The 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra: The Best Car I've Ever Owned

Strangely, all three cars I have ever owned have been red Fords. My current car, however, a 2004 Mustang Cobra, is by far my favorite. It's a beautiful car, and because of a small modification I made using a little invention my mother created, it gets pretty good gas mileage, and spews out very few emissions as well.

I have owned a convertible Mustang in the past, but because I went all out with a Cobra, I opted for a hard top this time. The hard top was a difficult decision, but for the amount I was paying, I wanted it to be as secure as possible. It's also easier to maintain (you aren't supposed to take a soft-top convertible through the car wash at the local gas station), and lasts longer. It also doesn't let in as much cold air, which was important when visiting my parents in the High Desert.

The Mustang Cobra also has a six-speed manual shift transmission. This is the second manual shift Ford I have owned, and it's fantastic. I love being able to shift into neutral and coast whenever possible, to help save on gas. It's also great when you can shift to a lower gear for extra power to get up a steep hill. Shifting is smooth and responsive, and the awesome overdrive gear is great for better fuel economy.

One thing that many people wouldn't like is having to drive a manual shift in heavy traffic. Fortunately, I personally prefer having the manual shift because it gives me something to do while I wait. If I did not have anything to do with my hands, I would probably fall asleep at the wheel. With the manual shift, I never get very bored waiting in traffic.

My car also has a fantastic sound system, with a six CD-changer. The CD changer is great, since I still have a ton of CDs from way back when there weren't any such thing as MP3 players. I also have an iPod FM Transmitter, so I can listen to the newer music I have on my iPod whenever I want. I'm not a huge fan of radio, so the ability to listen to my own selection of music is a necessity, especially on my drive to work, or when stuck in traffic.

The Mustang Cobra also gets a lot of stares and comments. I know that when I'm feeling down or lonely, all I have to do is drive around for awhile. Someone is bound to give the thumbs up, a trance-like stare, or a friendly comment such as, "I love you're car," or "Wow! Nice car!" Any of these things have the potential to make me feel better when I'm down. In the instances when I don't get any comments or thumbs up, I have the pleasure of driving around in comfort, listing to my favorite music.