Change Auto tranny for Stick 2007 SGT

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum and wanted to say hi to everyone before diving in on some topics. Hello and hope everyone is healthy and happy!

A little about my new car purchase from the dealer in August:

2007 White Shelby GT350
AUTOMATIC
Silver interior
Sirius radio
Shaker 1000
Upgraded interior
Tinted windows
5 year Ford factory extended warranty
Factory alarm

I think that's it off the top of my head. Price was 38.6k + TTL. (x-plan)

Here's the rub:

I told the salesperson over and over and over and over again (and then some), that I didn't want an AUTOMATIC. He said that there no sticks available in the state. If there was, it would be here. And that my choice was between white and black.....both automatics...so which do I want.

Well, I took the white. 2 weeks later, the, "Y", fell off the back in the SHELBY lettering. Took it to the dealer to get re-glued. Walked into the showroom, and there is a white stick sitting on the showroom floor.

Long story short, furious.

So, here I am with an automatic that I really don't want. So much so, that I want to change the transmission, new car or not. I realize changing the transmission will void the factory warranty.

I won't do the work. I will have a shop do it.

1. Can a good shop put a manual transmission in and everything work without any ancilary problems.

2. Which tranny to put in?

3. ARE...there any ancilary problems, or is it as simple as swap them out, put the stick and another pedal in the cockpit?

I would also like to supercharge it.

Do ya'll recommend the whipple or the vortech style of supercharger? Hmmm...talk about ancilary, (I'm done with that word), problems!

A lot to comment on with being new to the forum. I hope you don't consider my diverightin attitude too much!

This auto vs stick thing really has had me riled up. I even tried to sell the car with under a 1000 miles on it I was so peeved. No go at any reasonable price.

Thanks!

Elcapitan

 

Yep, you got it straight. Gee, another dealer that lied. And they would have gotten away with it had the, "Y", not fell off...bringing me back to the dealer. Of course the dealer wrote that scenario off as ridiculous. There's a suprise.

Further, when I asked the salesman about ordering a 2008 SGT, he said that they were not available. And if they were, they would be available as a late model production car. And that he couldn't guarantee that they would be produced in 2008. Complete crap.

So our choice, according to the dealer, was the SGT automatic, or the standard GT, with the stick. We chose the SGT, even with the automatic. We chose based on the information given to us and the belief that they were telling the truth. Again, another dealer claiming to be different from everyone else. Family owned, repeat clients for a billion years, value our business and the business of the group of people I work with. Blah blah blah.

This all really happened just as described. No editorials.

So in the end, stupid me for believing in them. And trusting a dealer. Geezz...when will I learn!

The dealership never took ownership of what their renegade salesperson was representing. They gave me the 5 year Ford factory extended warranty to mollify me.

I tried like heck to let it mollify me. It didn't. I love the look of the car. It grabs attention everywhere I go. As you all know, I'm sure. But it's a poser.

I mean, at what point, with AT LEAST 10 conversations with the salesperson about thinking it's a sin to put an automatic in a Shelby, do you believe in him with his repeated statements of, there are none left (or at least none in the state), and you can't order a 2008. I guess you never believe. Ever.

Like Ronald Reagan said, "Trust, but verify".

Had I not walked back into the showroom floor, I would have never known and all would have been well. I've wanted to get rid of the car ever since.

I could go on...but my blood pressure is starting to go up again. I'm considering what to say to Ford. Not that anything can be done now. The car has about 2500 miles on it now.

Concerning the supercharger and the stick, my concern is altering the car and all the incidental problems that will arise. In my experience, there are ALWAYS problems with mods like this. And I don't live close to SAI to have them do it.

At least I'm a good example of what NOT to do. Trust but verify!

 

MRP,

You don't sound like a jerk at all. It's been my exact thought process. Scrub the whole thing and start over.

I approached the dealership on either purchasing a 2008 SGT with a stick, or the GT-500. They said, wait lemme' find the email of their final statement to copy and paste it,

"At this point I can no longer see any progress in this matter and must consider this matter closed." This was the owner of dealership.

At this point, I detest this dealership in their verbal shell game. Let the salesperson say whatever they want, then deny everything after the purchase.

Anyway, the GT-500 has become more and more attractive to me. Frankly, I find the SGT lacking in power. Third gear is a fun gear, but in a very narrow powerband. Like 50mph to 80mph. And, I have to gingerly downshift the automatic to have any fun. That Hurst shifter....grrr....never mind. Suffice to say it's cool.

Is it just me because I own the SGT, or do others prefer the lines of the SGT over the GT-500? I think the SGT sits lower.

Without a doubt, I am very frustrated. Pity. Bought a, "dream", car, only to find the real dream car sitting on the showroom floor 2 weeks later. Every day, even today 6 months later, I am scheming to get rid of the dream car. Hey, it's in perfect shape if anyone is interested! Not a scratch on it and is garage kept!

 

DeLa1Rob,

I agree with you completely. My bad for trusting them. They might have lost a client that works with a highly compensated group of guys, but they did sell a car. So they won that consolation.

The decision to buy the car was based on the information given to me by the salesman and the ongoing representation of who the dealership claimed they were and how much they value me and my workgroup for future purchases. I, erroneously, believed them. It's my responsibility.

But nevermore there will there be any purchases!

I can at least be a good example of what not to do!

 

MRP,

Right now live in South Florida. Ironically, could very well be transferred to SoCal.

I had one very interested girl from the Florida Keys. I still have her number and am thinking of calling her. If she ever saw the car, she would fall in love with it. And for her probably the automatic is a plus. Her having the cash is another story........

Craigs list is also a real possibility. I listed it in the Miami Herald with minimal response..the girl from the Keys being one of them.

How does the broker thing work? Who pays the broker fee? The dealer or me? I had a broker call me from the newspaper ad. He just wanted to assume my loan (36 month interest free). No way. Loan still in my name with some other guy paying it. Nope.

Pricing the car is difficult as it is a hybrid of sorts. Not a straight Mustang GT with a Cali special. It's a Shelby. KBB.com does not address the Shelby line. They might the GT-500. But not the GT350. So pricing is difficult.

Of course flying out to CA is always an option. Combine it with a family vacation. They fly home and I try to beat them. Ha!

Seriously, though. The GT-500 has crossed my mind numerous times. Take the hit and move on. Sans the South Florida dealer.

 

Comedy is always a welcome relief!

 

Doug,

"Same boat", meaning told no sticks in order that you would buy the automatic sitting on the showroom floor? So did I catch this disease from you, (believing a car salesman), or you from me? I bought the car in August 2007.

 

David and All,

I Thank everyone for their inputs. My hesitancy to rip the car up with the tranny swap brought me to this forum as there are always people out there a lot smarter than me (obviously because I bought the car to begin with and believed the dealer instead of doing my own checking).

So, I think this last post from David hits the nail on the head. Sell this car as a rare SGT with the target being women. That is exactly what I have been mulling over. I think I read something like 1 out of 6 Shelby's were automatic. That makes it a selling point! Even if I am driving a woman's car, or an older man's car

No offense to anyone reading this...................

But my dislikes are a selling point to someone else.

So I move on. No tranny swap.

I'm now going to start a thread, "Pricing a pristine 2007 SGT for resale". Because pricing it is difficult.

Thanks to all! Don't believe a word a dealer tells you! Especially the ones that go on and on about their great relationships with their customers! And that includes the Ford dealership in Sunrise, Florida! The only family any dealership values is the one with George Washington printed on the family album!

"Fool me once, shame on you....fool me twice, shame on me". Truer words were never spoken. God, I hate being the example.............