96 Cobra for $15.9K?

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

Hello folks!

I'm a former Mustang owner (91 LX 5.0L notch, see user name) and I am always looking to get a another one.

I came across a white 96 Cobra with 25K miles at a dealership, and they are asking $15,900 for it, which is way over the blue book. I realize that these cars are unique and don't necessarily sell for blue book value, if someone has a really nice example, the price can be arbitrary. I don't like white either, but this car only has 25K miles and I've always wanted a 4V cobra.

Assuming this car is in mint condition, what kind of price would something like this go for?

Also, how strong/reliable is the 4.6L DOHC motor? Are there any common problems to look out for? My 5.0L was bulletproof, and I don't know much about these modular motors. Do the valves need to be adjusted? How stout is the drivetrain, tranny, clutch, rear-end?

Uncle Meat · Mar 8, 2007

That's way too much for a stock '96 Cobra, even if it is mint with only 25K on it. You can find '99's for that price.

U.M.

timeless2 · Mar 8, 2007

Price is too high and you state you don't care much for white. I say pass on this one.

COBRA90GT · Mar 8, 2007

Yep, overpriced...

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

I figured it was overpriced, I just don't know by how much. If I wanted to make an offer for this car, what kind of price would I offer?

I know I said I don't really like white, but I don't really like any of the colors available. Ideally, I'd like a silver or charcoal greay, but they didn't make those as far as I know.

Does anyone have an insight into how strong the 4.6L DOHC motors are? I know that 96 was the first year this motor was in the Mustang. Are they trouble-prone, or pretty much reliable like the old 5.0L?

BensBACobra · Mar 8, 2007

91LXnotchback said:
I figured it was overpriced, I just don't know by how much. If I wanted to make an offer for this car, what kind of price would I offer?

I know I said I don't really like white, but I don't really like any of the colors available. Ideally, I'd like a silver or charcoal greay, but they didn't make those as far as I know.

Does anyone have an insight into how strong the 4.6L DOHC motors are? I know that 96 was the first year this motor was in the Mustang. Are they trouble-prone, or pretty much reliable like the old 5.0L?

yeah a tad overpriced. the 4.6 4v motors in these are reliable, i guess it depends on what you intend to use the car for, if you want to drive it on the street and dont plan to mod it, its as reliable as any other car. if you plan on modding it and racing some, then you will always run the risk of breaking something at any given hard pull down the track or street. its relative to how you use the car. i know this isnt a definitive answer but here you go.

p.s. dont go with a 99 cobra, opt for an 01 cobra or 03/04 mach 1 if the price is in your range. the 99's had problems from the factory and not all of them produce the stated power and not all of them have been fixed. the mach 1's have very similar engines as the 01 Cobras.

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

BensBACobra said:
yeah a tad overpriced. the 4.6 4v motors in these are reliable, i guess it depends on what you intend to use the car for, if you want to drive it on the street and dont plan to mod it, its as reliable as any other car. if you plan on modding it and racing some, then you will always run the risk of breaking something at any given hard pull down the track or street. its relative to how you use the car. i know this isnt a definitive answer but here you go.

p.s. dont go with a 99 cobra, opt for an 01 cobra or 03/04 mach 1 if the price is in your range. the 99's had problems from the factory and not all of them produce the stated power and not all of them have been fixed. the mach 1's have very similar engines as the 01 Cobras.

Thanks.

I intend to use it as a daily driver. I kind of feel bad about that, since the previous owner obviously garaged it most of the time, but I don't drive that much. I take the train to work everyday, so it technically isn't driven daily. I put about 9000 miles a year on whatever vehicle I'm driving.

I know it's kind of a stupid question because nobody buys Mustangs for fuel economy, but I'd still like to know what kind of mileage people get with the stock 4V 4.6L if it's driven nice. Are the EPA figures accurate? I believe they were 16 mpg city, 26 highway.

Kilgore Trout · Mar 8, 2007

I would offer them $10k for that Cobra, then they would laugh at me and then I would leave...

I have a 2003 Cobra and I get somewhere between seven and eight mpg in the city. On the highway I get about 22 mpg.

Uncle Meat · Mar 8, 2007

I too would offer them 10K and see what their reaction is.

