Atmosphere Change since 2017 model?

[TO AWSUM]

Is it just me or have you guys noticed that there are much fewer posts since the introduction of the 2017? At first there was a lot of discussion because many were fighting over a chance to buy an '17, but now it's old news. Before the '17, guys were always posting about new modifications they were making to their 05/06s. New parts were always being introduced. Seems the 05/06 was treated as a Hotrod, something to keep and have fun modifying, but the '17 is treated more as an investment to flip. My understanding is the '17 is designed so you pretty much can't Hotrod it. Also seems to be much more of an air of exclusivity with owners of the '17 than there was with the inclusivity of the 05/06. The introduction of the '17 seems to have added the same exclusivity feeling that is associated with Ferrari owners. Has this turned a lot of posters off? Maybe it's because no one is making parts for the 05/06 anymore and can't make parts for or modify the '17, so there is not much to talk on the forum except for sales, should I buy X or Y, how much should I pay, etc.

 

[Howard]

I don't post often but I check the Forum several times a day, and I've noticed the same thing. I guess it's a natural maturing of the Forum and our collective ownership experience. That being said, I thoroughly enjoy the Forum and it continues to be an important part of my '06 GT (46,000 miles) world. I have almost completely recovered from the trauma of my NFGT rejection letter, which I have framed and display in my garage.

 

[twobjshelbys]

Two effects here.

First, owners come and go and many of the new owners aren't social media users.

Second, many of those that are social media users favor places like Facebook over Forums in general. It's not just here. Some places have even abandoned participation in forums (and at least one has all but faded away) over using Facebook.

A third effect is that many of us were interested in the NFGT and would have loved to hear more about it but that section which was open at the beginning became a second owners-only area.

 

[Shark01]

So this trend is very common once a car passes from “cool old car” to “blue chip collectible”. I’ve seen this a lot. Basically, the passionate car guy is squeezed out of the market by less passionate owners.....guys who look at it strictly as an investment, guys who don’t drive them, guys with 10 other cars, things like that.

As recently as 3 years ago, a guy with a middle class income like myself could save for a few years (6 for me with thousands of hours of paid overtime) and scrape together $200k with some financing. Now when the cheapest car in Autotrader is $400k, that just isn’t happening.

 

[2112]

Don't forget that for many owners, experiencing a Ford GT is having a museum piece that hopefully delivers a financial gain.

 

[dbk]

I'd say it has less to do with the fact that it's new guys or different guys or whatever - the fact is car world in general is a one note topic at this point: What did I pay for it, and what is it worth? Who can buy it, how did they get it, was there ADM, is ADM wrong or right, is economics real, where am I doing here? It's the same shit with EVERYTHING. This phenomenon occurs in every brand at every price point. You see dudes with daily driver SUVs talking about the same shit relentlessly. And it's not even just cars. Watches, bourbons, whatever. Forget the internet - go to Cars and Coffee. What's the dominant topic? Same type of shit.

I chuckle at the notion it's some new guard of mustache-twirling, top hat-wearing investors. How many posts on this site are about auctions, auction values, private sales, dealer sales, historical values, current values? Did they start before or after the first 2017 went to auction? Who makes them? Is it mostly new guys? Not so much. How much navel gazing has there been about 05/06 auction values in the last 6 years? And what is the supply of undriven 05/06 cars like? Seemingly limitless. Not for nothing Shark, but I bet if I went through all 450 of your posts, dead minimum HALF would include a discussion of what the cars are worth.

Part of it is also my fault. Legit, there was a ton of posts about the new GT because I have historically been the straw that stirs the drink here with this stuff. For a variety of reasons I will detail when the program ends, including my incalculable boredom with the aforementioned value shit, I wildly curtailed my own participation starting around 2019.

 

[TO AWSUM]

I'd say it has less to do with the fact that it's new guys or different guys or whatever - the fact is car world in general is a one note topic at this point: What did I pay for it, and what is it worth? Who can buy it, how did they get it, was there ADM, is ADM wrong or right, is economics real, where am I doing here? It's the same shit with EVERYTHING. This phenomenon occurs in every brand at every price point. You see dudes with daily driver SUVs talking about the same shit relentlessly. And it's not even just cars. Watches, bourbons, whatever.

