The SHAME of the Ford GT

[rezcobra]

And all of this coming from a person whose website features a shrine to the Honda S2000, "the best sports car in the world" as he lovingly refers to it.

Honda?? Isn't the profits from those cars go to the same people who brought us the Pearl Harbor invasion??

 

[jwfisher]

That's rediculous... cars are designed with a long list of requirements and perfromance metrics... one of which is that the suspension doesn't break from under you. It won't match or beat a 360 while it's waiting at the dealer under a "do not drive" dictum.
Note too that the 360 is obsolete.
And it's not a RACE CAR - it's no more than a street car. It is no where near ready to compete at LeMans or anywhere else, especially with an inherently compromised supercharged engine.

BOSS 429? How typical of Ford... it comes out with worthless pistons, it's godawful nose heavy (even for it's age), it has no traction.

 

[DBK]

That's rediculous... cars are designed with a long list of requirements and perfromance metrics... one of which is that the suspension doesn't break from under you. It won't match or beat a 360 while it's waiting at the dealer under a "do not drive" dictum.
Note too that the 360 is obsolete.

Um, yeah. Like I said, if you were one of the ~140 people that had their cars at the time of the suspension recall, you could bitch. But as it stands you're just a whiny internet douchebag at this point. And because your an expert, you should know it wasn't an engineering issue, it was a manufacturing issue at the supplier.

Saying the 360 is obsolete is retarded as well. Unless Ford is lying and has a crystal ball that can forecast the specs of cars that don't exist yet, they will continue to benchmark their cars against vehicles that are real.

You sound like some old curmudgeon bitching for the sake of hearing your own crotchety voice. You do me a favor and buy a Ford GT, or even drive one, before you continue whining. Ok? Nobody gives a shit otherwise. NOt the internet, not SVT, and most of all, not Ford...

 

[Whitten]

There isn't really anything rediculous about what I said, and while I agree that a cars suspension should not fall apart from under you, that doesn't change the fact that it was as DBK mentioned, not an issue of Fords'.
The car it's self has had a minute amount of recalls even for it being the first run, limited production, and something that had never been done before. The 360's were made for 5 years and they still had problems that were present in the first cars from the get go. The point here is that Ford wanted to kick Ferrari's ass and it did. It also made a car that was a hell of alot more reliable in the process. Obviously some problems will rear their head but Ford Unlike Ferrari fixes these issues for no charge.

Now, as for the 360 being obsolete, when the GT was built the 430 had not been announced so there is no way they could have used a 430 as a bench mark to compare to.

When I mentioned the 429 in my previous post I was meaning for it to be an example only on certain points the 429 project was developed for entirely different reasons than the GT was, however they do share some very similar characteristics in cost, as well as their ability to become race ready. The pistons in the 429 were fine as well as the rest of the rotating assembly. The weight of the vehicle might have been an issue for someone who wanted to road race the car, but that was never what that car was intended for. The car was built solely for the reason that they had to meet minimum production numbers so that the Cresent Motor could be used in Nascar.

Inherently compromised supercharged motor really interested me, could you expound on that?

That's rediculous... cars are designed with a long list of requirements and perfromance metrics... one of which is that the suspension doesn't break from under you. It won't match or beat a 360 while it's waiting at the dealer under a "do not drive" dictum.
Note too that the 360 is obsolete.
And it's not a RACE CAR - it's no more than a street car. It is no where near ready to compete at LeMans or anywhere else, especially with an inherently compromised supercharged engine.

BOSS 429? How typical of Ford... it comes out with worthless pistons, it's godawful nose heavy (even for it's age), it has no traction.

 

[SGL]

I guess even Maranello can have it's fair share of problems:

Make: FERRARI Model: 360 MODENA
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 1999 Recall Number: 00V340000
Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STARTER RING GEAR, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WITH THREE MOUNTING SCREWS, COULD BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THIS POSSIBLE FAILURE COULD BE CAUSED BY (1) THE FRACTURE OF THE STARTER RING GEAR ITSELF AT THE MOUNTING HOLES DUE TO AN INCORRECT POSITIONING OF THE MOUNTING HOLES, OR (2) BY THE FAILURE OF THE MOUNTING SCREWS. IF EITHER OF THESE CONDITIONS WOULD OCCUR, THE RESULT WOULD BE FRAGMENTS OF THE STARTER RING GEAR BEING THROWN FROM THE CLUTCH AREA. Consequence: IF THESE FRAGMENTS CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE'S TIRE, A PUNCTURE COULD OCCUR RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

2000 360 Modena, letter from Ferrari: http://152.122.48.13/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/Recalls/2000/V/RCDNN-00V340-8406.pdf

