I just got a '17 R on Saturday. I have 400-and-something miles on it, thanks to having to drive it back home. I'll probably end up putting less than 3K on it per year. We drive the Forester probably 98% of the time, and I take the "toys" out basically only on weekends when the weather is really nice. And I still may end up driving my GT500 more than the R.
How many miles does your GT350 have?
- Thread starter Chris!
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Having driven a GT500, it might be a tick more fun on the street than the R is just because of the brutal and giggle-inducing torque rush. The R is a much better tourer, though, especially if there are any twists along the way.
Mine is sitting at 1500 miles since I got it in mid-September, and it is settled in for the winter's nap. We got 3" of snow in Chicago yesterday.
Mine is sitting at 1500 miles since I got it in mid-September, and it is settled in for the winter's nap. We got 3" of snow in Chicago yesterday.
After owning both (4 Gt500s). I would drive the gt350 on the street any day. Only thing I missed about the gt500 was the highway brutality
That's just it, though. The R is apparently a different animal. From my short time so far, unless you live where all the streets are smooth as glass, the R isn't a city car by any stretch of the imagination. I mean, it could probably still be daily'd, but you'd have to really be committed to the cause. Start hitting low speed bumps and ruts and it becomes like a dog chasing a squirrel; all over the place.
The R's factory alignment is a bit of a handful on the highway, even. Combination of its desire to tramline and its willingness to change direction means it's not a cruise-with-one-finger-on-the-wheel car at all.
I spent several years driving my track-prepped E36 BMW to and from track events with an aggressive alignment (1/16 toe out and -3.5* camber in front, zero toe to 1/16 toe in rear). That car would rotate like a champ but it was tiresome on the highway. The R isn't much more tame. This isn't a criticism; I love that Ford really set it up "right" without a lot of compromises.
As for speed bumps, I have studiously avoided them in Chicago so far.
I spent several years driving my track-prepped E36 BMW to and from track events with an aggressive alignment (1/16 toe out and -3.5* camber in front, zero toe to 1/16 toe in rear). That car would rotate like a champ but it was tiresome on the highway. The R isn't much more tame. This isn't a criticism; I love that Ford really set it up "right" without a lot of compromises.
As for speed bumps, I have studiously avoided them in Chicago so far.
I was referring to bumps at low speed, not speed bumps. I'm not complaining about it, either, though. I actually like firmer rides. I just want to make it clear to people that do like a softer, more comfortable daily car that the R isn't one of those in the slightest.
That's a fair point. As I just mentioned in the "initial impressions" thread, it rides better than I was expecting given what it can do, but then I street-drove a car on 730 lb/in springs and racing shell seats for a while so I might be skewed as to what "comfortable" is.
Good lord! What car was that??
The ugly one on the right, not the beautiful one on the left.
Edited to add: I didn't drive it on the street often, but as a broke grad student I had no truck/ trailer so I did drive it hundreds of miles to and from various road courses (including Philadelphia up to Mont-Tremblant north of Montreal). 10 hours with no AC and no sound insulation in summer = not so fun.
Edited to add: I didn't drive it on the street often, but as a broke grad student I had no truck/ trailer so I did drive it hundreds of miles to and from various road courses (including Philadelphia up to Mont-Tremblant north of Montreal). 10 hours with no AC and no sound insulation in summer = not so fun.
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~ 1,600 miles after almost 2 months.
I only have 651 KM's on my GT350 which I picked up July 12th. It is winter parked until at least April now. Fair weather car for me that also shares space with an 04' 996T Cab and a 15' Fiesta ST. I actually drove the Fiesta the most this year, love that car.
The Fiesta ST is phonominal for the price! So much fun to drive.
I also have a Fiesta ST alongside the R. Ford is really winning my business these days. They are my first American cars and my first new cars (well, the Fiesta was purchased just over 1 year old). They are both super fun.
The Fiesta ST is such a great car, it has probably garnered more global awards/accolades since debuting in 2013 than any other car in the same period (even the GT350). I love that it's so unassuming.
It's amazing how many people have the fist along side some pretty impressive track vehicles. I know another that has a new Porsche GT4 and ST.
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