Archive for category Saleen
Caveat Emptor – The 21st Century Version – SALEEN MUSTANG S 281 EXTREME
Posted by in Saleen on July 16, 2011
Ryan is a young guy with a young family-he’s a self-employed contractor who has aspirations to join his hometown fire department. He likes the economic security of a firefighting career -every financial decision he makes has to fall within practical family guidelines. Except for a 2006 Mustang Saleen S 281 Extreme…
Ryan spotted one on Autotrader.ca for an asking price of 14,500 Canadian. That’s a fraction of retail (45-55,000) for a 5000-mile car. Ryan emailed the seller for more information. It was the old divorce story (vindictive, angry, motivated ex-wife equals fire sale). Or so it seemed.
Ryan isn’t a naïve guy-he’s seen the 20-20/Dateline car scam stories on TV so he paid 30 bucks for a CARFAX report-everything she told him checked out. The car was sold in California, repossessed with a few thousand miles on the clock, sold again, moved up to Vancouver BC Canada and eventually ended up in Edmonton Alberta Canada. This was exactly what she had told him. He asked for more pictures and she emailed a giant portfolio including pictures of the car with Alberta plates and the original California dealer sticker. So far so good.
The seller then set the hook by offering a solution to the “how do I get paid?” question-she offered the “eBay Payment Protection Plan” as a solution. Basically it worked this way: Ryan would send a certified payment to a holding account with a trust company that would keep the funds until both parties were satisfied. She emailed him an invoice (eBay logo and all) detailing the terms of the protection plan: she ships the car and no money exchanges hands for 10 days until buyer is satisfied. Seller also agrees to take the car back at seller’s expense for shipping if it isn’t satisfactory. From Ryan’s point of view she was taking all the risk so, with CARFAX, Auto Trader and eBay apparently involved, he truly believed that he’d won the ‘Specialty Mustang’ lottery.
Until it didn’t show up. She had emailed Ryan to expect delivery at his house on Monday night at 8 pm. 45 minutes went by. Then an hour. Then another hour.
Ryan finally got an answer after several emails when she told him that the car was held up due to a shipping insurance issue with her bank. That’s when he threw the penalty flag and phoned her bank in Florida to crash the deal (bank transfer recall). The manager was very unwilling to help. He told Ryan that his customer told him that Ryan had indeed received the car and the believability edge had gone to his client. It took a big move up the food chain in this Florida based banking chain and a call from the Miami police to get this guy off his “protect the lowlife fraud artist” position.
Ryan also phoned eBay about the protection plan invoice. eBay told him that it didn’t exist and they contacted IC3 (internet fraud investigation). The bank account was immediately frozen. Ryan’s own city police service in Calgary Alberta told him that they see this about five times a week and it can involve anything from a car to heavy equipment and it’s always done the same way. Read the rest of this entry »
The Saleen S320E Mustang Review
Posted by in Saleen on July 16, 2011
Saleen is one of North America’s premiere specialty vehicle manufacturer. They are well known for the incredible Mustangs that they deliver to consumers. Each and every vehicle that they produce is one that many of us would love to get our hands on because of the craftsmanship, performance, and power that is put into it.
The 2008 S320E Mustang has been equipped with a 302 cubin inch engine that was specially made by Saleen and has been augmented with a patented Saleen twin screw and intercooler supercharger. With this engine the S320 can produce 620 horsepower and 600 pound-ft of torque.
“We believe that we are in the process of creating a legendary new car. It’s thrilling,” says Saleen President and CEO, Paul Wilbur. “It seemed to make sense that as we go into our 25th Anniversary as a manufacturer in North America that we make our best and most powerful car yet.”
This new model – which has also been given the name “Extreme” – has been built with a number of high quality performance parts that reveal to consumers the race engineering heritage that they are known for. The unique engine that is placed inside the car is a forged crankshaft with forged connecting rods and forged pistons that have been blueprinted individually. It is also built with 5 axis CNC aluminum cylinder heads, high performance camshafts, and high flow fuel injectors.
Each one of the parts work together simultaneously with the Saleen twin screw supercharger. It is connected to a 6 speed manual transmission and Max grip rear differential – which allows it to reach from 0 to 60 mph in less then 4 seconds.
“This place represents a kind of automotive “mecca” for me. We are making limited volume, performance vehicles for people who really love cars, by people who really love cars. I cannot think of a better place to put my 35 years of OEM engineering history to work,” says Vice Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Chris Theodore. Chris Theodore is also known as the father of the Ford GT. “Now I am helping build great Saleen cars in the same factory that I architected for the legendary Ford GT.” Read the rest of this entry »