Yay or nay, considering trading in my Cobra

LarsD

Founding Member
Jul 2, 2002
2,680
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Texas
I'll try to be brief on this and not ramble. When I went SN95 shopping last year I was looking for a Yellow/Comp Orange Mach 1, or a DHG Bullitt. After several disappointments I stumbled onto my Cobra. Car is super clean with low miles (54K roughly). I love the car, it is a blast to drive, my main complaint is it is black (which is sweet when clean, but it's not the color I was looking for), and that is isn't one of the more rare Mach 1/Bullitts. That being said, I stumbled onto an 03 Yellow Mach at a dealer for a little under 12K. My Cobra books in at around 10K trade in, so I wouldn't need to spend much to get it. The main drawback is the Mach has 102K miles on it. However, it is the model I want, and the color I want.

I imagine it isn't nearly as clean as my Snake (due to the miles), but I am at that point on the Cobra where I'm going to start modding it, and it will always nag at me that it isn't the exact car I originally wanted (the nagging kicks in whenever I have to clean it, which is often), and I don't want to dump money into it and then sell it later on and lose money. Where as I know I would hold on to the Mach for quite sometime. I will have had the Cobra for right at a year come the 15th of this month, am I crazy for considering this? I find myself constantly trolling CL/Autotrader for Mach 1's, and from what I can see the color I want is extremely difficult to find in Texas (for instance, this one is 75 miles away, the next closest one it over 600 miles away).

Anyway, bounce your opinions off me guys on what you would do if you were in my shoes, I'd appreciate it.
 
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I love the styling of the Machs and they have similar power to the Cobra. I really like black and don't mind the IRS (though yours doesn't have it). In your shoes that would be a hard decision for me. But coming from a GT, it would be a no-brainer.

Get what you desire. It's the car you want, and you have the know-how to fix it if it is a little rough.
 
I love the styling of the Machs and they have similar power to the Cobra. I really like black and don't mind the IRS (though yours doesn't have it). In your shoes that would be a hard decision for me. But coming from a GT, it would be a no-brainer.

Get what you desire. It's the car you want, and you have the know-how to fix it if it is a little rough.

keep what you got! Cleaner, less miles and just as much potential as the mach!


I'm a little antzy on the mileage, however that has brought the price down on the Mach to the point where it would be very little money from my side to get it. I would normally just forge ahead on the Cobra with the mods and not worry about it. Though I know my nature and I have a feeling I would eventually sell it at a heavy loss, and I have lost enough money on cars in my life already. The three Mustangs I would be willing to let the Cobra go for is a DHG Bullitt, Yellow Mach 1, or a Sonic blue Termi. Only those models, only those colors on those models. I had a trade deal offered to me for an OW Mach 1, but I passed just because of the color. :p
 
Mach 1 is a wonderful car but I think in all honestly in the END you will be more happy with a terminator!!! I know I would. Come on!!! You cannot beat 500 wheel horsepower for around 1000$ in mods! Spend a little more and the sky is the limit with the 03/04 block and tranny. Don't get me wrong a Mach is a sweet car for sure.
 
Stick with the cobra... Machs are nice but that's 100K+ miles that you nothing about... Not to mention you could sell your car outright and make WAY more money. If anything, they should have to pay you based on the facts you gave.
 
I don't quite understand what interests you more......exclusivity, color, or performance.

Exclusivity - There are more Mach's than there are 99/01 Cobras. Bullitts are much more rare, but then you're dealing with a 2V. So as far as exclusivity is concerned: 1) Bullitt 2) Cobra 3) Mach

Color - Yellow/orange/DHG seem to be your favorite colors with black apparently being your least favorite. Since you've found a yellow car and not a DHG Bullitt or a comp orange car, as far as color goes: 1) Mach 2) Cobra

Performance - Although Machs and 99/01 Cobra have their differences, performance remains relatively similar while the 2V Bullitt falls short. Performance: **tie** 1) Cobra 1) Mach 3)Bullitt

Cleanliness/Mileage - 102K vs. 54K speaks volumes. From what you've described, your car is in much better condition than the Mach. Condition: 1) Cobra 2) Mach

It sounds like you want a Bullitt more than anything else. However, you're talking about a 2V car vs. 2 4V cars. Does that influence your decision or do you not care? Otherwise, from what was discussed above, your Cobra is clearly the better option. I'd definitely stick with your Cobra.
 
Mach 1 is a wonderful car but I think in all honestly in the END you will be more happy with a terminator!!! I know I would. Come on!!! You cannot beat 500 wheel horsepower for around 1000$ in mods! Spend a little more and the sky is the limit with the 03/04 block and tranny. Don't get me wrong a Mach is a sweet car for sure.

