You mean I can do that here?


LOL

 

Just something I wrote off the top of my head, should I say more?


LOL

 

Actually I was just trying to reply to your post as briefly (I have a lot of stuff in my head), as I could and still address as much of what you wrote as I could. If you think I'm screaming I appologize if I've hurt your feelings in some way, chill out dude. With that said, GET OVER IT! Just checking...

 

Loose translation:

Uncle! Uncle! I am vanquished! I will retreat behind my borders and bother you no more!

 

Holy cow this is incredible. I can only summarize by saying to derek - you are in the wrong forum to be trying to justify your purchase - go to the Saleen forum if you don't want the negative feedback We bought our cars because we love them and thats all that matters. The guys here mostly don't own Saleens so they can't justify spending the extra $10K (yes, thats all I paid extra). There is certainly nothing wrong with their view on this. Hell I really can't justify it, but I had to have one But I don't care what any magazine says - IMO .2 seconds is NOTHING! Put those two cars out on the street with the average drivers and that .2 means nothing.

I bought my car for looks, so call it what you will - but I feal pretty good knowing that my 325 HP is enough to give me 95 of of 100 chance of beating anything that pulls up next to me at a light. Sure, those other 5 would be the rare occurances against a new or blown Vette, Twin Turbo Porsche or something REALLY tricked out.

Oh yeah - hey F1Fan - nice color choice! Are you STILL a fan after last weekends fiasco here in Indy. Did you come to the race?

 

Hi sowaxeman,

I wasn't hammering Saleen owners in particular it just bugs me when someone buys a car based on a name or slick marketing. You said you bought your S281 for its appearance and because you love it, NOT because of some market hack's B.S. about "performance." I respect your choice for that. But I have no use for those who buy into the marketing B.S. the people who need to sell them the keep their jobs have spun.

In looking at magazine reviews of the S281 and its competition I don't really see any real performance advantage compared to a stock '05 GT. There have also been some doubts expressed in published reviews as to the Saleen test car's being a production piece and not a test "ringer" and yet the S281 still comes out as not a particularly improved car in terms of objective performance. The numbers for the S281 N.A. are just not there for a performance oriented person.

Appearance and style is not my personal focus when it comes to cars. Having an art background and education (I'm a professional photographer, architecture, motorsports & products), I don't like to see crap just stuck on a clean design. With a good clean design like the '05 Mustang with its heritage design ques, less is generally more, you don't want to over do it and wind up looking disco. I find that I do like many of the details of the S281 body design and some of the personal interior touches that Saleen has added to the cars. I understand that Saleen feels that he has to differentiate his products in appearance and very importantly, in the marketplace, but IMO cleaner is generally better. I would have cut off that rear wing (heritage or not), and gone with a ducktail (IMO a better heritage choice from the '69/'70 ponys), instead for the production cars. But then I suppose you'd have the problem of making two different rear-ends like the front facias to visually I.D. the V-6's and V-8's and I think that cost was an issue for the design team vs. the visual bennies. Well obviously they didn't ask me!

Yeah, I thought that 300HP would be almost enough for me too. But I come from a long history of light cars with good power, like my 2,600lbs. 911 with a 3.0L that pumped out 275HP at the crank. Or my first Mustang back in the day (1975, a BAD year for performance), I restored '66 2+2 and built a nice screaming 302 engine that was tuned on an engine dyno and cranked out a documented 437HP at 7,200RPM and that car was 800lbs. lighter than my '05 GT. Anyway, power is good and you really can't have enough of it when you want it.

Here in SoCal there is ALWAYS a faster car in the lane next to you, trust me. What, did you think that all those bow tie guys don't read and wrench like the blue oval guys do? I was just comming back this A.M. from getting my car's oil changed (free wash and wax too), and ran into a guy with a 2002 LS-6 powered Camero SS with a cooled large Vortech blower AND a 150HP shot of squeeze (for when the guy next to you is too close and the blower alone is not enough, and no he was not kidding). The thing was tubbed with a narrowed rear end, just one of his rear tires was wider than BOTH of my rear tires combined. The Camero had a full cage and two race seats, nothing in the rear except for the usuall exibit of steel tubes, no A/C and no radio. This was a scary fast race car with a licence plate, I HAD to stop and get a look at the car when he stopped in at Starbucks. This thing has run 8's (he had a book for shows displaying his slips), on the 1320 and even HE said you need more power as there are faster cars out there on the street. Geez, I hope not.

Sure, I still love F1! Max and Bernie duking it out with the teams, I love that soap opera and I'm glad that MS is finally having to work at it and getting a taste of what it's like to have a car that sucks. I think he's learning something this season. Do you go to the NHRA US Nationals? I've only gone to Indy once to go to the US Nationals and had a great time at the races and around town. We liked that ice cream place, I can't remember the name but they had a huge line day or night when we went there to get ice cream. We also liked, back then before we had them here, the Krispy Kreme shop. Ah, yes we took our kids can you tell?

Cheers

 

F1 - you say you are a photographer? Seems to me you missed you calling - Editor In Cheif

I totally respect your opinion. I love the GT's. I test drove one in February, and went to order mine (Mineral Grey) of course in mid-March when I was told the wait was EASILY 16 weeks or more and that it might come in as a 2006! Wanting an '05, I started searching the web and found the Saleen, which I have always loved. One trip to the only dealer in Indiana, and low and behold there it was - the rest it history To me, the styling cues and power/suspension upgrades with a 3 year factory warranty were worth the extra $10K. Yeah a GT stickers around 25-28, but around here dealers were asking (and getting) a premium of $30K or better. I don't agree with that BS - and I was able to get my S281 for $5K under sticker so I can't complain about that!

Rest assured I don't drive my 325hp Saleen around town thinking that is god compared to a GT - I know better. But it does command A LOT of looks! However, when the warranty period ends I might just add a SC and become a member of the 400+ club!

The bottom line here is we ALL enjoy our 2005's because they are great cars. This has got to be the best "Next Gen" car they put out - meaning little resistance from enthusiasts like past gens. Hell I think the amount of after market parts already available helps to to prove this.

Oh yeah - the Ice Cream joint was probably Ritters if I had to guess.