Buying a Terminator

[BlackenedSVT]

So I went to test drive an 03 Cobra with 24k miles on it. Its stock except for a Borla Catback (which sounds nice...dont know what it was but dont think its the 'stingers'). I inspected the car inside and out, let it run for 15min before test driving it. While test driving it, I was only really able to take it to 6k RPM in 1st and 2nd gear and let off goign into 3rd. The salesman was fine with me driving the car real quick like that twice.

But to be honest it didn't seem faster than my 02 GT with full exhaust and 3.73 gears..... MAYBE it was because I didn't fully get to race the car through 3rd and 4th gear, but who knows. I thought a boosted car would feel a bit more powerful Maybe i'm just being unfair and didn't get to test it at highway passing speed, etc. I mean i'm aware a 400hp cobra is faster than my ~300hp GT...just saying it didn't feel it...

The car is nice overall though, a little TLC issues required.

After letting the car sit for 2 min after getting back from the test drive, i left it running and listened for the 'valve tick' issue these cars are somewhat known for. Standing outside the engine bay and listening near the car, I would have to concentrate to hear the valve ticking issue. But if i put my head INSIDE the car, i can hear the vavles ticking away...

but what I wanted to know is: how loud are these valves normally? I know none of you were there with me, but I just wanted to get an idea of how loud they are supposed to be normally, and what they are supposed to sound like when there is a problem.


FURTHERMORE: Since this cobra is @ a Ford Dealership....*IF* i get them to get me an extended warranty...can I bring the car in for service and complain the heads are ticking (even if they aren't) and have them replace it with the new updated heads??

 

[EPIK]

So I went to test drive an 03 Cobra with 24k miles on it. Its stock except for a Borla Catback (which sounds nice...dont know what it was but dont think its the 'stingers'). I inspected the car inside and out, let it run for 15min before test driving it. While test driving it, I was only really able to take it to 6k RPM in 1st and 2nd gear and let off goign into 3rd. The salesman was fine with me driving the car real quick like that twice.

But to be honest it didn't seem faster than my 02 GT with full exhaust and 3.73 gears..... MAYBE it was because I didn't fully get to race the car through 3rd and 4th gear, but who knows. I thought a boosted car would feel a bit more powerful Maybe i'm just being unfair and didn't get to test it at highway passing speed, etc. I mean i'm aware a 400hp cobra is faster than my ~300hp GT...just saying it didn't feel it...

The car is nice overall though, a little TLC issues required.

After letting the car sit for 2 min after getting back from the test drive, i left it running and listened for the 'valve tick' issue these cars are somewhat known for. Standing outside the engine bay and listening near the car, I would have to concentrate to hear the valve ticking issue. But if i put my head INSIDE the car, i can hear the vavles ticking away...

but what I wanted to know is: how loud are these valves normally? I know none of you were there with me, but I just wanted to get an idea of how loud they are supposed to be normally, and what they are supposed to sound like when there is a problem.


FURTHERMORE: Since this cobra is @ a Ford Dealership....*IF* i get them to get me an extended warranty...can I bring the car in for service and complain the heads are ticking (even if they aren't) and have them replace it with the new updated heads??

I think they will only replace the head if it actually fails, but they wont do it for the ticking noise...My Mach 1 has the tick noise, but so do almost all the 32V cars & I just learned to live with it...Its not so loud that it makes my car sound like its broken or anything, but I have heard a few 03-04 Cobras that had a tick so loud you could hear it from 100 feet away.

I drove a pullied, tuned, & exaust 03 Cobra the other day, & I must say that it felt quite a bit faster than my Mach, so I would say that it should feel alot faster than your GT....

 

[TweekedGT]

Hey Epik, i saw a Mach almost exactly like yours over the weekend at the track, the wheels weren't quite the same as the FR500's though but were close. if your car looks like it did close up then .

 

[EPIK]

Hey Epik, i saw a Mach almost exactly like yours over the weekend at the track, the wheels weren't quite the same as the FR500's though but were close. if your car looks like it did close up then .

