Looks like the Dodge stamping tooling may be wearing out.
My GT350 Quality Woes...
- Thread starter LUV2REV
- Start date
I did READ that... Understood there are going to be unforeseen issues that arise with a new vehicle.
That is but one concern however. The shitty paint, scratched interior panel, poorly aligned hood, overspray are a few others that should not be occurring as they are quality control issues. Get it ?
I just don't get how it's gotten so much worse since S197.
Kind of frustrating really. Overall the panel fitment and tolerances seem to be much better on the S550 although some GT350 owners have had panel creases (notably the front door to fender crease) that do not align much like the Terminator had, hit or miss it seems. The great thing is I quickly forget about everything when I get behind the wheel, such an amazing car dynamically.
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It doesnt come like that from the factory, it happens over time. Someone who works at FRAP posted a blurb about it, looks like its the extra weight of the GT350 bumper/diffuser that causes it to separate over time
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I'm just hopeful Ford is working on a fix seeing how many GT350's are affected by this. I'd be curious to know if anyone has any information on that front.
I've had to push/snap the lower diffuser back into place as the tabs have come out and my car too has the bumper gap. My guess is it's because the exhaust tips are fixed to the lower bumper and the actual exhaust pipe is inside the tip and constantly moving applying downforce on the entire bumper while driving. Ford isn't working on a fix for anything, they sell cars they don't fix them.
I'd wager if I took my car to the dealer they would look at it and not see a problem. It's solely because of the exhaust tips design and movement, at least that's my conclusion.
I'd wager if I took my car to the dealer they would look at it and not see a problem. It's solely because of the exhaust tips design and movement, at least that's my conclusion.
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The Fiesta and Mustang are built in different factories by different people with different tooling. How does your Fiesta ST compare to a Civic Si or Golf GTI? You can't compare the build quality of a GT350 to the build quality of an M4. The former is built on a $20K chassis with parts befitting a $20K car. The latter is built on a $40K chassis with commensurate parts. Not to mention the M4 belongs to a German luxury brand. A Mustang will never be built to that same standard.
I ABSOLUTELY get your heartburn, but at the end of the day, it's still rooted in a $20K Mustang. Just take it for what it is and enjoy the drive. The GT350 wasn't built to be garage art. It was built for the drive.
That is highly unlikely. If the exhaust is moving around that much, Ford must've used the worst exhaust hangers in the world. If that actually is the case, it's a super easy fix with just some new, stiffer hangers.
They designed the rear for maximum smooth airflow out the rear center. With the tips being so very tight inside the bumper it doesn't require much movement at all for it to be applying pressure in any direction. Pressure you can't visibly see. I wasn't suggesting the pipes are moving any great amounts, but enough to be adding pressure.
If this was untrue, how would the lower portion of my bumper separate from the top portion, it's just plastic. And when I pushed it back in, you could hear it snap back in place.
If this was untrue, how would the lower portion of my bumper separate from the top portion, it's just plastic. And when I pushed it back in, you could hear it snap back in place.
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Sorry, I disagree with your logic. Basically you're accepting the mediocrity because it's a Mustang ? The Mustang being built on a $20K chassis has nothing to do with the end result of the finished vehicle, it's the lack of quality control with paint, panel fitment, etc. that is the issue, not the underpinnings. Controllable quality issues should be unacceptable in any vehicle in this day and age.
The Fiesta ST would be just fine comparative to a GTI/Civic Si although both those vehicles compete at higher price points (Focus ST). My point is, if Ford can build an econobox sub-compact to a higher standard than the much higher turning Mustang they need to fix the problem that clearly exists. I could care less about different factories and different tooling as a customer.
My point was that the Mustang (GT350) is built to a price, not to a standard. You wouldn't buy a Timex and expect it to be the same build quality of a Tag Heuer, would you? That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying they can't or shouldn't do better.
You know those tips are just decoration, right? The actual exhaust outlets are much smaller and set further inward than those decorative tips. They shouldn't be touching the decorative tips at all.
