Need owners experience when buying a Ford GT

[FordZealot]

I've been looking for a Ford GT for a while, and now found one in the right price range. Buying a Ford GT with no experience with this type of car is somewhat frustrating. Have only seen one yet, and it did not seem like the car dealer had much knowledge of the car.

Is there a problem with getting the car in reverse? The car was not running when I tried.

When he opened the engine compartment, he had to bend the rear body panel out of the way, so the trunk lid would not go in contact. Is this normal? Or can it be adjusted?

I live in Europe, and don't have the opportunity to compare one model from another, since there are very few Ford GT for sale. The one I have seen was $ 210000 USD and have gone 7500 miles. Tires are new. (They only last 7500miles?).
Looks good, but has some paint damage on the front and at the door. The seat cover looks a bit worn (but not more than compared to other used Ford GTs), and the floor on the driver's side has scratches here and there. One wheel has a scratch damage. And the front has touched the tarmac a few times. Is this a good price for a used Ford GT?

Damage on wheel:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1320504/bilde 1.JPG

Scratches floor - drivers side:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1320504/bilde 2.JPG

Worn seat:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1320504/bilde 3.JPG

Paint damage. Looks like same paint as the white stripe.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1320504/bilde 4.JPG

 

[Sinovac]

Welcome. I'm sure you will get answers from members who work on these cars all the time, but here is my take. Your experience with the transmission is the same as mine and doesn't mean there is any problem. My car shifts into reverse just fine when the car is running. However, it does require some moderate effort. In any event, all manual transmissions need to be motion to shift properly.

The binding between the clamshell and fear fascia is caused by a poorly aligned rear fascia. The fear fascia can be adjusted to fix this.

The wear you describe seems reasonable for a car that hasn't been worshipped as a sacred object. The mats are easily replaced at modest cost. The paint issue seems minor and easily fixed. The wheel can be repaired, although getting an exact paint match may take some modest effort by a wheel technician. The seat has more wear than my 9k mile car, but isn't bad. In fact, it seems to have a very nice patina. Assuming there are no other issues with the car (why was the rear fascia misaligned in the first place??), the price seems good, particularly since the car is already in Europe.

Good luck!

 

[FBA]

My clamshell isn't a perfect fit and needs adjusting, but sits fine against the rear facia. If the clamshell is binding against it, I'd be concerned. I have not heard about a clamshell being that far out of alignment, that it would bind against the rear facia. Seems odd to me...

Price seems quite low for a car in Europe.

 

[Xcentric]

You can make the rear tires wear out very fast! With a moderate right foot you may get 5k-10k miles from the rears, depending on how fast you like to corner. You'll go through two or three sets of rear tires per set of front tires.

The reverse gate is very strong. I use two hands to pull the shift lever left, or a quick slap on the knob with my right hand gets it through the gate. (Yes, I'm still talking about the shifter!)

I have seen engine covers that touch the rear fascia. At best, the clearance is only a few mm.

Paint damage looks minor. Seat looks good. The wheels are the optional forged wheels. They are hard to get and very expensive (about $10k used for a set in excellent condition).

I'm surprised it is priced that low. But perhaps you are converting from Krone and the Krone is strong against the USD? If the seller is actually pricing it in USD, then you are getting a great deal in my opinion.

Is the car an export model or US spec?

 

[ROCK]

I would check VIN # to see if it has been in some sort of accident elsewhere. Price seems too low coming from a dealer for a 7.5k mile car.
Shifting into reverse takes practice, it is normal.
Check if it has a different exhaust, sometimes when people switch exhaust, misalign the clam shell.

 

[FordZealot]

Thank you Sinovac, FBA and Xcentric for valuable info.

210000 USD is based on what the import price would be if I make the calculation without Norwegian taxes and in local currency (therefor not exactly comparable).

It has been imported from the US, and has had a few owners since then. It also lacks the factory car cover and charger. Was it delivered with more accessories?

 

[Xcentric]

The car cover and the storage bag that fits in the trunk are still available. You need a 220v charger anyway, right? It should have an air compressor and tire puncture seal kit in the trunk. This is a standard unit made by Continental and used in some European cars that don't have spare tires. A tow hook that screws into the grill on the driver side fits on top of the compressor kit. No other accessories. Two keys with fobs.