Trade Mach for Snake?

[downsouthman1]

I saw this 04 Snake that I really like. It's black w/ 2 beigh painted full-body stripes. The car's condition is immaculate & I was told that I could probably do an even trade since the Machs are holding value so well. Question. With my mods, if you were me, would you do it?

[SlidinSIDEways]

mach in my opinion...i see cobras all the time, i see a mach other than mine about once a month. you do the math...dont get me wrong they are sweet cars but the mach is so much more unique. do go with what you want not what others want! good luck!!

[downsouthman1]

mach in my opinion...i see cobras all the time, i see a mach other than mine about once a month. you do the math...dont get me wrong they are sweet cars but the mach is so much more unique. do go with what you want not what others want! good luck!!
Thanks. Well believe it or not I didn't want instruction, only opinions. I've been debating the swap for a while. Most of my mods could be pulled & slapped right on the Cobra. But I still need to talk to the previous owner to see what all he's done to it & even then, the test drive will have to impress me. If I drive the Snake & I feel like my car's got more, then I will no longer give the swap any consideration. My car is rated @ 385HP & 410lb/ft @ the flywheel, which is comparable to a stock Cobra but I'm gonna really have to start dumping pretty good money into my car to get it faster, whereas the Cobra is already there & for not too much money it could be quite a bit faster.

[GrimlokTT]

I couldn't give my car up now after the mods I've put into it and I'm not even half as deep into it as you...

Oh...sorry...was this a statement and not an opinion?! :SMASH:

[downsouthman1]

I couldn't give my car up now after the mods I've put into it and I'm not even half as deep into it as you...

Oh...sorry...was this a statement and not an opinion?! :SMASH:
That makes sense; I'm actually slowly leaning away from wanting the Snake. My Mach has been good to me; no problems whatsoever in over 2 years of ownership & I bought her brand new w/ only about 35 test miles. This Cobra has 24XXX miles on it & is about to be 3 years old when the 07s come out. It's kind of not a good deal since I would be the 2nd owner. & check this, my Sales Manager told me that the guy who traded it only traded it cuz he wanted the new body style. He got an 05/06 GT. I just would not've been able to have justified that if I was him. He should've at least gotten a Roush/Saleen/Steeda. I just feel inside like there was another reason.

[MachPny]

The only question I think you should ask youself is if you want power or if you want style. Style is subjective and I think Cobra's are sweet but I pesonally think the Mach has the "it" factor. I think the Mach's look with the Cobra's powerplant would be the "have to have it" stang for any enthusiast. It's too bad Ford didn't do this from the factory. The fact that you have the rarest Mach, I believe makes it even a tougher decision.

If you can even trade, and power is what you seek then I say go for it. That is a great deal. The Cobra is a great car and I would love to have one. I have gone back and forth for quite some time about the trade myself. The biggest thing that held me back was the fact that I rarely go to the track. I would love to have a Cobra with a KB swap putting down 600rwph for less than the mods I have done to the Mach. The only thing is, I don't think I would put it to use. I also think I would miss the look and feel of the Mach.

Back when I bought mine new in April 2004, if I could have gotten the rebate on the Cobra, I would have bought it. Now when I see the snakes on the road I don't get as excited as I did before I bought the Mach.

All that said, the quest for power is what we all seek. If I was faced with your deal, I can't say what I would do. The Cobra is the king of the street and I don't think you could go wrong with either decision.

I probably wasn't much help. I just wanted to give my view from a humble Mach owner.

[MachRan]

I had a chance to buy an 04 with less then 10k miles for $25k. I thought I wanted it but I just couldn`t pull the trigger. Someday I`ll supercharge my car and I`ll be happier than I would ever be with a Cobra.

[CA Lightfoot]

With my mods, if you were me, would you do it?
I wouldn't. Enjoy your Mach. Anyway, beige stripes on a Cobra? Sounds wrong.

[DTMach1]

where are you making this HP/TQ from? Judging from your mods they seem a bit off

[downsouthman1]

where are you making this HP/TQ from? Judging from your mods they seem a bit off
Look at the dyno #s in my sig & account for 15% drivetrain loss.

[IMachU]

Was it a Mustang dyno or SAE numbers? That may be the difference.....

[Linumup]

where are you making this HP/TQ from? Judging from your mods they seem a bit off


A bit ! Way off the way i see it ! But i guess he had a good day at the dyno !

[bamasuperfan]

keep the mach i also thought of trading but cant make myself ,cobras are a dime a dozen and i always have guys with cobras around here say they think the mach looks better you want to trade looks for speed not me by the way pulled a 03 cobra 2 car lengths in 2nd this weekend so to me mach all the way :gears: :ORANGE:

[YellowMenace]

Look at the dyno #s in my sig & account for 15% drivetrain loss.

