What's the best way to sell a Cobra now?

[Danr55]

JHV, I'm looking very hard, but I'm looking for a special car.. not just a cobra but a COBRA.. if you know what I mean. Not meaning to belittle any of the cars out there, there are some beautiful cars for sale, but the one I'm looking for just hasn't popped up yet.. I don't think.. There is a light in the tunnel, but I'm not sure if it's the other end or just a train coming.

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Danr55

JHV, I'm looking very hard, but I'm looking for a special car.. not just a cobra but a COBRA.. if you know what I mean. Not meaning to belittle any of the cars out there, there are some beautiful cars for sale, but the one I'm looking for just hasn't popped up yet.. I don't think.. There is a light in the tunnel, but I'm not sure if it's the other end or just a train coming.

I agree with Danr55, in some ways it's hard to find just the 'right' Cobra. Like a lot of us, I always have wanted a Cobra since I was a kid, and now am just about in a financial position where I can make it happen.

So ... from a Buyer's perspective, do you go for a car that's close to what you want and just buy it ... or do you pay a premium to order a roller, add a motor & trans and get it closer to the way you really want it.

Either way you wind up with an awesome car, the question is how close do you get to 'your' vision of the 'right' Cobra and how much is that worth.

My guess is that when the Buyer finds the car that's closest to his 'dream car', you've got a quick sale. I have been looking here and at Cobra Country for months and seen lots of great cars ... but so far, not THE car for me.

One other consideration for a Buyer in California, is SB-100. Unless the car already has SB-100, it may be a cleaner deal to buy a roller from vendor A, motor/trans from vendor B and put it together yourself. Once you then successfully go through the SB-100 paper mill, you should be set.

Tim B.

[meat]

Originally Posted by tkb289

So ... from a Buyer's perspective, do you go for a car that's close to what you want and just buy it ... or do you pay a premium to order a roller, add a motor & trans and get it closer to the way you really want it.

The ONLY person who will ever lose money on a Cobra is the builder.

And even that's relative.

The issue isn't necessarily whether it's the 'right' Cobra, but whether the buyer is looking at it correctly. These cars are - unlike a current production car that has to meet certain regulations - highly modifiable. It'll be that way when you get it, it'll be that way when you sell it.

Generally the most expensive things to do to a Cobra are to switch out drivetrains or change paint. Want to change the dash? It's around $100 for a blank. Want to change wheels? Lots of places do that. What you've got to look for is right bodystyle, right suspension for the type of driving you're going to do with the car. Everything else can be changed. And - if you're smart about it and don't get bit by the 'Chrome-it" bug, you'll have a car that won't ruin your marriage, cost you lots of money in clothes, jewelry, remodeled kitchens or women's shoes.

When buying a built Cobra ... remember that you can always upgrade later. Cobras cost a certain amount to build. When looking at resale, it's way easier to sell a Cobra that only cost you $10K in labor than one that cost you $50K in labor. And I mean easier on your wallet; if the car can be built for $10K, that's what the labor is worth. Period.

Originally Posted by tkb289

One other consideration for a Buyer in California, is SB-100. Unless the car already has SB-100, it may be a cleaner deal to buy a roller from vendor A, motor/trans from vendor B and put it together yourself. Once you then successfully go through the SB-100 paper mill, you should be set.

Meh. Not necessarily. Unless the car has been run through Titles Unlimited or is coming from a state like Florida or Alabama, it's not all that difficult to get a car registered in California; you show up with your paperwork, you get your SB100 number, you get your car on the road. Badda bing, badda boom.

Having an SB100 number is a good selling point - if you're selling to a California buyer - but not having one probably isn't going to make the Cobra any more difficult to register, it's just time consuming.

Your pal,
Meat.