The Mileage Dilema

[TallCarGuy]

This thread reminds me of another discussion: I have never seen a tombstone that said " I wish I'd spent more time at work." We have no idea how long we have here. The only reason I don't drive my GT three or four days a week is unfortunately rather simple - I'm 6'6" tall and need to have the door wide open to get in and out. There are few places that I can be sure that I'll have an appropriate parking space to allow me to get back in when I get back to it.

I have over 13,000 miles on my GT and the third day I owned it drove it from Tomball, TX to Blythe, CA - about 1,340 miles, with just fuel stops. The car is incredible. I've used it in six GT Schools showing students just how fast and great handling a completely stock GT can be.

I'll let my heirs worry about wether putting a bunch of miles on a wonderful Supercar hurts its value.... At one time I hoped to have the highest mile Ford GT when I died, but with someone already covering 76,000 miles I don't have a snowball's chance in hell.

Richard Hille
The GT School
2005 Ford GT #916 White/Blue Stripes

 

[soroush]

if you dont drive it, consider changing you forum name:biggrin

 

[soroush]

Not driving a GT....is like not having sex with your wife for the benefit of the next husband

thats not completely accurate, not driving a gt... is like not have sex with your mistress:biggrin

 

[timcantwell]

this topic is seen frequently on the f-chat forum, where a 8 to 10k miles ferrari is considered high mileage and a old hag. Ford gt's are nearly bomb proof cars if they are well maintained. Ask jeff who has over 70k miles on his. Cost of maintainance is minimal compared to other exotics. Every trip i take adds to the provenance and history of my car. I have over 50 track sessions on the car. Drove it over a 1000 miles in one day (to scottsdale during rally iii). I drive it to work a couple of times a week. All wonderful memories. The car cleans up easily and looks like a garage queen even after being driven hard and put up wet. You only get one lap in life...enjoy it.

agreed!!

 

[Supercharged]

Iv'e never owned a car that I was worried about putting too many miles on
until getting the GT. I feel like driving it every day and am torn because I can
see racking miles up fast and the value dropping along with it.

On one hand, you only live once and why let the car sit in the garage,
on the other, you are driving dollars off it's value for every mile..

What is a guy to do??

If your looking for appreciating value buy a "coin or a stamp" :thumbsup Hell these are the best cars on the earth and the only way we will know that is to DRIVE THEM ld: not that wheel chair

Look at all those 60's cars that we drove and beat the hell out of and look at the $$$$$$$ they are worth. (non drivable junk selling more then when it was new:confused)

Enjoy my friend

 

[Nardo GT]

thats not completely accurate, not driving a gt... is like not have sex with your mistress:biggrin

You and I think WAY too much alike!:wink

 

[dbackg]

thats not completely accurate, not driving a gt... is like not have sex with your mistress:biggrin

my GT is my mistress. sometimes my wife joins in.

 

[dbackg]

please don't own a GT to dust her in your garage.

you could buy diecast models and dust them. this would be better use of real estate.

 

[Neilda]

The mileage dilemma is one that plagues some owners of exotics.... it all depends what you plan to do with your car. If you know you're going to sell it then keeping a low mileage (sub 10k on a GT) will enhance its value.

If, like many here, you intend it to be a keeper, then ignore the mileage and drive it.

Quite a few here have been through just about every exotic car you can think of, but the GT is quite unique - it's simply not going to be surpassed by any other car. That's why they'll keep them!

I have a low mileage on mine due to the generally poor weather in the UK - it upsets me to get it covered in mud (I live off road up a muddy track). But that's just me, I get more pleasure from a beautifully clean car. :biggrin

 

[Fast Freddy]

GTFUN,

The first thing you need to do is realize that.....

1. 50 years from now we will all be dead.

2. If you are successful enough to have acquired a Ford GT, the state will confiscate the bulk of the wealth that you still possess upon your death.

3. Every day of your existence brings you a day closer to your demise.

4. Deathbed regrets consists almost exclusively of angst over those things we did not do when we had the chance. I've never heard a dying man express to his family that, "I sure wish we hadn't taken all those vacations together and kept the money in the bank instead".

