Why did you sell your GT350?

[firestarter2]

Really unfortunate what has happened to the GT350. First off it was so rare (allegedly) dealers charged ADM, many of you paid it and were proud to admit it, buying into the rarity/ hard to get bit fed by the media and forum hype. Turns out that was a huge mistake, limited edition Mustangs very rarely support ADM in resale value. Fit and finish/quality turned out to be really cheap, these cars will not age well at all. Then the engines start grenading in not insignificant numbers. Ford continues to make them for several more years than they said initially thereby decreasing the values of these cars further, and exacerbating the number of failed engines, and tarnishing their reputation solely for monetary gain..

But hey the all new GT500 is now revealed after several years of 'delays'. Probably will still have the saggy bumper, cheap paint, poor panel gap, fitment and rattles all made by 'proud' union workers. What a sh*tshow

I think most people who paid ADM knew it was mistake. I didnt and would not but if you have the money to each there own. I like my car despite the issues if I was worried about quality I would of stayed with Toyota.

I would say If I paid ADM expecting a 3 (15,16,17) year run id probably be annoyed at the moment.

But aside from the saggy bumper I get a track car with a warranty. If the engine grenades ill get it replaced.

I have owned domestic and imports. The imports break less but are more expensive to fix. The domestics break more and are cheaper to fix. Honestly as long as the dealer has loaners and the cars dont strand me im ok with it.

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[Lorne34]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this post. Heard all the same crap about the HC when they came out. People were paying $90k for a 2015. Then dodge makes 16,000+ of them in 2016. Look at the C7 ADM when they came out. Tens of thousands of units later GM has new 2017 Z06's on the lot...at 25% discount. Cant give them away. I'm not sure anybody in their right mind should look at the mass produced variant of a pony car from Dodge, Ford, or Chevrolet as an investment. The R is still exclusive with only 2138 units to date. Demon will stay strong too with 3300 units for 2018. GM? The Z28 is a flop. There is a new ZL1 1LE's selling for $58k out there. The ZR1's might stay strong being the last C7 blast but I think it'll go down once the extreme version of the C8 hits. They ALL have common quality control and mechanical issues. You want better then spend youself into a new ball game of choices. As for the R, it's a track ready masterpeice as far as I'm concerned. Is it worth $20-30k ADM? F NO! Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Chargers, Corvettes are not worth that kind of ADM in my opinion, Anyone who paid that simply has more money than they do automotive collector sense. I drive my R almost every sunny day. How can I not? That is what I bought it for. To enjoy the experience of being behind the wheel of it. I'm not storing it in an effort to try to retain as much value as I can. There are daily driven diesel pickup trucks that not only cost more but will retain more value than the R. Nobody in my lifetime is ever going to say wow I will give you what you paid or more for that R. I see Boss Mustangs with 600 miles still in the wrapper going for mid $30k. A two year model run totalling around 7000+ units. More rare than the GT350 to be honest. I've seen a 12 Boss LS510 with less than 8k miles completely stock sell for under $36k. They only made 750 of those for a total of 1500 for 2012-13. More exclusive than the R. There are no gold nuggets from the big three. There just isn't anymore. The dealers all want you to think they are tho, and people believe them. Dealers are like politicians. They lie...alot.

I agree with your post. When I said I was looking for long term ownership I wasn't referring to resale value or that this car would get me 100k at a future Barrett Auction. (not implying that your post was a response to mine) I'm 53, and am at the tail end of raising 6 kids. I just wanted something special, "a once in a lifetime purchase" and maybe this car is still it. I just have been disheartened by the shaky quality and the question marks surrounding the long term reliability of this car. But maybe it doesn't matter, maybe I will love it so much that even if the engine fails out of warranty I will just purchase another engine (cp or fpc depending upon what's available) and just keep driving the thing until I'm too old to drive ... By the way does anyone know if the saggy bumper has a fix under warranty? I've dealt with "saggy diapers" for years... don't know if I can handle a saggy bumper....

 

[JR369]

I agree with your post. When I said I was looking for long term ownership I wasn't referring to resale value or that this car would get me 100k at a future Barrett Auction. (not implying that your post was a response to mine) I'm 53, and am at the tail end of raising 6 kids. I just wanted something special, "a once in a lifetime purchase" and maybe this car is still it. I just have been disheartened by the shaky quality and the question marks surrounding the long term reliability of this car. But maybe it doesn't matter, maybe I will love it so much that even if the engine fails out of warranty I will just purchase another engine (cp or fpc depending upon what's available) and just keep driving the thing until I'm too old to drive ... By the way does anyone know if the saggy bumper has a fix under warranty? I've dealt with "saggy diapers" for years... don't know if I can handle a saggy bumper....

