help me decide cobra or GT
 

Hey guys, I was looking at getting a newer cobra or a brand new GT. Now if money was no option i'd get the new 03 Cobra, but i'm gonna be strapped for cash if i get that. So i was wondering, if you guys had your choice of car, what would u get? I know there is a HP difference and the IRS and all, but I like the looks of the GT and the price is much nicer. I dont know a whole lot about the powerband on the new GTs, i know the cobra will rev to about 7000 rpms with the 32 valves and all, whats the GTs capability? And i was curious too if supercharging the GT would be a feasable alternative to the cobra, i havent looked at many kits for them so i dont know what kind of power they can put out, so if any of you can help a brotha out i'd appreciate it.
thanks in advance guys

well i'm pretty new to the mod engine myself, i bought a gt, but wanted an svt snake, out of my range,im pretty happy with the gt, just started on small mod's - k&n, flow's, i got a lot of work ahead of me, but it takes time & MONEY,, good luck, im just learning myself, went from a 69 grande, to an 00 gt, whole different world, for an old school guy like me.:D

Go cobra, I drove new GT's and LS1's before I bought the cobra. The LS1 was as fast but the cobra was nicer. The cobra is quite abit faster than the GT on the average and nicer.

I may be biased though.

You will get a good car either way. I got my cobra for about the same price as a tricked out new GT.

Check with your insurance company first...

The premium may be a BIG deciding factor..it was for me.

My insurance only went up $10.00 going from a 00' GMC truck to a 01'Cobra.

I looked into getting a 93 Cobra to replace my 90 LX and it would have cost me ~20 dollars more a month....

Not that bad considering I am 19 and I only pay ~600 a year now :). (Don't ask me how...and no my record isn't perfect..or even close...)

Thanks,
DoranW

Oh...and get the Cobra...

My friend has a 98 GT and I know he wishes he would have gotten a 95 Cobra with cash left over. Of course, the new GTs are much more badass...

Thanks,
DoranW

96-98 GT vs a 95'cobra :D I wont go there............

Good idea.... :cool:

He he he...What?!

I still say go with a Cobra though... What year GT vs what year Cobra were you thinking?

Thanks,
DoranW

I was just saying there is a massive performance gap between the two cars. and I didnt want to insult the iron fist:eek:

Oh God, I'm gonna get some mileage from this avatar... :D

Yeah I am looking at the 99+ GT and a 99+ Cobra if i didnt specify earlier. I like the power of the cobra and the ride, but the looks of the GT and the PRICE is goin to be a deciding factor, I mean I love the cobra it just might not be in my future right at the moment, I just want some opinions on the GT, maybe someone that has a blower on theirs, thanks guys, this is the most replies i've had on post hehe

A supercharger is probably the best mod for 99+ GT's for the hp increase for the money (as opposed to bolt-ons). On an otherwise bone stock motor most base level (mild boost) kits make about 400hp at the crank for a centrifugal supercharger and about 360hp at the crank for a roots blower. The power keeps going up from there with ntercooling and more boost.
Basically, I was looking at the same decision of whether to get a '99 Cobra or a '00 GT. There was over $100 difference per month in insurance for me, so that sort of decided it for me. Once I get the rest of the suspension and a blower I will have $32-34K total into my GT. I guarantee it will be much faster and handle better than a stock Cobra for the same money. Of course now that you can sometimes find good deals on used '99+ Cobras there may not be as much of a difference in total investment between fixing up a GT and buying a Cobra.

I forgot to mention that the $32-34K total investment I stated was with me installing everything myself and with the help of a few skilled friends. So if you were to have everything I bought and am going to buy installed at a shop you would be looking at at least $5K more.

Buy the new gt with the amount of money you save you can add your own power adders and handleing package and blow the cobra away and still have money to spare not to mention your insurance will probably be lower and your car will be unique to you the way you built it not a everyone who could afford one car has the same thing plus repair parts are crazy expensive for the cobra and i`m pretty sure i read in a magazine article the gt block is stroger than the cobras:D

A new GT top of the line cost what about $25,000.00....I didnt pay much more than that for my cobra with 7,000 miles on it.

Like I said either way I am sure he will be happy.

For around $34K you can buy an '03 Cobra which is already done and comes with warranty.

You can get an '03 Cobra at or near MSRP if you do a little leg work.

I had a 96 cobra, and now I have a 01 GT. I can tell you I miss my cobra like crazy.