Make: FERRARI Model: 360 MODENA
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2001 Recall Number: 02V091000
Summary: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE GROUND STRAP WAS MANUFACTURED IMPROPERLY. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROPER "CRIMPING" OF THE GROUND STRAP CONNECTORS TO THE BRAIDED GROUND STRAP, THE ENGINE GROUND STRAP MAY NOT PROVIDE THE PROPER ELECTRICAL GROUND BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE CHASSIS. Consequence: IF THE STRAP FAILS TO PROVIDE THE PROPER GROUND TO THE CHASSIS, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL SEEK A GROUND AT THE IGNITION COIL. THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION COIL GROUND CABLE COULD OVERHEAT AND COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP. IF THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Make: FERRARI Model: 550 BARCHETTA
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2001 Recall Number: 03V175000
Summary: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION OIL LINES TO THE OIL COOLER MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. THE LINES COULD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE METAL FITTING AND LEAK OIL. IF THE LINES LEAK OIL, INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION COULD RESULT. IF THIS CONDITION WAS TO EXIST, THE VEHICLE’S TRANSMISSION COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. Consequence: IF THE TRANSMISSION BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE THE CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING, IT COULD POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK TO THE DRIVER AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES AND POTENTIALLY RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR PROPERTY, AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Make: FERRARI Model: 456M
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2001 Recall Number: 01V211000
Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HAND BRAKE RATCHET MECHANISM DID NOT RECEIVE THE PROPER HARDNESS TREATMENT OF THE RATCHET TEETH. AS A RESULT, THE RATCHET TEETH COULD BECOME DAMAGED. Consequence: IF THE RATCHET MECHANISM TEETH BECOME DAMAGED, FAILURE OF THE HAND BRAKE TO OPERATE AS EXPECTED WOULD RESULT. IF THE PROBLEM EXISTED AND THE VEHICLE'S USE WAS CONTINUED, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE THAT THE HAND BRAKE WOULD NOT FUNCTION AND COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR PROPERTY.

No Recalls for the 2002 and 2003 model year. Wow! I’m impressed.

Make: FERRARI Model: 360 CHALLENGE STRADALE
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2004 Recall Number: 04V294000
Summary: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, AN OIL LEAK IN THE HYDRAULIC STEERING DELIVERY PIPE FROM THE PUMP TO THE STEERING RACK MAY OCCUR WHICH COULD LEAD TO A GRADUAL REDUCTION OF THE ASSISTED STEERING FUNCTION. Consequence: SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Make: FERRARI Model: 360 CHALLENGE STRADALE
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2004 Recall Number: 04V184000
Summary: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE WHEEL SECURING BOLTS OR LUG BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. Consequence: THE AFFECTED BOLTS WOULD BREAK LEADING TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Make: FERRARI Model: 612
Type: PASSENGER CAR Year: 2005 Recall Number: 05V020000
Summary: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A NON-FUNCTIONING BUTTON WITH THE WORDS "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" ETCHED INTO IT. THIS BUTTON IS LOCATED, ALONG WITH AN LED LIGHT, ON A CONSOLE ADJACENT TO THE SUN ROOF. THIS NON-FUNCTIONING BUTTON DOES NOT DEACTIVATE THE PASSENGER -SIDE AIR BAG, NOR IS THE LED LIGHT AN INDICATION THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED. THE BUTTON IS NON-FUNCTIONAL AND CANNOT BE DEPRESSED WHEN PUSHED. Consequence: THE PLACEMENT OF INFANTS AND SMALL CHILDREN IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH IN WHICH THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYS.

So, you mean to tell me that a brand spanking new car such as the 612 has a "non-functionning" On-Off button. Amazing!

 

[grandestang]

That's rediculous... cars are designed with a long list of requirements and perfromance metrics... one of which is that the suspension doesn't break from under you. It won't match or beat a 360 while it's waiting at the dealer under a "do not drive" dictum.
Note too that the 360 is obsolete.
And it's not a RACE CAR - it's no more than a street car. It is no where near ready to compete at LeMans or anywhere else, especially with an inherently compromised supercharged engine.

BOSS 429? How typical of Ford... it comes out with worthless pistons, it's godawful nose heavy (even for it's age), it has no traction.

The Boss 429 was never intended by Ford to be a real street bruiser. They may have marketed it as this, but its all hype. In fact 428CJs were hotter from the factory than the Boss 429s. The Boss 429s came from the factory horribly detuned, with a wimpy cam, a horribly undersized carb, and a smog system. Ford had to sell 500 of the engines in production cars to make them legal for Nascar period. They lost money on every one of them they built.

The Boss 429 did wake up however once modified. Once you give it some cam and carb to let it take advantage of the awesomely huge heads they turned into quite the beast. Still just to own one these sweet beasts would be the culmination of any car guys muslce collection.

