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2011 Shelby GT500 - Too much Car for my SO? *UPDATED WITH CAR PICS*

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JackBurton said:
I don't get this. You know the car doesn't have to be driven at break neck speeds to be enjoyed, right? My wife has a 2011 Mustang GT that I'm contemplating putting a 624HP rated supercharger in, and I think she'll be just fine.
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Just my opinion. I don't know a girl who could handle that much power, but more power to you guys if you've found one who can and also feel comfortably with her out on the road with it.

Its a bit of envy I have for you guys, coupled with the thought that I don't know if you're brave or stupid 😉
 
TakeNoPrisoners said:
If it is a stick it would be significantly harder to drive. If auto, well computers control everything in those kind of cars anyway so she will be fine.
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Lol... if anything that car as a stick will be easier to drive.

PS: Only your wife knows if it is too much car. Asking here is like asking people if they like the color of your house that you have never shown any one a picture of.

I have seen ~25 year old 5' 4" woman out handle several people on her HD Fat Boy.
 
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One does not have to 'handle' 550hp if one never applies 550hp... Don't mat the right pedal. If she drives it conservatively there will be no issues.
 
Whats the point in having 550 hp if you're not going to use 550 hp. Just get a V6 mustang then. Plenty of power in those for less than half the cost
 
AMDZen said:
Two angles I see here. First off, the 4.6 was a terrible car in the bends. As with nearly all American muscle cars until very very recently, they had a live rear axle and they weren't made to turn.

The newer GT500 should have independent rear suspension, and although its still not up to the standards of European and Japanese cars, as well as other American cars like from Cadillac - its still a huge difference from the live axle that plagued mustangs for their entire existence.
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/facepalm

PS all current Mustangs including the Boss and '13 GT500 have solid axles.
 
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AMDZen said:
Just my opinion. I don't know a girl who could handle that much power, but more power to you guys if you've found one who can and also feel comfortably with her out on the road with it.
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Actually, I'd be more worried with men and high-powered vehicles.
They're -far- more likely to overestimate their own skill and underestimate the challenge of driving such a car. Also more likely to take risks and show off.

Only problem could be, that the lady would be scared off by the big sounding power number. Also, historically powerful cars where tough to drive, what with no power steering and big weight and huge tires, and clunky gear boxes required to withstand the engine performance, and clutch and brake pedals like bricks placed in the foot well. So in those times, big performance was for big guys.

These days, a six year-old could drive a Bugatti Veyron...
 
One of the Cobras a few years back did not have a solid rear axle, maybe that's what he was thinking of.

I think the supercharger will actually make the car more manageable. Not matting the gas means a manageable amount of power.

I think she'll be fine, if she has shown in the past that she can handle herself behind the wheel. I have seen people do stupid things in everything from a Civic to an F150, so I would say it has more to do with the driver than the car.
 
AMDZen said:
Whats the point in having 550 hp if you're not going to use 550 hp. Just get a V6 mustang then. Plenty of power in those for less than half the cost
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Does anyone use the power cars have today? Camrys have 300hp. Takes the average car what, 7 seconds to get to the speed limit these days?
 
This thread is kind of sad. The OP doesn't tell us anything about his girlfriend, only that she is a girl. Then we are supposed to somehow make a judgement using only that fact to say if she can handle a more powerful car than she had. Does anyone else see the problem here?
 
Subyman said:
This thread is kind of sad. The OP doesn't tell us anything about his girlfriend, only that she is a girl. Then we are supposed to somehow make a judgement using only that fact to say if she can handle a more powerful car than she had. Does anyone else see the problem here?
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Gotta keep the stereotypes alive.
 
Insomniator said:
Does anyone use the power cars have today? Camrys have 300hp. Takes the average car what, 7 seconds to get to the speed limit these days?
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I'd say the "average" car is far more likely to be an I-4 Camry or Civic class car still. The average 0-60 on the road is probably in the 8-9 second range.
 
Subyman said:
This thread is kind of sad. The OP doesn't tell us anything about his girlfriend, only that she is a girl. Then we are supposed to somehow make a judgement using only that fact to say if she can handle a more powerful car than she had. Does anyone else see the problem here?
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Totally. She might like fast cars, and she might have taken performance driving classes (or be interested in taking them). But this assumption that automatically the car has "too much power for her to handle" is utterly ridiculous.

I let my g/f drive my Shelby from time to time, and she's fine. Get over it people.
 
exdeath said:
/facepalm

PS all current Mustangs including the Boss and '13 GT500 have solid axles.
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So because they do now, and took decades to catch up to the rest of the world its ok? I was talking about the 04 or 06 that she had before, which would have still had shitty antiquated suspension, as they just changed it recently.

