Want to Be an Authorized Ford GT Service Center? You'll Need to Pay Up

by Steph Willems

July 13th, 2016 4:48 PM

want to be an authorized ford gt service center you ll need to pay up

The 500 Ford GT supercars that will reach customers in 2017 and 2018 sold for more than $400,000, but the privilege of working on them comes at a premium, too.

Any dealer looking to become an authorized Ford GT service center will need to spend at least $30,000 to upgrade their operations, according to a document obtained by All Ford Mustangs.

The dealer document spells out the equipment needed and modifications required for to become certified, and it’s a long list. The repair process is also interesting — there’s a chance that specialists might have to be flown in from Canada, and you’ll need to find parking for a dedicated trailer.

For starters, the GT will require its own clean room, which can either be purpose-built or made by converting existing space. Moving or lifting the vehicle requires specialized dollies, jacks and mounts, so better have ’em handy. Oh, and the shop needs to visually document the vehicle before and after the work, so have a digital camera and dedicated computer nearby.

Only Ford GT certified technicians are allowed into the work area when the vehicle is present, and only Master Ford techs will be allowed to seek technical training at GT manufacturer Multimatic’s plant in Markham, Ontario. Any work, be it an oil change or repair, needs to be arranged through the Ford GT Concierge service.

A specially made enclosed car trailer needs to be on hand to transport the 600-plus horsepower, carbon fiber beast to and from customers’ places of work and rest. Ford recommends the JIMGLO Elite trailer — clearly, the Ford GT of trailers. Each authorized service center is required to have a staff member on call 24/7 to pick up a GT in the trailer if required.

If the work is complicated, or if the technicians need assistance, a “fly-in doctor” will be sent from Multimatic to help. It’s possibly that some work might have to be performed at Multimatic, meaning the vehicle will be shipped to Canada.

There’s headaches in store for any dealer wanting to become an authorized repair shop, but the reward for their troubles is lots and lots of status.

[Image: Ford Motor Company]

#2017FordGt #DealerNews #Ford #FordGT #Servicing

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5 of 23 comments

MBella on Jul 14, 2016

Dealers aren't going to be willing to pay this. There's too much investment for maybe one car that you get to sell.

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- Heavy handle on Jul 14, 2016
  
  Unless the buyer is the owner's son, of course. Honestly, $30,000 isn't that much, especially if it includes a trailer that they can use for other car-hauling duties. They get most of their $30k back in free publicity and prestige ("the only authorized Ford GT dealer in the tri-state area!"). Nissan dealers paid a lot more to become GTR-authorized service centers.
  
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- MBella on Jul 14, 2016
  
  @heavy handle Don't forget the dedicated shop space, on call driver, etc... You are correct about dealers who purchase these for themselves as the only dealers that will want to invest. Most dealers will look at the dedicated shop space as something that could be better utilized to service more F-150s. Unless they get a huge bonus from Ford for doing it. Then all bets are off.
  
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- PrincipalDan on Jul 14, 2016
  
  @MBella I was just thinking of Gurley Ford in Gallup NM. Exactly one Ford GT was sold of the 1st generation and it was sold to a Gurley family member. Gonna invest $30,000 for the privilege of holding on to another one? Wouldn't surprise me.
  
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05lgt on Jul 14, 2016

If all this keeps too many YouTube videos of the owners son hooning a customers GT from surfacing, Ford wins. The kind of lawyer who can afford one of these isn't who you want to have find out your car washer / transporter was doing donuts in the mall parking lot.

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