[BlackenedSVT]

This would be an EVEN trade with a dealership, they are thinkign about it and will get back to me...but im having my 2nd thoughts as well. Tell me what you guys think...








Ok guys, i just got back from test visiting the 99 cobra that this dealership has by me. The dealer actually keeps it in his garage, so i drove to his house today to see and test drive the car. I have about 20 picture of the car that i will post below.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The car was in the garage and looked in good shape. The paint looks GREAT on the car, almost as good as my 02 GT if not better honestly. After 1st glance of the car, i saw the bumper had minor road/debris on it (no biggie though, so does my GT) and i noticed on the passenger side rear, there was a side swipe scratching. The damage doesn't really bother me but its something i'd fix maybe way down the line when i get money for body stuff. Here are some pictures of the light damage...




The Front tires are worn, but still ok, and the back tires are starting to bald pretty badly. Real badly infact. Now i getinside the car. The interior is in mild condition. It looks used and worn but i've seen worse. Definately looked very dry and needed soem Macquiers leather conditioner =) The Mach Stereo system console looked really bad compared to my 02 GT system. The volume buttons were worn down to WHITE and it just looked old and ghetto. Not to mention mine is a 6 CD changer and i think the cobras was a single


(sorry its fuzzy, this is unfrotunately the best pic i have of the console...notice the worn buttons)

Now here is where i thought things looked wierd to me. The white faced guages. They didn't say SVT on them. I thought ALL cobras said SVT on them in red lettering...is that only the new 03/04 cobras? Just wondering if these guages were stock factory or changed or something. Here is a picture with the car OFF (ignore all the indicator lights, the car is off)


(Above, Gauges OFF)


(Above, Gauges ON..i just started the car)

Ok here is another problem with the car. When the dealer started the car up, it had a very noticeable engine idling problem. After letting it run for 5 minutes I shut it off, got in it and started her up again. Now obviously the engine is still cold but i started it again anyway on purpose and watched the idling problem again. The guage fluctuated between 600RPM and 1000RPM up and down for about 15 seconds and then stayed at around 900RPM.

The dealer said the car had not been started in 3 weeks...and the temperature today was 23* (degrees). After taking the car for a test drive and making sure the car was well warmed up, i shut her off and started her again. The idling problem went away, and didn't do it again. Think that was just a cold-start problem? Can't say i really liked that....

The brakes on the car are much more powerful than my GT and i liked it, although they are warped and thin, and will need replacing very soon (on the cobra im talking about).

DRIVING THE CAR:
The car didn't impress me ALL to much. It was nice and ROCK SOLID to the ground (and i dont even think the car is lowered i didn't pay attention unfortunately). It turned with ease and the steering was nice and tight, even better than my lowered GT i think. Maybe its the IRS im not used to...
As far as the clutch goes...i think its failing on the cobra It was very slushy and was not NEARLY as springy as my stock GT clutch is. I seemd to be revving to much coming from a stop, because i was used to my GT clutch catching and the cobras wasn't. I dont know if the Cobra and the GT have different clutches and catch points, but it just felt slippy.
Shifting the cobra SUCKED. I hit my knuckles on the stereo EVERY 1st and 3rd shift. It was sooo annoying that i would without a doubt change the stereo face to the 01 Cobra style face (like my 02 GT) as soon as i got the car...if this is possible. Does this bother any of you guys? I couldn't stand it...what a poor design from ford
UNFORTUNATELY, i did not get the cobra out of 3rd gear and wasn't able to take it on the highway so i went like 50 or 55 mph MAX while on the test drive. I revved it up real high in 1st and 3rd when i took off and the cobra felt a little more powerish...but i must say overall i wasn't too impressed with the 320hp increase over the 260hp stock GT. I'm chalking this up to the cobra not having low end torque and still stock gears.

