Why Sell?

[digginfool]

My search for a Cobra brought me to this forum. So far, looks like a great place; tons of information. The question on my mind is why do so many people end up selling their Cobras after only a few thousand (sometimes not even a thousand) miles? One of my concerns is dumping 40-50k into a car only to have the novelty wear off after a few months. I've also noticed that when these people sell, it tends to take quite a while to accomplish the feat (unless they're selling at a deep discount). One thing for certain, if I buy, I've settled on a Backdraft. Now just have to find the right car. Thanks for any thoughts you may have on this.

[Hydramada]

Originally Posted by digginfool

My search for a Cobra brought me to this forum. So far, looks like a great place; tons of information. The question on my mind is why do so many people end up selling their Cobras after only a few thousand (sometimes not even a thousand) miles? One of my concerns is dumping 40-50k into a car only to have the novelty wear off after a few months. I've also noticed that when these people sell, it tends to take quite a while to accomplish the feat (unless they're selling at a deep discount). One thing for certain, if I buy, I've settled on a Backdraft. Now just have to find the right car. Thanks for any thoughts you may have on this.

Owning a Cobra is not for the faint of heart. The best explanation I have heard comes from a friend of mine:

" A Porsche is like a cruise missile......high precision, very technical and accurate to within millimeters. A Cobra is like a club with a rock tied on the end of it...... brutal, visceral, and in your face."

The idea of owning the ICONIC American sports car is a dream of most motor-heads but when you have one you find that they are quite hardcore. It takes a dedication (and care) to own a car that only has a 90" wheelbase and 400-700HP.

Personally, the Cobra works for me but I am a bit insane. Whenever I take it out, I always take a moment to remind myself this is not my daily driver and that I am driving a car that will kill me in an instant if I disrespect it.

[jesseasi]

Well I just got my Backdraft delivered last week. Got it from Jay at Vintage Motorsports. Like you I tried to do as much research as possible before deciding on a car. To me it seem like there is a Cobra at nearly every price point you can imagine.

I can't imagine ever selling this car ever. I have a 3 year old boy and already he thinks it is his....and some day it will be.

I am interested to hear what others say that have sold or need to sell.

[601HP]

a. It's not comfortable.
b. It can become very hot in the cockpit.
c. Driving it in the rain is not fun.
d. Most of us don't use/have a top or side curtains. It can be a cold ride at a higher temperature than you may imagine.
e. Most are louder than loud. I began using ear plugs last year.
f. The rear end can exchange position with the front end surprisingly fast.
g. If I had to use it as a daily driver, I may opt for a bicycle.
h. You never know what itty bitty thingy will quit working. I never leave home without the cell phone.
i. The Sheriff's HQ is one mile from my house.
j. The State Police barrack is 3 miles from my house.
k. The town police office is one mile from my house.
l. Often I want to bottom out the accelerator pedal, but i., j. and k. can be a pain in the a**.
m. I've learned a lot about this car in these past years, but I probably still have a long way to go. This website is a good resource. patrickt can pretty much fill in any blank spaces that come up!
n. It can be real expensive when it breaks. After running it quite hard at Mid-Ohio road race course a few years back, the intake valve dropped against the piston in #2 cylinder because the valve springs fatigued. That was a bigger than big dent in the checkbook.


The positives
I've owned this car since 1994. I still get cold chills on my neck when I first start it.

My wife has always liked the car. She enjoys WOT, as long as I let her know its about to happen.

Sometimes I notice I'm not breathing correctly because it still intimidates me.

There are very few positive things to say about growing older. One of them is that this car seems to develop more hosepower every year. (actually my reflexes are slowing down!)

It's a blast to drive.

It's one heck of a "hey look at me" car.

I still enjoy tinkering with this car in the garage. It can be a therapy session and a period of solitude wrapped up in a day.

And it's a freakin' fast machine to drive! My daily driver is a Toyota Yaris with 106 horsepower.

David

[jmimac351]

Don't be fooled by cars that are several years old with only a few thousand miles. Cobras are like 4-wheeled Harleys. You need the right time to drive it, good weather, etc. Sometimes you won't drive it for several weeks. When you do, maybe you only put 30 miles on it, if that. Especially if you have other toys to play with.

Several sell to build / buy another. MANY of my cobra friends have owned / built more than 1 cobra. If you do get one you'll find there is nothing else quite like it in the car hobby.

