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Is the SVT worth it?

5K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  candersen 
#1 ·
Hey,

My bad if this isn't the best location for this.

I have a plain 02 V6 Mustang currently. Love her, but want more. That V6 power isn't cutting it for me.

I'm torn on what my better option should be.

Originally I was thinking of tracking down a decent 03 SVT Cobra because that thing is pushing 400+ HP.
But a friend of mine who happens to be a car guy, said that would be a bad idea because the SVT is designed to be treated as a performance car and thus requires performance level maintenance rather than standard every day maintenance. He suggested I just get the regular V8 GT version. Not quite as powerful, but doesn't need the higher level of maintenance.

You guys would know more than him; is he correct?
Should I just go with the regular GT?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Hey,



My bad if this isn't the best location for this.



I have a plain 02 V6 Mustang currently. Love her, but want more. That V6 power isn't cutting it for me.



I'm torn on what my better option should be.



Originally I was thinking of tracking down a decent 03 SVT Cobra because that thing is pushing 400+ HP.

But a friend of mine who happens to be a car guy, said that would be a bad idea because the SVT is designed to be treated as a performance car and thus requires performance level maintenance rather than standard every day maintenance. He suggested I just get the regular V8 GT version. Not quite as powerful, but doesn't need the higher level of maintenance.



You guys would know more than him; is he correct?

Should I just go with the regular GT?

Have you priced an 03 Cobra?

https://www.carsforsale.com/2003-ford-mustang-svt-cobra-for-sale-C139871
The price gap between an 03 V6 and an 03 cobra is pretty wide my friend.

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#5 · (Edited)
For $20k you can get a lot newer GT than an 03 model. The 03/04 cobra is more of a "collector" or "hobby" type of a vehicle. I imagine it'll handle daily driver duty fine, but $20k is pretty decent chunk of change for a 13 year old car. You might have trouble financing one that old, Cobra or not. You might have to get a "personal loan" and $20k might be out of reach for a personal loan depending on your financial situation.


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#6 ·
I won't be getting a loan to buy it. I plan to pay cash in full.

But yeah, I realize 20k would buy me a lot of car otherwise. But I have no interest in the 2005-2014 year models though. Those all look bad.
The 2000-2004 body style is nice though. And the updated body style for the 2015+ is amazing.
Besides, the older models keep it simple. lol


But you guys are right, I'm probably going to get plenty of enjoyment with a regular GT model.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Would you want to drive it everywhere you went and rack up 100k+ miles on one? In my opinion they're "worth it" for a second car or a toy but I think it'd lose its luster and value after a couple years of daily driver duty. Just like any other daily driver, It might not be trashed when he's done with it but I don't think he'd be able to sell it for what he paid.
If he wanted to keep it and get another car once it became too tired to daily drive, which realistically isn't all that long since it's already a 13 year old car, the cobra would be due for a freshening up. At that time the cobra would become a project and he'd start his from ashes to elbows rebuild progress thread. It might be a long thread depending on the financial situation with the new daily driver and general living.

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#13 ·
03/04 Cobra require no more maintenance than a GT... It is an awesome car and has much more potential than the GT with a basically factory built engine... I'd get the Cobra any day over a GT of those years... oh wait I have one :)
 
#16 ·
If I had $20k cash just to spend on a car...it would be an 11-14 Coyote.
 
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#18 ·
I'm crazy but id daily the 05 gt especially with that built 5.4
 
#19 ·
They're selling for super high now, more than when they were new. But I wonder what an insurance company would value it if it was totaled? Do they take in collectibility and such or just what it's worth new minus milage and age?


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#22 ·
One problem as I see it is the insurance value for these cars. Just looking at KBB, they value the `03/`04 Cobra at around 18k, & Kelly is known for being generous. Most listings for lower mileage cars are in the mid to high 20`s. To me that means that if you pay the big bucks for a car that is going to be a DD, most insurance companies are not going to value the car for anywhere near what you paid for the car. Now if its going to be a garage queen, the companies like Hagerty or even the major companies will write a specialty policy limiting the miles you can put on it in a year & other things, like the car must be garaged & not street parked etc.

I had "Agreed upon " value on my `99 Cobra from State Farm, but the car had to have collector or antique tags, could not be used as a DD, & had to be garaged. Also, they were only insuring it because we have all our insurance with them. The price was reasonable though, $125 a year, full coverage with a 14k value.
 
#25 ·
"Worth" to me implies $$$. Is a Terminator worth it? No. They are selling for $20k or so, and that's nuts. You can buy a Mach 1 for half that money, put a blower kit on it, wipe the floor with the Termi and have $4k still left in your pocket. I've seen that happen.

Having said that, I could listen to that stock Eaton blower whine all day long and never get tired of it.
 
#26 ·
Hey,


But a friend of mine who happens to be a car guy, said that would be a bad idea because the SVT is designed to be treated as a performance car and thus requires performance level maintenance rather than standard every day maintenance. He suggested I just get the regular V8 GT version. Not quite as powerful, but doesn't need the higher level of maintenance.

You guys would know more than him; is he correct?
Should I just go with the regular GT?
B*LLSH*T!!!! Even the SVT's only need the same love and care as the standard cars. It's not some European exotic that needs "unobtainium" additive for the oil every thousand miles or some other BS. If you take good care of your V6, then the same will apply to the Cobra, only with a supercharger drive belt and IRS.

That being said, my best advise to you is get what you truly WANT. At the end of the day, what do you want in your garage? It is better to spend $40 than waste $20, and to buy a car that you have to convince yourself is really the one you want when deep down you know it isn't is just wasting money as you will no doubt be looking to replace it in a short time. But the Mustang you really want is the one you keep for a lifetime......and just add more to the stable!!! Better to add than replace:smile:
 
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