MODS TO THE COBRA:
I saw the cobra was not stock like i had thought. There was a sticker in front of the radiator/frame saying the car had the "fix" done to it. The car had BBK (rusted) Long Tube headers and some random midpipe with 2 highflow cats and a DYNOMAX Cat-back (that sounded so raspy and crappy that i would throw this the hell away after i got the car hahaha).
Other than the exhaust, everyting else on the cobra seemed stock, even the gears and shifter seemed stock.


(rusted BBK headers)


(dynomax cat-back)


Sorry this is such a long post, just want you guys to help me out and let me know what is normal for a cobra and what is not. I'm really not used to these things and i know they are a different animal than my GT.

Here are some more random pictures of the car, and keep in mind: the dealer said anything that caused the cobra to NOT pass jersey state inspection, he would replace free of charge and would garauntee the car will pass inspection. Now the windshield has a nice gash in it on the driver side, so he said he will replace the windshield for me so it will pass inspection. I'm hoping the rear bald tires wont pass inspection either so i can get some tires out of him. hehehe


(driver seat)


(rear seats)


(engine)


(side engine)


(rear)


(front bumper)


(UNFORTUNATE WINDSHIELD GASH -- hopefully fixed soon)



And now for my BIGGEST problem with the car...

Thats right! Some Ass-Hat put window visors on the car...not only did they do that, but they installed them wrong, and they are attatched to the painted door molding!

These things are going to be a BITCH to get off, and im guessing it will peel some paint too, but i sure as hell aint leaving them on! I think a hot air dryer will help to loosen up the glue.



And here is a final picture of the car...This is me in MY car, watching the dealer drive the cobra back up his driveway. He stalled 4 times in a row in front of me trying to make it up that driveway. He had to gas it and pretty much burn out, to get it up the driveway. I'm thinking that, that clutch is GOOOOOOONNNNEEEEE.



I drove off after that with the dealer hearing my SLP (which was louder and sounded better than the cobra) rumbling into the distance

He is going to call me back later in the week and we are going to work things out. He said: i know you want to do a straight trade, but i have to talk to my buissness partner about it, because i dont know....i mean i have to paint your hood and your bumper...but we'll talk later in the week[/b]

I was like: ?!?!?!? my hood and bumper are fine! My hood has some SLIGHT blemish around the hood scoop and my bumper has the SAME road chips that the cobra has on it! PLUS after looking at my car thats ALL he could come up with?! My car is MINT compared to this cobra.

I just have this damn snake bite going through my veins :rolling: :burnout:


Let me know what you guys think and if i should say or talk to the dealer about anything this week!!!

I know his next move will be to say: "my partner doesn't want to do the trade so we cant"...which is because he will try and get more money out of me

[helty]

if they will trade even, I say do it. at the end of the day, a 4V > 2V. I know you'll miss your GT. Try to restore it as close to stock as possible and sell your mods for some extra cash if possible.

[BlackenedSVT]

Other problems with the car i forgot to mention, let me know if you guys experienced these at all with your 99 Cobras:

-- T45 Trans would grind reverse, EVERY time. Is this normal for the T45, or is this another sign of a bad clutcn on this car?

-- Hood latch is broken and it takes some tries before the hood would actually close.

[timeless2]

Nice...

[5.0's 4 ever]

If you were going to trade I think they should be giving you money. That cobra has seen way better days, pretty much I think its worth around $11k at the most.

[BlackenedSVT]

anyone else have any comments about it?? EVERY single guy over at SVTPerformance.com hated the car and said i should walk on the deal and find a better one...

...im all confused now. lol

[BlackenedSVT]

I'm going to tell the dealer to:

- Fix the bumper scratches (repaint) AND/OR fix the gouges in the passenger rear fender well
- Get a new hood latch
- get a new clutch OR give me new tires.
- give me a new windshield to pass jersey inspection (which he already agreed to)

I'm sure he wont do ANY of the above, so i will probably have to shop elsewhere. At least it was cool going to see the car. This was the 1st Cobra i've ever driven Sure it wasn't a good example of one (with a failing clutch) but i had fun

[javsvt]

Did the 99 cobras come with the cobra lettering on the rear bumper? I could be wrong. If it did, I would ask why it doesnt have its original bumper. Good luck.

