Happy with your 350? Previous owners of GT500, please chime in.

Osiris · Feb 26, 2018

GT Premi - To put the debate another way...Though I doubt you'd even want to do this, would you consider adding FI to your 350R?

The question is more to the point of what matters most, power or handling. It'll be a different response for many. The option however, exists, but I think most people (like you and I ) who own it enjoy it for what it is and the power it has. If they spent the money on it, they should sure as hell have the money to make it faster, or they shouldn't have bought it to begin with (my two cents). Those that want more power are out there adding the FI kits that are already on sale. I haven't decided which route I'm going to go yet because I'm still having fun with it the way it sits. If I want the power, I'll add it or buy the 500 when it drops, simple as that...

The notion that people think the 350 or 350R suck because it doesn't make as much power as a 500 is just asinine. Ford could have easily added FI to the 350 from the beginning but then it wouldn't be a 350, it would be a 500 from the get go.

JAJ · Feb 26, 2018

I think GT Premi nailed it when he wrote this:

"I actually enjoy driving my GT350R at pedestrian speeds more than my GT500. It's easier to modulate and moderate the power around town. With my GT500, whenever leaving from a stop behind another vehicle, I have to let them get at least 3 car lengths ahead before I start moving because it just leaps forward from a stop. It's fun having that kind of power, but it's also annoying sometimes."

Driving my '14 GT500 required constant attention because of the power, but driving the GT350 is easy. It'll go when you want it to, but it doesn't impose itself on you.

GT Premi · Feb 26, 2018

Osiris said:
GT Premi - To put the debate another way...Though I doubt you'd even want to do this, would you consider adding FI to your 350R?

The question is more to the point of what matters most, power or handling. It'll be a different response for many. The option however, exists, but I think most people (like you and I ) who own it enjoy it for what it is and the power it has. If they spent the money on it, they should sure as hell have the money to make it faster, or they shouldn't have bought it to begin with (my two cents). Those that want more power are out there adding the FI kits that are already on sale. I haven't decided which route I'm going to go yet because I'm still having fun with it the way it sits. If I want the power, I'll add it or buy the 500 when it drops, simple as that...

The notion that people think the 350 or 350R suck because it doesn't make as much power as a 500 is just asinine. Ford could have easily added FI to the 350 from the beginning but then it wouldn't be a 350, it would be a 500 from the get go.

No, I don't think I would ever add forced induction to my R. I enjoy it too much for what it is. It seems to have the perfect balance of power and handling. Adding forced induction would decrease its well-rounded-ness. If I were to ever get a wild hair and want to add forced induction, I think I'd only consider a turbo setup.

ANGREY, you missed the point completely.

JAJ said:
I think GT Premi nailed it when he wrote this:

"I actually enjoy driving my GT350R at pedestrian speeds more than my GT500. It's easier to modulate and moderate the power around town. With my GT500, whenever leaving from a stop behind another vehicle, I have to let them get at least 3 car lengths ahead before I start moving because it just leaps forward from a stop. It's fun having that kind of power, but it's also annoying sometimes."

Driving my '14 GT500 required constant attention because of the power, but driving the GT350 is easy. It'll go when you want it to, but it doesn't impose itself on you.

That's the perfect word for it! My GT500's power is imposing around town, and it makes me look like I'm driving like a jackass when I'm really not trying to; chirping the tires starting from a bumpy surface, lurching forward behind other cars, blowing the doors off everybody behind me when I'm just driving "normally", etc.

662 · Feb 26, 2018

I've owned a '11 GT500 vert, '14 GT500 Track Pack, 16 GT350 Tech Pack, 17 GT350R.

No regrets in my evolution, the GT350's are the better cars. Read and watch the reviews and like this article, many many others agree that the GT350 swings higher than it's class:

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a27194/road-track-2016-performance-car-of-the-year/

I've also recently owned a C7 stingray, BMW E93 M3, and two Boxsters including a GTS.

FWIW, driving the GT350 is amazing, I will keep mine and relative to my history, that says alot.

s1ten · Feb 27, 2018

I own a 01 TT Saleen that makes 641 @17lbs on 93 and 747whp @22lbs on 110. I love the car but, I enjoy my 350R much more. Its way better at everything except on the boost in the TT car. The Saleen now comes with a lot of compromise to get the power down and enjoy it without drama. The R is hands down the best car I have ever driven.

It's funny, Ive had more enviable comments in 4 months owning the R than the past 5 years of running turbos on the Saleen. 99% of the snide comments are from people who drive much less capable cars. I get the rivalry part, thats all in good fun but, its more jealous...from how much they cost, track cars for a fraction of the cost running similar lap times, still a mustang, ect ect.

