Selling a cobra?

[anchor2]

A bit off the normal subject but why do people sell their Cobras? I have been had my car going since April and will never part with it. No car has ever been even close in the fun dept.

I see some Viper up for sale with 10K and less miles but I just assumed many of these guys saw one on the street and decide to buy one and scared the hell out of themselves and sold it. I can understand that there may be some unfortunate financial reason some people may need their Cobra. Cobras are purchased by people who are real car buffs. I’m just surprised we see so many for sale.

[Karl Muller]

I just bought one in August... SPF 460/514
I WILL ALWAYS OWN ONE!
I don't think some people know what they are getting into...simple as that.

[CowtownCobra]

Some people just enjoy building them.

Some people just enjoy selling them.

[Excaliber]

When my second Cobra arrives it will be for sale immediatly. My Excalibur was the same way. Heck, pretty much everything I got is for sale. At the right price!

I've all ready got in mind the "specs" I want for number 3 Cobra.

Ernie

[Kputz]

And some get tired of them too. I've one for sale, if you're a serious buyer. I put less than 50 miles on the thing the entire summer.
When I got into this game everyone built their own, and the fraternity was amongst the wrench turning crowd, more like hot rods than a Lexus. Now, I'd be willing to bet the rollers are more popular than the kits, and getting more so every day. Nothing wrong with that, but it simply attracts a different crowd. I decided that if I had to work on a car, I'd rather drive the thing in real competition, and there is only so much garage space and time.
The more that are sold, the less popular they'll become too. This is largely an ego driven game, witness the SA "real/not real" endless silly debate. When there's one on every block, the number of people willing to put this much discretionary income into owning one will decline sharply. And when you pull into the waxer show and people yawn, you'll lose a lot of your entheusiasum too.
It happens. It's not some vast conspicarcy, it's just called moving on for some.

[klayfish]

Oh, Mr.Mustang, where are you?? This is right up your alley...

Steve

[mrmustang]

No comment.


Bill S.

Originally posted by klayfish


Oh, Mr.Mustang, where are you?? This is right up your alley...

Steve

[sharpe 1]

My cobra sits in it's basket most of the time. I can't think of selling it. It's part of the family.
sharpe 1

[Wayne Maybury]

Kputz My feelings exactly.

(((witness the SA "real/not real" endless silly debate. )))



By the way, my car is not for sale even though the winter isn't far away.

Wayne

[casaleenie]

Hey Ernie,,, You sell your car and buy it back for more money than you sold it....Is volumn your secret???

[casaleenie]

People get married, they get divorced, they have kids, they buy a house, they buy a SUV to carry all the kids...Physical problems..They're tired of driving in the sun, rain, snow, sleet. Lots of reasons people part with their cars...


Kputz has a good answer. Sad but true...

__________

"What once was rare is now commomplace"

[Excaliber]

Au contraire my friend! I bought it back for MORE money and sold it for even MORE money than that the second time! When the smoke had cleared, yeah, I did all right!

Ernie

,,,,,and I would not be surprised if at some point I buy it back, AGAIN!

[Jack21]

I would agree with Casaleene inasmuchas people get married, have babies, get divorced, etc. A car is a car, as far as it has value and peoples' financial conditions change. And if that's why the car is for sale, then you're probably getting a good deal.

Having gone through this exercise of building a car, I would have a zillion more questions to ask of a used Cobra seller then the average buyer, and a second owner who has no idea how the car went together would absolutely terrify me.

Although the manufacturers of these cars would like you to believe that anyone with "average" mechanical skills can put one of these things together in a few weekends is, unfortunately, pure bullsh!t!!! It's more like, "You don't have to have an engineering degree to build one of these things, but it sure helps if you do". Not as easy as it looks.

The rollers from SPF have all this engineering and assembly done for you, and all you have to do is drop in the motor and trans, then endure the DMV procedure for getting it registered, inspected, and titled. (The brightest bulbs on the chandelier do not work for State DMV.) But you have a cookie cutter clone. No room for customization. However, most kit manufacturers, or professional builders can offer you the same thing as a roller and you can change or add any bell or whistle you want.

There are a lot of garage built kits that are built correctly and then babied by guys that have been doing this for 20 - 30 years. They can tell you about their first experience driving an original Cobra, GT350, or Sunbeam Tiger. Or small block Chevy or Ford powered Healy or Triumph. The builder will spend hours describing each piece of the car, and the decisionmaking process for selecting each component. And a lifetime of tech support. To you, you're buying a car. To the builder, he's marrying off his daughter. If you find one of these, the price will not be cheap, but you'll have a car you can leave to your kids. And don't hassle the guy on price. He might decide not to sell it.

But as a member of this forum, you now know what questions to ask, and indicators of a slap together car. The builder had no idea of what he was doing and it's pretty obvious. Don't walk; RUN, and keep shopping.

[decooney]

Some people have a short attention span, temporary financial issues, want to try another type car, or just love building them. There are some who see the search as the fun part and that's it....they get it and they sell it shortly thereafter.

Have two friends that bought 'em, sold them, bought other hot rods or sports cars for a while,... and they're back with Cobras again. Now they're contemplating selling them yet again try other cars or other Cobras - all in one years time. ... Then you get some people that are actually addicted to buying and selling, whether they make a profit or loss...like once the search is over, its over. Almost like gambling in a way. Possibly other issues going on there...

However, if one just likes Cobras and thats it... I tend to believe if you can build the Cobra you really like and want, you'll have a better chance of keeping it longer; especially if you build it yourself. Maybe if one buys slightly under what one can afford, its possible that person could keep searching or hopping around to different Cobras or other cars for who knows how long... If one overbuys....may start feeling guilty for having too much money in their car and go back to a simpler less-expensive Cobra replica because they are worried about it. Its fun to watch car people do their thing... checking in every once in a while to see what's next?

Seems like the human mind can drive car people crazy sometimes! I know I'm always looking at other Cobras because its fun to see whats out there, and what people are building or buying and trying.

[G.R.]

Sold mine on 11/1--I regret I did sell--I live in "sunny, west, WA state" hadn't really planned on selling but the offer was to good to pass on -- but I always had another Cobra I'd really like, a coupe, so I sold. Another roadster, possibly if the coupe doesn't work out but it would probably be a 289 FIA replica.


Even went so far as looking at "the dark side"-- mid '60's Corvette roadsters---AAAAAAGGGGHHHH

[foothills gary]

Gary,as long as it was a'67 427 'vette roadster with sidepipes and the teardrop hood,I can see how you could be easily tempted.It's about as close as GM got to a Cobra, that could be bought in a showroom.

[G.R.]

That's the one