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Want another sports car, narrowed it down to three

2K views 46 replies 16 participants last post by  Sir Hacksalot 
#1 ·
I drive a sports car now but I'm an anonomous kinda guy so I won't say what it is.

What I'm thinking about getting is either:

03 Mustang Cobra (@$28,000 w/@15,000 miles)

02-03 Corvette Z06 (@$30,000 w/@15,000 miles)

Or save up a while for a used '05-'06 Corvette with Z51 option. (@$40,000 in a year or so with @15,000 miles) The '06 Z06 just costs too much.

I will treat this car like I do my current one. Daily driver and plan two to three open track events a year.

Tough choice. The Cobra is more affordable, easier to work on, cheaper to mod if I choose too. The Z51 is great, and will do as well as a new non-z06 C6 daily driving and on the track.

But that new C6 is just a gorgeous car! I'd have to wait another year or so before I could get one of those.

Thoughts?

Oh, they'd all be 6-speeds of course!

Ron3
 
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#3 ·
It's just me and my personal bias but there is no way in hell I'm going to bother with the Mustang as a track car. It wasn't meant to be a corner cutter and the Ford boys can do all of the suspension mods they want, it will never be a corner cutter like the 'Vette.

I'd go with the slightly older Z06. 405-hp and killer suspension. What else da ya need?:)
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by Ron3


What do you guys think of the C5 Z06 vs C6?

Ron3
You mean a C5 Z06 versus a regular C6?

I dunno, I can only comment on what I've read, but either would be fun, but the C5 Z06 might be a little bit better on the track, while the C6 might be a better daily driver with more refinement, etc. FWIW, I think the C6 looks a dozen times better than the C5
 
#10 ·
Originally posted by Rob1035
You mean a C5 Z06 versus a regular C6?

I dunno, I can only comment on what I've read, but either would be fun, but the C5 Z06 might be a little bit better on the track, while the C6 might be a better daily driver with more refinement, etc. FWIW, I think the C6 looks a dozen times better than the C5
I agree with the looks thing on the C6, execpt for the new grill. I hate that new grille. It looks like it's smiling at you. Well, that and those golf club shaped mirrors they like to put on all the newer vettes.

Everywhere else on the car looks much better, especially the rear.
 
#13 ·
Originally posted by fnfalman
It's just me and my personal bias but there is no way in hell I'm going to bother with the Mustang as a track car. It wasn't meant to be a corner cutter and the Ford boys can do all of the suspension mods they want, it will never be a corner cutter like the 'Vette.

I'd go with the slightly older Z06. 405-hp and killer suspension. What else da ya need?:)
yep
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by Rob1035
You mean a C5 Z06 versus a regular C6?
Yea. The new C6 does look alot better than the C5's, but you can't get into a used C6 for under $40,000. Too much.

The C6 Z06 is far, far too much $. But for those who have $70,000, the new Z06 is a good value.

The Cobra or Z06 I could do now, but a (non-Z06) C6 with Z51 suspension would have to wait a year or so.

The Cobra might be a better daily driver, but the C5 Z06 would certainly be better at the track.

Ron3
 
#17 ·
Originally posted by Ron3
Yea. The new C6 does look alot better than the C5's, but you can't get into a used C6 for under $40,000. Too much.

The C6 Z06 is far, far too much $. But for those who have $70,000, the new Z06 is a good value.

The Cobra or Z06 I could do now, but a (non-Z06) C6 with Z51 suspension would have to wait a year or so.

The Cobra might be a better daily driver, but the C5 Z06 would certainly be better at the track.

Ron3
Actually I would say that it is pretty cheap. Compare it exotics and what it can do.
 
#19 ·
I'm a Ford man, if it has to be American, but I will admit that new Z06 is BAD. That's about the only GM I would consider buying.

I just hope the spirit of competition is alive and well at Ford. I want to see an even faster GT (as in the Ford GT, not mustang), for less moeny to compete with the Z06. The power part would be easy (crank up the boost), but it whould have even better suspension and brakes.

Now all that beign said there is a reason for the GT costing as much as it does. It's actually a hand-built car. But the Z06 has raised the bar another notch and Ford needs to see if they can top it.

