Stories about how we obtained our GT'S

[kosupply]

I don't know if some of you noticed Edsel repeating " what about a F150" at the gathering at World Headquarters as he was signing autographs. It was funny to me and I really wanted to share my story with him about why I buy Chevy trucks for my Oilfield Supply business instead of Fords. It is a shame that Ford looked at the GT as a novelty and the subsequent giddiness in the way the dealers were allowed to market the car. When I heard in early 2003 that they were going to make the car, I immediately called the two SVT dealers in Houston. They both literally laughed at me and said they would auction them off if they received an allocation. I met Ray Childress at the first Houston Texans football game. Ray owns Lawrence Marshall Ford in Hempstead, Texas. He claims to be the 6th largest Ford truck dealer in the country. He did not know anything about the car but said he would look into it. He had his sales manager call me the next day. If they received a car, I could have it at MSRP. I ordered a truck from him in the same conversation. I talked to Tomy Hamon at Gene Hamon Ford in Texas City and he told me if he received one, he wanted to keep it for a few months, and then let me have it at MSRP. I ordered a truck from him . He never has received an allocation, but I have done business with them before and felt he was sincere. I decided to quit buying Ford trucks when Lawrence Marshall called me in mid 2004 and backed out of our deal. I bought mine from Covert Ford in Austin at 10K over MSRP in August 2005. It was my fault that I could not wait until now and the extra 10K to enjoy the car for the last year is worth it. What bothers me is that Ford has to reward their dealers with the world class GT because they can not make money on their passenger cars. Ford took a Ferrari or two and tore it apart and made a car to beat it. I wonder how many Corollas they have torn apart. I refuse to believe that they can not make a car to beat it AT A PROFIT. Has anyone noticed the Japanese cars are more expensive than their domestic rivals? Aren't those Americans working at the Jap plants here in the states? I do not believe that the people we met at the factories can not stand up to the foreign competition. I do believe that Ford thinks they have to skimp on tolerances and materials to make up for their higher labor costs. It bothers me that BMW.Mercedes, and Lexus have no domestic rival. Cadillac is trying but have you seen the quality of the plastics and fake wood they continue to put in these cars? While I was excited about future products from SVT, I am not excited that they can only make a world class car when they decide to do it. I wish the Big 3 had taken the Japs seriously 30 years ago. The world has changed and I hope someone wakes up and decides to do what we are capable of. Why is that a novelty?
http://www.autobytel.com/content/sh...m/article_page_order_int/1/article_id_int/612

 

[eshrink]

I have owned only two Fords in my life...my first car at 16 and now the GT.

Aside from German cars, the only other cars that I have owned for the past 30+ years have been Japanese...except for a Viper which was inordinately poorly constructed, terribly marketed and seemingly wholly unsupported by its now German owned company.

I would love to buy American, but in 30 years of Japanese car ownership, and I have no earthly idea how many cars that has been, I have never, ever had one mechanical issue with these Japanese cars. I had a modicrum of problems with Mercedes and (especially) Porsche.

Ford did a fine job of completing my car (largely through the efforts of one man at Wixom), but most know the story as to how it was delivered incompletely assembled with complete indifference on the part of the selling dealer.

I have watched several decades of wholly uninspired American car design. I did not see a car during those thirty years (prior to the GT) that I wished to own.

I believe that most people know of the problems edemic to the American car industry. I believe that the big three automakers assured the successes of Honda and Toyota...just as they are assuring the successes of Kia and Hyundai.

Our problems have never been off-shore. They are problems of motivation and organization. The Japanese companies are focused and precise.

Oh, and speaking of getting a car when they are first released...locally, if someone leaks information about a new Mercedes, you need merely call the dealer, put down a refundable/cancellable $1k deposit, and you will get that Mercedes at MSRP. No games played, and that has been true here for almost two decades. Try that with a Z06.

