Firebirdfan

So I just found an LS1 TA about 3 hours or so from me on autotrader. Car looks good in the pictures, and I sent an email to the seller (but have yet to hear back, it's been 1.5 hours). I also have a phone number for the seller.

The car looks good in the pictures and looks to be stock from the engine bay pic. The only things I can see are a missing center console vent and a ripped bolster on the drivers seat.

The only issue with the car is that it's a 98. I know that the 98s have the center-bolt valve covers and the different PCM, but other than that, are there any other issues with the 98 cars? Thanks guys!

*edit* Also, the car is a non-WS6, has 138k miles and the person wants $4000 for it. Good deal?

chadaclysm

I could be wrong, but I think the 98s have trouble with the oil pump sometimes.

therealcreeper

iTrader: (37)

weaker rod bolts, but most of them don't have problems with the sail panel bubbling

shaun

well my car is a 98 and i dont have any sail panel paint problems.
now the 98's have perimeter valve cover bolts and the coils are mounted by them selves and the 99+ care are on a bracket and have center bolt covers.
like i said my car is a 98 but it has a 02 long block from a ws6 ans i havent had any problems geting it tuned.

ds98formula

iTrader: (3)

98 here as well. I have 113k and running strong. I wouldnt let the year stop you from getting an ls1

rs94z28

iTrader: (3)

'98 with 125k on the clock...DD and enjoy every mile!!!

i do have roof bubble issues tho', i think anything mfg'd in/after june of that year did from what i found, oh well!!!

tommyjack

If its a 6 speed car in west NC DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME!!!! I drove there from Morristown, TN about a 8 hour round trip drive. Guy on phone made the car sound great. Never wrecked, original paint, tranny great (said may need a clutch soon), driven like an old man, etc... Well the car didn't have a straight corner on it anywhere, the rear tail light sticking from quarter panel about 1.5 inches, paint rubbed off rocker panel where door rubs it. Leather seats were like card board where they had got wet then hot in the sun. You had to litterally cram the tannny into every gear. Oh yeah the car had a constant wine like it had a blower on it. Never did figured that out. After looking at the car for about 30 minutes I started to point this stuff out and he started spilling his guts how it got side swipped on this side then he wrecked it on the other side. Guy never looked me in the eye from that point on the rest of the time I was there. At time he was asking 6K but has now dropped it to 4K.

crossroads

iTrader: (5)

98 with no issues also, getting tuned on Friday

swoody

I wouldn't worry so much about the mileage or the year. What would concern me more is if/how often the owner maintained the car. How he acts when he's trying to sell the car to you lets you know a lot. If he's being honest, and points out every little scratch and ding I would buy that car in a heartbeat. If he tries to make the car sound like the best car in the world, and ignores or blows off imperfections, I would most definitely not buy the car. Call him on the phone, and see how he sounds, if he's an honest and upfront guy, chances are he takes good care of his car, too.

Firebirdfan

Car is long sold guys. Guy sold it like 3 weeks (if not more ago). I never even got the chance to look at it. I'm still looking, but haven't found anything at decent price (or distance for that matter) since that car.

Might just give up on the whole "2nd car" thing and just trade my Prix in for one at a dealer (who has one at a decent price) and pay the difference. I know that nobody on this forum would want to trade their WS6 for my Prix. I'd be willing to risk modding a DD. Even at that, it's hard enough to find one for a decent price.

NDFORSPD

Hard to get anyone to do a trade from a GP(even a GTP), if you can trade, its well worth it(the TA to me looks like a sportier version of the GP on the inside)....

WSsick

iTrader: (13)

not a big risk modding a DD, esp if you go just bolt ons, or even a mild H/C package.

Firebirdfan

Mine's an 06, and it's not in bad condition at all. Just has a lot of miles for an 06 (55,xxx as of right now). Only one semi-minor flaw is a chip on the rear bumper where someone's shopping cart hit it one day. No clue when it happened, or where, but I'm pretty sure it was at walmart. The rest of the car is in fantastic shape. Only issues is that most F-body guys trade UP to a corvette if they want to go faster or a G8/TBSS if they need space for kids. Not many are looking for a plain jane 4-door sedan.

Yeah, but I've got at least two buddies of mine who are F-body aficionados, that can help me with any problems. That, and I'm not one to just go mod the crap out of something all at once. Build it slowly, one thing at a time. No need to install a H/C/I and full exhaust all in a weekend. That just leads to trouble.

*edit* Oops...misread your post, sick. Yeah, simple stuff doesn't hurt reliability. I'd mainly do bolt-ons and a lot of suspension work. I'm more concerned about handling than going fast.

WSsick

iTrader: (13)

yeah dont let people tell you these cars wont handle for ****. they do pretty well for what they are, id love to go out and auto x some time, or a road course. plus, with a good suspension setup, it wont rattle as much and itll ride like a dream. but a little extra power never hurt

Firebirdfan

oh yeah, I know these cars can handle. They just need a few modifications to do it well (mainly shocks).

I already have a plan for the car, lol. Lid, ARH headers, custom, over-axle true duals, watt's link, strano hollow bars, strano springs, 4/4 konis, short-shifter of some kind, !EGR, !AIR, Vinyl interior, better seats, 6LE gauges (if still available), etc, etc...

Yeah....I've wanted one of these cars for a long, long time.

StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

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