Thanks guys I have been feeding him the responses both good and bad. He is now starting to come around to figure out what else to move so he can get a GT. Hoping a drive in mine will seal it. :biggrin
512TR vs. Ford GT opinions
- Thread starter cobrar1339
- Start date
cobraownr
GT Owner
I drove a Testarossa years ago and was not impressed. All of the comments in this thread about comfort and drivability are right on target. The FGT is way more car without question. I recently looked at the last of the Testarossa line, an F512M. It has many improvements over the original Testarossa and successor 512TR, and only 75 were built for the US market. Current asking prices for the F512M are right around $200K, over double what Testarossas are going for. The upside of the F512M is dicey, IMO. I'd stick with the FGT unless your buddy can find a Testarossa for cheap.
- Aug 25, 2006
- 4,436
I am compelled to make another comment within this thread because most are commenting about one gal versus another and yet in my world all of the gals have a unique personality
I like the TR with heavy emphasis on either the very first one with its (often referred to chicken arm) solo rear view mirror. Now this gal was mechanically the probably the worst but it is very cool for what it is. Then the 87 was the last year for the true knock off wheels because of US DOT which was then followed a couple years later with the 512 and the swan song which was the 512M.
No they do not drive and feel as a Ford GT but then a Ford GT does not drive like a Porsche. In the world of cool cars this is why I never drive a car before I purchase because my initial reaction would be to compare to that from which I came. Instead I bring them home and we get to know each other long before we go play together. I look at the mechanics' of the gal, her design, and more than anything what her unique features are and try to understand her character.
Here is what I can tell you as well as reaffirm;
ALL Ferraris and Lamborghinis are more expensive to tend to when compared to the Ford GT, all Ferraris and Lamborghinis will require tending to more often than a Ford GT, and yet all of the Ferraris and Lamborghinis are cool and yet as much as they are not Ford GT like the reverse is true as well.
Look at a Lamborghini Muira; is it state of the art, is it comfortable to drive, is it inexpensive to tend too; no and yet it is considered the supercar of its day.
Now the TR's were IMO presented as what became a volume piece by Ferrari for those that wanted a Prancing Horse that had in its day; "BANG" in your face looks supported by a 12 cylinder motor that as a package created another exotic IMO from the team at Ferrari and yet was/ is it a supercar; IMO yes. Put aside for the moment the cost to tend to these gals which is not unique to the TR the price of admission was high, the ability to acquire one at time difficult, they drew attention akin to a magnetic to steel , and IMO they were easy to drive. The gated shifter is a long time Ferrari and Lamborghini staple and I for one like the click ...click.... whereas I know many that do not as they feel it to be clunky. I dare say that American drivers find them clunky much more so than European drivers but we want everything perfect and we are in a hurry. The Ferraris and the Lamborghinis are at speed cruisers not puddle jumpers however they too have come into the game of creating puddle jumpers because the US market; their largest expects this from a car not because this is a component of who they are. The rearward visibility was poor however one quickly (as with the Ford GT) adapted to this and IMO part of owning and being drawn to an exotic supercar are her quirks aka her specific character. If this were not the case then the NSX would have set all time sales records which was not the case even though it was as close to perfectly engineered as one could expect. Everything fit well, they were comfortable, reliable, nice creature comforts, inexpensive to tend too and yet IMO after owning one they were FRICKEN boring.
The other thing that I will share is that the TR was one of the only exotic/supercars of its time that had an A/C system that actually worked whereas Lamborghini and Lotus were fricken awful.
So if given the choice between a TR and a Ford GT which would I take; this answer can only be asked once how she is to be used and appreciated is defined.
Certainly the Ford GT is both quicker and faster. The Ford GT at this point in time is less expensive to tend to and in all likelihood will remain so. The Ford GT is a fricken eye magnetic for those that see one pass and creates a level of comfort and security within that is hard to beat however; if however you are a mechanically minded person the flat 12 Redhead is a cool sight to look at and when you walk up to the TR she is a huge hunkered down and begging to be cruised at triple digit speeds and then if by chance you opened her exhaust a bit the staccato sounds as produced through the exhaust are "oh sweet music" and yet the price of owning a Ferrari and Lamborghini (as shared by another) begins when you bring her home because they will place significant financial demands as they need to be tended to regularly and this IMO is one of the most significant of considerations; not whether they are a great car or not because beauty and the pleasure received comes from within and if one can afford to play in this arena then I say; go for it.
