Bought a 2003 Mustang Cobra (now with pic)

I went and test-drove two cars this morning, a white 2003 Ford Mustang and a yellow 2003 Lancer EVO. Both are close to each other in price and mileage (only $1000 from each other and both on the low 20K miles). Let me say that these are both amazing vehicles BUT entirely different in their approach. The Cobra is a flat out monster, at 390Hp with a 6-speed manual this thing is rather hard to control at times. Get it going in a straight line and it will firmly (and I mean firmly) plant you in your seat with authority. Without really trying I easily had this car up to 125mph and in 5th gear. I was sweating and my heart rate jumped…this is a scary car to drive at times. Cornering is a bit scary, downshifting to 2nd gear while slowly going around a corner actually broke loose the rear tires…and I wasn’t even trying. On top of all of this is a cranky 6-speed and one of the hardest cluches I’ve ever used (if I ever had to drive this thing in traffic, my left leg would be huge after that workout!)

On to the EVO. What an amazing piece of machinery. When you first start out there’s not much to write home about but after 1 to 1 1/2 seconds the turbo winds up with a loud HISSSSSSSSS! And you’re off!!! Man, what a difference over the Cobra! I was taking corners in this thing at speeds faster than I’ve ever driven before. This thing is simply glued to the road. The Brembo brakes also assure you that you can quickly slow down when the police are present. While not as gut-wrenchingly fast as the Cobra, it’s not as brutal either.

I know these two are as different as steak and chicken but what do you guys think? Have any of you had any real time to spend with these vehicles?

Have any pictures of both cars? It be nice to see a comparison between the two aesthetically speaking. I know I don't much care for the idea of FORD giving the newer mustangs the Shelby Cobra backside with the sides of a late 90's Mustang and then the front of what could be a BMW or some other foreign car though. Haven't seen the new Shelby though, but I doubt it will float my boat as much as the original GT 500 from the '65 or '67 (don't remember which right now). I've never cared for Mitsubishi's "LANCER" series of cars so I'll probably be biased when I can compare the two cars. And I'm too lazy to GOOGLE for pics right now.

GK

Impreza WRX STi. I personally prefer it largely over the EVO.

Ok, here’s the lacer Evo in yellow:

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...on.f34.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...on.r34.500.jpg

An the 2003 Cobra:

http://www.blacksautomotivegroup.com...fullsize/5.jpg

he didn't ask for wrx.
he said Cobra stang, or EVO.
Stay on topic


Cobra. More power and a more impressive drive. The sound alone is intimidating enough. Plus there are tons of parts for stangs.

Get the Cobra :buttrock:
I have a white 5 speed GT with Flowmaster exhaust and black leather interior...same body style as the one you are looking at. They are very nice cars overall. And the performance for the price in insane. And yes, the clutch is a bitch with long travel (feels like I'm driving a truck) and difficult to feel....traffic sucks! The Cobra would not be any easy car to drive...you might want to have another "beater" car to run around town and what not.

I vote for the COBRA 2003. That EVO looks like shit IMO.

GK

V8 american power all the way. cobra mustang. a car with as much history, and racing notoriety (and wins) as any high end sportster. the boss 429, the saleen, the 5.0, the mach1, the trans-am winners from the 60's, the roush, the bullit, the shelby cobra, and GT500, the ford mustang is an indomidable american icon. and the chance to own one of the best performers on the road, and one of the most impressive is something you should jump on. i've seen mitsu's in action, their quality control is shameful and the lancer's racing history is terrible until about 96 when they got good. the mustang is a car that anyone will recognize and instantly know, a car that has a deep throaty manly sound, and a car that is legendary in it's own right. eople will tell you that everyone owns a mustang, but you know what? there's a reason for that: it's a damn good car. go for the mustang, buy a piece of history, and a powerhouse that can take out most anything. i drive a 1994 lincoln mark VIII with the 4.6 liter initech V8 it's the same engine ford place into the cobra with a few more high performance parts installed stock. and lemme tell you when you get one of these babies going you don't stop and she just keeps begging for more speed more power more thrust. she's an amazing and powerful engine and probably one of the easiest to find parts for. i already slapped on ceramic headers, flowmasters, and ported and polished the exhaust just to get even more jump. the ford aftermarket area is rich with parts and fanatics and almost like a family of american muscle that refuses to quit. don't ever let anyone tell you a mustang no matter what form it's in is a piece of crap because they all can either be tuned to powerhouse status or already are like the cobra's and SVT's and such.

