Examples:
4K miles 2019 GT350 with worn-out stock tires indicates it was used for track use ( higher potential for engine failure? )
Engine barcode indicating it's a GEN 1 voodoo ( aka not as reliable as GEN 2 )
Hand Built Label has 2 signatures ( consistency concerns ) - this one isn't the biggest issue obviously.

Like I know what to look out for in a typical used car, but what should I be concerned about in terms of a GT350.

I plan on getting a 2019 GT350 since it is the most reliable. I know 2020 has quality control issues (COVID) so I'm shying away from those.

I only got 5500 miles on my factory tires never tracked it so 4000 on the tires does not mean it was tracked. These cars are made to be tracked

 

[460Fred]

I only got 5500 miles on my factory tires never tracked it so 4000 on the tires does not mean it was tracked. These cars are made to be tracked

Joe
A close friend of mine who is a shop foreman at a high end dealership thought my tires were worn when I drove over to show him the car…..had about 200 miles at the time. Now that I’ve learned, through this forum, what worn Cup2’s look like, I’ll probably get over 10K on this set.
Not saying yours were not cooked but search the threads on this subject.

 

[Joe Mac]

Joe
A close friend of mine who is a shop foreman at a high end dealership thought my tires were worn when I drove over to show him the car…..had about 200 miles at the time. Now that I’ve learned, through this forum, what worn Cup2’s look like, I’ll probably get over 10K on this set.
Not saying yours were not cooked but search the threads on this subject.

Mine were cooked, I had them checked by two different shops. When I bought the car they told me told me 5,000 to 7,000 was all you will get out of those tires

 

[460Fred]

Mine were cooked, I had them checked by two different shops. When I bought the car they told me told me 5,000 to 7,000 was all you will get out of those tires

Not going to argue with you buddy but not sure I’d trust a tire salesman on this. Seriously, look up past posts, it’s come up quite a bit. Unless you know, you don’t know
There are racers here that have bought what others thought were cooked tires and got more “track“ days from them.

 

[wingnutt]

Not going to argue with you buddy but not sure I’d trust a tire salesman on this. Seriously, look up past posts, it’s come up quite a bit. Unless you know, you don’t know
There are racers here that have bought what others thought were cooked tires and got more “track“ days from them.

im gonna take Joes side on this, for one reason…he doesn’t track it.

the cup2s on the street after about 4-5,000 miles can cause more nervousness than a hooker feels on half price thursdays.

water puddles, badly aimed sprinklers, hell even the morning dew that frosts over can put you into a wall quicker than afore mentioned hooker calls in sick every Wednesday night

 

[TommyBoyDIY]

In regards to the gentleman asking differences in the mach 1 and gt350. There is a video from Ford performance on YouTube explaining all the aero underbody panels designed for the gt350. They also made many specific aluminum suspension parts to cut weight including the spindles which widen the front track, which I don't believe were used on the mach 1. The brakes are obviously unique as well. If you look at the mach 1 track pack you can see the little front fender pieces they added to cover the wider front tires and wheels because it's different than the gt350. I think the gt350 is undoubtedly unique and always will be one of the most desirable in my opinion, hence the reason I chose it over everything else. On a side note prices have increased for sure, but with good reason. A track pack mach 1 will be $65000. You can find a low mileage gt350 for that or less. Which would be a better buy and better perform? That's the million dollar question

 

[Sdsaathoff]

In an attempt to get back on topic, check to see if its had recalls don’t or if its in the group that had the tensioner belt issues. (That appears to be the core issue of the engine failures.). I have a 2015 and a 2020 R and have never had an issue with either.

Regarding the tires, my 2020 R had 74 miles on it when the dealer received it from Ford. The tires have always looked worn compared to my 2015 GT350 so I’m not sure tire wear is a sign that the car is bad.

Both of my cars still have the original markings on them. My 2015’s keys are still in the hard plastic bags that the factory shipped them in.

My 2015 is a Track Pack car and it’s awesome and super raw. My 2020 R has all of the options on it and is actually more comfortable to me.

Make sure you get the color combo and the options that you love.

Just keep in mind the car is yours. Buy it for you, not based on anyone else’s preference, and you will enjoy it much more. I’ve heard people hate on both of my cars for their own reasons

 

[Cobra Jet]

My shillings….


If the car is at a Ford Dealer, request a copy of the OASIS (or ETIS) report. That report will contain any and all regular maintenance OR warranty work performed on the car if it was serviced at ANY Ford Dealership. The report will also show any recalls (open or satisfied) and other pertinent information.

If the car isn’t at a Ford Dealer - ask for an OASIS or ETIS on these forums,; others on here have supplied them to M6G members in the past.

I would also make sure the timing chain system is checked, per the TSB threads that were posted in this very forum and the GT500 forum. Even if the vehicle doesn’t fall within any sequestered VIN list, still inquire. If the response is that it has not been done OR that it does not need to be done because it’s VIN wasn’t in the list, ask for it to be done anyway.

 

[DCShelby]

I had a local Ford dealer run the VIN of the used 350 I got, and Janet was able to pull all of the records from Ford. She’s in Va at Koons and the car was owned and serviced at a Ford dealership in Fl. She was also able to get a copy of the window sticker. I bought my previous 350 from them and they serviced it as well.

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