I had to gasp!

W

whiplash15

Registered
Went to my local Ford dealer to have them accomplish the cruise control recall. When I checked in I asked about how long it would take and was told 30 minutes. "The paperwork takes longer than the recall". So, I wandered to the showroom to see what was new. Lo and behold, there sat a new 2008 Shelby GT500! Wow, I started at the lt rr corner and began to walk around it (clockwise). Slick, nice lines, white with blue stripes, sits a bit high, seems bigger than it really is, got to the front fender, and looked under the hood and took a peek. Yep! A 5.4 4 cammmer with a nice little blower sittin on top. Sweet. Continued on around to the passenger door and took a look at the window sticker, and I had to gasp. Yeah, it had all the goodies, 18" machined clear coated wheels. 6 speed, leather. 6 disc in dash c/d. About everything you think of. A suplimental window sticker listing more goodies. W O W!! $48,XXX,00. Then it had a suplimmental, suplimental sticker. This dealer willl let you enjoy this car for just $10,00.00 more..... I think if I ever had to pay 60 Grand for a car I would expect it to say Bentley or something on it. Dang sure wouldnt say "Mustang". Yes, I collected my 98 CE and decided it will be good for a couple more years.
 
You can imagine what the guy felt like that had one of those and Silver Streak beat the snot out of him last summer. A Grandpa in an 11 year old Mark Vlll, felt great.
 
lol you want to drive a Bentley for 60k?

Inflation is a bitch.
A loaded camry is 33k a loaded accord is 33k.
Top of the line limited edition mustang is 50k...
Top of the line Vette is 70k now about to become 100k

PPL earn a lot of money nowadays.... Remember the Mark was 40-50k back in the day in todays dollars it would be much closer to 70-80k.
 
There is wisdom in all of the previous posts. I must admit that now that I am retired and on social obscurity(sorry) security, I have been thinking about a Hundai Sonota. Even those are in the mid $20's - without a sun roof. Even that will need to wait til I finish paying off the CE.
 
There are still some good values around... Scions are pretty attractively priced cars, but they are boxy...

Cars nowadays are also much more reliable, require less maintenance and last much longer than cars in the past.
 
I'd rather spend the same $$ on a classic Mustang, even though the new ones are cool. I hear the Roush Mustangs handle the power a lot better than the Shelbys - better suspension.
 
thats true. When i was in Jordam i took a shelby out and it was body rolling corners. The roush was badass.
 
There was a GT500 at the dragstrip out there this past Saturday, and it certainly made a lot of noise.

The guy who was driving it only had ONE ARM and that was just a left arm and somehow he was managing to drive the thing down the track AND shift it. I am absolutely baffled how he accomplished it, so his 13.10 times were certainly better than I would be able to accomplish under the same circumstances.

He said he payed 55K for it. Does anyone know what the expected 1/4 mile times are for this car?
 
Devin, I took a look at your profile as shown in your signature. No doubt that is the neatest profile page I have seen. You should be quite proud of it!
 
Devin said:
There was a GT500 at the dragstrip out there this past Saturday, and it certainly made a lot of noise.

The guy who was driving it only had ONE ARM and that was just a left arm and somehow he was managing to drive the thing down the track AND shift it. I am absolutely baffled how he accomplished it, so his 13.10 times were certainly better than I would be able to accomplish under the same circumstances.

He said he payed 55K for it. Does anyone know what the expected 1/4 mile times are for this car?
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High 12s stock... @110+ high 11s @120+with a pulley change and a tune. Those cars are monsters.
 
maxmk8 said:
Cars nowadays are also much more reliable, require less maintenance and last much longer than cars in the past.
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I guess that depends on what you mean by "nowadays" -- but unfortunately, that's not been my experience. I have serious vehicular ADD. I bought a brand new factory ordered 2007 Escalade ESV, every option. The thing was a hunk of junk (and it pains me to say that as I hail from a long line of GM execs, factory workers dating back to RE Olds.) On night 1, the rear window assembly fell completely out. The navigation system failed on day 2. A slew of electrical issues ending with no heat whatsoever (all the while sounding like the windows were down due to excessive wind noise.) The dealer had it two months and after fabricating a new harness, the heat worked -- too well. "65" was "90"... "75" was "90" etc. I finally called a contact at GM and they built me a new vehicle. Day #3 the rear hatch fell completely off. Traded it the next day. $70,000 Suburban + flaws.