...the true pony car :buttrock:

I currently have a 2001 GT in white with black leather that I will trade on either of these two.

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Originally Posted by smokehouse

I currently have a 2001 GT in white with black leather that I will trade on either of these two.

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well shit man move up in the mustang line. i want to someday own a saleen mustang 281e but until i have $50,000 on hand i'll stick with my markVIII

Well, as frightening as the Cobra is…I can’t help but love it. I have been discussing it with my wife and she too is in love with the stang. I’ve always wanted one and now I might just pick this one up. If I do I will post some pics of my out of weight frame and the Cobra of my dreams.

It depends on what the vehicle would be used for. Daily driver or a weekend cruiser?

Honestly as a daily driver I'd much prefer the evo. The handling is a blast, it has 4 doors for a bit more ultility, a usuable back seat, and it's no slouch in the power department and has a decent modding community. Of course it doesn't have the potential to be an 800hp beast that the cobra has, and a cobra would definately be my pick for a fun weekened car, but assuming this would be my primary car, I'd have to say evo all the way.

Matt

It will spend 90% of its life in a garage. We bought our 2001 in 2003 with 8,xxx miles and now, 2 1/2 years late it has 18,xxx miles on it so we don’t drive it much. It will never be a daily driver for us.

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Originally Posted by smokehouse

It will spend 90% of its life in a garage. We bought our 2001 in 2003 with 8,xxx miles and now, 2 1/2 years late it has 18,xxx miles on it so we don’t drive it much. It will never be a daily driver for us.

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Ah, well carry then, and enjoy your new stang

Matt

If it's gonna spend that much time in the garage, you've GOT to go with the stang!!! :multi_co: :multi_co: :multi_co:

I could give tons of reasons, but the truth is that it's one powerful car that you can't help but fall in love with. :glee:

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Originally Posted by Force

It depends on what the vehicle would be used for. Daily driver or a weekend cruiser?

Honestly as a daily driver I'd much prefer the evo. The handling is a blast, it has 4 doors for a bit more ultility, a usuable back seat, and it's no slouch in the power department and has a decent modding community. Of course it doesn't have the potential to be an 800hp beast that the cobra has, and a cobra would definately be my pick for a fun weekened car, but assuming this would be my primary car, I'd have to say evo all the way.

Matt

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Hadn't thought about that. I guess for everyday useage the EVO would be the better pick of the two. But then I drive around everywhere at no less than 80MPH, and no less than 60 in a residentual area (save for school crossings) anyhow. If a man ain't moving at speed through life, it's not a life worth having, and should that man die at speed... well at least he went out on afterburner, not puttering along with the rest of the fuckoffs of the world who buy sports cars and don't drive the sonsa'bitches. Ain't nothing worse than a faggot who buys a supped up car (or sups it up) and then does the speed limit everywhere he goes and is afraid to go over a bump. Hell I drive a crappy 1991 Mazda pickup and I outrun most lame fucks on the freeway, but then they got speed under the hood most suck nuts for driving ability. Gotta' drive it like ya stole it.

GK

who lets you break 125mph test driving a used car?


they are both ugly cars imho, but i prolly go with the cobra.

get a volvo.

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Originally Posted by FeelGood

who lets you break 125mph test driving a used car?


they are both ugly cars imho, but i prolly go with the cobra.

get a volvo.

