25K+ imports vs. 30K domestics

[CelicaDetective]

Ok, I figure that if I buy an RSX or Celica at around 25K, I'm going to mod the hell out of it and end up spending 32K+ easy when I'm all finished. I'll also blow the warranty.

Why shouldn't I just spend 35K and get the 2003 Mustang Cobra (supercharged V8 producing 390HP + 390lbs. of torque getting you 0-60MPH in under 5 seconds) that comes with a 6-speed and I can get a 1000 watt stereo right from the factory with subs and all for $1000 extra.

I'm soon to be 27, I'm saving money like insane, so I should be able to afford the car - and I don't need to mod it with all that power right from the factory.

So assuming you had the money to BUY it, what are your opinions on this? Really bad gas mileage? Reliable? What do ya'll think.... because it's a possibility for me.... and I'd smoke all of ya :)

Mike

[Willis5050]

That Cobra looks to be a sweet car. I got excited when I read that article because it looks like Ford will really be a major player in that segment now. It's a great value for a great performing machine.

Only arguments I can see against it would be insurance, gas mileage, realiablity and upkeep concerns (even though the blower seems to be proven, Ford always seems to have some shady glitches), and the fact that you will probably end up spending $15K more out the door.

If you have the means, take it for a spin when it arrives and plunk that cash down. At least you know you will be getting a great deal for the money.

[2001REDCELICAGTS]

I wish I had the money for a Cobra. The insurance cost will be much more than a Celica. You really have to check this out first. I almost bought a Mustang GT but the wanted $7000 a year insurance!

[SlasherX]

test drive the car..i have a feeling that itll be the best mass production mustang ever made.

[WillyK]

I would most definately buy one if I had the money for it. That is a sweetass Mustang.

[Trial00GTS]

Modding is FUN though!!!

[HilfigerCelica]

I would say get the Cobra. That way you're going to have a fast car that's exclusive and has a warranty. But don't get it just yet, since the car is so new EVERYONE is going to jack up the price, plus cars always have teething problems in the first yr of production. That way you would have a bigger down payment too.

[SlasherX]

dont forget the tuning aspect...the cobra will put out major hp gains with little work..

ive been told 410 to the wheels with opened exhaust, pulley swap and a chip ;)

[SlasherX]

and thats on a preproduction model that hasnt been fully tuned yet...

ford's not going to let this car put out anythign less than 390hp :)

[hollywood]

this is what i want to get. just need to sell the old celly.

http://www.magictouchdesigns.com/candyred/cadyred2.jpg http://www.magictouchdesigns.com/candyred/candyred1.jpg http://www.magictouchdesigns.com/candyred/candyred3.jpg http://www.magictouchdesigns.com/candyred/candyred4.jpg

[CelicaDetective]

The Prowler is SLOW and impractical. A standard V8 camaro or firebird or Mustang will kick its ass.

For $45,000USD, here's what you get:

0-60MPH in 6.3 seconds.

14.8 quarter mile @ 90.9MPH.

Go buy a Corvette.

[hollywood]

with little mods you can run 12 ez. and im getting it for the same reason as the celica. not many people have them. y get what everyone has?

[hollywood]

pllus ill get a used one with low miles for 30-35000

[2000 XYR]

SlasherX said:
ive been told 410 to the wheels with opened exhaust, pulley swap and a chip Only 20HP with an exhaust and chip? I'd get twice that from my chip if I ever put the thing in. ;) There's gotta be more HP than that -- plus you can get a new pulley and churn out some more HP. :D

[SlasherX]

Originally posted by 2000 XYR
Only 20HP with an exhaust and chip? I'd get twice that from my chip if I ever put the thing in. ;) There's gotta be more HP than that -- plus you can get a new pulley and churn out some more HP. :D

um...car comes with 390 at teh crank..do those mods i listed and its putting 410 to the ground...whats unimpressive about that?? :)

[X-EVIL-X]

id rather have the celica with a turbo than a mustang anyday.
figure 22k for gts plus 6-8k for a turbo plus tuning and you have pretty close to the same 1/4 mile time (i believe)
also you have the looks of the celica which are much better than the normal looking mustang

[SlasherX]

if you want pure power/aftermarket/reliability and potential you do not turbo a celica in favor of a blown cobra.

im sorry...plus..fwd hitting boost on an open dif....not a pretty sight for 60 foot times.

