ryle

iTrader: (19)

Hey guys! I was up till this last october a proud F-Body Owner. Unfortunately I ended up totaling my car on October 24th this last year and I haven't been the same since.

When I bought my Trans Am, I was looking at how many miles were on it and appearance. I am taking a slightly different approach this time... I am planning on buying probably a 98 Trans Am with some higher miles because I can get it reasonably priced. I know that there are going to be people on here telling me that I should buy a better car with less miles..... Well, I'm 23 with a wife and 2 kids... cash is kinda tight.

The mileage on the engine really doesn't matter to me as I am going to be pulling it out and building it up anyway. What kind of things should I be weary of when I'm looking for a Trans Am with like 100,000+ miles on it? anyone have any experience with higher mileage f-bods?

MattIROC

iTrader: (19)

Check all fluids, give the car some hell while driving it. Make sure the tranny shifts fine, no leaks, etc. I bought my first 98 TA in 05 w/ 126k miles and sold it at 145k. No major problems, just had to replace parts that went out (alternator, rack and pinion), had the tranny gone through (no major problems). Car burned a little oil, but ran tip top.

I regret selling it, but I got back into another 98 TA this time a4 though about 8 months ago. This one is in much better condition than my other one and has a little less miles.

All in all, I would just make sure theres been no major damage to the vehicle, check for paint work, etc. I would look for one with under 130k miles. Maybe you can specify how much you are looking to spend. I got this 98 TA for $7200 with 113k on it. 3 owner (2 of them women owners), very well taken care of, no major accidents. Driven it 14k miles in 8 months, and everything is solid. Bought my 6spd in 05 for $7800, but needed some work.

The Manalishi

iTrader: (3)

Same things with any car. Has it been well maintained and is there proof of it. As far as F-Bod specific I can't think of anything off hand other than if its a LT1 car make sure the Opti is fairly new and even that is no guarantee. LOL

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I would say be cognicant of who you are buying from, as it should say a lot about the potential condition the car is in. If you buy if from some kid who's 19 years old who just beat the snot out of it and doesn't know what an oil dipstick is, chances are it has not been kept up on its maintenance well.

Buy it from a 19 year old kid who is a fanatic who loves the car, and knows how to work on it and keep it up, and you might find a very well maintained vehicle that when it comes down to it is probably worth the same as the previous possible car mentioned.

Specifically, feel the car and how it drives, shifts, brakes, and sounds. That can be a good way to tell if anything major is wrong or will be going wrong soon. Past that, check under the hood, and look for condition of the fluids and see how clean everything looks. If under the hood is clean, and the fluids are also clean, it is probably another indication it has been well taken care of. Any maintenance records, or reciepts from shops are also a good thing. Check seals if possible under the car. Look for original parts like original looking oxygen sensors, plug wires ect., as these are all things that need to be replaced once you've broken that 100,000 mile mark most times.

Generally speaking, if the car looks like it has been maintained well, it probably has. But just because it looks clean, doesn't necissarily mean it will last for a long time with little repairs.

One more thing to look for when looking for a good deal is maybe looking at Z28's and Formula's or TA's compared to SS or WS6 models. They aren't worth nearly as much, but would take very little money to make just as fast if not faster.

newton

iTrader: (4)

I bought mine at 158k miles. I looked at the car for all signs of abuse. I made sure it didn't burn oil, had no head gasket issues, and even checked the rear fender for pieces of rubber just so I know the car was not involved in any sort of burnout competition.

It pulled strong and hard, so I bit the bullet.

WhosNXT

Just check to see if it was well maintained. Lsx motors have shown time and time again they can handle high mileage. If the car drives fine, does not smoke, have major leaks,or make any out of the ordinary engine noise it is most likely fine. On the other hand if the car is an auto you may have problems. The 4l60e does not stand up to miles as well as the motor, also there may be issues with the rear.

CJDZ24_Z28

iTrader: (75)

I would do the same to a high mileage car as a low mileage car i brought used. Like stated change all fluids,plugs etc. Here is my Formula when i brought her last month. Pulls just like my 70k Vette

miamifan3413

iTrader: (1)

140,000 here and still pulls strong.....like stated previously just check for burning oil, main seal leak, rear pinion leaks, clunking sound from rear end

ryle

iTrader: (19)

Thanx for the insight guys. This is kinda what i was expecting. I am really not the most concerned with the engine and trans, as I am going to be pulling it out and rebuilding both although it would probably be a good idea to get ones that haven't been beaten too badly. I can't wait till I can get around to buying my next one, It's killing me not havin my TA! I'm going through torque withdrawl! Thanx again!

CHRRRIS

If you don't get the 98 you're talking about.. I think I've found a pretty good deal on a 00 a4 today (up near NW Chicago). 106k miles. Shoot me a PM if you're interested, I may be as well. lol