I have just learned to live with this kind of stuff.
this stuff is kind of a reality with cars but will never understand why people defend defects and poor design. Its a reality but it sucks to spend 50-60k and still have to rectify issues. I look at that bumper separation and get it that errors happen but put out a TSB to rectify that issue. that is not acceptable to me I would have to fix that myself. I have have had to to that before with my rattling targa latches on my 08 z51 corvette factory dropped the ball there revised latch sucked. the one thing I did not do is tell other owners it was not a big deal I just showed them how to fix it and said GM dropped the ball because they did. I had a few other issues on my 01 mustang squeaking a piller, drooping headliner, etc. the rear passenger bumper seam on my zl1 as jacked from the factory. the passenger hood alignment on my hellcat needed addressed.
I tend to fix these issues myself as I absolutely don't trust dealerships anymore. It just sucks to have to do it. I don't have the money to buy higher end cars but all of the big three have these issues currently.
the reallity is the big three to don't have QC that catches this stuff but it suppries me they don't. all you have to do is open your eyes you don't have to full CMM the car like aston martin to catch some of this stuff.
the funny thing though is 50-60k is not huge money anymore suv's and trucks run that and these cars run in 5k volumes where cheaper cars run 100K+ volume so qc issues probably get more attention in some ways.
this stuff is kind of a reality with cars but will never understand why people defend defects and poor design. Its a reality but it sucks to spend 50-60k and still have to rectify issues. I look at that bumper separation and get it that errors happen but put out a TSB to rectify that issue. that is not acceptable to me I would have to fix that myself. I have have had to to that before with my rattling targa latches on my 08 z51 corvette factory dropped the ball there revised latch sucked. the one thing I did not do is tell other owners it was not a big deal I just showed them how to fix it and said GM dropped the ball because they did. I had a few other issues on my 01 mustang squeaking a piller, drooping headliner, etc. the rear passenger bumper seam on my zl1 as jacked from the factory. the passenger hood alignment on my hellcat needed addressed.
I tend to fix these issues myself as I absolutely don't trust dealerships anymore. It just sucks to have to do it. I don't have the money to buy higher end cars but all of the big three have these issues currently.
the reallity is the big three to don't have QC that catches this stuff but it suppries me they don't. all you have to do is open your eyes you don't have to full CMM the car like aston martin to catch some of this stuff.
the funny thing though is 50-60k is not huge money anymore suv's and trucks run that and these cars run in 5k volumes where cheaper cars run 100K+ volume so qc issues probably get more attention in some ways.
If the Timex was the same price point as the Tag, then yes I would ;-) The GT350 and M4 compete at the same price point so thats what makes these controllable's unacceptable IMO. You likely won't find the paint flaws, overspray nor the panel fitment issues on the M as BMW wouldn't allow the car out the door as such. It's these controllable deficiencies that I have an issue with. Ford needs to figure this out as it shouldn't be acceptable on any of their vehicles. The Horse is now officially beaten to death....
anyone here have an RV? you can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a coach, but unless it's a Newell or Prevost, it's going to turn into junk after 10 years.. the name brand behind the product matters, especially in the category of quality.. if this were not true, car companies wouldn't be trying to diversify their brands to make them not look like the "cheaper" ones.. the Infiniti QX56 and Nissan Armada comes to mind.. 10 years ago the only difference was a painted cowl, wheels, and an air bag cover..
I swapped my exhaust for magnaflows very early on. I still have the droop on the drivers side rear.
I also have the bumper droop significant enough that paint started coming off the leading edges. So my bumper has already been replaced once and it is drooping again and flaking more paint. Also, the grommets securing the drivers floor mat are ripping out of the carpet and the weatherstripping is coming off the passenger rear quarter window. Local dealer is being good about fixing, but I am starting to get annoyed with the lack of quality. Never had any of these kinds of problems on my GT500.
Same here.
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