used 03 Cobra or New Mach 1??
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95 yellow 5 0 said:so you think it's possible with $5500-6000 down payment i could get a used 03 cobra that will still have the warranty? I don't wanna pay over $400 a month. Don't you think any used 03's have some issues? why would someone wanna get rid of one?
I gotta worry about sellin the WRX first though I guess, then see my options once i got the cash. i really want an 03 cobra....
some people get rid of them with low miles and brand new mainly because they can't afford the car payments with a msrp of 35,000. Thats why i would look for a used one cause you would save yourself 8,000-10,000 dollars.
RedSquad7 said:
I installed JBA 1 5/8 headers made for a 99/01 Cobra on my 03. I installed BBK LT's on my 01 Cobra and the same headers on a friends 03 Cobra. I dropped the k-member on all three. With the KM off, there isn't really any nut/stud that's hard to get too. It's a lot of work but not too difficult. I don't have the patience to work around the KM. Personally, I don't see how people do it. I think there are probably a lot of crossed threads and nuts/bolts that aren't torqued properly working around the K. I can do a 4v Cobra working off jack stands in 8-9 hours by myself including removing and installing the KM. The KM is held in place by 8 bolts. Take a scribe and mark the KM before you remove it so you can get it back in the same exact place to maintain wheel alignment and more importantly, keep the KM in plumb with the chassis. I put a fllor jack under the spring seat on each side and then lower it evenly. Then you can roll it forward enough to get at the manifolds without having to take the power steering lines off. You can have the stock manifolds off in 20 minutes. I actually lower the engine a little to make it a little easier. With the KM off, you don't have to remove the starter and reinstalling the dip stick tube is very easy compared tot he nighmares I've read working around the KM. I have read many 2-3 day installs with two people. On 03 Cobras, you will have to disconnect your intercooler exit line if you lower the engine 3-4 inches. Lowering the engine makes getting to a couple of nuts on each side a little easier. I use the stock nuts/studs where ever possible. On a few headers, some tubes bend sharply over the bolt holes and will actually touch the stud. You won't be able to get a nut on it. In these positions, you will have to use a bolt that usually comes with the headers. Imagine working around the KM and you got to the last position and couldn't get a nut under the pipe after spending 5 hours fishing nuts on the other holes
RedSquad7
Member
yeah, if i can get a used 03 cobra with like 10-15k miles on it for the price of a new mach 1, i'm better off gettin the cobra cuz it's what i really want. I'll just have to keep looking and see what's a better deal. I'd love to own either car though. FIrst things first though, if I don't sell the WRX looks like I'll be a ricer for the rest of this year too. 
ehhh you think rushing into a new car would be better than goin to arizona where girls gone wild is filmed? Im gg for spring break i think. its gonna be insane. i'll be sure to have pictures!!!! i think i'lll wait out the sale of my car, then go from there. im sure there will be rebates again and if i have to get a left 04 mach then thats what i'll do . theres always gonna be a car out there. thanks for the repsonses. a car with 15k on it is still pretty freakin new and still woudl have the warranty so the 03 cobra is still possible.
ehhh you think rushing into a new car would be better than goin to arizona where girls gone wild is filmed? Im gg for spring break i think. its gonna be insane. i'll be sure to have pictures!!!! i think i'lll wait out the sale of my car, then go from there. im sure there will be rebates again and if i have to get a left 04 mach then thats what i'll do . theres always gonna be a car out there. thanks for the repsonses. a car with 15k on it is still pretty freakin new and still woudl have the warranty so the 03 cobra is still possible.
will s/c last
Yellowhorse, there's a guy on here named lafear. He has a n/a cobra with 360hp not stock. He said s/c'd 03 cobra's won't last that long, and will eventually have stress fx's in the bottom end. This all started because of me asking him if it was worth it to spend tons of money on only 70 rwhp. I told him he could of purchased a 03 cobra, and for 2k had 500rwhp. He said those motors won't last that long, and eventually give in due to stress fx's. If the motor is built tough(forged), and the boost is'nt to high, and the tune is good, don't you think the motor should last at least a 100-120k. Lafear does'nt think so. What's your or anybody else's opinion on this. I'd be curious to know because I'd like to buy a 06 s/c 5.4L cobra in the future. Either way, 450-500rwhp for only 2k is an awesome buy, even if it only lasts 100-120k. You will blow everything on the street away. I can't wait for the 06's. That must be an awesome rush, 450-500rwhp from a stop, poor poor zo6's and camaro's and m3's and firebirds and just about every car out there.Yellow Horse said:
It's like anything else, if you don't do it right or are stupid, then you'll blow it up. That's why I use JDM Engineering for all my blower mods and programming. I'm about to turn over 33k miles and I have beat the mortal piss out of my car. It is a veteran of over 150 passes down a track on ET Streets. It dynos over 500 rwhp SAE on 18 psi. I'm not worried about it. And my buddy who has two 03's is harder on his 03 and beats on his wife's 03 pretty hard.
