Hello everyone, I’m new to the forum and have a few questions. I am currently undecided between buying a 2017 Mustang GT Premium or a 2017 Shelby GT350.
I have decent knowledge of both cars, but I by no means am an authority on either model.
While my heart and desire is the Shelby, yes it is a little faster on the 0-60 than the GT, and more importantly, if I have my facts right, it is going to handle twisty, curving roads better than the GT Premium will due to the Shelby being track ready, it’ll be more forgiving than a GT premium if you don’t hit an apex is good as you would have liked to.
The big concern I have with the Shelby is that the Voodoo 5.2 and its reliability. I have read some articles saying it is reliable, others saying that there is a real good reason Ford dropped the Voodoo, in that it is just not reliable. The common issue I have read about is that it goes through oil fast and that even if you keep up with the oil changes etc, it can still have problems.
The 5.0 Coyote in the GT Premium however, from what I have read is very reliable and that is why it is in the Dark Horse instead of the 5.2 Voodoo.
I could bring up a few more concerns, but I am worried I am going to start losing some of you with a mini book for a question instead of a long question.
I thank all of you for your input, experience and advice.
I suspect that the GT will have better road manners. If the harsher ride of the Shelby doesn’t bother you then keep it on your list. If you have two specific cars in mind, drive them both for at least 20 minutes and see which one is more comfortable at the end. If I was looking at these two and I like them equally, I’d pick the one in better cosmetic condition and with lower mileage for a prepurchase inspection. Always buy a prepurchase inspection.
Okay. Although both are Mustangs, they are different cars. Is this going to a daily driver or a weekend/fun car?
Eh, the Shelby will have more track-focused handling, I wouldn’t say it would be more forgiving, it requires more attentive driving, good for spirited driving, not desirable for everyday commuting. IMHO, the standard GT suspension is too soft, the optional Performance Pack, does a nice job of firming things up. I went a bit further on mine with Ford Performance sway bars (similar to what you get with PP2), and the Ford Racing “X” Springs. I also went to a 20x10 square setup with 275/35/20’s. It’s not quite up to par with the GT 350, but it’s more livable as as a daily.
Gen 1 Voodoo = Run away
Gen 2 Voodoo = More reliable, but still not up to the Coyote’s reliability
Yeah that’s true, particularly on the Gen 1’s. Ford had a similar issue on the early Gen 3 Coyote’s with the plasma arc transfer cylinder liners.
That had more to do with cost and CAFE standards. The Voodoo was a niche engine, expensive to produce.
@FoDaddy beat me to it… And I agree with everything he posted!
Unless you are going to track it, the GT Premium is the way to go. The money saved will pay for the suggested upgrades. The engine will give you fewer problems in the long run… It won’t sound quite as epic as a flat-plane crank V8 but it will be smoother and more reliable.
Thank you everyone for your answers, much appreciated. I gave likes to your replies, hopefully they register. Thank you also for the friendly welcome.
Well, I decided to pass on the GT350 and have now narrowed the choice down to a '17 Mustang GT Premium or a new '24 Subaru BRZ (hoping since these '24s are still on the lot at this time of year I can get the dealership below invoice)
One not for Mustang fans, I have no idea if it is just wishful thinking on my part, but when I called the local Ford dealership, I asked the salesman if Ford plans on bringing back the Shelby line sometime next year. The salesman replied that he could not answer that question at this time, but wanted to my contact information for getting back to me at a later date. I am hoping this means there is a chance this means they could be coming back. But the other part of me thinks with the Dark Horse, it is unlikely the Shelby line is coming back.
I’ve never met a good salesman that wasn’t continually trying to grow their contact list. The more contacts, the more marketing opportunities, the more potential sales. I wouldn’t assume it’s anything more than that.
Of all the nostalgia offerings such as the Shelby, the ones I liked best are the Boss 302 and of course Bullit Mustangs.
Everyone has different tastes.
Was at a BBQ two weeks ago, guy had a “real” Shelby, 1966.