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

[Arkaign]

Throck, we get your opinion, but it doesn't much change the fact that Mustangs are performance bargains, and the lack of IRS doesn't make any significant difference unless you're driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads. Speaking of, if you have IRS, and are driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads, I can't say that you'll fare much better, and in fact, if you're driving something considerably heavier (like a Camaro, Challenger, M3, etc), you may even fare worse.

EDIT : Btw, I am not offended in the least that Mustangs are not to your taste. There are many admittedly solid cars that I would never want, and it's not always for logical reasons.

 

[foghorn67]

Throck, we get your opinion, but it doesn't much change the fact that Mustangs are performance bargains, and the lack of IRS doesn't make any significant difference unless you're driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads. Speaking of, if you have IRS, and are driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads, I can't say that you'll fare much better, and in fact, if you're driving something considerably heavier (like a Camaro, Challenger, M3, etc), you may even fare worse.

EDIT : Btw, I am not offended in the least that Mustangs are not to your taste. There are many admittedly solid cars that I would never want, and it's not always for logical reasons.

That's a very good way to put it Arkaign. Totally devoid of any heated emotions

 

[foghorn67]

After just getting back from a fun Sunday drive...all I can say is WOW. 102 on the freeway in 3rd is like butter. But I am more impressed with the every-day driving of it. Although it feels like it wants to go fast at all times, it is really smooth for standard (and legal) cruising. But when you want to get on it, the power is seemingly ready in any gear 1-4, at any RPM.

Any fears I had of my lady putting it into a wall are completely gone. What a machine!

Couple more here:


http://imgur.com/a/mORAc

Very nice OCguy. Hehe, I used to live in your neighborhood. eeek.

 

[Throckmorton]

Throck, we get your opinion, but it doesn't much change the fact that Mustangs are performance bargains, and the lack of IRS doesn't make any significant difference unless you're driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads. Speaking of, if you have IRS, and are driving like an absolute maniac on crappy roads, I can't say that you'll fare much better, and in fact, if you're driving something considerably heavier (like a Camaro, Challenger, M3, etc), you may even fare worse.

EDIT : Btw, I am not offended in the least that Mustangs are not to your taste. There are many admittedly solid cars that I would never want, and it's not always for logical reasons.

The Mustang IS to my taste. It just pisses me off when people act like somehow a car maker can engineer away inherent faults of various technologies, be it a solid axle or FWD or MacPherson struts. If I'm in the position to buy a new car this year it will probably be a Mustang V6. I'd consider the Camaro too but I'm not sure I can get past the flashy styling

 

[JCH13]

The Mustang IS to my taste. It just pisses me off when people act like somehow a car maker can engineer away inherent faults of various technologies, be it a solid axle or FWD or MacPherson struts. If I'm in the position to buy a new car this year it will probably be a Mustang V6. I'd consider the Camaro too but I'm not sure I can get past the flashy styling

No one is saying that the inherent weaknesses magically go away. The argument is that there is engineering minimize the impact of these weaknesses (of solid axles in this case) and to utilize their strong points to further mitigate their weaknesses with an end result that doesn't hugely compromise handling the way solid rear axles are commonly perceived to.

 

[Kadarin]

After just getting back from a fun Sunday drive...all I can say is WOW. 102 on the freeway in 3rd is like butter. But I am more impressed with the every-day driving of it. Although it feels like it wants to go fast at all times, it is really smooth for standard (and legal) cruising. But when you want to get on it, the power is seemingly ready in any gear 1-4, at any RPM.

Any fears I had of my lady putting it into a wall are completely gone. What a machine!

Told ya! 🙂

Personally, I'm not a fan of the narrow stripes used in the FRPP optioned cars, so I went with the stripe delete option. That's just me though...

Enjoy! That's a car that will turn heads.

 

[hanoverphist]

So it looks like there some controversy as to taking it to the track or not. I am not a AT Garage regular, is this a common disagreement here? 😛
.

i dont know about normal arguments, but if i were to get a gt500 id take a few lessons at the local bondurants racing school just to get a handle on driving a 500+HP vehicle. ive driven a 700 HP full blown 48 ford anglia around town many times, it was tough to keep straight and forward. if i were wanting to DD something like that id want to go get a few tips rather than do a parking lot spin test. theres gotta be either a bondurants or equivalent where youre at too.

 

[OCGuy]

Told ya! 🙂

Personally, I'm not a fan of the narrow stripes used in the FRPP optioned cars, so I went with the stripe delete option. That's just me though...

Enjoy! That's a car that will turn heads.

Sticker on the car was $60k, then he went and immediately had the stipes hand-painted on and car re-painted for anothe $5k. (He hates the standard sticker-stripes).

They are kind of growing on me actually. The color is a Kona Blue, which has a purplish-look to it depending on the angle/sunlight.

Very happy 🙂

 

[JCH13]

i dont know about normal arguments, but if i were to get a gt500 id take a few lessons at the local bondurants racing school just to get a handle on driving a 500+HP vehicle. ive driven a 700 HP full blown 48 ford anglia around town many times, it was tough to keep straight and forward. if i were wanting to DD something like that id want to go get a few tips rather than do a parking lot spin test. theres gotta be either a bondurants or equivalent where youre at too.

I was at an autox school, guy rolls up in a spanking new GT500, I got talking to him and that's exactly why he was there: "I got a 550hp car, now I'm going to learn how to drive it".

 

[exdeath]

I was at an autox school, guy rolls up in a spanking new GT500, I got talking to him and that's exactly why he was there: "I got a 550hp car, now I'm going to learn how to drive it".

Start by getting the donuts and burnouts out and shit eating grins out of the system? hehe

I need to take my car to a skid pad some day.

Believe it or not I my car is more prone to understeer than oversteer with MT ET Street 315/35/17 on the rear at 25 psi and Eagle F1 275/40/17 at 35 psi on the front. Plus the gummy sidewalls on the MT will roll and let you know it's starting to fold over rather than just breaking loose without warning.

 

[JCH13]

Start by getting the donuts and burnouts out and shit eating grins out of the system? hehe

I need to take my car to a skid pad some day.

Believe it or not I my car is more prone to understeer than oversteer with MT ET Street 315/35/17 on the rear at 25 psi and Eagle F1 275/40/17 at 35 psi on the front. Plus the gummy sidewalls on the MT will roll and let you know it's starting to fold over rather than just breaking loose without warning.

There were a couple smokey skid-pad runs, yes... 😀

And yes you do!

 

[DaTT]

Now OCGuy, this is what has to happen. Drive it straight down to your local SVT approved dealer and tell them you wish to trade it in for the 2013 GT500. It has 650 hp.

Very nice car. As Kadarin said though, I am not a fan of the skinny stripes, need the fat ones...but it would never be a deal breaker for me. The GT500 is my favorite "within reason" car.

 

[Doppel]

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?

No, they don't really, not most. I have a car faster than most but would be embarrassed by the GT500 in this thread and when I floor it around other cars I am positive I stick out like a sore thumb. Lots of cars have way more power than is reasonable on public roads.

That said, I would love to have an American muscle car with a V8 because they sound delightful, and even though it's nigh impossible to legally floor them on public roads (ticket magnet) I'd enjoy trying.

 

[exdeath]

Fast cars are less visible. When you have to spend 5 minutes accelerating 80...90....100... huge window of opportunity to be spotted and you cover so much ground.

When you can blip the throttle and climb from 50 to 80 in literally 2 seconds and let off and coast before you rear end the person 1/8 mile in front of you, you're "in and out" so to speak. No drama, no fuss, no dragging it out, its just done, over.