Debating on trading 2013 focus st3 for 03 cobra

[st3owner]

Hey guys, I have the opportunity to trade my 2013 focus st3 even for an 03 cobra. Didn't know if anyone on here has traded their almost new vehicle for one of these cars and if they regretted getting rid of it or if they are happy they traded for the cobra. Any input would be nice.

Thanks in advance


It would be my new daily driver. Engine has been rebuilt with what seems to be good parts. Manley platinum coated pistons, Manley H-beams, ARP2000 Head studs, main studs, side bolts and rod bolts, melling oil pump, bullet custom grind cams 225/228 .475 lift, ported heads, livernois springs. Cobra has about 65K on the body and 10K on the engine. I drive about 50 miles a day for work. It will be put up in the winter time and i would drive the truck in the winter. But in the non-snow months i would plan on it being my new daily if i decide to trade.

Also the focus st3 has 53,000 miles on it and is fully loaded with every option. And the cobra is the Redfire i believe is the color

 

[Bdubbs]

I have not, but you need to give us more details. You plan on daily driving the cobra? There are members on here who do that, I for one would NEVER daily drive my cobra. I've always lived by the rule of NEVER modding my daily driver. My primary vehicle of transportation is a rusted out 98 f150 with 67,xxx original miles.

 

[Black Gold 380R]

I have not, but you need to give us more details. You plan on daily driving the cobra? There are members on here who do that, I for one would NEVER daily drive my cobra. I've always lived by the rule of NEVER modding my daily driver. My primary vehicle of transportation is a rusted out 98 f150 with 67,xxx original miles.

I'm with you 100% Bdubbs. I have my DD and then there are my toys LOL!!!!

I just upgraded my DD. I went from a 1999 Ford Contour with 180K to a 2015 Dodge Challenger with 25K. It's just a V6 SXT, but it looks cool LOL.

Yes, give us more details on the trade and what your plans are. I would trade a Focus for a Cobra in a heart beat.

 

[3xBlackCobra]

yeah you'd need to provide more info in order to make a reasonable decision. For example:
-What is the mileage of the Focus and the Cobra?
-Will you be using the Cobra as a daily?
- Is the cobra a specialty color (mystichrome or CO)?

For the most part, a reasonable ST3 should be worth around 14-16k. A relatively low mileage cobra (30k to 70k miles) will be worth anywhere from 17-21k, depending on the condition and color option. Basically, the cobra is potentially worth more (especially in long run, since the termi has good depreciation value). However, I would not have a cobra as a daily, if indeed that's what you're looking to use it for. The clutch is very strong, the suspension is what you'd expect from a performance oriented mustang, and overall it's just not a comfortable car to use as a daily.

If the plan is to use the cobra as a secondary vehicle (and it's in good condition with decent mileage), i'd say go for it!

 

[03cobra#694]

What they all said. For sure need more info about the car.

 

[st3owner]

It would be my new daily driver. Engine has been rebuilt with what seems to be good parts. Manley platinum coated pistons, Manley H-beams,
ARP2000 Head studs, main studs, side bolts and rod bolts, melling oil pump, bullet custom grind cams 225/228 .475 lift, ported heads, livernois springs. Cobra has about 65K on the body and 10K on the engine. I drive about 50 miles a day for work. It will be put up in the winter time and i would drive the truck in the winter. But in the non-snow months i would plan on it being my new daily if i decide to trade.

Also the focus st3 has 53,000 miles on it and is fully loaded with every option. And the cobra is the Redfire i believe is the color

 

[03cobra#694]

What blower and boost?

 

[st3owner]

What blower and boost?

It's got the stock supercharger with 2.8 pulley on it. think they were guna put 2.9 whipple on but they never did.

I'm going with the guy tomorrow to get it dyno tuned, so i would be able to give more info about what it's pushing and making then.

 

[Zemedici]

I have not, but you need to give us more details. You plan on daily driving the cobra? There are members on here who do that, I for one would NEVER daily drive my cobra. I've always lived by the rule of NEVER modding my daily driver. My primary vehicle of transportation is a rusted out 98 f150 with 67,xxx original miles.

What Brady said --

Some guys (like me) daily drive their cobras, while others shudder at the idea Its entirely up to preference. I sold my 2015 mustang to buy another cobra, I love them. But most people arent like me....hahaha

 

[st3owner]

With you daily driving yours, would you say that they are reliable cars and built to last? i know it's going to have the usual expenses of gas, brakes, tires, battery, and from what i have read the alternators. But other than that have you had to dump a bunch of money into them because of problems?

Obviously it costs money to modify them but if you can stay away from doing it, are they reasonably low maintenance cars?

 

[Zemedici]

With you daily driving yours, would you say that they are reliable cars and built to last? i know it's going to have the usual expenses of gas, brakes, tires, battery, and from what i have read the alternators. But other than that have you had to dump a bunch of money into them because of problems?

Obviously it costs money to modify them but if you can stay away from doing it, are they reasonably low maintenance cars?

oh absolutely - these cars once you get them sorted out are DEAD reliable. I put 50k on my 04 in 2 years, just changed the oil once I got all the little issues sorted out. Even my current car, with a 2.3l whipple / full exhaust / BAP / Injectors / etc etc, no issues whatsoever.

 

[st3owner]

oh absolutely - these cars once you get them sorted out are DEAD reliable. I put 50k on my 04 in 2 years, just changed the oil once I got all the little issues sorted out. Even my current car, with a 2.3l whipple / full exhaust / BAP / Injectors / etc etc, no issues whatsoever.

