I found a 2001 Z28 A4 with 38,000 miles on it for $12,000. I test drove it the other day, and I don't know whether to be impressed or not. As soon as I started it, I heard ticking, whining, and possibly a little knock.

The little knock sound went away as soon as I started driving it, so I'd guess it was just from the cold engine. The whining sounded like it could have been a belt or something to that effect.

As for the ticking, it could have been any of the common problems. Piston slap, rocker arm noise, bad lifter, spark plugs, exhaust leak. It didn't go away as I drove, which was about 10 minutes, and it definitely got up to temperature. There was also a Check Engine light on, which could have been any of a million possibilities.

Should I even think of buying this car? I don't want to spend all this money and have the thing crap out on me in a couple hundred miles. But aside from the noises and a little rust on the rotors, the car was like a dream. The engine roared like a beast and there were no bad suspension sounds. And the exhaust sounded nice too . Any suggestions?

There was also a little bit of lope to it. Like normal-normal-normal-lope-normal-normal-normal-lope. This is a totally stock car BTW.

 

I'd take the car to autozone and have the code read to see what it is...

 

yeah, deffinatley. cause that seems like a really good price for that car. althought that might be the reason its so cheap.

 

I would definitely get the code read. As far as the lope goes, my car does the exact same thing and just has a few bolt ons. But my car had H/C once before, maybe this car was not stock as well?

 

I'd pass if you don't feel 100% comfortable with the car.

 

This car was in some kind of fleet for a year, then was on a 4 year lease, then came to the dealer it's at now. I looked all over, in, and under the car and everything I saw was stock. They told me that the Check Engine light comes on and off and they're going to try to fix it, and that they're also going to buy me 4 new tires if I do decide to get it.

But yeah, I can say that I'm not 100%. As soon as I heard the ticking I got a little depressed, because I knew that was a bad sound. But then I drove it and didn't want to stop. I just don't want to pass up this deal. If it wasn't for the noise, I'd be butt-raping them buying at this price.

Decisions decisions

 

lease+fleet= lemon.....someone ragged it

 

I agree with staringback. There is a saying that goes "With patience, come what you want..." or somethign like that. Anyways, point is, be patient and you will find something that you are happy with.

 

My engine 'ticks' but I have heard that its normal with LS1s... its not the same noises my LT1 made.. but it made me pretty uneasy at first.

Just depends on how bad the 'tick' really is.

 

My 98 has a little slap when I first start it but then it goes away. Just go test another car you will find one that you trust your money with.

 

May not be anything serious, but I would not touch a "fleet" Z28. Even if the engine is fine for now, you know that thing has been seriously abused. IMO you should stay clear.

BTW, what organization gets Z28s for fleet vehicles, 'cause I want to work there.

 

fleet = poop

we have fleet cars here at my job. we rag the **** out of them

 

sounds VERY MUCH!!! Like rod knock to me. Piston slap takes a minute or two, rod knock about 10-20 seconds to dissipate. DO NOT BUY IMHO!!! (Unless you will be re-doing the motor, then just buy a 98 in good physical shape for less $).

 

Yeah but rod knock has a pretty distinctive 'knock' noise to it as the name implies.

I would be willing to put money on it that one of the fleet drivers beat the **** out of it and over-revved it, bending a pushrod or two. And I would furthermore bet the SES light is for a misfire or two.

PASS PASS PASS PASS PASS PASS PASS

 

Pushrods are easy enough to replace on an LS1 I hear, but still, why buy something that has been trashed?

 

OK, sounds like I'll be passing on this one then. The fleet thing was a little scary, but you all know how that "lust" thing works. I'll be good and keep looking. Thanks everybody.

 

pass. don't even think about wasting 12 g's on a car with an SES light on. i don't care if it's a bad O2. if one thing goes wrong, more seems to like to follow.

 

FYI, 12 grand isn't that great of a deal either.

 

LS1's can be quite noise for the first few minutes on start up though. I know mine tends to tick for the first few minutes and then goes away, something I have heard many LS1's do. My car has 30k babied miles too, no burnouts or anything.

From some I have heard that it's the tensioners and have also been told it's the piston and ring design that offers "a little" bit of slap when their cold that goes away once the motors are warm.

Food for thought

 

ya tickin is bad but no big thing to fix, usually pushrods etc. i would personaly pass on the car for their is more out thier