Have I been scammed? Steering wheel size?

[iexcelr8]

I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have to ask. I just traded my '03 Cobra coupe for a new '03 Cobra convertible at my local dealership. It struck me as I was driving back to the office that the steering wheel didn't feel right. Visually, I'm thinking that it is not as thick as the one in my '03 coupe. The center section still has COBRA on it, but I'd swear that it is not as thick. Are the steering wheel's different in the coupe compared to the convertible? I know this is a stupid question, but I'm wondering if there could have been a switch of the steering wheel by the dealer, for reasons that completely escape me.

 

[CobraBob]

Can you compare it to your coupe, or another '03? It's probably the same but for peace of mind I would find another car to compare it to.

 

[Snake-Shadow]

maybe it is missing the leather wrap. I know there is a difference between the Cobra steering wheel and a GT's.

M@

 

[JKD COBRA]

Its possible it is not wrapped like it should be. A buddy of mine with an 03cobra has a two tone steering wheel. It looks like they took half of an 03cobra wheel and half of a GT wheel and put them together. Actually. . .it matches the interior pretty well.

 

[racerat]

Originally posted by Snake-Shadow
maybe it is missing the leather wrap. I know there is a difference between the Cobra steering wheel and a GT's.

M@

Yep...sounds like you may have gotten a GT wheel. My vert has a thick, cushy steering wheel.

 

[RickSvt]

Probably missing the leather wrap, I think that another car had that about 6 months ago

rick

 

[racerat]

I've read about people getting all kinds of GT/V6 parts on their Cobras...brakes, mirrors, side scoops, rocker panels, emblems, etc.
Ford Quality Control at it's finest.

 

[Steve Snake Driver]

The center part of the steering wheel that says COBRA is actually the airbag and not part of the steering wheel. Sounds like you might have gotten a GT steering wheel from the factory. Not the worst thing I've heard of. Someone on here got a Cobra rocker panel on one side and a GT panel on the other. Someone else had one GT front caliper and a Cobra caliper on the other side.

 

[iexcelr8]

Thanks everyone. The dealer agreed that the leather wrap was missing and has ordered it. Hopefully, they'll know how to install it properly.

 

[2814v]

A very easy install, pop the old wheel off put the new one on. Since they are going to be doing it for free sounds like a good time to up grad to a FR500 or a 10TH an. wheel.

 

[Sonic Blue MN]

Do you have a supercharger? J/k

 

[iexcelr8]

!!!

NOW WAIT A MINUTE!!! This thing is supercharged!?!?

 

[SnakeBit]

Originally posted by racerat
I've read about people getting all kinds of GT/V6 parts on their Cobras...brakes, mirrors, side scoops, rocker panels, emblems, etc.
Ford Quality Control at it's finest.

It's NOT a "QC" problem, rather a "Just In Time" problem. Ford doesn't hold much of a parts inventory at the factory. They depend on the parts arriving just in time for assembly. Delivery problems probably delayed the Cobra wrapped steering wheel. So now, do you hold up the entire factorty because of a few steering wheels? Or go ahead and install a GT wheel and fix it at the dealer? Which do you think is cheaper to do?

If a company REALLY had QC as Number 1, they would have pulled the Cobras off to the side at some convenient point, then slipped them back into the line when the parts arrived, but Ford isn't being run by QC, it's being run by Accounting. It's all about the "Bottom Line".

BTW, I'm sure that a few GT's and/or LX's got those Cobra steering wheels later on when they finally showed up because now that the Cobras have gone on through, they were running short on GT and LX steering wheels.