Want to buy a 1996 Cobra Export (Gulf Spec?)

[aaron97]

I've been trying to find some info on Exported '96 Cobras, I haven't really found any info on Cobra's but i see that GT's & V-6's got fender flares and yellow turn signals in the rear.

I am trying to find some more info on '96 Cobra's that might have been exported. I found one here for sale with only 17,000 miles on it for $7500. Considering I already pay $600 a month for my rental car and will probably be here for a year or more, it would be better to buy a car and if i buy a car i like i will just bring it back to the states, which is why i am trying to find the info, so i can get an idea of what it might need, if anything, to get it back to the U.S. I've already checked shipping costs, right now the average is about $3500, so bringing it back to the US is definitely a possibility as long as it doesn't need any major component swaps or conversions.

Any help or links to info on the exports would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Wildpony]

I think I would cut my losses and sell it once done, then buy one over here. But no I don't know the rules of bringing one back here..

 

[aaron97]

I think I would cut my losses and sell it once done, then buy one over here. But no I don't know the rules of bringing one back here..

For starters though, i already own one in the states, i have my '97 in storage right now. Also, there is no lose.. my company pays me $620 a month for "transportation allowance" and i can use that money however i see fit and even if i decide to ride a bicycle, i still get the $620/mo. Right now i rent a Mazda 6 for $540/mo. So if i turn in the car, pay cash for the Cobra, my company will keep giving me the $620/mo. and after about a year, i will have been given $7500. So in actuality my company will have bought the Cobra for me and then i will have to only pay the $3500 for shipping, so in the long run i will have bought a '96 Cobra with 17k miles on it for $3500. But it gets better, once I have recouped my $7500 for the purchase, assuming i stay here longer, it would only take another 6 months and the company will have paid me enough to cover the shipping costs... and the car would have been near FREE in the end. Make sense?

I wouldnt be considering this car if it had the average 100k+ miles on it, but its only got 17k miles.... which is why i want it.

 

[006]

It should be fine...If there are any emissions equipment that might need to added to it, should cost less than $300 or $100 if you get any required parts from a junkyard.

That is an excellent investment. Go fer it.

 

[96 chris]

It should be fine...If there are any emissions equipment that might need to added to it, should cost less than $300 or $100 if you get any required parts from a junkyard.

That is an excellent investment. Go fer it.

Exactly what I was thinking. You could get around 10K maybe more if you sell it when you get back.

 

[Helomech74]

It's going to need DOT spec glass, crash bumpers, DOT headlights, DOT tail lights, all the emissions stuff (assuming it needs it.). It can get real pricey to import a car into the US. Sometimes it's cheaper to ship the car to Canada, and then bring it into the US. Any car sold in Canada can be brought into the U.S. for almost nothing.

 

[SpittingCobra]

For starters though, i already own one in the states, i have my '97 in storage right now. Also, there is no lose.. my company pays me $620 a month for "transportation allowance" and i can use that money however i see fit and even if i decide to ride a bicycle, i still get the $620/mo. Right now i rent a Mazda 6 for $540/mo. So if i turn in the car, pay cash for the Cobra, my company will keep giving me the $620/mo. and after about a year, i will have been given $7500. So in actuality my company will have bought the Cobra for me and then i will have to only pay the $3500 for shipping, so in the long run i will have bought a '96 Cobra with 17k miles on it for $3500. But it gets better, once I have recouped my $7500 for the purchase, assuming i stay here longer, it would only take another 6 months and the company will have paid me enough to cover the shipping costs... and the car would have been near FREE in the end. Make sense?

I wouldnt be considering this car if it had the average 100k+ miles on it, but its only got 17k miles.... which is why i want it.

Damn man! What job you working? Is it in oil exploration? I'm about to finish a degree in Geology. I'm curious.

 

[98cobradan]

i saw a cobra on ebay from canada, the speedo was in Kilometers

 

[MouTine]

I'm willing to trade my mile-speedo-cluster to km-one. Anyone?

 

[aaron97]

It's going to need DOT spec glass, crash bumpers, DOT headlights, DOT tail lights, all the emissions stuff (assuming it needs it.). It can get real pricey to import a car into the US. Sometimes it's cheaper to ship the car to Canada, and then bring it into the US. Any car sold in Canada can be brought into the U.S. for almost nothing.

remember, we are talking about a Ford built in America... not something stupid like a Nissan Skyline. I seriously doubt Ford could afford to run separate productions lines just to export a couple hundred cars. What I'm saying is, other than tail lights and the Speedo, the car is most likely 100% the same. Just because they dont have emissions testing here doesn't mean they car doesn't have the equipment and just about all cars now a days have DOT approved safety glass.

I'm sure an import mustang isn't that much different from a non-export model. And since i haven't been able to find any info on the matter, i believe this is actually a US spec car that was privately imported here. Because i read some where that SVT did not participate in overseas sales until the '99+ models.

Damn man! What job you working? Is it in oil exploration? I'm about to finish a degree in Geology. I'm curious.

I'm an Aeronautical Engineer.

 

[RoadZOmbie]

remember, we are talking about a Ford built in America... not something stupid like a Nissan Skyline. I seriously doubt Ford could afford to run separate productions lines just to export a couple hundred cars. What I'm saying is, other than tail lights and the Speedo, the car is most likely 100% the same. Just because they dont have emissions testing here doesn't mean they car doesn't have the equipment and just about all cars now a days have DOT approved safety glass.

I'm sure an import mustang isn't that much different from a non-export model. And since i haven't been able to find any info on the matter, i believe this is actually a US spec car that was privately imported here. Because i read some where that SVT did not participate in overseas sales until the '99+ models.


I'm an Aeronautical Engineer.