[BlackenedSVT]

no the 99 cobras said MUSTANG. It was the 01 cobras that said COBRA.

The rear bumper is stock, and fine.

[01Steeda]

I would stay away from it,.. looks like it has been neglected. your car is worth more imo

[01Steeda]

my moms 99 says Cobra and she bought it new

[Dan_Soprano]

Originally Posted by javsvt

Did the 99 cobras come with the cobra lettering on the rear bumper? I could be wrong. If it did, I would ask why it doesnt have its original bumper. Good luck.

No, they said mustang on them.


I say walk from this POS. You are better off with a 01+.

[BlackenedSVT]

99 cobras came STOCK with "MUSTANG" across the back. Ask anyone.

Your moms that says cobra was changed somewhere, somehow. Seriously, ask around on www.svtperformance.com or even the SVT section here.

Its quite wierd that yoru moms 99 said COBRA on teh back...

[CrazyHorn]

I would maybe do it if they repaint that scratch and the front bumper, replace the windshield and also fix that idle problem and clutch if its a problem.

[STNG_96]

whats with the intake manifold on that car too? That looks different from ones that ive seen.

[BlackenedSVT]

The idle problem did not exist after i started the car when it was warm. The dealer said he had not started it in 3 weeks. Plust he 25* degree weather here in jersey today, i think thats why it had the idling problem.

The other things however, yes i will talk to him about.
Im sure he will not go for fixing all of these things, and so this deal will not go through....i will keep you all posted though.

[BlackenedSVT]

Originally Posted by STNG_96

whats with the intake manifold on that car too? That looks different from ones that ive seen.

I haven't seen a lot of cobras in person, but it sure looked stock to me...

[_jb_]

I would wait, that car seems to worn/not taken care of.

[Dan_Soprano]

Originally Posted by UDTBadkarma

The idle problem did not exist after i started the car when it was warm. The dealer said he had not started it in 3 weeks. Plust he 25* degree weather here in jersey today, i think thats why it had the idling problem.

The other things however, yes i will talk to him about.
Im sure he will not go for fixing all of these things, and so this deal will not go through....i will keep you all posted though.

where in Jersey are you?

[Kilgore Trout]

Walk away...

[Built98GT]

I wouldnt do it.I definately think you can find a better one than that.IMO

[BlackenedSVT]

northern Bergen County. 07647

[Dan_Soprano]

Originally Posted by UDTBadkarma

northern Bergen County. 07647

nice. I grew up in Union County.......parents still live there.....

[imblown-ru]

basically your whole post was about problems that the car had...i would walk away. i know what it feels like to get the bug for a new car, and when they say they will do a straight trade, it makes it even harder, but after you put the work into it that needs, your not any faster than you are now probably. save some money, and trade yours for a nicer cobra plus some cash. i think you will be muchhh happier.

[BlackenedSVT]

Here is my only problem: If im going to get rid of my car, now is the time before the price of her drops over the next year / years. I can not afford to save for a cobra, and wont be able to for anther few years most likely. I realize that now i can pretty much even swap my 02 GT for a 99 cobra, so im trying to take advantage of it. I only really like the 99/01 cobras. The 98s and lower aren't as nice nor as fast and the 03s+ are too expensive.

BUT i am VERY picky, and will only settle for a black onm black cobra.

Now i know this cobra has been beat on, and needs some TLC, but i just dont want a bad clutch and worn radio dials/buttons to be the only thing keeping me from getting an otherwise nice car.

My GT needs rotors and brakes all around thsi summer as well as new tires all around too...so whether i do that on the GT or the cobra makes no difference. In fact it would be better to do on the cobra, since i was going to spend more cash to upgrade my GT to cobra brakes anyway.

I need to work out a negotiation, but i mean i would LOVE to own a cobra, and if i can get some things fixed, i just dont want to pass up an otherwise good car that has potential...

know what i mean?


but yeah im aware this car has seem some action...