Took delivery of my new '04 Lightning!
#1
12-09-2004, 11:31 AM
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Took delivery of my new '04 Lightning!
Just got my new black L last night. I love this thing! Gave up a 'Vette to go back to Ford, and I'm so happy.
Can't wait to start throwing money at it to make it faster. Looks like it will be just as easy as my previous 4 Mustangs. Look forward to learning and contributing to the forum....
Can't wait to start throwing money at it to make it faster. Looks like it will be just as easy as my previous 4 Mustangs. Look forward to learning and contributing to the forum....
#2
12-09-2004, 11:35 AM
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I passed up buying a few C-5s untill I found my L. I couldent be happier also. Nothing like a 5,000# truck ( raceweight ) running mid 12s with ease.
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12-09-2004, 12:35 PM
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12-09-2004, 05:33 PM
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#7
12-09-2004, 05:35 PM
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#8
12-09-2004, 05:58 PM
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Shadow-
My 2 cents after having owned a 'Vette - if you are like me, and 90% of the fun is in modifying your ride, stay away from the 'Vette. The parts are prohibitively expensive, they are very complex, and horrible to work on. I had mine for 2 1/2 years, and never had any passion for it, unlike my Mustangs. When headers cost a grand total of $1,500 (coated longtubes, cats, O2 sensor relocation, and reprogramming), and it takes 3 days to install them, it's no fun. And that's just one example. Lord help you if you have to dig into the suspension. A freaking gear change on a C4 is almost $1,000 - about another $300 for a C5!
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor". But for gearheads it's a terrible car unless you have more time and money than you know what to do with.
My 2 cents after having owned a 'Vette - if you are like me, and 90% of the fun is in modifying your ride, stay away from the 'Vette. The parts are prohibitively expensive, they are very complex, and horrible to work on. I had mine for 2 1/2 years, and never had any passion for it, unlike my Mustangs. When headers cost a grand total of $1,500 (coated longtubes, cats, O2 sensor relocation, and reprogramming), and it takes 3 days to install them, it's no fun. And that's just one example. Lord help you if you have to dig into the suspension. A freaking gear change on a C4 is almost $1,000 - about another $300 for a C5!
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor". But for gearheads it's a terrible car unless you have more time and money than you know what to do with.
#9
12-09-2004, 06:28 PM
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Originally posted by fullboogie
Shadow-
My 2 cents after having owned a 'Vette - if you are like me, and 90% of the fun is in modifying your ride, stay away from the 'Vette. The parts are prohibitively expensive, they are very complex, ~~snip~~~When headers cost a grand total of $1,500 (coated longtubes, cats, O2 sensor relocation, and reprogramming), and it takes 3 days to install them, it's no fun. And that's just one example. ~~snip~~
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor". But for gearheads it's a terrible car unless you have more time and money than you know what to do with.
Shadow-
My 2 cents after having owned a 'Vette - if you are like me, and 90% of the fun is in modifying your ride, stay away from the 'Vette. The parts are prohibitively expensive, they are very complex, ~~snip~~~When headers cost a grand total of $1,500 (coated longtubes, cats, O2 sensor relocation, and reprogramming), and it takes 3 days to install them, it's no fun. And that's just one example. ~~snip~~
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor". But for gearheads it's a terrible car unless you have more time and money than you know what to do with.
#10
12-09-2004, 06:28 PM
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Originally posted by ShadowBolt
Wes,
I've been thinking about trading the L for a Vet. I do on track events and cornering is my deal. If you had to pick one.........?
Jerry
Wes,
I've been thinking about trading the L for a Vet. I do on track events and cornering is my deal. If you had to pick one.........?
Jerry
Obviously they are completely different vehicles, and I think comparing them is next to impossible.
I have buddies who have purpose-built, road race Mustangs, and they've hopped behind the wheel of a C5 Vette and gone as fast or faster in it, than the Mustangs making the same power with slicks on them.
If this is your daily driver, then you have to weigh a lot of things. Vette will easily return 26-28mpg on the highway, and certainly will handle better and out-accelerate a Lightning... assuming everything is stock. But you have relatively NO trunk room to speak of and inside the cabin is much smaller than the L.
I'm sure there are some hardcore handling L's that pass C5s on a road course, but given above-average drivers in each car, that would take a lot to do. You'll go faster, cheaper and easier in a Vette than an L... at least on a road course.
Once you start modifying things (again, since you're not a drag racer, go-fast, engine mods may not be a big deal to you), the Vette aftermarket is significantly more expensive than L parts.
#11
12-09-2004, 06:30 PM
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Originally posted by fullboogie
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor".
They're great cars if all you want to do is ride and be seen. I liked the "cool factor".
Sorry, but I just want to go fast... and I do.
As far as being hard to work on... I guarantee you that its easier to do a heads/cam swap in a C5 than it is on a Lightning. I can't speak for the suspension. I haven't done a lot of suspension work to my car. I don't know how fast Jerry needs to get around the road course. I'm willing to bet a stock Z06, set with the proper alignment, and some race rubber (which would allow it to handle 1.1G easily) will suffice for 99% of the non-professionals out there. Brakes are easy maintenance.
Clutches are a PITA. Exhaust is just as expensive on the L as the Vette.
But as I stated above, most parts are definitely more expensive for Vettes.
***Now... back to topic. This guy is happy with his new Lightning!***
Last edited by WA 2 FST; 12-09-2004 at 06:37 PM.
#12
12-09-2004, 06:42 PM
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My only point about the exhaust is that just a set of headers on a 'Vette cost $1,500, installed by the owner. I've seen longtube headers for an L for less than $700. Seems like a bargain to me, but maybe I just don't know what's involved just yet.
Anyway, I look forward to learning a bunch from this crowd, and hopefully making some meaningful contributions of my own eventually.
Anyway, I look forward to learning a bunch from this crowd, and hopefully making some meaningful contributions of my own eventually.
Last edited by fullboogie; 12-09-2004 at 06:44 PM.
#13
12-09-2004, 08:33 PM
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#14
12-09-2004, 09:01 PM
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