+1
The Export mustang has all the DOT spec equipment inlcuding smog. There is no way the govt would allow Ford to manufacture a vehicle which does not meet vehicle standards for U.S.A. When a mustang is destined to get exported they add the "yellow" turn signal modification which most european and asian laws require, rear yellow turn signal, fender yellow turn signal & fender flares. Depending on where the car went and what else might have been done to it as required by it's new home(country) you might want to research the laws pertaining to what is needed to approve a vehicle to be driven in the country you are in. Then you'll have an idea of the extent if any to get it re-approved for DOT in the U.S.A.

I remember reading & seeing some pictures a while back about some I believe Australian Exported sn95 mustangs. They had to be converted to right hand drive. As long as you don't get one of those you should be ok.


Edit: Found some links......these aren't sn95's but you get the idea.

http://www.gizmohighway.com/autos/mustang.htm

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cach...right+handed+mustang&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us


Hope this makes sense...@ 3:41am!:bored:

 

[Shangsta]

It's going to need DOT spec glass, crash bumpers, DOT headlights, DOT tail lights, all the emissions stuff (assuming it needs it.). It can get real pricey to import a car into the US. Sometimes it's cheaper to ship the car to Canada, and then bring it into the US. Any car sold in Canada can be brought into the U.S. for almost nothing.

They have all that stuff. The tail lights might have to be change but i doubt it. Its basically the same as the US version, except for the flairs, mirrors, tailights, and mabe the speedo(i think dubai uses km's)

 

[aaron97]

+1
The Export mustang has all the DOT spec equipment inlcuding smog. There is no way the govt would allow Ford to manufacture a vehicle which does not meet vehicle standards for U.S.A. When a mustang is destined to get exported they add the "yellow" turn signal modification which most european and asian laws require, rear yellow turn signal, fender yellow turn signal & fender flares. Depending on where the car went and what else might have been done to it as required by it's new home(country) you might want to research the laws pertaining to what is needed to approve a vehicle to be driven in the country you are in. Then you'll have an idea of the extent if any to get it re-approved for DOT in the U.S.A.

I remember reading & seeing some pictures a while back about some I believe Australian Exported sn95 mustangs. They had to be converted to right hand drive. As long as you don't get one of those you should be ok.

Edit: Found some links......these aren't sn95's but you get the idea.

Hope this makes sense...@ 3:41am!:bored:

Well, they dont really have any laws here about importing cars, mainly because the rich people (that make the laws) import cars in the masses for thier personal use. Which could be how this Cobra got here. I have seen lots of V6's and a few GT's, but no pre-'07 Cobra's so far. This is the first one i have seen. My buddy bought two Jeeps here from dealers, an '06 Wrangler when he first here and a couple months ago he got an '08 Wrangler Limited, both of which are 100% the same as ones sold in the US, only thing was some of the options were limited, like you cant get the MP3/GPS stuff.

They have all that stuff. The tail lights might have to be change but i doubt it. Its basically the same as the US version, except for the flairs, mirrors, tailights, and mabe the speedo(i think dubai uses km's)

Ya, we're using Km's over here... I cant remember, does our Cobras just have MPH or does it show Km's as well, like alot of american cars do?

Either way, I'm going to drive up to Dubai this afternoon after work and take a look at the car, he said it was in good condition but everyones got different opinions on whats GOOD when it comes to a 12 year old car... I'll find out more about the car when i get to see it and meet the owner in person.

 

[Blk98Slobra]

Well, they dont really have any laws here about importing cars, mainly because the rich people (that make the laws) import cars in the masses for thier personal use. Which could be how this Cobra got here. I have seen lots of V6's and a few GT's, but no pre-'07 Cobra's so far. This is the first one i have seen. My buddy bought two Jeeps here from dealers, an '06 Wrangler when he first here and a couple months ago he got an '08 Wrangler Limited, both of which are 100% the same as ones sold in the US, only thing was some of the options were limited, like you cant get the MP3/GPS stuff.


Ya, we're using Km's over here... I cant remember, does our Cobras just have MPH or does it show Km's as well, like alot of american cars do?

Either way, I'm going to drive up to Dubai this afternoon after work and take a look at the car, he said it was in good condition but everyones got different opinions on whats GOOD when it comes to a 12 year old car... I'll find out more about the car when i get to see it and meet the owner in person.

We have km's/hr on ours too. Its in tiny print though...lol. Make sure and take some pics. I love seeing export Cobra's. Speaking of which, someone needs to post up some export Cobra's:beer:

 

[aaron97]

That sucks... I talked to him two days ago and he still had it but when i called back today to see if i could look at it, he already sold it. Oh well. Guess i will just have to keep looking..

 

[Slow95Cobra]

well damn, i was gettin excited to see one... phhhhhhh. i would drove up there just to give him the thumbs down

 

[aaron97]

Well, the search continues. I've found a few Gulf-Spec '05+ Mustang GT's for average prices, but i did come across two cars that have my attention. I have an appointment to view a 1990 Ferrari Testarossa with only 10,000 miles on it for $50k, and I found a highly modified US-Spec 1994 Supra Turbo for $20k.

But since these aren't Cobra related, i will post up in lounge if i decide to get one of them or find something else. I plan to keep looking for something that is US-Spec or easily converted to US-Spec, that way i can bring it home with me when I finally return to the good ole U S A.

 

[Slow95Cobra]

i dont think the supra looks that bad, just take the wing off and put a factory one on it

 

[Erick]

The Testarossa is one of my all-time favorite cars. The real drawback is maintainance. I once read the cost of the full routine service was about
$12K. They are very expensive to keep running. I'll always love them though.

 

[MouTine]

The Testarossa is one of my all-time favorite cars. The real drawback is maintainance. I once read the cost of the full routine service was about
$12K. They are very expensive to keep running. I'll always love them though.

That was a big money for Miami PD.