Help buying another f body
03-10-2008, 03:01 PM
#1
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Help buying another f body hey what up everybody so heres my ordeal
i just recently sold my trans am
it was a 97 so it was a lt1
and i am ready to move up to a ls1 and i would love to purchase a
02 camaro ss or something in that area.. but from my experience i know that most of us who own or have owned f-body enjoy driving the **** out of our cars as i did to mine.. (sorry to whoever bought it lol)
so my question is, is there anything i do when loking at a car to tell if its had the **** run out of it.. ??
i just recently sold my trans am
it was a 97 so it was a lt1and i am ready to move up to a ls1 and i would love to purchase a
02 camaro ss or something in that area.. but from my experience i know that most of us who own or have owned f-body enjoy driving the **** out of our cars as i did to mine.. (sorry to whoever bought it lol)
so my question is, is there anything i do when loking at a car to tell if its had the **** run out of it.. ??
03-10-2008, 03:09 PM
#2
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if its an auto and you feel alil vibration its going out.... um bald tires, check if its been demodded like my car, i thought it just had a lid and some tuning. Come to find out when i did my last cam swap the TB was allready drilled out and it had a ported LS6 oil pump wich failed.
if it HAS NITROUS even if the owner says its never been used or if it was only on a dyno.. yea b.s. it was ragged the f...k out.
if it HAS NITROUS even if the owner says its never been used or if it was only on a dyno.. yea b.s. it was ragged the f...k out.
03-10-2008, 03:15 PM
#3
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IMO, If it is a mustang, camaro, or Firebird, it is one of the hardest driven cars on the street. You should assume they have all had the **** run out of them.
That said, look at the overall condition of the car. Get under it and check the cleanliness of the undercarriage. Check for small leaks.
Also keep in mind if it is a low mileage car and/or the owner claims it was driven sparingly, they were probably hard miles because it is a fair weather fun car. If it is someone's daily driver it might have more miles on it but odds are most of those miles are fairly easy because they don't want to break their only car.
There are exceptions to every one of the instances I mentioned though. Analyze the car and the owner at the same time. You can tell a lot about the car by talking to the owner.
Look at the tires. See if there are any signs of a burnout. Remember that these cars take abuse very well. Unless the owner didn't maintain the car and was bouncing off the limiter and missing shifts it should be fine.
That said, look at the overall condition of the car. Get under it and check the cleanliness of the undercarriage. Check for small leaks.
Also keep in mind if it is a low mileage car and/or the owner claims it was driven sparingly, they were probably hard miles because it is a fair weather fun car. If it is someone's daily driver it might have more miles on it but odds are most of those miles are fairly easy because they don't want to break their only car.
There are exceptions to every one of the instances I mentioned though. Analyze the car and the owner at the same time. You can tell a lot about the car by talking to the owner.
Look at the tires. See if there are any signs of a burnout. Remember that these cars take abuse very well. Unless the owner didn't maintain the car and was bouncing off the limiter and missing shifts it should be fine.
03-10-2008, 03:32 PM
#4
Who cares? If it runs good, more power to it.
In reality, you're going to have to do some work for any type of meaningful result at all.
A leakdown test and a compression test will both speak volumes about the condition of the engine. Google both of those terms to see what I'm talking about.
Other than the engine, the tranny and rear can both be inspected thoroughly visually, but you're not going to do that either, so refer back to my first point.
If you like the car and the price, buy it.
In reality, you're going to have to do some work for any type of meaningful result at all.
A leakdown test and a compression test will both speak volumes about the condition of the engine. Google both of those terms to see what I'm talking about.
Other than the engine, the tranny and rear can both be inspected thoroughly visually, but you're not going to do that either, so refer back to my first point.
If you like the car and the price, buy it.
03-10-2008, 03:33 PM
#5
if you really wanna see if he has peeled out with it check the fenders and bumper behind the back tire youll see tire rubber stuck to it....but cmon who doesnt peel out with a v8..
just look how it drives and miles....the guy i bougth it from told me he took out the slp lid and slp exuast because he even told me he took it to the track once i dont care he thats why there made for...just as long as it was taken care of....look if he has reciepts of maintenence and stuff..oil change reciepts and stuff...
just look how it drives and miles....the guy i bougth it from told me he took out the slp lid and slp exuast because he even told me he took it to the track once i dont care he thats why there made for...just as long as it was taken care of....look if he has reciepts of maintenence and stuff..oil change reciepts and stuff...
03-10-2008, 06:14 PM
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Look at the owner, if they are the original one. An 02 would obviously have the best possibility of that also. I agree with sharpe too, a compression test will speak wonders and doesn't take long.
03-10-2008, 07:36 PM
#7
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just do like i did, i test drove the **** out every f-body i could find for sale and bought the one they felt the strongest and lowest miles , if it does not feel any quicker than your lt1 dont buy it
Last edited by kw's01z28; 03-10-2008 at 08:44 PM.
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03-10-2008, 08:33 PM
#8
I would assume it's safe to say you can usually tell if a car has been thrashed on. Check for the usual stuff such as oil leaks, chassis, etc. The inside is also a good sign of how the car was treated. I know in my experience th eoverall apperance has really shown how the previous owner has treated it. Also test drives help.