Ford GT Long-Term Test - 16,000-mile report


ENZO BTR

ENZO BTR

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 11, 2005
1,050
Southern California
Hey Guys,

We just published our long-term wrap-up on the Ford GT. It tallies up the total costs, the average fuel mileage and the overall impressions of what it has been like to live with a GT for three years. You can see it right now on the homepage if you scroll through the main photo flipper:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/

Or go directly to it here:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/LongTerm/articleId=107422/pageId=150073

I can give you short version right now -- the car KICKS ASS (news to most of you I'm sure... :biggrin).
 
Good stuff Karl, although you're seriously undervaluing your car! :biggrin
 
Great write up....
Expect a call from Bernie and Shelby today, I am sure they are ready to buy you gal at $114k:)
 
As always, great article. :thumbsup Thanks for the link.

While the long term test may have come to a close, I assume that the long term ownership is continuing. :cheers
 
Continuing indefinitely. :thumbsup
 
"Expect a call from Bernie and Shelby today, I am sure they are ready to buy your gal at $114k"

Although at that price, you may get a call from some guy trying to trade a
ZR1!:rofl
 
I'll give $115,000.00

Thanks for being here Karl! :thumbsup :cheers


BTW - how did you ever get 26 MPG, rolling down a hill in Colorado?
 
Great article! This observation stood out though; "The fourth option, an upgraded McIntosh audio system for $4,000, was passed over to save money and weight (80 pounds). "

Does anyone know the weight of a GT w/o the Mac vs a standard radio car? Does the 80 lbs referred to consist of the Mac and subwoofer? As the article stated, I would have preferred no Mac, but finding a GT w/o Mac in the color scheme I wanted, well good luck.

I've broached this topic before about "adding lightness;" you know, the lightweight headers, brake rotors, and Mac deletion, and I wonder what the actual weight savings would be.
 
Interesting read. Thanks for posting.
 
+1
 
That value is WAAAAAY off. Find me ONE GT anywhere that does not have a salvage history or $50k miles advertised anywhere NEAR that price. I will be the first one to say that there are no TRUE book values on exotics. I have NEVER seen or looked at a book value on any car over $100k. They are useless
 
shelbyelite said:
That value is WAAAAAY off. Find me ONE GT anywhere that does not have a salvage history or $50k miles advertised anywhere NEAR that price. I will be the first one to say that there are no TRUE book values on exotics. I have NEVER seen or looked at a book value on any car over $100k. They are useless
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ENZO BTR ,
Well said !!! Could not agree more !! 14,000 miles in 2 years !! To me the term collector means Who ever dies with the most mileage ,wins !! Because I know when I pass my wife is selling my cars !!!



Summing Up
Few Ford GT owners will put 16,000 miles on their car in three years — if ever. The majority of these vehicles will spend the majority of their lives under a car cover in a heated garage, likely surrounded by several other high-priced toys. After enjoying our 2005 Ford GT in a variety of circumstances, ranging from long-distance road trips to hard-driving track days, we can testify to the tragedy of this situation.

Designed to beat Ferraris, engineered to F-150 durability standards and 100 percent American, the Ford GT is an enigma in the exotic car world. It's a dependable and fully functional automobile that happens to be capable of 200-plus mph and 16-plus mpg. If you own one, please drive it. And if you're looking for an exotic you can actually drive, look no further.
 
Honestly, for me anyway, one of the most frustrating things when I was looking at different exotic cars before I decided on the GT (and thanks to the big guy upstairs for me making the right call :biggrin), was the lack of information available to figure out pricing and what to expect from the ownership experience. :confused

The only two objective type articles I read/followed were on edmunds with their Ferrari 550 long term test and the GT long term test. Their GT diary/test was one of the big factors in me deciding on a GT. I could read their excitement and problem free experiences with the car. The diary made me want to do the GT school, let me know that the pulley and tune was a reasonably priced power upgrade and on a whole made me feel like I knew what I was getting into when I purchased. I have said it before, but thanks ENZO BTR for all the great information. :thumbsup And for telling me what the end result was with the 550 a few months back. :lol

I get it more now than ever before, but until I have cash to light on fire I will not be buying anymore "over 100K cars" because it is so damn hard to figure out a fair price. Edmunds needs to start an exotics section. :wink (that is just a joke, I realize that exotics are a niche market...but dare to dream)
 
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Thanks YOU skyrex. Your comments are exactly what we want to hear from our long-term coverage. Despite the "work" of driving the car (:lol) I really felt like covering it on our site would be a totally unique (still waiting for Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track and all the rest to get their long-term GT...:rofl) and extremely helpful excercise for current and future GT owners.

I suppose Top Gear sort of did coverage...but as we all know that really wasn't representative of car (let's represent the car as troublesome because the AFTERMARKET alarm system was a POS :bs).

When I look back at the coverage I feel like a potential GT buyer can be extremely well informed on what to look for (including the repeated references to this site, which has all the information you could EVER need to maximize your GT ownership).

Plus the car is just such an incredible object in the four-wheeled realm. I don't know if you can really do the ownership experience justice through text and photos (or even video), but hopefully the coverage got as close as possible.
 
Spot On

ENZO BTR said:
.........

When I look back at the coverage I feel like a potential GT buyer can be extremely well informed on what to look for (including the repeated references to this site, which has all the information you could EVER need to maximize your GT ownership).

Plus the car is just such an incredible object in the four-wheeled realm. I don't know if you can really do the ownership experience justice through text and photos (or even video), but hopefully the coverage got as close as possible.
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You said it all. The GT is an incredible expirience. Your readership really got to share your enthusiansim and enjoyment. All of us on this Forum, owners or not, truly appreciate your thoughtfullness and honesty.

Time to take the GT for a ride. Again.
 
A litlle suggestion to finding out what anything is worth. You can call 3 or 4 dealers that handle the type of item (car, boat, motorcycle, RV, jewelry, most anything that can be duplicated). that you are interested in. Tell them you have one to sell. Describe it in detail and ask them what they will give to BUY it....NOT trade, book value or what it is "worth". An offer to buy is what something is worth. Advertised prices mean very little. Just a lot of wishful thinking in most cases. Some dealers will not make a telephone offer, but many will. If it is local, take the item to another dealer and ask for an offer. Instant worth.
 
Prowler said:
A litlle suggestion to finding out what anything is worth. You can call 3 or 4 dealers that handle the type of item (car, boat, motorcycle, RV, jewelry, most anything that can be duplicated). that you are interested in. Tell them you have one to sell. Describe it in detail and ask them what they will give to BUY it....NOT trade, book value or what it is "worth". An offer to buy is what something is worth. Advertised prices mean very little. Just a lot of wishful thinking in most cases. Some dealers will not make a telephone offer, but many will. If it is local, take the item to another dealer and ask for an offer. Instant worth.
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well in most cases I would agree with that but in the GT world I would call that liquidated value not true "worth".
 
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