New Shelby Owners-Please Advise

07 Black Beauty

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Yes, ordered one and after 11 months it finally arrived.
Ford nailed it in the looks department.
Absolutely aggressive and the stance and exhaust for once were perfect!
This was to be my 4th GT500, and I was beyond excited when the press release said it would be a automatic trans.
After taking delivery of the car and putting a few hundred miles on it, I felt so disconnected from the car.
It was absurdly fast once you climbed out of 2500 rpm, and handled spectacular. However, there was that stupid, out of place rotary knob shifter which I got angrier at, every time I saw it.
My wife’s Edge ST has it as well and it really makes me wonder why the engineers though this was the best looking and functional unit it use. I am not a paddle shifter guy either.
I was also having a hard time stomaching the fact that I just spent over $80k on what is really a mustang that lacked a lot of what I wanted, better technology and creature comforts.
It all is personal preference and I would never take anything away from the GT500 experience, I just “outgrew” that car.
OP, don’t pay over sticker, patience will pay off. Your right Shelby is out there, and I wish you luck. The car is fast and might get you in trouble.

Curious what you replaced the 500 with?
 

07 Black Beauty

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Had a friend with a paddle shift Vette, he never used the paddles.
I notice how many 20 + GT500 owners don't use the paddles either.
Is it because it actually slows the cars performance, or just not that fun after the 1st few uses ??

I personally use the paddles quite a bit as it satisfy the manual itch, but the DCT in auto mode is very impressive doing its own thing.
 

13COBRA

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Had a friend with a paddle shift Vette, he never used the paddles.
I notice how many 20 + GT500 owners don't use the paddles either.
Is it because it actually slows the cars performance, or just not that fun after the 1st few uses ??

The car shifting by itself is actually incredibly impressive and solid. I wouldn't waste my time with the paddles.
 

me32

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Appreciate the words...Any idea how many 2021’s have already been produced...more importantly are there more coming...lots, few. I hate all this 10000 over stuff. The dealers are in complete control right now...don’t like it :)
Its unfortunate you decided to wait. @13COBRA was selling build to spec 2021 GT500's for under 5k over.

The other option is to wait it out till the demand drops and supply is better.

Either way good luck on your search.
 

BOD89LX

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I had a 2012 than a 2013 and the only reason I got rid of my 2013 was the transmission. The 1-2 lock out/grind problems made me swear I would not buy another mustang with a manual transmission. I just took delivery of my 2021 GT500 and absolutely love the DCT . I don’t know why anyone would want a manual transmission in a 760 hp car unless you only want to take the car to car shows and cars and coffee. I cannot think of any reason I would want an manual transmission in this car . If I wanted a manual transmission in a mustang I would look at getting another 03-04 cobra which was the last mustang that Ford put a proper manual transmission in. However I cannot speak to the GT350 as I have not driven one of them to know if Ford figured out how to spec out a manual transmission again.
 

Relaxed Chaos

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Paddles are a gimmick and not engaging. I tried, I really tried to use them, but they are dumb. Only time they were helpful was to force a downshift prior to the computer recognizing the need for a downshift... which is rare because the DSG in my Audi is very fast and the programming was very good. It disconnects you from the car in a way that a manual never will.

Had a friend with a paddle shift Vette, he never used the paddles.
I notice how many 20 + GT500 owners don't use the paddles either.
Is it because it actually slows the cars performance, or just not that fun after the 1st few uses ??

Squeezed out with help from the svtperformance.com mobile app
 

Tob

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**** that. Drive a Tremec DCT on track and you'll be engaged, trust me. This transmission does things an auto or a manual could never do.
 

07 Black Beauty

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I had a 2012 than a 2013 and the only reason I got rid of my 2013 was the transmission. The 1-2 lock out/grind problems made me swear I would not buy another mustang with a manual transmission. I just took delivery of my 2021 GT500 and absolutely love the DCT . I don’t know why anyone would want a manual transmission in a 760 hp car unless you only want to take the car to car shows and cars and coffee. I cannot think of any reason I would want an manual transmission in this car . If I wanted a manual transmission in a mustang I would look at getting another 03-04 cobra which was the last mustang that Ford put a proper manual transmission in. However I cannot speak to the GT350 as I have not driven one of them to know if Ford figured out how to spec out a manual transmission again.

The Tremec in the 350 is really good. Having had a 350R and now the new 500, I'd take the 500 over the 350.
 

Steve@TF

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I was also having a hard time stomaching the fact that I just spent over $80k on what is really a mustang that lacked a lot of what I wanted, better technology and creature comforts.
.

Bro! You paid $200k for a beetle!!

e427df145b119aba3776562888903957.jpg


J/k porsche turbo is my lotto car! Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

oldstv

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I have a CTS-V and use the paddles all the time. The days of shifting gears in traffic are over for me though so its easy to like the auto.
I also have an 03 Terminator vert and will not take that car to a big show such as Daytona or Cruisin The Coast in Mississippi because of having to push the clutch in all day in trafic.
Guess I am just getting old.
 

Saleenrose

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Tracked 350 and 500 at Willow Springs a few weeks ago, the 350 has race pads which make it stop so good, 500 on first few stops does not inspire confidence, then they get working, all stock, in heavy braking at end of front straight the trans would downshift then go up to 5th as I rolled on throttle into corner one, went to manual mode, shifted as if in 350, much better, on street let car do it. So much power to haul down straights, up hill, just have to be gentle in corner exit or big slides are possible.
 

Tob

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I've yet to see the car "downshift then go up to 5th as I rolled on throttle." I assume you were in track mode as yes, you can induce throttle oversteer on just about any corner exit if you want to.
 

Saleenrose

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Willow Springs, front straight, 140ish, brake hard into corner 1, gentle on throttle, ready to accel out upshifted to 5th, thought maybe I had been to light on throttle as I was behind someone, so I did it again, did not do it, then a few laps later, again. So I used paddle shifters in manual mode, No longer a issue.
 

Tob

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So what gear were you manually shifting to at the same point the car wanted to go into fifth?
 

Saleenrose

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Third, car would go from wot, full brake, downshift to 3rd, 1/2 thru corner it would upshift back to 4th, then quickly to 5th. Yes, I was in track mode, yes I was behind a slower car, yes I was able to deal with it, no I was unconcerned with my lap times(over last 27 year of track days I have not ever timed myself), just stating I did not like how it decided to shift. Manual mode just worked better for me.
 

Tob

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Easy brother. Just trying to better understand the conditions whereby this this occurred to you. I have yet to hear anything similar from anyone that has tracked one of these so I'm definitely interested in what happened here. The detail you provided certainly helps to visualize. I don't know the specifics of your OEM build but there may an updated TCM calibration available for you that improves the shift schedule. Ford released a revised calibration in response to some complaints. I don't have it on my own car, a '20, as I never saw anything similar when tracking it otherwise I would have been all over it.

GT500 latest calibration file numbers.jpg


This calibration was originally back door'd to the Ford Performance Racing School for their fleet of GT500's via Ford Performance and once validated it was provided to the dealer network. If you have the early calibration this may be of some benefit to you.
 

Klaus

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Keep the '10 and get a '21 then you have both. Ballers only need apply.
 

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