Buying a Superformance - need your advice

[kayakjack]

I am in the process of buying a used Superformance Cobra. It is about 700 miles from me. I obviously want to know if the car is sound before I buy it. The owner says it is perfect. I believe him. I don't know him, but I think he is an up front guy (he's probably reading this!!). A mechanic friend of mine has offered to fly with me to see and evaluate the car, but he is not available for a few weeks. I'd like to get it done before then if it makes sense. It has a 351W/ 385 hp SVO crate motor so nothing too exotic.

I change the oil on my own cars and do a few other maintenance items, but I don't consider myself a "mechanic".

If I see the car and it looks and drives right, would I be a fool to buy it on the spot and drive it home? Is this too big a risk? Should I wait weeks for my friend to fly with me?

I guess the down side risk is I pay a bunch of $ for a car that has problems that I should know about but don't, try to drive it home and get stuck in BFE.

Is this the right forum to ask this?

Thanks,

Jack

[Goober]

Whats the number of the car. Maybe I can get you some additional info

Mark

[mrmustang]

Editors Note:
Ok, the first thing you have to ask yourself is "how much money am I willing to spend for a used Cobra", and what my usage is going to be. Now, by usage, I mean a either a daily driver, weekend cruiser, show car/trailer queen, 1/4 mile drag racer, road racer, or any combination of the above. Once you have set your budget and have a pretty good idea of what you want to initially spend, your next goal is to find the right car for you. Whether your spending $22,000, or $150,000 should not matter at this point, as I've personally seen beautiful, well built cars at $22,000, and some truly horrible cars with over $100,000 in to the build.


Your qualifications:
Know your strengths and weaknesses when shopping for a used Cobra, if you know bodywork, and not the mechanicals, take along someone who has a greater mechanical ability than yourself. Vice versa if your strengths are in the mechanical end of things, and not the cosmetics. Two sets (or more) of eyes are always better than one.

If your going to see a cobra in person:

What to look for:
Fit: How does the body sit on the chassis, do the doors, hood, trunk all line up?

Finish: How is the paint, are there runs, drips, sags. Does the paint have a nice shine to it, or does it need to be buffed out or stripped and repainted?

Interior condition: Does the interior show a lot of aging, do the seats need to be recovered.

Mechanical: Are there any leaks or drips under the car? What about the overall appearance, does the car look like it was well taken care of, or does it look like it was ridden hard and abused.

Engine: Again, any leaks or fluid drips, how does it sound (this can be tough on a car such as the Cobra). Check the engine warm, cold, at partial throttle and at idle. Make sure to check the temperature gauge once the car is warmed up and at idle. Also check to make sure the thermostatically controlled fan (if so equipped) kicks in when it is supposed to.

Transmission: Take the car out for a road test if possible (don't expect to let the seller to allow you to drive it), does the clutch work properly, does the transmission shift smoothly through the gears. Check for leaks here as well.

Rear End: Does the rear end clunk, leak fluids (check behind rear rims for signs of fluid, along with the front and rear of the differential housing)

Suspension: Check the bushings, do they look cracked and worn out, if so, factor in replacements to your costs. What about the shocks (coil overs or ???), if you ask the seller to push down on each corner, watch the rebound, if they bounce forever, then expect to replace them. If the car is equipped with coil over shocks, set the car on an even surface and see if the car sits level or not. if so, then the shocks do not have to be adjusted, if not, then expect a few hours getting things right.

Brakes: If you place your hand on the front disks (do this before the car has been driven), can you feel any grooves in the disk itself? Does the brake pedal feel firm when your sitting in the car, what about on the test drive, ask the seller to do at least one hard braking maneuver so that you can tell whether the brakes are adjusted correctly for the car. Some cars will have a combination of disks and drums, others will have four wheel disk brakes. If set up correctly, a disk/drum set up will work for all but the most extreme usage (IE: heavy road racing, endurance racing, etc).

Wheels: Are the wheels balanced, bolted on, or held on with knock off's? Bolt on wheels are a matter of personal preference, if you like what is on the car, great, if not, factor in a replacement some time down the road. Knock off's should be checked to make sure they are tight, if the knock offs and safety wired on the car, that shows a level of attention worthy of a good owner/seller....

Tires: Are the sidewalls cracked, are the DOT approved, radials or biased ply? What about the sizing, do the fronts both match? What about the rears?

Electrical system: Do all of the lights function, hi beams, lo beams, turn signals, brake lights, horn, etc? What about all of the gauges, do they read correctly?

