Deciding between P.P S550 or 03/04 Cobra

[101dsgmach]

all this advice popping up and yet nobody asks the OP why he is the chosen one to have ford racing, motor trend, etc fly him out a racing school. how did that happen?! do share.

First off I apologize I haven't been able to keep up with the post over the weekend, my best friend graduated boot camp then fathers day was spent outdoors with family. To answer the question from MotorTrend/BfGoodrich, I won this competition they had posted, it was called the #driverenough challenge. They flew me out to SLC to the Utah Motorsports complex to go to their 1 day Ford Racing Driving School, the added bonus was Randy Pobst flew out with me and during filming for the video and article it was like a personal challenge between us. Needless to say racing against the legendary Pobst was a honor... Hopefully it will turn into a nice sponsorship soon The video will go live the 2nd week in July so I'll be sure to make a post with the link.

 

[101dsgmach]

**** fail-550s. Cobra all the way!

Just kidding! Lololol...

But serious, if it is to be a daily, 550 is better suited. If toy, cobra all the way.

If you do go with the cobra, 2 things:

Dont ever wear driving gloves and dont ever ever call it a "termi".

Best of luck.

agreed Car would be a toy, driven twice a week if lucky lol

 

[Westbayou]

Just went through this in the last 3 months. I wanted a weekend toy, and had budgeted no more than $30K for it. Got lucky and a 2016 GT with a Stage 2 Procharger, Vossen's, Exhaust, etc. popped up locally through a friend of a friend. He offered it to me for $30K with only 16k miles. Owner paid $52K at the dealership (holy depreciation Batman!!!) So I went and test drove it. Ran it up to 130 a few times. It was the most boring fast car I've ever driven. Zero drama, and therefore zero fun to me. Looked great, sounded great, just left me feeling meh.

Ended up buying a fully documented 03 DSG Terminator Coupe. Car has full Griggs GR40 suspension, Kenne Bell 2.2, and every other modification you can think of. It is an absolute riot to drive. Makes more power than the 2016, weighs less, goes faster. Was also roughly $10K less. Makes my pulse race every time I start it. She's pretty tame just driving around, but when you put your foot into it, HOLY HELL. That just didn't happen in the S550.

I haven't regretted my choice once.

 

[BLOWN9646]

I enjoy driving both (obviously cobra more) but my mpt e30 tuned v6 s550 with steeds IRS braces is fun to drive fast through the turns. It really needs gears, 3.15s suck. The mt82 blows (it'd be worse in the coyote). Ran 13.6 @ 105 lol. Not bad for rwd dd v6 though

 

[Steve@TF]

I won't add much... The obvious answer is out there. The Cobra will probably be a better toy... Unless it is as a serious road coarse car.

someone should tell that to Racebronco who tracks the shit out of his probably more than most serious road racers. granted, NA is better suited for the job but there are guys out there who beat their terminators like red headed stepchildren on road courses.

 

[Iamchris]

someone should tell that to Racebronco who tracks the shit out of his probably more than most serious road racers. granted, NA is better suited for the job but there are guys out there who beat their terminators like red headed stepchildren on road courses.

True, and he came to mind before I even wrote that... but for the majority of people, the Cobra isn't going to be the ideal road course car... I think even those who do race them know they accepted a handicap from the beginning, but I would let them speak for themselves.

 

[smitty2919]

What compare apples to apples? Well then the terminator should up the cubic inches and compression. People like you crack me up.

Which further proves my point.

This debate will always boil down to personal opinion. OP will find justification in either car he chooses. Lower mileage Cobra for $20-25k or a brand new car for similar price. I suppose a GT500 or GT350 would be more of a apples to apples??

 

[smitty2919]

Just went through this in the last 3 months. I wanted a weekend toy, and had budgeted no more than $30K for it. Got lucky and a 2016 GT with a Stage 2 Procharger, Vossen's, Exhaust, etc. popped up locally through a friend of a friend. He offered it to me for $30K with only 16k miles. Owner paid $52K at the dealership (holy depreciation Batman!!!) So I went and test drove it. Ran it up to 130 a few times. It was the most boring fast car I've ever driven. Zero drama, and therefore zero fun to me. Looked great, sounded great, just left me feeling meh.

Ended up buying a fully documented 03 DSG Terminator Coupe. Car has full Griggs GR40 suspension, Kenne Bell 2.2, and every other modification you can think of. It is an absolute riot to drive. Makes more power than the 2016, weighs less, goes faster. Was also roughly $10K less. Makes my pulse race every time I start it. She's pretty tame just driving around, but when you put your foot into it, HOLY HELL. That just didn't happen in the S550.

I haven't regretted my choice once.

Between these two specific cars, I would have went Cobra too. Blower upgrade with proper suspension mods no doubt will make that car fun. But IMO what makes the Cobra more "raw" (aside from the roots torque) is the lack of build quality and sound deadening LOL.

Same applies to a couple friends of mine that own and race Fbody camaro's and C5's (autocross and road race heavily). The C5 is the easy button performer, but the Fbody makes them work for it and they love driving them.

 

[Bdubbs]

Which further proves my point.

This debate will always boil down to personal opinion. OP will find justification in either car he chooses. Lower mileage Cobra for $20-25k or a brand new car for similar price. I suppose a GT500 or GT350 would be more of a apples to apples??

Maybe. But you can't simply say add a blower to the 5.0 and that's comparing apples to apples. When clearly the 5.0 has a lot more compression and a little more cubes.

 

[Iamchris]

Which further proves my point.

This debate will always boil down to personal opinion. OP will find justification in either car he chooses. Lower mileage Cobra for $20-25k or a brand new car for similar price. I suppose a GT500 or GT350 would be more of a apples to apples??