[roadrod2000]

Mine has, no heater, no radio, no top, you feel every bump in the road when you drive it and if there are speed bumps along the way you need to plan another route. But when I start it up it always makes me smile, the second trip around the block with it I set off the neighbors car alarm just idling by (a big smile on that one )

[fordracing65]

To upgrade to a KIRKHAM

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by digginfool

The question on my mind is why do so many people end up selling their Cobras after only a few thousand (sometimes not even a thousand) miles?

digginfool -- my personal opinion is that if someone is wondering whether they should buy a Cobra or not then they shouldn't. This car is not right for way, way more people than it's right for. Unless you're absolutely, 100% positive that you want a Cobra, then you should stay away from it. Most of the morons on this board that truly love their Cobras have done so for decades. They've saved their Car & Driver magazines that reviewed them (from the day they were delivered in the mailbox), kept old pictures of them, models, POS parts they got at swap meets, you name it. Frankly, it's almost like a mental illness. Unfortunately, a lot of guys are not sicko like that, and when they plunk down the money to get one, they end up unhappy pretty quickly -- sometimes right after their wife gets a third degree burn on her ankle. Even if you do think you might fit in the nutso category that this car requires, you should still take a few months and read as many posts on this forum as you can. There's a ton of things to know about these cars, and, if you're really lucky, the desire to own one will pass.

[Double Venom]

"You" guys are great & Truthful!

Going on 40 years building these "toys" and I can't wait for 60 years!

"Young Lady" tighten those straps up until your bra hurts....and hang on!

DV

[jwoodard]

Sometimes, conditions change. Health issues develop as we age, interests move to other areas, financial needs change, etc., etc. Meaning, nothing is static.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by jwoodard

Sometimes, conditions change. Health issues develop as we age, interests move to other areas, financial needs change, etc., etc. Meaning, nothing is static.

True enough. Point taken.

[crASH]

digginfool-

I don't own a Cobra yet, but I have been looking at them for sale on Cobra Country since early 2008, as well as this site for the past several months. I have also been following these forum discussions since last fall. SO... like you, I have been wondering the same thing regarding Cobras for sale that are barely broken in.

Since Harley's have been mentioned, I'll state that I owned a brand new one back in 1985, Low Rider with drag pipes (straight and loud). I put 17,000 miles on it in three years. No cross country trips to Sturgis, no trips to Bike Week at Daytona, just weekends in the SC/NC mountains, maybe 50-150 miles at a time, and the rest of the time it was parked in my living room.

I think many very plausible reasons have been mentioned here as to why there are so many for sale with extremely low miles. Beyond that, follow these discussions on this forum for several months as was mentioned earlier, and also look (and LISTEN) at/to youtube videos of Cobra owners driving their cars, and look at lots of them. I love 'em, but I don't know if I will ever own one.

[FIA-ERA]

I personally love my car in every way! Ditto on what others have said! I hear others say "I'm going to build one of those cars one day, I've always wanted one". Well, it isn't the car most people realize and once they're in it they say "what was I thinking"!! The car is brutal in all respects. You have to drive it like a crotch rocket, always looking for the "other" idiot and where to let it stretch it's legs. I wish my every day car drove like this. The steering is great , the acceleration, the smells (well not so much), the satisfaction of hard work, and all the attention you could ever want!

I've though of selling mine lately because I like building cars. I like fabricating things, I like searching for parts, etc. So it's a tough call. I will not just let it go but if the right guy comes along I might let her go to a good home. Others that sell, they just simply bought the car of there dreams to realize what did I do. I had one guy say to me "I want a fun car to drive around, like a Miata". Well brother, these cars are no Miata's!! I would go a drive one or check a few out before investing in one for sure. Like others have said, they're not for everyone. Good Luck, Matt

[digginfool]

Thanks for the replies! Most of the reasons stated for why you own them is the same reasons I want one. My first motorcycle was a KH400 with chambers and stingers. Loud and stupid fast (handled like crap - good thing I couldn't swing the bucks for the KH500). I've owned a couple fast cars and driven several really fast cars, also have owned a couple of Harleys, several boats and an airplane along the way but 19 years of marriage, three kids, and more soccer and baseball games than I care to count tends to slow things down a bit. Time for the 'fool to get back to doing what he enjoys. I'm fortunate enough to live in South Florida so I get to see all kinds of cool rides but the one thing that always gets my attention is a Cobra. I guess in some ways it's like looking at your favorite pinup; if given the opportunity, would you really want to ruin the dream with the reality? I'm in no huge hurry to purchase one. Like everything I've bought over the years, I'll obsess over the details for months before setting my sights on my target. Right now, I'm torn between the refined performance and creature comforts of the Gran Sport convertible coming out, or even a GT500, and the brute force of the Cobra. I know my wife; in time she would love the Cobra but the 'Vette or GT500 would be an easier sell. But isn't that why you own a Cobra? Anybody can (and just about everybody in South Florida does) own a 'Vette.