If your buying a Cobra sight unseen:

Use the above as a reference guide as to what questions need to be asked. If the owner is forthcoming with detailed answers, then you can feel a little more comfortable in dealing with them. if the answers are a little more ambiguous and vague, then perhaps the owners is trying to hide something, or does not really have any mechanical ability or qualifications to answer the questions above..If this is the case, and your still interested in the car, pay to have the car professionally looked at by a qualified inspection service.

In closing, most of the above is all based on common sense. Don't let your emotions get involved in the decision whether to purchase one car or another. Also don't let other so called "experts" sway you to this brand or that, after all, it's your money, not theirs that your planning to spend..Finally, if you need assistance, or don't understand something fully, feel free to ask questions.

Bill S.

[wtm442]

Its really kind of hard to take a brand new SPF and drive it only 700 miles and do major damage. Just check to see if its been repainted due to a crash. If not, and the price is right ... buy it.

[kayakjack]

1202

Jack

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by kayakjack

Is this the right forum to ask this?

I'll move this to the Superformance Forum... for more visibilty with the SPF guys.

ron
ClubCobra Moderator

[kayakjack]

Warren,

Its not a new one. Its used with some miles. I think it has been extremely well taken care of.

MrMustang, I think I can do all of the things you suggest by myself. I guess I am wondering if there are things hidden from this kind of observation that I would miss resulting in BFE.

I know there are no guarantees - I just want to do what a reasonable person would do.

Like I said in my previous post, I believe the owner is an upfront guy. I like him. I am not wary of him at all.

I other hobby is whitewater kayaking. I have bought used boats and sold my old ones. With a kayak, there can be no hidden issues. Its all right in front of you. I guess this is a little different. More $ too.

Jack

[aldersonjames20]

I bought one the same way ,except it was a 4 hour drive rather than a flight, and drove it home. I called both the Superformance dealers within the general area, the Olthoffs and the one in Atlanta to ask about the car. They both gave both the car and the owner a big thumbs up and said the price for the car was well worth it even if I had to put a little money it it later. I followed the above well used guide for checking the car myself and handed over the money.

Even if the car has been taken care of, a 700 mile drive on a component built car is somewhat of a crapshoot in my mind. Chances are nothing could go wrong, but there is always a chance.

Phone the dealer that the car came from and see if they know the owner and the car. You might get some good info from them. Also, the response to the query into SCOF may indeed come back with good info if he was part of the group or somebody on there knows him.

Its an intensely emotional thing buying a Cobra. Dont let your emotions get ahold of you and allow you to overlook something that common sense says to walk away from. You will find things about the car after some time that you never noticed (good or bad) when you were filled with adreneline during the buying process. You can always have a well thought of shop (especially a Superformance dealer) look it over for you just for peace of mind.

Good luck with the purchase. Hope to see the "I got it home and love it" posting from you soon.

James

[Velox]

Originally Posted by kayakjack

Its not a new one. Its used with some miles. I think it has been extremely well taken care of.

Hi Jack, I just bought my used SPF last month, and I had questions as you do. I was already familiar with SPF specifics and had gone through the tremendous data available online. When I found the car I wanted, I emailed and then talked with the owner a number of times. I became quite comfortable with the owner's honesty and integrity - he even called me back one night because he forgot to tell me about a problem the car had that he had failed to mention - a small oil drip that he could not identify the source. The car had 1400 miles on it and with current pictures and email data on the build sheet etc I decided I would buy it, sight unseen. I think the owner was actually sad when I asked to close the deal, he was thinking maybe his price would not be met apparently My thoughts are these are very special cars, they almost always are bought by people very into their cars, and who take very good care of their cars. The cars are pampered by their owners, and like was said earlier in this thread, it is pretty hard to damage one with only a few miles on the odometer. I would verify that there is zero damage history, no repaint history etc, and that there are no known issues with the driveline. It's a risk for sure, but this is a very small market with a very select group of owners/buyers, and the SPF build quality is very well known. So what I did was bought the car, having never driven it or seen it in person, and from an owner I have never met. It was worth it, and the car exceeded all my expectations. I would think yours would too. Buy it

[Goober]

Go for it. The fit and finish of these production line cars are excellent. 385 HP is enought to scare the crap out of you for now. Later, the skys the limit on HP. Superformance prices are all over the place right now. Check ebay and see what I mean. If the price is right, go for it.

just my 2 pesos

[Woodz428]

I have regularly bought cars and driven them the distance home right after purchase. I think that the first lookover and test drive will let you know whether you will feel comfortable with the return drive. Just don't try and break any records and be arrenrive ro anything that may change from when you take off. I say change because it will most likely make noises that are not what you are accustomed to in your daily driver, but it isn't neccesarily a problem. It may take a little time to adjust to some of the sounds, but as I said only be concerned if it changes on the trip. You might also post here when you plan to make the excursion and there may be some SPF/Cobra owners that will give you some contact info if you have problems in their area. What would be the route you take?