I think the question here is....what were the real numbers to the wheels?

[downsouthman1]

A bit ! Way off the way i see it ! But i guess he had a good day at the dyno !
It was a Dynojet, not a Mustang dyno but the reason I know that it's accurate is cuz Machs have dynoed on that dyno @ 275-285HP quite frequently, stock. Those are very realistic #s. Wouldn't you agree?

[downsouthman1]

I think the question here is....what were the real numbers to the wheels?
I'm @ work right now but I have the sheets at home. I do not have a scanner though. But I'll post them on Monday at my dad's house for those that don't believe. But honestly, I wouldn't conclude that merely seeing the sheets would cause unbelievers to believe, based on the quoted remark.

[Linumup]

keep the mach i also thought of trading but cant make myself ,cobras are a dime a dozen and i always have guys with cobras around here say they think the mach looks better you want to trade looks for speed not me


I still have not figured this out yet . Why is it that you have to trade it at all to achieve speed ? Its the same dang motor except for the bottom so freakn what . Its no big deal . Break out your wallet and the sky is the limit . By the time you pay taxes and tags and down payment your almost there anyways . Plus who knows what you are buying ? Lets not mention the IRS swap that will be needed . Im not saying anymore . Thats my opinion .

[YellowMenace]

I'm @ work right now but I have the sheets at home. I do not have a scanner though. But I'll post them on Monday at my dad's house for those that don't believe. But honestly, I wouldn't conclude that merely seeing the sheets would cause unbelievers to believe, based on the quoted remark.

I just don't like to see dyno numbers that have been "adjusted" for drive line loss any more than I like to see ETs that have been "adjusted" for altitude as someone on here was posting a while back. I personally prefer the raw information. Just an opinion.

[SlidinSIDEways]

Thanks. Well believe it or not I didn't want instruction, only opinions. I've been debating the swap for a while. Most of my mods could be pulled & slapped right on the Cobra. But I still need to talk to the previous owner to see what all he's done to it & even then, the test drive will have to impress me. If I drive the Snake & I feel like my car's got more, then I will no longer give the swap any consideration. My car is rated @ 385HP & 410lb/ft @ the flywheel, which is comparable to a stock Cobra but I'm gonna really have to start dumping pretty good money into my car to get it faster, whereas the Cobra is already there & for not too much money it could be quite a bit faster.
that was an opinion :??:

[YellowMenace]

He got an 05/06 GT. I just would not've been able to have justified that if I was him. He should've at least gotten a Roush/Saleen/Steeda. I just feel inside like there was another reason.

I can see you wanting the extra power but I can't see him downgrading to a new GT. I mean, they have pretty good power compared to an older GT but not an 03/04 cobra.

[downsouthman1]

I just don't like to see dyno numbers that have been "adjusted" for drive line loss any more than I like to see ETs that have been "adjusted" for altitude as someone on here was posting a while back. I personally prefer the raw information. Just an opinion.
Understood. Well actually I apologize. I have the sheets on my hard drive on the computer at home; I'll upload them to my Cardomain website later. Not that it matters.

[downsouthman1]

I can see you wanting the extra power but I can't see him downgrading to a new GT. I mean, they have pretty good power compared to an older GT but not an 03/04 cobra.
My point exactly. That's the reason that I believe that something must be wrong w/ the car.

[Tungsten]

I'd hold onto the Mach and add a blower or turbo kit to it later if you feel the need for more power. The 2003-04 Cobras are nice but the few that I've driven just felt "heavy" to me for some reason. I think a forced induction Mach would be much more fun to own.

[CobraBob]

Having had an '03 Cobra you know I'm partial to the Snake. LOL! IMO the two cars are the best Stangs Ford has produced since the 60s, and that includes the new GT (which I don't like at all). Styling wise the nod goes to the Mach 1, mainly because of that awesome shaker hood. Interior wise I call it a close tie, depending on your taste. Power wise, the nod goes to the Cobra for obvious reasons. Nice power stock and its very easy and inexpensive to make 500rwhp. Machs are lighter and are definitely pure muscle. And the straight axle can be a plus at the strip. I'll tell you the truth, even though I am a bit biased towards the Cobra, whenever I see a Mach with the basic suspension, exhaust and motor mods, I alway drool. I would certainly be very happy with either car. It really boils down to personal preference. You guys are Mach 1 fans as well you should be. And..............be proud! I think it is great that Ford gave Mustang fans two cars that go beyond the Mustang GT. And they're both winners IMO!

[YellowMenace]

I would certainly be very happy with either car. It really boils down to personal preference. You guys are Mach 1 fans as well you should be. And..............be proud! I think it is great that Ford gave Mustang fans two cars that go beyond the Mustang GT. And they're both winners IMO!

Dang Bob...you runnin' for office or somethin'?