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if you know the dealer you can get away with it. my friend's brother runs 9he doesn't run it, he works there but as far as we're concerned he runs it) a nissan dealership and he let my buddy and i play around in a Z one day just cause it was his birthday.

cobra: you will get hotter girls in this car, it's faster, more power, worse handling than the EVO though. nice car though. might attract a lot of rednecks who want to race you in this. LOTS of people have mustangs, they are everywhere, if you can deal with that go for it. i'd say overall this is a nicer car if it's somewhat loaded inside.

EVO: King of the Rally, but if you're not rally racing in it, you have to ask what's the point... very fast, would lose to the cobra in a drag race though, hands down. better handling than the cobra, if you live somewhere where it snows, this is the car for you, cobra would be a death trap. the geek factor of this car is wasted on 90% of girls, but you can pick up those rice groupie chicks no problem. not a lot of these cars on the road, but I am seeing more rich kids with them now.

Cobra 2k3

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Originally Posted by FeelGood

who lets you break 125mph test driving a used car?


they are both ugly cars imho, but i prolly go with the cobra.

get a volvo.

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I’ve purchased many cars from this dealership (other Mustangs, trucks, my former SHO, etc) and they let me take cars on private test drives at my request. I haven’t had a dealer ride with me on over 7 years.

Evo all the way! :buttrock: plus its yellow :drool_2:

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Originally Posted by NeoSneth

he didn't ask for wrx.
he said Cobra stang, or EVO.
Stay on topic


Cobra. More power and a more impressive drive. The sound alone is intimidating enough. Plus there are tons of parts for stangs.

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True and False.

Same can be said about the better of the 2 cars, that being the EVO.

I'd love to have an EVO, fuck a Cobra... think of the reliability and mileage...

What are you going to do with the car? Drive it in a straight line or take it into turns?

Straight line, you're fine with a Mustang. Twisties, unless you go with the Evo you're going to careen off the road and die a fiery death. Enjoy.

You're already going to go with the Mustang more than likely. You obviously like them. That's great. Me, I think they're ugly as sin. Granted, the new Evo's aren't all that sexy either. Give me an Evo V or VI. ;)

I really like the Evo but there are a few things that keep lurking in my mind.

1-Depreciation
I do not know how this car (Evo) will react on the long term. One thing I do know is that low mileage, well cared for Cobras go for big $$, it’s always been this way. Kelley Blue Book? Nope, you’ll never find a cherry Cobra for even close to what they say it should cost. As for an Evo it’s really hard to tell.

2-Realiability.
The Evo is wound tighter than a watch. 270hp out of a small 4cyl is really pushing the engine hard. On the other hand my 260hp Mustang will make that hp all day and not break a sweat. The same goes with the 390hp Cobra, it’s not even working that hard. I expect things to go wrong with the Evo down the road…something I’ve never seen on the Mustangs I’ve owned. Like stated above Mustang parts are a dime a dozen where the Evo parts are not. It will be much more $$ to fix the Evo.

Do I prefer driving the Evo? Yep. Am I scared of the reliability issues? Yep. My Mustang and the others I’ve driven are tanks and I expect the Cobra to be that same. This is the main reason why I’m leaning towards the Cobra.

i would buy the evo. cheaper road tax, less fuel (i think) and it's easier to get parts here, since japan is not that far away. but then, as a weekend car, powerwise and everything it will be better for you to get the cobra.

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Originally Posted by subcons

Give me an Evo V or VI. ;)

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damn right.

LanEvo

the Cobra will get you respect no matter where you go.


The EVO will only get you respect in the tuner crowd. Other than that, it just looks like a plastic import car.

This is a hard decision either way. I could buy either of them and be happy.

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Originally Posted by Grizzly King

I vote for the COBRA 2003. That EVO looks like shit IMO.

GK

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I'm agreed with GK, the cobra is the KING COBRA, if you know what I mean, performance and power is the cobra advantages. :buttrock:

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Originally Posted by NeoSneth

the Cobra will get you respect no matter where you go.


The EVO will only get you respect in the tuner crowd. Other than that, it just looks like a plastic import car.

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I REALLY hope you don't purchase cars for that reason.

The EVO isn't a tuner, its a great, reliable car!

