2014 GT500 Purchase Help

RRMBrembo

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Hi all - long time lurker. Found a 14 GT500 near Myrtle Beach in SC. I'd like to have it inspected by a shop close by who know these cars well. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!
-Jeff H
 

2020FordRaptor

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Buying a GT500 is extremely risky so make sure you check EVERYTHING. Here's my list:

-Check rear end for cracks or evidence of hard launches
-Go through all the gears and make sure they feel and engage good
-Check for evidence of any aftermarket and plain ask if it has/had any aftermarket products like pulley, rear diff., etc..
-Have someone lift it and check drivertrain parts
-Take it to a dealer and have them check if a tune was ever installed

Good luck!
 

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What makes them more risky than any other Mustang or pony/muscle car?
Okay very true. Buying a muscle car is very risky because you don't know if it has been abused. Buuuutttt, Shelbys are more prone to being abused.
 

RRMBrembo

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Okay very true. Buying a muscle car is very risky because you don't know if it has been abused. Buuuutttt, Shelbys are more prone to being abused.
Makes sense. I just want to mitigate as much risk as I can via a test drive and having it inspected by a reputable shop who is familiar with these. Dealership seems very willing to help get it inspected by a third party.
 

Norton

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Hi all - long time lurker. Found a 14 GT500 near Myrtle Beach in SC. I'd like to have it inspected by a shop close by who know these cars well. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance!
IMO, stuff at which to look includes...
- Aftermarket parts (e.g., supercharger, pulleys, intake, throttle body, elbow/plenum, heat exchanger, shifter, etc)
- Whether it had/has an aftermarket tune
- Rear end (i.e., gear whine)
- Transmission synchros (i.e., gear engagement)
- Clutch function
- Mileage
- Leaks
- Cleanliness of fluids
- Overall cleanliness/condition (i.e., inside, outside, and engine bay)

Aftermarket parts are not automatically bad, but they warrant a closer look, especially if a tune was/is involved.
A plane ticket would be a cheap piece of mind in comparison for 50+k purchase.
:iagree:

Okay very true. Buying a muscle car is very risky because you don't know if it has been abused. Buuuutttt, Shelbys are more prone to being abused.
I agree with your first sentence, but not necessarily your second. Shelbys are about as likely, as other comparably priced muscle/sports cars, to be garage queens as race mules.
 
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Bearbo

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If only there was a SVT expert in Myrtle Beach, SC.
 

ShelbyGT5HUN

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I find it odd it was traded. I have bought two GT500s, both from private sellers. I like meeting the owner. You can really get a feel for how the car was treated just by talking with them. You can really find some nice "garage queens" this way. Someone trading a car like this (13-14) in, especially when they are commanding top dollar these days, raises a red flag for me. Get it checked, and also do a leak down, and compression check. People usually trade their problems in.
 
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RRMBrembo

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I find it odd it was traded. I have bought two GT500s, both from private sellers. I like meeting the owner. You can really get a feel for how the car was treated just by talking with them. You can really find some nice "garage queens" this way. Someone trading a car like this (13-14) in, especially when they are commanding top dollar these days, raises a red flag for me. Get it checked, and also do a leak down, and compression check. People usually trade their problems in.
Thanks for the insight!
 

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Conway, SC

Have you pulled the carfax yet? That's a very Mustang heavy population in that area even w/o mustang week. Was it a local trade or purchased at auction?

I personally, would physically go look at the car. IDK where your located but, spending a few days out in Myrtle Beach isn't bad
 

RRMBrembo

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Have you pulled the carfax yet? That's a very Mustang heavy population in that area even w/o mustang week. Was it a local trade or purchased at auction?

I personally, would physically go look at the car. IDK where your located but, spending a few days out in Myrtle Beach isn't bad
Carfax looks pretty clean. No accidents, title issues etc. It looks like it was worked on at a local performance shop and had the plugs changed. That was a bit of an oddity. Not sure on trade or auction purchase. A poster above seemed to hint at a local trade in and that it seems odd.

Wife and I are thinking about flying down on Fri and checking it out and flying back on Sun. Would be a nice long weekend away without kiddos lol. I'm all for looking at it and know cars pretty well and what to look at but I definitely want a thorough inspection of the engine, transmission, rear diff etc and the rest of the car. Don't need to get into someone else's problem.

The comments in here definitely make me more cautious and a bit suspicious BUT they are super helpful and informative.
 

1 Alibi 2

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A trade-in raises flags for me too, with the market the way it is, he/she left $$$$ on the table.
The issue with buying from a dealer vs private seller, you loose all the documentation, & you are unable to talk to whoever traded it in.....( in most cases )
If that dealership would give your contact info to that trade in person, so they could call you,.................that would be a step in the right direction.......good luck..
.
 

1Kona_Venom

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Carfax looks pretty clean. No accidents, title issues etc. It looks like it was worked on at a local performance shop and had the plugs changed. That was a bit of an oddity. Not sure on trade or auction purchase. A poster above seemed to hint at a local trade in and that it seems odd.

Wife and I are thinking about flying down on Fri and checking it out and flying back on Sun. Would be a nice long weekend away without kiddos lol. I'm all for looking at it and know cars pretty well and what to look at but I definitely want a thorough inspection of the engine, transmission, rear diff etc and the rest of the car. Don't need to get into someone else's problem.

The comments in here definitely make me more cautious and a bit suspicious BUT they are super helpful and informative.

I've never seen a Performance shop report to Carfax? Is that actually on the carfax?
I'd be making a call and asking em if they know the history of it than. That's one approach. And what's the name of the shop?
 

RRMBrembo

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I gave the performance shop a call and they were super helpful. The guy running the shop said he remembered the call and they installed a pulley/intake/exhaust on it with a Lund tune. I'm kinda leaning towards passing on it since its a 4 owner car plus mods. Gut tells me it was beaten on.
 

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