Since that first, nasty windshield "star" happened to the long-term 2005 Ford GT in December of 2006
it's picked up a few other love marks in the front glass. That's the bad news.
The good news is Santa Monica Ford has a company that can replace the windshield without removing the entire front clip. I know of another Ford GT owner who had this performed at the same dealership and the process was performed with no complaints or issues.
So this week the Ford GT was dropped off at Santa Monica Ford at about 7:45 a.m. to have the windshield replaced and the slight buzz in the driver's door panel (coming from the loose aluminum door panel trim ring) addressed.
The windshield was already paid for last year, but I'd held off on the replacement because I knew a Denver run was coming and it seemed foolish to put in new front glass before such a trip. Fortunately for me, Santa Monica Ford was willing to let me "store" the windshield in their parts department for 15 months (thanks guys!).
I was called by the service manager a little after 3 on the same day and told the car was done (both the windshield and the door panel adjustment). The door panel adjustment was free and related to an earlier TSB for the trim ring fasteners that Santa Monica Ford performed last year. And the cost of replacing the windshield? A cool $140 (on top of the $700 I paid for the windshield last year). Sure beats the original figure of $1,500 in labor I was given when it involved removing the front clip.
I must confess that a close inspection of the area around the windshield revealed some scratches in the clearcoat that weren't there before, so the company Santa Monica Ford used probably could have (and should have) been a little more mindful of covering the surrounding areas with cloth. But the actual windshield installation looks solid, and the price was certainly right. We'll see how it holds up after the next car wash.
It should be noted that the Ford GT's time is coming to an end in the long-term fleet. This month marks three years since it was purchased, so the warranty is about to end. At 15,978 miles we've certainly put it through a solid testing regimen of daily commuting, performance testing, track duty, aftermarket mods and even a 2,400-mile road trip.
The wrap-up is coming soon, but if any Ford GT owners out there have useful information to add based on their own experience please post it here.
Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief @ 15,978 miles
sabastian says:
11:04 AM, 08/ 1/08
Karl, even though the test is over, are you still planning on keeping the car? It would be a shame to see it go for good.
Karl Brauer says:
11:17 AM, 08/ 1/08
Thanks for asking. The car is only leaving the long-term fleet. It ain't leaving my garage for the foreseeable future.
sgude says:
12:11 PM, 08/ 1/08
You lucky dog. Or you smart-investing dog. Whichever -- you've got a Ford GT in your garage.
sabastian says:
12:13 PM, 08/ 1/08
Glad to hear that it's sticking around.
desmolicious says:
01:39 PM, 08/ 1/08
So, why not keep blogging about it?
casp201 says:
02:20 PM, 08/ 1/08
I agree with desmolicious, as long as you are driving the car anyway, why not blog on it? I would like to see how the car holds up through the years. Or at least promise to keep us updated on the "karl on cars" blog.
Karl Brauer says:
04:44 PM, 08/ 1/08
Will do. The car probably won't see quite as much action. While I'm not a fan of bubble wrapping cars (unless you have two, so you can experience at least one of them regulary), I'm also not planning on seeing a six figure odometer (seven with tenths place). I'd like to see it cover between 2,000-3,000 miles a year going forward (which is still far more than most exotics ever see).
Of course, the car is awfully easy to drive, and it's been hugely dependable and even amazingly fuel efficient considering its performance, so I might pile on another 5,000-plus a year on, in spite of myself.
Either way I'll keep people updated regarding the GT's status on KoC.
saxdogg says:
05:43 PM, 08/ 2/08
I'd also not let them get away with scratching the paint, cheap labor or not...
joefrompa says:
07:07 AM, 08/ 4/08
He said they scratched the clearcoat....that's no big deal. A little polish & buff and it's good as new.
carswapper says:
03:16 PM, 08/ 5/08
I was wondering if it would end up on ebay too, but I would find myself hard pressed to sell it...even with my name being car swapper :)
jeff812 says:
03:57 PM, 08/ 5/08
Karl - I have a feeling you'll be driving the GT when ever the mood strikes you. Mine has a bit <50k on it. I have had no real issues with it. It is just as amazing vehicle. See you in Las Vegas.
PL510-Jeff
btw what is the KoC reference?
Karl Brauer says:
10:53 PM, 08/ 6/08
That's Karl on Cars -- my own blog where I'll be referencing the ongoing GT ownership experience indefinitely.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/
jdizon says:
01:29 AM, 06/ 2/09
I have a large crack that is running horizontally along my front windshield. I own a 1999 GMC savanna conversion van. It started with a rock hitting me in the window at the very edge and just started running not too long ago. Anyone have a guess as to how much it might cost to fix or replace it?
http://www.autoglassguru.com
annie40 says:
12:25 AM, 09/29/10
As stated above i got an excellent Windshield repair service from Bulls eye.
greyp says:
03:16 PM, 11/14/10
I can recommend http://www.autoglassstl.com for St Louis windshield repairs. It isn't safe to be driving around with cracked glass.