Question...Opinions pleez!!

[MikeO]

Major concern b4 I buy an 03 cobra. What is going to happen in 04? Will I be kicking myself for not waiting. I mean will ford 1) change body style and 2)engine to either higher power and/or a 5.0 or even the 5.4. Please post all that you have heard. Also what is going to happen to hpower of 2003 lightning?
Thanks! New Guy Here(clueless)

 

[MIKE IURO]

i think a new body style and engine are coming. i think a 2005 model that will come out in 2004. cobra will have 5.0. and around 350 h.p. naturally aspirated.
this is only what i heard, so..........

 

[quick01snake]

Originally posted by MikeO
Major concern b4 I buy an 03 cobra. What is going to happen in 04? Will I be kicking myself for not waiting. I mean will ford 1) change body style and 2)engine to either higher power and/or a 5.0 or even the 5.4. Please post all that you have heard. Also what is going to happen to hpower of 2003 lightning?
Thanks! New Guy Here(clueless)

i say if you like the cobra buy it.....if you're not totally sure, which it sounds like you're not, then wait.

 

[raider187]

Your post is pretty funny... I have a friend at work who was asking me the same thing. The only difference was he started asking last summer.

I picked up my cobra right after that, and didn't tell him until Monday at work. When I arrived at work that Monday with my 2001 cobra convertible, he brought up the "should I wait" topic again...

My answer was this... "You can afford it... Can you afford to wait? You can't buy back missed years waiting for extra Horsepower, take the plunge" I handed him my keys, and told him "go see what's missing from your life"

He would of bought a 2002 if one was to be made, and he even knew about the 2003 having more power. (we caught a early release of the 2003 on 08/2001, job perks ) He was at the dealership the first day the 03 was released, and he purchased the dealerships last slot.

Hope this helps...

Rick

 

[KGcobra]

Sometimes you just have to go for it....If you are wondering if its better to wait for the '04, then what will you do once the '04s are coming out. Wait for the next changes to come out in the "better" '05, and then the '06, and so on...

If you can get it then go for it..It's not like the '03 is suddenly going to turn in to a POS once the '04 cobra comes out (or '05 if they skip a year again).

 

[P51 Pilot]

The only possible reasons to wait would be to get the twin benefits of a major chassis improvement and an improved weight bias. As any '04 or later Cobra would have to be competitive in hp vs the '03, the key issues really will be how Ford gets the power to the ground. Significant improvement in the chassis (whether in '04 or '05), combined with better weight distribution will transform the handling and enjoyment of the power output. In my mind, the depreciation hit taken once the cash is laid out emphasizes long term selection criteria. It's expensive to get the bug to change within 3 years...

The current chassis, never a stong point, is being severly stretched. I have read some reports that no 2000 Cobra R verts were contemplated becasuse it was felt that the chassis could not handle the torque without significant mods. Yet, the '03 is going to exceed the '00 R's output! Worse, the '03 will be unable to accept strut tower braces due to the s/c installation. Having that much torque without significantly reinforcing the chassis will prevent wringing the max benefit from the new output and create a sloppy ride. Ford has admitted as much by saying that the '03 vert will not have the higher spec springs that the coupe will have - the vert's flexible chassis simply can't handle it. Hopefully the DEW platform would address that.

Weight bias is the other key issue. By my calcs from the March MT issue, the '03 will be packing an extra 153lbs in front vs. the '01 due to the iron block and s/c install. This thing will not handle as well as an '01 - unless of course you only want to go in a straight line. Ford desparately needs to get a more power in a normally aspirated all-aluminum engine to keep the weight bias reasonable. Having almost 60% up front (as the proposed '03 will have) does not do it. Giving them a couple of years to work on the 4.6 and/or 5.4 in narurally aspirated form should do it.

I have attempted to address the chassis issue in my '01 vert by welding a fabricated boxed and cross-braced perimeter frame with integral subframe connectors to the floorpan. I've also added a custom 3-point strut tower brace. This was done so that the chassis could adequately handle a stiffer Koni Sport/Eibach setup. The chassis frame is a box section and added about 70 lbs. With these mods, my convert is light-years tighter than stock, has virtually zero cowl shake and takes corners flat. With the car jacked up at one corner I can still open the doors with the top down... However, in doing a comparison drive in a new BMW M3 vert, it is still no match to the "all-of-a-piece" feeling Bimmer provides. There is no substitute for solid clean sheet engineering.

If you've waited this long, then I would hold on for a year or two and really get the goods. In the meantime, if the bug really bites, then a used '01 or '03 Cobra would at least minimize a depreciation hit. I'm waiting for the '05 or '06!

That's my 2 cents anyway...

Good luck.