[cobrarob]

You wouldnt be on the forumn asking the question if you werent seriously interested in the cobra

My advise to you is the same advise I gave to myself , we only live once in this world and when you are laying in a hospital bed someday it is to late to wish I had done it , that was simply it for me

I had cancer a while back and i said to my wife if I beat this thing I am going to buy a cobra , right now the cancer is on hold and that is excatly why I bought the car , life is about having as few regrets as possible

Also dont forget about the great cobra community , I have lots of freinds who own cobras

And I wouldnt worry to much about the novelty wearing off as you should do what i do and that is only drive it 6 months of the year due to weather ( depending on where you live ) and for the other 6 months drive it sparingly so the novelty never wears off

good luck with your decision

[STL Mark]

On your original question - why do some many sell their dream car?
Other than the obvious money concerns, statistics are that a large percent of people who buy a sports car, sell them 2 or 3 years later.

Those Grand Sports are real nice. They've been out for a while.

[digginfool]

Originally Posted by STL Mark

On your original question - why do some many sell their dream car?
Other than the obvious money concerns, statistics are that a large percent of people who buy a sports car, sell them 2 or 3 years later.

Those Grand Sports are real nice. They've been out for a while.

Your stats are probably true. Of the three sports cars I've owned in my life ('68 MGB, '80 Turbo TransAm, '85 Mustang GT), only the GT was owned for more than 2 years. The B was too many headaches, the TransAm was a nightmare (sold it the day the warranty expired) but the GT was a kick; kept it five years. The Grand Sport has been out but not in convertible yet. I would only get the GT500 as a convertible as well.

[FIA-ERA]

Gotta get a FIA for the honey! She won't like the "snake bites" off of a 427 body! If you live in Florida you've got way more driving days than the rest of us. Now you just have to pick out a color. Do you like Red??

[vanoochka]

Originally Posted by digginfool

Anybody can (and just about everybody in South Florida does) own a 'Vette.

I brought my beloved SPF with me from Northern California to South Florida and sold it after a year. I can't imagine a worse place to own one of these cars. Very few great, or even good, drives, the longest traffic lights I've ever experienced (and lots of them!) and not a very active Cobra community. Frankly, I think a 'Vette is much better suited car for the SFL environment.

I'm spending most of 2011 in Australia, but then moving back to Northern California and am already laying the plans for my next Cobra (ERA, this time) when I get get there. Once bitten...

[Mike Bartlett]

All the previous posts are all so true. Before I got mine I was never able to ride in one nor had I ever owned a convertable. The closest thing I had previously was a 66 Mustang 289 4-speed. Nothing like a Cobra except they both have a Ford motor and the same shifter handle

I had been longing for a Cobra since my teens in fact I bought a 72' Sanger Flat bottom race boat primarily because it had a 427 S/O in it. I kept the boat about 5-years, no kids yet, then pulled the motor and stuck it in a crate and sold the boat. Marriage, 2-kids, and twenty years later I was finally able to buy a Cobra. Wow, not what I imagined. Hot summer days no way too damn hot in the car but I do it cuz I love to drive it. Loud as hell I to wear ear plugs but love the sound and setting off my neighbors car alarm. Winter can be cold but once again no biggie cuz you get to drive the car.

The #1 reason for keeping it is the Cobra people my wife and I have met. Here in Northern CA the BACC (Bay Area Cobra Club) takes 5-6 outings a year to Lake Tahoe, Santa Barbara, Wine Country, etc. It is so much fun driving the back roads with 25-30 other Cobra's. The people are great and of course the guys talk cars non stop. Great Fun. I am sure in your area is a Cobra club be sure to meet up with them and go on all the trips you can. You'll keep that toy forever.

MIke