'03 flywheel problems

[YenSid]

I have a question for those of you that are a bit more mechanically savvy than myself.

I bought a new ’03 that had clutch problems.

After they tore into it, they told me that they were ordering an entire clutch assembly to replace the old one. Later, I was told that all the parts had shown up except the flywheel. At this point I told them that I just wanted to wait for a brand new car, even if it meant waiting an additional two months.

Later that day, I got a call telling me that they got a new ‘03 on the lot, and they could pull the flywheel from that one. The reasoning being that since these trannies are so new, it may take a few days to get another flywheel from Dearborn(sp).

Now that I have thought about it, I’m a little concerned that I may be getting a used flywheel in my new car. When the ‘03s were built, did they indeed have completely new trannies? And could they have found a flywheel from an older car and used that part instead? Finally, what are the ramifications of having a used flywheel in a brand new ’03?

Sorry for all the questions, just concerned about my new car. Don’t want to end up paying for a potential problem.

Yen
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[YenSid]

Sorry for the shameless bump, but I’m a little anxious about this.

Were the flywheels in the ’03 Cobras built specifically for the ’03 version of the car? Or is it possible that I could get a flywheel that’s been used and abused in a different, older Cobra?

I’m already a bit concerned about a car with 6 miles on it needing major work done on it.

Yen
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[Weasel]

The aluminum flywheel in the '03 is new. As is the clutch, and our beloved aluminum driveshafts.

Mike

 

[Dana]

If this dealer is willing to pull another flywhell from another Cobra and put it in for you, he's really going out of his way to keep you happy. That said, and not there would be anything wrong with that FW, but I would just wait the few days it would take to get one in from Dearborn, especially if you're willing to wait months for a whole car. Usually not too much goes wrong with a flywheel that resurfacing can't cure, which is also a good sign for your dealer because some would just resurface it to clean up the hot spots if there were any, and re-install it. So, to sum this up, I, if it were me(I don't need any flames over this), would sit back and wait for the new flywheel from Dearborn and hopefully live happily ever after.
Dana

 

[YenSid]

Thanks for the re-assurances.

I think that they went ahead and pulled the flywheel off the car they had because it wasn’t a sold order. It probably wouldn’t have been too much of a wait to get a replacement. And the dealer was really trying to keep me happy. They were pretty embarrassed about the whole incident.

Yen
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[ArizonaSnake]

Well how would you like to be the guy that comes in to buy the Cobra that they stripped? :??:

That is pretty unusual for a Dealer to do that. Figure that they have much more labor time in the job now because they took a second car apart and have to put it together. There is also the risk of breaking something (however slight) whenever you are turning wrenches so they absorbed that.

I would say your dealer is bending over backwards trying to keep you happy.

 

[david smilovic]

Sounds like a good deal,is there any reason you cant just get the 03 thats on the lot?or do the colors not match your taste?Seems to me they would save tons of time swapping but they would have to disclose to the new buyer the problem that occured.David Smilovic

 

[YenSid]

Well, it all turned out for the best in the end. They only had two black, one blue, and one white ’03 Cobra on the lot in addition to my DSG. They didn’t have a buyer lined up for the white one, so they pulled the entire trannie from it and ordered a replacement from Deerborn. Then they dropped that trannie in my DSG. It worked like a charm. Car runs beautifully.

ArizonaSnake, you are absolutely right. I am amazed at the lengths they went to get this problem fixed. I fully expected to be waiting for 2 more months for another DSG to show up.

All smilin’ now!

Yen
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[lethal]

Congrats man. It's stories like this where the customer really is taken care of that get lost in the mix. I say stick with that dealer, sounds like they want your business for the long term.

 

[YenSid]

I don’t know if anybody has ever had a bad experience with Covert Ford in Austin, TX, but I sure haven’t. When I went in to deal on the car, I expected to get hit with a markup (I didn’t, they sell all their Cobras for MSRP). Then I expected to get lowballed on my ’98 Cobra trade in. But they came in $200 under KBB trade-in value. I could live with that as the front bumper had been painted. Then I expected to get hit with an outrageous interest rate. I wasn’t. 5.5% for 60 months. And there was never any kind of high-pressure sales job on extended warranties, or anything like that. The finance guy just asked if I was interested and I said no. End of story.

James Benoit was my salesman, and he bent over backwards to make things right. He had me down in the service bay talking to the mechanic actually working on my car. They showed me all the parts, and what was wrong. And they next-day-air shipped the parts to get my car fixed. Unfortunately there was a screw up and they sent the trannie for a GT instead. That’s why they pulled the trannie from the white ’03.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a Black Vert, they have one on the showroom floor right now. At MSRP. As for James Benoit. Tell him Chuck sent you. They had had a Sonic Blue and a Black Coup back in make-ready, but they may have been spoken for.

Yen
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