Well right now as you can see I have a 06 GT 5speed stang. I bought the car earlier this year and for the most part its great, handles really well, firm ride(not harsh at all), and its really sharp looking. My only real complant is the power-I figured on modding it when I got the car anyways but now that I have driven the car for a good while I realize my only good option for power increas is to add Forced Induction. I think that I might end up spending a small fortune on the car and I know I will never be able to recover any of it if I sell the car-thats where I am at now.

I originally was looking to buy a 03-04 Cobra(well it was like a 50/50 race between it[cobra] and S197) when I bought this car but when I saw it sittin in the showroom and then I got to take it for a test drive i was sold so I thougt......Realizing that now this stang could possibly a decent amount slower than my previous 2 cars(95' Z28 6speed & 04 STi 6speed) I have caught the mod bug and have found that it pretty hard to get more than 330whp out of the S197 without Forced Induction-Thats not really that big of a deal but it seems that you cant just get a Turbo/Supercharger/Twinscrew and slap it on and have a realiable Daily driver. You have to up the fuel system(fuel pump mainly) then the bottom end is really suspect over 400whp(some have seen 500 but not enough survive to prove that to me) so it probably needs to come out and be fitted with new pistons/crank/rods ie: small fortune[]

My goals where to have a Daily Driver near 450-500whp and not spend 10gs on it-Because I dont want to have that deep of an investment in the car

So my question is should I start making multiple payment on my car like 2 or 3 a month-(that will be really tough though)-as of recently I have been finacialy blessed with a better postion at my job......and try and trade it in next summer(or sell it)
OR
Keep my S197 and spend the small fortune

 

I am tryin not to be arrogant about my finacess but my current residences is fairly cheap and I really dont have a lot of bills....I just work 55-60 hours a week and dont blow my money

 

03-04 cobras is the best way to go and achieve those goals

 

With the price per horsepower being really good for the Cobra that should help me get to my goal of 450-500whp Daily driver

Well thats what I am thinking, now if I can just get my car paid down a little bit more I should(thats a biggee there[:-]) be able to trade it in on a Cobra next summer(hopefully spring, use my income tax to pay it down)-My car has just under 5900miles on it now so that should help for the value of the car....

 

I think i'd keep the 06, its a better platform body-wise and a kb and exhaust would put you in your ball park, unless your planning on romping it day in/day out what you have is a good platform
The only way i'd recommend the cobra is if the IRS really interest you/you like the styling/you feel it calling you...money wise the difference you part the GT with and then buy the cobra, you may spend the same amount modding the GT in the end

 

I Personally don’t agree. I think that the 05-06 cars have room for a lot of improvements maybe in 09 they might have all the bugs worked out. The cost of modifying them is a lot more than that of a New edge car

that would be only after you cut the car up to fit the KB the whipple is a much better choice due to the modifications needed and not having to cut on the car thus de valuing the car more than the kb is worth. also the supporting modifications cost so much more on the new body style


I had a 05 saleen and that thing was nice but when the rear tires brake traction watch out you are all over the place


Ditch the IRS for a solid axle the ride is so much better and the power gain is not lost in wheel hop defiantly the best bang for the buck. the actual question is what do you like?

Ultimately in the end you will have a 10 year old GT that wont be worth half that of the 03-04 cobra. think about it if you could rewind time would you spend the money on a 1967 Shelby (1400.00) or would you have went with the new 1968 GT (1200.00) a cobra will hold a resale value twice that of a GT. I would say get what you actually want if a new edge does it for you then go that rout and if a s197 is your style then go there

either way good luck in your decision

Dan

 

In a nutshell--- I bought a new 2004 Mustang GT vert and have been lamenting the fact that I didn't go the extra mile and buy the Cobra vert version. I'm going to correct this in the very near future... I haven't driven the Cobra version as of yet but I suspect that it outperforms the GT by leaps and bounds..

I need to know what the difference is between the 03 and 04 Cobra Mustangs... Anything major? I've found some very low mileage 03's and would pull the trigger on either one of those if the two model years are very very close in power, performance and components.

any input is appreciated,

regards.

 

The 04 cobra had revised heads along with 9 thread spark plug holes you also in 2004 you loose the cd holder on the head liner other than that they are the same


Dan

 

Dan,

Are the revised heads significant? Any power changes? Can the heads be retrofited if required.
Thread count a consideration?

 

Yes the improved coolant passages are the biggest p[art followed by the 9 thread spark plug holes that is probably the best thing in my mind the 03 only has 4 so that would make blowing a spark plug out a little easier. How ever this is only my opinion

Dan