Comparing Cars With Different Number of Miles


Special K

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 23, 2016
1,775
Franklinton, LA
I like the look of the stripes so I'll go for a striped car.
On the rims. I'm thinking the base rims might bring more down the road because most cars I've seen have the BBS.
I like the look of the BBS but that isn't a deal breaker for me.
As an owner of a blue no stripe with base wheels, I’d like to clarify that both style wheels are BBS. The base 6 spoke wheel is cast while the “lightweight” option is 10 spoke forged. Approximately 88% of GTs came with the optional forged wheel. I like the look of both, but find the cast easier to clean.
 
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jaxgt

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
2,794
I've had this same discussion with many buyers before. I'd really recommend that you buy a car that has been well taken car of but has as many miles as possible. Yes, the higher miles will likely allow you to spend less, but it's my (somewhat educated) opinion that you will enjoy the car more - because you will drive it. If you pay a premium and get a very low mileage car, you are going to have this nag in your head each time you contemplate to take it out - something along the lines of, "man, I'm adding miles and diminishing the value/premium that I just paid." My two cents says, buy the highest mileage car you can. You aren't gonna wear it out. We routinely service GT's with 20K miles or more and many are just as nice as the ultra-low mileage cars that we see more frequently. Car condition is more of a function of the owner than it is the mileage.

This post by Kendall should be read by every future GT shopper. I would take a 15-20k mile car VERY properly maintained over most low mileage cars with little known history
 
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GT@50

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 14, 2019
852
Issaquah
This post by Kendall should be read by every future GT shopper. I would take a 15-20k mile car VERY properly maintained over most low mileage cars with little known history
I agree, point me in the direction of some 15-20k mile cars for sale. lol Just not that many. Hmmm, mid mile GT, cool car that you can drive. Is that going to command a premium? ha
 

GT@50

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Dec 14, 2019
852
Issaquah
As an owner of a blue no stripe with base wheels, I’d like to clarify that both style wheels are BBS. The base 6 spoke wheel is cast while the “lightweight” option is 10 spoke forged. Approximately 88% of GTs came with the optional forged wheel. I like the look of both, but find the cast easier to clean.
I didn't know they were both BBS, learn something new every day, forget two other things though. I agree the 6 spoke would be easier to clean and they don't look bad either.
 
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jaxgt

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
2,794
I agree, point me in the direction of some 15-20k mile cars for sale. lol Just not that many. Hmmm, mid mile GT, cool car that you can drive. Is that going to command a premium? ha
Patience Should pay off.. Some active members here have sold great 05-6 cars when their new GTs have come in.
 
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roketman

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Oct 24, 2005
7,994
ma.
I have a 53k mile car that’s invaluable to me!
And a 2019 carbon series with 6,900 miles!
the more mileage only means Ive had more fun than all those low mileage deprived owners!
No one on there death bed ever wished they drove there GT’s less!
Plus I’m not saving my cars for the next guy!
Just my o2
 

Special K

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 23, 2016
1,775
Franklinton, LA
I agree, point me in the direction of some 15-20k mile cars for sale. lol Just not that many. Hmmm, mid mile GT, cool car that you can drive. Is that going to command a premium? ha
Reason being most are frequently driven by owners who own them for the enjoyment and are not speculators. They do come up for sale from time to time (mainly due to life changing events) and like in my own purchasing experience, the sellers are looking more for “that special caretaker” than they are for top dollar. Network, be patient, and the right car will find you. I wasn’t actively looking for my car, but a mutual friend knew of my love for these special cars and put the seller in touch with me. He didn’t even have the car listed for sale, but when he found me, a fair sale price was offered and the rest was history...
 

Shark01

GT Owner
Jul 22, 2012
575
Houston Texas
the sellers are looking more for “that special caretaker” than they are for top dollar.

I would like to think that is true (because I'm looking for a forever car to go along with my forever Diablo), but sadly it is not from my experiences with collector cars in general....everyone is going for top dollar, and don't care where it comes from.....OK, GT world, prove me wrong :)
 
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Special K

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Aug 23, 2016
1,775
Franklinton, LA
I would like to think that is true (because I'm looking for a forever car to go along with my forever Diablo), but sadly it is not from my experiences with collector cars in general....everyone is going for top dollar, and don't care where it comes from.....OK, GT world, prove me wrong :)
This forum is a great place for just such a transaction! I’ve seen a few forum member’s cars sold for a very reasonable price to make room for new GTs. Again, network, network, network!
 