[mrmustang]

Also when you first get behind the wheel of one of these cars make yourself aware that it is a HI PERRFORMANCE short wheelsbase vehicle that will not handle like anything else you have ever driven in the past. Regardless of your driving experience in other vehicles or on and off the track, these cars are unforgiving and can bite you in the behind when you least expect it. Take your time to learn the car and it's personality before you decide to romp on that gas pedal. Slow and easy is the key to getting a firm grasp on the reality of how these cars drive.

Bill S.

[kayakjack]

Woodz428...

I would be going from Richmond, VA to either Brevard, NC where my Mom has a house (leave it in her garage), or to Atlanta where I live. One of the issues I have to deal with is I live in an old house in a historic neighborhood in Atlanta that was built before cars were popular. All of the land is landscaped in a way leaving no room for me to build a garage. It's real nice but not ideal for a car nut. One of my local friends has offered to temporarily keep the car in his large (I'm envious) garage. I will either take the fast Interstate route if I am short of time. Or, if I am not pushed for time I would take the Blue Ridge Parkway if it is not closed for the winter. My wife might even join me for that drive!!

Bill S....

I will be real careful. I have owned many sportscars, but never a high horsepower short wheelbase car. I understand the issues and will be careful. This car means a lot to me. It is not just another sports car. I have wanted a Cobra since I was a teenager who unsuccessfully tried to talk my Dad into buying one. I'll write more about what this means to me after I get the car. Also Bill, I have totally done my homework about the Cobra marketplace. I know what's out there and what it is worth. A used Superformance is the right match between a high quality car and what I can afford.

James...

Great idea about calling the dealer. I will do it tomorrow. Thanks!!

I'm getting comfortable about getting the car without having my mechanic along. Bill S's detailed punchlist is real good and I can follow it. Also, just like Don, I have gotten comfortable with the car's owner. I believe he has integrity and is a straight shooter. If there were problems, I would be surprised if he concealed them from me.

I welcome any other thoughts on this issue.

Thank you,

Jack

[JayBar]

Kayakjack,
One thing to think about. YOur insurance company will most likely require you to keep the car in a garage. I had to send a picture to mine of my car in the garage. If you have not talked to anyone about insurance, you should before you go any further.

[kayakjack]

JayB,

Re: Garage...

I almost bought one last spring. At that time I spoke with my State Farm agent. They would insure it without a garage. I don't intend to keep it outside a garage anyway. I need to resolve my lack of garage space. I will.

Thanks,

Jack

[edmonds007]

Jack,

There are a few folks in this forum that live in and around the Richmond. VA area. I bought spf 1683 a in July and drove it back from N.Y. I live in Williamsburg, VA and may be able to go look at the car on your behalf next weekend if this would be helpful to you. Before buying mine I'd looked at lots of cobras, especially superformance models, but if I could go back in time I would have looked a lot closer. I'd recommend that you have a local cobra owner check it out if possible.

Best of luck with your future purchase.

Bryan

[gary osborne]

The good news about MOST of these cars is that they are well cared for. Not many will invest this much money and then beat the crap out of them.....they may drive them hard but they are made to be driven. I have a lot of SPF friends who routinely drive their cars long distance. At our SPF meetings several times each year we will typically drive 500 - 1000 miles while we are at the location (not counting to and from). I won't say these cars never have problems but the problems are almost always with the engine. The SPF rolling chassis is real quality. Do you know who the engine builder was? If the engine is sound, I would make sure it has oil and the wheels are on tight and go for it....assuming no snow on the roads.

[kayakjack]

Quick update... Story and pictures to follow...

I took all of your advice and flew to Richmond, VA with my wife and bought Superformance SPF 1202 without my mechanic. We drove it home (Atlanta)... great car... no problems at all. I love it!!!

Jack

[Roger Vincent]

That's great news Jack, can't wait to see some pictures!

Roger, SP 2080

[Velox]

Congrats Jack, you will not regret it! Pics we need PICS