Debating selling my 03 cobra

[ademily87]

If you'll look at my previous thread, I was having issues with a shop that I took my car to, to have the motor removed and the heads taken off to fix a couple hurt valves. The car developed a bad miss and a compression test showed 0psi in cylinder 7 and 54psi in cylinder 6 if I remember correctly. The car never smoked, everything worked perfectly fine, aside from the bad valves. Even then it didn't smoke the slightest bit on start up.

I thought long and hard about whether or not to pull my car from that shop that was taking a while to get the ball rolling on my car, and asked advice on here and the majority said pull my car from that shop and take it somewhere else. My main concern was now having 2 shops having touched the car, and if anything went wrong with the motor pull from the first shop, if my car was messed up when I picked it up, nobody would take fault for it. (And rightly so, because you can't blame something on somebody when so many people have touched it).

This is more of a vent, and I'm seriously debating selling my car if I can't get this smoking on start up issue taken care of. I honestly almost sold it before I even took it to the first shop because I knew it would never be the same again. Just a gut feeling.

But now after almost 1 year and $3900, I have my car back. My car that now smokes like a freight train on start up, won't hardly idle, shuts off when coming to a stop intermittently, fluctuating idle, a clutch that pops when I push the pedal in, some rattling noise coming from what seems to be behind the shifter when the motor is cold and I start it, a brake fluid leak, and have to add 1.5 quarts of oil every 500 miles.

Am I being crazy or irrational just not even wanting this car anymore? I love my car, but it's just not the same. It's an upper only car, and I liked it just the way it was/is. 479hp/505tq is plenty of fun for me and over the 3 years all I've done is put tires on it, oil changes, spark plugs and gas in it. Now it's embarrassing to drive with all the smoke, and it's not even enjoyable anymore.

I dunno. Just needed to vent to some people that can probably relate and have gone through the same thing.

Anybody else gone through something like this?

 

[thomas91169]

Needs to have a professional actually do the engine work. Someone well versed in DOHC modulars.

STOP DRIVING IT btw.

If you sell it, you will take a major hit. Nobody will pay mint 03/04 Cobra price for a broken Cobra.

Do you have means to remove the engine yourself and take it to a shop like that? You will save lots of money this way.

Also, have you thought about buying another 03/04 motor thats proven to run and swapping over? Id go that route if you like the car still.

 

[Jaysin]

Sorry to hear about the trouble your having with the Cobra. It's an unfortunate part of our hobby, and owning a vehicle in general. Wanting to just sell the car and be done with it is an understandable feeling to have. I had an issue when I had my Cobra of it not wanting to crank all the time, sometimes it would fire right up, other times it wouldn't even attempt to turn over, then the rear gear busted which made the car undrivable, and made me not enjoy the car at all. It's something you have to ask yourself on what you ultimately want to do. You will definitely take a hit on the car, and once it's gone for awhile you may find yourself missing it because you'll remember how it was when it was healthy.

I'd personally research a reputable shop, and just get it fixed right and then see how you feel about it. It's no fun having a broken car, but its even less fun taking a huge loss on something that you know could be worth a lot more. Good luck man, hope it gets resolved for you!

 

[me32]

Id sell it a. Get out while you can. Get a new car and enjoy it.

 

[Never_Enough]

Id sell it a. Get out while you can. Get a new car and enjoy it.

Me too. Unless you have bottomless pockets of money to toss at it.

 

[cj428mach]

Have you tried the Terminator section asking for help? There are a lot of generous members here that maybe willing to help out. I think in the 2013-14 gt500 section they even got a paypal account setup taking donations for a guy that toasted his motor and then got hosed by a shop.

I'm not saying you should be asking for money, but you may find a guy with the knowledge, the tools, and maybe even the place to help you fix your car.

 

[Riddla]

sell it and get a 5.bro easily at those power levels and be reliable

 

[me32]

Have you tried the Terminator section asking for help? There are a lot of generous members here that maybe willing to help out. I think in the 2013-14 gt500 section they even got a paypal account setup taking donations for a guy that toasted his motor and then got hosed by a shop.

I'm not saying you should be asking for money, but you may find a guy with the knowledge, the tools, and maybe even the place to help you fix your car.

From what ive read in the op other thread is that he doesnt have time or the real knowledge to do the work that needs to be done on his car. At this point i dont see why keep it. Sell it for what you can get an get a newer 5.0

 

[J-Hem]

I'm confused. Did you take it to a 2nd shop or not ? If not, the first shop had it a YEAR and you spent $4K there and it came back with all those problems ? Wow. I agree with the other comments assuming the car is paid for sell it for all you can and get something newer. Also put the name of that shop on here so none of the rest of us take our cars there if you haven't already. GLWS !!

 

[derklug]

I've got an ex, so I know exactly what you are going through. Move on, get a different one that doesn't drive you mad, and enjoy life. The initial expense seems like a great loss, but the reason divorces are so expensive is because they are worth every penny.

