Whats with people thinking the 96-98 Cobras come Factory Supercharged??

[Craig Mack]

Well, first of all, throughout the years, before I had a big interest in Cobras, I have always thought that they might be supercharged. Keep in mind this was before I was even old enough to drive, when I just started getting an interest in cars. This assumption was put to rest when a couple years ago, I went to check out a '96 Cobra. I had the guy pop the hood, and could tell almost directly off the bat that there was no supercharger, just your average run of the mill intake system.

Well, I have had numorous people say to me "your car is supercharged right?". Most people also think the '99-'01 Cobras were Supercharged.

Heres an example of what i'm talking about: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6236&item=2450020505 Blatant lying, right to the public. I do not necissarily blame the dealership for being retarded, that's expected, but for the love of God, all they have to do is pop the damn hood to find out there is no blower.

The kicker was when I bought my Cobra. As I was checking out the interior, he started talking about how it's supercharged. I looked up at him and go, "uhh, no its not?" And he goes yup it is, so I told him to pop the hood. As I was starting at the engine bay, looking directly at the intake piping, he started telling me about how it's pushing 5-6psi, and I could turn up the boost if I wanted by adding a chip. I immediently felt like laughing and yelling at him at the same time, so I just changed the subject.

Luckily I know enough about cars in general, and researched about the Cobra before I bought to know he was completely full of BS, but your average person might not know the difference. I know alot about supercharging and boost in general now, since I had two different types of superchargers with various fuel management parts on my old Maxima. I guess in the case of your average joe, however, ignorance is bliss, so it wouldn't really matter.

I guess i'm just venting, usually I can brush off the ignorance, but it's really hard when they are lying to your face. It's either out of sheer stupidity, or they think your some kind of idiot who will buy into the fodder they are dishing out.

But, hey, who knows? Maybe we really DO have superchargers! I mean hell, lots of people are saying we do. I personally do not have one, maybe I got jipped by Ford?!? How many of my fellow 96-98 SVT stangers got jipped too?? Maybe we should take this straight to the CEO of Ford!

 

[missouri_guy197]

That Pacific Green Cobra listed in that e-bay auction has an a-pillar pod and it's probably got a boost gauge in it...They even list under "Instrumentation" that is has a vacuum gauge(meaning a boost gauge)...So it most likely has a supercharger under the hood, there's no engine bay shots so no way of knowing for sure...

 

[Craig Mack]

That Pacific Green Cobra listed in that e-bay auction has an a-pillar pod and it's probably got a boost gauge in it...They even list under "Instrumentation" that is has a vacuum gauge(meaning a boost gauge)...So it most likely has a supercharger under the hood, there's no engine bay shots so no way of knowing for sure...

Right, but you would think they would give at least a vague description of the supercharger. I wouldn't be surprised if it had a vortech system in there, I missed the gauge on the a-pillar.

I guess the kicker for me is when the guy who was trying to sell me my Cobra told me it was supercharged.

 

[Snake03]

Well, I have had numorous people say to me "your car is supercharged right?". Most people also think the '99-'01 Cobras were Supercharged.

This Cobra could very well be supercharged. There is a large aftermarket for superchargers. It doesn't say factory SC.

I do find it interesting that they didn't include a picture of the engine bay.

 

[Saleen4971]

true, they dont have an engine shot, and it doesnt say factory. but then again youd think they woudl give more info on the SC

 

[DoubleONegative]

because dealers tell people that crap. The dealer i got my 01 Cobra form tried to tell me it was supercharged

 

[RedGTvert]

Right, but you would think they would give at least a vague description of the supercharger. I wouldn't be surprised if it had a vortech system in there, I missed the gauge on the a-pillar.

I guess the kicker for me is when the guy who was trying to sell me my Cobra told me it was supercharged.

You have a stick up you butt or something? The dealer is a damn Cadillac dealer who probably took the darn thing in trade and rather then wholesale it, he is trying to make a few extra $$$ on EBAY.

So what is the big deal if he is clueless. Does it really ruin your day?

 

[Craig Mack]

You have a stick up you butt or something? The dealer is a damn Cadillac dealer who probably took the darn thing in trade and rather then wholesale it, he is trying to make a few extra $$$ on EBAY.

So what is the big deal if he is clueless. Does it really ruin your day?

Yes....it makes me furious... soo mad I can't see straight

 

[BadMoFo]

its just because of the 03 cobra. once everyone heard that it was supercharged and had a six speed I bet every joe on the street thought every cobra was like that. I know I have gone to the track a few times and I always here people say oh its supercharged or how do you like the six speed? nice 03 cobra. uh I have nothing on my car besides the pedals that comes on the 03. I bet that when the 99 cobras came out everyone thought the 96-98 had irs. there is no helping the ones who are not ford fanatics.

 

[Traveler]

I'd love to go to a car lot looking for a Cobra and have a saleman tell me it has a supercharger when it clearly doesn't. I'd tell them I'd buy it if they would put it in writing that this car is suppose to have a supercharger.

 

[Craig Mack]

I'd love to go to a car lot looking for a Cobra and have a saleman tell me it has a supercharger when it clearly doesn't. I'd tell them I'd buy it if they would put it in writing that this car is suppose to have a supercharger.

Haha! Smart thinking....then when they signed that, they would be forced to install a supercharger for you. Since they would want to be as "OEM" about it as possible, they'd probably install the '03 Cobra SC and intake manifold to boot.

BadMoFo: True, people are just like that. Were probably guilty of the same thing, even if it's not on the subject of cars.

It's frustrating when the guy who sold me my Cobra told me to my face that it was supercharged pushing "low boost, around 5psi or so". I mean, if he was a blonde haired chick, I wouldn't care as much, but he's a dude, whos supposedly into cars. The kicker was when the engine bay was open, and he was still going on about the supercharger.

If only I had posted this before I bought the car. I would have used travelers logic, and I might be driving a boosted snake instead of a n/a one.

 

[missouri_guy197]

I bet that when the 99 cobras came out everyone thought the 96-98 had irs.

I did, and so did a guy at work...I thought I would be getting an IRS when I was looking at 96-98 Cobras until I started comparing those years to the 99+ cars on the SVT website...

 

[zo0mistic]

That Car Is Supercharged!

The car on ebay that u said wasnt supercharged.. IS! they jus didnt show under hood pics... u can see the boost guages ont he pillar......... DDDDUUUUHHHH!!!

 

[simpman76]

Just because a car has the pillar gauges doesn't mean its
supercharged. I've seen alot of rice and even some mustangs that weren't supercharged that had pillar gauges. Guess we need a pic of the engine to know for sure.

 

[BZ's_03_SVT]

Hell i was out looking for a 01-02 GT and went to three dealers lots and wanted black w/manual tranny. Last place i looked had a 03 cobra on the used lot showroom floor with 66 miles on it. Only one black with manual so i got it. Didnt even know what i had gotten until i started looking in to it. I have been a truck guy for years and wanted to treat myself to a sports car for once. Not everyone knows everything all the time about mustangs, but catching up on the learning curve is fun!