Chevrolet Camaro 1967-2002 - Looking at a 2000 Z28 on Thursday maybe, anything to look out for?

So on Thursday, I will be taking my NY State road test. If I pass (I've been driving rentals for the last year on my UK license and before that, had been driving since I was 18) I'll be going to look at a Camaro.

The most expensive car that I'd ever bought in the UK was for £750, it had a 2 litre engine and already had 140,000miles on it so my expectations need to be pushed up quite substantially!.

This car is about $10,000, has about 50,000miles on it and from the photos looks clean. When I put it's VIN into Google, I found that it has been for sale for about 2 months and started at $11,000.

What kind of things should I look for on the car physically? This will be the first rear wheel drive car I own (never really liked BMWs when I grew up in England, MX5/Miatas always looked like hairdressers' cars and by the time I could afford a 200SX, they'd all been drifted to death).

What should I expect to be working and to not be working electronically? As I'll be getting a loan to buy it, ideally, I'd like it to all be working! What should I look for to make sure its mileage is true? Abnormally worn steering wheel and damaged seat bolsters I already know, is there anything else? How can I tell if the T-Tops will be watertight? Should I try taking them out and check the rubber seals? How should it feel mechanically? Should the AC make the idle drop by much? Should there be much play in the steering wheel and gearstick?

Really, what things should I worry about and make me just walk away from the car versus what things should I recognize and try to offer a lower price, and how much would be fair to drop by?

Thanks!

Do a search on things to look for, here is a FAQ from the general maintenance section:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/general-maintenance-repairs/929492-general-maintenance-repairs-faq-please-read-before-starting-thread.html
The most common problem the fbodies (camaro and firebird) have are weak power window motors. You will notice the passenger side is slower than the drivers, this is normal. But make sure they both work (if not its honestly a cheap and easy fix).
Look at the engine bay for any mods, and if anything doesn't look right. Look under the car for any chassis/suspension mods and any rust. Take your Camaro friend with you to look.
Steering should be heavy and tight with no play, and the factory shifter (if it has the factory shifter) should have long throws but no "play". Clutch will probably be a little light and grab near the top. Car should feel overall solid.

Look at numerous cars just to get an idea of what is "normal" and what is not.
Post pictures of the car you are looking at on here and we can tell you whats stock and not.
Stock engine bay looks like this:
http://image.gmhightechperformance.com/f/17467459+w750+st0/0905gmhtp_04_z+1999_chevy_camaro_ss+stock_ls1_engi ne.jpg

Thanks JD_AMG!

I did take a read through that guide, lots of great advice, the seafoaming looks kinda scary to do, but I'd probably give it a go.

Here are some photos of the car. It looks stock to me, and not too ravaged by time, but as you said, I'll know more when I see it. An English lady at the office I do IT support for passed her NY test this morning, she's been driving for 30 years and found it hard to stop her bad habits for the test, so hopefully I'll be ok as I've actually taken lessons here to make sure my driving is how they want it to be...

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/exterior.jpg
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/enginebay.jpg
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/hatchback.jpg
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/dashboard.jpg
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/mileage.jpg
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh552/steev1821/LS1tech/driverseat.jpg

Thanks JD_AMG!

I did take a read through that guide, lots of great advice, the seafoaming looks kinda scary to do, but I'd probably give it a go.

No prob, and with only 50K miles don't worry about seafoaming it.
I would just change all the fluids, change the spark plugs and wires and clean everything up.

Here are some photos of the car. It looks stock to me, and not too ravaged by time, but as you said, I'll know more when I see it. An English lady at the office I do IT support for passed her NY test this morning, she's been driving for 30 years and found it hard to stop her bad habits for the test, so hopefully I'll be ok as I've actually taken lessons here to make sure my driving is how they want it to be...

Car does look stock, and clean too. E-brake looks like it may be loose or the spring is messed up (easy fix) judging by how high up its pulled. Go drive the car and check back in here.

I saw in the Long Island thread that you are in queens too.
Road tests in queens are fairly easy.
PM me a list of places where road tests are scheduled and I can pick out easy places.

Car looks factory original btw and fairly priced for its age & mileage.

If you drive it hard you can expect the rear to be going out. and after a few years ive heard around 7 the vats system starts giving trouble but mine is 11 and just now giving me trouble

but very clean looking car

I saw in the Long Island thread that you are in queens too.
Road tests in queens are fairly easy.
PM me a list of places where road tests are scheduled and I can pick out easy places.

Car looks factory original btw and fairly priced for its age & mileage.

Thanks, I'm scheduled for tomorrow 9am, at Garden City. Another friend who grew up in Nassau County took his test there and said it was pretty easy. I really only scheduled it there because it was the soonest I could book.

If you drive it hard you can expect the rear to be going out. and after a few years ive heard around 7 the vats system starts giving trouble but mine is 11 and just now giving me trouble

Yeah, I'm not sure how hard I'll be driving it at first. I'd like to try Autocross and maybe go on from there, but at first will be fine with just driving responsibly and to do some kind of advanced course with RWD cars, so I can learn how to properly control these monsters...

Step one done, passed the test with 0 points given. Calling the dealer to see if I can look at the car today now :)

Well, an afternoon has passed. I went to the dealer, tried the car, I do like how spartan they are inside, it almost feels stripped out compared to the 5th gens. (I do like the HUD in the new ones though).

It felt like everything about the car was stock. It was even a plain old coupe. No T-Tops to worry about and it was just nice to drive. The exhaust note was nothing like my friends one, it was quiet and restrained, but when it accelerated, it was great. It had an SLP gearknob, I'm not sure if that's stock or not, but that was probably the only modification on the car (not short throw though).

I put in a credit application, not really sure if I can put anything down or trade anything, and it looks like they need me to put down $2000 or so. This may put a spanner in the works (almost definitely for having it this weekend), but I've been looking at what I can do. May be able to trade in a Focus, we were considering to use that when my wife goes for her driving test, but she doesn't look too interested in driving herself...

All the speakers seemed to work and the system sounded pretty nice. AC worked, remote central locking worked, so did the windows and underneath, the car looked fine, everything seemingly stock. Apparently the previous owner had bought a new SS to replace this.

Any way, my newcomer credit is the thing holding this up, let's see what happens over the next few days. I offered them a couple of options, worst case being I have to save for a couple of months to get the $2000 cash together and get the Focus back on the road, best case seemingly that they accept the Focus as it is (not started for 2 years) and a lower amount of cash... Ugh, I feel kind of sick as that car was great.

good luck, these cars are a lot of fun. Let us know what happens.

Looks like the passenger fender is a different shade than the hood and door and quarter.not huge deal but I would take a closer look to be sure there is no structural damage that can't be seen.

And hope everything works out.