How come I don't see FGTs anymore on the street?

[unotaz]

Hi, I just recently bought a nice low mileage FGT so I can go enjoy and drive. In my search for my FGT, I came across a lot of cars for under 3000 miles, some of them with even delivery miles and this surprised me. Coming from Porsches and Ferraris, I would say there are more delivery miles FGT available than a delivery miles 360 Challenge Stradale or a CGT, both of which are from the same era as the FGT. Why is that?

I live in Los Angeles, so within the 100 mile radius, this area consumes over 60% of the world's sports car each year and yet, I don't ever see a FGT on the street. I remember back in 2006, I used to see a bunch of FGTs at cars and coffee and then, they started disappearing as the years went by. If you look at the numbers of cars produced and most of them were delivered to the US market, this doesn't make sense? I see more 991 GT3RS on the street and they only imported like 1500 of them into the US.

It's a weird phenomena. Can someone chime in and explain this to me?

 

[Sinovac]

I see plenty of them on the street by me. Half dozen guys I know around here regularly drive theirs. This picture has no relevance to the thread, but I just like it. My Kirkham and Xcentric’s regularly used GT.

 

[FGT899]

I agree with this, it's hard to believe considering the number produced. I'm in the Scottsdale area and outside of Cars and Coffee (and a few weeks ago when I saw a group of them parked at a country club), I've seen maybe 5 in the wild ever here, and maybe only 3 in the past 4 years. I try to get mine out at least every weekend...

 

[twobjshelbys]

I've only ever seen two in the wild. By "wild" I mean when I've been out driving and see a GT that isn't part of an organized group that I was a part of. One was driving into my Colorado town while I was on the way to work and the other was on I70 near Vail. Now others see our cars that are part of a group event (best example is Rally drives) and of course, they are seeing them "in the wild". Even in Vegas the only other ones besides Rally 9 are at Cars and Coffee.

 

[PeteK]

I drive mine around Northern Virginia all the time, and I've never seen another one coming at me. However, two years ago Chris Li set up a FGT area for the local Katie's C&C, and we had 7 show up. Other than that, nada.

I should amend that--I've seen 3 other GTs in my neighborhood on the road at some point, but I've never seen another one while I was driving mine.

 

[unotaz]

Exactly, and there are more delivery miles FGT for sale today than any other cars from that era (2003-2006), with the exception of the Ferrari Enzo. Deliver miles Enzo I get, but FGT? I thought the FGT was suppose to be a blue-collar sports car that is meant to be driven.

Either way, I'm planning on putting 2-3000 miles on my FGT a year. Should be a lot of fun driving it around my local canyon roads!

I agree with this, it's hard to believe considering the number produced. I'm in the Scottsdale area and outside of Cars and Coffee (and a few weeks ago when I saw a group of them parked at a country club), I've seen maybe 5 in the wild ever here, and maybe only 3 in the past 4 years. I try to get mine out at least every weekend...

 

[unotaz]

Here is my FGT resting nicely in its new home. Just got rid of the original Goodyears tires and replaced them with a fresh set of Bridgestones made on the week of 50-2017. Boy, it was a night and day difference! :lol

 

[STORMCAT]

Could be many factors. I would say as the cars started to appreciate in value some started to drive them less. Not a lot of cars built in that quantity (4038 ) appreciate in value. The GT's really appealed to people who knew them and desired them from their teen years back in the 60's era. Many of the owners were in the 50 to 65 age range when they got them. So 13 years later they are much older now,,

I know a lot of GT owners that have just got older and don't drive there cars for many personal physical reasons , eyes, backs etc.. my 06 has 25000+ miles but now the 2017 is seeing more road time.. With that said.. lots of GT's in South Florida and I see one or two at almost every outing I attend..

 

[unotaz]

Good point, and something that I haven't thought of, is the age of the average FGT owners. What would you say the average age of the FGT owners? 55-65?

I'm 36 but I always admired race cars from the 60s. If Ferrari made a modern day reinterpretation of their 312P Berlinetta race car, I would be all over that in a second!

