5000 Miles - Purchased New August of 2009

[Glenn Greenwell]

Well I watched my odometer flip over from 4999 to 5000 miles this past week and it occurred to me that while I drive my Shelby GT every week and really enjoy it, I am not putting very many miles on it. I have no aspirations of this being a collector car in my life time. I actually put it in my will to go to my son provided he agrees to never sell it.

 

It has never been in for a Ford Service other than some type of airbag campaign prior to my purchase of the car. I have done two oil & filter changes (synthetic) with tire rotations. Lubed the darn squeaking rear sway bars each winter with WD40 and a few mods here and there.

 

I love the automatic transmission at my age and the looks with the top down. Barbie and I drove out to Ruby Tuesday for dinner on Friday night with the top down. You gotta love that V-8 growl on start up.

 

Just my thoughts for the day........ GG

Edited August 13, 2012 by TAPD117

[twobjshelbys]

I put 8000 miles on my Shelby GT #47. Most of them were going back and forth to Vegas, which my wife reminded me she now thinks we should have kept.

 

We doubled the mileage on the Ford GT today. I got it with 1300 and we turned 2600 on our drive today up Highway 7 - twisty turney road - and back down Big Thompson Canyon - another twisty turney mountan road. What a hoot!

[Karashemshek]

Everyone has their own philosophy about how much mileage they should put on their Shelby GT.

 

I've had mine three and a half years and recently turned over 30K. I live in WI and it sits in the garage about four months out of the year. So you can imagine how many more miles it would have if I could drive it year round.

 

My philosophy - Drive it. That is why it was built. Shelby GTs were built for two reasons, IMO, to drive and to show it off. You can't do either if it sits in the garage.

 

So in answer to your question, my reply would be "No, it isn't normal"

Edited August 13, 2012 by Karashemshek

[Glenn Greenwell]

In my case I have an assigned city car that I drive to and from work everyday, one of the requirements of the job. I make a point of driving my Shelby GT/BJ to work every Friday unless it is raining. Made a couple of road trips from Texarkana to Dallas and Shreveport. I certainly agree on they are made for the driving experience. Mine was never intended to be a garage queen, just lucky that I have a city take home car, which keeps the miles down.

 

When you get my age and close to retirement, you start thinking about bucket lists, mine is a road trip to Maine for seafoood. I had talked about this with my dad and son, who was 26, we never got a chance to do this and just hang out as a guy thing before he passed three years agoin August at 82. Life is so short when you think about it. My Shelby is one of the few things I have done specifically for my self after 38 years on the job.

 

GG

[Wayne Grey]

Good for you - Enjoy it and Life. Mine was a bucket list check off too - should have done it years ago. Maine is a great trip BTW.

[nojoke4true]

Every year I vow to drive my vert more....listening to all of you guys with " it's just a car" and 'these cars are meant to be driven" notion ( not that I blame you guys). Well yesterday at a car show I met a guy who cemented my thoughts on what I had orginally wanted my car to be. He had a 1987 Regal Grand National that he had bought new and had put only 37,000 miles on her since then. His car was beautiful with only a few minor scratches from garage mishaps. It was too funny listening to his stories on how he used to miss events because he didn't want to drive his friends around in his car and would use his parents car all the time instead of his GN. His friends called him nutty for the way he treated his car and couldn't understand how you could have such a beautiful, fast, and new car and not drive it. Well he stuck to his guns and some 25yrs later, he's still loves his car more because he didn't drive her...if that makes any sense. And thats kinda where Im at now...I love her when Im driving her, but love her more when Im not :fool: . This car stuff is crazy...right? Anyway. So there you have it. I'm not trying to save it for anyone imparticular or sell it later in years with low mileage, I just want to continue to enjoy my SGT for as long as I walk on this planet. So for all you guys n girls who like driving the wheels off your cars...by all means do so! But for the other 1%.....Long live the Garage Queen .

[rocky]

In my case I have an assigned city car that I drive to and from work everyday, one of the requirements of the job. I make a point of driving my Shelby GT/BJ to work every Friday unless it is raining. Made a couple of road trips from Texarkana to Dallas and Shreveport. I certainly agree on they are made for the driving experience. Mine was never intended to be a garage queen, just lucky that I have a city take home car, which keeps the miles down.

 

When you get my age and close to retirement, you start thinking about bucket lists, mine is a road trip to Maine for seafoood. I had talked about this with my dad and son, who was 26, we never got a chance to do this and just hang out as a guy thing before he passed three years agoin August at 82. Life is so short when you think about it. My Shelby is one of the few things I have done specifically for my self after 38 years on the job.

 

GG

 

You are right about life being short, I almost lost mine three times in my life. I put 7200 miles on my shelby in eight months, enjoy it and live your life as if it will be over tomorrow because one day that tomorrow will come.

