Need your opinion please
 

Do you guys think I should trade in my 03 GT Convertible with 3,000 miles for a 2000 Cobra Convertible with 30,000 miles? If i do this trade in, I will actually have to pay a little less per month for the cobra, and im getting a 390 horsepower car vs. a 260 horsepower car. Well... what do you guys think i should do?

Must be nice to be turning 16 and wondering if you should have a 2003 mustang gt or a 200o mustang cobra. I worked my *** off when i was 15 to save up and buy a fallin apart 88 camaro iroz with rust for 3 grand and now i'm 20 and still cant get what your waiting for, must be nice man.

The 2000 cobra only has 320hp,but it weighs like 200 pounds more then a gt,about the same as the convertable though.I personally would go for the cobra though,i've heard they can go very fast with less mods.

Let Mommy and Daddy buy you the cobra. Then they can pay the higher insurance and go to your funeral alot sooner! Sorry 16 year olds get killed to often in high power cars for my opinion!

i so hear that, i had to work my *** off since i was 16 for the car i have now, and its nothing even special (well its special to me). even if i could afford the monthly payments on a new car, i could never afford the full coverage they make you get. rhode islands insurance rates are insane, even on my fathers policy (still). well, someday i will own my new car ;)

hehe, thanks for bringing a smile to my face so early in the morning :p but the worst part is when they kill someone else like a passenger. driving a high powered sports car capable of going over 120mph in the blink of an eye takes a little driving practice and overall comfort on the road. maybe some people are naturally born drivers though? (like me :p :D ;))

LOL... I wont wreck it, i'm going to drive it slowly. But if I ever get an open road, I may test it out ;)


Also, what are the mods that the 2000 cobra comes with to make it 320 horsepower, because doesn't it have the same v-8 the 03 gt has? Also why would a 2000 Cobra Convertible weigh a little more then a 2003 Gt convertible?

Also, the monthly payment for our GT conv. right now is like 400 a month, and I work and pay 200 a month and my parents pay the rest. If we got this cobra it would prob go down to like 300 something.

Hey you guys are wrong the 2000 cobra does have 390 horsepower...

The all-new 2000 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra R, wearing its production Performance Red paint, was displayed for the first time at the Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) annual convention. Built with the race track in mind, the Cobra R features a 5.4L 32-valve V8 engine, solidifying the modular family of engines as the high-performance benchmark in Ford's lineup. The Cobra R V8 produces an estimated 385 horsepower and 385 foot pounds of torque. In order to keep this power on the ground, the Cobra R features exterior enhancements including a front air-splitter and tall rear deck spoiler, which create downforce for increased stability at track speeds.

The only Cobra produced in 2000 was the 200 Cobra R. It has a hand built 5.4L V8 with 385 HP. There are NO OPTIONS in this car, no A/C, no stereo, nothing. There were also only 300 made. They would sell for Atleast $50,000. They are a factory race car that is considered a collectors car.

You are most likely taking about either:

a) a 99 Cobra (with a 320 HP 4.6L DOHC)
b) a 2001 Cobra (with a 320 HP 4.6L DOHC)
c) a 2003 Cobra (with a 390 HP Super Charged 4.6L DOHC)

There was no 2000 or 2002 Cobra's made (with the exception of the 2000 Cobra R)

Because of the limited production, higher performance of the Cobra, IMO, a Cobra is ALWAYS the car to have :D.

Oh I see the guy told me 2000 though but maybe it was a 99 or 2001, anyway they have the same engine 320 horsepower but I know it has the same 4.6 that a regular GT has and that only has 260 so how does this have 320? Thanks , as you see im a n00bie still...

The GT has a 4.6 L Single overhead cam.
The Cobra has a 4.6L Double overhead cam.

While the engine displacement may be the same the heads on the DOHC engine flow much better. More Air = More power. That's why the GT only has 260 HP and the Cobra 320 HP.

Also note that there are other small differences too, like the Cobra has a difference intake, bigger Throttle body, etc.

oh... NICE!! Sounds like you know a lot... Im definetley going to do this trade in... Only thing that concerns me is it has 28,000 miles. That's not a lot at all for a used car but considering its a coba is there a possibility that the guy raced it alot and ran it very hard and the engine isn't in good condition you know what im trying to say...?

Unfortunately that's always a concern. Your only hope is that some older couple owned it and never pushed the car hard. However from what I've heard the 4.6 seems to be a pretty strong engine. As there is only 8,000 miles on mine I can't speak from experience :).

Well there is no way to find out who owned it before , atleast I dont think so I will find out, but if i test drive it, and look at the engine by a mechanic, I think it will all be good. Last car my mom bought, was a v6 something, but we found out one of the cylnders were bad and was really running a 5 cylnder.... that sucked bad!

Always a good idea to take it for a test drive and then have it inspected! Also check the wear on the tires. They can tell alot too. If the rear tires are almost gone and the front tires are good, yo know what they used to do with the car ;)

Dam man never thought of that, thanks so much you are extremley helpful. But you never know they could of put on 2 new back tires (not expensive at all really) but the mechanic would still be able to tell if the engine is good or not.

The only 100% way is to open the engine up. But he'll be able to tell you a lot more from looking at it that if you just walked up to it and bought it. Trust me it's worth the look.

