Need advice on a superformance purchase
 

Superformance mk iii
vin sp01583
5.080 mls
engine:
Roush 402 r
afr heads
edelbrock performer intake manifold
sv0 block
crane hi 6r fireball ignition module
crane fireball ignition coil
ford racing 8 mm ignition cable
holley 770 cpm vacuum secondary carb
msd pro billet distributor
drivetrain:
Tremek 3550 5 speed transmission
mcleod 10.5 inch clutch
steel mcleod flywheel
ford 8.8 inch limited slip differential
3.73 drive ratio
suspension / brakes:
Bilstein shocks
h/r springs
wilwood 4 piston calipers
braided stainless steel brake hoses
15” polished pin drive wheels
new firestone firehawk tires all around
front 255-60-15 rear 295-50-15
options:
Silver ceramic coated headers / sidepipes
15” wood moto-lite steering wheel
chrome fan motor covers
cobra logo floor mats
crow enterprises lap belts / shoulder harnesses
stainless steel roll bar
chrome quick jacks
stainless steel protective radiator screen
bonus:
Sb-100 special construction title – 100 % legal in all 50 states
smog free

This vehicle was hit right side front and repaired perfectly. The owner wants $45,000.00, i have him down to $41,000.00. Is this a good buy for a first time buyer?

Thanks DEL

It is not legal in ALL 50 states.

Hit how hard? Who repaired it? Is it currently registered in California with a valid SB100 number and state issued VIN? These are all questions I as a potential buyer would be asking. If the seller offers a vague response to any of those questions, I would walk away from the deal. if he answered each one with clear and concise responses, post them here.



Bill S.

you can get a brand new roller for under $40!....add a drivetrain and you will not be that far from his asking price with full warrantees, the color of your choice, no accident history, and all the latest updates from superformance!...Thats the way I would go...Look at Mr. Mustangs ERA thats a great deal on a car!

While that is true, it is a long way from the price he has him down to. With 5000 miles on it, any bugs have probably when worked out. A Roush 402 is near $11-12,000 and a Tremec about $2500 and depending on the area another $2500 for install. 1583 should have most of the upgrades,with the exception of Mod motor clearance and the new rear end.

Assuming the repair is good this is a great deal.

To the best of my knowledge the SB-100 means nothing to any state outside of California. But if you are in California it means a great deal.

Jack

DEL, don't get caught up in the heat of the moment. The first question I would have is did he let you drive it? If that hit to the front end was more than just a love-tap it will give itself away with a decent test drive. No offense, but you don't sound too experienced on this "Cobra stuff" thing. I think you should send out an SOS to your local Cobra Club, make friends with a couple guys there, and then seek their assistance in assessing this car -- assuming the car is near you and they can actually lay hands on it. You could probably do that over the Holidays since they're probably on vacation and itchy to get out of the house.:rolleyes:

If the repair was done right and the rest of the car is in good condition that is a good price IMO. Like was stated above, the Roush motor plus transmission plus other parts needed for install and labor and you will be into a new car for much more than that.

5,080 miles, and brand new tires! Should that be a concern?

Bob

I have about 7K on mine but I am ready for new ones because they are 5 years old. They are much harder than when they were new, and you can tell the traction is not what they were when new. Could be several reasons for new tires, or maybe the seller feels 5000 miles is new?

I see from your profile that you live in L.A., so the SB100 definitely adds value for your situation. $41K is a really good price for a used SPF, but I'd really go over that damage with the owner and request to see pics of it before the repair (he would have these for insurance purposes). The Roush engine is a plus, but the components on the rest of the car (as listed) are nothing special vis-a-vis other Cobras/SPFs. It's possible that one of the previous tires/rims was damaged from the accident, hence the new matching rubber on all four corners. Maybe he was running BFG stones and those helped contribute to the accident?!?

