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Any mechanical concerns with buying a new GT500 that has sat for 2 years?

Discussion in '2nd Generation Shelby Mustangs' started by obnoxus, Jun 10, 2009.

  1. Jun 10, 2009 #1
    obnoxus

    obnoxus Member

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    Hi - I am brand new to the forum and hopefully will have a picture of my new (future) cobra to post shortly. I am looking at a few different cobras - one of them is a 2008 (new) that has been sitting in a dealer showroom for almost 2 years (600+ days)

    My question: My sales guy has told me that these beauties come from the factory with special oils that enable them to sit for extended periods of time with no adverse effects. My concern is that if this car was repeatedly started for 30 seconds just to move it around a showroom floor, that excessive condensation may have built up in the engine or exhaust and never actually been burned off which could lead to problems down the road ... does anyone out there have any experience with a car sitting idle for that long, and if so, any suggestions on what I should look for to make sure all is ok?

    At the end of the day, it may make more sense to spend a little more money but get one that is a little more "factory fresh" ....

    Any insight or experience that anyone may have would be greatly appreciated

    Thanks in advance !
     
    obnoxus, Jun 10, 2009
    obnoxus, Jun 10, 2009
    #1
  2. Jun 10, 2009 #2
    tesgt350

    tesgt350 Well-Known Member

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    I am in my own little World
    I have NEVER met a "Sales Guy" that knew ANYTHING about the Mechanicals of a Vehicle.
     
    tesgt350, Jun 10, 2009
    tesgt350, Jun 10, 2009
    #2
  3. Jun 10, 2009 #3
    patty.dilabio

    patty.dilabio Well-Known Member

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    Hi to a new enthusiast,and welcome!
    If you like the car and options it has..do not pass it up.The sales person may have been refering to the synthetic 5-50 engine oil that is to be used in these engines.If it has always been in a climate controlled showroom the amount of damage from condensation should be very minimal--I would be more concerned with trim parts that have had extra traffic,and to know what kind of deal you can make--the 2010 model will be out soon and if this is an 08 it may be bought for a good deal.If you plan to drive this car,it could be a bargain.Keep us posted.
    Best regards P.D.:D
     
    patty.dilabio, Jun 10, 2009
    patty.dilabio, Jun 10, 2009
    #3
  4. Jun 11, 2009 #4
    Snake Doc

    Snake Doc Member

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    obnoxus,
    I can't speak for your dealership, but mine didn't crank the car to move it out of the showroom; they pushed it. When I worked for a Chrysler/Plymouth dealership, we didn't crank cars to move them either; it was easier/quicker to put a floor jack under the differential to move them.

    As for what to look for in a car that has been sitting, my experience in fleet cars that sat as much as a year in our storage lot was that the tires were subject to have flat spots. We ran Goodyear tires and the dealers would warranty the tires.

    Good Luck!
     
    Snake Doc, Jun 11, 2009
    Snake Doc, Jun 11, 2009
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  5. Jun 17, 2009 #5
    obnoxus

    obnoxus Member

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    Hi and thanks for the replies ! I didn't receive an email notification so I didn't realize you folks had responded - sorry :(

    Turns out that my concern was unfounded because the 2008 I was looking at became available - nonetheless, I just signed the papers (and wrote a sizeable check) for my 2009 Triple Black convertible GT500 !! needless to say, I am stoked ! I traded in my 2007 GT vert and the difference between the cars is amazing !

    I am picking her up later this afternoon after my Corsa exhaust is swapped onto the new car !

    As an aside, can anyone point me in the direction of any posts that discuss the "Upshift Indicator" - the flashing arrow on the dash is kind of annoying and I can't find anything about how to turn it off (if it is even possible to do so)

    Anyway, glad to be here and appreciate your thoughts!
     
    obnoxus, Jun 17, 2009
    obnoxus, Jun 17, 2009
    #5
  6. Jun 17, 2009 #6
    patty.dilabio

    patty.dilabio Well-Known Member

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    Hi again to a new car owner,congratulations are in order!! Enjoy and before you get carried away...sit down and read the owners manual.In it will be a section on the use of the message center.This will teach you how to set the shift lamp or the tone.It is done by the 3 buttons that change the options available.when in the correct screen simply set the preference.Remember with a supercharger it is critical to use good quality fuel,and to be cautious during the initial break in so the rings will seat properly.They are a blast to drive...but be gentle and get use to the power/torque available--it is a lot more than a stock Mustang G.T. AND NEEDS TO BE RESPECTED.
    Enjoy !
    Regards P.D.
     
    patty.dilabio, Jun 17, 2009
    patty.dilabio, Jun 17, 2009
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  7. Jun 18, 2009 #7
    obnoxus

    obnoxus Member

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    Thanks on the congrats P.D. ! and wiser words have never been spoken ! I am definitely planning on easing into this car - my days of WOT out of the gate have passed (and thankfully, I have survived them) - I notice the difference between the GT500 and my GT and I have the utmost respect for it !

    Anyway, i appreciate your advice - I started with the owner's manual and was able to set the RPM settings on the "Shift Light Indicator" which, as I understand it, is the "SVT" light on the tach ... what I couldn't find was any way to change the settings on the "Upshift Indicator" (the orange arrow on the speedo) - the only info I could find on that was that it is there for "fuel efficiency (or economy" and there was some note that it could not be adjusted. I don't mind the light, but it blinks quite a bit, and I don't know if it is b/c there is something wrong with it or I am simply not running in a good RPM range (I am not the kind of driver that feels the need to redline before every shift) - what's strange is, for instance, it will flash when I am at 2000 RPM in third gear - I certainly don't want to go to 4th from there, so is it telling me to downshift instead ? Its just weird ... most everyone at my dealership just seems to be scratching their heads about it, so I thought I would see if any actual GT500 owners had any insight b/c people that drive the cars probaly know a lot more than those that sell them ... the fact that I haven't been able to find any posts on it makes me wonder if I am the only one having an issue with the flashing arrow

    Thanks again - I can't wait for the constant rain to stop here in NJ so I can take her out for a run .... I think we have had 7-8 days of it - yuk !
     
    obnoxus, Jun 18, 2009
    obnoxus, Jun 18, 2009
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