Good deal, yeah this cars has had the engine rebuilt and the fuel system upgraded. The previous owner that had it before the guy i'm possibly trading with, seems like he was planning a fairly high HP car but then decided to build his other car. And then his buddy wanted his bigger injectors and blower. But the rest of the stuff is still on the car. But I'm glad to hear that yours have been reliable even with the modifications!!! Makes me feel a little better about all the mods that have been done to this one

 

[Zemedici]

Good deal, yeah this cars has had the engine rebuilt and the fuel system upgraded. The previous owner that had it before the guy i'm possibly trading with, seems like he was planning a fairly high HP car but then decided to build his other car. And then his buddy wanted his bigger injectors and blower. But the rest of the stuff is still on the car. But I'm glad to hear that yours have been reliable even with the modifications!!! Makes me feel a little better about all the mods that have been done to this one

yessir - if you can give up some of the 'creature comforts' of a new vehicle compared to an older one, then its completely worth it. My 2015 GT had every single option available, was like $43,000 MSRP or something insane. But I realized I didnt care about any of the 'niceties' so I sold it for another 03-04. :beer:

 

[st3owner]

yessir - if you can give up some of the 'creature comforts' of a new vehicle compared to an older one, then its completely worth it. My 2015 GT had every single option available, was like $43,000 MSRP or something insane. But I realized I didnt care about any of the 'niceties' so I sold it for another 03-04. :beer:

Yeah, i don't use alot of the stuff the st has and offers. I would probably change the radio in the cobra so i could use my usb stick full of music though. But other than that i really don't use extras.


Any other people that have done the trade?

 

[Case]

I haven't done the trade, but I have basically both the same vehicles. My toy is my 2004 Cobra, and my DD is a 2013 Mazdaspeed3 which is basically a FoST. Like others have said, I don't mod my DD and save my time/money for the Cobra. Given I don't really have the time to drive the Cobra all that much, it's the best of both worlds.

It's honestly up to you OP. I like having the nice(er) gas mileage of my Speed3 and the amenities that it offers, plus a hatch for random things. If you plan to DD your Cobra if you get it, there's someone on here who just rolled 390,000 miles on their Cobra. Talk about reliability!

 

[2004cobra615]

I DD. A stock 01 cobra for 4.5 years great driving car, reilable car and it got 20 mpg city and 25 highway.

The car you are think of is pretty modified and it sounds like it's still being modified as we speak? Why is it getting tuned again?

The reliability of these cars goes down with modifications.
I would not DD this car. I think it wouldn't be reliable enough.



I would plan to get a cheap DD and use this cobra a few times a week. It sounds like u have a back up car for the winter? So if the cobra needed fixing u would have a backup already?

 

[st3owner]

The car you are think of is pretty modified and it sounds like it's still being modified as we speak? Why is it getting tuned again?

The reliability of these cars goes down with modifications.
I would not DD this car. I think it wouldn't be reliable enough.



I would plan to get a cheap DD and use this cobra a few times a week. It sounds like u have a back up car for the winter? So if the cobra needed fixing u would have a backup already?

This is the list of parts that have been put on/in this car
Manley platinum coated -14cc dishes Pistons
Stock crank
Manley H beams
ARP2000 head studs, main studs, side bolts and rod bolts
Melling oil pump
MMR rear main cover
Bullet custom grind cams 225/228 .475 lift
Ported heads
All new guides and seals
Valve job
Livernois springs
Division X hat w/ twin 465's
-10 feed -8 return
Fuel lab inline filter
Division X rails
Fore regulator
26 spline input shaft
Spec stage 3+
Fidanza flywheel
UPR quadrant
Fiore firewall adjuster
FTBR bump steer kit, Subframe bushings, diff bushings and solid lowering mount
Custom reinforced IRS subframe
Speedhut gauges : oil pressure, fuel pressure, water temp and boost
AEM wideband
VRS off road X pipe
Steeda catback

The previous owner before the guy I am possibly trading with had a different supercharger and injectors also but he decided to build his other car and sold the bigger supercharger and injectors to his buddy that needed them. He then got an e-mailed cal for the upgrades that are currently on the car, so the guy I'm possibly trading with is getting it dyno tuned because the emailed cal runs ok. But idle is a little rough and it bogs down when not full throttle. So he wants to get it tuned right before the trade because I won't trade unless it's ready to go. Luckily it's a guy I work with and he's letting me go with him. So it'll be a 6 hour with the drive down and back.

Maybe this is a dumb question but with the higher grade parts that have been installed, as long as I'm not planning on beefing it up any more on power, would that not make it more reliable since it has higher grade parts meant to take more "abuse"? I'm not a track guy so i won't be taking it to the track.

Forgot to add that i do have a truck for the winter time which i could use as a vehicle if need be

 

[Bdubbs]

The fact that motor is a rebuilt with pretty much no oem parts left I wouldn't even consider daily driving it. Maybe if nothing has ever been opened up. Just be sure you have money set aside, as costly expenses could arise.

 

[NateDogg]

I wouldn't DD a cobra.

Trade for it, but do your self a favor and pick up a beater civic/focus/cavalier.. something like that.

 

[st3owner]

Those that say they would NOT use a cobra as a DD. Is it because of lack of comfort and reliability or because more miles = less worth in the long run? Just wanting to know the reasons.