Why so many low mile Cobras out there?

[J.Rovirosa]

At this point, I like the idea of owning the L and Cobra more than I like driving them. Not driving them much, they've got little to no road rash on the front bumpers, no door dings, don't have to worry about them every time I park them anywhere, and they only need one good detail every year. They both have great sentimental value so I plan on keeping them no matter what. The less they're driven, the better.

 

[Helomech74]

I've owned this current 98 Cobra since 2007. Bought it with 61K miles on it and it currently has 71K on the body. Everything else has 2K or less miles. It's rarely driven because I have 3 other cars between my wife and I. I prefer to work on it as opposed to driving it.

 

[98 svt]

Bought my bonestock '98 in '04 with 78k. For the first few years it was my DD and I put about 45k on it.

 

[Snaketamer]

Bought my '98 in '02 with 12Klms and currently, it's at about 84Klms(52k miles). It is a weekend cruiser and sits in the garage most of the time. However, have been lots of events through the years, including Woodward Dream Cruises and the Fun Ford Weekend(Norwalk)

 

[Balt21]

I bought my '97 in 2014 with 22K on it. It has 27K on it now. It's stored from between October and April and only really driven on evenings during the week or on weekends in the summer. 99% of the time I am driving it for pure pleasure rather than running errands or driving back and forth to work in it.

 

[Robert M]

So in the end........If you are a buyer of the 1996-1998 Cobra or even a 1994-1998 Cobra, and you are at a point in your life/career when you can buy your "dream car", the car that you saw and liked when it was new, but could not afford until now........What kind of car would you be interested in buying?? <<That is the question................Do you want a higher mile "well worn" or "modded/well used" example? or do you want an example that is low mile and is as close to new as possible and still be within your budget at 20+ years old?.........And which would you pay top dollar for?........<<Those are the real questions as it relates to low mile cars 20+ years after the fact.........

I have found that hands down, the low mile examples win, and the buyers are ready to step up and pay the top dollars (within their means) for the car that they have always wanted, but until now, could not afford, either because of monetary or family or both......When they are free to purchase, they want a virgin........or "low use/miles"..........So the cars that have been "saved" by previous owners command the top dollars to these "new buyers"........that have been waiting to buy their dream car(s) now at a time when their budget allows.........

^^^^^Those are my observations over the last 45+years of car buying/collecting......

R

 

[M_Smith]

I’m guessing that broken odometer gears are responsible for many of the low mile Cobras. Mine said 17,000 miles. I would estimate it has at least 3x that many.

 

[Robert M]

I’m guessing that broken odometer gears are responsible for many of the low mile Cobras. Mine said 17,000 miles. I would estimate it has at least 3x that many.

Why would you think the odometer is/was broken? The ECM also keeps track of miles, so the odometer and ECM would not agree, if the odometer is not corrrect?

R

 

[M_Smith]

Why would you think the odometer is/was broken? The ECM also keeps track of miles, so the odometer and ECM would not agree, if the odometer is not corrrect?

R

The previous owner told me the gear was broken for many years and repaired recently. How can I check the ECM, and where does it get its data from?

 

[Robert M]

The previous owner told me the gear was broken for many years and repaired recently. How can I check the ECM, and where does it get its data from?

If the ODB port is accessed, the information should be there. <<That should confirm the actual mileage, unless the ECM has been replaced. Through the ODB, the mileage can also be reset, if an odometer has been replaced......but "usually", if it was a gear thing, the ODB is forgotten about and it's tracking of actual miles.

But either way, that is not the norm with all of the low mile Cobra's out there.....

In many/most cases, owners have bought "toys" (weekend fun) and used them as such, not DD's...so the miles have been kept at a much lower level.....

R

 

[jmsa540]

Lol, good one.

I’m guessing that broken odometer gears are responsible for many of the low mile Cobras. Mine said 17,000 miles. I would estimate it has at least 3x that many.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[M_Smith]

I plugged in my iCar Pro scan tool and could not find any odometer data using OBD Fusion software. I even paid to upgrade to be able to read the PATS and Powertrain Control Modules. No odometer data there, either. (1998 Cobra)

If the ODB port is accessed, the information should be there. <<That should confirm the actual mileage, unless the ECM has been replaced. Through the ODB, the mileage can also be reset, if an odometer has been replaced......but "usually", if it was a gear thing, the ODB is forgotten about and it's tracking of actual miles.

But either way, that is not the norm with all of the low mile Cobra's out there.....

In many/most cases, owners have bought "toys" (weekend fun) and used them as such, not DD's...so the miles have been kept at a much lower level.....

R

 

[M_Smith]

Lol, good one.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using the svtperformance.com mobile app

It’s actually a very common failure on SN95 Mustangs. Crappy little plastic worm gear strips out. Odometer fails. People take their time getting it fixed. Years go by. Then they fix it when they want to sell it. It’s more plausible than a 1998 Cobra with “16,xxx” miles on it, like mine.

 

[98 svt]

I know the 99+ hold their mileage info in the ECU, but wasn't aware of 96-98s.

 

[01yellercobra]

I know the 99+ hold their mileage info in the ECU, but wasn't aware of 96-98s.

I'm pretty sure it's in the dash, not the ECU. I've been swapping between a couple ECU's a lot lately and the mileage stays consistent.

 

[M_Smith]

I know the 99+ hold their mileage info in the ECU, but wasn't aware of 96-98s.

Yes, the ‘99-up has an electronic odometer. 1996-1998 is a mechanical odometer. I don’t think the ECU knows the odo reading.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Yes, the ‘99-up has an electronic odometer. 1996-1998 is a mechanical odometer. I don’t think the ECU knows the odo reading.

Correct. Can’t get actual mileage info from the 94-98 PCM.

The only mileage would either be from the analog dials on the gauge cluster or trying to track history via a VIN report. VIN reports can’t be 100% trusted for accuracy either due to to how often the mileage was recorded in XYZ State - or if a State has mileage exemption laws based on vehicle age.

 

[Adower]

So in the end........If you are a buyer of the 1996-1998 Cobra or even a 1994-1998 Cobra, and you are at a point in your life/career when you can buy your "dream car", the car that you saw and liked when it was new, but could not afford until now........What kind of car would you be interested in buying?? <<That is the question................Do you want a higher mile "well worn" or "modded/well used" example? or do you want an example that is low mile and is as close to new as possible and still be within your budget at 20+ years old?.........And which would you pay top dollar for?........<<Those are the real questions as it relates to low mile cars 20+ years after the fact.........

I have found that hands down, the low mile examples win, and the buyers are ready to step up and pay the top dollars (within their means) for the car that they have always wanted, but until now, could not afford, either because of monetary or family or both......When they are free to purchase, they want a virgin........or "low use/miles"..........So the cars that have been "saved" by previous owners command the top dollars to these "new buyers"........that have been waiting to buy their dream car(s) now at a time when their budget allows.........

^^^^^Those are my observations over the last 45+years of car buying/collecting......

R

I think its all relative. I don't really care if its high mileage or not because if I can "afford it" I am going to be modding it the way that I seem fit.

 

[Tabres]

Like others have said, I don't actively avoid putting on miles. I've owned mine for 19 years. I'd have to leave it fully assembled for any reasonable period of time to put any significant mileage on it, and I never seem to stop screwing with it. I'm that guy that enjoys building more than driving.

It doesn't help that I generally have interesting cars as daily drivers, either. Add a busy work life and a kid... Really stymies the itch to get my Mustang put back together in a reasonable period of time.