[T-88]

Hello, all, from Western Canada.

New GT350 owner here.

I picked up from a dealer a brand new 2017 GT350 yesterday, Lightning Blue/white stripes/black roof, with Convenience Pkg. (I've done a lot of looking on internet and haven't seen another Lightning Blue/white stripe WITH BLACK ROOF, but there must be others out there.)

You may be interested to know I have always favoured European cars. Never thought I'd plunk down money for a Shelby.

Before buying the GT350, I had short listed and tested: a new Audi TT RS, BMW M2, pre-owned Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S, all enjoyable 'driver's' cars that were in the ballpark price and performance range as the GT350.

I then tested the GT350 and it provided an outstanding, supremely balanced and full-of-character driving experience the European cars couldn't match for the price.

So here I am.

I look forward to sharing the ownership experience and benefitting from the collective wisdom of the members here.

Cheers.

Tim

 

[HellOnWheels]

Hello, all, from Western Canada.

New GT350 owner here.

I picked up from a dealer a brand new 2017 GT350 yesterday, Lightning Blue/white stripes/black roof, with Convenience Pkg. (I've done a lot of looking on internet and haven't seen another Lightning Blue/white stripe WITH BLACK ROOF, but there must be others out there.)

You may be interested to know I have always favoured European cars. Never thought I'd plunk down money for a Shelby.

Before buying the GT350, I had short listed and tested: a new Audi TT RS, BMW M2, pre-owned Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 S, all enjoyable 'driver's' cars that were in the ballpark price and performance range as the GT350.

I then tested the GT350 and it provided an outstanding, supremely balanced and full-of-character driving experience the European cars couldn't match for the price.

So here I am.

I look forward to sharing the ownership experience and benefitting from the collective wisdom of the members here.

Cheers.

Tim

Hi Tim,

I'm in Washington state about 45 minutes from Vancouver BC. I'm curious do you have any tracks where you are?

You're lucky to have been able to test your car. My dealer wouldn't let me until I bought it. Of course I didn't return it.

 

[DCShelby]

I’ve been a Euro car snob most of my life with multiple Porsche’s, Audi’s, and Vw. I really like my 350 as it’s a cross between euro car handing and American muscle, and cheaper to maintain. Euro cars have quality issues too, the soft vinyl on door panels and switches on Porsche’s is easy to nick and it can peel off, for example. Better panel fit but my 2009 C4S also was 110k when new. So it better have better panel fit. Also the M97A motor suffers bore scoring and D chunk, and the IMS matters. The 9a1 was better but PDK failures can cost you 14k to replace. BMW had high pressure fuel pump problems and VANOS failures. Euro car having better reliability is a myth.

 

[T-88]

Hi Tim,

I'm in Washington state about 45 minutes from Vancouver BC. I'm curious do you have any tracks where you are?

You're lucky to have been able to test your car. My dealer wouldn't let me until I bought it. Of course I didn't return it.

Yes, there is a track nearby.

Regarding the test driving a Shelby at the dealership, the salesman tossed us the key and said go have fun. (However, it helps when my friend who accompanied me was a long time friend of the salesman, and we're elderly.) Lol.

The salesman did say they don't normally allow test drives of Shelbys or Raptors, because it's mostly young guys who want to drive, but aren't really prepared to buy.

Tim

 

[HellOnWheels]

Yes, there is a track nearby.

Regarding the test driving a Shelby at the dealership, the salesman tossed us the key and said go have fun. (However, it helps when my friend who accompanied me was a long time friend of the salesman, and we're elderly.) Lol.

The salesman did say they don't normally allow test drives of Shelbys or Raptors, because it's mostly young guys who want to drive, but aren't really prepared to buy.

Tim

Well probably because I'm a female and I told them I was paying cash they didn't believe I was serious and wouldn't let me drive it. Which is weird because mine wasn't brand new. It was slightly used and had 2600 miles on it.

Are you planning on tracking yours?

Out of curiosity what do you consider elderly? Lol

 

[T-88]

Well probably because I'm a female and I told them I was paying cash they didn't believe I was serious and wouldn't let me drive it. Which is weird because mine wasn't brand new. It was slightly used and had 2600 miles on it.

Are you planning on tracking yours?

