HELP - Buying a 2002 Z28 - Have Questions???
10-10-2011, 11:33 PM
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HELP - Buying a 2002 Z28 - Have Questions??? Hey guys,
Hope you can help. I am probably going to buy a 2002 Camaro Z28 and I have some worries. It has 163,000 miles, although it looks as if is in perfect condition.
The engine is sparkling clean, the interior looks beautiful, the paint is perfect and the lines on the car are as straight as can be.
I took it for a test drive and everything sounded perfect. It is a 4-Speed auto and it shifted perfect and felt like it did from the factory.
As I always do, I am going to have a Chevrolet certified mechanic run a diagnostic on it.
I am just worried because it does have 163,000 miles.
The good thing is that the owner of the car is an original owner, that has obviously babied the car from the day he bought it. He worked at the airport which is a 70 mile roundtrip commute each day (hence the high mileage) so they are all freeway miles.
Should I be worried??? What should I look for??? It seems like such a great deal.
Thanks in advanced guys!!!
Hope you can help. I am probably going to buy a 2002 Camaro Z28 and I have some worries. It has 163,000 miles, although it looks as if is in perfect condition.
The engine is sparkling clean, the interior looks beautiful, the paint is perfect and the lines on the car are as straight as can be.
I took it for a test drive and everything sounded perfect. It is a 4-Speed auto and it shifted perfect and felt like it did from the factory.
As I always do, I am going to have a Chevrolet certified mechanic run a diagnostic on it.
I am just worried because it does have 163,000 miles.
The good thing is that the owner of the car is an original owner, that has obviously babied the car from the day he bought it. He worked at the airport which is a 70 mile roundtrip commute each day (hence the high mileage) so they are all freeway miles.
Should I be worried??? What should I look for??? It seems like such a great deal.
Thanks in advanced guys!!!
10-11-2011, 09:16 AM
#2
on a cold start, listen for piston slap. i've seen ls1's go past 200k before without a hiccup. just buy it with the realization you probably aren't going to get another 50-80K out of it before a rebuild. and if you start making modifications at this point, its probably going to happen sooner.
but, having a good clean base is always a good thing, and a 1 owner car that was taken care of is the best place to start.
but, having a good clean base is always a good thing, and a 1 owner car that was taken care of is the best place to start.
10-11-2011, 03:09 PM
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I just bought a pristine 2002 Z28 6-speed on Saturday with 150,000 miles. This is my 3rd LS1 Camaro, and I can share a few little pieces of wisdom:
As with any used car, look for leaks underneath. If it's losing a lot of oil, you'll find it in the underside of the car. Have someone start it up cold, while you're looking under the hood. A little lifter noise is okay in the first few seconds but should go away. Piston slap should not be an issue with a 2002. GM applied a coating to the piston skirts after 2000 which eliminated the problem.
As for service life, you get out what you put in. If oil was changed with a quality motor oil every 3000-5000 miles, you could easily get well beyond 250,000 miles out of the motor. Especially if it truly was highway miles.
Pull the dipstick on the trans. Is the fluid pink, or is it dark and smelly? I would venture a guess that the trans has probably been rebuilt or replaced at least once.
Check the oil pressure while idling. Does the gauge go up immediately when started? Does it run over 45 PSI or higher on start and stay above that level after driving it around?
Watch the volt gauge on the dash carefully at idle and while driving. A bouncing needle or one reading in either red zone could mean an alternator or battery on the way out.
When driving, listen carefully towards the back end of the car. Any rumbling sounds or whine from the rear-end?
Give the brakes a good stab and see if you get some wobble through the wheel, as these cars love to warp rotors.
Other than that, I would check all of the electrical accessories to make sure they work. Power window motors are a HUGE problem on these cars. If it's got a power seat, check to make sure it works in all positions. Check the AC and the rear defroster, as well.
Obviously, some of these things are minor and can be easily fixed. They can also be used to help you get a better deal, if you really want to negotiate.
Out of curiosity, what is the asking price from the seller? Is it a t-top car? I paid $6700 for mine, which was a little on the high side for the miles, but I paid it because it has a newly rebuilt trans, a new clutch and a bunch of other brand new parts. It was also the exact car I was looking for.
Let us know how it goes!
As with any used car, look for leaks underneath. If it's losing a lot of oil, you'll find it in the underside of the car. Have someone start it up cold, while you're looking under the hood. A little lifter noise is okay in the first few seconds but should go away. Piston slap should not be an issue with a 2002. GM applied a coating to the piston skirts after 2000 which eliminated the problem.
As for service life, you get out what you put in. If oil was changed with a quality motor oil every 3000-5000 miles, you could easily get well beyond 250,000 miles out of the motor. Especially if it truly was highway miles.
Pull the dipstick on the trans. Is the fluid pink, or is it dark and smelly? I would venture a guess that the trans has probably been rebuilt or replaced at least once.
Check the oil pressure while idling. Does the gauge go up immediately when started? Does it run over 45 PSI or higher on start and stay above that level after driving it around?
Watch the volt gauge on the dash carefully at idle and while driving. A bouncing needle or one reading in either red zone could mean an alternator or battery on the way out.
When driving, listen carefully towards the back end of the car. Any rumbling sounds or whine from the rear-end?
Give the brakes a good stab and see if you get some wobble through the wheel, as these cars love to warp rotors.
Other than that, I would check all of the electrical accessories to make sure they work. Power window motors are a HUGE problem on these cars. If it's got a power seat, check to make sure it works in all positions. Check the AC and the rear defroster, as well.
Obviously, some of these things are minor and can be easily fixed. They can also be used to help you get a better deal, if you really want to negotiate.
Out of curiosity, what is the asking price from the seller? Is it a t-top car? I paid $6700 for mine, which was a little on the high side for the miles, but I paid it because it has a newly rebuilt trans, a new clutch and a bunch of other brand new parts. It was also the exact car I was looking for.
Let us know how it goes!
10-11-2011, 04:05 PM
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Cool! I got the Sport Appearance Package, as well.
$4400 is a screaming deal, even if the car winds up with having a few issues.
Unless it's ready to puke the crankshaft out at the pavement, I'd say go for it!
$4400 is a screaming deal, even if the car winds up with having a few issues.
Unless it's ready to puke the crankshaft out at the pavement, I'd say go for it!
10-11-2011, 04:28 PM
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If you think its a fair price (and I do) I would go for it. If it's in as good as condition as you say it is it and you like it get it. Replace parts as they wear out and upgrade them.