Mustangs are a dime a dozen, waste gas, handle like crap and are made with the younger crowd in mind.

Don't even get me started on motor reliability between the 2.

The Mitsubishi 4G63 has been around for quite some time, making its debut in the DSM Trio back in the early days of reliable, turbo motors.

268 HP out of a turbocharged MIVEC motor is VERY reliable for everyday use.

Altering the timing of the camshafts, valves and boost pressure at high RPM's makes this thing lay down serious power out of the box...

Combined with an AWD system that is basically the best developed and bulletproof is another plus over the fishtailing Mustang.

W/O racing in mind, there is no reason to buy a Mustang Cobra, they are pointless for an everyday driver, but shine on the strip.

Plus with less money, you can make the EVO rip the Mustang a new asshole.

There is only so much you can do with a Mustang before you have to tear the head apart and add larger valves, rockers, retainers, camshafts, pistons, rings, rods, ect...

The interesting aspect of the EVO is if you add:

- A larger exhaust

- Larger FMIC

- Boost controller

Thats less than $1200 right there...

You will be in the LOOOOW 12's with the suspension to back it up.

And you will still be less than the Cobra.

If there is anything else you want to know about this wonderful car, just PM me.

tonk he did say it'll spend most of it's life in his garage :D

TonK

Have you ever spent much time in a Mustang? I myself am a fan of all cars, all types and believe that all have their strength and weaknesses. I really did not want to do a Cobra-vs-EVO topic as I think that are simply not comparable in their nature. Haven driven them both I can say they are completely different beasts. I can also say a few things about my driving habits:

-I will never take these cars on the track
-Gas mileage does not concern me
-Snow driving does not concern me as neither would ever see it
-I will not upgrade any of these two vehicles

To say that the EVO is geared for a younger crowd is like saying the EVO is geared toward Oriental people, they’re not. Look at a Cobra, what younger person could afford it? The price is far beyond what many can afford and, on top of that insuring it would be a nightmare. I myself am 28 and only now can I start look to these types of vehicles.

The Cobra is as American as apple pie. Brutish horsepower and enough ass to awaken any mid-life crisis 40 something man looking for that fire under his seat. The EVO represents a completely different approach at driving; rally sport, (as popular in America as soccer) is something completely different than what the Cobra stands for. I’m not looking for a “xxx car will tromp xxx car in the 0-60 and with this $800 upgrade will pull more G’s on the skid pad” comment as I don’t care. I want to drive and enjoy the vehicle, not upgrade it to ridiculously high horsepower so I can take it on the track.

I’m simply looking for opinions from owners who have these vehicles, not opinions on looks, what country they’re made in or other “my dick is bigger than yours” comments.

I'm honestly really torn between these two vehicles as I love them both and I can't figure out what to do.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a92...3/100_3800.jpg
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a92...3/100_3803.jpg

This is my car. It is a 2004wrx sti. It's much like the evo but a little more aggressive in my opinion. I beat mustang cobra's at the track all the time. I must admit though that the cobra can beat me if it is in any way modded.

For the money you can't get a better car performance wise. The cobra is really heavy and uses really bad supension. Interior looks like shit on the cobra too. (interior's are a big thing for me since you spend most of the time inside the car right?) As for resale value the jap cars will allways keep thier value more than domestic (specially the sti since it is limited to only a handlfull per year. being into the neo I am sure you know what that means)

AWD is what you want. the sti and evo both have it. AWD makes acceleration much more effective since all the tires are turning. you don't get wheel spin (looks cool but completly useless and dangerous in the wrong hands) Some people really don't understand that all it takes to win a strait line race is a few seconds. With awd no time is wasted so while your competition is trying to hook up (gain traction) your allready half a block away.

RWD is great but only if the balance is correct. The cobra doesn't have the balance of a corvette for example. When you push on the throttle in the midst of a turn you spin out because it is too heavy (big no no for sport cars) and balance is not ideal. Cool for a track but on public roads.....