[X-EVIL-X]

i would still get the celica.
i sure we would need to get an lsd with the turbo anyway...
we need one now.

[SlasherX]

personal preference..nothign wrong with it

[larryd]

id get the mustang in all honesty.. the way I look at it and I guess my view point is changing is Im tired of taking a 15 second car and trying to make it really insanely fast.. it is fun.. but shouldnt be my daily driver.. :)

[SlasherX]

i know what you mean larry..

[X-EVIL-X]

but you would of still loved it if you had your old celica running 12's

[hollywood]

evereyone and there mother is driveing a mustang these days. i need some thing different.

[larryd]

Originally posted by X-EVIL-X
but you would of still loved it if you had your old celica running 12's

no, it has nothing to do with that.. cuz im in the same boat with the eclipse.. taking a 15 second car and making it fast.. Its just alot of work that sometimes i think isnt worth it if you can just buy something thats already fast for the $$..

[X-EVIL-X]

but thats the fun though.
i wouldn't be too amazed seeing a mustang beat a corvette but if a celica could do it that would be crazy.
i mean at the track your watching ls1's though down 13.0-13.5's all the time and its nothing unusual, but then you see a celica come up and you see it run the same time and your in shock.
that just appeals to me

[larryd]

true.. maybe im just getting old :(

[WillyK]

I was curious about the Cobra S, is it only available as a convertible? The mustang is not a very nice looking convertible. Oh and I would definately take the Cobra S over a turbo Celica, if I had the money to afford one.

[CelicaDetective]

Insurance and gas mileage is rather insane, plus I live in Chicago so the winters suck. I do plan on getting good snow tires for the winter, like I have now (Blizzaks).

I somehow managed to skip over the other article in the new Road and Track. The 2003 Lancer Evolution VII, supposed to be imported here around summer 2002. They said that the car specs are underrated and in Japan form it pushes 300+HP. So my best bet is to keep saving money and be patient. The car I want is coming, I just know it....

Cars I need to test drive in the future:

2003 Acura RSX Type-R

?2003 new upper trim level Toyota Celica (to compete with Eclipse GTS, Type-R, etc).

2003 Lancer EVO VII (priced at 30K USD is the approx. price)


I've got a checklist for looks, value, performance. For me it's pretty much a battle between looks and performance. I'd buy a Celica if they made the darn thing faster because the looks are unbeatable.

Mike

[SlasherX]

Originally posted by WillyK
I was curious about the Cobra S, is it only available as a convertible? The mustang is not a very nice looking convertible. Oh and I would definately take the Cobra S over a turbo Celica, if I had the money to afford one.

theyll be coming in coupe's as well..keep in mind that this is the new cobra..no more n/a dohc 4.6.

<img src="http://a252.g.akamai.net/n/252/3538/20020207225120/www.cars.com/features/autoshow2002/coverage/chicago/images/03_ford_svt_mustang_hardtop_side_425.jpg">

[X-EVIL-X]

so your saying you would rather have that than insightgt's car(carbon blue turbo gt), or ivan's car "red dragon"(red gt turbo).
both of those cars have been in magazines in the last two months.
i guess its just me but i need looks too as well as power

[WillyK]

Mustangs are fairly good looking cars too, especially the newer models. I do think the Celica looks better but I can go with a car that is fairly good looking with great power. Like any of you people wouldn't nut in your pants when you felt WOT in that thing, I know I would :thumbup:

My only concern would be the reliability factor. I don't know how newer Ford's etc hold up but I always hear horror stories of American cars. I think Ford and American cars in general have a bad rep as far as reliability goes and it probably stems from the 80's or early 90's. I don't hear too many people with old school muscle cars whining about rusty pushrods breaking or whatever. I can honestly tell you that I would think twice about buying a Toyota again just from all the little problems I've had with the Celica so far. I guess if it isn't a Camry (cash cow) then Toyota isn't going to worry about making it bulletproof.

