zee11

I'm just kind of tossing this idea around. Maybe get some opinions from people who have owned both.

I've had 3 z06's now, one being supercharged and making 600whp. My buddy used to have an 04 Mustang GT that had a Kenne Bell on it. It only made 420whp but it was an absolute blast to drive. I've never driven an 03-04 Cobra, but I would assume they're similar.

I realize the z06 is probably a "better" car, and I still love mine. I would keep it and buy a Cobra as well, but I don't have the means (I'm 23).

I love the z06 because it looks good, is fun to drive, is basically reliable, and actually gets decent mileage. I'm pretty sure the Cobra is reliable as well, but I'd just be guessing.

Ideally, I want a DD with ~500whp. It seems like, again, correct me if I'm wrong, a Cobra would be easier to safely get to this number. A stock z06 just doesn't feel quick to me anymore, and I crave speed I guess. I own a liter bike as well, and that sometimes gets me by, but it's not the same as a car. My current z06 is stock, and I don't want to go the supercharger route again (too much money for me). I also live at 7000 feet, so pretty much everything is slow to begin with.

Any opinions would be great! Sorry for rambling.

marty mar

03 04 Cobras are awsome cars. I have owned several SVT Cobras,
but no Terminators,because of the price. If drag racing or roll racing is your thing, you can't go wrong with the Cobra. Both are awsome cars.

Silnus

Cobra with a twin screw is sick. They sure can look sharp if done up right. However, my buddy had full boltons, 2.76 pulley, lower, and full blower port with ice reservoir for IC. My medium cam, AFR 205 heads Z06 beat him pretty decently. So to really smack a heads/cam Z06 in a cobra, you need a twin screw...or nitrous...or both.

Grimlock

I thought about it before I got the C5Z, but I decided it just wasn't the car for me. I also drove a new-ish GT500 and decided I didn't like it much better than the SRT8 I was driving at the time. My goal was a light car, so the C5Z was a perfect fit. I am an autocross or road coarse kind of guy....buy C5Z will never see a drag strip ever.

onspeed

Would not make that trade. I like the terminators, but at the end of the day, it's a mustang.

Tunedprt91

I will add one to my stable one day to park next to my z and my 96 cobra vert. My buddy has a pullied 03 cobra and we drive eachothers cars every now and then. Love that whine!

RaW Z06

I have owned an '03 Kenne Bell Supercharged Mustang GT with 2.73 gears (Dyno'ed 420hp to the rear wheels)

It was straight line fast and fun to spin the wheels. But not a Z06 caliber car.

Sold the Mustang. Bought the Z and never looked back.

hardcore4sure

Hell NO! It would take about 500rwhp just to stay with a bolt on Z

skyavonee

Let's not get too carried away here. Bolt-on Z's only make ~390rwhp. Terminators don't need an extra 100+ hp just to stick with us in a straight line. Maybe on an autocross course or tight road course, though.

WowGuyZ06

I've owned both..I always wanted a 'Vette, but back when I was in the market, they were alot more expensive than Terminators, and I really liked the interior of the Termy more. So I got an 03 Mineral Grey..(only a few made). It had intake, exhaust, pulley, and a tune...it made 476 to the wheels...and the entire time I owned it, I couldn't stop thinking about a C5Z....but that's just me.

The car was very powerful, and a blast to drive, but it was just so heavy and you could feel the body roll a lot. I lowered it a bit, and that seemed to help. I loved the sound as well, very distinctive throaty sound! Another note, it sucked down the gas...it was HORRIBLE on gas mileage..at least mine was. So now, I own my C5Z finally supercharged making 607 whp...and I couldnt be happier.

But, I have to admit, at times I do miss the Terminator.

danziger

2003-04 Cobras are great cars for what they are. However, I would consider that a big step backwards in overall performance.

This is coming from a guy that owned two pretty decent 5.0 Foxes and had a 2003 GT at his disposal for about a year, so don't think I'm just being brand loyal.

IMXCITD

had many mustangs, a few camaros and many vettes....in the end...I always come back to the vette. Although a cobra would be fun....you would miss the vette. I say keep the Z06, work harder.....earn more cabbage and mod the vette. I say s/c...but you don't want to do that...so what...heads,cam,exhaust, gears? stroker? naaaaaaaz? The s/c will be the easiest and most bang for the buck.....and you will really enjoy it.

ThumperNC24

do H/C/I on your vette.

That should net you ~460rhwp (mine is at 466) and you will be a lot faster than a 500whp cobra even in a straight line.

onspeed

More like 400-420hp.

The average bolt-on termintaor is putting down 450-470rwhp. Would easily dust a bolt on C5Z.

95rtturbo

^ A 450-470WHP Terminator would not "dust" a bolt on C5 ZO6. That would be a very close race.

onspeed

edit - nvm.

corvetteandsilverado

I know that street racing is frowned upon on this web site or whatever but last year at a car show a terminator pulled up on me talking all kinds of trash I was just chilling at the light. I guess he heard my cam and wanted to try it he said he was making 600 hp but I didnt look at his car but I know mine makes 420 wrhp. Well lets just say its didnt play out in his favor

zee11

Yep. My friend's 420whp Mustang GT would always slightly pull on my bone stock c5z. We raced from almost every speed (on a closed course, obviously): 0, 5 roll, 10 roll...70 roll, etc. The higher the speed, the closer the race was though.

Then when I supercharged my z, we did another roll race, and I think I pulled a few buses on him. He sold it and bought a sport bike after that, which I still pulled on... Poor little 600's lol.

Jaxian

I know anecdotal but it's my experience. My friend had a stock '04 Termi in red. It broke 3 transmissions and two rear ends and assorted engine accessories in normal daily driver use. Never raced or abused, it was his only transportation. He was heart broken, he bleeds Ford blue. But the fact was the car couldn't take being used as a daily driver even nicely without apparently a lot more 'enthusiast upkeep' than a normal car. So away it had to go.

One other thing. How tall are you? I sat in his car and even at '6"3-210ish my arms and legs and head and knees hit everywhere. Not nearly as large inside as the Z. I mean it's a small thing but if it's your driver it might get old in the Termi.

All that said they do make great drag cars, except for the IRS. YMMV.

corvetteandsilverado

if you search youtube for corbra vs C5Z there are a million races between these two cars its been going on for years and you will see the differences