Well, I thought that I wanted a Cobra. I stayed up late last night searching for the right one. I found out that they are only making 2003 of the 10th ann. editions. A local dealer here has a Torch Red Coupe that was just calling me. Well I pulled most of the parts off the L with intentions on trading it in. Called and got payoff, and also talked to wife into it. Anyways I get to the dealership and an 18 yr old brand new salesman comes to help me. It's his first day selling. I look the car over and he asks if I have driven one yet. I proceeded to tell him that I haven't but I've heard that they are mean. Well we end up going for a drive. First thing I did was take the trac control off. Like I said before he had just turned 18 and also owns a '03 Mustang GT. He was as excited as I was (I'm 28 by the way). Anyway we pull out of the lot and I get on it a little in first not too bad. Then I hit second and floor it. It moved along pretty good. I was in the middle of town so I didn't want to push it too hard. I went around some curves and onto the interstate. Got a little sideways in second around one curve. The entire time he is sitting back enjoying every minute of it. We get back and start working out the details. Well they take my truck back to find out what they will give me for it. In the mean time I keep looking at the Cobra and basically talked myself out of it. It wasn't as impressing as I thought it would be. I told them that I would be buying on D-plan and they went crazy. They said no dealer in their right mind would let the Cobras go for anything less than $5K over sticker. I had already decided against it so I just told them I would take my business elsewhere because it was not the last one and yes dealerships are selling them on A/D plan. I go and get in the truck and the salesman comes running out telling me that they would sell it on D-plan if I bought it today. I said no thanks it just isn't as impressive as this truck here. Then I left. Anyway now I have to spend a couple of hours putting everything back on my L.

Sorry I went on and on but words of advise, go drive one before you pull everything off yours to trade it in.

 

Interesting. IMHO our trucks aren't all that until they are modded.
What mods did you have on the truck?

 

ROTFLMAO

$5K over sticker

If the power didn't impress you, then ride in a slightly modded car. It's just like the L, a chip, filter and boost makes an INSANE jump in horsepower.

I miss my L... until I mat the tiny pedal on the right.

 

$5k over? They can stick it. Dealers around here are offering the $2500-$3000 rebate + X plan on Mach 1s and Cobras. I've considered getting a Mach1. Still undecided right now. I miss banging gears, but I love the blower whine and rush when the boost kicks in.

 

I have a 2000 to start with. 4# lower, 90mm, JL ram air kit, Diablo flip chip, FTVB, lakewoods I'm thinking that I wasn't as impressed because it's a car. Sports cars go fast easily, trucks that are this fast are almost scary. Also I didn't get to push it all that hard. The Cobra has to rev to make a lot of power our trucks don't. I never really got it past 4K rpms. It was hard to get in and out of and didn't even have auto headlamps. I just really wasn't impressed. I may go back and give it another look but I doubt it. The main reason I was looking into it was because the payment was going to be less than my truck and I was able to buy on D-plan.

 

Didn't get it past 4000rpm... no friggin wonder! A CAI and exhaust should net you ~400rwhp.

BTW, when I took the mods off my truck when I traded it on the Cobra... it was like I lost a cylinder.

 

Our trucks are great, but if you're going for speed...the Cobra is it. A Cobra will walk all over a Lightning mod per mod any day. We have a local 03 Cobra running high 10's with just bolt on's...stock Eaton. My buddy has a KB Cobra and it's sick fast! As you can tell, I'd buy one if I could afford it.

 

Well I gave it another thought and called them back to find out what they would give me for my 2000 with 36K miles. $14,200 I laughed and said sorry it isn't going to happen. I don't think I would use the additional power it has over my truck very often and I really don't think I could live with the interior. My wife had a '97 when we got married and we had to get rid of it because I hated the interior. They haven't changed since then. I'm not that big of a guy 6' 190lbs and the Cobra just felt cramped and hard to get in and out of. Plus I hated going into first gear because I would jam my thumb into the dash. Over all it is a good car with a lot of potential, but it's just not for me.

I think I'll just buy a Kenne Bell and get over it.

 

Very interesting experience. I agree with you on the size thing. I am 6 feet and 230 lbs, and I could just imagine what that cheap interior would look like in a few years. Now as far as the powertrain is concerned, I agree with the people who say that Cobra's are bad to the bone, I just think the lightnings just have a nasty persona about them, not sure if I can put words on it..... On a side note, a buddy of mine test drove an '03 Cobra and the Mullinax Coral Springs dealership speed record on test drives-130 mph. Could you imagine the face on that salesman.....

 

I dont think it was a faze, cause the Cobra's are real impressive cars. I am just glad I kept my Lightning. They offered me $23,000 trade in on my 2000! All I was paying was like $9,000 for an 03 and my payments were $165 a month. But I couldn't get rid of the truck. I drove the Cobra twice. Both times I loved it. It was just like my truck, but in a car and 6 speed. It was fun to drive, it sounded awesome and it looked pretty sharp. But it wasn't my truck. I think there is something about my truck that I may never be able to replace. I think they are very unique. No offense to mustangs, but they are a dime a dozen. Anyone can make a car fast. I give them great credit, for going fast. I just don't want to trade the truck in for a car just yet. Good luck with the truck, Shane

 

Thats a hard decision to make, but the cobra is going to hand the L its *** mod for mod like someone already said... I do like the whole "truck" thing myself too much to trade her... cobras dont wow me when I see them like the L did when I first laid eyes on her... I think you made a good choice.

 

It is a very hard choice to make. I went ahead and did it, and have been completly satisified with my decision. I do miss the truck some times but a good solid rip in the Cobra and I am happy again. I have added three mods to it, 1. Steeda CAI, 2. Steeda cat-back, 3. A 3.2" upper pulley good for about a 2 1/2 pound increase in boost. I am still running the factory tune. Last Saturday it went 12.323 @115.66mph. Needless to say I am extreamly happy with those results.

Now when the new Lightning comes out I will an even harder choice to make. Damn Ford for making me spend all my money on cars.

 

OK now to make things more interesting. I went back up and drove it again. This time I ran it on up into the rpms. It picks up a little up there. They will sell it to me for D-plan with $2500 rebate and $500 rebate for buying with D-plan. $29269 This is for a Torch Red 10th anniversary Coupe. They also increased my trade to $18000 which I owe $19400. The financing option instead of the rebate isn't all that great but since I have good credit they believe they can get me 5.9% for 72 months bringing the payment to about $507 a month. Thats only $47 more a month than the Lightning.

Now to the good stuff. First here is my truck.


Here is the Cobra



So help me out brothers, what should I do?

A couple of things bother me about it.

1) it has a vibration at 70mph in 6th gear, but from what I read most of them have it

2) there is some creaking, rattling coming from the rear seat. it may just be the leather back and bottom rubbing together.

 

I think that interior is hideous!
Speed is speed. Choose your ride based on practicality and comfort. My vote is for the truck.

 

I just went through something similar to your delima. My old Explorer was getting worn and I was looking at slightly used Corvettes and Camaro SS, new Mach 1s, new Cobras, etc. The sticker on the convertible Cobras scared me (marked up to $48k). The Mach 1s looked good and the price was not bad. Just couldn't see myself crawling in and out of one day in and day out in the trip to & from work and what would I haul stuff with - put a hitch on it?? Then a red Lightning at the Air Base where I work turned in front of me one day with custom exhaust and hood and after catching up on the latest on them on the Internet, I decided the Lightning was for me. Great power, can get in and out of it, fits in the garage, and I can haul stuff in it when I need to - how can that be beat (well a couple more miles to the gallon would help). It has a real persona too - people love it, especially kids. I would obviously vote for the Lightning.