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Shelby vs. Saleen...


badlx

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What do you guys think about Shelby and Saleen situation?

 

It hit me today that Saleen has been the “darling” micro manufacturer of Mustangs for 20+ years now.

 

I wonder if Steve Saleen is worried about the resurgence of ol’ CS at all? I mean all of a sudden it seems like Saleen could be in a world of hurt given Shelby’s resurgence of “brand” power with the Mustang. Realistically, why stop making Shelby Mustangs (GT and GT500) as long as the demand is there. They are Halo cars for Ford, that everyman can afford, Ford and Shelby would be stupid to throw this away. Of course $4.50 - $5.00 gas might put the brakes on things a bit.

 

Granted Shelby has not always had the best ideas for his brand in the past, remember the Dodge CSX, oh my Carol what the heck were you thinking. However, when it comes to the Mustang, the Shelby name is pure magic. I am really surprised it’s taken so long for Ford and Shelby to rekindle their relationship.

 

I think Shelby could put a big dent in the Saleen biz.

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Guest evilchris

Saleen are ripoffs. If GT500's sell for MSRP, who the hell is going to buy a Saleen? I like the all business look of the GT500. Saleen's have all the fake ricer BS all over them.

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Saleen are ripoffs. If GT500's sell for MSRP, who the hell is going to buy a Saleen? I like the all business look of the GT500. Saleen's have all the fake ricer BS all over them.

 

I'm with ya Brother - Couldn't agree more. GT500 is a real classy looking car. Like I said before even the Challenger and Camaro will not come close in looks.

 

I still disagree with you though on your thoughts about the stripes. GT500 has to have stripes. How would you feel if the Shelby stripes were painted on ?

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Exactly right. Saleens are a rip off. I'd MUCH rather have a Roush stage 3 than a Saleen. And I'd rather have a GT500 than a Roush.

Evil is right, Saleens look like rice burners! They really need to come way down on their prices. I know they are well engineered mods, but get real!

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Saleen are ripoffs. If GT500's sell for MSRP, who the hell is going to buy a Saleen? I like the all business look of the GT500. Saleen's have all the fake ricer BS all over them.

 

 

ec,

 

Not sure if I would go as far as saying the Saleen is a ripoff but I priced a Saleen Extreme Convert that was loaded and it was 101k!

 

Around these parts the Saleens lose most of their value the minute you drive them off lot. One dealer here still has a new 04 thats unsold.

 

Now the Shelby GT500 on the other hand does have the LOOK (all business) and the performance to back it up.

 

There is a lot more to the new GT500 than meets the eye & a lot that comes std that most people have no idea. There are also a "bunch" of differences between the std fare Must Gt and the GT500. It would cost the full price of a std Must GT to get it even close to GT500 specs if you had to do it yourself. (general terms here not directed at you)

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ec,

 

Not sure if I would go as far as saying the Saleen is a ripoff but I priced a Saleen Extreme Convert that was loaded and it was 101k!

 

Around these parts the Saleens lose most of their value the minute you drive them off lot. One dealer here still has a new 04 thats unsold.

 

Now the Shelby GT500 on the other hand does have the LOOK (all business) and the performance to back it up.

 

There is a lot more to the new GT500 than meets the eye & a lot that comes std that most people have no idea. There are also a "bunch" of differences between the std fare Must Gt and the GT500. It would cost the full price of a std Must GT to get it even close to GT500 specs if you had to do it yourself. (general terms here not directed at you)

 

You don't think $101k for any new Mustang is a ripoff? I'm sure the Es are very nice cars, but, 101k? I would think an additinonal 50k would be more than enough to bring a Shelby up to speed with the Saleen. That is another 70k than a Mustang GT convertible.

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My local Ford store is killin' me.

 

They have a black GT up on the rack stand by the street.

 

I go past it 3 or 4 times a day. :banghead:

 

 

No your` killin ` youRself take a detour that goes by a G.M Dealer :happy feet:

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ec,

 

Not sure if I would go as far as saying the Saleen is a ripoff but I priced a Saleen Extreme Convert that was loaded and it was 101k!

 

Around these parts the Saleens lose most of their value the minute you drive them off lot. One dealer here still has a new 04 thats unsold.

 

Now the Shelby GT500 on the other hand does have the LOOK (all business) and the performance to back it up.

 

There is a lot more to the new GT500 than meets the eye & a lot that comes std that most people have no idea. There are also a "bunch" of differences between the std fare Must Gt and the GT500. It would cost the full price of a std Must GT to get it even close to GT500 specs if you had to do it yourself. (general terms here not directed at you)

 

 

Well, to play devil's advocate here, I think you need to be reasonable on your pricing. If you take the base cost of the vert (or the coupe for that matter) add the shaker 500 to make the stereos same between the 2 cars, and your vert is $73700 give or take. If you factor in the fancy paint, tonneau cover, sports bar, fancy rims and fancy tires, then you are adding $22k to the price (options that aren't available from the factory on the Shelby). That puts you approx 27k over Shelby MSRP. What do you get for your $27k? fancy plastic bodywork (love it or hate it), approx. 400 lbs less weight, better weight distribution (53/47 vs. Shelby 57/43) and 50 more hp. Is it worth it? Thats a personal choice, especially when MSRP deals on Shelby are currently hard to get. I'll tell you one thing though, if either a Shelby or a Saleen E pulls up beside me, I'll give full props to the driver, I'd rather see someone in a mustang variant then in a Japanese or Euro mobile.

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Well, to play devil's advocate here, I think you need to be reasonable on your pricing. If you take the base cost of the vert (or the coupe for that matter) add the shaker 500 to make the stereos same between the 2 cars, and your vert is $73700 give or take. If you factor in the fancy paint, tonneau cover, sports bar, fancy rims and fancy tires, then you are adding $22k to the price (options that aren't available from the factory on the Shelby). That puts you approx 27k over Shelby MSRP. What do you get for your $27k? fancy plastic bodywork (love it or hate it), approx. 400 lbs less weight, better weight distribution (53/47 vs. Shelby 57/43) and 50 more hp. Is it worth it? Thats a personal choice, especially when MSRP deals on Shelby are currently hard to get. I'll tell you one thing though, if either a Shelby or a Saleen E pulls up beside me, I'll give full props to the driver, I'd rather see someone in a mustang variant then in a Japanese or Euro mobile.

 

 

yeah, I thought the saleen stage-3 without the $18K wheels, goes for about $78K (with their wheels but not the $18k ones). An yes, lighter, etc. But the engine is reqworked (diff pistons, rods, etc) to and HP is somewhere around 440 (I think), so that's nice bump and should peform wll at 400lbs less than GT500. My reason for not liking it is the over-the-top styling, but for the work they do to the car, I think their prices are justifiable, if unattractive to me.

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  • 4 weeks later...

yeah, I thought the saleen stage-3 without the $18K wheels, goes for about $78K (with their wheels but not the $18k ones). An yes, lighter, etc. But the engine is reqworked (diff pistons, rods, etc) to and HP is somewhere around 440 (I think), so that's nice bump and should peform wll at 400lbs less than GT500. My reason for not liking it is the over-the-top styling, but for the work they do to the car, I think their prices are justifiable, if unattractive to me.

 

 

A Saleen finally proved convincing enough for me. I've spent the past 6 months trying to nail down a 2007 Shelby at what I believed to be a "reasonable price" (i.e., $5k over MSRP) and finally came to the conclusion that it ain't happening for me this year. Especially as I have come across more and more dealers who have admitted that "insiders" (i.e., the dealership's owner(s), friends, or employees) have purchased allotted Shelbys for themselves at MSRP or below. Also, after disappointedly seeing recent articles noting such issues as the Shelby's weight (especially for the convertible), weight distribution, and slower than expected acceleration (for a 500hp car), I began looking elsewhere and came across the Saleen S281 supercharged convertible. Not quite worth the $65k+ MSRP in my mind -- let alone the $5k to $10k markups I've seen at Southern California dealers. But I found a used 2006 S281 supercharged convertible with less than 3k miles for under $50k (original owner bought it but his wife thought it was "too loud" so he's selling it for a BMW 645 convertible).

 

So, I hapily remain a proud Mustang owner (as I've been for the past 16 years) and I'm thrilled to have a convertible with (1) a factory warranty, (2) a 440hp engine (which is apparently conservatively rated in light of dyno tests), (3) lighter weight and improved weight distribution (53/47), (4) remarkable suspension/handling (at least one magazine found to beat the C6 Vette's lap time around a track), (5) upgraded leather interior, (6) unique styling (love it or hate it, it turns heads and gets compliments), and (7) a true limited production vehicle (less than 2,000 produced each year).

 

Kudos to all of you who were able to land a Shelby at a price that worked for you. And godspeed to those still holding out for one, be it this year or next. As an avid Mustang enthusiast, I will continue to read these boards and maybe in a few years I will find a used Shelby at a price I can handle.

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What do you guys think about Shelby and Saleen situation?

 

It hit me today that Saleen has been the “darling” micro manufacturer of Mustangs for 20+ years now.

 

I wonder if Steve Saleen is worried about the resurgence of ol’ CS at all? I mean all of a sudden it seems like Saleen could be in a world of hurt given Shelby’s resurgence of “brand” power with the Mustang. Realistically, why stop making Shelby Mustangs (GT and GT500) as long as the demand is there. They are Halo cars for Ford, that everyman can afford, Ford and Shelby would be stupid to throw this away. Of course $4.50 - $5.00 gas might put the brakes on things a bit.

 

Granted Shelby has not always had the best ideas for his brand in the past, remember the Dodge CSX, oh my Carol what the heck were you thinking. However, when it comes to the Mustang, the Shelby name is pure magic. I am really surprised it’s taken so long for Ford and Shelby to rekindle their relationship.

 

I think Shelby could put a big dent in the Saleen biz.

 

 

Saleen to me has always meant - Plastic coated over-hyped lack of performance and overpriced car.

 

SVT / Shelby to me has always meant - Performance before stickers and plastic, and at least a semi-reasonable price.

 

 

I think Saleen got caught up in selling a name and a look, and forgot about doing what was necessary to back it up under the hood. I personally hope they die a slow and quiet death as they should have long ago.

 

my .02 cents.

 

DC

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Saleen to me has always meant - Plastic coated over-hyped lack of performance and overpriced car.

 

SVT / Shelby to me has always meant - Performance before stickers and plastic, and at least a semi-reasonable price.

I think Saleen got caught up in selling a name and a look, and forgot about doing what was necessary to back it up under the hood. I personally hope they die a slow and quiet death as they should have long ago.

 

my .02 cents.

 

DC

 

 

 

Amen to that one brotha! I agree... When I first saw the 05 Saleen, I was curious... then I saw the 50k sticker and was sickened. My first thought was that the Shelby/SVT Cobra would blow this car away, for less money and have a 'sleeper' look.

 

VAiN

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...and even if gas is $4/gal, that waiting and not paying a $20K ADM gets your the first 75,000 miles of gas in place of the ADM ;-)

 

.

 

I tink the stage-3 Saleens are faster than some think, but I still would opt for the GT500 or, preferably, a 425HP 3400lb/lightened BOSS 302 for the anticipated cost of a Shelby GT;) We can only hope.

 

.

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Guest evilchris

 

 

I tink the stage-3 Saleens are faster than some think, but I still would opt for the GT500 or, preferably, a 425HP 3400lb/lightened BOSS 302 for the anticipated cost of a Shelby GT;) We can only hope.

 

.

 

 

The Saleen S281E will hand the GT500 its ass stock for stock. Better suspension, less weight, better brakes, more horsepower.

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.

I think Saleen got caught up in selling a name and a look, and forgot about doing what was necessary to back it up under the hood.