Thanks

 

[thomas91169]

But to be honest it didn't seem faster than my 02 GT with full exhaust and 3.73 gears..... MAYBE it was because I didn't fully get to race the car through 3rd and 4th gear, but who knows. I thought a boosted car would feel a bit more powerful Maybe i'm just being unfair and didn't get to test it at highway passing speed, etc. I mean i'm aware a 400hp cobra is faster than my ~300hp GT...just saying it didn't feel it...

i get this feeling too. through 1st and 2nd isnt that fast feeling, it pulls nicely but ive been in cars that hurt when moving up under 100mph. however unlike those cars, the cobra pulls with the same aggressiveness through 3rd, 4th and into 5th. my buddy was all like "its fast but i expected more" after i took him through 2nd gear, then i got on the freeway and took him from the bottom of 3rd into the top of 4th and he was like "i retract my previous statement!" i had the driver mod for my 02 GT, and i can assure you i could take the GT and run even with my Termie through 1st and 2nd, however once the termie hit 3rd it would just keep pulling away.

The more you push it, the harder it bites.

and if the car you are referring to has issues, walk away. you can find non-issue perfectly good cobras for low to mid 20's.

 

[Uncle Meat]

But to be honest it didn't seem faster than my 02 GT with full exhaust and 3.73 gears..... MAYBE it was because I didn't fully get to race the car through 3rd and 4th gear, but who knows. I thought a boosted car would feel a bit more powerful Maybe i'm just being unfair and didn't get to test it at highway passing speed, etc. I mean i'm aware a 400hp cobra is faster than my ~300hp GT...just saying it didn't feel it...

I know my stock '03 felt leaps and bounds faster than my '02 GT did. Then again, I didn't have gears in my GT so maybe that accounts for some... but the torque difference between the two should be very noticeable. Maybe you didn't have your foot planted to the floor?

After letting the car sit for 2 min after getting back from the test drive, i left it running and listened for the 'valve tick' issue these cars are somewhat known for. Standing outside the engine bay and listening near the car, I would have to concentrate to hear the valve ticking issue. But if i put my head INSIDE the car, i can hear the vavles ticking away...

Doubt what you're hearing is the valves. The injectors in the 03/04 are loud and 90% of new owners mistake the injector clicking for the head tick. The BEST test for the tick is to pull the drivers side of the car up close next to a solid brick or concrete wall, hood closed, shut off the radio & A/C or heater fan and then roll down the drivers window, but leave passengers up. There will be a very audible tick-tick-tick at idle that will bounce off the wall from under the car and right into the drivers side window. Very noticeable.

but what I wanted to know is: how loud are these valves normally? I know none of you were there with me, but I just wanted to get an idea of how loud they are supposed to be normally, and what they are supposed to sound like when there is a problem.

Mild tick: http://videos.streetfire.net/search/tick/0/458669d8-e006-4e7b-a042-a1fb7f519b8e.htm

BAD tick: http://www.madmav.com/brian/cobra/movie/MOV01323.MPG

FURTHERMORE: Since this cobra is @ a Ford Dealership....*IF* i get them to get me an extended warranty...can I bring the car in for service and complain the heads are ticking (even if they aren't) and have them replace it with the new updated heads??

If it is under warranty and they concur that you in fact do have the tick then they may replace the drivers side head under SSM 03-11-4.

I think they will only replace the head if it actually fails, but they wont do it for the ticking noise...

I've had the drivers side head replaced under warranty TWICE now for just the tick.

I drove a pullied, tuned, & exaust 03 Cobra the other day, & I must say that it felt quite a bit faster than my Mach, so I would say that it should feel alot faster than your GT....

A pulley'd Terminator should feel leaps and bounds faster than a GT with gears & exhaust!

U.M.

P.S. I highly encourage anyone considering the purchase of an 03/04 Cobra to take some time and read through the 03/04 FAQ located here:


03/04 Cobra FAQ

There's a wealth of information there.

U.M.

 

[BlackenedSVT]

Hey thanks for the help UM. Yeah I have read through the FAQ. Very nice job that BOB did there. And as for the injectors, yes they were amazingly loud but i could still here the valves just a bit softer than the injectors making noise. so maybe the car doesn't have the tick.

Also the injectors on the cobra were dark blue. Are those the stock injector colors?

And i'm working on the price of the car for $25k out the door from the dealer.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Good luck, take your time finding one, and remember winter is your friend when buying Mustangs.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Hey thanks for the help UM. Yeah I have read through the FAQ. Very nice job that BOB did there.

Well actually all Bob has done is host it for the most part. It was initially created by another member of SVTPerformance.com. (Brian Hill)

Also the injectors on the cobra were dark blue. Are those the stock injector colors?

Yup.

U.M.

 

[BlackenedSVT]

ok thanks for the input guys