I'm in the market for a new vehicle and have already placed an order for a 2001 Cobra....I've been doing alot of reading and can't help but think maybe I should go with a 2001 Lightning! I've got an X-Plan to use so if anyone knows a price of a 2001 L with this discount please let me know. The Cobra coupe is going to cost me $27,000 on this plan. My main concerns are insurance and reliability. I know I'll probably get flamed for this, but what kind of gas mileage is everyone seeing with their L's?



[This message has been edited by afj00svt (edited 04-29-2001).]

 

Iam on my second truck and I NEVER checked my gas mileage. I just added fuel when the little hand points to E. I have since learned to add fuel when it gets to 1/2. Doesn't cost as much. Iam positive that insurance will be much cheaper for the truck than for a cobra. Hopes it helps some and good luck in your vehicle.

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2001 Silver Bolt...
Adopted 3/24/01...
Red Line Water Wetter... Wet Okole's... Bedrug... JL Ram Air...
Chipless in NJ

 

They get between 11-14 mpg premium only. X plan is about a grand more if I remember. I am geting a convertible on X plan. You can't compare the 2 very much. You can yow the car with the truck, but you can't tow much with the car! It would be cheaper in the long run with the Cobra. I'm glad that I will be able to use the Cobra once in a while ( wife's daily driver). But I wouldn't get rid of the truck for it. I also have an Explorer to use.
After reading this over, I can see this is most likely no help!
Tom

 

I just traded my '99 Cobra in on an '01 L. My insurance dropped $700/yr with the truck. I just recently went on a trip and got ~16mpg whereas I was getting ~23mpg with the Cobra (it had 4.10's and 310rwhp).

I had too many problems with the Cobra most likely self induced. For everyday driving, go with the L, no comparision.

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Paul
'01 Silver L

 

If you want to go fast on the street and acceleration is important, it should be an L. If ride and road corse handling, particularly braking hard and repeatedly maybe the Cobra. Testosterone and envy of others is an L, ultimate handling and roadmanners maybe the Cobra as long as you never want to drag race someone. I like them both and had to make this decision when I bought mine. The Cobra was a clear winner until I test drove the L.

Good luck, even the wrong chice is a nice vehicle - Bob

 

Yup, I agree. Cobras are nice but Ls are everything! Plus your insurance will DEFINITELY be cheaper. Looking at a Cobra is like looking at a Vette. It's SUPPOSED to be nice. An L on the other hand is a total badass F-150 that many people still haven't seen, and it draws attention. Pull one into a local cruise-in car show, and watch the migration.

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Stevie-Ray
00 Red L #3460
JL Stage 2 Ram Air
Clear tails
Custom mats
ARE LSII
Bedrug
Keypad entry
Homedics Back Expert 2000

 

The only benefits my 99 Cobra had over the L is ride quality, top speed, and gas mileage. I've actually had my L faster through some of the smooth twisties, so I can't say the Cobra handled better, except on rough pavement. I've had the Cobra past 145 and pulling strong, but the L is all done by then. I got about 16/24 mpg on the Cobra, and get 12/16 mpg on the L. My insurance on the L is about half what it was for the Cobra. The L is definitely quicker and easier to launch. I get 10 times the attention with the L than I did with the Cobra (Except from the cops). Overall, I've been much happier with the L. The strongest argument the Cobra has going for it is...It's a Cobra!

 

I appreciate the advice fellas....I'm still in limbo over this. I found out yesterday, that my Cobra is being built on the 5/21....DECISIONS, DECISIONS!!!!!

 

I found that the Lightning's road manners and ride more compliant than my '96 Cobra, but not sure how it'll fair against the '99 and '01 Cobra's. I would think as good, if not better. I'm sorry but my L rides like a caddy yet handles like my '95 Vette.

It's also faster from the factory than my Vette, yet all the car mags so it ain't so. Oh well, I own both and both are in mint condition, but I know many a times I have raced against my L in the Vette or against my Vette in the L and everytime the L has won up to 120 plus or minus a few mph.

Sure, whatever, is what the Vette owners say, and other Mustang owners, but I'm telling you the damn #'s lie, LoL.

