Buying a 2012 GT500 - Fill me in

[NetworkingGuru]

I'm not sure if any of the old guard from back in the 03 Cobra days remembers me, but I've been out of the Cobra scene for a long while now. Unless something goes horribly wrong, I'm finally buying a 2012 GT500 this Sunday, and I need to get up to speed on things. I looked for an FAQ similar to the one I wrote for the 03/04 Cobra, but no one seems to have written one, so I'm asking the community: What should I look out for, what mods are pretty much required, what mods are the best bang for the buck, what dyno numbers should I expect, and how are dealers treating owners with modded cars these days? Plus, any other advice you may have.

TIA :beer:

 

[acobra03]

I'm not sure if any of the old guard from back in the 03 Cobra days remembers me, but I've been out of the Cobra scene for a long while now. Unless something goes horribly wrong, I'm finally buying a 2012 GT500 this Sunday, and I need to get up to speed on things. I looked for an FAQ similar to the one I wrote for the 03/04 Cobra, but no one seems to have written one, so I'm asking the community: What should I look out for, what mods are pretty much required, what mods are the best bang for the buck, what dyno numbers should I expect, and how are dealers treating owners with modded cars these days? Plus, any other advice you may have.

TIA :beer:

Expect wheelhop and zero traction! If you want to make your baby walk and talk, go with upper and lower control arms for the wheelhop and a pulley and a tune to wake it up. It will be a totally different car. Simple mods but make a huge difference. Consider better tires and a heat exchanger as well. If you do a search on this forum for any of the above listed mods you'll find tons of threads. Read and enjoy! Congrats on the purchase by the way!

 

[NetworkingGuru]

Expect wheelhop and zero traction! If you want to make your baby walk and talk, go with upper and lower control arms for the wheelhop and a pulley and a tune to wake it up. It will be a totally different car. Simple mods but make a huge difference. Consider better tires and a heat exchanger as well. If you do a search on this forum for any of the above listed mods you'll find tons of threads. Read and enjoy! Congrats on the purchase by the way!

Thanks man. It's disappointing that you have wheel hop on the GT500, I was thinking the SRA would fix that. Sounds like a lot of these issues/mods are straight out of the Terminator playbook, bringing back memories

 

[acobra03]

Pretty much, the wheel hop in the Terminator was much worse thou.

 

[Ninjak]

Grats on the upcoming purchase. I had a 2003 Termi as well, and just back in a Cobra. My Mods are in my sig, and my first time out with her, 11.9@121 on the Invo's.

I would say LCA's make a huge difference as the stock ones look like crap compared to the Steeda's that are on now.

 

[zimm17]

Wrong- I have zero wheel hop in my 2012. I think they put new lower control arms in for 2011.

No really "required" mods, although a VMP tune and pulley will do wonders and give you 60HP. Fan cooled heat exchanger for hot weather (revan racing). Sticker rear tires if you want to use the power on the street.

 

[IcebourgGT500]

Best bank for the buck mods........2.59 upper pulley with a 90 mm idler and a tune. Will pick up about 30 to 50 RWHP. The pulley's have a stock look. If you want all out power.........my brother has a 2012 with the FRPP 2.9 whipple kit. That car is a monster!!!!

Good luck and glad your back. I had an 03 Cobra and miss that car everyday.:burnout:

 

[NetworkingGuru]

Thanks guys. Sounds like the wheelhop may not be an issue with the 2012 then, but traction is still an issue due to power and weight (pretty much what I expected). I'm actually looking to sell my SVTPP wheels, and was going to go ahead and order new Steeda wheels and wrap them in Nitto DR's, but it looks like the SVTPP wheels/tires aren't really selling for enough to make this an even swap, so I suppose I will wait and just replace the stock tires wit DRs when I kill them.

I'm not going to do pulley/tune until the warranty is gone, so that's probably a year out, but I will probably do an axle-back exhaust very soon (I like loud cars; My 03 ran straight pipes). Is the MGW shifter a worthwhile upgrade?

