Spot the difference...

[muskaroxs]

I went and looked at a 2008 gt500 today and found something different from what I was expecting.
The first picture is the picture I took today

This is the picture that was posted on their for sale ad on autotrader

Looks like the car had a pulley and intake when they first received it and then they took it off and replaced with factory parts. The car is now a CPO.... What do you guy's think about it? Kinda fishy? or does this happen all of the time and don't worry because it's covered under warranty?
Thanks

 

[2011 gtcs]

Probably one of the techs took the parts and kept them, I wouldn't buy it.

 

[PistolWhip]

I'd ask them about it. They might be offering a warranty with the car and if that's the case, they would obviously want to return it to stock to save their butts. If it's being sold as a CPO, I'd think they'd have to return it to stock. It's important that it was returned to the stock tune though, so insist on speaking to the tech that did the stock conversion before you lay down a dime. If they didn't get the hand held tuner when it was traded in, then they probably couldn't have returned it to stock and you have no idea what your baseline tune will be.
It doesn't hurt to look at it and kick the tires, it might be a great deal. If they try to talk in circles, back of an explanation or deny anything you already know; walk.

 

[muskaroxs]

I'd ask them about it. They might be offering a warranty with the car and if that's the case, they would obviously want to return it to stock to save their butts. If it's being sold as a CPO, I'd think they'd have to return it to stock. It's important that it was returned to the stock tune though, so insist on speaking to the tech that did the stock conversion before you lay down a dime. If they didn't get the hand held tuner when it was traded in, then they probably couldn't have returned it to stock and you have no idea what your baseline tune will be.
It doesn't hurt to look at it and kick the tires, it might be a great deal. If they try to talk in circles, back of an explanation or deny anything you already know; walk.

Thanks for the advice. Can a ford tech load a stock tune over the modified tune?

 

[SuperFly03]

Thanks for the advice. Can a ford tech load a stock tune over the modified tune?

If they have the original hand held that uploaded the mod tune.

I don't know if they can override without it. I assume they can't but I'm not sure.

 

[mblgjr]

They can overwrite the PCM with the newest Factory tune-file.

They don't have to have the handheld to "return it to stock".

 

[muskaroxs]

They can overwrite the PCM with the newest Factory tune-file.

They don't have to have the handheld to "return it to stock".

That's what I was thinking and I called back to the dealership and they noted that it did have parts and they returned it to stock for the Ford CPO program. The tech who did the work is going to call me on monday.

 

[SuperFly03]

That's what I was thinking and I called back to the dealership and they noted that it did have parts and they returned it to stock for the Ford CPO program. The tech who did the work is going to call me on monday.

At least they are acknowledging it which makes sense for CPO.

Wonder if they will hand you the parts so you can install them yourself? :shrug:

 

[PistolWhip]

There you go man, I bet you can get a good deal on a good car. If they're willing to be honest and willing to let you talk to the tec, I'd be cool with giving them a chance to earn my business.
Who knows, maybe they'll include the parts they took off for an even better deal!

 

[muskaroxs]

There you go man, I bet you can get a good deal on a good car. If they're willing to be honest and willing to let you talk to the tec, I'd be cool with giving them a chance to earn my business.
Who knows, maybe they'll include the parts they took off for an even better deal!

Being honest is what it's all about and I'm kinda shocked that they didn't give me the run-around when I called back. I can see how this car can get addictive after the drive today.

 

[huggytree]

i wouldn't want any performance car that had been modded

almost a guarantee its been beat or taken to the track

too many guys out there who barely drive their Shelbys and treat them with care....find a low mile 1 owner car with no mods

 

[kozumasbullitt]

i wouldn't want any performance car that had been modded

almost a guarantee its been beat or taken to the track

too many guys out there who barely drive their Shelbys and treat them with care....find a low mile 1 owner car with no mods

Plenty of people me included have modded performance cars that are just garage queens.

 

[SuperFly03]

i wouldn't want any performance car that had been modded

almost a guarantee its been beat or taken to the track

too many guys out there who barely drive their Shelbys and treat them with care....find a low mile 1 owner car with no mods

My car hasn't seen the track... ever.