[SlasherX]

WillyK--

http://www.auto.com/industry/iwiri8_20011208.htm

[SlasherX]

Originally posted by X-EVIL-X
so your saying you would rather have that than insightgt's car(carbon blue turbo gt), or ivan's car "red dragon"(red gt turbo).
both of those cars have been in magazines in the last two months.
i guess its just me but i need looks too as well as power

thats cool..

fix up a cobra and have your choice of mustang only magazines though (5.0, MM&FF, mustang monthly, etc.)

notoriety can be acheived no mater what car you own if that is what you truly want.

[Reality Man]

Originally posted by Willis5050

Only arguments I can see against it would be insurance, gas mileage, realiablity and upkeep concerns (even though the blower seems to be proven, Ford always seems to have some shady glitches), and the fact that you will probably end up spending $15K more out the door.



Insurance completely depends on the company...but that is a factor because not everyone wants to go searching for the best deal for X car.

gas mileage shouldnt be bad. Ive never gotten anything *lower* than 24MPG in my Mustang GT, and frequently get upwards of 28MPG. The 03 cobra shouldnt really be any different (though it will suck more when you are really on the gas :) )

despite what riceboy racers would have you believe, the quality of american cars is not bad.

[Reality Man]

Originally posted by HilfigerCelica
I would say get the Cobra. That way you're going to have a fast car that's exclusive and has a warranty. But don't get it just yet, since the car is so new EVERYONE is going to jack up the price, plus cars always have teething problems in the first yr of production. That way you would have a bigger down payment too.

SVT highly dissapproves of price gouging. One dealer already tried to nail some ebayers. The auction dissappeared QUICK.
SVT liscense costs 10K i believe...smart dealers arent going to risk losing it.

[2000 XYR]

SlasherX said:
um...car comes with 390 at teh crank..do those mods i listed and its putting 410 to the ground...whats unimpressive about that?? :) Know what's wrong with that? Nothing! I'm just stupid -- I didn't see that you wrote "at the wheels". Missed that part. Sorry. ;)

[RedNOSceli]

If you want to go fast for cheap, get a damn mid 90's f-body..

you can pick up a 6-speed LT1 carmaro or Trans-Am/Formula for $7-$10 with low miles...

do a total motor build with rods, pistons, heads, cams, etc, add a blower/turbo with some nitrous, a new gear and some slicks and you're still ganna put less then $10k more into it

so for under 20K you can have a 9 second car that looks fn bad...

or you could waist some money on a new poostang.

[SlasherX]

Originally posted by RedNOSceli
If you want to go fast for cheap, get a damn mid 90's f-body..

you can pick up a 6-speed LT1 carmaro or Trans-Am/Formula for $7-$10 with low miles...

do a total motor build with rods, pistons, heads, cams, etc, add a blower/turbo with some nitrous, a new gear and some slicks and you're still ganna put less then $10k more into it

so for under 20K you can have a 9 second car that looks fn bad...

or you could waist some money on a new poostang.


or you can pick up an old 5.0 fox body for under 2 grand, build up the motor and run 8's for under the cost fo that f-body stock.

cmon now, if all you're into is bang for the buck, then everyone would be buying rusted out pinto's and dropping 427's in em.

poostang? thats creative..no, really.

[WillyK]

Originally posted by SlasherX
WillyK--

http://www.auto.com/industry/iwiri8_20011208.htm

Thanks for the article Slasher, very informative.

As for getting a Trans Am or Camaro and making that fast for less than the Mustang...well the Mustang looks better. Not to be hating on the GM crowd there but those cars look like ass. For me it's kinda the same with that turbo Neon, I don't care how fast it is, if it looks like sh*t I don't want it. Of course that's just me.