And people wonder why American cars were such a joke for so long
 
exdeath said:
/facepalm

PS all current Mustangs including the Boss and '13 GT500 have solid axles.
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The previous generation Camaro/Firebird had solid axles too, and of course the Mustang still does.

It's pretty strange, considering at the time SUVs were becoming crossovers and had independent suspension. The Ford Explorer, a truck-based SUV, had IRS since 2002. Currently every SUV that Ford sells has IRS, even the massive Expedition... despite being detrimental to offroad performance and truckish durability.
 
OCGuy said:
My girlfriend just sold her 2006 Mustang GT. She is about to buy a 2011 GT500 with 900 miles on it from my mother.

.
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Wait wait wait wait.. Everyone stop. Okay, let me get this straight. First of all, your mom bought a 2011 GT500? WTF!? And why the hell is your mom getting rid of it? What, I'm guessing its too slow for her and she is getting a ZR1, right? 😱

And secondly, your girlfriend is gonna be driving around in a GT500? WTF!?
 
Subyman said:
This thread is kind of sad. The OP doesn't tell us anything about his girlfriend, only that she is a girl. Then we are supposed to somehow make a judgement using only that fact to say if she can handle a more powerful car than she had. Does anyone else see the problem here?
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Yes, it does sound stereotypical, sorry. I guess I just envision females getting squirrely and panicking. Or going into a turn and drifting accidentally. Or texting.

But you are right, a guy could do any or all of those things as well.

Some of you have calmed my fears, thanks for the tips. I brought up a class to her and she is up for it. Picking up the car Sat morning.

mafia said:
Wait wait wait wait.. Everyone stop. Okay, let me get this straight. First of all, your mom bought a 2011 GT500? WTF!? And why the hell is your mom getting rid of it? What, I'm guessing its too slow for her and she is getting a ZR1, right? 😱
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My mom has more than one car to choose from. They just had to build a second car barn....don't ask.


mafia said:
And secondly, your girlfriend is gonna be driving around in a GT500? WTF!?
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Yep. On the bright side, so will I!
 
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AMDZen said:
So because they do now, and took decades to catch up to the rest of the world its ok? I was talking about the 04 or 06 that she had before, which would have still had shitty antiquated suspension, as they just changed it recently.

And people wonder why American cars were such a joke for so long
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Wow srsly?

AMDZen said:
Two angles I see here. First off, the 4.6 was a terrible car in the bends. As with nearly all American muscle cars until very very recently, they had a live rear axle and they weren't made to turn.

The newer GT500 should have independent rear suspension, and although its still not up to the standards of European and Japanese cars, as well as other American cars like from Cadillac - its still a huge difference from the live axle that plagued mustangs for their entire existence.
Click to expand...
You're saying they sucked because they had solid axles, but now they caught up to the rest of the world... even though they still have evil solid axles? You do know there hasn't been an IRS Mustang since '04 right? Yes that's right, the current generation BMW M3 beating Mustangs still have solid axles and McPherson struts *gasp* *heart attack*

Do you know anything about cars or do you just parrot stuff you hear on Top Gear?

Turn off Top Gear and try again to say whatever it is you want to say in your own words?

Define "antiquated suspension, as they just changed it recently." This GT500 has the same suspension layout as the "04 or 06 that she had before", just different spring rates, etc.

And 04 and 06 are entirely different platforms, to confuse the two is just mind boggling. And even then only the 99-04 Cobra had the IRS, V6 and GT have always had solid axles. In fact the 99-04 SN95-II New Edge Cobras are the only Mustang chassis cars to EVER have an IRS.

Nobody here likes a brand/image snob.
 
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OCGuy said:
The credit union booked it out at $54k. We booked it out on the NADA guide higher than that because it has the SVT performance package (lighter wheels, track suspension, thiner stripes, spoiler, which those two alone add at least 60hp! 😉
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unless it has more options than just the SVT package, 54k is more than it MSRP'd at new.

You can probably get a new 2012 with the SVTPP for around 47k now if you're not picky about color and are willing to travel.
 
nicolaskl said:
unless it has more options than just the SVT package, 54k is more than it MSRP'd at new.

You can probably get a new 2012 with the SVTPP for around 47k now if you're not picky about color and are willing to travel.
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Interesting...I just did a NADA guide on a 2012 with all of the options this car we are getting has, and it says invoice is $56k with MSRP 62,500.

Like I said, I can get the X-pin, and I am still getting a good deal.

And again, the car has 900 miles, and I am not going to be paying any sales/use tax of 7.75% ($3,487).
 
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