- doc

 

[SuperB]

Ummmm,
I hate to be the one to say it, but Ford didn't build the GT, Saleen did.
Ford didn't build the Engine or Tranny, they installed them.
I guess many cars are built that way, but I don't think Ford would have done the fantastic job Saleen did. Saleen is geared toward such small(er) production runs, Ford is not. Not slamming Ford, just saying it like it is.
Would be nice if Ford let Saleen build another "Ford" supercar, put me on the list.

 

[samthejeepman]

just a quick note
got the "griots" garage catalog in the mail today
the front cover has a picture of a heritage

sam
#1451-------red/white

 

[LEMANSZ]

true...but it says FORD and if they built a car like the Prius (my daily driver), i would buy it in a minute...how is it that the Japenese manufactuerers saw this gas thing and quality coming and Ford didn't?

 

[Hennessey Performance]

Ummmm,
I hate to be the one to say it, but Ford didn't build the GT, Saleen did.
Ford didn't build the Engine or Tranny, they installed them.
I guess many cars are built that way, but I don't think Ford would have done the fantastic job Saleen did. Saleen is geared toward such small(er) production runs, Ford is not. Not slamming Ford, just saying it like it is.
Would be nice if Ford let Saleen build another "Ford" supercar, put me on the list.

giving Saleen credit for the success of the GT is like giving the bat boy credit for Pujols knocking a homer out of Busch stadium. IMHO. nothing against Saleen as they do fine work.

 

[jkgt]

I love my GT. I loved the OG GT40's. I would never own a Japanese car, mainly because I do not feel safe in them. My Fiance owns a Saturn and it feel like a go-cart with doors and a roof. With that said the lenght of service the Japanese get out of their cars is outstanding. You have to understand there are many different factors that play a part in why the Japanese can produce car cheaper and/or higher quality.


The sad truths are:
Higher wages (American) VS lower wages (Japanese)
Higher material costs (American) VS lower material costs (Japanese)

*Side note. It is sad that an American business can buy Chinese steel cheaper than American steel (usually). I am in the recycling business and can say the chinese can buy scrap from the US, process it and ship it back to the US and sell it for more profit than an American company buying from Americans. I know that the reason the market for raw material is so unstable right now is because of the great recycleable buying power of china, but I guess that is what makes our country so great. Commerce..

just my two cents joe

 

[Motor City Madman]

Ummmm,
I hate to be the one to say it, but Ford didn't build the GT, Saleen did.
Ford didn't build the Engine or Tranny, they installed them.
I guess many cars are built that way, but I don't think Ford would have done the fantastic job Saleen did. Saleen is geared toward such small(er) production runs, Ford is not. Not slamming Ford, just saying it like it is.
Would be nice if Ford let Saleen build another "Ford" supercar, put me on the list.

The Ford GT engine is actually built at a Ford plant north of Detroit called the the Romeo Engine Plant. Ford may not be in the business of building such small production units as the GT, but I don't think that's the reason they farmed out some of the work. Given such a short time frame to develop the car and organize the suppliers I think they felt it best to have some experts do as much work as they feel they could farm out. Also, given that they only planned on building this car for a few years, they probably also didn't want to have to hire a bunch of UAW workers only to have to pay them to sit around in the jobs bank after the Wixom Ford GT plant stopped building the GT. Just my two cents.

 

[ROCMAN]

I wasn't even looking when I got mine. I was considering getting a 360CS, and I mentioned it on a forum, and someone brought up the GT. I said I was also interested in a GT as well, but in CA, the prices were high as hell.
A car broker read that post, contacted me, found me a car at the right price, and the rest is history!