Most 03/04 Cobra's down here have been heavily ragged on, not to mention are almost $20K if not more. That was the reason I didn't get one in the first place. Not to mention I couldn't find one in the color I wanted.

Stick with the cobra... Machs are nice but that's 100K+ miles that you nothing about... Not to mention you could sell your car outright and make WAY more money. If anything, they should have to pay you based on the facts you gave.

This is all true. Seeing as it's on a dealer's lot, they are likely going to try and put me over a barrel, I'm not going to let that happen, I'll walk first.

I don't quite understand what interests you more......exclusivity, color, or performance.

Exclusivity - There are more Mach's than there are 99/01 Cobras. Bullitts are much more rare, but then you're dealing with a 2V. So as far as exclusivity is concerned: 1) Bullitt 2) Cobra 3) Mach

Color - Yellow/orange/DHG seem to be your favorite colors with black apparently being your least favorite. Since you've found a yellow car and not a DHG Bullitt or a comp orange car, as far as color goes: 1) Mach 2) Cobra

Performance - Although Machs and 99/01 Cobra have their differences, performance remains relatively similar while the 2V Bullitt falls short. Performance: **tie** 1) Cobra 1) Mach 3)Bullitt

Cleanliness/Mileage - 102K vs. 54K speaks volumes. From what you've described, your car is in much better condition than the Mach. Condition: 1) Cobra 2) Mach

It sounds like you want a Bullitt more than anything else. However, you're talking about a 2V car vs. 2 4V cars. Does that influence your decision or do you not care? Otherwise, from what was discussed above, your Cobra is clearly the better option. I'd definitely stick with your Cobra.

My list was in no particular order. When my 99 is clean I love it, but we are living in a dust bowl down here it seems, and the car doesn't stay clean for more then a couple of hours which drives me crazy. There are a lot of factors at play here. This place would have to offer me a good deal on my car, and the Mach needs to be in very good shape. I still haven't looked at yet, just pics on the dealer's website, I might go get a look at it tomorrow. In the end what will likely happen is I will keep the car, fix the little naggy things wrong with it, then sell it outright later on, and sit on the cash till I find a clean Mach/Bullitt.

Sounds to me like the color is the issue. Just paint it the color you want.

Wouldn't be the same, plus I'd have to do jams/trunk/bay for it to be right. It would be more logical/practical to just get a different car.

I do appreciate the input guys, that's why I post here. :D
 
Economically its better to keep the Cobra than go and get a Mach1 but personal satisfaction is important too!:D
If it was me I would definitely keep the Cobra and try to keep low miles on it and leave it stock. Think about it how many clean 1999-2001 Cobras are out there like yours?


But ultimately its your car and I wish I could buy it from you haha I want a 4v 4.6 soooo bad...
 
Well you guys will be pleased to know I am 98% sure I am not going to trade for that Mach 1. I got to looking at the photos on the dealer's web site, and I started noticing a lot of little things that indicate the car has not been taken care of.
 
I'll try to be brief on this and not ramble. When I went SN95 shopping last year I was looking for a Yellow/Comp Orange Mach 1, or a DHG Bullitt. After several disappointments I stumbled onto my Cobra. Car is super clean with low miles (54K roughly). I love the car, it is a blast to drive, my main complaint is it is black (which is sweet when clean, but it's not the color I was looking for), and that is isn't one of the more rare Mach 1/Bullitts. That being said, I stumbled onto an 03 Yellow Mach at a dealer for a little under 12K. My Cobra books in at around 10K trade in, so I wouldn't need to spend much to get it. The main drawback is the Mach has 102K miles on it. However, it is the model I want, and the color I want.

I imagine it isn't nearly as clean as my Snake (due to the miles), but I am at that point on the Cobra where I'm going to start modding it, and it will always nag at me that it isn't the exact car I originally wanted (the nagging kicks in whenever I have to clean it, which is often), and I don't want to dump money into it and then sell it later on and lose money. Where as I know I would hold on to the Mach for quite sometime. I will have had the Cobra for right at a year come the 15th of this month, am I crazy for considering this? I find myself constantly trolling CL/Autotrader for Mach 1's, and from what I can see the color I want is extremely difficult to find in Texas (for instance, this one is 75 miles away, the next closest one it over 600 miles away).

Anyway, bounce your opinions off me guys on what you would do if you were in my shoes, I'd appreciate it.

go for the mach 1
 
I'd keep your Cobra.

Now way I'd trade off almost 50k and better mechanical shape for a different color car. Plus, IRS is pretty nice assuming you aren't a hardcore drag racer.

Mine doesn't have the IRS anymore PO swapped in a SRA (that needs a rebuild).

go for the mach 1

I'm keeping my feelers out. That one I posted has been messed with too much for my taste. GT brakes, messed up battery cables, no tail pipes, and it's rolling on drag radials makes me think I should keep looking.