cormy Posted August 8, 2014 Report Share Posted August 8, 2014 With the lousy Goodyear tires, the CD deck that went belly up because the battery was disconnected and now the clutch that burned up with the addition of a little more power. Plus I have to install aftermarket lower control arms since the stock ones aren't up to the task. Who knows what else it will take. I would have thought that a vehicle with the Shelby markings would be up to the task of accepting additional horsepower. Had to Install a KR suspension package since the stock one was terrible and a bit squirrely. Not really sure how different this is from a standard GT...? Doesn't seem to live up to the hype. Of course it is a mass produced American car. 2008 GT500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Big ass powerful and expensive motor. That is how it differs from the GT. That and Brembo brakes up front. Don't get too frustrated. I was in the same camp. You see the long list of mods below right? At the end of the day, the Shelby GT500 needed work from the showroom and the aftermarket flourished. You'll get the necessary things done to make the car what you want it to be and then you'll be pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbymotorsports Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 With the lousy Goodyear tires, the CD deck that went belly up because the battery was disconnected and now the clutch that burned up with the addition of a little more power. Plus I have to install aftermarket lower control arms since the stock ones aren't up to the task. Who knows what else it will take. I would have thought that a vehicle with the Shelby markings would be up to the task of accepting additional horsepower. Had to Install a KR suspension package since the stock one was terrible and a bit squirrely. Not really sure how different this is from a standard GT...? Doesn't seem to live up to the hype. Of course it is a mass produced American car. 2008 GT500 And you thought right. Have you not heard of the 605, 725 & 800hp Super Snake upgrade? The GT500 handles those hp increases just fine. Not knowing the mileage or condition of your GT500 makes it difficult to factor in all the variables but we are talking about upgrading a 7 year old performance car so the tire & clutch issues that you are facing may be just normal maintenance items that would have needed to be addressed anyway. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry T Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 The aftermarket will always help better a production car ... but it's a Shelby so get out and drive it !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormy Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I would if it wasn't stranded in a parking lot ..LOL Don't really feel like dealing with it right now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlugs Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 With the lousy Goodyear tires, the CD deck that went belly up because the battery was disconnected and now the clutch that burned up with the addition of a little more power. Plus I have to install aftermarket lower control arms since the stock ones aren't up to the task. Who knows what else it will take. I would have thought that a vehicle with the Shelby markings would be up to the task of accepting additional horsepower. Had to Install a KR suspension package since the stock one was terrible and a bit squirrely. Not really sure how different this is from a standard GT...? Doesn't seem to live up to the hype. Of course it is a mass produced American car. 2008 GT500 Not sure what the "hype" is. A "regular GT" from 2008 was a 4.6 3V rated at about 300 HP, not your 5.4 4V rated at 500. Otherwise they aren't all that different. Still a relatively inexpensive, mass-produced Ford Mustang. They are not a hand-built exotic. If you want a better quality Mustang, have a look at the newer 2015 models. If still not happy with the quality, take a look at something else... Maybe Porsche would measure up to your expectations. I hear Ferrari builds a quality car, too. Mustang of all types are "cheap speed", and cheap to make even speedier. That's what they're best suited for. They're not high quality, especially not in 2008, when fewer were being sold (I think '09 was actually lowest production in Mustang history). Starting with the '10 models, quality seems to have steadily increased, at least as far as interior goes. Anyway, maybe Mustang just isn't your type of car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandy09 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 To me a mustang, be it a gt or an svt vehicle (let's face it a gt500 is an svt vehicle with the shelby name on it) has always been a good starting base. They are getting better but they can all, even the new ones, use some upgrades. I don't know your vehicle history, but my 09 in stock for would well out perform my 03 gt, or my fox body. There still is a lot to be desired in the car. But apples to apples, they are slowly getting better. The clutch issue to me was a total BS issue that should have been caught pre production. But ford stepped up and fixed