Do I really want a terminator?

[JDUB348]

Keep your V6 as it will make a much friendlier daily driver then a terminator. Don't get me wrong, the terminator is very reilable, but in my eyes a terminator is a TOY. Mine sits in my garage alot of the time.. recently because its down for me to work on

 

[333arod333]

I daily drive mine. Absolutely no problems in terms of maintenance, it's a fully forged engine so it is more reliable than most engines. I hav a good student discount and my insurance is $52 a month so there's no issue there. U can definitely do all the school work u need to and hav time for a hobby, which can be working on ur car if necessary.

Ultimately it comes down to two things : do u really want this ride i.e will it make u happy? And the only real problem : gas mileage. I traded in an 07 hemi charger with 40k miles for my terminator, and it was the best thing ever.

Just make sure u wouldn't rather save up and buy a sicker car down the road. Although terminators r pretty Damn sick.

 

[333arod333]

Dp

 

[akeohan]

I don't and wouldn't daily drive mine. I'd say keep the V6 and save up for a Cobra after college when you can afford both.

 

[Flad]

Buy it, and drive it like you stole it

 

[mustang5o]

...parts are being discontinued right and left. gas mileage will be worse....

Is this true about parts being discontinued? I have a couple of threads my self on trying to figure out if I want a 2004 Mystichrome Convertible over a 2014 GT (but I'm not a 19 yr old kid). I just don't want a major headache if I decide to get the Cobra. It's bone stock and I'll likely keep it that way except for helping out the IRS.

I did check into insurance, and it is actually slightly cheaper which was surprising.

This surprises me because as a 42 year old they are quoting me about the same price as my 2007 Jeep Liberty or a 2015 GT.

I daily mine, but by daily I mean 3-5 miles a day maybe. 10 miles if its a crazy day. I have had no real big issues. My car has 78k miles on it now and as long as you take care of her she will take care of you. But that being said this shit isnt cheap and gas isnt either. I also drive her on 100-250 mile road trips 4-5 times a year and she does fine. Just do your research and dont stretch yourself beyond your means. If something happens to this car you gotta make sure you have a way to fix it or get around without it. Goodluck on everything

On a completely stock car do you just need to keep the fluids/filters changed regularly and you're good to go? Are their any common issues I haven't read about yet (been trying to research the past few days but life keeps getting in the way :rolling.

When you say gas isn't cheap I'm assuming you're meaning 93, which is what I see everyone running. But here in Oklahoma 91 octane(which is what I run) is the highest available, so I'm guessing that wouldn't be a huge issue as long as it wasn't tuned specifically for 93.

Good question. I don't see much 93 around here either.

I daily drive mine. Absolutely no problems in terms of maintenance, it's a fully forged engine so it is more reliable than most engines. I hav a good student discount and my insurance is $52 a month so there's no issue there. U can definitely do all the school work u need to and hav time for a hobby, which can be working on ur car if necessary.

Ultimately it comes down to two things : do u really want this ride i.e will it make u happy? And the only real problem : gas mileage. I traded in an 07 hemi charger with 40k miles for my terminator, and it was the best thing ever.

Just make sure u wouldn't rather save up and buy a sicker car down the road. Although terminators r pretty Damn sick.

$52 a month?! Cheaper than my quote. Where are you guys insuring your cars?

Colby2013, sorry to kind of hijack your thread with questions of my own. To you I would say this. It sounds like you have the means to get the car. It sounds like you have a plan for a second vehicle. If you know the car is decent shape and you feel you are responsible enough to drive a car like this, go for it. I have a 17 year old that I will be teaching to drive a manual but he will not drive the Cobra if I get it (or the 2015 GT for that matter)...at least not right away.

 

[BdJames]

You only live once. And we are only young for a short while. I bought my cobra when I was in college. Yeah not the smartest financial decision I have ever made but I was tired of working my ass off at a full time job and going to college. I made my decision because you never know what will happen next. You say you have support from your parents. I think that is great. I never did And had to make my decisions without any help. I say if you can afford to do it then go for it. If you are intelligent in the slightest, you will drive it responsibly and not do anything to hurt yourself or college career. Good luck in your future endeavors.

 

[01cobravortech]

As someone who daily drives their Terminator I would strongly recommend against you getting a Terminator at your age and situation. They are expensive to maintain. And if car costs are a big con for you, then I would keep your other car. Stuff breaks on these cars all the time.

 

[oster910]

I got my cobra when I was 19
Now I'm 20 I learned to respect the car a lot more than initially when I got it
It's my favorite model of the mustang of my favorite generation
The thing is if you get one don't dump all your money into it because repairs are costly and on top of that they are great cars I love mine and wouldn't give it up
Now my engine went and I went with a mmr
Things get expensive on them but I have a backup car I can use
I have a 99 tl which is a great car when it snows or rains
I say go for it but don't trade it in a year later
Good luck keep us updated

 

[FATlaws]

Well you've said money isn't a problem and as already stated, you only live once and you'll only be 19 for a maximum of 364 more days. It sounds like you want the car so just do it, get a beater, and have fun. I got my cobra at 17 and daily drove it for 3 years, typically 20 miles a day along with at least 25 4+ hour trips and had no problems. I bought a camry at 20 and daily that now. I've had multiple people tell me I'm going to die, be paralyzed, or kill somebody, but being responsible has kept me from any trouble. So pull the trigger, be responsible, and have fun.