I say go for it! The only persons that will be sorry about it are your new found haters

Ninjak · Feb 28, 2018

I came out of a 700+ / 669 tq 11 GT500. LCA's UCA's driveshafts 2.4 pulley, 13/14 Blower, injectors, blah blah..it was a high 10 sec car. On the street though I was always mindful without my DR's on. BTW my DR's were M&H's on a Darkstar 15. which I still have..lol. In S.FL i would not recommend driving around with DR's on a car that makes this kind of power. It literally can rain on one street and be sunny on the next.

I sold the GT500 and picked up my 350 last August. I have no regrets. The GT350 is such a driver's car. I did not believe how far above it compared to the GT500. I have added a flex e85 tune, and Kooks LT's and the mid x'pipe. With this combo I make 525 rwhp on the corn and 505 on 93. I have plenty of low end grunt with the tune. Sure it's not my 11 Shelby, but it def can move. I believe my dyno put me @ 422 and 430.

In the end I have no regrets. And the soooouuund.....yeah my GT500 sounded good at wot, but Sasha sounds GLORIOUS ! I always tell people this. Power is easy, just pick your poison and go. But a car that is a driver's car out of the box??? Well thats different. I'll leave this here. ( after that first run I may need that MGW...this was my first runs in the car.)

xsellr8 · Feb 28, 2018

The new GT500 will be this car and more. This will become the 99 cobra/Boss 302

Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

tomshep · Mar 3, 2018

They each have their place. I've driven both on track. All I can say is the brakes on the 350 are AWESOME compared to my 14 Brembos. The rest is a shouting match for power vs. handling.

Tom

blown93302 · Mar 3, 2018

xsellr8 said:
The new GT500 will be this car and more. This will become the 99 cobra/Boss 302

Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

assuming based on this irrogant comment that you do not have a 350..... there is no chance it becomes a 99 cobra, those things were underrated and had multiple issues. thats just a stupid comment

93oh · Mar 3, 2018

I have both.. I personally prefer the 350 for driving around. The overall feel and handling is more enjoyable. The 500 is raw and tires are shit and car feels like it wants to rip itself in half, kill you or both. Tires don't help its cause. The 350 is the Labrador of cars ... does everything well.

Osiris · Mar 4, 2018

Today I went house hunting with my brother and took the car. I ended up on some really questionable country roads (all paved, but definitely not like your typical side street).

In my '14 GT that drive would have hurt, for sure. In the 350, I fought the steering wheel to stay straight but the ride was fine.

I never "daily" my car like this, or at least I haven't up until now. I usually drive it with the purpose of going to an event, or race or something. I was pretty happy with the way it just puttered around town...Saw a few people snapping pics along the way...

gimmie11s · Mar 4, 2018

GNBRETT said:
Cars that make no Torque are just boring to drive and at that price one should be getting a beast of a car but their not. The common complaint of just about every GT350 owner other then u apparently is the lack of power.

BFD it can go around the track faster then the S197 or GT500 or brake better currently. My Brembo's stop on a dime don't need to stop any faster. How many times how u been to the track with ur car? Ill bet about as many times as 99% of the GT350 owners have which is zero times.

Its a novelty car and Ford totally missed the boat with this car and as soon as the GT500 is released the GT350 will be sold in record numbers and tank in value.

Sorry GT350 owner but the Camaro ZL1 embarrasses the GT350 at the track and on the street and for that reason alone I would not care for one considering the GT350 is pretty much a single purpose car which is a track car. The only thing the GT350 seems to do better is sound louder!

Truth.

If you have to drop the car into 3rd gear at 60 mph just get around granny in lane number 2 that is going 50 mph, i'll kindly pass.

Ive owned 4 cylinder vehicles with more passing torque.

Full disclosure.. I think the GT350 is bad ass (damn she's sexy!) but no way I'd own one without a power adder. No way.

ANGREY · Mar 5, 2018

gimmie11s said:
Truth.

If you have to drop the car into 3rd gear at 60 mph just get around granny in lane number 2 that is going 50 mph, i'll kindly pass.

Ive owned 4 cylinder vehicles with more passing torque.

Full disclosure.. I think the GT350 is bad ass (damn she's sexy!) but no way I'd own one without a power adder. No way.

This is a bit of an exaggeration and also doesn't take into account any comparisons to history.

With mods and upgrades my 350 runs about 415 or 420 lbs/tq to the wheels and probably close to 275 down low in highway rpms.

1) You don't have to drop to 3rd, or even 4th, but the overdrive is nice and tall in these cars so it does HELP to drop to 5th for passing, although it isn't always required, for quicker jaunts, it makes sense.

2) If you compared the torque of the 350 to most mustangs, except for within the past 5 years, it actually has more torque than any of them, so it's not like someone driving a 2010 GT is going to feel any better or stronger.

3) One could easily drop a set of 390 or 410s in the rear and this problem completely goes away, however you ruin 1st gear (like most 410 cars) and then you're pulling higher rpms at highway speeds. Right now at 2600 rpms, my car cruises at 91 or 92 mph. That's a lot of gear.

