[Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

I will note that Sam tends to hold strong opinions, but those opinions are based on experience.


Norm

Very, very true. When I was on the Stang forum, he turned me off …Whining about people asking for advice on parts and buying elsewhere. IMHO, it didn’t take much effort or knowledge to improve support hardware of the of the S197 chassis. You’re not a genius Sam.

The fact that there were such effusive praise for him and to buy parts from HIM, from “new members” always made me feel as though he was creating the new accounts and writing the reviews himself. Now, none of what I say may be true, but his over the top persona really struck a nerve with me. So take what I’m saying at face value only. I will say that I made sure I bought all of my parts elsewhere.

And back to topic, he needs to provide a bit more feedback on why he thinks the brakes are dangerous on the 1LE. This is just another example of what drove me nuts about the guy…

[JOHNSONROD]

I don’t know this Sam fella. I guess it’s possible that he had a bad experience with a car or a couple of cars and assumed they were dangerous. A week after I purchased my 2021 1LE I had a long conversation with Andy Pilgrim about it. his personal opinion was that the 1SS1LE was the best bang for the buck performance car on the planet. We didn’t specifically talk about the brakes but believe me he would’ve told me if he had a problem with them. I used to prep his review test cars and he is picky like any great driver is.

[m6-lt1]

Originally Posted by JOHNSONROD

I don’t know this Sam fella. I guess it’s possible that he had a bad experience with a car or a couple of cars and assumed they were dangerous. A week after I purchased my 2021 1LE I had a long conversation with Andy Pilgrim about it. his personal opinion was that the 1SS1LE was the best bang for the buck performance car on the planet. We didn’t specifically talk about the brakes but believe me he would’ve told me if he had a problem with them. I used to prep his review test cars and he is picky like any great driver is.

Do you know if Andy is still reviewing cars? Haven’t seen a new video with him reviewing cars for awhile? I love his videos. He gets right down to the point I am trying to see when watching car reviews.

[JOHNSONROD]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

Do you know if Andy is still reviewing cars? Haven’t seen a new video with him reviewing cars for awhile? I love his videos. He gets right down to the point I am trying to see when watching car reviews.

Hes been doing a lot with his traffic safety foundation lately. As far as i know they will be doing more reviews for the magazine. Ill see his video guy this week probably. I dont work over there any more.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Chutzpah

Very, very true. When I was on the Stang forum, he turned me off …Whining about people asking for advice on parts and buying elsewhere. IMHO, it didn’t take much effort or knowledge to improve support hardware of the of the S197 chassis.

More than you think. At least if you're going to do it right.

And no, Sam does not have an engineering outlook (let's just say I'm holding quite a bit back and leave it at that).

The fact that there were such effusive praise for him and to buy parts from HIM, from “new members” always made me feel as though he was creating the new accounts and writing the reviews himself.

That does not sound like the Sam I know, and I've known him since his 4th gen F-body days.

Now, none of what I say may be true, but his over the top persona really struck a nerve with me.

That's just Sam being Sam. I've bought parts from him when what he had available lined up with what I was specifically looking for. Went elsewhere when it didn't.

He is quite the driver, though.

And back to topic, he needs to provide a bit more feedback on why he thinks the brakes are dangerous on the 1LE.

Agreed. There was a thread a year or so ago that I/m pretty sure provided more information, but I'm not sure where it was posted. If I get bored enough I may try to dig it up.


Norm

[Bosse'sBoss]

[QUOTE=JOHNSONROD;11055547]I don’t know this Sam fella. I guess it’s possible that he had a bad experience with a car or a couple of cars and assumed they were dangerous. A week after I purchased my 2021 1LE I had a long conversation with Andy Pilgrim about it. his personal opinion was that the 1SS1LE was the best bang for the buck performance car on the planet. We didn’t specifically talk about the brakes but believe me he would’ve told me if he had a problem with them. I used to prep his review test cars and he is picky like any great driver is.[/QUOT


Andy Pilgrim is a great test driver for sport cars reviews along Randy Pobst, Chris Harris, Jason Camissa, Richard Hammond and Tanner Foust, all of them are great

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by Bosse'sBoss

Andy Pilgrim is a great test driver for sport cars reviews along Randy Pobst, Chris Harris, Jason Camissa, Richard Hammond and Tanner Foust, all of them are great

But Sam ...a Mustang part peddler ...post on Mustang forums that the 1LE is "dangerous".

Ok then

[Devstrike]

Never heard of Sam but I have heard of the others like Randy Pobst. Randy even owns a Camaro and correct me if I am wrong but Randy never stated anything about the brakes on the Camaro being dangerous.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by hotlap

But Sam ...a Mustang part peddler ...post on Mustang forums that the 1LE is "dangerous".

Ok then

Sam was a Camaro parts source (and competitor) before he started competing with the then-new S197 Mustang, which happened about 4 years after the 4th gen was canceled and the 5th gen was at best somebody's pipe dream.

But you probably had to be on CamaroZ28.com back when that was a thriving Camaro community to know that.


Norm

[hotlap]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Sam was a Camaro parts source (and competitor) before he started competing with the then-new S197 Mustang, which happened about 4 years after the 4th gen was canceled and the 5th gen was at best somebody's pipe dream.

But you probably had to be on CamaroZ28.com back when that was a thriving Camaro community to know that.


Norm

ok. Thanks.

He's a Mustang parts peddler now ...right?

He likes to post harsh critiques of the 1LE on a Mustang forum. Opinions that are contrary to other, more highly respected professionals. Its hard to take that serious.

Perhaps he should join the 1LE subsection here and share his opinions with guys that might have different experiences.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by Devstrike

Never heard of Sam but I have heard of the others like Randy Pobst. Randy even owns a Camaro and correct me if I am wrong but Randy never stated anything about the brakes on the Camaro being dangerous.

No but in the recent test where he used a used Camaro with 40,000 miles on it, I believe he mentioned some brake fade.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by hotlap

ok. Thanks.

He's a Mustang parts peddler now ...right?

You need to stop looking at Sam's business as being a one-marque shop.

He likes to post harsh critiques of the 1LE on a Mustang forum. Opinions that are contrary to other, more highly respected professionals. Its hard to take that serious.

He does have his basis in experience - he was hurt pretty badly in that incident as I recall. Methinks that'd skew anybody's opinion.

You do have to know that I don't always agreed with him either. Nor did a 4th gen F-body guy who was into making DIY suspension modifications to that generation car. But I can't ignore the fact that something went horribly wrong . . . or that we may never hear the full story or get a solid technical explanation. Maybe it was just a 1 in a billion random failure, but it's still Sam's datapoint.


Norm

[Bosse'sBoss]

Originally Posted by hotlap

But Sam ...a Mustang part peddler ...post on Mustang forums that the 1LE is "dangerous".

Ok then

Different profession, Sam Strano sells performance car parts and competes with his cars on sport events, and have won some championships in national events. The others mentioned are multi sport cars professional sport cars reviewers for well recognized sport cars magazines or auto TV shows, some of them like Randy PobstliAndy Pilgrim and Tanner Foust are also well recognized competitive sport car drivers professionals..

[Bosse'sBoss]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

Do you know if Andy is still reviewing cars? Haven’t seen a new video with him reviewing cars for awhile? I love his videos. He gets right down to the point I am trying to see when watching car reviews.

Yes I'm a fan of his test drives for automobile magazine, those were great, I miss those videos, I consider him at the same level of Randy Pobst.