Hey all I know this threads been made before many times and I have read a lot of them already. I just want some more input before spending this much on a car.
I was looking at terminators for a long time and just now started considering the C5Z. I understand this is a corvette forum, but I'm hoping some of you have owned both in the past, or can be unbiased. Which one should I go for?

 

I might be old and out of touch, what are you referring to as a "Terminator"

 

Termi's are cool. Probably the coolest mustang ever made in my opinion, but you have to make a lot of power in the stang to keep up with a c5z. It seems 100 extra horsepower in a mustang will put it at slightly quicker than a vette, and that's only in a straight line.

 

A C5z is a sports car while a Terminator (03-04 Cobra) is a great muscle car. It depends on what you are looking to do with the car. If you are planning on autocrossing or taking it on the backroads, then the c5z will provide a much better driving experience. If you are looking for straight line speed with minimal mods, then I would go with the terminator. A pulley and tune will make those cars 500+hp easily and the engine is already fully forged and built for it. However, the c5z is around 3100lbs while the terminator is around 3600-3700lbs. They both make comfortable daily drivers but the corvette will get better gas mileage if that is a factor to you. Also, as far as practicality, the c5z is limited by lacking rear seats.

Both are great cars and will hold their value for years to come. Good luck with your search!

 

This.

 

You cant go wrong with either. Both are identically priced, Both are notorious for being best bang for buck cars. Both are super fun to drive. Terminator sounds like heaven and hell coming together.

 

Basically the vette is FAR superior in acceleration, looks, handling, gas mileage, and even insurance category. But the stang is a factory forged/supercharged beast. It you don't care about modding, look at the new 5.0 mustang. That coyote engine is absolutely brilliant.

 

They are the 03-04 Cobras

 

Good recap. Comes down to what you really want in a car.

 

I had a c5 base convertible, and a 03 cobra convertible at the same time. The cobra is a faster car then the base c5 and is better if you have a family as it has a back seat. The c5 is just a better car overall. Aside from 1/4 mile it does everything else better then the cobra. The cobra is more expensive to work on and parts are more exspensive as well. I just traded in my cobra on a 2013 grand sport. I bought the cobra about yr ago for 15,000 with 18k miles, I could not sell it and had it up for sale for 19,000 obo with 26k miles. The value on the car went from 24,000 book to 18,000 in just 1 yr. what is hurting the value of the 03/04 cobras is that you can get a early model gt500 for mid to upper 20's. I bought my 98 corvette back in 2012 for 13,000 with 68,000 miles on it and sold it 2yrs later with 77,000 miles for 12000. Hope this helps in some way.

 

I test drove a 03 cobra and I wasn't impressed. That was before I added the blower, lol.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone
I'm probably going to go back and forth between the two before I make a decision.

 

As mentioned above, the 03-04 Cobra is significantly heavier than the c5z.

In general, the Cobra will need 75-100hp more than the c5z to run equal with it...

c5z is the better option in every measurable performance category, by a landslide. The two cars should not even be compared.

 

Nice cars that sound great, but are a little heavy for all out corner carving in stock configuration.

 

I've had mustangs a LONG time before having my vette. Although my blown ones were of centrifugal style; they were all 430-460whp; about what a bolt on Terminator makes without the instant tq.

They are FUN, like really fun. They're always loose through 3rd gear and not all skatey/twitchy like a corvette. Mine were all SRA vs IRS; but they still transion pavement better than transverse leaf crap.

Seating is the biggest thing for me; you sit up higher; usually too high on stock seat rails. Manual seat racks drop it down so it feels more like you're in the car vs on it. Shifter position is very muscle car like; clutch is heavy. Overall they feel more solid/durable. Ingress/egress is much easier.

Overall handling they aren't a corvette; and don't have a sports car feel unless you start putting real money in them. I had a maximum Motorsports max grip setup on a 97 cobra with Brembos up front; it would absolutely **** all over my corvette in the turns and for confidence. Just depends what you want.

Getting to the 450whp is about $1500 vs mucho bucks with the corvette. They really upgrade quickly to where they are faster than most h/c setups. Bottom end is very stout.

The IRS is of slight compromise and should have better bushings/brace if you plan to race it. Head cooling mod and getting the 04 with the revised cylinder heads is also important.

For TONS of reading look at svtperformance.com. Ton of vette guys over there too; honestly more enthusiast vs vette snobs.

Certain miles and colors still hold value. It's still $18k-23k for a nice one. I want a screaming yellow vert.

Try to drive a few. Sadly they are just hard to buy used without being used up/beat. The newer mustangs are MUCH nicer cars; but they lose that raw feeling.

I've also driven c5z and they are a RIOT. I'd c5z> hardtop cobra ,but I like open air. It's why I own a coupe and would near consider a vert terminator over mine. Just different animals.

 

Coincidentally i just went out for a cruise and a termi pulled up next to me at the light. Really cool black on black vert. I would love to drive one of those one day

 

I think if I were to ever own a Ford, it would be an 03-04 Terminator..... Pretty cool cars.

 

I owned a heavily modded C5Z and currently own a slightly modded 04 Terminator. I also owned both completely unmodded. They are both fantastic choices with a huge aftermarket. The C5Z naturally handles better than the Terminator and prob is slightly more comfy with a better ride. (Hopefully you aren't worried about gas with these kind of cars .) The C5Z is def not far superior in acceleration than the Terminator. Its a very close 1, (equal driver skill of course) that in the quarter the Z will probably edge out. Shorter bursts the Z falls slightly behind the Terminator.

As pointed out above, little twisties and turns will be more enjoyable in the vette. Straight line with modding, Terminator for sure.

 

It's not a close one stock for stock. Not near a close one. How would a car that weighs less and makes more power/torque with superior gearing/traction/aerodynamics and is NA rather than FI ever fall behind.

 

So you've never drove one-correct?