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nautoncall

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 6, 2014
1,093
I've had this same discussion with many buyers before. I'd really recommend that you buy a car that has been well taken car of but has as many miles as possible. Yes, the higher miles will likely allow you to spend less, but it's my (somewhat educated) opinion that you will enjoy the car more - because you will drive it. If you pay a premium and get a very low mileage car, you are going to have this nag in your head each time you contemplate to take it out - something along the lines of, "man, I'm adding miles and diminishing the value/premium that I just paid." My two cents says, buy the highest mileage car you can. You aren't gonna wear it out. We routinely service GT's with 20K miles or more and many are just as nice as the ultra-low mileage cars that we see more frequently. Car condition is more of a function of the owner than it is the mileage.

Just as everyone has said, I 100% agree with Kendall. He brokered a deal for me with a 58,000 mile car and 3 years later only oil changes, a new battery, and miles of worry free driving.
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Here is my advice: buying a car is not that hard. There is no such thing as perfect. You can get hit by a bus and die tomorrow and in the nearly 7 years you've been looking for a car, you've presumably earned many, many, many times the delta between "I could have a sweet car today" and "I'm going to keep looking for the perfect version of a car with virtually no variation." It's a car with 4 options. There are few colors. There's a broad array of data on approximate market values. The history of the car and its reliability and serviceability is extremely well-documented.

Most people that post for a period of years aren't actually in the market to buy a car, which is why I allow an extremely short leash for this type of posting. Prove me wrong.
 
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ENZO BTR

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 11, 2005
1,048
Southern California
I'm with you, no stripes and definitely no sub.
I feel like the stripe/no stripe position is pretty evenly split. I like both and I think that’s because the car looks so good either way. Same with color — car looks good in every color, so it‘s really up to buyer preference and how strong it is (I’m pretty fussy on my car colors, so even though the 2005-2006 looks good in all of them there are only 2-3 that I would buy).

The wheels question is more interesting. I really liked the look (and the easier cleaning) of the base wheels, but when all the Ford GT team folks told me the weight advantage of the optional wheels (which is substantial) I felt I had to go with them.

I like the red brake calipers best but it’s not a huge issue for me if they’re black or gray.

BTW, all of this has proven true for the new Ford GT. Looks good in every color, and with or without stripes, but’s I‘m pretty fussy and would only want to pay for one in a few colors — through I’m probably more flexible regarding colors on the new one than the 2005-2006 models. It just looks so good in almost any shade.

AND — on the new Ford GT I like the base metal wheels better than the carbon fiber in terms of pure visual impact...but the carbon fiber wheels are so substantially lighter than the steel wheels I had to go with them (getting a carbon series also meant I had to go with the carbon fiber wheels...but I already bought a set of the base aluminum wheels that I still need to get tires on and mount).

Finally, with regard to the 2005-2006 audio system, that’s the most interesting option. I’m confident that people who demand “four option cars” are doing it either out of ignorance (i.e. zero experience with the car) or for speculation purposes (convinced four-option cars are a better long-term investment). For people highly familiar with the car and not hung up on future value, the NON-MAC option is far superior. It replaces the Mac’s obnoxious central subwoofer with a functional storage pocket, giving the car more functionality while simultaneously making it easier to see the engine through the mid-lite glass, all while saving weight and $5,500 off the original purchase price.

This difference is so compelling that plenty of GT owners — “in the know” — went through the trouble of replacing the factory subwoofer with the factory storage pocket so they could enjoy both benefits. Of course this happened a lot when the car were just a year or two old. I’m betting it never happens these days out of fear of hurting today’s GT values. Plus that storage pocket part was never cheap, and I shudder to think what it costs these days...

But for me, the NO-MAC adds substantial value. If I was shopping today I’d likely not consider a Mac car, which would really cut down my purchase options while making a NO-MAC car more valuable. At least to me.😁
 
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Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
... My probable driving plan is 1,000 miles a year or so.