BfB

 

Hands down the L is the better choice. I owned a 1996 Mystic Cobra and the Lightning. Once the L was purchased the Cobra sat in the garage as I did not want to drive it because that would mean I was not driving the L. Well after it sat in the garage for a year I finaly sold it.

http://www.coffeeontheweb.com/~tomdj...bra-House1.jpg

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1999 Black Lightning
Custom 9" K&N, Superchip R9, Dual 3" 2 Chamber Flowmasters, Level 10 Shift Kit
Bed Rug, ARE Tonneau, Carbon Fiber Interior Pieces
Best Time:13.23 sec. @ 104.5 mph

 

Oh, yeah, sureeeee...get the Cobra w/ it's ****ty tranny, it's ability to show you how to overheat in the summer, those nice snap at anytime rear axles, a motor that should make 350 rwhp but only makes 265 from the factory, and that lovely MacPherson strut front suspension. Hell, even the L has a decent front end, and it's a truck!

My '96 Mystic was a POS. Never regret dumping that sorry excuse for a Mule off at the last exit. I loved it while it lasted, but now I KNOW that I hated that car. Sure, it was fast, and outran most cars in it's class and a lot of modded cars couldn't even touch it (I had a lot of aftermarket mods on the car), but enough was enough.

BfB

 

get the L...i have a 93 cobra which i feel is the best cobra...last year of fox body...last of the real motors that went byebye in 96...while my cobra is a steller street performer, you will be hard pressed to find a another car/truck that will step up to the plate to match brute force with the L...cobra is nice dont get me wrong...but get something diferent...L all the way!

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96 Contour GL, Green
Too Many Mods To List
93 SVT Cobra, Teal #515
Baby Of The Family
01 SVT Lightning, White
On The Way!

 

I'd go with the Lightning. I had a 99 Cobra and had nothing but problems with it. I also found it to be a pain to drive daily because Ford has programmed the revs to stay up higher when you put the clutch in. It made for some unsmooth shifting and missed shifts when you weren't paying attention. (My 00 GT didn't do this and was more enjoyable to drive IMHO)

The Lightning has made me much happier without a doubt! The Cobra took alot of revs to make power out of the 4.6 whereas the L gets on it right away. Also....gotta love the s/c whine!

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Red 2000 Lightning
No mods yet
Work is driving an Airbus (will spank a Lightning by a few 100 knots ha-)

 

I say wait to see if the 01 Ls are leaking...

 

Can you tell you're on the Lightning board yet?

95% of the people on here think their "L" is faster than every Mustang out there, both in a straight line and in the twisties as well as braking. You'd think a lot of us here are a bunch of snobby Porsche owners. Seriously, sometimes this stuff gets old. I'm sick of hearing how Mustangs are junk.

Remember folks, without the success of the SVT Cobra...there would be no SVT Lightning. SVT would have died a long time ago (just like the Gen 1 L which died b/c it didn't sell!).

My '96 Cobra was a great car. It was _far_ superior than the Fox-bodied Cobra in stock form (fit and finish isn't even close, power from a stock 4v 4.6 is significantly more than the 5.0, handling and braking cannot even be compared b/w the two). I had very few problems with that car for the 5 years I owned it, and just recently sold it to a very happy buyer. For those that remember, that car it was a bona-fide low-12 sec ride on _radials_.

If the '01 Cobra is what SVT says it will be (and we do have legitmate reasons to doubt them, I understand that) then it will be a very nice vehicle. A POS it will not be.

I would drive both before buying either if you are this uncertain. The L is an awesome vehicle. I love mine. Runs great, rides great, brakes great, looks great. Insurance is low, gas consumption is high. Fun factor is way up there!

You can't lose either way, and both will be very quick and fast. Both will put a smile on your face. Driven correctly, the Cobra will be quicker down the 1/4 mile than the Lightning (stock for stock). The Lightning can tow, haul things in the bed, etc.

Both will be a thrill a minute.

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Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--597rwhp/590rwtq
98 Saleen S351 #15--443rwhp/452rwtq
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.8)--364rwhp/447rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4
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