Should I buy new or used?
 

quick question....

99~00GT?

96~98 4v?

02GT?

It really depends on what your plans are for the car. If it's just a daily driver and you plan to keep it mostly stock, I'd go for the new 2002. It will be alot more reliable, a bit nicer, and you know how it's be driven (it hasn't). If horsepower is your AIM, I'd suggest the '98 Cobra as the platform, it makes more power as is and is mor cost effective to make fast. Just make sure you don't pick up a car that's been driven hard all it's life or you could be fixing more than you are upgrading.

I would go used personally, unless you absolutely need that new car smell. Just be sure to take it to a ford dealership and have its history brought up. I bought my 98 cobra used from a chevy dearership in 2000. It belonged to one of the salesmen. when i test drove it there was a grinding sound in the rear. I asked him what it was and he said it made that noise when he drove it off the showroom floor. So I took it to to Ford and found out that dumb*ss was involved in 3 wrecks in the thing, and the noise in the rear end was from him riding up on a curb which caused metal shavings to shear off of the gears. I went back to the dealership and talked to the general manager and told him I didn't appreciate his salesmen trying to scam me. I went home and the GM had left a message on the machine with a new offer on the cobra, and also agreed it would be in top form. I ended up buying it and it hasn't given me any problems (well, unless you consider people constantly trying to smoke you in the blvd a problem). I would go either way, just if it's used be SURE to take it to a Ford dealership and have it checked out.

Like everyone knows it depends on your plans for the ride.

99~00GT?
Good mods and can make good power and represent well on the streets. Mods will dictate though.
96~98 4v?
Best potential for a street bully with the right mods out there.
02GT?
Only if you want a factory stocker with a great pedigree.

If you must have a '99 up go with an '01 or '02 because mod wise they have just as many parts as the 99/00 models except the 01/02 have the smoked headlamps, the 35th Anniversary body parts, and the interior has a few upgrades. I personally would get a 96-98 Cobra though becuase they are pretty fast stock, they look cool, and all you need to run 11's is a blower. But when buying a used stang you're going to pay more for interest as opposed to new. I'am paying 10.9% APR on my 'stang (Getting Re-Financed Soon) which really sucks. You can't really go wrong with any of the cars. I drove a 4V Cobra the other day and those things run like a raped ape and the 4V is definitely a cool engine.

Slow 97 - you have a 4R70W, not AODE (yup, I like to point these things out, haha.)

Yeah I know it's a 4R70W. But in my book, it's an auto w/ overdrive and it's electroniclaly controlled therefore making it an AODE even though it's not the crappy AODE found in the '94/'95 GT's. If it makes you happy I'll change my sig. :)

yea, thats why i like to tell people. Because the AODE was pretty crappy.

Yup! Drove a '94 GT w/ AOD-E. Tranny shifted like crap and first gear sucks. it has a 2.40:1 first gear.