Are you happy with the fit and finish on your new Cobra? I think that the new Cobra is perhaps the best driving Cobra to date but the fit and finish of the bodywork leaves much to be desired. So much so that I cannot believe that Ford raised the price of this vehicle (new 2003 Cobra introduction price) by $5000.00 just because they knew they could get it. I have seen poor paint, misalign doors and spot welds on the quarter panels that would give a blind man a fit. Now don’t read me wrong I still love my Cobra but I would like to hear from some other owners to see what they have found.
?????? Fit & Finish ??????
- Thread starter BABolt
- Start date
My ragtop's door seams are very uneven, and I am unhappy about it. Otherwise the body is in good condition.
:bored:
:bored:
Only fitment issue I have noticed on my '03 is that the sides of the hood sit a little low relative to the tops of the fenders. Should be a minor issue for a good body man to work out.
COBRyan
Puts Out For Mod Money
I have noticed that the paint chips very easily, especially below the door handles. I have also found orange peel on the paint and a spot on the front bumper where clear coat was not applied. I think Ford needs to pay more attention to the paint than anything. One of my side skirts was misaligned as well.
You are right...........BUT -- you must remember, it is a Mustang not a BMW or Mercedes. I've got questionable paint job (black), bad drivers window sqweellllllll.....which is unacceptable and a plain Jane interior....... but the best performance "Muscle" car for the money......I even like it's performance better than my old 97 C5........
For the money these cost they should be perfect. My passenger side door has been adjusted so many times from the factory that the bolt heads look worn out . You can see where the paint is gone around the washers like it was never painted . Very poor quality for the price if you ask me.:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss:
Oh, ya....I forgot the Lexus.....the most quiet riding car I have ever been in......and performed not to bad also....... The V8 of course.......
While my car is not perfect, it is head and shoulders above the quality of my 99 Cobra. No rattles, well fitting panels, good alignment of panels. My only complaint (resolved by the dealer) was some brown spots under the clearcoat on the rear quarter panels. Given the performance/price ratio, I am very happy. I guess I don't expect that anything built on an assembly line to be perfect. As long as the dealer stands behind it and makes things right, I am content.
Ron
Ron
The only flaws in my paint are a couple of pin-head-sized blemishes that you really have to look for. I think you'll find that on any car. The body panels all line up perfectly, and I have no exterior complaints whatsoever.
The interior is very drab, and could really use something to break up that expanse of gray plastic. Which is where MGW and UPR come in.
But don't forget, as has been said 1,000 times on this board, Ford spent the money where it belongs: UNDER THE HOOD. There is no car on the face of the Earth that can compete with the '03 Cobra in that department (performance per dollar), so you got your money's worth.
The interior is very drab, and could really use something to break up that expanse of gray plastic. Which is where MGW and UPR come in.
But don't forget, as has been said 1,000 times on this board, Ford spent the money where it belongs: UNDER THE HOOD. There is no car on the face of the Earth that can compete with the '03 Cobra in that department (performance per dollar), so you got your money's worth.
I have a black car and the entire car is orange peel. Looks like a big black orange. The 16 year old paint on my Porsche 928 is much smoother and clearer.
However I can spank that 928 in almost every performance category and the top goes down on this one so what the heck. I am happy. If I wanted perfect paint I would have bought a German car.
MGW and UPR makes a HUGE difference in the interior. Sweet.
However I can spank that 928 in almost every performance category and the top goes down on this one so what the heck. I am happy. If I wanted perfect paint I would have bought a German car.
MGW and UPR makes a HUGE difference in the interior. Sweet.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the fit and finish compared to my 01 GT. Although I do have an occasional passenger side window squeel and the right rear fender tip where the edge of the fender meets the wheel well sticks out slightly. Probably just needs an adjustment of a screw or something.
-brad-
-brad-
If you'd owned a 99 Cobra, you'd love the fit and finish now. Big improvement.
Go to a Porsche showroom and check out the orange peel on a new $65,000 911....
They are made better, but cost a lot.
If you want a Honda buy a Honda...
