L.A. GT owners-newbie wants advice...

[cudacharlie]

Hello GT'ers...

I am an inch away from getting a Heritage GT for my happy-birthday-to-me present... and I'd love to get your opinions on things.

My background: I've got a '70 'Cuda convertible and a '70 Charger R/T and a 06 Magnum SRT8. Never had a supercar or an exotic, never had a supercharged engine, never had a transaxle. (Also never had a wreck...). But I HAVE had the Magnum SRT sideways at 120 (with ESP off) at the SRT Track Experience. Does that make me a man? :lol

My questions are: What are the best and worst things about having a GT? Loves? Hates? Unpleasant surprises? Also, any proud papas want to give me a tour of their baby? I'd love to meet up at Crystal Cove or Bob's in Burbank and meet and talk to an owner, if anyone wants to initiate a newbie! (And I'll bring the Cuda so your GT can spank her hard!)

Understand that, for me, it is not a decision between the GT and a Lambo or Z06 or something; if it's not gonna be the GT, then I might get an Elise to beat on, but I don't think that the Lotus is the cure for what ails me.... The choice of the GT is for me equal parts performance, design, and cultural heritage. Vettes and Vipers do not tap into the cultural heritage vein the way the GT does.

I guess I'm looking for caveats like...

"drive AROUND speedbumps, dude..."
"do NOT ride the clutch!"
"L.A. dealers are useless, have it trailered to Florida"
"make SURE you install the transaxle cooler..."
"oh god I wish it were a convertible, it gets so hot in there..."

or

"Give it up, Mopar-boy! Stick to Vipers! The GT is too much car for you!"

Anyway, sorry to ramble, and thanks in advance for any advice you can throw my way...

:thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup

- CudaCharlie

 

[LEMANSZ]

I'm in the neighborhood..call me eme for the number

 

[mardyn]

The only thing I really dislike about my GT is the MacIntosh sound system... for that kinda' extra dough ($4K)... an aftermarket radio could/would be 10 times better, for half the cost.

IMO, Ford perpetrated a major scam on most GT owners with that system.

There's a few other minor items that should have been done on the car to make it much more user friendly, but nothing an enthusiastic owner couldn't resolve on his/her own.

Now get out there and get that Car!

mardyn

 

[Dr Robert Harms]

The only thing I really dislike about my GT is the MacIntosh sound system... for that kinda' extra dough ($4K)... an aftermarket radio could/would be 10 times better, for half the cost.

IMO, Ford perpetrated a major scam on most GT owners with that system.

########### Agreed. Wouldnt you just love to know who the moron (err marketing genius) was that had the cajones to come up with a $ 4000.00 radio that takes up storage space in the worlds most storage deprived vehicle and also covers up part of the supercharger that there is a window to see ?

Of course, the dealers pay 3000 and make a grand so who can blame them

And...of course Ford gets to sell a bunch of expensive replacement panels

I true stroke of marketing genius of the Roberto Guzman variety (but it couldnt have been him)

 

[BlackICE]

Ford would have been better off not selling the Mac radio and still charging the dealers another 4K. Ford would have sold the same number of cars and made more profit.

BlackICE

 

[Bart Carter]

I really think Ford wanted a showpiece radio to go with a showpiece car. They also figured that people buying at this level would want a high end offering. The MAC was what came of that. Maybe not the best of what could of been, but hindsight.... :wink

 

[BlackICE]

I still stick with no radio upgrade charge the 4k more and more profit to Ford. How many on the board would not have bought there car for the same price with the standard radio? I don't think anyone would have changed their mind. Maybe less happy about it, but they would have bought it anyway.

I don't think anyone was on the fence about buy the GT and then said "wow what a great radio" I have to buy the car now.

I think most would have bought the car without any radio, or space to add one!


BlackICE

 

[cudacharlie]

Yeah, the subwoofer is inconvenient, but that certainly wouldn't put me off the car... Plus, can't it be removed without using a Sawzall?

I was basically hoping NOT to hear that the car was uncivilized in the city or that it suffered from many of the 'issues' that other supercars or exotics have, and I must say that every owner so far has said just the opposite: That the GT is a comfortable, Ford-reliable, Ford-simple vehicle that just happens to go 200mph and handle like a slot car.

Exactly what I wanted to hear! :thumbsup

Now: Do I actually have the nutz to drive a Heritage GT, or should I calm down and go for white/blue stripes?

BTW: This is a great forum, and I gotta say you guys are really a bunch of nice guys, being super helpful to a non-owner newbie. LEMANSZ even offered me a ride! So, :cheers and :thumbsup to you all!

 

[nota4re]

cudacharlie,

I'm in Santa Clarita, not sure where in Socal you are. You can have a ride anytime or just stop by and chew the fat.

 

[californiacuda]

So, have you bought a GT, or are you just thinking about it?

 

[cudacharlie]

nota4re - Thanks for the offer! I'm in Hollywood, moving to Topanga next month.... I will definitely take you up on your kind offer after the 4th weekend!

californiacuda - I haven't bought yet, but my birthday is next week, and the woman says go for it, the pool can wait till next summer! The accountant wishes I would wait till next fiscal year, but grudgingly agrees that it's doable and is not out of line for someone 'in my position' (ahem). Clearly, the GT is the HemiCuda of this millenium, and I know that I will never again get a chance to walk into a dealership and purchase such a machine. I have worked like a maniac for the last four years, saved up, bought the woman her dream house and her dream car (a new Chevy SSR, thank goodness she's a cheap date!), and those who know me reckon I "deserve" to treat myself...

So I guess I sound like a lurking wannabe newb, which I guess is sort of true, but I am beyond serious, and I really appreciate y'all helping me out. I mean, my biggest car purchase so far was the lowly Magnum SRT8 (awesome car at $42k), so I'm totally green on high-$$$ cars.

I reckon I will go for it within a couple of weeks, as I am just finishing up a monster job... and since I cannot find one single owner with a serious complaint, other than minor trans leaks and that darn stereo, how can I NOT go for it?

I was just a little queasy to enter the world of exotics, because I thought it automatically meant annual $15k trans overhauls and lots of time with the car on a flatbed.... This doesn't seem to be the case at all with the GT; it actually appears to be 'built Ford tough'.

It seems that all the owners are paraphrasing Ferris Bueller....

"If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up..." :thumbsup

Thanks again! BTW: if you see a sublime green '70 'Cuda 440 convertible at the cruises, that's me... Say hi! :cheers - Charlie

 

[KJRGT]

I just clicked 1,000 miles on my GT and am still amazed at how docile it behaves around town...if you choose. I live in Pacific Palisades and would be happy to meet up with you and give you some seat time, take you to Crystal Cove some Saturday morning. Do I like the challenge of backing it up? No. Do I like the challenge of getting in and out of driveways? No. Do I like the big sub woofer? No. Do I like the challenge of sticking my foot in it and all of the sudden the car that was waaaaay ahead of me being on my front bumper? Absolutely YES! :banana The car drives around town like a Toyota if you want it to, albeit with less visibility for the driver. But make no mistake, this car was built to run and run hard. Can't wait to get it up to Willow Springs and really enjoy the purpose of what this supercar was designed for. :lol

 

[cudacharlie]

KJR - Many thanks, kind sir, for your offer! I would certainly love to meet up with you one morning.... After the 4th weekend, certainly...

I am certainly becoming more and more convinced to go for it minute by minute (thanks to you guys, mostly!)...

Weird, six months ago the GT was the furthest thing from my mind, as I prepared to add a fourth Mopar to the pile... :rofl