The new GT's are GREAT. Much improvments over the previous. But motor to motor the GT will NEVER be as fast as the cobra. With just about every bolt on, I'm still not as fast as most stock LS1's. I run 13.7 @ 101, it's heavy cause of the vert. I know for a fact that with the same bolt ons I'd be running 12's in the cobra.

If you KNOW without a doubt you will get a supercharger, I'd say save the money and get the GT. That's why I didn't get another cobra, but this led to that...... and I never got a supercharger..... and now I'm stuck with a slow car:mad: I wish I just kept my 96 cobra most of the time.

The cobra is more elite, but the GT's are great cars too.

I wanted a Cobra the year I bought my GT (it's a 2000, they didn't make Corba's that year), however I am very happy I had to "settle" for a GT. Out the door I paid $22.5k for a loaded car and I've put less than $5k into with a Vortech blower and the million parts it came with (K&N air filter, upgraded injectors, fuel pump, computer chip, etc, etc). The Vortech cost me $3800, including installation. I spent another $900 for a complete new exhaust system (manifold back, 2.5" X-pipes and MagnaFlow mufflers). I easily beat stock and not so stock pre-'03 Cobras, haven't come across any '03's but the latest Road and Track tested it and it's quarter mile time is about what I do (13.3 @ 108mph, I just ran 13.2 @ 107, and I hate to admit I suck as a driver). I am still running a 3.27 gear in the rear, soon to be upgraded to 3.73's ('03 Cobra's have 3.55's) and I am in dire need of a dyno-tune as I had the exhaust work done after the supercharger and associated computer tuning. So for about $27k I'm at about the performance level of the new $35k Cobra's. I do love those new Cobra's, but man $35k for a Mustang? I know it's a beast, and a beautiful one at that, but you can create your own beast, and not break the bank!

Something else to consider. If you are not a strong hands-on guy with your car (if it's not fluids and plugs, I don't touch it), and you plan on having any heavy duty mods done, be it on a Cobra or GT, I'd be sure to find a good speed shop able to do your work. One that is very Ford experienced.

Good luck! No matter which way you go you'll end up with a great car which is a blast to drive!

I also saw the R&T article on the '03 Cobra, which is the slowest I've seen. Most magazine tests show high 12s. MM&FF got theirs to run 12.6 @110+.

The '03 Cobra matches, and in some tests exceeds, the performance of the C5 Vette in the areas of acceleration, handling, and braking.

And the fact is, there's a lot of power hidden in the '03 Cobra. Many '03 Cobra owners are getting their Cobras to trap around 117-118 mph with 3 basic bolt-ons: Chip, Lightning blower pulley, and exhaust. Those items help rectify Ford's detuning to keep the power under 400 hp.

The Cobra comes with an iron block, Manley rods, forged pistons, a 6 speed, 13" brakes, and an IRS. These items, with the blower, start to offset the price difference.

Basically all I'm saying is that after considering the awesome overall performance (not just 1/4 mi) the Cobra offers, it's still a bargain at $34K. And you get factory engineering and warranty to back it.

If it sounds like I've been converted, well, I ordered an '03 Cobra convertible that should come in late this year.

My LX 5.0 may be for sale soon.

Re: help me decide cobra or GT
 

hi ex lt1 guy,
i just recieved my factory ordered '02 gt on july 1, 2002. i could have afforded to get the '03 cobra but opted instead for the '02 gt for one main reason.

my gt coupe with the mach 1000 was out the door (everything including tax, tags, etc) total was $24,228.94 (and remember, $1,300 of that was for the mach 1000). at the time when i ordered my gt, the _cheapest_ difference in that and an '03 cobra was around $14k.

the only real difference TO ME in the gt & the cobra is 130 hp (rear irs and cobra badging just isnt important to someone whos main attraction to a car is how fast it will move 1320 feet). no matter how hard i tried, i just could not justify $14k more dollars for 130 hp. 130 hp just shouldnt cost $14k on an engine that is running well under its maximum capabilities anyway.

although im not an expert on the 4.6, im convinced that with the basic common bolt-ons and an ati intercooled procharger system i should be able to find 500 hp....and for a lot less than the $14k difference in the cost of the two cars.

time will tell and ill surely make updates as my modding begins. best of luck, let us know which way you ultimately go.

Cobra, better powerplant to start out with since a warranty is not a consideration.