I meant not to rant however I like a wide range of gals and whether they are the fastest, the quickest, the most comfortable, or the least expensive to tend too are thoughts that I rarely experience because I look at how she makes me feel when I am around her with little regard or concern for others feelings at that time.
Takes care
Shadowman
I like the TR with heavy emphasis on either the very first one with its (often referred to chicken arm) solo rear view mirror. Now this gal was mechanically the probably the worst but it is very cool for what it is. Then the 87 was the last year for the true knock off wheels because of US DOT which was then followed a couple years later with the 512 and the swan song which was the 512M.
No they do not drive and feel as a Ford GT but then a Ford GT does not drive like a Porsche. In the world of cool cars this is why I never drive a car before I purchase because my initial reaction would be to compare to that from which I came. Instead I bring them home and we get to know each other long before we go play together. I look at the mechanics' of the gal, her design, and more than anything what her unique features are and try to understand her character.
Here is what I can tell you as well as reaffirm;
ALL Ferraris and Lamborghinis are more expensive to tend to when compared to the Ford GT, all Ferraris and Lamborghinis will require tending to more often than a Ford GT, and yet all of the Ferraris and Lamborghinis are cool and yet as much as they are not Ford GT like the reverse is true as well.
Look at a Lamborghini Muira; is it state of the art, is it comfortable to drive, is it inexpensive to tend too; no and yet it is considered the supercar of its day.
Now the TR's were IMO presented as what became a volume piece by Ferrari for those that wanted a Prancing Horse that had in its day; "BANG" in your face looks supported by a 12 cylinder motor that as a package created another exotic IMO from the team at Ferrari and yet was/ is it a supercar; IMO yes. Put aside for the moment the cost to tend to these gals which is not unique to the TR the price of admission was high, the ability to acquire one at time difficult, they drew attention akin to a magnetic to steel , and IMO they were easy to drive. The gated shifter is a long time Ferrari and Lamborghini staple and I for one like the click ...click.... whereas I know many that do not as they feel it to be clunky. I dare say that American drivers find them clunky much more so than European drivers but we want everything perfect and we are in a hurry. The Ferraris and the Lamborghinis are at speed cruisers not puddle jumpers however they too have come into the game of creating puddle jumpers because the US market; their largest expects this from a car not because this is a component of who they are. The rearward visibility was poor however one quickly (as with the Ford GT) adapted to this and IMO part of owning and being drawn to an exotic supercar are her quirks aka her specific character. If this were not the case then the NSX would have set all time sales records which was not the case even though it was as close to perfectly engineered as one could expect. Everything fit well, they were comfortable, reliable, nice creature comforts, inexpensive to tend too and yet IMO after owning one they were FRICKEN boring.
The other thing that I will share is that the TR was one of the only exotic/supercars of its time that had an A/C system that actually worked whereas Lamborghini and Lotus were fricken awful.
So if given the choice between a TR and a Ford GT which would I take; this answer can only be asked once how she is to be used and appreciated is defined.
Certainly the Ford GT is both quicker and faster. The Ford GT at this point in time is less expensive to tend to and in all likelihood will remain so. The Ford GT is a fricken eye magnetic for those that see one pass and creates a level of comfort and security within that is hard to beat however; if however you are a mechanically minded person the flat 12 Redhead is a cool sight to look at and when you walk up to the TR she is a huge hunkered down and begging to be cruised at triple digit speeds and then if by chance you opened her exhaust a bit the staccato sounds as produced through the exhaust are "oh sweet music" and yet the price of owning a Ferrari and Lamborghini (as shared by another) begins when you bring her home because they will place significant financial demands as they need to be tended to regularly and this IMO is one of the most significant of considerations; not whether they are a great car or not because beauty and the pleasure received comes from within and if one can afford to play in this arena then I say; go for it.
I meant not to rant however I like a wide range of gals and whether they are the fastest, the quickest, the most comfortable, or the least expensive to tend too are thoughts that I rarely experience because I look at how she makes me feel when I am around her with little regard or concern for others feelings at that time.
Takes care
Shadowman
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Last of the 12 cylinder what?
The 456, 550, 575, 612 are all 12 cylinder.