I chuckle at the notion it's some new guard of mustache-twirling, top hat-wearing investors. How many posts on this site are about auctions, auction values, private sales, dealer sales, historical values, current values? Did they start before or after the first 2017 went to auction? Who makes them? Is it mostly new guys? Not so much. How much navel gazing has there been about 05/06 auction values in the last 6 years? And what is the supply of undriven 05/06 cars like? Seemingly limitless. Not for nothing Shark, but I bet if I went through all 450 of your posts, dead minimum HALF would include a discussion of what the cars are worth.

Part of it is also my fault. Legit, there was a ton of posts about the new GT because I have historically been the straw that stirs the drink here with this stuff. For a variety of reasons I will detail when the program ends, including my incalculable boredom with the aforementioned value shit, I wildly curtailed my own participation starting around 2019.

Dave is there more FGT discussion on Facebook than on this Forum as was stated? I never go to a FGT Facebook area whereever that is located.

 

[dbk]

Dave is there more FGT discussion on Facebook than on this Forum as was stated? I never go to a FGT Facebook area whereever that is located.

Couldn't tell you. I deleted Facebook 5 years ago and have thanked the Lord every day since.

 

[Ed Sims]

I love to read what my friends post here. I'm bound to get a chuckle from Dr Frank or someone. I enjoy Syco's fabulous photos & all the other photos. It's been a fun journey & I hope it continues for me. Thanks DBK!

Ed

 

[GT@50]

Would you buy a mint 68 Stang and rod it out, daily drive it? 05/06's are getting older so I'd imagine there will be less miles driven, and mods performed. Not to forget that fun parts are harder to come by and $$$$.
NFGT's command such a high dollar to acquire now, the same is happening. There are those that mod Bugattis, Huracans, etc. and a few will mod the NFGT's, but the expense to get into, and the current abilities of the car, why would the majority. So, less parts, more money, they'll stay OEM.
Those that drive and mod them though.... ROCK ON!!!!

 

[TO AWSUM]

Would you buy a mint 68 Stang and rod it out, daily drive it? 05/06's are getting older so I'd imagine there will be less miles driven, and mods performed. Not to forget that fun parts are harder to come by and $$$$.
NFGT's command such a high dollar to acquire now, the same is happening. There are those that mod Bugattis, Huracans, etc. and a few will mod the NFGT's, but the expense to get into, and the current abilities of the car, why would the majority. So, less parts, more money, they'll stay OEM.
Those that drive and mod them though.... ROCK ON!!!!

Yes, I would. It's just a piece of metal bent in a fashion I enjoy looking at, but in the end, it's just another car.

 

[dreimer]

I drove my 2006 this weekend and was SOOO happy the A/C kicks butt. My 1988 911 and 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS not so much (aka not at all). Only challenging thing is that I like to drive the FGT with the windows open. It makes it easier to wave back at people or give back a "thumbs up."

And I did take it out earlier in the week to show it to a guy that came to deliver a new refrigerator. He saw it under the car cover in the garage and said "is that a Ford GT under there?". I said yes. He said he had never seen one in person, so of course I remedied that. My wife comes out and I have the clamshell open and she just shakes her head and walks away.

 

[PeteK]

I don't post often but I check the Forum several times a day, and I've noticed the same thing. I guess it's a natural maturing of the Forum and our collective ownership experience. That being said, I thoroughly enjoy the Forum and it continues to be an important part of my '06 GT (46,000 miles) world. I have almost completely recovered from the trauma of my NFGT rejection letter, which I have framed and display in my garage.

You got a rejection letter? Shit, I didn't even get that.

 

[PeteK]

Couldn't tell you. I deleted Facebook 5 years ago and have thanked the Lord every day since.

More or less, ditto. I haven't totally deleted it because some people I know IRL still use it to contact me rarely, but I don't think I've posted a handful of replies in the last handful of years. It's a time waster.

