CHRRRIS

So a dealership right down the road from me has a 2000 Trans Am, 5.7, A4, Black ext., black leather int., T-tops... 106,000 miles. :/

It's completely stock, they want $8900. Said they just brought it down from $10,000... but the dealers are etchy and I don't believe half the stuff they say...

Anyways, carfax says 1 owner, clean/clear history, failed one emission test in 12/06, passed it in 1/07...completely original body apparently, coupe scuffs I can see, but it was dirty from snow around here.. So it was bought about an hour away in 10/00, so I'm guessing it's been a DD around here for the last 7 years (16,000 miles a year!) So it's gotta be rusty underneith..

So I test drove it, the roads were a little damp, with traction off, thing spun like no other from both a dig and a 20mph roll... traction on, it seems like it hesitates to get into 2nd gear.. don't know if that's a common A4 LS1 problem, or if the 4l60e could be going bad at 106k? Or if it's just the roads still..

Should I ask for a gear head from around my area (in the MW forum) to come check it out with me? I just can't tell if the tranny is good or not, and that scraes me. Plus, I know little about other important things to look for.

I'm wondering about the price for the mileage, but just a FYI... this dealership has a hate site (literally, someone made a site full of submitted hate blogs), I think mostly for new vehicle purchases and not holding their end on warranty issues, etc... But that kind of scares me too.

It sounds like an OK deal... or is it good? ... or bad?

Thanks guys.

Gun5

iTrader: (37)

test drive when dry and watch for slipping.. shift it in low 2nd and 3rd-D

CHRRRIS

Yea, hopefully tomorrow it'll be more dry. I'll check that out. I just fear that once I get it, the tranny will give me a headache and go out right away... I just posted in my regional forum asking if anyone near by would come check it out with me. But any other opinions?

CHRRRIS

OK what the hell.. I called them about an hour ago and told them that I was unsure of it and I am going to hold off for something with less miles... he just called back and said he could do $7,250...

WHAT THE HELL... seems like a pretty good deal now, but I've never heard of a dealership doing something like that... (Dropping the price $1,650 in less than an hour...over the phone) something must be wrong with it that I can't notice. gahhh

candlelit

iTrader: (21)

if the trans isn't messed up it would be a decent deal. but you can never tell from dealerships.

Tudds

iTrader: (4)

Chop them down again They made their offer now counter it, after you find out if its good or not

blown69ls1

iTrader: (3)

I am an owner of a dealership my self. Autocheck.com is a lil more detailed, all auctions run that. Just because it checks out ok on carfax and autocheck doesent mean the car is fine. Its all about if they turn it in to there insurance. The big thing on those cars is Frame Damage. There are many ways to tell. Take the car to a local Bodyshop that you are in good hands with. Get that looked at then check out the mechanics. Hope this helps you, good luck!

CHRRRIS

Blown, thanks for the advice. If I can't find someone local to come check it out, I'll make sure to have a mechanic I really like check out the whole under-carriage and what not. Let me know if you ever get any 98-02 LS1's... I'm in the market, haha.

blown69ls1

iTrader: (3)

You can have the one in the sig for a small lil fee $$,$$$.00 LOL

greg_74

iTrader: (9)

Not all true. My SS that I just bought was listed for $10,990 on autotrader and they said they were aggressive on their net prices. I guess it was listed for $12,900 at the dealership. So they bump it up to $11,990 on the net within the week that I was talking to them about it. So we talk to them about it and they say they will still negoitate at the $10,990 price so we offer them $10,000 expecting them to go down a little and they accept our offer of $10,000. Dealers are a lot more willing to deal because they make them up so much higher then what they paid for them in trade in. Private sellers are usually willing to go down a few hundred will dealers will go down a few thousand sometimes. It depends on the dealer, is it a new car dealer or a used car one? I got mine from a new car (Nissan) dealership up by Chicago.

CHRRRIS

New car dealer, some used... Yea, it makes sense. But they said they just broguht it down from $10k not too long ago and were stressing how good a deal $8900 was lol. I guess when they think someone is really serious then walks out, they tend to bargain.

greg_74

iTrader: (9)

Yeah they don't want to lose a potential buyer. You don't know anybody up in the Chi that knows alot about cars that can go with you?

Shinigami2x4

Take it to speed inc and have them check it out - they also have a dyno in house ect.

Texfinn

iTrader: (39)

If everything works properly and it's not wrecked etc., $7250 is a pretty good deal. If there is a problem with the tranny, the deal is not good at all.

WS6 Rampage

iTrader: (3)

I have the exact same car! Mine at 85K was Maket valued at 8,500. So they gotta make a profit some how so their in it to make about 1k over market value. Not a bad deal IMO!

Additionally,... I think with that milage I'd ask how many owners its had,.. and look into a rebuild

CHRRRIS

Yea I just got ahold of a F-body fanatic who's gonna check it out with me... he's gonna give 'em hell and talk them down way further than they want to go... but they won't in the end I bet, because some random 16 yo will like how it looks and ooooo it has a V8!!! so his parents will buy it cash on the spot... lol, with my luck, probably.

We'll check into the tranny the most, then I'll take it to my mechanic and have him check the frame, under body, everything twice. We'll see I guess.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

negotiate some more. you might see the 6s.

quadd2244

iTrader: (13)

Hey man also see if you can get someone with a scanner to possibly check things out as well and pull the dip sticks like I said and make sure everything looks clean

CHRRRIS

Good idea. I'll also check compression, and all that jazz... I bet I could act like the thing's about to fall apart and talk 'em into the 6's... might consider it.

WS6 Rampage

iTrader: (3)

Dude,.. honestly,.. with that mileage,.. that tranny is surviving on borrowed time! ... Forget the tranny,.. its gonna pop soon anyways. I'm not joking,.. I'd seriously look into a rebuild soon. Allot of people come into Strictly Performance Motorsports around 130k with a blown motor more than anything else.

If you can talk the guy down then do it but if you like that exact color scheme then I'll tell ya,.. from what I've heard,..a Blk-in/blk-out, local pickup, T/A (especially WS.6s and M6s) aren't easy to come by.