Could be many factors. I would say as the cars started to appreciate in value some started to drive them less. Not a lot of cars built in that quantity (4038 ) appreciate in value. The GT's really appealed to people who knew them and desired them from their teen years back in the 60's era. Many of the owners were in the 50 to 65 age range when they got them. So 13 years later they are much older now,,

I know a lot of GT owners that have just got older and don't drive there cars for many personal physical reasons , eyes, backs etc.. my 06 has 25000+ miles but now the 2017 is seeing more road time.. With that said.. lots of GT's in South Florida and I see one or two at almost every outing I attend..

 

[PashaGT]

I have been driving my GT from Orange County to LA for almost 11 years now and over time I agree I have not been seeing that many GT'S on the road. I do feel as the value of the car's have gone up some people are not driving that much plus some of these car's have exchanged one to three owner's and the latest owner's are not driving their car's much. Even in Orange County I used to see more GT's on the road but in recent year's not so much.

Let me know if you like to get together for a nice drive some time I love driving up to Malibu on Sunday's! People love taking pic's of the GT even in Beverly Hills all cameras all alway's out!!

 

[Silverbullitt]

I have 72,000 reasons that not all of them have been hidden. (Miles)

 

[bret a ewing]

In and around Philly..........nothing.

 

[GTdrummer]

It is Jeff's fault. He needs to get out more.

 

[MJSFRX]

Down in San Diego I tend to see a fair amount of GTs. Always surprised to meet new owners I’ve never meet. So I know they are out there. But mostly see them at car events, raarely just cruising down the road. Especially during the work week I never see any.

 

[Tomcat]

Very rare in the wild in North Carolina. I've probably only seen one or two "on the road" since 2005.
I tell the story (from 2006), I was designated driver with three other Navy Officers in some rental car on Tampa Skyway when I saw a GT coming up behind us. As it passed, I said out loud..."my next car"! Okay it took 7 years...
Ps-I recently saw a Superformance GT40 in the wild on the roads of lake Tahoe...man THAT was small!

 

[DC-DD]

Well depending on were you live has a lot do with it . Here in PA. the weather and time of year really kills the amount of drive time behind the wheel of the GT.

This past winter was really long cold and ugly. Then we have had rain for at least 1 day the past 9 weekends . hoping for some nice weather as have some nice car events the next few weekends.

Dominic

 

[FENZO]

I see a GT frequently on the street, even on weekdays. Mine, in store front windows. :biggrin

 

[STORMCAT]

Good point, and something that I haven't thought of, is the age of the average FGT owners. What would you say the average age of the FGT owners? 55-65?

I'm 36 but I always admired race cars from the 60s. If Ferrari made a modern day reinterpretation of their 312P Berlinetta race car, I would be all over that in a second!

I would say the majority of the people who bought the cars in 05 / 06 were 50 to 65 years of age when they bought them..
We have a strong contingent of older GT in South Florida. I see them on a regular basis. I think I had 9 at my little gathering Last Summer..:biggrin

 

[unotaz]

Wow! I don't think I ever saw more than 3 FGTs together at one time.

Alright, so when is the next rally for us Socal guys? I need to go out and meet some FGT owners :biggrin

I would say the majority of the people who bought the cars in 05 / 06 were 50 to 65 years of age when they bought them..
We have a strong contingent of older GT in South Florida. I see them on a regular basis. I think I had 9 at my little gathering Last Summer..:biggrin

 

[PeteK]

Estimating the average age of owners from those who attend the annual rallies, it's definitely over 60, probably over 65. Very few owners under 50. Or under 60 for that matter. DBK is in diapers compared to most of us. Well, some of us might wear diapers at the other end of the age scale!

Also interesting to note is the sex of owners (not "gender"!). I heard there were one or two women who were sole owners, but I've never met them or verified those rumors. There are some spouse/co-owners, and "Lady Moose" appears to have wrested possession (9/10ths of the law!) of the Tichy's new orange NFGT, but if there are other female owners, they are exceedingly rare. GTs seem to be 99.9% a male obsession. I think it goes back to having a Hot Wheels toy as a young boy in the 1960's. Some kind of unrequited love. Maybe it's like the old style Snap-On shop calendars--you think, "When I grow up I'm gonna get one just like that!"