[SuperSnake08]

I have an 08 that will be an SS by year end and I am considering adding the 40th package to my red 07. My concern is that I have always been hung up about driving in the rain, but will likely be more paranoid after the upgrade. I am curious what the current 40th owners are doing. If I don't drive any of the cars in the rain, I feel I will be a prisoner of my own self imposed rules. On the other hand I hate what rain and road grime does to the chassis and underside of the car, not to mention the top side. Maybe this poll will give me a sense of what you guys think. Feel free to comment as well on your personal philosophy on this. Thanks!!

[MY500SS]

I won't drive my SS or 40th in the rain. I'm lucky enough to have a work truck to use in bad weather.
But hey, that's just me.

[txcobra]

I wont drive it in the rain ever...on purpose anyway. I love driving this car though (even more now that it has become a 40th car) and am starting to drive it more. Nice weather means there's a really good chance it's coming out of the garage!!

[07REDGT500]

Not my daily driver but I do drive it. I have just over 10,000 miles now. My son and I drove all the way home to NJ after picking it up in Vegas. I try to avoid the rain but I have and still will drive in the rain if need be. It just means I will have to spend more time cleaning when I get home. I fell they need to be driven. It looks great in the garage but being out on the road is the real fun for me anyway.

[cobrafan]

Mine has been driven in the rain twice. Sometimes, you just can't avoid it, but I do not intentionally drive it when it is raining. There is to much work getting the detail done after rain. Obviously, it's not going to hurt the car unless abused and left outside unovered forever, but these cars are special, and I treat mine special, as I treat my custom 7mm hunting rifle special. I do take my hat off those that use them as daily drivers. You are the guys helping to sustain and build the brand with future generations.

[SpeedRacer]

Mine is a daily driver. If it is raining when I leave for work--I do not drive it. If it's clear and rains later--no worries, I clean it. I am 49 years old and by the time this car is worth anything, I'll be dead or close to it. So, the moral to my story is drive it while you can and keep it clean & well maintained.

[Vogon]

SpeedRacer, on Jul 8 2008, 12:59 PM, said:

Mine is a daily driver. If it is raining when I leave for work--I do not drive it. If it's clear and rains later--no worries, I clean it. I am 49 years old and by the time this car is worth anything, I'll be dead or close to it. So, the moral to my story is drive it while you can and keep it clean & well maintained.

I'm a few years older, but other than that, this applies to me as well...

[Torch40]

How many years over 49? :-)

Drive it as much as possible but never in the rain.

[Vogon]

AndyP, on Jul 8 2008, 05:37 PM, said:

How many years over 49? :-)

Drive it as much as possible but never in the rain.

A few. You know, more than a couple, but less than several. A few...

[SpeedRacer]

Vogon, on Jul 9 2008, 12:04 AM, said:

A few. You know, more than a couple, but less than several. A few...

As the old adage goes: you're only as old as you feel...

[DougD]

Grandpa died at 95 in a car accident, I want to go the same way. Since I have got 41 years to catch up to Grandpa, I will drive the car on sunny days only, it will be in beautiful condition when my kids put me on the other side of the grass.

[07CSM0260]

SuperSnake08, on Jul 7 2008, 09:27 PM, said:

I have an 08 that will be an SS by year end and I am considering adding the 40th package to my red 07. My concern is that I have always been hung up about driving in the rain, but will likely be more paranoid after the upgrade. I am curious what the current 40th owners are doing. If I don't drive any of the cars in the rain, I feel I will be a prisoner of my own self imposed rules. On the other hand I hate what rain and road grime does to the chassis and underside of the car, not to mention the top side. Maybe this poll will give me a sense of what you guys think. Feel free to comment as well on your personal philosophy on this. Thanks!!

I have posted this once before so I'll condense a little:

I was trying to get back from SAI in April for Shelbyfest in Hermann, MO. We were caught in the pass when I-70 closed do to snow. Of course nobody told us it was shut down until the tow truck was picking us up off the slow lane of traffic (along with about 20 other cars and semi's). Traction control doesn't do much in the snow! It took two tow truck rides to get to Denver where the roads were drivable for us again.

The car has been cleaned and has seen another 200 miles of track time since. It has also seen rain on the way home from Mid-America. I don't trailer the car, I enjoy it. It is a pleasure to drive, but if I'm going very far, I take my wife's Shelby GT convertable; it rides MUCH better for longer trips.

I have several vehicles but will drive my 40th whenever possible. It's just plain fun!!