 

[Roots-type]

sell it and get a 5.bro easily at those power levels and be reliable

Oh no you di'ent!

Op- trust your gut.

 

[Zemedici]

I'd sell the car. After all that shit i'd want out.

 

[Mentos]

Geeez, that's a mess. Good luck OP. Btw, Did you ever disclose the name of that shop? Not sure if you mentioned it it your last thread.

 

[Coiled03]

Sounds like a train wreck.

Cut your losses and sell it.

 

[2KBlackGT]

Are there any plans on trying to recoup some money from the shop?

 

[screamngdave]

Stalling is due to the PCV system being deleted (to stop oil being drawn into the intake) just needs to be accounted for in tune. There is only 3 ways for the oil to get into the combustion chamber one of which would be under warranty if the owner would ever get the car back to me to check it out and see what the problem is. As much damage as there was done to the head there is a complete possibility that the machine shop missed something or maybe even damage that wasn't known or couldn't be seen. I got the car in 2 truck loads and several boxes so what it did and didn't do before I have no idea but I do stand behind everything I do and if there's a problem with anything the machine shop did or that I did I would fix it if I can get the car. I'm not involved with what the first shop did or didn't do, that's a long story that the OP can tell if he decides to do so. I am the guy that put all the puzzle pieces back together and I am well versed in modular motors. What time the car spent sitting while I had it was waiting for the owner not waiting on me.

Dave

I'm not a paying vendor here so I chose to leave my shops name out to not break the rules, but I'll give it to whoever wants it through PM.

 

[black99lightnin]

Stalling is due to the PCV system being deleted (to stop oil being drawn into the intake) just needs to be accounted for in tune. There is only 3 ways for the oil to get into the combustion chamber one of which would be under warranty if the owner would ever get the car back to me to check it out and see what the problem is. As much damage as there was done to the head there is a complete possibility that the machine shop missed something or maybe even damage that wasn't known or couldn't be seen. I got the car in 2 truck loads and several boxes so what it did and didn't do before I have no idea but I do stand behind everything I do and if there's a problem with anything the machine shop did or that I did I would fix it if I can get the car. I'm not involved with what the first shop did or didn't do, that's a long story that the OP can tell if he decides to do so. I am the guy that put all the puzzle pieces back together and I am well versed in modular motors. What time the car spent sitting while I had it was waiting for the owner not waiting on me.

Dave

I'm not a paying vendor here so I chose to leave my shops name out to not break the rules, but I'll give it to whoever wants it through PM.

Sounds fair. What about the offer OP?

 

[me32]

Stalling is due to the PCV system being deleted (to stop oil being drawn into the intake) just needs to be accounted for in tune. There is only 3 ways for the oil to get into the combustion chamber one of which would be under warranty if the owner would ever get the car back to me to check it out and see what the problem is. As much damage as there was done to the head there is a complete possibility that the machine shop missed something or maybe even damage that wasn't known or couldn't be seen. I got the car in 2 truck loads and several boxes so what it did and didn't do before I have no idea but I do stand behind everything I do and if there's a problem with anything the machine shop did or that I did I would fix it if I can get the car. I'm not involved with what the first shop did or didn't do, that's a long story that the OP can tell if he decides to do so. I am the guy that put all the puzzle pieces back together and I am well versed in modular motors. What time the car spent sitting while I had it was waiting for the owner not waiting on me.

Dave

I'm not a paying vendor here so I chose to leave my shops name out to not break the rules, but I'll give it to whoever wants it through PM.

Sounds like there could be hope. Keep us updated on the final out come of all this.

 

[ademily87]

Yea I'm not saying you did anything Dave. I know you helped me out by taking on a project that somebody else halfway started. And I still plan on bringing the car for some diagnosing, leakdown test, etc, whenever I can get back up there due to my work schedule. I asked when you'd like me to bring the car if you wanted it on a weekend or weekday, because I know you have limited space, and haven't heard back from you yet.

Sorry if it's been interpreted that I'm upset with any work done on the car or am pointing fingers at anybody particular. It's just at this point it's been broken for a year now, and now it's worse off than before, after almost a year and thousands of dollars. Just having my doubts on if I even want to keep the car anymore. That's the main purpose of this thread. Maybe I'll feel different after it's driveability is back and the smoking goes away. It's just very discouraging at this point and needed to vent.

Again I'm not bashing anybody. Screamngdave had the car for maybe a month and a half, and most all that time was waiting on the machine shop for the heads or waiting on me to deliver the parts that the other shop kept losing where the car was originally at.

And I'm not gonna buy a 5.0. Yall can stop trying lol just not my cup of tea.

 

[Bdubbs]

Op your in a tough situation, I'd be very frustrated as well. I actually lose sleep over crap on my car that isn't right or broken and needs to be fixed. It drives me crazy until it's fixed right. Is your car paid for? IMO that makes a difference.