Good luck with either though. :D

Yeah see i am also eligible for the X-plan discount through my work, which is a good deal, but it doesnt apply to the cobra or svt vehicles, so if i go GT i would get the better deal, i think its 4% more over the employee price for vehicles. I agree that the 4.6L probably has some potential, in both 2V and 4V form, but i also cannot see paying 14K more for IRS and a 390 hp. the gt with 260hp in stock form with an aftermarket supercharger and light head work and cams would be well over what the cobra is putting out, and for alot less than 14 grand, talk about a sleeper ha. Well guys I appreciate all the info, The cobra is a nice vehicle but it may not be for me at the moment, the GT is more in my range, plus they are a nice looking vehicle. Thanks for all the help, keep this post going it might help someone else out in the future

so what color/options are you getting? post pics when you have it.

I was thinking a premium level GT coupe, leather, bullit wheels, 5 speed, probably black or the true blue color, i've seen a few of each and its gonna be hard to decide:D I saw a black one with tinted windows and it looked sweet. I've had 3 camaros and the new mustangs are one of the best looking cars in my opinion, almost as cool as my 69 camaro i had a few years ago. They may not be as fast stock for stock as the new camaros, but they have the potential for aftermarket bolt ons like the 5.0L down the road. All my friends are F-Body guys, and i was the black sheep when i decided to buy my 87 5.0 Lx , half of them would talk trash, til I beat their 25,000 cars with a $2,500 LX :D It sure knocked them off their GM pedistal ha, it felt great, I like a car if i like it, it doesnt matter what company makes it, i love the mustang now and I always will, it would be sweet to see my new GT next to my brother's 67 coupe, it would be quite a sight to see.

NO SLO PK - Try getting an '03 Cobra for MSRP around here. They are $42K and not negotiable at my local SVT dealerships. Also, my car is 700lb lighter, already handles better than a new Cobra, and should be quicker than one with what I'm planning to install. So for me it's not the same price as an '03 to build my GT the way I want it; it's about $10K less. I won't even go into the fact that I would have to get financing for quite a bit of the cost of an '03 Cobra.

Actually, you can get an '03 Cobra at MSRP...two of my friends have, and I am also. Like I said, it does require legwork. I'm sorry to hear the dealers in your area are soaking their customers...if you or anyone else wants a Cobra at MSRP (or very close to), then send me a PM and I'd be happy to tell you where and make the referral...

I see similar arguments on the Lightning board: Why should you buy a new Lightning when you can throw a blower on a stock F-150 and save money. The argument for building up a GT vs. buying a new Cobra is really similar, and can go on forever. Basicly, I think it comes down to personal preference as to where and how you want to spend your money.

I'm glad you're satisfied with your GT. It sounds like a nice ride. What did you do to get it to weigh only 2900 lbs.?

Russ

That's encouraging news, NO SLO PK - that's the first I've heard of SVT's in Cali with no markup. My car actually weighs closer to 30XXlbs; I had read somewhere that the '03 Cobra weighs like 3800. As far as how I lost the weight, it was mostly the tubular K-member, control arms, coil-overs (-80lbs for those things), hollow aluminum sway bar (-8 lbs), and pulling out the back seat and spare tire, jack, etc. when I race. All that weight off the nose really helps the car turn in and is better weight-transfer for launching too (I need all the help I can get in the launch area with my stiff suspension). Next up maybe a glass hood to take some more off the nose...

The new GT weighs about 3200lbs. The new Cobra 3650. Sale price means nothing. The new Cobra will hold resale far better than a modded GT, and anybody who disagrees with that is misinformed.

The X plan isn't that great of a deal. It eliminates many dealer rebates and such. Since there are a few 02 GT's on the lots available with significantly reduced pricing and rebates, you're better off going with an 02 on your own and no rebates.

390hp? LOL. Sure. 390RWHP more like it. While you can certainly make the GT perform on a "purely horsepower" standpoint like the new Cobra, there are many aspects you'll be unable to mimick. Like reliability. With a couple VERY inexpensive modifications, the Cobra will put down in excess of 400RWHP. To get that from a GT (500crank hp), you are going to need more than a supercharger if you want it to last. You'll be talking thousands in internal modifications. The Cobra also comes with a much stronger 6spd, better rear gears (3.55) better appearance (IMHO), and IRS. I don't know why people think the IRS suspensions can't get some springs for a couple hundred dollars. Take your solid axle GT and an IRS Cobra out onto most roads and see how the solid axle does. LOL. Handles better. Yeesh. On a racetrack maybe.

Personally, I'd take a Mach 1 over either. At $28,500 MSRP it makes WAY more power than the GT, looks better than a GT, and it won't lose any resale, period. If people think the Bullitt is good at holding resale they're nuts. The Mach 1 is going to be incredible.