I regularly get 17MPG out of my '03 Cobra in mixed driving and if I baby it on the highway I can get 25MPG.

U.M.

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

I just did an autotrader search for 96-98 Mustang V8s with manual transmissions, less than 60K miles, throughout the whole country, and now I'm thinking that this car is not THAT overpriced.

Compared to other Cobras of similar vintage, similar mileage, unmolested examples, the price doesn't seem too far out of line. There are 93 Cobras out there with low miles asking $25K.

$10K seems like an extreme low-ball figure for an immaculate 96 Cobra w/ 25K miles. Am I wrong?

Kilgore Trout · Mar 8, 2007

93 Cobras with low miles have a big premium on the price because that is the first year a SVT Cobra was produced. You cannot compare their prices to the 96 you are looking at.

Anyways, at the end of the day the 96 is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

And yes, 10k is an extreme lowball. Where else would one start negotiations on an obviously overpriced vehicle EXCEPT by pitching the LOWBALL

tomustang · Mar 8, 2007

I've actually seen several 96-98 cobras with 40K less mileage for 18 grand max, it's more common than some people think

timeless2 · Mar 8, 2007

91LXnotchback said:
$10K seems like an extreme low-ball figure for an immaculate 96 Cobra w/ 25K miles. Am I wrong?

Nail head, meet hammer:

Kilgore Trout said:
And yes, 10k is an extreme lowball. Where else would one start negotiations on an obviously overpriced vehicle EXCEPT by pitching the LOWBALL

No matter what the condition of the car, it's over 10 years old. Age (and associated depreciation) is a major driver in automotive value.

tomustang · Mar 8, 2007

timeless2 said:
Nail head, meet hammer:

No matter what the condition of the car, it's over 10 years old. Age (and associated depreciation) is a major driver in automotive value.

huge factor of condition, since your area is prone to snow, even if it's parked will still be weathered worse than say texas/cali locations

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

tomustang said:
huge factor of condition, since your area is prone to snow, even if it's parked will still be weathered worse than say texas/cali locations

Why would you say that? Generally, I noticed that the cars in the south had higher mileages and there were more ratty examples, simply because you can drive them year round and there are more of them down there.

The car has 25K miles on it, so I'd imagine it was stored winters. It also hasn't been exposed to the stronger sun rays and ocean salt air that it might have been exposed to in the south. The sun isn't kind to dashboards or paint.

Uncle Meat · Mar 8, 2007

I look at it this way. For about $9K more you can get an 03/04 Cobra with the similar mileage which is a much better car overall.

U.M.

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

Uncle Meat said:
I look at it this way. For about $9K more you can get an 03/04 Cobra with the similar mileage which is a much better car overall.

U.M.

For me, $9K is a lot of money. If I had a choice between a mint 03/04 Cobra, or an equally mint 96-98 Cobra with $9K in the glovebox, I'd probably take the 96-98 and maybe get a really nice 91-93 5.0L, or a slightly used Yamaha R1, or a really nice winter beater with the extra money.

Uncle Meat · Mar 8, 2007

You feel 9k is a lot, but the rest of us feel 15.9K is a lot.... for a 96.

U.M.

91LXnotchback · Mar 8, 2007

Uncle Meat said:
You feel 9k is a lot.

You don't feel $9K is a lot, considering we're talking about a $15K car? An extra $9K is is 60% more than $15K.

To most people, $9K is a lot of money.

Uncle Meat said:
but the rest of us feel 15.9K is a lot.... for a 96.

U.M.

Obviously I thought the price was suspect as well, why else would I have started this thread?

I am trying to figure out what a fair price would be. I think $10K is low, why would I offer them something like that? What good would that do besides insult them and piss them off?

Yeah, it is 11 years old. It also has 25K miles, looks brand new, and has a handbuilt 305 hp 32 valve 4 cam V8.

If any of you know someone selling something like that for $10K let me know.

tomustang · Mar 8, 2007

Well what it comes down to, and you are rebuttling that you want it, any type of car is worth however much you want to buy it for.

You said it is way over bluebook (haven't looked myself) but if you want it, go for it

96 Cobra for $15.9K?

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