mine in them so I really can't complain too much. The tires suck. IMHO all Goodyears do. But again not a mustang or a shelby issue. They run them on other cars and they suck just the same IMHO most mustang/shelby guys wouldn't be happy even if ford did put better factory parts on it. We would still be swapping suspensions out. Different exhaust. Tuning the motor for moar powah!! It's part of the culture and fun of these cars. No one has one built the same and the aftermarket is a vast place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_GT350 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 And you thought right. Have you not heard of the 605, 725 & 800hp Super Snake upgrade? The GT500 handles those hp increases just fine. Not knowing the mileage or condition of your GT500 makes it difficult to factor in all the variables but we are talking about upgrading a 7 year old performance car so the tire & clutch issues that you are facing may be just normal maintenance items that would have needed to be addressed anyway. Steve Some good points by everyone.... another variable is it was a "used" car when purchased by the current owner. And of course the original owner only drove it on Sundays and abused the car .... or the clutch! In the long run it sucks that it happened, but now you get to get it right! Good Luck and keep me informed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2007tungstenGT500 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 i had a GT and now a GT500 and there are significant differences. they have been documented in car magazines and books, but here is an informal list: - 500hp vs 300hp - forged internal components means it can handle substantial power increases over stock (4.6L does not have forged internals) - 5.4L responds well to power mods (4.6L is already at its limit and will require supercharging to get noticeable increase) - wider rims and tires (OEM to OEM) - Brembo 4-piston brakes upfront - 6-speed TR6060 transmission (far superior to 4.6L 5-speed tranny) - additional weld points in chassis for more structural rigidity - stiffer suspension (OEM to OEM) - matt finish interior trim to cut down on glare (4.6 has chrome finish) - tachometer moved to right hand side of guage cluster to facilitate eye-hand coordination - better front seats - factory splitter and spoiler - factory stripes (better than aftermarket) - hood vents to equalize underhood air-pressure at high speeds and remove heat from engine bay the main downside is that the GT is a more balanced car, from a power-to-weight ratio and from a front-to-rear weight distribution, so it is easier to drive at its limits and in the turns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2007tungstenGT500 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 in all fairness, at the time in 2006,THIS was the ONLY muscle car on the market. aside from the Pontiac GTO, one could argue easily that the 2005 Mustang GT started the second muscle car craze we are experiencing now. for the record, i don't count the corvette as a "muscle car". it's a 2-seat sports car. as is the 911, etcetera. i think Ford was understandably conservative with the first GT500. it was more powerful than any previous Mustang and more than most other cars on the market (excluding the exotics costing 3-10 times as much). however, it was also quiet and rode rather softly, presumably to appeal to a mass market that was used to those traits in modern-day vehicles. fortunately, it only takes a cold-air intake, a set of axle-back mufflers and a new set of lowering springs to change all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jopo43 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 If you really unhappy I can come pick the car up for you....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Bogdanich Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 Me Happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Leicht Posted August 13, 2014 Report Share Posted August 13, 2014 If you really unhappy I can come pick the car up for you....... I'll help ya :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super hiss Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 muscle cars have always been about swapping out parts for cheap hp. your car just needs a little love and help to get to where you want her. my baby costs me 28,000$ in parts and labor and im nearly finished. i garuntee id beat any 13 with pulleys and bolt ons in a track or a 1/4. and i garantee that corvette that raced me with an automatic wont be hassling anyother gt500 for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewheelman Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 If you really unhappy I can come pick the car up for you....... Sorry you're unhappy. My 07 is stone stock and I wouldn't trade it for anything (but a 14 with 662 horses). 