Breaking in a GT - Q from soon to be owner

[A-man]

Hi all,

New member, still a little ignorant, but in love with the GT...
Just put down a deposit on a 2006 GT here in Canada and will be inspecting it tomorrow. It is being sold by a non-Ford dealer and 160 miles on it. I expect to take delivery the following weekend.

A couple of questions:
1) anything I should watch out for regarding this basically new car
2) what precautions should I take when breaking her in.

Extremely excited. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[ROCMAN]

Hi all,

New member, still a little ignorant, but in love with the GT...
Just put down a deposit on a 2006 GT here in Canada and will be inspecting it tomorrow. It is being sold by a non-Ford dealer and 160 miles on it. I expect to take delivery the following weekend.

A couple of questions:
1) anything I should watch out for regarding this basically new car
2) what precautions should I take when breaking her in.

Extremely excited. Thanks for the feedback.

The biggest piece of advise I can give is to NOT CRASH!:biggrin

Take it easy for the first 1000 miles, then you can let it rip.

Make sure you are in 1st, not 3rd. It is a very common error.

There is no traction control, so use your driving skills and dont floor it, especially going around a corner.

Watch your head, and ALWAYS warn your passengers. I never hit my head, but many of my passengers did.:biggrin

Make sure you get everything, like the charger, car cover with bag, and book.

Order one of Jays pads for lifting your car, order one of Cooltech's Tranny Coolers, and all of Stormcat's Carbon goodies!

Be prepared for all the attention you get. There will be good, and bad associated with this. Some attention can be downright creepy.

There are a lot of good people with a wealth of knowledge on this site. You're in good hands here!

Congrats!:cheers

 

[Fubar]

Well said Roco!

He right about the "Don't crash it" bit. It happens to more new owners than you would expect. It is massive power.

You have to open the doors wide to get in and out so leave yourself plenty of room when you park.

Oh and be sure to make at least one track appointment for it. Even if you don’t normal do track time. You will learn a lot about the cars abilities (and yours).

Congratulations! It's a fantastic ride.

 

[analogdesigner]

Break in ...

NOTE: this is from an old post!

These guys are giving you good advice.

Some of "Jay's Laws":

1. Never "thrash" (drive hard) on a cold engine. Always wait until the water temperature is >170 F (in other words, approaches equalibrium). The moving components within the engine expand at different rates and therefore their proper clearances aren't established until then. Your GT engine has forged pistons which must be up to operating temperature before the proper piston to cylinder wall clearance is established.

2. The tranny will shift with some difficulty until warm, especially into second gear. Be gentle on it, as with time (about 2,000 miles or so) it will begin to shift more smoothly. Shift from 1st to 3rd (bypassing 2nd) or double-clutch if needed. UPDATE: Some testing revealed that smoother shifting into second may be obtained by pulling the shifter into while the clutch pedal is being depressed (meaning simultaneously, not step-by-step) . Meaning, do not wait for the clutch pedal to hit the floor, then shifting into second, as this delay seems to make shifting into second more difficult.

3. Stop-and-go city driving is a better way to break in a GT (this is my opinion, based on the transmission issues). Shift through all of the gears whenever possible which also operates the engine at many different RPM's.

4. Resist the urge to get too wild and crazy, give it some time to generate a good feel for the car. You have a lot of power here. Most GT disasters occur during that "got to get in it quick and see what this baby can do" moment. This ain't no Yugo...

5. Be extra careful when backing up, due to very limited visibility. The front spoiler also needs consideration. The rear diffuser hangs fairly low, so be careful when going through nasty dips and up driveways (I got nicked on day two...).

6. I make my auto detailer purchase cleaning supplies to be used on my car only (buffing wheels, polishing clothes. etc.). I wash them myself. I don't want someone else's dirty laundry being used on my car!

7. At the tire shop, I have my own personal replaceable plastic parts for their tire changing machine that are to be used only on my wheels. I paid for these parts and they swap them out temporarily for use on my car. Sure, it cost more, but I like to keep things clean.

8. Cold tires and cold and/or wet pavement (high humidity) can be a dangerous combo. Remember Roberto Guerrero in the beginning lap of the Indy 500, years ago? Your car has enough power to reproduce that maneuver!

Spend some time reviewing the numerous postings on this forum as we are fortunate to have an excellent owner's group!

Jay,
http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34

www.gtsaver.com

 

[B O N Y]

lots of good advise here. welcome to the forum, where are you located?

 

[analogdesigner]

purchase an Accufab transaxle fastener kit

Hi all,

New member, still a little ignorant, but in love with the GT...
Just put down a deposit on a 2006 GT here in Canada and will be inspecting it tomorrow. It is being sold by a non-Ford dealer and 160 miles on it. I expect to take delivery the following weekend.

A couple of questions:
1) anything I should watch out for regarding this basically new car
2) what precautions should I take when breaking her in.

Extremely excited. Thanks for the feedback.

A-man,

One important item if you purchase the car. I would purchase an Accufab transaxle fastener kit and have it installed by an expert mechanic. It really isn't that difficult to install, however you want a mechanic that pays attention to details.

Jay
(949) 366-1211, anytime

 

[Indy GT]

Jay's comments are all very appropriate for operating the FGT safely and within reason.

When questions come up, as they ALWAYS do, use the search function of this website. Most all of us have encountered the same questions at one point or another. If not, as our moderator BONY points out, the knowledge base of the car by the Forum participants is truly amazing. Someone will know the answer to any question.

Welcome aboard!

 

[A-man]

Thank you all for the advice. I am located in Toronto but the car will eventually follow me to the dry climes of Alberta (in a trailer...).

I look forward to navigating my way around the site. Thanks again.

Cheers

 

[06fordgt]

Aman welcome to thencandian contingent. These cars are amazing. No question listen and remenber all the above. I have 3 very high performance cars. They all, like the GT need seat time to get the feel of the car. Once you get it let me know and maybe we can hook up and go over some items.

 

[AZGT]

The tranny will shift with some difficulty until warm, especially into second gear.

Moving the shifter from first to third (without letting out the clutch) then in to second also seems to work when cold.

Oh and be sure to make at least one track appointment for it. Even if you don’t normal do track time. You will learn a lot about the cars abilities (and yours).

Absolutely. :thumbsup It is good to have a place where you can see what will happen if you go to heavy on the gas. The pedal is pushed down, not stomped. Heavy foot + FGT = OOPS.

Make sure you get everything, like the charger, car cover with bag, and book.

The 06 will come with the owners manual, but not the "book". Also try to see if there are any papers - tags - window sticker. Keep it all.

Welcome. Have fun, be safe, and don't be stupid.

 

[avant]

Welcome,
When you make it Calgary way drop a line. There are at least 10-12 Fgt's in Calgary and many of us track the cars at the local race track...big fun. Just a little hint with your new car, make sure the steering wheel is in 'straight' position prior to putting your foot in it, failure to do this will have you looking in the opposite direction in a millisecond.