:31:

[mtm87tx]

styling is in the eye of the beholder, i think the cobra looks WAY more unique then the mach's. i never mistake a cobra for a GT/6, but thats me. cobra has a full ground effects package and a good looking hood and our cars just have a sweet hood.

if i wasnt trying to get into something more practical i would buy a cobra in a heartbeat. and Linemup we cant all have the beast you have lol so having a factory blower and a built block with a good tranny is a good deal and reacts very very easy to bolt on's. sure i would take YOUR car over a 03 but i cant see me spending 10k in a block, blower and all the other stuff you need to *i know you have WAY more into yours* just saying thats about what parts alone cost if not more

your call bud, both are great cars but it seems you have a strong likeing to the mach

[04redfirecobra]

Here's my opinion. I have one of each. If you have the chance to UPGRADE to the Cobra do it. People complain about that the Cobra's feel heavy, yet the Cobra also feel more substantial than a Mach. The Cobra definitely handles better and this maybe due to the wider rims/tires and the lower suspension and IRS. Cobra's have a better front bumper cover, rear spoiler, and rear bumper cover or there wouldn't be so many Mach owners wanting these pieces. The Mach has a better hood with the power bulge leading to the shaker. The Cobra has a much better powerplant(forged) and of course makes ridiculous power. Through stock Hpipe(all 4 cats) and quiet as a Focus until the blower screams, my car routinely runs high 11's low 12's driven to and from the track. http://www.funfordevents.com/index.php?submenu=Results&src=gendocs&link=Results_Houston_TrueStreet
I'm Richard Friedrichs 12th fastest car in Houston's TS.
And I don't get why everyone always complains about the IRS suspension. I guess if you're building a 9 second car it's not ideal but for the times I'm running I have 0 complaints. No hop, just hook. I can punch my Cobra from a 10mph roll and it'll spin a little in 1st then it's gone. My mid 13 second Mach from the same roll gets stupid in 1st, sideways in second and through the traps in 105, 13 mph slower than the Cobra.

I think alot of you guys have blinders on. The Cobra is handsdown the better car. Just like when the 07 Shelby comes out it'll be better than the 03/04's but I'll hold on to both of my New Edgers. :yes:

[Mark04Mach1]

i dont know what to say, terminators are badass but machs are unique, even though the have almost 100hp more than ours. Cobras are very nice cars but the other thing is that it will cost you more and same for the insurance. I'll keep the mach and when paid off, get a snake. Tha's just me.

[downsouthman1]

i dont know what to say, terminators are badass but machs are unique, even though the have almost 100hp more than ours. Cobras are very nice cars but the other thing is that it will cost you more and same for the insurance. I'll keep the mach and when paid off, get a snake. Tha's just me.
Unless you're paying yours off soon. I'm not gonna have mine paid till 2010/2011 & I won't want an 03/04 Snake then. SVT is done so there won't be any more Snakes to buy. They will be collectibles in 2010/2011 so their value will be higher than it is now. I think they'll bottom out at like $20,000-$22,500 & start going up from there.

[crtbones]

the car game . trade if get good deal nothing more to say,like any car.there out there buy the truck loads

[huntr424]

www.mach1registry.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49414

[40mach1]

Just keep the mach and buy the snake too :THUMBSUP:

[ponygt65]

We had a snake and a mach....look at my sig for which one stayed. It all comes down to personal opinion and if you like heritage. It seems to me you are looking at the 'status' factor of owning a cobra, because you already have nice power in your mach. But two things:

#1) A 15% drivetrain loss would equal: 397/422 Crank HP (RWHP/.85=X)
#2) you are not all that close to a stock cobra's power. ALthough you would give one a run for it's money with the power you are putting down. But as for actual dyno numbers, Cobra's put down 355-370 stock. They were under-rated as well.

Just my two cents.

[40mach1]

I learned my lesson a long time ago - I will never "trade in" another car ever never never - ecspecially the mach :yeh:

[SickBlackMach]

I learned my lesson a long time ago - I will never "trade in" another car ever never never - ecspecially the mach :yeh:
Ooops! I did just that! :p

I love the cobra, if I could have.. I would have owned both, but I honestly think that I was a cobra owner trapped in a mach body. Not that its a bad thing, far from it.

I loved the mach. Ill get another one some day. I just added up the cost of a blower, and a short block... it was right there at the difference between what I owed on the mach.

Bottom line, in my cobra, I have never been asked if it is a v-6. :p

[downsouthman1]

www.mach1registry.org/forums/showthread.php?t=49414
Thanks for posting this. I'm leaning more & more towards keeping the Mach. I forgot to load those dern Dyno sheets though; I'll do it tonight if I can remember. Within the upcoming month I will Dyno my wife's GT so we can assure everyone that the Dyno is not off, at least not by that much.