You can dislike other brands, but in the end competition is a good thing.
 
#20 ·
Cobras handle surprisingly well (just had mine to a road track event for the first time over the summer) and would suffice for most drivers. I've also driven the ZO6 (C5), it is plain faster, corners and stops better than the Cobra but you lose some day to day versatility (rear seat, trunk, rougher ride). Make sure you check out the insurance rates before you buy, for me the Cobra was almost exactly double the rates for a Boxster or plain Vette, probably because alot of them get wadded up by younger drivers.
 
#22 ·
Since I own a 2002 ZO6, I don't see how you can go wrong with one. I don't consider the Mustang Cobra a sports car. Sport cars only have 2 seats. As for the C6, I haven't seen one yet that will keep up with the "Z". The wacked off tail end of the C6 looks ridiculous. For pure performance on and off the track, you can not beat the "Z". Should be able to get a nice "Z" for $33,000. For some unknown reason the insurance is reasonable on the "Z". I'm sure the new C6 ZO6 will be a "BEAST".
 
#23 ·
I had a 99 Cobra and after 6 months traded it in on an SS Camaro. There were 3 reasons I did this, though the '03 I think fixed 2 out of 3 of them. My Cobra had no bottom end torque. One would assume the super charger fixed this. Also, the T-45 5 speed transmission was the notchiest piece of garbage, even with an after market shifter. I believe the '03 has the T-56 6 speed (which the Camaro already had). Finally, the car felt loose, tinny like. The Camaro felt more solid.

My $.02.
 
#24 ·
Originally posted by glock[19]
Since I own a 2002 ZO6, I don't see how you can go wrong with one. I don't consider the Mustang Cobra a sports car. Sport cars only have 2 seats. As for the C6, I haven't seen one yet that will keep up with the "Z". The wacked off tail end of the C6 looks ridiculous. For pure performance on and off the track, you can not beat the "Z". Should be able to get a nice "Z" for $33,000. For some unknown reason the insurance is reasonable on the "Z". I'm sure the new C6 ZO6 will be a "BEAST".
I agree with you on most points, the ZO6 is a beast, it is cheaper to insure (my insurance man has one) and it is better on the track. Keep in mind the original post listed the Mustang as a potential choice. Also, the ZO6 and Cobra really aren't in the same category and shouldn't be compared side to side as if meant to be equals. The ZO6 stickered about $50k in '02, the '01 Cobra was $30k or a bit less,'03 Cobras were a bit over $30k. The ZO6 was designed at the outset to be a Kick*ss street legal track car based on an up to date state of the art C5 platform (hydraformed frame rails, epoxied balsa pan, etc.) whereas the Mustang Cobra is a hopped up "secretary's car" based on the flimsy Fox platform (can you say Ford Futura?) from the 70's, I find it amazing that it performs as well as it does. BuckyP is also right about the torque issue, but on the other end of the spectrum are the high revving charachteristics of a 4 valve motor which the Cobra has. If you can keep the rev's between 4500 and 7000 when running it there's no describing it (the Cobra's aluminum Teksid blocks were cast in Italy at the same facility where Ferarri's are until '01). I admire anyone who's chosing between the three, I gotta admit all else being equal, I'd chose the ZO6 myself.

My.01c
 
#25 ·
I'm enjoying reading the responses!

The '99 and '01 Cobra's had a naturally aspirated engine and made about 320hp with little torque in the low and mid rpms. The '03/'04's are supercharged and make about 425hp and lots more torque all around. There was no '02 Cobra sold in the US. The '99 Cobras were subject to a dealer-installed upgrade because they did not make advertised power. I believe this was the first (only?) time a car maker did this. The upgrade was a PCM reprogram, better exaust system, and I think thats it but I don't recall. It added about 20hp to bring it up to advertised power.

I have a book that says the strong Teskid blocks were installed in the '96-'98 Cobra's.

The Cobra has the T-56 with 3.55 drive gears.


Glock[19] said, "Since I own a 2002 ZO6, I don't see how you can go wrong with one. I don't consider the Mustang Cobra a sports car. Sport cars only have 2 seats. As for the C6, I haven't seen one yet that will keep up with the "Z". The wacked off tail end of the C6 looks ridiculous."