Gas mileage is pretty good in mine, I guess it depends on how you drive but I got almost 25mpg on the highway and probably 12-13 in the city, so it's all in where you drive.

 

[oster910]

Well you've said money isn't a problem and as already stated, you only live once and you'll only be 19 for a maximum of 364 more days. It sounds like you want the car so just do it, get a beater, and have fun. I got my cobra at 17 and daily drove it for 3 years, typically 20 miles a day along with at least 25 4+ hour trips and had no problems. I bought a camry at 20 and daily that now. I've had multiple people tell me I'm going to die, be paralyzed, or kill somebody, but being responsible has kept me from any trouble. So pull the trigger, be responsible, and have fun.

Gas mileage is pretty good in mine, I guess it depends on how you drive but I got almost 25mpg on the highway and probably 12-13 in the city, so it's all in where you drive.

Well stated
This may sound cheesy but you really do have to respect the car
I've had people telling me crash safety this and that but never hit a car or anything just being defensive is a must
But at open highways at night I couldn't be happier with any other car

 

[JetmechF16]

So, you're living with the parents who pay for everything except some gas and eating out, you have a paid off '13 V6, a lifted Blazer, and some money saved up for a daily beater, do I have that right? To me it sounds like selling the V6 and buying the Cobra of your choice would not be a problem at all. I daily drove an '03 Cobra for almost 5 years, albeit mildly modded, never had a problem.

If you are sure your parental safety net is secure through your college years, I say go for it, doesn't sound like you're in any financial danger.

 

[IA Shelby]

no, you don't. ten year old terminators are not a good idea as a daily, especially a 19 yr old college kid. maybe 5 yrs ago, but not now. parts are being discontinued right and left. gas mileage will be worse. I'm betting car insurance for you will be higher.

practicality wise...keep that '13 v6.

This is the best answer IMO.

 

[GTpower01]

Save the money and buy one unmolested and with low miles!!! Yes you want a terminator!!! Sweet fast cars!

 

[CobraBob]

This is the best answer IMO.

I agree as well. A '13 V6 Mustang is a pretty solid daily. Much more comfortable and less costly day to day than a Terminator. And more reliable. I'll toss in that the '03-'04 Cobra can very quickly become a money magnet (for mods, which are hard to resist), and many have found out the hard way how much maintenance can be on them. And IMO if your parents are paying for your education it would be good to show them that you've got your own finances in order by spending wisely. At your age, putting money into a savings account rather than into a 10 year old car is a smart thing. JMHO.

 

[05 Mustang]

Personally, I would keep the V6, go to school, get your education, save your money, and when you finish get EXACTLY what you want!

 

[Kask65]

I would do it man if u could pick up a daily/winter beater. I'm 19 got my 04 when I was 18 and I drive it often but not as a daily. Have a 97 ranger that isn't exactly a smooth ride but I love the car

 

[ColorMatched]

I would NOT recommend using an 03/04 Cobra as a daily driver unless you like burning through 93 octane gas at $3.75+/gallon (roughly $80/week if I drive it all week). Plus, the mileage doesn't mean as much on a car as time does, meaning even a 30-50k car can have stuff go wrong because everything is now 10 years old.

Also, unless you have ca$h money ready to buy, you're gonna have a hell of a time getting a loan for a car that old. I was only able to get a loan for 3 yrs, which comes out to just over $525/mo. Luckily being 29 now, my insurance was not bad for the car $70/mo.

I put about 4-5k on my car per year driving it in the summers only. I haven't had to replace anything major on it yet, aside from tires, battery and oil, but it is starting to show signs of needing work in the future (rear main small leak, etc)

 

[black4vcobra]

This is going to sound really lame to you but it will be incredibly worthwhile for your future. You own 2 cars already, have a full time job and lots of support from your folks.

Here is what you should do:

start a Roth 401k - invest $200 per month
start a separate toy fund - $200 per month
continue to drive your vehicles without putting too much extra money into them
Graduate in 3 years, you will have $7500 for a down payment on a toy car (Cobra, GT500, Vette, etc), as well as what you can sell the V6 'Stang for
Get a job, enjoy car and kick ass at life

just my $.02

 

[Huachipato]

I think this car is starting to show it's age a little. I've owned it for 9 years (since new) - and it has a rock solid motor under the hood. However - I've had to call the tow truck twice this year. Once for a busted transmission output shaft and another because I somehow managed to bust out some seals in the rack and pinion while coasting the car into a parking lot after the battery died on my commute home.

I got her patched up and still is my daily driver. I have 57,400 miles on it now. Always fun to drive.