DC

 

 

Chronic, I like your posts, but I have to call you out on this one. The 281E could teach a thing to the GT500 in many of the stats that matter: 50 more hp, 300 lbc lighter, better weight distribution. Heck, Saleen is coming out with a factory upgrade for the E (pully change, computer remap, injector change) that'll put out 650hp. The E internals are also all forged giving modders more room for improving hp.

 

The body works are strictly subjective, you like them or you dont, but mechanical numbers are a little more difficult to trash-talk :)

 

p.s. I just picked up a 2006 281E for just a few bucks more than what the local SVT dealer hit me for in terms of ADM on the Shelby I've had on order since April. For the price diff (and partially on principle of being charged an ADM) I thought the E was worth it. The fancy plastic? meh, doesnt catch my eye, or make me hate it. Nicer interior and better mechanicals are good though.

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Guest evilchris

Chronic, I like your posts, but I have to call you out on this one. The 281E could teach a thing to the GT500 in many of the stats that matter: 50 more hp, 300 lbc lighter, better weight distribution. Heck, Saleen is coming out with a factory upgrade for the E (pully change, computer remap, injector change) that'll put out 650hp. The E internals are also all forged giving modders more room for improving hp.

 

The body works are strictly subjective, you like them or you dont, but mechanical numbers are a little more difficult to trash-talk :)

 

p.s. I just picked up a 2006 281E for just a few bucks more than what the local SVT dealer hit me for in terms of ADM on the Shelby I've had on order since April. For the price diff (and partially on principle of being charged an ADM) I thought the E was worth it. The fancy plastic? meh, doesnt catch my eye, or make me hate it. Nicer interior and better mechanicals are good though.

 

 

Agree. I don't like Saleen's but I respect the E's ability. It sells for the same price as the GT500 to most people too.

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A Saleen finally proved convincing enough for me. I've spent the past 6 months trying to nail down a 2007 Shelby at what I believed to be a "reasonable price" (i.e., $5k over MSRP) and finally came to the conclusion that it ain't happening for me this year. Especially as I have come across more and more dealers who have admitted that "insiders" (i.e., the dealership's owner(s), friends, or employees) have purchased allotted Shelbys for themselves at MSRP or below. Also, after disappointedly seeing recent articles noting such issues as the Shelby's weight (especially for the convertible), weight distribution, and slower than expected acceleration (for a 500hp car), I began looking elsewhere and came across the Saleen S281 supercharged convertible. Not quite worth the $65k+ MSRP in my mind -- let alone the $5k to $10k markups I've seen at Southern California dealers. But I found a used 2006 S281 supercharged convertible with less than 3k miles for under $50k (original owner bought it but his wife thought it was "too loud" so he's selling it for a BMW 645 convertible).

 

So, I hapily remain a proud Mustang owner (as I've been for the past 16 years) and I'm thrilled to have a convertible with (1) a factory warranty, (2) a 440hp engine (which is apparently conservatively rated in light of dyno tests), (3) lighter weight and improved weight distribution (53/47), (4) remarkable suspension/handling (at least one magazine found to beat the C6 Vette's lap time around a track), (5) upgraded leather interior, (6) unique styling (love it or hate it, it turns heads and gets compliments), and (7) a true limited production vehicle (less than 2,000 produced each year).

 

Kudos to all of you who were able to land a Shelby at a price that worked for you. And godspeed to those still holding out for one, be it this year or next. As an avid Mustang enthusiast, I will continue to read these boards and maybe in a few years I will find a used Shelby at a price I can handle.

 

 

Slight revision to the above, now that my purchase has been completed. The Saleen has only 2,400 miles and the final purchase price was $48k. It is being shipped from St. Louis to L.A. for arrival next week. And apparently less than 500 (not 2,000) of the supercharged Saleen S281s are made each year. I see a few more on Ebay right now...

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Slight revision to the above, now that my purchase has been completed. The Saleen has only 2,400 miles and the final purchase price was $48k. It is being shipped from St. Louis to L.A. for arrival next week. And apparently less than 500 (not 2,000) of the supercharged Saleen S281s are made each year. I see a few more on Ebay right now...

 

 

Well, congrats on the purchase.

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