Also, you can tell if the front suspension is screwed up by looking at the front tires, they'll have an odd wear pattern.

Thanksill look for that also. It's from a dealership though and don't you think before they let you trade a car in teh dealership inspects it? It is from a local ford dealership in my area and i know they have a repair/mechanic center.

There are alot of things dealerships SHOULD do....:D

So you mean they don't inspect cars before they are traded in?

I'm just saying there are a lot of things they SHOULD do. Maybe they do them most of the time, but you never know. Don't worry, you should be OK.

:D

how much of that full coverage insurance do you pay... thats the killer. insurance for that thing here in RI would cost me an easy couple hundred a month.

Well my dad is listed as the main driver hes 41 and has never been in a serious accident, and have a pretty much perfect record, and they only have me listed as a driver, so it's a lot less then you think.

Also, I went to take a look at the cobra today its sick, I like it alot better then our GT but its a stick and i don't know how to drive stick so know i'm not sure if im going to get it or not .... We are looking for an automatic black on black convertible cobra, year 2001, or maybe 99 if the miles are under 40,000.

my dad is 52, my mom is the same, neither one ever had a ticket or accident of any sort. just having you as a 16 year old driver on the policy with a high performance sports car raises your rates ALOT. if you were a girl it would be different but you arent. my guess is its alot higher than you think. also... tires are pretty expensive for these cars, at least as compared to other cars. they are cheap if your parents buy them for you, but to dish out $800-$1000 for some good new tires all around hurts alot.

Ford doesn't make Cobra's with an automatic.
So if you want one, you have to learn how to drive a manual trans. And honestly, driving a manual is for all the better. You have better control of the car, and you are forced to pay more attention to the road. In fact, some insurance rates are slightly lower for a car w/ a manual trans compared with the same car with an auto trans.
I am 22, and I bought my first Mustang a month or two after I graduated high school with money that I had been saving from working at Pizza Hut for three years. Even at 18 going on 19 years old, I wasn't mature enough for the car. Within my second month of ownership, I got caught street racing, and before the end of the first year of ownership, I wrecked by driving recklessly. And honestly speaking, I was one of the more mature people my age.
So what I am trying to say is, even though you can't recognize it now, you might want to think about a different car. Once you've been around cars long enough, you see this time and time again, and 95% of these cars end up totalled. Its not something against your age, just your experience. Just like everything else, to become a good driver, you need a LOT of practice. And 6 months with a permit is not a lot of practice (hey, I thought it was when I was your age.) It takes years and years of driving to learn a respect for the road and the other people sharing it.
Why don't you talk you parents into getting you something like a Jetta 1.8T? Still has nice power, and a large aftermarket. If you need something to modify, throw a suspension on it, good brakes, and maybe an intake and exhuast system. It will be plenty quick, and should last you nicely right through college.
Again, if you are mature enough for the Cobra, then you should be mature enough to somewhat understand what we are trying to say. We just don't want to hear about another car being wrecked, or worse off, possibly another bright youth being hurt or killed.

if i was you, i would keep your gt convertible and be happy. that is an incredible first car to have. i'm greatful that i got a 96 4runner with 100000 miles passed down from my mom (granted i made it a 14 seccond car). i'm 18 and got a full scholarship to college and am praying my parents will help me get an 01 cobra if i make the 4.0 they want me to make.

....... now for my personal opinion ..........

just because you have the ability to get a cobra doesn't mean you should own a cobra. cobras have a heritage; one that you obviously have no knowledge of. not to sound mean or anything, but you don't seem like the type to appreciate a cobra for the outstanding vehicle it is. don't take it the wrong way; i just don't want see a cobra with spinning rims and altezza lights on it.

just my .02

brandon

Anyone who allows a child to handle a car with 260 hp is perporting child abuse...390 hp and they should be put away. Kid, your parents need to have their heads examined...I don't blame you...you can't help it ...you are too young to understand and are only thinking with you glands. But trust me, you will wreck the car and maybe, you will walk away...hopefully, you won't kill me.

There are 4 teenagers who live in houses that ajoin me: one has yet to have a wreck...one has totalled two cars already...one has had six reported accidents (most minor). The parents of one girl can not get insurance anymore if she is on the policy.

Do all of us a favor please and trade the car for an Escort.

You shouldn't stereotype the guy because of his age.I have had high HP mustangs since I was fifteen ,and even then drove better than most people.Actually, I am more scared of old people in fast cars or big trucks.As long as he is responsible with the car, I say go for it. Just make sure you like the way the IRS in the Cobra comes off the line.If not, you will be disappointed when you take it to the track.I was with my 01 Cobra for a while.Definitely take the car to a certified SVT dealer to be inspected.You don't want to take the "word" of some guy working at the dealership where you are buying it.Whatever decision you make, I hope it works out.

Brandon

by the way, the whole "I'm going to drive it slow" thing....
I don't buy that for a second.

Well now...I see your point...maybe I was a bit harsh on the kid. You know there are always exceptions to the rules, but I prefer to play the odds. The wealthiest person I know never finished high school, yet he insists that his kids go to college.

But you know, I never answered his question: 2003 GT Conv or 2000 Cobra? I would keep the 2003 GT simply out of being a gracious recipient of a gift. But then, that's just me.

Best Regards!