I think the C6 looks better then the C5. The '03/'04 Cobra not a sports car? I t comes with 425hp, two doors, 4 275mm wide tires, 13-inch Brembo brakes and the only trans availible is a 6-speed manual. I think that makes it a sports car! Those rear seats aren't very usefull anyway. Call it a 2+2? :cool:

I'm glad to hear about the insurance on the 'vette. I thought it would be higher than the Z. I'll have to call and find out.

Depreciation is a concern. I think the Z and the Cobra would not depreciate as fast as the C6 because because the Z and Cobra are special editions of a base model. Then again the C6 is the latest body style and many people like it. Perhaps depreciation would be similar for all three.

Ron3
 
#26 ·
Originally posted by Ron3
I'm enjoying reading the responses!

The '99 and '01 Cobra's had a naturally aspirated engine and made about 320hp with little torque in the low and mid rpms. The '03/'04's are supercharged and make about 425hp and lots more torque all around. There was no '02 Cobra sold in the US. The '99 Cobras were subject to a dealer-installed upgrade because they did not make advertised power. I believe this was the first (only?) time a car maker did this. The upgrade was a PCM reprogram, better exaust system, and I think thats it but I don't recall. It added about 20hp to bring it up to advertised power.

I have a book that says the strong Teskid blocks were installed in the '96-'98 Cobra's.

The Cobra has the T-56 with 3.55 drive gears.


Glock[19] said, "Since I own a 2002 ZO6, I don't see how you can go wrong with one. I don't consider the Mustang Cobra a sports car. Sport cars only have 2 seats. As for the C6, I haven't seen one yet that will keep up with the "Z". The wacked off tail end of the C6 looks ridiculous."

I think the C6 looks better then the C5. The '03/'04 Cobra not a sports car? I t comes with 425hp, two doors, 4 275mm wide tires, 13-inch Brembo brakes and the only trans availible is a 6-speed manual. I think that makes it a sports car! Those rear seats aren't very usefull anyway. Call it a 2+2? :cool:

I'm glad to hear about the insurance on the 'vette. I thought it would be higher than the Z. I'll have to call and find out.

Depreciation is a concern. I think the Z and the Cobra would not depreciate as fast as the C6 because because the Z and Cobra are special editions of a base model. Then again the C6 is the latest body style and many people like it. Perhaps depreciation would be similar for all three.

Ron3
Ron, you are definitely going about this the right way! Continue getting more info, with the oncoming winter and rising oil prices there are going to be more guys looking to get out of their toy cars, price should get more attractive. You're right, the 99 Cobras did get the fix involving what you stated along with some intake runner help. Leftover Teksid blocks were installed all the way up to summer of '01 build cars (they had a diamond pattern cast into the intake gallies), they may of been inserted randomly, no exacting records as alot were sent to Australia after the '99 HP fiasco. Frankly, the 99-01 Cobras don't feel that fast until you twist the RPM's up, then they scream. They also had the Tremec 3650 trans which was an improvemtent over the T-45's. I have an '01, the 03-04 cars had 395 HP (underrated), forged internals and a t-56 6 speed transmission. Bigger wheels and tires also. They are faster and the build quality of their drivetrains make them easily handle 550-650 HP due to their strength. Changing pullies and retuning will easily net you upwards of an additional 70-100 hp. Personally I've never been a big fan of pressurizing combustion chambers, things tend to go BOOM alot quicker than in normally aspirated cars. To me the answers to your question would be simple: which is more important, track/performance=ZO6, Utility/Performance/Value=Cobra. There is also the biggest factor, which of them do you think is the best fit for you? If you pull the trigger with money in mind how long will it be before you sell and buy what you really wanted originally? Is this a midlife crisis and which would look less so (embarrass you less) in the long run? Is the track/autocross thing really going to happen? Will you take it out for long weekend trips with anyone else (luggage space)? They may sound like goofy questions but either myself or my buddies (ZO6, Cobras, Saleen, Ferraris, Cobra R, M Series BMW, GTO's, WS6 T/A, Boxster S, 911's, etc.) all talk about these issues when we get together for runs out on our surrounding roads. Good Luck.....Mark.
 
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