I am still going to get a 360CS when I build my new garage.
I dont know about you guys, but I thought American cars were built in America. The day I bought my M5, I was looking at a Charger SRT8, and started reading the window sticker. Man, the motor and tranny is built in Mexico, and the rest of the car was built in Canada! :confused

Honda, Toyota, and Nissan are more American than many of our American Cars! I have no problem buying a Japanese car, as long as it is nice. My old Lexus LS430 was SOLID AS A ROCK and more luxurious than any of my German cars. Man, I miss that Analine Dye Napa Leather! :biggrin

 

[red gt 1442]

I think that all of your comments are very valid. I also agree that the american way has become so expensive (wages)that we need other countries to wake us up. All of the big 3 have problems right now, and they are getting beat by the foreign competitors. The question now is what will happen when China get's rolling and starts to marked their cars in the US at a much cheaper price than even the Japanase? How can the US car makers stand up to them?

just my 3 cents worth..... Gino

 

[californiacuda]

Capitalism is the economic system that has and will provide the highest standard of living in the world.

Our goal should not be to support systems that can't compete, but to remove any and all restrictions from competition.

 

[Fuelman]

I have owned many brands, Japanese, European, and American. The foreign jobs have to go back to the dealer a lot, real pain in time for me. My American cars / trucks seem to never go back. Build quality is much better these days. As Americans I think we need to support our US car makers, we don't want our kids to grow up in a country where there is no Ford, GM, or Chrysler. Japanese and Chinese support their country's industries, maybe it is time we do the same. My 2 cents...

 

[eshrink]

There is no longer a "big three". There is only a modest two. And, therein, lies the trend/problem.

- doc

 

[gtbyu]

I bought my GT on ebay- almost as much fun in the competition to win the bid as owning it. Had to ship it from Vermont to Alabama.
On the foreign car labor advantage- I have a Mercedes, a Honda, and a Hyundai plant all within 75 miles of my house. They all hired American labor.

 

[B O N Y]

Oh, and speaking of getting a car when they are first released...locally, if someone leaks information about a new Mercedes, you need merely call the dealer, put down a refundable/cancellable $1k deposit, and you will get that Mercedes at MSRP. No games played, and that has been true here for almost two decades. Try that with a Z06.

- doc

Wow, not out here in California's land of milk and honey. Window sticker is the start of the deal, then comes added dealer mark-up... on most desireable Mercedes and almost all BMW's. Meanwhile, I see Mercedes quality in the tank and refuse to buy another.

 

[bigdan40]

Guys let's face it, the American Auto industry will never be what it once was, a powerful well respected (and rightfully so) monopoly. Somewhere along the line something happened to the way these companies are managed and like any business no matter how big or small if you are not providing a good product and projecting it properly to what once was a very captive audience, it's just a matter of time before you fall of the pedestal. I have always loved Amercian built sports cars (I would NEVER buy European or even an NSX which I could get dirt cheap) and will always own one until the day I die! I also drive an Escalade as a DD even though it rides like sh__ in comparison to a full sized Japanese suv. Their is no doubt that the "big 3" can compete with any auto manufacturer in the world but they first must regain the confidence of the public with the way they manage their divisions
(financial and manufacturing) and of course the quality of their products. Look at all of us blowing all this smoke about the great Ford GT and the accolades it has received from darn near everyone who knows what the hell it is. How true it is, this kick ass 165k American built sports car with heritage that can run circles around that crap Europe has been putting out for years. Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone. I know a lot of guys on this forum own European sports cars but if I had Bill Gates money I still wouldn't buy the junk they put out. I'd buy an S7 if I wanted to spend stupid money on a car! Does anyone know how far down the quality of product list Mercedes is? And to add insult they still have the balls to charge what they do for their product because they've done such a good job of pulling the wool over the eyes of their buyers for years. I guess image means a lot and if you can pull it off more power to you! Me, when it comes to cars for my own personal usage it has to be American. BD40

 

[eshrink]

Big Dan:

Would you spend $100k on a Mercedes or BMW sedan? Personally, I would...and do.

Would you spend $100k on a Chevrolet sedan?

If we put a lot of electronics and play-pretties in it? Would you then?

Gee, what do we have to do to make you spend $100k on an American sedan?

OK, we'll sell you one for $50k....what about $40k......$30k?

What do you want from us?

A Mercedes or BMW are just not that big of a deal. Why don't you buy our Chevrolets instead?