You get what you pay for in any of these cars, so if you have more room in your budget then buy the most Cobra that you can afford. You can find several clean SPFs in the mid-40's all day long, fully sorted out and ready to go. Yes, it seems like a good deal at $41K. But in today's economy you can find "the one" if you have some patience (and even with SB-100 already done).

What city is the car located in? If close to OC, maybe I can check it out for you?

-Dean

DEL, take Dean up on his offer. He knows what he's doing, and he could save you from a mountain of heartache.;)

Ask for photos of the damaged car before it was repaired and post them here if possible. Get as many angles and shots as you can. Also, as mentioned above, take advantage of any help offered from other CC members and local clubs. Since you're in OC, you might also consider taking it to Glenn's Alignment in Costa Mesa. He knows alot about Cobra setups and might be able to tell you what's up with the chassis. Last, ask if there is any kind of cloud on the title due to the accident and WHO DID THE REPAIRS? Receipts etc and talk to the shop. If he's straight up, shouldn't be a problem providing all this info.
Good luck.:cool:

Del ... I also posted to your other thread, and echo what is suggested above ... One question is however, is this the 'right' Cobra for you?

Take a look through the for sale gallery here (http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds/showcat.php/cat/2) at Club Cobra, then take a look at Cobra County (http://www.cobracountry.com/home2.html) ... see anything that you like better? If you do see something you like better, then there is your answer.

However, if this car still seems like 'the right one', then let us know where you are located, and I'll bet there will be a coupe of guys that are close by that would be glad to help you take a look, especially someone with experience in Superformence cars.

Best of luck.

- Tim

With so many great cars for sale, $41K still wouldn't be a compelling enough reason for me to buy a Cobra that had been in a wreck.

It's possible that they did a excellent job on the repairs. On the other hand, the car may never be perfect and you might end up with problems down the road.

Personally, I would prefer a "no stories" car and would stay away. There are many SPF's on the market with no stories. However, Dean is an excellent resource and would take him up on his offer, if you really desire this car.

I found a SPF with Roush 427 last week in Houston with 3K miles, chassis 18??, silver with black stripes. He asking $49,900 on craiglist. I told him to list on cobra country for $55K. He ignored my advice and listed on Cobra Country for $49,900 and sold it in 12 hours. He easily gave away $4K. His reply on Cobra Country indicates he other intereted parties, for the right price these cars sell QUICK!!!!

You have to remeber the dealers are not comming down on their prices, Roush is not dropping their prices, the price of installation is not dropping. They simply quite building new ones. There is no longer a glutant of new inventory and I doubt there will be one anytime soon. I imagined many learned a valuable lesson from this recession. I think the one you are looking at is a very very strong buy which you will probably never loose money on, assuming the body and paint look very good, not necessarily perfect. When the market turns you can flip this car of $46K easy.

Wow, thanks to all you guys for your input. I'll do my home work before I spend this kind of cash.

Thank you.

Interesting. I think this is why folks sometimes try to conceal stories when the truth would/should have no impact on the sale. In this car's case, if the car is properly repaired (assuming it is just a little fiberglass/paint work) it should have no impact on the cars value.

A case in point... Three years ago when I was looking to buy my car I came across a beautiful car. Negotiated with the owner for about a month. I did a search here on Club Cobra for any information about the car. I found a thread where the owner told about some damage to the car's door and how amazingly well it had been repaired and painted. (I just searched again and this thread is gone). I asked him if the car had any history of body repair. He said no. Just to be sure I asked again. Again he said no. At that point the body work didn't bother me. But I was quite concerned about what else he wasn't telling me in order to keep the car a "no stories" car. In addition the car is titled using an old 1965 Ford VIN number. Not good. I did not buy the car.

Here is the kicker... The car is for sale again on Cobra Country. None of this is disclosed. In fact the ad goes out of it's way to say the car is legally titled as a 1965 car.

Before you buy a car check it out real well. Sometimes an owner who tells you a "story" up front is a much better person and car to be associated with.