The 03/04 engine is known for being built right. We already know it's fully forged. There are not many internals you can buy that would be better. It's virtually bullet proof. Very few have been blown and considering most people that own them are running them preety hard, that's proof enough. There are many running 600 rwhp and some topping 700 rwhp and I think we'll see some pulling 900. That is without ever lifting a valve cover. The forged crank in the 03 is the same as the 99/01 Cobras and many are using that same piece in 1200 HP cars. The Manley H-beam rods are the best you can get. I don't know much about the pistons but they are forged and will hold 25 psi on a safe tune. I'm not sure what you are calling FX's. Maybe fractures? I highly doubt that especially since Ford used an iron block on the 03.
The 03/04 engine is known for being built right. We already know it's fully forged. There are not many internals you can buy that would be better. It's virtually bullet proof. Very few have been blown and considering most people that own them are running them preety hard, that's proof enough. There are many running 600 rwhp and some topping 700 rwhp and I think we'll see some pulling 900. That is without ever lifting a valve cover. The forged crank in the 03 is the same as the 99/01 Cobras and many are using that same piece in 1200 HP cars. The Manley H-beam rods are the best you can get. I don't know much about the pistons but they are forged and will hold 25 psi on a safe tune. I'm not sure what you are calling FX's. Maybe fractures? I highly doubt that especially since Ford used an iron block on the 03.
lol... my 03 stock cobra engine is guaranteed by Ford to last 5 years at 390hp. I would put it up against a modded 01 block pushing 360hp for 5 years.STUD said:
I'd love to see these stress fractures he's talking about. It's the first I've heard about it.
And a 06 s/c 5.4L cobra is a pipe dream. You'd be lucky to see 400hp N/A 5.0 in 2007, let alone a 5.4L twin cam supercharged cobra in 06. I think the Ford GT owns that engine for quite a few years.
I didn't want to wait 5 years for a cobra (I got mine in 2002) when I don't even know for sure that they will keep the SVT nameplate. Everyone waiting for the new cobra will see a $40-$44 pricetag as they try and beat up the only performance market that GM has at this point.
If you can wait 3 years for a cobra, you have more patience than I.
BlackOnBlackCobra96
Founding Member
I'm in shock that the dealer is saying a new Cobra with 700 miles is new. Did he explain the miles? Sounds like the car was passed around to various salespeople to be beaten on or something. A Mach for $22...sounds like a steal.
2006 cobra
Friedchicken said:lol... my 03 stock cobra engine is guaranteed by Ford to last 5 years at 390hp. I would put it up against a modded 01 block pushing 360hp for 5 years.
I'd love to see these stress fractures he's talking about. It's the first I've heard about it.
And a 06 s/c 5.4L cobra is a pipe dream. You'd be lucky to see 400hp N/A 5.0 in 2007, let alone a 5.4L twin cam supercharged cobra in 06. I think the Ford GT owns that engine for quite a few years.
I didn't want to wait 5 years for a cobra (I got mine in 2002) when I don't even know for sure that they will keep the SVT nameplate. Everyone waiting for the new cobra will see a $40-$44 pricetag as they try and beat up the only performance market that GM has at this point.
Friedchicken, we'll just have to wait and see. I would venture to say, that whatever FORD puts in the 2006 will be better and stronger than the 2003-04. Come on, why would FORD go backwards in power and performance. The current blown 4.6 has ceased production. The new motor has gotta be a 5.0 or 5.4 s/c. I read this in 5.0 mag. The developer of the new COBRA said it will be definetly s/c and more cubic inches. I'm telling ya, it's gonna be awesome.
Later
If you can wait 3 years for a cobra, you have more patience than I.
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