[66gtk]

I'm enjoying this thread and appreciate you sharing the specifics of your search with us all. It takes effort, no doubt. I suspect that you will have an extremely difficult time finding a NICE quality Cobra for $40K or less that you will be happy with. They are out there, but they are getting much harder to find and your wait will likely be lengthy and tiresome. Prices have gone up sharply for used Cobras in the last few years; at least for the nicer builds. If you want a BDR, you will find one in your price range. If you want an ERA or SPF you will have to expect to pay considerably more. You aren't comparing apples to apples with your new BDR vs used SPF search. On the short side you will be putting up more money (doesn't sound like that's the issue for you), but on the medium to long range end you will lose MORE money by not buying the car you really want/deserve the first time.

In regards to mileage and such, I've found that mileage is only a single factor in comparing and evaluating used Cobras. Many are out there with super low miles. Fewer have been properly maintained, cared for and stored correctly considering their age (not just miles). I've seen many Cobras with less than 5K miles that look to be in similar condition than my MN driven 2005 F150 daily driver. Conversely, I had a nearly 20K mile mid 90's built ERA that still looked and performed as nearly new. When I was selling it, many dismissed it immediately based on miles compared to what else was available on the market. I actually saw it as a plus when I learned of it's true condition.