Paul

 

[Chris!]

Um, yeah. Like I said, if you were one of the ~140 people that had their cars at the time of the suspension recall, you could bitch. But as it stands you're just a whiny internet douchebag at this point. And because your an expert, you should know it wasn't an engineering issue, it was a manufacturing issue at the supplier.

Saying the 360 is obsolete is retarded as well. Unless Ford is lying and has a crystal ball that can forecast the specs of cars that don't exist yet, they will continue to benchmark their cars against vehicles that are real.

You sound like some old curmudgeon bitching for the sake of hearing your own crotchety voice. You do me a favor and buy a Ford GT, or even drive one, before you continue whining. Ok? Nobody gives a shit otherwise. NOt the internet, not SVT, and most of all, not Ford...

Ford the love of god THANK YOU!

I am no the only one that feels this way about this guy.

 

[jwfisher]

It's a Ford engineering issue because they have people who work with the suppliers, test their processes, and test the parts as they go thru pre-production, acceptance, and production.

As it happened, there are a number of people inside Ford and the supplier who have lost their positions over this.

 

[50 BMG]

BOSS 429? How typical of Ford... it comes out with worthless pistons, it's godawful nose heavy (even for it's age), it has no traction.

:bored:

It's apparent to me you've never driven one.

 

[SGL]

As it happened, there are a number of people inside Ford and the supplier who have lost their positions over this.

They should have known better than to associate themselves with a low volume, high visibility and understaffed project with a program timeline that was practically impossible to meet. That's what you get for trying to suck up to the boss. Anything that lands on my desk with less than 100k annual volume I run away from it like the plague. Those programs are always a bitch to engineer and consume an overabundance of resources with very little return on time/money invested. I feel the same way about all the "R" projects Ford had over the years. What a waste of time!

 

[Whitten]

That is exactly what I was thinking as well. There is no way he could know or have even driven one other wise he wouldn't have made that comment. I hate when people make blatent over generalizations or just fabricate stuff about a car that they have never even driven.

:bored:

It's apparent to me you've never driven one.

 

[The BigSHO]

I wish I were one of the few, the proud, the rich who own a GT. Then I would have the RIGHT to bitch if I choose.

I would choose not to bitch. I think the Ford GT is a tremendous car and kudos to Ford for bringing this to market. So it had a few problems. Big deal. Crap happens. Ford is doing it right and fixing the problems. Those responsible are held accountable.

Thanks Ford for making the GT, the new Mustang, and soon the new Shelby.

Naysayers get a life...

 

[listenup]

...wow you guys act like the recalls for the Ford and Dodge's are surprising? What do you guys expect when they are made on an assembly line full of ******s? Quality? Reliability? You want reliability? American cars are not the place to look....... These recalls are about what i would expect for the 1st year productions of these cars. I give the Gt 20,000 miles on avg before the engine blows.

Edited by L.L. Buh Bye :sleeping:

 

[DBK]

...wow you guys act like the recalls for the Ford and Dodge's are surprising? What do you guys expect when they are made on an assembly line full of ******s? Quality? Reliability? You want reliability? American cars are not the place to look....... These recalls are about what i would expect for the 1st year productions of these cars. I give the Gt 20,000 miles on avg before the engine blows.

Hi, and welcome to being banned.

****ing moron.

 

[GTSpartan]

...wow you guys act like the recalls for the Ford and Dodge's are surprising? What do you guys expect when they are made on an assembly line full of ******s? Quality? Reliability? You want reliability? American cars are not the place to look....... These recalls are about what i would expect for the 1st year productions of these cars. I give the Gt 20,000 miles on avg before the engine blows.

Edited by L.L. Buh Bye :sleeping:

Ouch! :loser:

 

[Whitten]

I think that guy might have qualified for the lemming award. Or Darwin...either way that is one short lifespan.

 

[rezcobra]

I wish I were one of the few, the proud, the rich who own a GT. Then I would have the RIGHT to bitch if I choose.

I would choose not to bitch. I think the Ford GT is a tremendous car and kudos to Ford for bringing this to market. So it had a few problems. Big deal. Crap happens. Ford is doing it right and fixing the problems. Those responsible are held accountable.

Thanks Ford for making the GT, the new Mustang, and soon the new Shelby.

Naysayers get a life...

My feelings too. Top speed --over 200 mph. I'd say it does qualify as America's first supercar.

 

[RocknRollCali87]

Maybe its a good idea to wait and buy a GT later and not be in such a rush to buy one before everybody. Almost every vehicle has some sort of bug and needs to be cleared...good that Ford is at least addressing them and resolving them. :rolling: