Shelby GT350

I'm glad to see this car but Mustangs just feel big and chunky to me, I guess I'm a small/compact car kinda guy. Any perspectives on this? I have an S2000 now and Cayman seems like the next prospect. But I would love to support America.

I've driven a 2001 GT and it didn't seem all that big and chunky. Not small for sure, but nothing giant. Then i drove a 2014 GT and it felt like driving a truck. MUCH faster, more powerful, and better handling than the 2001, and the build quality was MILES ahead, but if felt big and chunky for sure.

That is a hell of a car. Way to go Ford. Way to go America. Sadly, I learned that the donor only gets an average of $4000 for a kidney, so I won't be seeing a GT350 any time soon.

You can get 4k for a kidney?! I could buy another 323 GTX!

You guys must not have gotten the new issue yet. :)

Okay, I'll say it, and I also think I pretty much stand by it...

The Shelby GT350R is the best mass-produced factory track car currently being sold by any manufacturer. Yes that includes the GT3. It's really that good. It's the first factory track special that I've ever driven that needed NOTHING to be perfectly fun and exciting on track.

In reply to JG Pasterjak: Wow

JG Pasterjak wrote: You guys must not have gotten the new issue yet. :) Okay, I'll say it, and I also think I pretty much stand by it... The Shelby GT350R is the best mass-produced factory track car currently being sold by any manufacturer. Yes that includes the GT3. It's really that good. It's the first factory track special that I've ever driven that needed NOTHING to be perfectly fun and exciting on track.

You suck and you are going to cost me money.

In reply to Rufledt:

Unrelated note, but a guy is selling a project 323 for 500 bucks in my area. Has engine and everything. Just needs to be put into the car, or so he says...

Desmond wrote: In reply to Rufledt: Unrelated note, but a guy is selling a project 323 for 500 bucks in my area. Has engine and everything. Just needs to be put into the car, or so he says...

You really shouldn't say things like that without a location in your profile, man.

Here's an auction for what you want to pay OVER MSRP. Currently at $20k http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Mustang-Shelby-GT350-/281843344427?forcerrptr=true&hash=item419f2c242b:g:Of4AAOSwwbdWM5XY&item=281843344427

turtl631 wrote: I'm glad to see this car but Mustangs just feel big and chunky to me, I guess I'm a small/compact car kinda guy. Any perspectives on this? I have an S2000 now and Cayman seems like the next prospect. But I would love to support America.

You are not the only one.

I love the Mustang, particularly the buyers, and the premium they are willing to pay for it. But I love it as I love the SuperDuty pick ups- as a way to pad my profit sharing.

I can't ever see me getting one.

$47900 doesn't seem like that much for a Boss 302 Laguna Seca with basically no mileage.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=06484&endYear=2016&modelCode1=MUST&showcaseOwnerId=54902872&startYear=1981&makeCode1=FORD&searchRadius=100&showcaseListingId=399466656&mmt=%5BFORD%5BMUST%5BMUST%257CBoss%2B302%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=406643567&Log=0

It's certainly not over MSRP. Having been in a regular Boss the interior is low rent as hell. Cloth and acres of black plastic. Plus the new ones with the IRS make these way less appealing IMO.

If you pay more than MSRP for one of these GT350s you're bound to lose a lot of money. If you pay MSRP you'll probably do okay.

gjz30075 wrote: Here's an auction for what you want to pay OVER MSRP. Currently at $20k http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Mustang-Shelby-GT350-/281843344427?forcerrptr=true&hash=item419f2c242b:g:Of4AAOSwwbdWM5XY&item=281843344427

Not even a R and 20K over. Ford can shove it if all the dealers are doing that. You would think after watching the Z28 sitting on Chevy lots after the gouging forever they would learn. "But limited number built" will always be the reply.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

Why do you think it's the manufacturers fault that dealers are jacking up the price? By law, the dealers are independent from the manufacturer.

If the dealers think they can move all of them with $20k added to them- that's their option.

Wait six months. I think you'll see those markups fall or go away.

My '05 isn't by any means a small car but it drives smaller than it is. I haven't driven one of the newer ones to compare, but I sort of feel like my 05 GT is the spiritual successor to a '65 289 GT - the later cars were a little heavier and much more powerful, but it keeps a little more of the bare bones, balanced feel. Compared to the Coyotes it's almost a momentum car with "only" 325 HP. Compared to the GT350/R it's a civic wagon.

They are, still, much larger vehicles than they ever were before. They will never have the tiny feel of a Miata or a MINI, but I don't really think they are supposed to. Some people will prefer one over the other - I'll take the Mustang.

For a 3700lb track car , it looks like it can handle itself pretty well.

Did anybody else notice in the video that the passenger rear of the car had been scraped up pretty badly? Which overzealous journalist do you think we can blame for that?

alfadriver wrote: In reply to wearymicrobe: Why do you think it's the manufacturers fault that dealers are jacking up the price? By law, the dealers are independent from the manufacturer. If the dealers think they can move all of them with $20k added to them- that's their option.

Wasn't FCA keeping certain dealers from getting Hellcats, because they were known to charge well over MSRP?

Edit- Not quite, but close: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/03/02/dodge-warns-customers-unscrupulous-hellcat-dealers/

Fingers crossed that 6-12 months gets us down to at least MSRP on these cars. I'd pay MSRP, I just have a moral objection to doing the whole ADM thing. I appreciate the free market, and if dealers can get away with it, more power to them I guess, but it's not going to be my money.

An amazing car and we're hung up on investment value?

Appleseed wrote: An amazing car and we're hung up on investment value?

Yep, unfortunately. Are we smarter consumers than, say, 20 years ago?

Appleseed wrote: An amazing car and we're hung up on investment value?

Are people hung up on investment value or whether to pay over MSRP for the thing? I wouldn't care whether it's an investment as most new cars are not very good investments, but at the same time I wouldn't pay over MSRP for anything.

I don't get the investment thing. I have 4 classic cars and while I pay attention to how much they're worth, hoping for an increase in value isn't why I bought them. There are much better ways to use your money to make money than buying cars, unless you are a dealer.

Curious what you guys think about this article regarding the flat plane crank.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flat-plane-silliness-how-crankshaft-press-release-duped-stephen-kim?redirectFromSplash=true

scardeal wrote: Curious what you guys think about this article regarding the flat plane crank. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flat-plane-silliness-how-crankshaft-press-release-duped-stephen-kim?redirectFromSplash=true

Tells me that the engine is still pretty badass and that the flat plane crank thing might be a little overhyped versus all the other aspects of the engine that make it badass.

scardeal wrote: Curious what you guys think about this article regarding the flat plane crank. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/flat-plane-silliness-how-crankshaft-press-release-duped-stephen-kim?redirectFromSplash=true

Some stuff is right, some stuff is wrong.

I was under the impression, as is the author, that there are some longevitity detriments which go along with the flat plane crank, but Eric dispelled those as myths.

He also derided the use of pushrods, which makes about as much sense as deriding cross plane cranks.

It's a good motor. I am pretty sure we can agree on that.