I have a Fiorano (FHP) Euro 550M, which is lightyears quicker than the 512tr and 512M. If he is looking for something inbetween he may consider the fast 550s (98-99 model years, after 2000 they are much slower)
John
Gulf GT
GT Owner
Good point. A 550 Fiorano is a kickass car. They had a few hiccups on them at first, but when Ferrari settled them down with a couple minor tweeks, they got very very nice. A hell of a lot of car for not much money.
Gulf GT
GT Owner
Granted, I have "married" my fair share of "gals" that really dissapointed me. They may have looked great, but after a few weeks I wanted a divorce.
Today, yes... I do a little foreplay and to get to know her really well first, but before I actually marry a "gal", I take her out and bang the hell out of her. If she doen't make me feel as good when I'm driving her hard, or make "all the right noises" when I'm "driving her", I pass on her no matter what she looks like. When I'm driving her down the road I'm not thinking so much about how she looks, or about her technological "enhancements", I'm experiencing how she feels.
At this stage in my life, I'm not settling... I want, no... I demand the best of both worlds. She's gotta look great, and make me feel even better when I'm experiencing all her pleasures. And the FGT does it for me. I no longer subscribe to the Mormon version of car marriage, marry her first then "love her for her existing attributes". Life is too short for me to spend it with someone or some thing that doesn't "rock my world" in every way.
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B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Kirby Vieira
GT Owner/B.o.D
For me it's two subjective criteria that are are surprisingly difficult to find since the Ford GT... "fast and beautiful". :cheers
- Aug 25, 2006
- 4,436
fjpikul
GT Owner
I think we can see the evolution of a new terminology here - a "Shadowmanism," similar to new terms like the "gurney."
Gulf GT
GT Owner
Thank you for explaining your version of car zen
That's what happens when your wife surprises you just when your waking up on Sunday morning with a "gift". For the rest of the day your mind seems to relate everything to that... uh.... start of your day.
- Aug 25, 2006
- 4,436
I suggest that all consider for a moment a car collector aka any person that has more than one gal that is not used as basic transportation not to mention the likes of Jay Leno ; typically the gals reflect moments in time sometimes the gals and other times the owners and yet to a gal they mean something to the owner and are enjoyed.
Think for a moment when one has shared with you a gal that he/she purchased and is over the top with joy and excitement if fact so much so that you fall prey to the moment and purchase a like gal only to find yourself say "what the frick is this; how can ?? be so excited about owning one of these?"
I feel that there is aka basic transportation and then there are rolling emotions. I live in the automotive world of rolling emotions and can and do find something cool and desirable with a broad range of gals.
For example I drive as I have now for 15 years what are in their final generation referred to as H1's. It is my staple transportation and referred to as my huge frumpy rig. I have had 6 of them and never grow tire of their quirks; it is a component of who they are/she is.
Then add to this I have several other gals that are all over the board including my Ford GT and they all make me smile.
Now having shared this the Ford GT is one of my favorite; she looks stunning from all corners whereas most have at least one questionable angle, she is service friendly akin to an erector set when I was a kid as such I enjoy taking her a part and tinkering with her, certainly she is extremely quick and fast not to mention reliable with very modest service costs but the main reason that I have her as a member of my family is because of how she makes me feel whether looking at, tinkering on , or driving her.
So back to the threads topic; is the TR a worthy gal to have in one's stable, absolutely and yet no different than the Ford GT she will not be for everyone and yet those that keep one in their stable does so because in some way it makes them feel good. There have been many Ford GT's sold secondhand and one could attempt to reason why if it is the "Top Dog". The answer in most cases is very simple; it did not stimulate the emotions as expected or any longer.
In closing I never base how I feel about a gal when associated to the cost because beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if one wants something enough then they do what is necessary to change their tool set aka disposable income or rat hole funds however sadly there are those that if presented with something that they cannot afford at a given moment in time (no matter how cool) and are not prepared to do what is necessary to change this find fault as the emotional means to rationalize not owning one. The funny thing is that I have heard over the years one say damn I would never owe that POS (knowing full well that at that moment they could not if they wanted to) and then a few years later when their tool set has changed I find one in their stable to which I always smile considering that I have said enough.
Whether the Ford GT, a Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. they are all presented to the masses and then emotions and egos at this level of purchase define the face of the marketplace; Ego does not drive me but rather my long standing passion for motorized vehicles.
Takes care
Shadowman
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