Comparing the car to a blower car (like the 500 or a Roush) your comparison is somewhat valid, but a bit unfair.

I've learned that the car just needs to be shifted more often and when that bothered me I realized that if I wanted an auto, I should have bought one. Once I got past that, I realized that every opportunity to shift was an opportunity to hear it sing.

I'm probably going to add a whipple at some point, but I feel like we're being a LITTLE harsh on the 350, it's not as gutless as people claim, but with the gearing it does require more shifts than someone is probably used to.

Osiris · Mar 5, 2018

ANGREY said:
This is a bit of an exaggeration and also doesn't take into account any comparisons to history.

With mods and upgrades my 350 runs about 415 or 420 lbs/tq to the wheels and probably close to 275 down low in highway rpms.

1) You don't have to drop to 3rd, or even 4th, but the overdrive is nice and tall in these cars so it does HELP to drop to 5th for passing, although it isn't always required, for quicker jaunts, it makes sense.

2) If you compared the torque of the 350 to most mustangs, except for within the past 5 years, it actually has more torque than any of them, so it's not like someone driving a 2010 GT is going to feel any better or stronger.

3) One could easily drop a set of 390 or 410s in the rear and this problem completely goes away, however you ruin 1st gear (like most 410 cars) and then you're pulling higher rpms at highway speeds. Right now at 2600 rpms, my car cruises at 91 or 92 mph. That's a lot of gear.

Comparing the car to a blower car (like the 500 or a Roush) your comparison is somewhat valid, but a bit unfair.

I've learned that the car just needs to be shifted more often and when that bothered me I realized that if I wanted an auto, I should have bought one. Once I got past that, I realized that every opportunity to shift was an opportunity to hear it sing.

I'm probably going to add a whipple at some point, but I feel like we're being a LITTLE harsh on the 350, it's not as gutless as people claim, but with the gearing it does require more shifts than someone is probably used to.

Exactly, and isn't that kind of the point with a car that's built for driver involvement?

I have to drop my '04 Cobra into 5th to get anywhere while cruising as well..

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

GT Premi · Mar 5, 2018

E90/92 M3 - 289lb-ft - high revving, great car!
E60 M5 - 389lb-ft - high revving, great car!
991.1 GT3 RS - 339lb-ft - high revving, great car!
GT350 - 429lb-ft - needs too many revs, it's a dog!

SMH

gimmie11s · Mar 5, 2018

ANGREY said:
This is a bit of an exaggeration and also doesn't take into account any comparisons to history.

With mods and upgrades my 350 runs about 415 or 420 lbs/tq to the wheels and probably close to 275 down low in highway rpms.

1) You don't have to drop to 3rd, or even 4th, but the overdrive is nice and tall in these cars so it does HELP to drop to 5th for passing, although it isn't always required, for quicker jaunts, it makes sense.

2) If you compared the torque of the 350 to most mustangs, except for within the past 5 years, it actually has more torque than any of them, so it's not like someone driving a 2010 GT is going to feel any better or stronger.

3) One could easily drop a set of 390 or 410s in the rear and this problem completely goes away, however you ruin 1st gear (like most 410 cars) and then you're pulling higher rpms at highway speeds. Right now at 2600 rpms, my car cruises at 91 or 92 mph. That's a lot of gear.

Comparing the car to a blower car (like the 500 or a Roush) your comparison is somewhat valid, but a bit unfair.

I've learned that the car just needs to be shifted more often and when that bothered me I realized that if I wanted an auto, I should have bought one. Once I got past that, I realized that every opportunity to shift was an opportunity to hear it sing.

I'm probably going to add a whipple at some point, but I feel like we're being a LITTLE harsh on the 350, it's not as gutless as people claim, but with the gearing it does require more shifts than someone is probably used to.

I agree with all of this although I would emphasize "passing" torque. The 275 number you quoted at highway RPM is my beef with the car and more what I was referring to with 4 cylinder car having more torque (4g63t platform).

You're right though... gears and/or FI makes all of this go away.

JAJ · Mar 5, 2018

Exactly. The 350 isn't for everyone, and if you want a car like a GT500 where you can just "think" about speeding up and it's done, regardless of which gear you're in, then you need a GT500.

I'm not going to feel bad if my car isn't the right one for someone else - I hope they find what they're looking for and enjoy the heck out of it!

Happy with your 350? Previous owners of GT500, please chime in.

Osiris

Active Member

JAJ

Rapidly Losing Interest

GT Premi

Well known member

662

Active Member

s1ten

Member

Ninjak

Posting from The Shadow's

xsellr8

BANNED

tomshep

Another R Addict

blown93302

Member

93oh

Member

Osiris

Active Member

gimmie11s

I Race Pontiacs

ANGREY

Well-Known Member

Osiris

Active Member

GT Premi

Well known member

gimmie11s

I Race Pontiacs

JAJ

Rapidly Losing Interest

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