5. If you preserve your car in pristine shape for the enjoyment of it's next owner, you have turned it into a non yielding investment that requires annual insurance, registration, and maintenance expenses to boot.

6. If you're not going to drive it, you'll not derive any more benefit from it than those who admire it when you park it at your local cars and coffee. The admirers have a better deal however, as they don't have to pay for it.

In short.......drive the damn car. In time, the experiences you share with your Ford GT will leave a few battle scars on it. But those experiences will leave an even more indelible impression upon you. Indeed, the same minor wear and tear that will make your car slightly less valuable to a future purchaser, will make it priceless to you.

At least, that's my take on it.

Chip

great post :thumbsup

 

[S592R]

buy a backhoe and a large tract of land. Drive your GT all you want. When you die... be buried in it. You CAN take it with you. :biggrin

 

[shelbyelite]

I think its time that GTFUN had the title "GT OWNER" under his name. Mods, please address this!

 

[GTFUN]

I think its time that GTFUN had the title "GT OWNER" under his name. Mods, please address this!

Not only that but I signed up for a $50.00 membership on September 19th
and never got it! ( yes I pm'ed admin but no response)..

 

[ChipBeck]

Owner Banners.

Not only that but I signed up for a $50.00 membership on September 19th
and never got it! (yes I pm'ed admin but no response)..

GT Fun,

I have tried to do it myself but don't have access to make that change. I'll contact DBK.

Chip

 

[BillyRay]

Bro its SMILES not miles....

Arizona in the fall is the best for racking up miles. We have dry roads free from pot holes and for the most part--NO BUGS!
I have been the same low mileage guy for years with all my cars. Why..shit I really dont know its kind of a weird dysfuction. I have an 07 Shelby with 4400 miles on it and I should drive that car a lot more, I dont and I always feel like I have to have the perfect parking spot and I hope the guy behinds me stops in time ETC! Its a bunch of mind bullshit we come up with...
NOW............
For some reason the GT is a whole different animal. I bought the car Aug 08 with 2600 miles and now I have 5700. With this car I really dont give a shit for some weird reason about the miles BECAUSE it is way to much fun to drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today on Sunday morning I always head out for a 50 miler windows down stereo cracking. I pulled into a Paradise bakery and a young kid YELLS OUT nice car.
Thats all I need once a week is hey buddy coooooooool car!!
In closing ..miles...what miles...its SMILES man thats what turned me on.
So F-the miles and enjoy the kick ass launches from 1st year which will send you into another orbit. There,s no other car so far that has been magic....this is your magic moment...dont pass it by!!!!!!! BillyRay

 

[AtomicGT]

Mine is a garage queen right now, have driven it once since May, Bony Memorial Cruise through the So Cal Deserts. I guess I should get it out a little more, but my driveway is so angled, I have to lay trailer ramps out 63" apart to get in on and off the road. My viper will clear it on the angle, so the viper gets exercised and the GT gets polished! 2010 GT500 gets picked up Tuesday, is at the dealer now.

 

[Kip Ewing]

To paraphrase Jim Glikenhaus, "To not drive your Ferrari (Ford GT) is like not having sex with your girlfriend, to save her for the next guy."

 

[SYCO GT]

The first thing you need to do is realize that.....

1. 50 years from now we will all be dead.
Chip

Yikes. I hope DBK and some of us younger guys will still be around, talking GT Folklore and keeping the history alive... :cheers

 

[THE1GT]

As my good friend "LBU" used to say almost daily, "We are not here for a long time, we are here for a good time!". Fortunately, LBU practiced what he preached because he died about five years ago as a very young man.
I'm sure if LBU was back with us and owned a GT, he would drive the cr*p out of it, enjoying every inch of every mile.

 

[GTFUN]

I have an 07 Shelby with 4400 miles on it and I should drive that car a lot !!!! BillyRay

Yep, I haven't driven the super snake convertible for two months.
The GT is getting all my attention now :cool