Why didn't I like the GT350..?

[RalphK]

Before I bought my new GT I took the chance to look at everything available that interested me since every car that I've owned in this category for the last 10+ years has been Mustangs only. So I test drove a Challenger SRT, Camaro SS, 2016 Mustang GT, GT350, and my 2019 Mustang GT.

I liked the speed and power (torque) of the Camaro and the way it put that power down to the road. It was confidence inspiring in the curves and easy to drive fast. I did not like the feeling I was sitting way down inside it and that positioning made the car feel very large in a way with the poor visibility. Changing lanes became a gambling sport. I was out.

When I drove the GT350 I had read heard so much about it I had really high expectations and in some ways those expectations were nailed down solid. The exhaust note and shifting of this car are both fantastic. The transmission in the GT350 should absolutely be in the GT, or at least an option. The car I drove had the Recaro's are they were horrible. I've been into bodybuilding/powerlifting for quite some time and there is no way I was fitting in between those seat bolsters. It seemed so unbelievably small. Anyway, on to the handling of the car. When I put the car hard into a corner it was impressively grippy. The trade off was that the car felt nervous af driving down the interstate, literally you could feel the front end hopping as we went over bumps on the highway. I had to make many, many corrections to the steering wheel to keep the car driving straight in the short 3 mile ride down the highway, to the point I knew there was NO WAY I could live with this car for the long term and I instantly understood another reason why these cars almost always have low mileage....it was a pain to keep it going straight down the road lol

All of the aforementioned as well as the price tag is what ultimately put me into a new GT as opposed to what had been a dream car of mine for quite some time, and I have to say I'm super comfortable with my purchase choice given the driving characteristics of the GT350 I did drive. I know for a fact I couldn't handle that thing on a daily basis even if I switched out the seats.

Question for you guys that have or have driven a GT350:
Is my experience like yours or did I just happen to drive one that had something wrong with it?

The cars “nervousness, jumpy feeling” on the highway as you describe is a function of a car with wide sticky tires and/or alignment/suspension set up. On my PP2 that had 305/30’s cup 2’s all the way around had noticeable tramlining. I replace those tires and kept them on a new set of rims for track days. As expected the tramlining went away with out changing any alignment.

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[Lorne34]

The 350 is unique in it's torque curve and handling. If you want a stop light to stop light burner then get a challenger for sure. The shelby is not an ideal daily driver, as it was designed for the track and/or long stretches of curvy road where you can get it up on the high rev range at 3rd or 4th gear.... the torque and response in the higher rev ranges is incredible. The suspension with magnaride is fine for city driving unless you have really crappy roads, then you will feel it more (especially in sport mode) and you'll have some tramlining.
A couple weeks ago my wife and i took it for a drive and hit some areas where we were able to stretch it out, open up the exhaust and keep the rpm's above 3k. We then took it home on the main interstate, put it in 6th with cruise on and it felt like a cadillac.. extremely smooth ride and very quiet. I said "how can this thing be so rowdy one moment and then like this the next?" It's an incredible car, but not for everyone.

 

[shogun32]

took it for a drive and hit some areas where we were able to stretch it out, open up the exhaust and keep the rpm's above 3k

typo? Surely you meant well north of 5k. Hell, I keep the LT1 and Coyote3 on the boil (4K+) all the damn time on any road that has curves. Unless i'm doing 70mph on the interstate I don't even use 6th.

 

[Lorne34]

typo? Surely you meant well north of 5k. Hell, I keep the LT1 and Coyote3 on the boil (4K+) all the damn time on any road that has curves. Unless i'm doing 70mph on the interstate I don't even use 6th.

yeah, north of 3500k.. that's the starting point...

article from Motor Trend..
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2019-ford-mustang-shelby-gt350-dyno-results/

Last time we measured a GT350 on a dyno in 2015, it put down a very healthy 467 wheel horsepower. This one is even stronger. Here's what the dyno tells us: an average of 494 hp and 382 lb-ft at the wheels over three separate runs in fourth gear. Accounting for the drivetrain loss, our results translate to 581 horses and 449 lb-ft at the crank from the Voodoo V-8; that's 55 hp and 20 extra lb-ft more than its ratings from Ford.



The dyno chart, which graphs power and torque against engine speed, shows a big spike in torque for the Mustang around 3,300 rpm. That's when this engine comes alive—much later in the rev range than most turbocharged engines and larger-displacement V-8s. Torque remains near its peak at 382 lb-ft between 3,300 and 6,000 rpm, at which point it begins to drop off. The power curve is relatively linear. Peak power doesn't arrive until the Voodoo is approaching its sky-high 8,250-rpm fuel cutoff.

If our tester is any indication, you not only get one of the best-sounding engines in the business with the 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, you also get more power than advertised.

 

[torque124]

Is this thread still going ? Geez, people really, really don't have any work to do when @home...
I bet you forum traffic has skyrocketed since coronavirus...

 

[Lorne34]

LOL.... these threads are linked to anyone who contributes... so I get an email everytime someone breathes new life into a thread...

 

[Elp_jc]

This one is even stronger. Here's what the dyno tells us: an average of 494 hp and 382 lb-ft at the wheels over three separate runs in fourth gear

Well, no wonder why it made so much power; it should have been done in 5th gear, which is the 1:1 ratio on that car .

 

[Lorne34]

Well, no wonder why it made so much power; it should have been done in 5th gear, which is the 1:1 ratio on that car .

Is there an "official" standard for Dyno tests? I would think in order to have viable numbers there would be certain protocols/standards that would need to be followed.

 

[SplawnDarts]

Well, no wonder why it made so much power; it should have been done in 5th gear, which is the 1:1 ratio on that car .

It doesn't matter. Other than possibly a small difference in drivetrain loss.

 

[sagonzal2000]

This is why I want to drive another one. There is no way with the glowing reviews this car has garnered that what I experienced was normal.

I’m on my 2nd gt350 and tramlining is normal , although some guys have changed up the tires and others have changed the braces..here’s a link with mods done.
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/alignment-recommendations-for-minimizing-tramlining.104573/

 

[Lorne34]

I went from the MPSS Cup2's on my 19 to the MPSS standard OEM sizing for the 2015-18 models. This reduced tramlining considerably. It was terrible on the street with the Cup 2's
One of the worst decisions Ford made on the 2019 350 IMO.... Keep the R as the dedicated track focused vehicle and keep the 350 with the standard street/track tires. So many benefits to the MPSS, wear like iron, great for street and track, good in the rain, etc etc..
I know that the MP4S tires are good, but the fact that Michelin refuses to make them in the stock OEM sizing for the 350 is maddening. I don't want or need my 350 any lower than it is now... wish they would just make it in a 35 sidewall...
From what i've heard don't use the 4S for track.... not a good option.
Don't know what I'm going to do if/when Michelin decides to discontinue the MPSS for the 350. May have to just stock up on them.. LOL....

 

[Jmtoast]

I went from the MPSS Cup2's on my 19 to the MPSS standard OEM sizing for the 2015-18 models. This reduced tramlining considerably. It was terrible on the street with the Cup 2's
One of the worst decisions Ford made on the 2019 350 IMO.... Keep the R as the dedicated track focused vehicle and keep the 350 with the standard street/track tires. So many benefits to the MPSS, wear like iron, great for street and track, good in the rain, etc etc..
I know that the MP4S tires are good, but the fact that Michelin refuses to make them in the stock OEM sizing for the 350 is maddening. I don't want or need my 350 any lower than it is now... wish they would just make it in a 35 sidewall...
From what i've heard don't use the 4S for track.... not a good option.
Don't know what I'm going to do if/when Michelin decides to discontinue the MPSS for the 350. May have to just stock up on them.. LOL....

Check out the Toyo R888R's. Great Track tire, come in a 35 sidewall is many sizes, no tram-lining, very smooth at high speeds, and when they still have enough tread dead hook from a dig anything around 630rwhp and under. Very expensive, not great in rain, kind of loud, and wear quickly but great tire.

 

[stangman638]

Before I bought my new GT I took the chance to look at everything available that interested me since every car that I've owned in this category for the last 10+ years has been Mustangs only. So I test drove a Challenger SRT, Camaro SS, 2016 Mustang GT, GT350, and my 2019 Mustang GT.

I liked the speed and power (torque) of the Camaro and the way it put that power down to the road. It was confidence inspiring in the curves and easy to drive fast. I did not like the feeling I was sitting way down inside it and that positioning made the car feel very large in a way with the poor visibility. Changing lanes became a gambling sport. I was out.

When I drove the GT350 I had read heard so much about it I had really high expectations and in some ways those expectations were nailed down solid. The exhaust note and shifting of this car are both fantastic. The transmission in the GT350 should absolutely be in the GT, or at least an option. The car I drove had the Recaro's are they were horrible. I've been into bodybuilding/powerlifting for quite some time and there is no way I was fitting in between those seat bolsters. It seemed so unbelievably small. Anyway, on to the handling of the car. When I put the car hard into a corner it was impressively grippy. The trade off was that the car felt nervous af driving down the interstate, literally you could feel the front end hopping as we went over bumps on the highway. I had to make many, many corrections to the steering wheel to keep the car driving straight in the short 3 mile ride down the highway, to the point I knew there was NO WAY I could live with this car for the long term and I instantly understood another reason why these cars almost always have low mileage....it was a pain to keep it going straight down the road lol

All of the aforementioned as well as the price tag is what ultimately put me into a new GT as opposed to what had been a dream car of mine for quite some time, and I have to say I'm super comfortable with my purchase choice given the driving characteristics of the GT350 I did drive. I know for a fact I couldn't handle that thing on a daily basis even if I switched out the seats.

Question for you guys that have or have driven a GT350:
Is my experience like yours or did I just happen to drive one that had something wrong with it?

Funny you mentioned your interstate experience... I came from a 19 GT to a 19 350 and noticed the 19 GT seems more stable at higher speeds, going over a bump at 100 in the 350 your not sure if your going to end up in a ditch or stay on the road, is this because of the magnaride?

 

[shogun32]

noticed the 19 GT seems more stable at higher speeds, going over a bump at 100 in the 350 your not sure if your going to end up in a ditch or stay on the road, is this because of the magnaride?

no, Ford fixed some of the excessive lift inherit to the 15-17 nose design.

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