I haven't heard the term "saggy diaper" but I think that's funny. I guess I haven't really paid much attention to the bumper gap. I dunno if mine has it or not. The Mustang has some inherent characteristics as do other makes. I've had to tinker around to fix an annoying rattle already from the plastic interior. To me that's just small stuff compared to enormous appreciation and gravity of having an R in my garage. Turning down a 19 GT350/R for that would be like turning down sex with a woman rated a 10 on the scale because you discovered a freckle on her back. You can opt for an extended warranty. I think that the 19's will be really fine.

 

[stanglife]

I thought..and posted about quality and how it should be easy to have perfection at most price points (fitment and such)...but now I realize that a $150k car is usually $150k for a reason. A $70k car that is 95% the car of a $150k car is a bargain and I'll look past a few things that make it a bargain..the diminishing return rate of the next jump is just not acceptable to me. Not selling my R, no way. I've seen some saggy bumpers and mine is great, comparatively: but it could tighten up a hair..not off enough for me to risk pulling it off and messing with it...there, saved $80k, thanks.

 

[Lorne34]

I thought..and posted about quality and how it should be easy to have perfection at most price points (fitment and such)...but now I realize that a $150k car is usually $150k for a reason. A $70k car that is 95% the car of a $150k car is a bargain and I'll look past a few things that make it a bargain..the diminishing return rate of the next jump is just not acceptable to me. Not selling my R, no way. I've seen some saggy bumpers and mine is great, comparatively: but it could tighten up a hair..not off enough for me to risk pulling it off and messing with it...there, saved $80k, thanks.

Totally agree with your thought process here..
For me this is not about perfection..I don't really care about all of the cosmetic stuff and even the oil line recall, the issue with the oil filter, etc.. those are minor..... the engine is really what we are paying for and I want that to be solid... I can even live with the normal oil consumption, but engines blowing up and using 1 quart every 500-1000 miles under normal driving conditions (non-track) is bad...
i may just to sit tight with my 2017 vert this year, drive it, enjoy it and wait for the dust to settle on the GT500 and any responses to the GT350.
If the production run on the 350's was over I would have to make a decision and I doubt Ford would be addressing the issues, but from the looks of it the 350's are going to remain in the lineup through 2020.and possibly beyond.. ... I may even call Ford Performance myself and see if I can get any insight into what is happening in regards to issues with the 350.

 

[stanglife]

Just remember - every car out there has had these "issues" and Mustang is one of the most vocal crowds out there. That's not to say if the numbers reported are high or low - just that there is no way they are accurate. I question how a car can burn 1qt/500 miles without blowing blue smoke or having oil all over the back of the cars. Mine seems to use less and less oil. Also wonder if some of these pressure sensors and other places are leaking...or if people blow up engines by not checking their oil or not tightening their filters...then just dump some oil in there and bring them to the dealer (I know I might not confess to THAT one, either)...and you KNOW some engines blew up from low oil, the way people are complaining about usage..but you never hear THAT as a cause. Don't get my wrong, that much usage is pretty insane but I still don't understand where the hell it's going.

Just too many variables to say anything 100%, so I love people to "have it all figured out".

 

[Lorne34]

Just remember - every car out there has had these "issues" and Mustang is one of the most vocal crowds out there. That's not to say if the numbers reported are high or low - just that there is no way they are accurate. I question how a car can burn 1qt/500 miles without blowing blue smoke or having oil all over the back of the cars. Mine seems to use less and less oil. Also wonder if some of these pressure sensors and other places are leaking...or if people blow up engines by not checking their oil or not tightening their filters...then just dump some oil in there and bring them to the dealer (I know I might not confess to THAT one, either)...and you KNOW some engines blew up from low oil, the way people are complaining about usage..but you never hear THAT as a cause. Don't get my wrong, that much usage is pretty insane but I still don't understand where the hell it's going.

Just too many variables to say anything 100%, so I love people to "have it all figured out".

Agreed. I just wish Ford would come forward and address the concerns either on this forum or publicly. I know that in the past Ford reps have jumped on these forums to interact, but with this issue it's been all silence. I would be remiss to add that Ford did reach out to owners with a letter stating that oil consumption up to 1 quart every 500 miles is considered "normal" that bothers me a lot when they make a blanket statement like that. I don't think the Ford Engineers had a handle on what was going to happen with this voodoo engine and the long term reliability. Sorry, don't want to turn this into another "blown engine" thread... there are over 70 pages of that dialog going on without me adding another....

 

[IPOGT]

Really unfortunate what has happened to the GT350. First off it was so rare (allegedly) dealers charged ADM, many of you paid it and were proud to admit it, buying into the rarity/ hard to get bit fed by the media and forum hype. Turns out that was a huge mistake, limited edition Mustangs very rarely support ADM in resale value. Fit and finish/quality turned out to be really cheap, these cars will not age well at all. Then the engines start grenading in not insignificant numbers. Ford continues to make them for several more years than they said initially thereby decreasing the values of these cars further, and exacerbating the number of failed engines, and tarnishing their reputation solely for monetary gain..