Out of curiosity what do you consider elderly? Lol

So, you are near the track in Kent, WA? And you know there is a track on Vancouver Island, BC, right? Nice.

I have thoughts of perhaps doing a track day at nearby Castrol Raceway. But that's not my main purpose in buying the Shelby.

I'm a life long motorcyclist and have always enjoyed touring and riding the twisties. Now, with a world class sports car, I'd like to travel and drive on some of the beautiful winding roads in the Shelby. I have a cousin who's also a sports car lover who has recently bought a pre-owned Porsche 911 Turbo, and we'll be doing some 'guy trips' with both of us driving our cars to Montana, Idaho (and even into Washington) for driving vacations. (If you've never driven Rattlesnake Pass from Asotin, WA to Enterprise, OR, I highly recommend it! I've ridden it many times with motorcycle friends. It's VERY twisty.

As for elderly, I am sixty-mumble-mumble.

As for you being a female car enthusiast, two thumbs up!!

Tim

 

[HellOnWheels]

So, you are near the track in Kent, WA? And you know there is a track on Vancouver Island, BC, right? Nice.

I have thoughts of perhaps doing a track day at nearby Castrol Raceway. But that's not my main purpose in buying the Shelby.

I'm a life long motorcyclist and have always enjoyed touring and riding the twisties. Now, with a world class sports car, I'd like to travel and drive on some of the beautiful winding roads in the Shelby. I have a cousin who's also a sports car lover who has recently bought a pre-owned Porsche 911 Turbo, and we'll be doing some 'guy trips' with both of us driving our cars to Montana, Idaho (and even into Washington) for driving vacations. (If you've never driven Rattlesnake Pass from Asotin, WA to Enterprise, OR, I highly recommend it! I've ridden it many times with motorcycle friends. It's VERY twisty.

As for elderly, I am sixty-mumble-mumble.

As for you being a female car enthusiast, two thumbs up!!

Tim

I am about an hour north of Pacific Raceways in Kent. I'm going to get my car dyno tuned tomorrow and will be tracking it but like you I did not buy it strictly for that purpose.

Thanks for info on Rattlesnake Pass. I've never driven it. Great way to make my husband nauseous...ha! As long as he doesn't barf in my car.

Elderly my foot. You're still young! My grandfather was driving his manual transmission sports car until he was 85. I'm 54 so I guess I might be having the mid-life crisis people talk about but mostly men and Corvettes. No offense intended to anyone who reads this.

Anyway it's been great talking to you. We'll have to keep in touch here and there and see how the road trips are going. Have a great one!

 

[T-88]

I am about an hour north of Pacific Raceways in Kent. I'm going to get my car dyno tuned tomorrow and will be tracking it but like you I did not buy it strictly for that purpose.

Thanks for info on Rattlesnake Pass. I've never driven it. Great way to make my husband nauseous...ha! As long as he doesn't barf in my car.

Elderly my foot. You're still young! My grandfather was driving his manual transmission sports car until he was 85. I'm 54 so I guess I might be having the mid-life crisis people talk about but mostly men and Corvettes. No offense intended to anyone who reads this.

Anyway it's been great talking to you. We'll have to keep in touch here and there and see how the road trips are going. Have a great one!

Nice chatting with you, too. You live in a beautiful part of the world for enjoying sports cars and motorcycling. I'm envious!

Happy driving!

Tim

 

[[email protected]]

Congrats on the car Tim.

We have a few Canadian enthusiasts we work with that spend some time on track and doing rallys. If you ever want to link up with some of them let me know and I can pass their information along. Really want to hear your thoughts on how the Shelby stacks up long term against the German cars.

 

[T-88]

Thanks, Terrance.

The long term GT350 ownership experience will be interesting to me, too since I have been a European/Asian car owner for the better part of 4 decades.

I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to test drive numerous new cars for extended periods. For those forum members who haven't driven German cars, the thing I love about the GT350 is that it feels European, if that makes any sense.

It'll be fun to see what Shelby will be like over the long run. For waht it's worth, we owned a 2000 Mercedes-Benz E430 4Matic (bought used) and used it as a daily driver (parked outside, and we have -30 Celsius winters up here) and sold it in 2014, and never had any extraordinary problems with it. Just normal wear and tear and maintenance expenses. FWIW.

Tim