[Wayne Grey]

Every year I vow to drive my vert more....listening to all of you guys with " it's just a car" and 'these cars are meant to be driven" notion ( not that I blame you guys). Well yesterday at a car show I met a guy who cemented my thoughts on what I had orginally wanted my car to be. He had a 1987 Regal Grand National that he had bought new and had put only 37,000 miles on her since then. His car was beautiful with only a few minor scratches from garage mishaps. It was too funny listening to his stories on how he used to miss events because he didn't want to drive his friends around in his car and would use his parents car all the time instead of his GN. His friends called him nutty for the way he treated his car and couldn't understand how you could have such a beautiful, fast, and new car and not drive it. Well he stuck to his guns and some 25yrs later, he's still loves his car more because he didn't drive her...if that makes any sense. And thats kinda where Im at now...I love her when Im driving her, but love her more when Im not :fool: . This car stuff is crazy...right? Anyway. So there you have it. I'm not trying to save it for anyone imparticular or sell it later in years with low mileage, I just want to continue to enjoy my SGT for as long as I walk on this planet. So for all you guys n girls who like driving the wheels off your cars...by all means do so! But for the other 1%.....Long live the Garage Queen .

 

Don't know if this will get to you, but I have a friend - he is 73 now. I have known him since 1980 when I heard a car coming by and it was a black Mustang with the plexiglass quarter windows - no stripes. I asked one of the locals who that was and he told me who it was and where he lived. I left there and drove into his yard and introduced myself. He had bought the car - a 1966 SHELBY GT350 - brand new. It is the most driven Shelby in the world - he now has over 500,000 miles on it and it is beautiful. He still has the original engine (on a stand ready to go back in) but is running a 302 now. He enjoys every mile that he has put on it and loves to tell stories about it. That's what I call enjoying your Shelby. I bought mine too late to ever get that many miles on it, but I will drive it and think of my friend every time I fire it up. That's not to say that it will be out in bad weather B) - just my $.02 from a NJ Know It All :burnout: Edited August 14, 2012 by Wayne1948

[nojoke4true]

Don't know if this will get to you, but I have a friend - he is 73 now. I have known him since 1980 when I heard a car coming by and it was a black Mustang with the plexiglass quarter windows - no stripes. I asked one of the locals who that was and he told me who it was and where he lived. I left there and drove into his yeard and introduced my self. He had bought the car - a 1966 SHELBY GT350 - brand new. It is the most driven Shelby in the world - he now has over 500,000 miles on it and it is beautiful. He still has the original engine (on a stand ready to go back in) but is running a 302 now. He enjoys every mile that he has put on it and loves to tell stories about it. That's what I call enjoying your Shelby. I bought mine too late to ever get that many miles on it, but I will drive it and think of my friend every time I fire it up. That's not to say that it will be out in bad weather B) - just my $.02 from a NJ Know It All :burnout:

 

My exact point. You can love the car sitting in the garage just as much as the guy who drives it over 500,000 miles -_- .

[Denstang65]

Hey, I know all you guys are talking about Shelby GTs, but I just wanted to make a comment. I have a 65 Tribute and it is my DD. I told my wife that if there was any car to own, other than a real 65 350, it is my 65. I am blessed just to own this car. Two years ago I built the engine with my own 2 hands and by the guidence of a friend, this sm block has got me through college, daily trips to the stores, a couple long distance travels including the 50th Vegas Bash in March. I do almost all repairs and upgrades myself, and I never get tired of her. She has and will continue to take my 2 kids to school and I will try to drive her to whatever event I can go, no matter the distance. Life to me is about the journey. Family, people, friends and some objects are part of this journey, which includes my car. I, too, do not ever plan to get rid of her so I do not worry about miles. To be honest, even if she were a real 350, I still would drive the wheels off of it. I read some where that Jay Leno said it best about a car, " You drive it tell it is down to 15%, then restore it to 100%" I couldn't agree more. If nessecery, drive it back down to 15% and bring it back to 100% again, and again and agai........ Bottom line, its all about opinions, and thats my take on it. Enjoy your Shelbys however it pleases you!

[nojoke4true]

Hey, I know all you guys are talking about Shelby GTs, but I just wanted to make a comment. I have a 65 Tribute and it is my DD. I told my wife that if there was any car to own, other than a real 65 350, it is my 65. I am blessed just to own this car. Two years ago I built the engine with my own 2 hands and by the guidence of a friend, this sm block has got me through college, daily trips to the stores, a couple long distance travels including the 50th Vegas Bash in March. I do almost all repairs and upgrades myself, and I never get tired of her. She has and will continue to take my 2 kids to school and I will try to drive her to whatever event I can go, no matter the distance. Life to me is about the journey. Family, people, friends and some objects are part of this journey, which includes my car. I, too, do not ever plan to get rid of her so I do not worry about miles. To be honest, even if she were a real 350, I still would drive the wheels off of it. I read some where that Jay Leno said it best about a car, " You drive it tell it is down to 15%, then restore it to 100%" I couldn't agree more. If nessecery, drive it back down to 15% and bring it back to 100% again, and again and agai........ Bottom line, its all about opinions, and thats my take on it. Enjoy your Shelbys however it pleases you!

 

I get, love and respect the fact that you love driving your baby all the time. But for me and maybe some other garage queens, I think the reason for not driving our cars is the work it takes to maintaine that better than new appearance. I could be wrong but for me have to wipe down my car after every drive (meaning rims, engine, etc) which would drive me nuts if this was my dd. So maybe I'm just lazy because if I didn't have to go through this ritual all the time, then I probably would be spending more time in the drivers seat. I don't like my undercarraige dirty or road rash on my bumpers. I'm not very handy so I don't want things to break, I don't want my car to ever have to be painted or any engine part replaced due to wear. So bottom line for me is miles = work/time and money, none of which I have alot of . Like you said its just an opinion and everyone has one. Oh and BTW if I was Jay Leno and had his resources then I would feel the same way .