Dr. Jon

[SpeedRacer]

07CSM0260, on Jul 12 2008, 05:06 PM, said:

I have posted this once before so I'll condense a little:

I was trying to get back from SAI in April for Shelbyfest in Hermann, MO. We were caught in the pass when I-70 closed do to snow. Of course nobody told us it was shut down until the tow truck was picking us up off the slow lane of traffic (along with about 20 other cars and semi's). Traction control doesn't do much in the snow! It took two tow truck rides to get to Denver where the roads were drivable for us again.

The car has been cleaned and has seen another 200 miles of track time since. It has also seen rain on the way home from Mid-America. I don't trailer the car, I enjoy it. It is a pleasure to drive, but if I'm going very far, I take my wife's Shelby GT convertable; it rides MUCH better for longer trips.

I have several vehicles but will drive my 40th whenever possible. It's just plain fun!!

Dr. Jon

Dr Jon,

Excellent! I'm in your court...

Stuart

[SuperSnake08]

SpeedRacer, on Jul 14 2008, 10:25 AM, said:

Dr Jon,

Excellent! I'm in your court...

Stuart

Checked the radar and satellite, checked the weather- went to the local car show and got dumped on with a rainstorm 10 minutes from home. So much for the 2 hour detail. I am ready to surrender ....Just can't win. When I got to the show there was a nicely done Ford GT. The guy owns 2 and they both are driven freely in the rain. He said "They wash well", implying that they are only cars and he enjoys them. I really wish I could adopt this belief.... but so far I am too much of a fanatic to do so.

[b17drvr]

SpeedRacer, on Jul 8 2008, 01:59 PM, said:

Mine is a daily driver. If it is raining when I leave for work--I do not drive it. If it's clear and rains later--no worries, I clean it. I am 49 years old and by the time this car is worth anything, I'll be dead or close to it. So, the moral to my story is drive it while you can and keep it clean & well maintained.

I'm 49 too, and I have the same thoughts. I drive it like I stole it!

[07CSM0260]

SuperSnake08, on Jul 7 2008, 08:27 PM, said:

I have an 08 that will be an SS by year end and I am considering adding the 40th package to my red 07. My concern is that I have always been hung up about driving in the rain, but will likely be more paranoid after the upgrade. I am curious what the current 40th owners are doing. If I don't drive any of the cars in the rain, I feel I will be a prisoner of my own self imposed rules. On the other hand I hate what rain and road grime does to the chassis and underside of the car, not to mention the top side. Maybe this poll will give me a sense of what you guys think. Feel free to comment as well on your personal philosophy on this. Thanks!!

So, I'm curious SuperSnake08, what you decided on the second car? Is it worth the 40th upgrade? If you are converting it, will you drive it less? Have you been driving the stock GT500 in the rain? Not much going on in the 40th pages so I read back a little and thought I would see what you learned from the pole.

Dr. Jon

[tlitz]

07CSM0260, on Nov 2 2008, 10:53 AM, said:

So, I'm curious SuperSnake08, what you decided on the second car? Is it worth the 40th upgrade? If you are converting it, will you drive it less? Have you been driving the stock GT500 in the rain? Not much going on in the 40th pages so I read back a little and thought I would see what you learned from the pole.

Dr. Jon

My 40th is not a daily driver, and has never seen the rain.
I do drive her and have 3000 miles.
I bought her Nov. 7th 2006.
Todd

[ken07gt500]

MY500SS, on Jul 7 2008, 10:38 PM, said:

I won't drive my SS or 40th in the rain. I'm lucky enough to have a work truck to use in bad weather.
But hey, that's just me.

SAME HERE, I WILL PULL IT OUT TO PLAY WITH IT AND TRAILER IT TO TRACK EVENTS, BUT DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN, NOT IF I CAN HELP IT, I DID GET STUCK IN A 5 MIN DOWN POUR IN VEGAS, OCT OF 06 AFTER TALKING WITH GARY PATTERSON ABOUT DOING SOME MODS AND CHASING DOWN A FERARII

[SpeedRacer]

b17drvr, on Jul 21 2008, 10:40 PM, said:

I'm 49 too, and I have the same thoughts. I drive it like I stole it!

And you own the fastest color as well....

[07CSM0260]

SpeedRacer, on Nov 3 2008, 08:42 AM, said:

And you own the fastest color as well....

I'll second that!

Does anyone know how many red 40th are out there?

Dr. Jon