MY 19 GT350 vs any GT350R?

[svttim]

The OEM radiator is the same for the 350 and 350R - it's a slight upgrade from the Ecoboost/GT, though.



This is just so not true it's not even a debate. Give me $2K for tires and I'll do it. Give me $5K and I'll make it 5 seconds a lap faster at COTA.

Tires are expendable and can be easily put on both cars. 5K and you have in your 350 what I have into my R. And if you are stripping it, it is no longer a street car. Too bad we are not closer. Would love to put it to the test. But you have more then 5K in your car. I respect you boss but we will not agree based on bench racing

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[honeybadger]

Tires are expendable and can be easily put on both cars. 5K and you have in your 350 what I have into my R. And if you are stripping it, it is no longer a street car. Too bad we are not closer. Would love to put it to the test. But you have more then 5K in your car. I respect you boss but we will not agree based on bench racing

That's my point, though. Put equal tires on and the differences are so small that it's easy to make up the difference--if we're talking about pure lap time.

Just come on down to Texas for an event or two at COTA and you'll see. Each event typically has 10-12 350s of various builds and the non-Rs with aero and tire upgrades are regularly the fastest ones (over the stock Rs)--they can brake harder, carry more speed through the esses and carousel, etc. It's just not that hard to make them faster if you're willing to compromise a few things.

I don't disagree with you about the feel of an R or any of that. Just disagree with a claim that you can't do it for the price differential between the two. Just not the case. I've done it (far past it now, obviously), my buddies have done it both here and in the PNW, and I've seen it when I traveled to other tracks.

 

[GT30fan]

With the same motor, same trans, and the 2019 up re-done grille and rear swing (and Gurney flap that you can just add to any of them), that's why I say with the right track tire and forged wheel, the base is within a spitting distance . HOWEVER...if Tim here got a R for 5K more, I would of too in a heartbeat. What I saw in my shopping (late Nov, early Dec 2019) was the few R's out there were well past 5K more. So while I still feel my huge trunk that lays flat is so helpful, and I prefer the base's ride height, etc just to join the cool kids club and receive the collectors merit badge, I would of went R. I think the R looks cooler too, even if subtly so. And the majority of the cool die cast toys are all of an R version

But I must of missed those 5k more R's in my searches because I was looking at certain colors, and wanted the climate seats after watching Jay Leno's video on his GT350. But I woulda dealt with the Recardos and gone R if I found one within 5k of what I paid. I think at that time anyways the R's just weren't being discounted as much as the base

 

[drummerboy]

But I must of missed those 5k more R's in my searches

I recall playing around speccing out an R vs non-R on the Ford shop site and the MSRP vs MSRP difference was ~5k or very close, but I could be wrong or could have specced them differently. I remember thinking at the time that wow, the cost for the R upgrades is a steal for the wheels alone.

EDIT: Just visited the Ford shop and I can say that a couple years ago the price difference between the two was absolutely not the $12k (66 vs 78) it is today. Seems to me it was more like 63/69.

EDIT EDIT: Most of the paint colors seem pretty accurate, but back when they released velocity blue it didn't look anything like the images in the shop. They've updated what it looks like, and it's still hilariously wrong. Looks like grabber blue now.

 

[Tomster]

The 920A package (R model) is $12,995 on top of the base GT350.

 

[drummerboy]

Hmm... How much was it in 2018/2019? I'm thinking my recollection of the price difference is off.

 

[Rev Happy]

Hmm... How much was it in 2018/2019? I'm thinking my recollection of the price difference is off.

The 2020 R model had a 5K price increase.

$7,500 on the previous years was really a steal...if you could get them around MSRP. The wing alone from Ford is what, 11K?

 

[honeybadger]

Before the increase, it cost $7,500 if you could pay MSRP.

 

[GT30fan]

There is the issue. If you could pay msrp. I also wanted the car asap as my thoughts were at that time I'd better hurry, theses 2019 blowouts deals won't last. In reality they even got a little better but I'm happy with my deal

 

[Tomster]

Yep, my 2017 and 2018 Rs both were $7500 for 920A. I just looked at the stickers.

 

[drummerboy]

Yeah, that really was a sweet deal, a no-brainer.

 

[Seven]

Late comment but I find whomever made the comment "i thought OP was talking stock vs stock" when I talked about swapping springs, dsc controller, and having a cammed SS 1LE previously...

I am incapable of owning a stock car lol

 

[svttim]

With the same motor, same trans, and the 2019 up re-done grille and rear swing (and Gurney flap that you can just add to any of them), that's why I say with the right track tire and forged wheel, the base is within a spitting distance . HOWEVER...if Tim here got a R for 5K more, I would of too in a heartbeat. What I saw in my shopping (late Nov, early Dec 2019) was the few R's out there were well past 5K more. So while I still feel my huge trunk that lays flat is so helpful, and I prefer the base's ride height, etc just to join the cool kids club and receive the collectors merit badge, I would of went R. I think the R looks cooler too, even if subtly so. And the majority of the cool die cast toys are all of an R version

But I must of missed those 5k more R's in my searches because I was looking at certain colors, and wanted the climate seats after watching Jay Leno's video on his GT350. But I woulda dealt with the Recardos and gone R if I found one within 5k of what I paid. I think at that time anyways the R's just weren't being discounted as much as the base

Having a good relationship with a dealer means a lot. When you go to buy a truck and you go to another town to save 500 dollars, you never create that relationship. Dealer has no incentive to help. I have bought from other dealers but, my dealer always gets a chance. And, I wont beat them for a couple dollars. And when you say you have to have it now, well, you are gonna pay. So, I did not pay MSRP for my R, well under. If I was looking at a serious track car, I would probably steer clear of a 350. Unless it was a steal. Love what HB has done with his but certainly not the easy way. Probably should have never sold my 500C

 

[460Fred]

When I first started looking at GT350’s, the R’s were very reasonable for what you got in upgrades. If I could have lived with the Recaros, I’d own an R right now.
The original plan was to sell the CF wheels and buy Signature Wheels. The difference would have saved me quite a bit as I remember.

 

[GT30fan]

I still don't believe a 2019 and up GT350 can't be any less 'serious' a track car than the R. Not by any significant margin. We have the miniscule lap and track time differences from creditable sources (including Ford Performance!) that literally show this, so to say otherwise...even in stock form, the 19 and up numbers show how close they are, and back to beating the dead horse on the forged rims, 'real' cup 2 or other track tire that would improve the base even further, I think that leaves driver skills as the #1 factor remaining

I'd think if someone is looking at a 'serious' track car and not a just a street car with some great features for the track, you'd get a GT4 or a FP350S.

I'm guessing like many hobbies most of us are amateurs but from what I can see a pro driver is going to make either one do it's magic, or a Camaro, a 911, etc etc . I think we all want to spend more and have the best of the best, but in this case, while I will not deny R is King, not by enough unless your looking back at older models. I am not saying it's a sticker and a woodgrain dash like a XLT vs, King Ranch, but what I am saying is they are both outstanding cars

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