2010 clutch went in under warranty, if the Goodyears are warmed up, they're not bad, but again, that's not a Mustang thing. You bought it, either drive it, sell it or quit griping about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKGT500 Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Coming from a 2005 4.6 GT (manual) the GT500 seemed to me to be not only a natural progression but an upgrade in many respects. One thing I like is when a manufacturer makes a model/variant of a car that really sets it apart: the 5.4 4 cam engine with a big black blower on it ticked that box. Any worries I had about it being "too similar" to a GT went out the window when I saw the car I have now (2007 GT500 bought with 7600 miles - now has a few more...) Compared to my GT here's what I liked about the Shelby: 1) Aforementioned engine 2) 6 speed instead of a 5 speed 3) Overall much more aggressive look (personally I think Ford do a better job with some subtle enhancements that any aftermarket company) 4) Much nicer steering wheel (those thumb rests make a difference!) 5) Seats look the same as a GT but are slightly wider 6) "Leather upgrade" package in my car (I know you could specify it in a GT too)made it a nicer place to be 7) I like the wheels, especially being specific to a GT500 only 8) Brembo brakes (didn't seem any better at first but when you stand on them they do pull this heavy mutha up pretty quickly..) 9) "Shelby" name did it for me and the unique snake emblems. I am in the UK and let me tell you, for what my car cost new in 2007 in the US ($38k base price, £25k) you would be lucky to buy a top-spec family car like a top-of-the-range Ford Mondeo or a Vauxhall (rebadged GM in Europe). Hell even some Ford Focus models were more than that in the UK! Though we have our fair share of idiots that slag off American cars the approval that my car gets over here is amazing. I have yet to see or meet anyone that didn't like this car. I am surprised the kudos a "Shelby" badged car has in the UK when most people don't even know about these details... One person did look inside it and say "wow, it really is a Ford, right down to the stereo" but funny enough that's one of the things I like about it: it's a Ford with a bad ass attitude. OK it's not made like a Maserati (actually I don't think Maseratis are made like a Maserati anymore) but it sure as hell runs like one. Whatever anyone may think about the overall quality (doesn't seem bad to me and I've been in enough BMWs to wonder what the fuss is all about) I don't think anyone can deny what a beautiful engine this car has. It is smooth beyond measure and has surpassed my previous benchmark engine (Jaguar V12). It delivers relentless power and torque whilst being as docile as you like around town. This engine is something Ford should be truly proud of. Here's some well deserved hype: Ford advertised the 2007 GT500 as "The most powerful Mustang ever made". That includes legends such as the Boss 429, 428 models, 71 429, 71 Boss 351, all 60's Shelby models. OK a couple of things are questionable: 1)how do Ford get away with a hood (bonnet) that corrodes? Does this on all Mustangs 2005 to 2008 at least. 2) Clutch: sure I'll be miserable when my stocker goes t*ts up... 3) Lower control arms, reportedly the same as a V6 which is inexcusable but very cheap and easy to upgrade: an hour or two's work and not many $ and you can improve the response in corners and tighten the rear up very nicely. You probably just caught the car at the wrong time, like when the clutch was about to go. Personally I think you Americans should be proud that in 2007 you were home to the "most powerful Mustang ever made" with an engine that rivals any I have ever experienced, with looks that literally have people hanging out of their car windows to gawp at. Believe this: the other day I was in a petrol station and a Bentley GT came in (they are everywhere over here). I looked at both cars and thought of the similarities: two 500bhp GT cars. I'm not kidding the GT500 with stock exhaust had the same thoroughbred sound as that Bentley turbo'd V12 at an absolute fraction of the cost (ha ha, why do you think Jaguar use Mustang V8s.....?) Admittedly I have done the "cheap performance upgrade" of pulley and tune and CAI but even stock it was scary and gets my adrenaline going like no other car I have owned apart from my old 455 HO Trans Am.... Really I don't think there's another car out there like a GT500....Get the clutch done, throw some billet LCAs on, then engine your car with its' tune, enjoying a Ford with the same or more power than a Bentley GT.... Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Bogdanich Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Thank you , very well said! You summed it up perfectly, except for one small detail, it was Proudlly built by American United Auto Workers in the USA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormy Posted August 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 One thing I forgot....the disintegrating finish on my wheels from the improper sealing process.