Now it will one day but after 45k miles it hasn't yet and it's 700+ at the wheels.

Also, who cares if it's been to the track? If it's been serviced and taken care of then it should be fine.

 

[jayames]

Somewhat true I suppose. Sure some modded cars are beat on but some aren't. Mine has some mods (and will soon have a 2013 TVS, springs, etc). I don't beat on it and have never taken it to the track (although some day I will).

OP, If you can afford a low mileage one-owner car than that's certainly the way to go. If not, a pulley and a tune shouldn't eliminate it from consideration if the owner took care of it. You can usually tell if a car has been abused. You just have to be more careful buying a car you know has performance mods.

 

[1320 Junkie]

i wouldn't want any performance car that had been modded

almost a guarantee its been beat or taken to the track

too many guys out there who barely drive their Shelbys and treat them with care....find a low mile 1 owner car with no mods

Its just a car..mine has 3,400 miles on it...prob 10 of those miles are 1/4 mile runs. It was built to go fast...I use it as ford intended when they built it.

 

[VNMOUS1]

The cars are extraordinarily tough if maintained properly.

After 40k miles, 350+ drag passes and 100 dyno pulls... With probably different mod configurations over 7 years, my cylinders are all +/- 15 percent of one another. Frame is straight due to bracing by undercarriage reinforcement and a roll bar.

I could strip my car, return it to stock and get 30k out of it. Not only would no one know the difference, but I'd feel perfectly safe in warranting the car for a year. Even though it's 7 years old.

Two critical issues for the longevity of these cars:
Cooling (heat kills and the stock cooling system can't keep up)

Octane. 90pct of failed engines in these cars have suffered their demise due to too much spark, not enough octane at too high of a load.

If its a CPO car, and it's a solid financial deal, I would not hesitate.

Bj

BJ McCarty
R&D Specialist
VMP Tuning
[email protected]
(321) 206-9369 x 112

 

[PistolWhip]

i wouldn't want any performance car that had been modded

almost a guarantee its been beat or taken to the track

too many guys out there who barely drive their Shelbys and treat them with care....find a low mile 1 owner car with no mods

Wrong web site for that nonsense...

My car was purchased new in 2010 by me, has 6k miles on it, has never seen rain or snow and is driven like an old lady. It's been to the track a total of three times since new and I'd be willing to bet is in better shape and condition than most un-modded 500's. Yet it's dam near a 700 RWHP car.

These cars are built to take an ass whoopin. There is no reason at all, to shy away from a modded one if you can trace its history and insure the work was done right.

 

[zporta]

Wrong web site for that nonsense...

My car was purchased new in 2010 by me, has 6k miles on it, has never seen rain or snow and is driven like an old lady. It's been to the track a total of three times since new and I'd be willing to bet is in better shape and condition than most un-modded 500's. Yet it's dam near a 700 RWHP car.

These cars are built to take an ass whoopin. There is no reason at all, to shy away from a modded one if you can trace its history and insure the work was done right.

+1 just because we have a passion for working on cars and making them our own with modifications doesn't mean we chose to drive them like the Fast and Furious

While I have never taken my car to the track i do like to drive it as Carroll intended.

 

[SuperFly03]

Wrong web site for that nonsense...

My car was purchased new in 2010 by me, has 6k miles on it, has never seen rain or snow and is driven like an old lady. It's been to the track a total of three times since new and I'd be willing to bet is in better shape and condition than most un-modded 500's. Yet it's dam near a 700 RWHP car.

These cars are built to take an ass whoopin. There is no reason at all, to shy away from a modded one if you can trace its history and insure the work was done right.

:beer::beer::beer:

 

[mrl859]

I purchased a CPO '08 about a year ago that had previously had a CAI, tune, and exhaust. I had zero problems with it. With the CPO, you get 12 mo/12K "bumper to bumper" plus 84 mo/100K powertrain. And it's fully transferable to the next owner. That was a nice selling point to the person I sold it to. How can you go wrong?