78transam_inprogress

Well ive been looking at buying a trans am for a while now but while speaking with my parents tonight, theyve been ragging on me about how the car is 6-7 years old and how there are going to be tons of problems with a used car. I really want to prove them wrong but don't know how. They basically think that if I buy a trans am, its going to be a drag raced car that was run into the ground and is going to have tons and tons of problems.

So i was wondering if anyone knew of ways to check for signs of problems and such?

Lithium

iTrader: (47)

Rip through the gears basically...

78transam_inprogress

Im kind of knew to the whole car terminology but what does it mean to row through the gears or rip through ? and what would I be looking for ?

BiggCmass

iTrader: (1)

He means that if its a manual transmission to drive the car fast. He wants you to make sure the car can take whatever you are going to give it, so its best to just go all out and basically floor it through a few gears and make sure eveything works. If it can withstand a WOT ( Wide Open Throttle) run through a couple of gears without crying, you *might* know its OK.

I would think you would want to have a local mechanic check the car out if its private seller. If its a dealer, see what kind of warranty they offer.

What car are you looking at- it will help us help you better.

Chris

Zymosis

iTrader: (7)

That way he can come back and post "what mods can I do under warrenty"

BigDaddyZ28

And you don't think that a 6 or 7 year old TA has been 'beat on' a bunch of times... and sometimes severely beat on?

I am not goofing or making fun here, I am just being realistic and trying to help you out, if I can.

If this is the kind of car that you are looking for you should be ready to be responsible for it. Do you have a good job and a pile of $$$? If not, then you can save yourself a fortune by buying some tools and a good manual to do some of the maintenance and potential repairs yourself. You should try to save a little money up for 'just in case' something happens to it and it needs service. You should show your parents that you are committed to this project by getting a good manual and studying up on it all you can. Let them KNOW that you are serious about this car and willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen... If your dad sees you buying tools and getting a manual so you can fix your own ride, It may help him get comfortable about the idea and go along with it a little easier. He may even help you convince your MOM that you can handle it! Things will be easier with dad in your corner.

All 'sport' cars come with 'needs' that a stock 'rice burner' does not usually have... Going fast costs $$$ and continuing to go fast for a long time costs even more. This is something that you should expect. Your parents are likely just concerned about your safety and their wallets (because they may think that it will be their problem when something breaks down or you get hurt).

Let your parents know that you are willing to be responsible for your car and that you will be as safe as possible (even though you got a bunch of POWER ) while driving it. If you can help them put aside their fears then they may be more willing to go along with the idea.

As far as checking for signs of problems is concerned, If you are not mechanicly inclined and 'studied up' on these type of sport cars, then you could potentially save yourself a fortune by paying a good mechanic to look it over for you. Your parents will also have a harder time arguing with you about the cars condition if a reputable mechanic gives the car his approval. You will have an 'expert' opinion to help back you up on that one. It might cost you a few dollars to get a mechanic to go check it out with you but it could save you a buch of money in repairs and a lot of time debating with your folks...


I hope it all works out for you with your potential 'new ride'...
Good luck and keep us updated on how it goes!

catfSSh

iTrader: (1)

takin it to a mechanic you trust is the best, but if thats not possible, try to get a full throttle run in for a few seconds.
check for leaks, drips, grinding sounds, taps, anything out of the normal.

if its a private seller, ask what oil and how often it was changed, routine maintanence (sparkplugs, etc,)

and try to take it on the interstate up to maybe 70mph.