 

[Ray Lucca]

Welcome back, I also sold my 03 Terminator Vert. and miss it every day...Click over to Team Shelby and check out the S.S. Axlebacks from Mackenzie Mustang, Alex is a good guy, and tests all of his items before he sells them. NXT No-drill Hood Struts, Ford Racing Resonator Eliminator, and a Non-oiled Blue Amsoil or Air Raid Cai Filter will get you going. Enjoy the new Ride....

 

[NetworkingGuru]

Welcome back, I also sold my 03 Terminator Vert. and miss it every day...Click over to Team Shelby and check out the S.S. Axlebacks from Mackenzie Mustang, Alex is a good guy, and tests all of his items before he sells them. NXT No-drill Hood Struts, Ford Racing Resonator Eliminator, and a Non-oiled Blue Amsoil or Air Raid Cai Filter will get you going. Enjoy the new Ride....

I will check all of those out man, thanks. Overall, how does the GT500 compare to the Cobra? Believe it or not, I actually considered buying a used Cobra over the GT500.

 

[Bonefish]

We must all be alike...I had an 04 Termi Vert and could shot myself for getting rid of that car. Totally loved it. Then got an 09 Shelby that I did not really like...but, now have a 2011..and love it....! I'm not doing anything for awhile as extended the warranty. The car is awesome from the get go. I've done all the mods before...and this time I'm..hopefully going to wait awhile....I think!

By the way Congrats! Post pics!

 

[cjgt500]

I'm not doing anything for awhile as extended the warranty. The car is awesome from the get go. I've done all the mods before...and this time I'm..hopefully going to wait awhile....I think!

By the way Congrats! Post pics!

Good luck with that. :-D

And yes you will get wheel hop most likely after a tune/pulley mod. Stock...not so much.

 

[NetworkingGuru]

We must all be alike...I had an 04 Termi Vert and could shot myself for getting rid of that car. Totally loved it. Then got an 09 Shelby that I did not really like...but, now have a 2011..and love it....! I'm not doing anything for awhile as extended the warranty. The car is awesome from the get go. I've done all the mods before...and this time I'm..hopefully going to wait awhile....I think!

By the way Congrats! Post pics!

Thanks, I'm stoked. I will post pics, can't wait to get the thing Sunday. I'd be getting it today, but I'm 1,800 miles away :whine:

And yes you will get wheel hop most likely after a tune/pulley mod. Stock...not so much.

Cool, I'll probably swap out to wider wheels and DRs well before I do pulley/tune.

 

[PowerWheels]

I have a 2011, with good tires I get no wheel hop. Not sure where this statement comes from. 2007-9 perhaps?

 

[PorkchopExpress]

2011 GT500 here. No wheel hop with the SVTPP OEM goodyears, and none with my Michelin PS2's.

 

[acobra03]

I have a 2011, with good tires I get no wheel hop. Not sure where this statement comes from. 2007-9 perhaps?

I have an 09, it wheel hopped something fierce until I put the Metco UCA and LCA's on.

 

[Bonefish]

Good luck with that. :-D

And yes you will get wheel hop most likely after a tune/pulley mod. Stock...not so much.

Yeah...I know...so far so good....but, I'm sure modding is right around the corner.

 

[NJSP117]

Good luck with the car! Sounds like a great pickup!
I've done the pulley/tune and plan on lowering springs and pan hard bar. Possibly going with the LCA/UCA if the funds are available....
Post some pics!

 

[Ninjak]

I guess it depends on the wheel hop issue. I am modded and as part of the mods, I was going to do LCA's. Now i have no wheel hop.

I will say as I said earlier, the Steeda piece compared to the stock piece side by side make the stock piece look like it belongs on a v6. So I think the LCA's is a great investment. Had them on my 08 S/C as well.

 

[heatsoaked12]

Wrong- I have zero wheel hop in my 2012. I think they put new lower control arms in for 2011.

No really "required" mods, although a VMP tune and pulley will do wonders and give you 60HP. Fan cooled heat exchanger for hot weather (revan racing). Sticker rear tires if you want to use the power on the street.

Plenty of wheel hop in my 12 svtpp.