This is a Mustang for Gods sake... Fit and Finish.... lol
Its my daily driver and it kicks ass!!!!
The way I see it, in 20 years either we will be completely out of oil or we will be going much faster... and by the way be prepared for the all new 2023 Mustang Cobra at the bargain price of $175000 for the coupe and $200000 for the convertable....
Lets see... 1979....$7000
2003.... $ 35,000
2023 mmmm yeah about $175000
peace.
They are made better, but cost a lot.
If you want a Honda buy a Honda...
This is a Mustang for Gods sake... Fit and Finish.... lol
Its my daily driver and it kicks ass!!!!
The way I see it, in 20 years either we will be completely out of oil or we will be going much faster... and by the way be prepared for the all new 2023 Mustang Cobra at the bargain price of $175000 for the coupe and $200000 for the convertable....
Lets see... 1979....$7000
2003.... $ 35,000
2023 mmmm yeah about $175000
peace.
'03 Mustang with orange peel - drive it with the top down every single day
'86 928 with pretty paint - FOR SALE
'nough said
'86 928 with pretty paint - FOR SALE
'nough said
My interior is plain in some areas, but acceptable. The seats flat out ROCK - I love the inserts and the Cobra embrordery (sp), and I am of thin build so I don't have the pinched feel of the bolsters. My other stang is a 2000 GT, and those seats are BAD. For a $35k car - I would give it a pass rating. The stereo gets a lot of knocks, probably by music enthusiasts that spend several thousand dollars on equipment. I find it very good - much better than my GT "Premium" sound system.
I have, however, a few problems with the paint. One chip already after 2 days of ownership, several small bubbles on my front upper fender by the opening with the running horse - feels like an orange peel, and several sharp tips sticking out through the paint on the sides - I am sure these will rust and cause problems under the paint... Overall, I am sure these problems could be fixed relatively easily (minus the thin paint problem), but not as good as my 2000 GT in the paint dept. However, I get compliments and inquiries on the color of my Sonic Blue Cobra at almost every light - I am very impressed with this color and am glad I ordered it to get this instead of settling for the colors they had on hand at the dealership.
Body panels fit great, no problems here.
Engine dept - do I even need to comment on this area - they should have stuck with the "Terminator" name on this car!
I feel this car is fully worth the $35k, now if I could just get my pull to the right corrected...;-)
I have, however, a few problems with the paint. One chip already after 2 days of ownership, several small bubbles on my front upper fender by the opening with the running horse - feels like an orange peel, and several sharp tips sticking out through the paint on the sides - I am sure these will rust and cause problems under the paint... Overall, I am sure these problems could be fixed relatively easily (minus the thin paint problem), but not as good as my 2000 GT in the paint dept. However, I get compliments and inquiries on the color of my Sonic Blue Cobra at almost every light - I am very impressed with this color and am glad I ordered it to get this instead of settling for the colors they had on hand at the dealership.
Body panels fit great, no problems here.
Engine dept - do I even need to comment on this area - they should have stuck with the "Terminator" name on this car!
I feel this car is fully worth the $35k, now if I could just get my pull to the right corrected...;-)
can someone tell me what's wrong with this paint? ... pardon my ignorance ...
http://www.fragfest.biz/~coleman/cars/2003/cobra/09220005.jpg
http://www.fragfest.biz/~coleman/cars/2003/cobra/09220005.jpg
Dont care for fit and finish AT ALL. In my opinion its VERY SHODDY WORK!
But again its a FORD! What can you expect?
But again its a FORD! What can you expect?
If you are talking about the tiny circular scratches those are called "swirl marks" and were either put there by someone who polished your car and did not know what they were doing, or just got there over time depending on the age of the paint. They can be removed by "polishing" the paint whcih takes a thin layer of pain off of the top. Best to have this done by a good professional. Make sure they are very good or they can burn the paint right off of your car. My car used to have those but much worse since it was 16 years old and black. A really good car guy took them out and made the paint shine like a mirror.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Looks like buffer burn to me. You should be able to have it polished out.
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