EVO and STI have 4 doors and drivibility in the winter. I love some domestics but the cobra just isn't a good domestic car. To be honest it is a car that is usually sold to either people that know nothing about sport cars or just in love with the old muscle cars and can't move on. If domestic is your thing buy a corvette z06 used. it can be had for about the same money. 405 hp much lighter and handles like a wet dream. And looks better than all three cars mentioned here.

As cool as the EVO was, I bought the Cobra…what can I say, I’m American to the bone.

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Originally Posted by smokehouse

As cool as the EVO was, I bought the Cobra…what can I say, I’m American to the bone.

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Ida taken the EVO but congrats on the buy.

It's all about what you want not anyone else.

P.S. Return the cobra and buy a BMW M Roadster 315 HP in a roadster body UNSTOPPABLE

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Originally Posted by smokehouse

As cool as the EVO was, I bought the Cobra…what can I say, I’m American to the bone.

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Good call. I would've gone for the Cobra, too.

Yes, the Evo VIII is a marvelously reliable car, but do you want to be driving around in a ricer? At least in my mind, despite the excellent handling of the Evo, assuming that this would be your main commuter, the Cobra won't get half the snickers an Evo would. Rice rockets FTL.

Congrats on getting a 4.6 L ricer eater. :buttrock:

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Originally Posted by Neo Ash

Congrats on getting a 4.6 L ricer eater. :buttrock:

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:lol:

The EVO is faster than a Cobra...

Stang's are white trash cars, almost as bad as the firebird was before it dies off

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Originally Posted by Lashujin

Stang's are white trash cars, almost as bad as the firebird was before it dies off

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:rolleyes:

:chump:

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Originally Posted by Lashujin

Stang's are white trash cars, almost as bad as the firebird was before it dies off

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I think it’s what you make it. The same can be said about a lot of cars (and motorcycles). I’m about to join the SVTOA club and I can tell you, most of them are not white (or black, or any other color) trash, I've been to their shows and most are common folk who love their SVT vehicles.

Are there trashy Mustang owners? You bet. Are there guys like me that love the heritage of the car and love American muscle? Yep. I don’t own a single article of clothing that has Mustang on it nor do I have a Mustang tattoo either. I’m just a 28-year-old guy that saw a red 1993 Mustang Cobra on his paper route when he was 16 and fell in love. I’ll be a Mustang guy for life…but it doesn’t make me white trash.

The same could be said about the ricer crowd. I know the EVO is the cream of the crop (as well as the Sti, don’t get offended) but it’s still a tuner, the same way that the Cobra is a muscle car. For every guy really into import tuning there’s 50 trashy people and posers so I really don’t think it’s any different.




Thanks for the kinds words though…..possibly you should broaden your horizons a bit.

congrats on the purchase mate, although I think just reading your past posts(before letting us know which one you bought) I think we all knew which one you were gonna choose :D

i hope you enjoy it

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Originally Posted by djrconsoles kr1

congrats on the purchase mate, although I think just reading your past posts(before letting us know which one you bought) I think we all knew which one you were gonna choose :D

i hope you enjoy it

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I knew what car he was going to get as soon as he first posted this thread.

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Originally Posted by Lashujin

Stang's are white trash cars, almost as bad as the firebird was before it dies off

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I know the type you are thinking of...

But its not really a white trash car...

Its more of a metrosex car around here.

Please... Save your money, and the trees. Buy a Civic Si if you please :chump:

And if I did want to waste my money, I'd choose the Subaru every time. At least its reliable, probably better on fuel even still, its AWD, and frankly I just don't like Ford.

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Originally Posted by Lashujin

Stang's are white trash cars, almost as bad as the firebird was before it dies off

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I would tend to agree with that, seeing how south jersey is full of "rednecks", and I see stangs all over the damn place.

Mitusbishi has shit QC. They use shoddy manufacturing techniques, cheap materials where it counts and are the weakest of the JPN auto makers.

I don't hate Mitsu, I'm stating facts. As an auto tech they're terrible.

I'd go with the mustang to be honest if I had to choose between the two.