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secondo Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 One thing I forgot....the disintegrating finish on my wheels from the improper sealing process.... What are you using to clean them? Mine are fine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormy Posted August 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Nothing to do with cleaning..Anaerobic bacteria got onto the surface and where sealed into the wheel. Over time the reaction of metabolic energy damages the wheel surface. At least that's the story I got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_GT350 Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Nothing to do with cleaning..Anaerobic bacteria got onto the surface and where sealed into the wheel. Over time the reaction of metabolic energy damages the wheel surface. At least that's the story I got. spoken like a true doctor of thinkology..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secondo Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Nothing to do with cleaning..Anaerobic bacteria got onto the surface and where sealed into the wheel. Over time the reaction of metabolic energy damages the wheel surface. At least that's the story I got. Huh? You got the USA or Chinese made wheels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_GT350 Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 Huh? You got the USA or Chinese made wheels? it's been documented Sean, but I can't find the thread on it now. Some guys had the wheels replaced under warranty. His probably should have been but the original owner never took care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judgeman6970 Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 I loved my "mass-produced" American-made '09 GT500 so much, I bought a 2011 also..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackcad55 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Okay......I can see both sides to this story. On one hand, I love my 08 GT500 because it is a simple car with a very nice 500 HP engine and slick 6-speed transmission......I expected the "not so great" things that come with a Ford production car, plastic interior, mediocre paint job, etc. etc......and I knew I would be putting my own "personal touches" on the car, so Ford left me room to do just that. On the other hand however, Carroll Shelby had a hand in this car and from his "performance" standpoint, weaknesses such as the rear lower control arms/suspension (which are a super-easy fix) and very weak clutch/flywheel (which isn't so easy and $$$$), should have been dealt with long before the car went to production and is sort of a letdown to those of us who have been Shelby fans for 50 years. When we think of Shelby, we think of durability and strength, at least in the drivetrain/suspension !! As far as the Goodyears, CD player, paint & wheel finish......well, those are about the same no matter what American manufacturer you choose and should be expected. (FYI....I work for Chrysler/Dodge and see the same things every week) I hope you can get past some of the abuse the previous owner obviously subjected this car to and get to a situation where you can enjoy owning a Shelby automobile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mavisky Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 A blower, an extra 200hp, a nearly indestructible 6 speed manual transmission, and a set of Brembo brakes to bring it under control. That's what's different from the GT. At this point those factory tires are too old to be any good. Contrary to many people's beliefs age is as much a detriment to tires as wear is. The clutch TSB is a known issue that I learned about within my first day or research and I refused to buy a car that hadn't had the TSB performed. The CD player is a weird issue that I've never heard of before, but you should be able to easily fix that with a unit from any other mustang. The suspension was alright, but the KR is a definite improvement. The lower control arms aren't as big of a deal as everyone makes them out to be unless you're on the dragy strip on radials. My car is stil on stock control arms and has no issues whatsoever with wheelhop, but I'm on Nitto tires and not the old factory Goodyears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormy Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Bringing this back to life...Uh.. ohh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewheelman Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcmotorworks Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 The alternatives that you mention may not be all that suitable for this guy either. Ferraris are downright fragile and profoundly expensive to maintain and the Porsches are well known for their regular high priced service. Start to modify one of those Euro hot rods and see what you get yourself into. Trust me, it will be far more than the replacement of a 7 year old clutch. Ask a guy who has a GT3 that caught on fire or engine leaks that need addressed 4 or 5 thousand miles. $140,000 snob mobile that has to be torn down for an engine replacement. Just what you wanna do with a new car. All high performance sports/muscle cars are going to need extra attention especially a seven year old used version.Well said sideoiler. I've recovered from my beatdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Wow.....just read thru this entire thread......there's ten minutes of my life, I'll never get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.