Facebook and Google exist for one purpose only: to place advertising and clickbait to get you to watch more porn and buy more crap you don't need. And they do it by stealing your private information, not just the stuff you give them online, but also the spyware they leave behind that tracks you, and literally follows you around the internet and wherever you carry your phone through GPS positioning. So there is no effing way I'm gonna give them more info about what cars I drive (especially high-buck ones) that will enable them to sell more info about me to third parties that want to sell me more crap and and generate "I want to buy your car" spam/scams and theft operations.

This Forum, as well as other forums I use, are thankfully largely free of that crap. I know it's a lot of work for Dave to keep managing this Forum, but I hope he continues to do so, because it cultivates a community here that would degenerate if it were moved to Facebook, et al.

 

[PeteK]

Speaking of cars n' coffee, I took the GT to the Vancouver (WA) C&C last weekend. One of the guys looked it over closely, and said, "it's got dirt and birdshit and bug splats on it. The guy who owns it is living the American dream--he's driving it! I was standing off to the side and he didn't know it was mine. I said, "I am, and thank you for the compliment." No discussion of what it's worth, etc.

 

[Gene Cassone]

Periodically I think what am I doing with my 2 GTs ( old and new) and their value sitting in my garage. I work hard for what I have and these cars are not “ pocket change” like they are for some. But when I drive them, look at them , share them they bring so much joy. The day they don’t ( maybe when I am gone!) they will be passed on!

 

[RPM217]

Had my 05 out this weekend, in the 95 degree day, A/C could freeze your nuts off. I bought the car about 9 years ago, with just over 3,000 miles, now has almost 19,000 miles. None of the comments received at an informal Caffeine and Carburetors were about its value, they were all, "great to see you're driving it", "you never see these on the road", etc. I love driving it, and when I am asked the inevitable question at certain venues, I usually say, what difference does it make, it's not for sale. When I had cleaned it, to put it back on my double wide lift, and my neighbor watched me, climb over the transmission tunnel, onto the passenger seat, in order to exit the car, and commented "you won't be able to do that forever". I said that's when I'd sell it, not before. Some people collect cars, just to look at them, and for them, no judgement, for me, I bought mine to drive and enjoy. While I did receive my wife's blessing, if I had wanted to apply for the NFGT, I refuse to "store a car, off premises", and have no room in my 20x20 garage, unless I get rid of the NSX, I decided not to even try. I do get nervous enough driving the 05, as people cut me off (and other cars), in order to take pictures, or just get a different view of the car, if I was driving a car, worth 2x+ the value, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the drive. I get nervous, but still enjoy the experience.

 

[THamonGT]

We’ll five years ago yesterday my Girl rolled out of the Reliable Transport to the delight of Sue and I and my two Grandsons! Bernardo Martinez Backed her off the ramp as we stood there in shock, happiness with tears included of joy and actually not believing it was ours! What a wonderful 5 years it has been representing Ford Motor Co and the Ford GT Forum whole sharing her with everyone who has been interested. Being an early built 2017, H045 out of the 138 17’s built and the only one in American Racing livery has somewhat made her rare! We have very Blessed and will continue to share her with others in future years! Thank You Dave, The Ford GT Forum and Ford Motor Company for allowing us to own such a fantastic Race Car made for the street!

 

[2112]

Yes, I would. It's just a piece of metal bent in a fashion I enjoy looking at, but in the end, it's just another car.

I have a ‘67 GT500. Now everyone seems to want them bone stock, right down to the horrible, skinny bias-ply tires.

Day 2 all the way for me. Even rolling the fenders (like the second owner did in the 70’s) to get some man-tires under there. Hurt the value? Sure.

I don’t care.

 

[donnymac]

16 and 17 years old. Supreme crowd magnet for young and old, dogs and kids photoed behind the wheel, absolutely modified, lines of a centerfold, killer motor with a matching suspension, +17,000 miles on each with a few tickets, 100% pure therapy on 4 wheels, purebred heritage and thank God for throw back analog.

Hats off to the Ford team…you built a champion.