I have many dealer friends and essential free reign with the key box and dealer tag. I've demo'd the new MKZ, Navigator and MKX, a Lexus LS, Cad. STS, CTS, DTS, Mercedes E class, BMW 5 and others for a minimum of two days. It's beyond disappointing to me the overall quality of cars today (with exception to the Lexus LS, in my opinion) -- the MKZ nearly made me weep with its cheap plastic. Very quiet and comfortable, but it simply lacks that "strong" feeling that older cars had.

Conversely, I've had Oldsmobiles in the past I've driven to 200,000+ miles with nothing more than oil changes. Lincolns the same. I never expect or receive that type of longevity with today's cars, with exception to my 2002 Expedition which has been very good to me. Perhaps I'm just unlucky.

I got so tired of the search and buying car after car only to be disappointed, I finally went back to what I know worked for me.... one of the best cars I've owned (within the past decade or so) -- the Mark VIII. It costed me a pretty penny to find one in perfect (by my OCD standards anyway) condition with low, low miles - but it's worth it to me. Not sure what I'll do after that, but at the rate prices go up and quality goes down, I might just have to sell out and get the boring-to-most Lexus LS. :(

Of course, mileage may vary... to each his own, etc!
 
I would seriously think that you had some really bad luck. So far my friends and family purchased the following new cars in the last 2 years.

2008 Toyota Prius
2008 Lexus ES350
2007 Toyota Camry
2007 Toyota Matrix
2005 Scion XA

In the collective 150k miles that those 5 cars were driven, not 1 of them had a single problem... perhaps toyota had something to do with it...
 
maxmk8 said:
perhaps toyota had something to do with it...
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You could be right. My wife has a 2007 Camry Hybrid (purchased late 06) and I think if it were a choice of her losing me or the car, I'd be in trouble. Not a single problem with it thus far, though it wouldn't be my first choice and I don't drive it often.

As I said before, the new Lexus LS is a great car. Probably the quietest, most comfortable car I've ever driven. That may be next in my garage, actually. Perhaps american cars and I just aren't meant to be anymore... certainly had a good run with them though!
 
I love people with new cars who never complain of a problem.

No thanks, I'll put my money in occasional repairs instead of regular payments. ;)

Well I guess I retract that statement since I make payments on the wifey's car. :eek:
 
driller said:
I love people with new cars who never complain of a problem.

No thanks, I'll put my money in occasional repairs instead of regular payments. ;)

Well I guess I retract that statement since I make payments on the wifey's car. :eek:
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Most ppl are car illiterate.. and get RAPED by dealers and repair shops.

Honestly if I wasn't maintaining my parent's vehicles they would be in new cars with warranties only ... it just saves way too many head aches.

Remember most ppl don't know what a spark plug wire is... or an ignition coil.

Ppl know
1. Oil, Oil Filter and to change it
2. Brakes- squeek means something is wrong
3. Vibrations- something is wrong
4. Air filter - maybe...
5. When tires look bald. -Some don't care to check... 50% or less check air pressure.

That is it...

Many don't know that a car has transmission fluid let alone rear diff fluid and that they need to be changed.
 
Most ppl are car illiterate.. and get RAPED by dealers and repair shops.
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I understand where you're coming from.

Not to be sexist, I understand when a woman doesn't know, but I am often at a loss at the stupidity of a lot of men when it comes to the basics of cars. Especially those who talk the NASCAR lingo like they've been born in the pits but can't seem to grasp the simplest of automotive repairs. :D
 
I used to do all maintenance on my own cars. I've reached a point in life where time is worth more than money and I lack the time and desire to worry about doing my own maintenance on my daily drivers. I'm also fortunate enough to have made decent friends over the years with competent dealers (yes, they exist) that charge me cost + 5% on non-warranty repairs that would take me more than 30 mins to do -- if they even charge me at all.

Yes, most don't understand what makes a car tick and unless you want to tell me you have a perfect understanding of how everything in your life works, it shouldn't be a requirement for use. Not everyone who doesn't feel like turning a wrench at the most inopportune time, is an idiot. Some of us have just changed enough alternators, water pumps and timing chains/belts in our lives to make a novice weep and we no longer want to deal with it. On the other hand, some don't mind getting dirty to save a few bucks. To each his own. :)
 
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