I can do that in a good weekend.

Ed
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
...Most people that post for a period of years aren't actually in the market to buy a car, which is why I allow an extremely short leash for this type of posting. Prove me wrong.

I remember Bonehead kept looking & looking for his GT. He finally listened to our advice & bought one. Just buy a GT Shark01. Your saved funds & the loan you are pre-approved for enable you to buy it. Now you need to mentally do it or let it go.

Ed
 

jaxgt

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
2,794
Following DBKs line of thought - I hate to say at this price points (>$200k), plus or minus 10% should not be a deal breaker when shopping, otherwise it's not the right car. Shouldn't take more than maybe 2-3 months to find a good one, if that. They are toys - if purchase +/- 10-15% causes financial hardship, I sincerely wouldn't buy one. And I don't mean that in a mean way. There are lots of cars I wish I had, but just didn't want to tie up that much money in one
 
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centerpunch

ex-GT owner x2
Mark II Lifetime
Sep 16, 2005
952
OH/NC
Well, I would disagree with that. It's not a question of whether you can afford to overpay for a car, it's a question of why would you overpay for a car?

I think there are probably a lot of potential buyers for these cars, and a corresponding number of sellers. But neither wants to make a $25K or $50K mistake.

At least to me, it's actually very difficult to see what a fair current price is. Asking prices are meaningless. Most sellers are asking $300K plus or minus a bit. But the small number of transactions that I've been able to determine the selling price have been lower than that.

(I'm speaking of what I would call a "normal" GT for sale- meaning a non-Heritage car with 2000 to maybe 6000 miles.)

I have seen several dealers sit on a GT for 3 years or more without changing the price. That's not a normal marketplace. I get it- the cost of floorplanning is low these days, and hey, maybe they think the cars might even go up in value. It's certainly their right to hang on to the car forever if they want.

Nobody needs to buy a GT, and most sellers don't need to sell theirs. So in the absence of being sure about what a fair price is, transactions happen slowly, if at all.

Since so few sales are public, the biggest numbers get most of the attention. Which is why some folks think ALL Heritage cars are worth $500K or so, when in actuality the mileage can make a BIG difference in the selling price, as we have seen in a couple recent auction sales.

Cars with under 1000 miles, under 100 miles, or under 10 miles, are in a totally different category than the normal market. Buyers of those cars are looking for a new car, and will pay what is, to me, crazy prices just to have a car with dangerously hard and slippery tires.

I, for one, am glad to see so many cars this month at the Arizona auctions. I think it will show a ballpark if very-rough range of current values for the cars.

But I could be wrong!
 
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nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
But neither wants to make a $25K or $50K mistake.

Can't get my head around the logic of "making a mistake". They're each unique, used cars. Nice to have toys. If the right car comes along (your color and option choice with good pedigree), if you need to pay $25K more than you thought you might, who really cares? Who's to judge whether you got a smokin' deal or paid too much? Answer: No one. And all of this becomes completely moot with the passage of time. If you're set on getting one and wait 6 more months to secure the deal where you can sleep at night, how do you value the previous 6 months without the car to enjoy. Life's too short. All of us who have been here awhile know this all too well.
 

twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
Is 5000 miles a magic number any more for the "high miles" breakoff? That was the magic number when I bought in 2011. 8+ years have passed since that magic number first surfaced. Closer to 10000 is probably more like it today. That's still under 1000 miles a year.
 

centerpunch

ex-GT owner x2
Mark II Lifetime
Sep 16, 2005
952
OH/NC
The vast majority of the cars I see offered for sale seem to have less than 6000 miles.
 

jammer

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 19, 2016
165
Don't worry about the miles. Bought my 1-owner car with 24k miles, but you can't distinguish it from a sub 4k miles car. The interior looks and still smells like new. The exterior paint is like glass and has no swirls or chips. The undercarriage is spotless. The original cover is still in the sealed bag. It had one very caring previous owner. 'Buy the seller' remains a good approach to buying things with or without miles.

I think HP's formula is very accurate and can predict prices within 2% +/-. The graph shows the sweet spot is the mid 20k miles where the slopes levels off and continues along the same rate to 80k miles.

Good luck with your search.
 
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