Why are used 03/04 cobras so expensive?

93 teal terror

Founding Member
Jul 13, 2001
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Durham N.C.
It seems like I remember a couple of guys getting really good deals on leftover 03's......like 24 or 25k brand new. Now I look around and see most used ones are at least that price and more like 26 or 27k. what gives? Only time I've ever heard of a new car being a good investment crapola
Anyways Ive got about 9k for a down payment and really was hopnig not to spend more than 20 or 21k on one but I just can't find one that price. For 25 or 26k I can just order a stripped down 06 gt thats brand new. What would you guys do?
 
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How much did you pay for yours if you dont mind me askin? I've never driven either one so i guess i can't really compare. Most ass hats won't let you test drive gt's or cobras unless your over 30 or show up in a porsche
 
I paid 28K for mine which was a little higher than I wanted to pay but all the others I have seen for less are a plane ticket away.

But it was very clean and only had 10,000 miles on it and was only like 10 minutes from my house so I bought it.

The salesman let me and my wife take the car out by ourselves for a test drive without even asking. :shrug: But I am over 30 so maybe that had something to do with it.
 
Be patient something will come up. You should be able to get an 03 with 20-25 thousand miles for around 23-24 thousand. I had to drive four hours to get mine.
 
what helped us out was for ford to stop making the cobra for a while. I think these car will only keep going up since they will no longer be "Cobra's" but shelby gt 500's. I paid $26k for my 03 with 24K miles.

Btw Dale jarrett ford has a gray 03 not sure of mileage or price.
 
Thats what I was going to do.

But the fact of the matter is that it is still a good year or so away.

Also, the 03-04 is already proven and has a jumpstart on the aftermarket parts and tuning, so the quirks are already known about it.

That along with the fact that they will be marking up the Shelby at least $10,000 at the dealers which brings the total to around $50,000.

With this I think the value will still be up there and not drop as much.

Just my .02
 
Thanks for the comments guys. I thought about waiting til the 06/07 cobras come out and may still but I too tend to agree i dont see them coming down a whole lot. Maybe 1-2k at most and by then the average milage on one may be up from 25-30k to up past that warranty. (which id like to have a little left on to make sure i don't get a lemon) I saw the one over at dale jarrett and i think its priced a little high. I actually got to test drive one tonight. Boy are they fun. I was kinda nervous about having too much power but really it wasn't any more difficult than my 5.0 The guy told me to "have a little fun with it" so i spun through first at a 10mph roll. :D Man they really pick up between 3500-5500 rpms. They wanted 33k for it though. It was a triple black vert with 5k miles on it w/ chrome rims. I told them i would take it if they could get down to 28k but the best they would do is like 30-31k. Oh well still had a blast. I love these damn cars. So far the best deal is actually looking like morrison motors. Ive got friday off so i may stop by and see what they have to offer. Hopefully ill get my check from the insurance company this week
 
Yeah, I thought I might have paid a little much for mine as well but it was like 10 minutes from my house and the ones that I have seen were a plane ticket away just to look at. Then what if you fly to see it and don't like it? So I decided to get this one being it was clean and driven by a 72 year old man for only 10,000 miles.

Good luck.

Let us know how it turns out.
 
04sleeper said:
Yeah, I thought I might have paid a little much for mine as well but it was like 10 minutes from my house and the ones that I have seen were a plane ticket away just to look at. Then what if you fly to see it and don't like it? So I decided to get this one being it was clean and driven by a 72 year old man for only 10,000 miles.

Good luck.

Let us know how it turns out.
Thats true, i would feel obligated if i flew out or met someone 4hrs away to buy it. Yours is definatly a perfect looking car. I think i may have lucked out on a deal though. I found one thats 15mins away from my parents house (2 hrs from me) thats a dsg 03 with 16k miles for 25.5k vert with black top. I left him a message hope he calls back:nice:
 
93 teal terror said:
It seems like I remember a couple of guys getting really good deals on leftover 03's......like 24 or 25k brand new. Now I look around and see most used ones are at least that price and more like 26 or 27k. what gives? Only time I've ever heard of a new car being a good investment crapola
Anyways Ive got about 9k for a down payment and really was hopnig not to spend more than 20 or 21k on one but I just can't find one that price. For 25 or 26k I can just order a stripped down 06 gt thats brand new. What would you guys do?


i bought my 03 cobra for just under 24 grand. i think i got a good price. it only had 29,000 on it and was in immaculate shape....and this was 3 weeks ago.....
 
26K-30K is what people ask for them aorund town here in detroit area Michgian. You have to remember that that's what they are asking...not what they are getting.

A Dodge dealer in Sterling Heights had an 03 Cobra 10th anniversary, with 30K on it. They were asking 21,995. WOW...I ran up there with my 97 trying to get a trade. If it seems too good to be true it usually is....I go up there this is what is wrong with the car.

1. Rust under the drivers door already!!
2. Drivers headlight full of water.
3. Rear bumper paint was spidered all to heck from rear ending.
4. Front bumper gouged up and spidered paint
5. Left door handle had a big chip out of it.
6. Tires were new...but just cheapo brand.

The slime ball salesman, was like..."This car is in excellent shape, it has seen no winters, and was very well maintained." When I "asked" him why the door was all rusty on the inner lip, we looked like a deer in headlights. I said, I have had 9 Mustangs buddy...9, you can't pull the "stored in the winter" crap on me with this car. All parts were orginal too....so that car was prolly someones winter beater. I drove away and took my 97 home and parked in next to my 96...:(
 
mkkrs1 said:
what helped us out was for ford to stop making the cobra for a while. I think these car will only keep going up since they will no longer be "Cobra's" but shelby gt 500's. I paid $26k for my 03 with 24K miles.

Btw Dale jarrett ford has a gray 03 not sure of mileage or price.


I think the Shelby name will just be an excuse to mark up the 07 cobra 8 grand at the dealership, and the baby-boomers will pay it. make no mistake, that car is a "shelby" in name only. under the hood its all svt