But hey the all new GT500 is now revealed after several years of 'delays'. Probably will still have the saggy bumper, cheap paint, poor panel gap, fitment and rattles all made by 'proud' union workers. What a sh*tshow

I will say this. Ford really needs to get a handle on the stamping of their sheet metal (lots of panel imperfections), general assembly quality (misaligned panels and windows (back windows crooked, and misaligned) and tighten tolerances. Not acceptable over $30K in my opinion.
Could you just imagine what these cars really would be like if they were actually manufactured by someone who cared about what the finished product looked like when it rolls out the door?

 

[Hack]

Part of the problem is the quality of the materials. Ford just threw snake logos on it to cover up the cheapness. $20K Jettas made in Mexico are better quality. The tolerances are certainly not as tight as they should be. I suspect this allows unskilled union workers to slap them together easily thereby getting them out the door quicker. They could have built a better car if margin wasn't the priority. I would have paid more if the GT350 had German level quality with an engine that you could rely on. I really don't understand it as my Raptor is a solid product, like it was made by a different company.

You want a Mercedes AMG, it sounds like. The GTR is pretty awesome from what I can tell. You should buy one of those.

 

[stanglife]

If everyone would just check their oil none of this would be happening...

The denial is strong

There’s one of those guys who has it all figured out. So cool to know you....

 

[Hack]

I went back to Porsche. Looking back I'd say the two '13 B302's I had were better quality overall than the GT350. The interior was spartan, but the car was put together well. Unfortunately Ford cheeped out on the MT-82 transmission and the live axle at the time so I sold it with the promise from Ford that the new GT350 had performance of "orders of magnitude" Jamal Hameedi, over the B302. I think Jamal is gone now.

Don't you find the ultra hooked-up feel of the Porsche with all the weight over the drive wheels to be boring and bland? I've driven a few Porsches and on the street they put me to sleep.

Maybe if the 911 cost closer to what it does in Europe I would be interested as a comfy and relaxing daily driver, but with the price being so high I just don't understand the draw. Can you explain why you like the Porsche? You mentioned build quality - is that really more important to you than driving excitement?

 

[stanglife]

I suspect most people feel a higher sense of connection with whatever car they CURRENTLY OWN.

 

[stanglife]

Comparing the two, I find a higher sense of connection with the car and the road being behind the wheel of a 911. The GT350 was fun no doubt about it but I feel far more in control with any of the 911's I've had over the Mustangs I've owned (The GT350's were the best of my Mustangs though). You can step out the 911's, but it does require more effort. That's a good thing because that means the driver has more control of the car. Road feel is much better with the 911's as is the suspension. They're probably better at putting down power better than any other car available. Having rear wheel steering feels like being in a slot car. I find that I can drive the car faster and in more control. A GT350 may beat a 911 around a track that rewards horsepower, but will not out handle a 991.2. The GT350 feels pretty heavy. My 911 weighs 600 lbs less and you can really feel the difference.

911's are probably less expensive here in the US than anywhere else. In Europe they have to pay VAT and that's a killer at 19% in Germany. And I wouldn't describe 911's as comfy, nor relaxing, rather 'engaging' is more fitting a description.

I really do wish that Ford spent the money in materials and design, and charged more for the GT350 in order to deliver a higher quality product. They talked it up so much looking back at all the hype. For the money the Boss 302's were made pretty well. The only two missteps were the MT-82 and the live axle. I went into the GT350 thinking that same build quality or better was going to be delivered.

German cars, and Porsche in particular just flat out make better cars. You pay for it no doubt about it but being behind the wheel is rewarding on a daily basis. Now if I was a track rat I would probably buy a 5.0 liter Mustang, gut it and cage it and put the necessary performance bits on it. Tracking a Porsche would cost more. But having a car for back road fun, good low end torque for daily driving, weekend trips with the wife etc, the 911 is a better choice for me.

New GT350 Owner - Coming from Porsche/Ferrari

I've owned 4 911's, an M3 and various Audi's and VW's over the years. I've always loved Mustangs, but now I just can't see the value in German cars anymore. They're overpriced and they tank in value in general. Ford is making great stuff right now....

lol​

 

[stanglife]

I think your opinion about German cars seemed pretty independent of any love for a Mustang. How does a GT350 change your opinion that "They're (german cars) overpriced and they tank in value in general"?
I think this proved my point. You like what you have and talk shit about what you don't have just to make yourself feel good. That....is called a DOUCHEBAG.

Seeing that you're only agenda is to devalue a car that you don't even own with your fantasy bias, I think you should be banned.

 

[stanglife]

...and with that, added to my ignore list. It's an exclusive club of only douchebags - which thankfully, there aren't too many of here.

CHEERS

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