Sp00led Ya

I am torn between the two, I want to spend no more than $13,000 ish on my next car. I live in New England so I will also need to get myself a beater for when the roads suck. I want the most reliable, best bang for buck car out of the two. Here are the pros and cons from what I know... Fill me in on the good, the bad and the ugly from what YOU know... a pros and cons list. Thanks

2001 Cobra:

Pros:

-I LOVE the Cobra exhaust note
-I like how it is not such a long car
-Seating position (I am really not a fan of the *** to the pavement kinda position, I don't feel as in control)
-They may not be as fast as the Camaro but they are still fast enough to get me into deep SH**
-Seats 4 a lil easier
-More limited?

Cons:

-Not as fast as the Camaro, I don't know how much slower but...
-Mustangs are everywhere even though I think Cobras are the exception maybe?
-Insurance may be higher?
-More expensive and not as easy to find?

I can't think of many cons, I just know the seating position in the Camaro bugs me, it's a PIA just to muscle the door open because it's more of a lay down position and the Camaro is a LONG looking and feeling car, even though it may handle better. Which one does handle better? and how much would it take to get a Cobra to handle really nicely?

SS Camaro:

Pros:

-You have confidence that if you where next to a 2001 Cobra that you would be on top
-SS looks mean and isn't so common
-Faster car
-Handles better? Or am I wrong?
-Cheaper...

Cons:

-The long car thing...
-Seating position...
-Umm? Bout it?

I also am concerned with reliability, I don't want a car that I am going to have to be fixing weak transmissions, motors... and important stuff. The less problematic not so durable car will probably get brushed aside. What do you think?

kevin's_00ss

not much mods for the mustang, well im sure there is but im sure nothing like the LS1. i would go with the SS trust me you will be disapounted wit hthe mustang.. only mustang i would drive is an 03 cobra, now thats another story..

and yes mustangs sound good, but put a choppy cam in the ls1 and you will change your mind and yea you can do a cam swap in the cobra too but remeber you have to buy 4 of them instead of just one.

rudeLT1

iTrader: (1)

u said it yourself, the ss is faster and cheaper....

vetman1

iTrader: (4)

Just get the SS. The first time an LS1 blows your doors off in a Mustang you will wish you had gone with the SS. I have driven both and like the feel and power as well over the Mustang. Parts are cheaper for the SS. I am afraid just about anyone on this site will give you the same answer. After all it is LS1tech.com.

Starz T/A 17

iTrader: (6)

Like what was already said this IS a GM based site so what do you really expect? Go to a ford site and you will hear the opposite. Yea the cobra insurance will be a little higher, but in all honesty after reading your post it sounds like you want the cobra but are worried about the little power difference (in respect to other cars both cars are rated right around 300 HP) So if I were you I would get what you sound like you like better which is the Cobra. Just remember ANYTHING can be made fast but if you dont like the car you will just be wasting your time b/c eventually you will get sick of it b/c you never really liked it. And honestly the Cobras 4v DOHC engine is fun to drive and can be made just as fast as a SS or faster for VERY cheaply.

firehawk618

iTrader: (14)

First time something breaks on or in the motor you will regret the 32v stang. Much MUCH harder to work on. Yes the LS1 is stuffed half way under the dash but it is not nearly as bad to work on as it looks.

sidewayz28

iTrader: (24)

i think parts are probably cheaper for the mustang.. last time i checked parts for our cars werent that cheap

firehawk618

iTrader: (14)

32v parts are not cheap. Ours are in comparison.

spazzyfry123

iTrader: (4)

Well I've owned both. And my vote goes for the SS hands down. It is just not a vehicle you see too often, whereas the Mustang is probably driving around on the moon it's so popular.

As far as the tone...Yeah, the 'Stangs sound good...a lot like the old muscle cars. But the LS1 just sounds like a down right nasty race car. The SS's were heavily under-rated cars as well. With only exhaust (no intake or anything...ONLY exhaust), my SS put more power to the wheels than it was rated at the flywheel.

Having said that, I do feel that the Mustang is an overall better built vehicle. My 'Stang had ~60k miles on it when I got rid of it and it felt every bit as tight as it did when it rolled off the line. My SS on the other hand only had 17k miles on it and it was constantly squeaking and rattling. And it was a hard-top car too.

I guess in conclusion, I feel that I am more biased to the SS for its badass looks, engine, and transmission...I think the Mustang wins everywhere else though.

...I'd still get the SS though...I'm actually looking for another one right now

Xtreme57

iTrader: (6)

Find and 03 Cobra and you will have all your problems solved I think.

WS6 Rampage

iTrader: (3)

Your on a LS1 site,.. we may be a lil bias here!

Cobra2WS6

iTrader: (22)

Unless your gonna get an 03-04 cobra then get the SS... Hands down the SS is a better car. Cheaper and faster... 03's and up, I woudl deffentially go ford

sidewayz28

iTrader: (24)

if you find an 03 cobra for 13k let me know!

Black_Bird

iTrader: (6)

My best friend bought an '01 Cobra, nice car, red with black wheels and black leather, etc, etc. Raced him a few times when my LS1 car was stock, and he went and traded it in on an '04 GTO. Was a very nice car, but he was a diehard Ford guy and he's had 3 LS1's now since the Cobra. He's in a '99 Camaro Z28 right now, and says he will never go back to a Cobra. Just a story to help you out man.

KENS_SS_4

I guess I voted with my dollars, SS. Not even close.
From your list of cons I would say you don't really like sports cars.

WS6 Rampage

iTrader: (3)

At the same time too... buy an LS1 on the cheap and Procharge for 6 grand more and drop a duce on a 03-04 Cobra like you got the run's after eating some bad Mexican food from a stand! ...My .02

JKDZ28

iTrader: (14)

Although the Cobra is very nice, my vote goes with the Camaro SS.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I'd vote SS as well, but if I ever want to get into another car that I will mod again, and don't have the money for a Vette, it'll be an '03-'04 Cobra. The F-body is pretty easy to mod, but the drivetrain (namely the rear axle) sucks (so does the stock clutch), and there are lots of little nit-noid things like leaky power steering pumps, alternators that go out from time to time (I'm on my third), a weak fuel system, etc that really add up when modding one of these.

Sp00led Ya

Well which is the more reliable of the two... I would hate to have my rear end blow because I bought an M6, a car with TOO strong of a transmission almost. I would like the car that will allow the smallest "crap breaking" investment... they are both fast... both can be MADE fast-ER... What I am mainly getting at, are seating ergonomics and what not worth the change of car? Also no one chimed in on which one handles better and how well they handle with whatever mods??? I am not such a straight line guy, I come from quick and nimble cars. I had a 255whp 302tq *****... not as fast as an LS1 but it was faster that a 13.5 sec Cobra...

Gaunt

iTrader: (11)

My girlfriend's dad runs a corvette show down here at the GM proving grounds (He is basically the proving grounds manager, or damn close to it), and before they were using the corvettes for all their stunts, they had camaros doing just about every crazy stunt the corvettes were doing.

I'm talking full on 360s on the skid pad in unison with other camaros, nose to nose driving (like... one guy going reverse, the other going forward) at 75 mph.... anything, you name it, the camaro can do.

And these were stock.... only thing that the cars got changed were fluids, brakes, and tires.

So does that answer your question on handling somewhat?