That statement alone would make me decide for the Cobra. An almost 15 year old car with a stable value, or a new car that is going to be worth half of its price tag in 2 years. If you are on the fence as to which one, go with the one that makes financial sense.

 

[Iamchris]

Just went through this in the last 3 months. I wanted a weekend toy, and had budgeted no more than $30K for it. Got lucky and a 2016 GT with a Stage 2 Procharger, Vossen's, Exhaust, etc. popped up locally through a friend of a friend. He offered it to me for $30K with only 16k miles. Owner paid $52K at the dealership (holy depreciation Batman!!!) So I went and test drove it. Ran it up to 130 a few times. It was the most boring fast car I've ever driven. Zero drama, and therefore zero fun to me. Looked great, sounded great, just left me feeling meh.

Ended up buying a fully documented 03 DSG Terminator Coupe. Car has full Griggs GR40 suspension, Kenne Bell 2.2, and every other modification you can think of. It is an absolute riot to drive. Makes more power than the 2016, weighs less, goes faster. Was also roughly $10K less. Makes my pulse race every time I start it. She's pretty tame just driving around, but when you put your foot into it, HOLY HELL. That just didn't happen in the S550.

I haven't regretted my choice once.

Its funny how we value things that don't translate to common sense. The Cobra is a sound decision, but all logic points to the newer Coyote being a better car, and it probably is, but it doesn't really hold weight when you sit behind the wheel.
It is becoming clearer as cars advance that there is a divide between performance and fun.

I say, drive what makes you happy. It is different for different people.

 

[03cobra#694]

I keep seeing the "raw" word come up constantly in these types of threads, and it's true. Being a owner of one for 15 years I can attest to the feeling this car gives vs the newer stuff. It may be faster, but the cobra will feel faster and bite you quickly if you make a mistake.

 

[offroadkarter]

I honestly bet a lot of this "feels faster" and "raw" comments comes from it being a high power car on a 70's developed chassis. I mean the Marauder with the eaton and T-56 feels "raw" because its... a high power car on a 70's developed chassis.

I'd like to own a Terminator one day but I don't have any regrets about buying the S550. I can drive it anywhere and not worry about consumable alternators or IC pumps. I also didn't want a shifter that was in the dash or a clutch pedal from a dent side f250 high boy. The coyote can also go stupid fast N/A with bolt on's. I watched a S550 with a CAI, headers and a tune run consistent mid 11's at a track rental last year. I don't see many N/A 4.6's doing that.


Also, I feel like this thread was going to have an obvious result from the start. Go ask this on M6G and I am sure you'll get a 90% S550 biased reply. Go drive a few cars and decide for yourself what you want.

 

[DarkMach1]

Boom! Head shot.

Until a whipple S550 heading to get some milk spots his "ready to race" viper and embarrasses him.

OP, drive both and decide for yourself.

 

[P49Y-CY]

Unless you're gonna make the Cobra a garage queen get a new car. The thing is almost 15 years old.

this reminds me of a quote from "the gumball rally" (1976). michael sarazin said (referring to his original AC Cobra), "...some things get meaner as they get older."

Ran it up to 130 a few times. It was the most boring fast car I've ever driven. Zero drama, and therefore zero fun to me. Looked great, sounded great, just left me feeling meh.

I think there is much to be said about this. last year there was a discussion thread on this board about how some new audi's (with only a tune iirc) can run 10-second quarter miles, and there was a video of a run from inside the cockpit. man, that had to be the most boring and lackluster 10 second run i had ever seen! it seemed to require no driver engagement whatsoever, and looked like a real yawnfest. enjoying driving as a more visceral experience is what makes it fun to me.

 

[Sinister04L]

A new S550 is a lot more refined than a 14 year old New Edge car for sure. The Cobra is very fun to drive but as I've gotten older I've come to appreciate the refinement and creature comforts the newer cars have. My car is still fun to drive too, especially spinning 8k rpm with the CJ set up.

 

[ON D BIT]

The gr40 setup is a wicked suspension. Killer deal!

 

[ZYBORG]

Until a whipple S550 heading to get some milk spots his "ready to race" viper and embarrasses him.

OP, drive both and decide for yourself.

You missed the point entirely. His post was mainly about focusing on the driving experience itself and detaching from creature comforts (which can numb and distract the drive).

Also, if you think an gt mustang can ever embarrass a Viper, no matter how much faster it is modded to be, you are doing it wrong. The guy in the Viper goes home "winning" no matter what.

 

[Riptide]

Or he goes home and puts it on Craigslist. Some people would most definitely do that after a rape via a GT or whatever. Once they lose a race the epic love affair is over with and it's time for a divorce.

 

[IronSnake]

I honestly bet a lot of this "feels faster" and "raw" comments comes from it being a high power car on a 70's developed chassis. I mean the Marauder with the eaton and T-56 feels "raw" because its... a high power car on a 70's developed chassis.
...
Also, I feel like this thread was going to have an obvious result from the start. Go ask this on M6G and I am sure you'll get a 90% S550 biased reply. Go drive a few cars and decide for yourself what you want.

I don't disagree with either statement. But I was one of those guys on M6G and I'm still telling him to stick with the Terminator. Had a brand new S550 for a year. Sold it.

For what he wants to do, 03/04 will get it done very well. Or even an 07+ GT500. Which brings me to the point that the whole "raw" related to the chassis design is a semi-true not so true statement. Drive one of the older Shelby's and those cars are very raw. They feel as fast as they sound and pull. The S550 struggles with that. It lacks a lot character in the "big balls on the dash" department when it comes to driver feedback.