It is really an insult. You act as though our quality control is not good. You act as though union wages and walk-outs and benefit packages are undermining quality and inflating costs.

We were at war with Japan 60 years ago, and now you buy vehicles from them? What is wrong with you people?

Well, short answer...perhaps it is not us, the buying public. Perhaps it is your problem, and you cannot expect us to fix it for you.

- doc

 

[bigdan40]

Doc, I hear your meaning in your text and it is well defined!
Question for you.
Would you take your wife out for a nice dinner let's say at a place like Morton's (famous steak house from started in Chicago, now in different parts of the country including 10 minutes from me in Stamford,CT and not sure if your familiar with them) and spend let's say $200 for a nice meal, service, ambience etc? I'm sure you would and wouldn't think twice. But if you did think twice and asked yourself, "what did I really get for my $200"? you might kick yourself in the head knowing that the end result could have been had for a lot cheaper. Isn't it all a matter of choice, preference, image, expectations
(which aren't always met)? Some people will spend $450k on a Carrera GT, why you ask, because they can or is it because of image, expectation etc. Is it because they can go 0 to 60 in 2/10th's of a second faster then let's say a GT which is a 1/3rd of the price? Probably not because they can't drive worth a lick anyway :biggrin , it's because they can. Money doesn't always buy the best, but it can buy the best image. Just my opinion.
Dan

 

[eshrink]

Interestingly Dan:

I have this exact conversation at least three times a week with a very good friend.

To wit, why does someone buy a car other than a Honda Civic (which is inordinately reliable, has great resale and is very economical). A Honda Civic automatic with an iPOD port and XM is arguably the "best car in the whole world." (actually, I am only 90% joking...it does have a lot to recommend it).

I believe that, dependent upon socioeconomic class and section of the country, expensive cars are bought for different reasons.

There are sections of the country in which middle aged, successful men, drive Mustangs. To my knowledge, that is actually quite uncommon in Atlanta where such men are more likely to be in a BMW 3-series or Mercedes C series.

There are sections of the country where a car will sell based upon its advertised horsepower. Again, that does not appear to occur here, and people are more likely to buy for style, engineering and comfort.

A CarreraGT would be bought in one locale because of articles in car magazines. Here, it would be bought because it is just a very cool looking and driving car. As a friend of mine said about my GT...I just do not get it...why spend $175k to sit in Atlanta traffic for hours at a time. He has a valid point.

My owning a car that would do 10.2 in a quarter mile, at my age, is pretty absurd...I would imagine my reaction time is about 28 seconds...oh, did it turn green? Darn, where's the clutch...whoops!

I like the GT. It is a very cool looking car. It runs SO much better than our Viper did. It is far more comfortable. It is priced high enough to keep out the riff-raff (well, almost) and it is priced low enough that I do not have to be concerned about spending the money. I love its provenance. I like stories about the GT40 and photos of it. I still wish they had named it "GT-44."

Regarding $200 for a steak dinner...hmmm, I am easy to please...how about a burrito and some refrieds?

- doc

 

[kosupply]

I started this post to see if any of you shared my frustration with Detroit. I am bothered that out of six household autos in my garage, only one is Big 3. My Ford GT. I bought it because they made a worldclass auto that I wanted. I think their mentality should apply to their passenger cars. Haven't the American people proved that we will buy quality and design? The Jap cars in my opinion are not the best looking in the world , but they sell them for more than our domestic cars. Isn't that proof? At one time our auto makers thought our government would limit imports thru quotas and import duties. The world has changed. Everyday we become more of a global economy. I love this country and we love our cars. It bugs the crap out of me that we do not make the best autos in every class. I refuse to believe that the the auto unions and employee wages are to blame. Good design, quality materials, and good workmanship is what sells. I think we have the workmanship. Maybe instead of cutting production, they should consider improving designs, tolerances and buy better looking plastic. Maybe as they cut production, this would be the time to see if people would come back to their autos. Then maybe if they sold a comparable auto, they would take sales away from Toyota.....now thats a novel idea, thats how Toyota did it!