Routine Maintenance Questions

[FredBloggs]

I am considering a 2011 Shelby but would like to ask about routine maintenance costs. I plan to drive the car about 8-10,000 miles a year as nearly a daily driver (but won't drive in snowy/icy weather). Is that too many miles to drive a car like this a year? Does the car require more than the average stock Mustang maintenance and are the costs high? Can my Ford dealer do repairs or does it need specialized mechanics? I've had a relatively trouble free Mercedes but cost of ownership can be very high for them...would this be on par? Thanks all!

[BDrool]

The oil spec it the biggest headache for me so far. All the rest seems to be normal.

[glroy]

I have had my 07 since Feb 2008. Got it with 1000 miles on it; at the time it was a Shelby gt500 a limited production auto and I would never mod it or change anything about it. Well where I live there is not a ford dealer I would trust to fix a wagon let alone my Shelby. One dealer screwed up the TSB on the clutch the same dealer put none warranty spec oil in another Shelby I know of. The other dealer in town took 7 visits to warranty a radio and it is still not right.

Well it is fall of 2010 the Shelby has 35000 miles on it, putting down some where around 570 to the rear wheels and is in to triple digites real fast . I have found one of the best mod shops in North America to work on my car, been to 2 Shelby events, will be at the Bash for the first time this January and getting on the track with the Shelby for the first time. From were I sit now there is not such thing a routine Maintenance, I want to go faster and be safe. The Ford service writer at the dealer that sort of fixed my radio said this is not the place to bring your car for repairs. Get yourself and Shelby and go have a blast; there is a great group of people to have some fun with here

[Torched10]

I am considering a 2011 Shelby but would like to ask about routine maintenance costs. I plan to drive the car about 8-10,000 miles a year as nearly a daily driver (but won't drive in snowy/icy weather). Is that too many miles to drive a car like this a year? Does the car require more than the average stock Mustang maintenance and are the costs high? Can my Ford dealer do repairs or does it need specialized mechanics? I've had a relatively trouble free Mercedes but cost of ownership can be very high for them...would this be on par? Thanks all!

 

all ive done is like a normal car---get oil changed and filter once a year,since i only put 4,000 miles per year--youd need more.I get my oil sent to me my K Man, he charges around $7/qt plus filter.I bring the oil with me to Jiffy Lube and have them change it andI watch every minute the car is there.Changed air filter at 3000 miles,since it was so dirty--$50 for new one--thats it. If you plan on really pushing the car and adding mods,the maitenace might be alittle higher,but to me not high like its a Maserati or like that

[bigsnake]

A lot depends on how you treat you car. If you don't just flat abuse it the cost will be for normal maintenance. I do my own oil changes and have a schedule of what checks I do weekly, monthly and by mileage and fortunately my oil changes are free for a year from my dealer so I come out a bit ahead that way.

 

. Download the manual to get an idea of services required'

Link:

 

http://iihs.net/fsm/...%20Printing.pdf

 

 

 

I do my first oil change at 1,000 miles to remove any metal particles from the engine that might have contaminated the oil.

 

During the initial break-in of an engine a lot of wear metals are produced. This is primarily from the rings seating in the cylinder sleeves, various bearings seating in properly..etc etc. A very large portion of these metals are too small to be caught by the filter medium (sub 20 microns in size) and are instead suspended in the actual oil itself.

 

This of course means you've got a whole slew of metal particles flying around your engine...which causes cascading initial wear...causing more engine wear. This effect is so pronouced, that at oil change at just 1000 miles (on the odometer) can have more wear metals suspended in the oil then 30x normal!

 

Using my crappy math...in the first 1000 miles...thats 12x more iron wear, 100x more copper wear, and 26x more silicon then a normal (even extended) oil change interval on an aged (broken in) engine.

 

Basically changing the oil early gets these wear metals out. Do you have to do it? No, not really. But its fun to care more about your car and engine, and this also gives an early excuse for bonding with the car, and ensures maximum longevity out of the rings and bearings in your engine (barring any manufacturer defects).

 

The point being if you take care of the car normally you will only have to do the regular services for many many miles and if you can afford a Mercedes upkeep you should have no trouble with the GT500'S.

[Rachane]

Thanks for all the advice, bigsnake. That online link for the various manuals is very handy to have,

 

Today I called my local Ford service manager to inquire about the advisability of changing oil/filter at 1K odometer. He said that because of the engines' pre-running at the factory this is no longer necessary [though it indeed used to be on older cars]. In the case of the 2011 GT500, its first service, including oil/filter of course, is 7.5K odometer or 6 months, whichever comes first.

 

Ford also has a factory "Premium Maintenance Plan" available for the 2011 GT500, which has the "Premium (full synthtic oil)" option along with 7.5K service interval. There doesn't seem to be a factory website for Ford ESPs, but various individual dealers apparently have sites which offer them at competitive prices.

[Torched10]

Thanks for all the advice, bigsnake. That online link for the various manuals is very handy to have,

 

Today I called my local Ford service manager to inquire about the advisability of changing oil/filter at 1K odometer. He said that because of the engines' pre-running at the factory this is no longer necessary [though it indeed used to be on older cars]. In the case of the 2011 GT500, its first service, including oil/filter of course, is 7.5K odometer or 6 months, whichever comes first.

 

Ford also has a factory "Premium Maintenance Plan" available for the 2011 GT500, which has the "Premium (full synthtic oil)" option along with 7.5K service interval. There doesn't seem to be a factory website for Ford ESPs, but various individual dealers apparently have sites which offer them at competitive prices.

 

Thats plain bad advice on the oil change.Its not his car.I changed mine at 600 miles and there was lots of small metal in the old filter.Dont take a chance--change it at 1000---bob

[gr8snkbite]

Thanks for all the advice, bigsnake. That online link for the various manuals is very handy to have,

 

Today I called my local Ford service manager to inquire about the advisability of changing oil/filter at 1K odometer. He said that because of the engines' pre-running at the factory this is no longer necessary [though it indeed used to be on older cars]. In the case of the 2011 GT500, its first service, including oil/filter of course, is 7.5K odometer or 6 months, whichever comes first.

 

Ford also has a factory "Premium Maintenance Plan" available for the 2011 GT500, which has the "Premium (full synthtic oil)" option along with 7.5K service interval. There doesn't seem to be a factory website for Ford ESPs, but various individual dealers apparently have sites which offer them at competitive prices.

 

 

Picked my 11 up in Kansas, drove to Pittsburgh, then back home to Va. Following weekend took it in for state insp to get it registered here and had the oil changed. Dealer asked why change the oil, I said....because I said so..1800 miles and I want it done. I even told them that it ONLY takes 6.5 qts and I should be getting back a half qt. When done, I verified the level...to much oil.. Made them show me in writing where it says seven qts....then ripped the SM a new A-hole. Try a second time and get it right. Never use them again. But I usually do all maint myself. Usually have the dealer do the oil when getting insp, bringing my own filter. But I have a new and more responsible dealer.