Has anyone experienced inadequate quality issues with RTR vehicles?

[Digger047]

Just got a 25 GT Spec 3; the car looks very nice and haven't been able to run it with having to get 1500 miles on it and I live in the northeast, so it's garaged after first snow. Been trying to get in touch with Fox (who fitted the car) and RTR (who branded the car). It looks like the car had been driven in and sat out in the rain. The rotors were badly rusted necessitating for me to use a drill with a wire attachment to get the rust off the rotors. I tried a hand brush but no good. Also, a lot of caked on dirt/dust in the air dams, the supercharger lower pulley is rusted as if water sat there for an extended time and the mufflers are rusted. Not a complainer but definitely not what I was expecting from a $94000 MSRP new vehicle. If anyone has an email or telephone contact for Fox or RTR management I would appreciate that - I have been trying to reach them with no luck.

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[Sf22giants]

I can’t help with points of contact. I can empathize with your dissatisfaction after paying 94k. That’s a lot of money so I feel for you. I hope you find resolution.

The engine picture you posted actually shows the harmonic balancer, not the supercharger pulley. The SC pulley is directly next to the inlet of the supercharger. I’m sure you meant to describe the balancer but I felt it necessary to be specific. It’ll help you describe your observations more clearly once you finally get hold of a human from one of those companies.

As for all of the rust, yes, that will happen when left out in the weather. They likely let it sit in an open lot until you picked it up. Getting water onto the balancer almost always requires the car to get water through the grill/radiator fins/heat exchanger fins. That might mean they drove it in the rain or they sprayed the front with a water hose. Either way, it likely was not from rain through the heat extractor in the hood. Same with the other parts of the car you mentioned.

 

[Sf22giants]

I failed to mention that my car has been garage kept since I bought it and only gets minor surface rust on the rotor face after I wash it. There is no surface rust on anything else.

 

[LouG]

I don't know how many cars they produce, but for that money I'd expect them to be stored under cover.
My rotors don't look like that after 8000km

 

[SSuperDave]

We've got one here that has been around for 6 months and it looks the same. But the non RTR cars rust as well. In our climate, rotors will flash rust overnight.

 

[Dark Sprite]

@philitup also has an RTR Spec 3 and mentioned in his blog end of last year that he’s dealing with a warranty issue, so might be able to give you some contact details for RTR.

 

[robvas]

Looks like they drove it around in a salty parking lot

 

[philitup]

Unfortunately I have had a large amount of issues with my Spec 3, but it is currently at Fox being fixed. If you reach out to Jaron, he is very responsive and will get you in touch with the appropriate people to settle your claims. The rusting is common and my rotors are also rusted. It depends on how the dealership stored your car and how long it sat. The issues you’re describing are honestly more Mustang/ ford dealership related, not RTR. If you had body kit complaints, paint issues, etc I’d totally understand. Nevertheless, Jaron is a great guy and should be on the forum too. His email is [email protected]
Hope this helps and you can enjoy your ride

 

[JPGC_S650]

I drive my GT daily and it lives outside always and I don't have that amount of surface rust on neither the rotors or crank pulley. It is quite likely that the car sat outside, not moving or running for a bit. That is really the only way it would have built up that much surface rust. I'd be PO'd too for that msrp. With that said, the parts (rotor material, cats, crank pulley) that are rusting are going the be the same as a $40k-ish GT, especially in the Northeast where salt is used more frequently in the winter. Since that is the case, that is more of a "Ford" problem than RTR as they didn't replace/ change those parts. I'm curious how Fox/ RTR will handle it though.

 

[Cz_Ziemniak]

Just drive the car you goober

 

[erocker]

It's completely normal rust on parts that always get rust. Nothing to do with RTR or quality or anything. It's 3800 lbs. of metal out in the environment.

 

[robvas]

It's completely normal rust on parts that always get rust. Nothing to do with RTR or quality or anything. It's 3800 lbs. of metal out in the environment.

My crank pulley doesn't have rust on it and it's fifteen years old and the car has 100k on it

 

[Trella]

Just got a 25 GT Spec 3; the car looks very nice and haven't been able to run it with having to get 1500 miles on it and I live in the northeast, so it's garaged after first snow. Been trying to get in touch with Fox (who fitted the car) and RTR (who branded the car). It looks like the car had been driven in and sat out in the rain. The rotors were badly rusted necessitating for me to use a drill with a wire attachment to get the rust off the rotors. I tried a hand brush but no good. Also, a lot of caked on dirt/dust in the air dams, the supercharger lower pulley is rusted as if water sat there for an extended time and the mufflers are rusted. Not a complainer but definitely not what I was expecting from a $94000 MSRP new vehicle. If anyone has an email or telephone contact for Fox or RTR management I would appreciate that - I have been trying to reach them with no luck.

I have a '24 Spec 2 and it has a mysterious thumping sound from the undercarriage when driving on moderately rough road surfaces. Annoying. Have checked undercarriage for any loose components that could be moving around, no joy. Anyway, I didn't realize what a bath you took on the depreciation for non-manufacturer modifications. All in all, I still love it and will keep it until the loss isn't such a gut punch. As long as you're not having any major malfunctions, I would just drive and enjoy! Take care Digger047.

 

[roket]

rusted rotors is normal, but crank pulley is absolutely not. everyone kinda sucks at upfitting now too. i think RTR uses Fox Factory for their upfitting, and from my experience, it's real hit or miss. it's either well enough made, or (from my experience) has broken trim, incorrectly secured parts, non-circular holes drilled for circles, defective bed covers, connectors left unplugged, pieces missing, or just poor quality parts (Shelby F-150's steel hood comes to mind. so heavy they had to upgrade the hood struts)

 

[Digger047]

I can’t help with points of contact. I can empathize with your dissatisfaction after paying 94k. That’s a lot of money so I feel for you. I hope you find resolution.

The engine picture you posted actually shows the harmonic balancer, not the supercharger pulley. The SC pulley is directly next to the inlet of the supercharger. I’m sure you meant to describe the balancer but I felt it necessary to be specific. It’ll help you describe your observations more clearly once you finally get hold of a human from one of those companies.

As for all of the rust, yes, that will happen when left out in the weather. They likely let it sit in an open lot until you picked it up. Getting water onto the balancer almost always requires the car to get water through the grill/radiator fins/heat exchanger fins. That might mean they drove it in the rain or they sprayed the front with a water hose. Either way, it likely was not from rain through the heat extractor in the hood. Same with the other parts of the car you mentioned.

Thanks for your reply and clarifying the balancer. I am hopeful that I can find some resolution to this as I paid for a vehicle to look new, not used.

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