I also looked into insurance on both cars, I know my age and the newness of the cars doesnt help, I'm 23 with no previous accidents. The 03 cobra is 249 a month, while the new GT is 160. There is a big difference there, that would also make the GT look that much better, the fact that insuring it is a ton cheaper that the cobra, btw thats with a 500 deductable, a 1000 deductable was 225 for the cobra, and 145 for the GT, according to state farm. I agree that stock for stock the cobra has the power advantage, but whos to say that u cant put money into a Gt, like heads intake supercharger and such later on? As long as your happy with the looks of the car, u can always make it faster. Resale value doesnt mean much to me if i plan on keeping it for a while.

You can always find some cobra heads and intake and install them later on, thats the best part of the mod motor, so if u meet your limits with the 2v, just take the step up. Im sure there are plenty of guys happy with the performance of the 2v setup

Will the insurance company still cover you if you add a blower to the GT?

From what I've read, most insurance companies seriously frown on modifications. You might ask about their policy before the blower finds its way underhood.

I actually brought my insurance agent to the parking lot to show him my engine and explain what I've done to it (he was a car guy too).

Awkward yes, but I'd rather he said something then instead of finding out I violated my policy and didn't have coverage after it was too late.

you've pretty much alreay proven how much you will save by getting the GT. With all the money you save on inital price, then monthly on INS you can put that into the GT and blow the doors off most Cobras.... You really want to spend all that extra money just to have the silver snake on your car?? You can buy the IRS, you can buy a supercharger, and everything else, and have them put on cheaper than that car costs from the factory... you still have room to play with tons of bolt ons... Saleen and Steeda all use the 16V 4.6 in their cars, and they run very fast as is.

I would say get the GT

Unit - I didn't say that with aftermarket springs and a few other things a Cobra couldn't be made to handle awesome, I just said that mine handles better than a STOCK Cobra. After all, that is the discussion here - modded GT vs. stock Cobra. I guess your comment also means that you think a stock Cobra will outhandle a Griggs GR40 car on the street because it has a solid axle??? Have you ever ridden in a GT with all the best handling mods?

i gotta agree with you there. i never took to them and infact i prefered the 98 model bodystyle.....until i saw them with the added hood scoop. the simple scoop made all the difference in the world. i was getting ready to buy an '02 ss/ta when i saw the mustang with the scoop and i knew right then that i had to have one.

maybe im just easily impressed? :-)

good luck on trying to decide what color to go with. i changed my mind so many times and even now i still wonder if i should have gone with mineral grey or black instead. i still think my car is the sexiest thing on wheels (er, if you dont count jenny mccarthy on roller blades) but it would be nice if i didnt have to decide on just one color. :-)

if you beat your buddy's ls1's with a 5.0 lx, your 5.0 must be built up pretty good. those ls1's are pretty awesome off the showroom floor. its going to be a fun challenge to teach my pony how to eat them. :-)

??? i have to disagree with that statement. there is absolutely _no_ reason why you cant build comparable power/reliability with a 2 valve 4.6. if you can list specific reasons why this cant be done i for one would be most interested in hearing them.

which further validates my statement in the message directly above this one. there is absolutely no reason why you cant build a 2 valve 4.6 to run just as strong and reliable as the cobra 4.6.

Not to piss off any SVT owners here, the '03 Cobra is anything but reliable.... I have heard a lot of complaints about service, power, ride, and reliability.... There are several guys on this one board that have already posted long articles about this issue.

---I am not implying that Cobra's are the only ones with problems, GT's have had their share too... we all remember the first gen plastic intake dilema...... but I have seen site after site that have SOHC perf eninges..... as I mentioned earlier Saleen, Rousch, Steeda all use the SOHC and they are very fast.! and reliable (for the most part)

Hey streetpony, I agree with your statement about the 99+ mustangs, i didnt like them til they put the side and hood scoops on it, they look so mean when u see them in the rearview mirror or passing you in the opposite direction, I asked the insurance company about adding a supercharger to the GT, they called the main office and said if my record stays clean then the rates will stay the same, which was a relief to me :D

The 2v 4.6L must have potential because as said earlier Saleen and Steeda, PLUS Sean Hyland uses them too, they may have fewer valves but they have a powerband that is a little lower so they dont have to be revved to 7000 rpms to hit peak HP

I love the cobra dont get me wrong, but why spend all that money when u get a good looking car with cheaper payments and insurance? With the money i save a month i could make a fast GT and still be able to have money left over to drink;)