Hi guys, a friend of mine is looking to buy an 03 cobra and we would like to have advices from knowledgable people. The car a 73000miles US "totaled" title but repaired (very common here). It has upper, exhaust (x + cat-back) drop springs, few gauges, sub-frame connectors, center-force clutch. A maintenance was made few weeks ago, including diff, trans blower oil etc. The seller is asking 20g$ (in canadian dollar) which IMO is pretty high for not being a clean title car. I've paid mine, 3 years ago, 15k at 98000miles, clean title with a good list a good mods.
So my friend looked at the car and notice a weird knocking sound coming from the blower, I later told him to remove the belt to see if it was coming from the blower or not but was not at the car anymore. He also asked for compression test (which he does not have the results yet). The shop where the maintenance and dyno tune was done seems to be reliable and they told my friend that the car is square and strong, should be a good buy.
So the seller comes back saying that removing the plugs and putting them back in needed 2 thread repair (Helicoil). The seller is saying to my friend that this a good preventive move and that it would be stronger like which most of the guys with these heads do. To me, this does not make any sense! My understanding was that you only use that in worst case scenario, not to "improve" the threads. I think that the seller is full of sh*t and we would like to have inputs on that.
Since the beginning I did not like that seller nor the car and I discouraged my friend from buying it. He always wanted a terminator and dreamed about that car for years, literally drooling over mine. My friend and car are located 3h from me so I can't really go there and take a look at the car. My friend bought a clean fox last year and would trade in this car for the cobra.
I'm no mechanic but knows a trick or two (I do all my wrenching including clutch, suspension whatever) and I also know these cars in and out. So with this sound, helicoil etc I really feel that this car could be a money pit.
So what do you guys think?
So my friend looked at the car and notice a weird knocking sound coming from the blower, I later told him to remove the belt to see if it was coming from the blower or not but was not at the car anymore. He also asked for compression test (which he does not have the results yet). The shop where the maintenance and dyno tune was done seems to be reliable and they told my friend that the car is square and strong, should be a good buy.
So the seller comes back saying that removing the plugs and putting them back in needed 2 thread repair (Helicoil). The seller is saying to my friend that this a good preventive move and that it would be stronger like which most of the guys with these heads do. To me, this does not make any sense! My understanding was that you only use that in worst case scenario, not to "improve" the threads. I think that the seller is full of sh*t and we would like to have inputs on that.
Since the beginning I did not like that seller nor the car and I discouraged my friend from buying it. He always wanted a terminator and dreamed about that car for years, literally drooling over mine. My friend and car are located 3h from me so I can't really go there and take a look at the car. My friend bought a clean fox last year and would trade in this car for the cobra.
I'm no mechanic but knows a trick or two (I do all my wrenching including clutch, suspension whatever) and I also know these cars in and out. So with this sound, helicoil etc I really feel that this car could be a money pit.
So what do you guys think?
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