Daily Driver
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 301
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Daily Driver I want an LS1 car. The problem is, it'll be my daily driver. Otherwise I'd pick up any old car and fix it up.
Is 75,000 much to worry about? My mom (I'm 19, but she'd have to co-sign, in order to get a livable insurance rate... State Farm has a weird policy) does not like the idea of getting a car with 75,000 miles on it, but I don't see that as all that much. She's in the pseudo-consipracy philosophy that cars are made to break after 60,000 miles.
I don't put much credit in what she's saying, but I dunno... Maybe there is some truth to some of it. Do they get money-hungry after about that time? I know the engine is bullet-proof, but what about other crap? Water pump, power windows, etc...
Thanks.
Is 75,000 much to worry about? My mom (I'm 19, but she'd have to co-sign, in order to get a livable insurance rate... State Farm has a weird policy) does not like the idea of getting a car with 75,000 miles on it, but I don't see that as all that much. She's in the pseudo-consipracy philosophy that cars are made to break after 60,000 miles.
I don't put much credit in what she's saying, but I dunno... Maybe there is some truth to some of it. Do they get money-hungry after about that time? I know the engine is bullet-proof, but what about other crap? Water pump, power windows, etc...
Thanks.
I haven't had to replace anything except for the driver side window motor (these will be replaced soon if they haven't already, they don't last a whole long time) My a/c is leaking some now, but I havent had time to look to see what's wrong. Replaced both 02 sensors, probably mostly due to the cam and no tune. I have 112,000 miles on my car and it's been cammed for at least 30,000 miles. Three different cams. I broke the rear-end, but that's because of the power. These things last a long time without a lot of maintanence. I rebuilt the tranny @ 100k miles. I had to get a new third synchro. Most of these things could be avoided though with carefull driving.
11 Second Club
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,847
Likes: 1
From: Sandwich, IL
The LS1 is definately not bullet proof. But it is a pretty stout motor in its own rights. There are lots of guys here with 100-200K on these cars with minimal problems. My car has just hit 75K and so far I have had to replace nothing but the passenger side window motor, brake pads and tires.
But keep in mind that any car at 75K+ may be prone to the usual stuff going bad. Alternators, batteries and starter motors for example. But generaly speaking these cars stand up well to the test of time and miles so I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with 75K miles IF it's in good condition at the time of the purchase.
Good luck.
But keep in mind that any car at 75K+ may be prone to the usual stuff going bad. Alternators, batteries and starter motors for example. But generaly speaking these cars stand up well to the test of time and miles so I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with 75K miles IF it's in good condition at the time of the purchase.
Good luck.
My 2001 TA has only 41k on the clock, but I've been reading this board a lot for the past year and have not seen any indication from other posters that there's any particular mileage at which they tend to rapidly break down or any particular expensive parts that tend to give out after a certain mileage (unlike my parents' 91 Mercury Sable, whose tranny died at 75k; the mechanic said that the trannies on those all tend to give out around 80k).
That being said, in my experience on my last two cars (mustang: 88k miles to 146k and trans am: 99k miles to 142k), there are some failures you can expect. For example, clutches and water pumps tend to go out around 100k miles. But they're not intended to last the life of the vehicle, either, and they're not that expensive. Your alternator will probably go out, too, but again, they're under a hundred bux and easy to do yourself.
It all depends on how they've been cared for, and the older the car is, the more you have to check that out. If you can, get an oil analysis done (AAA has that available in their used-car check service).
-sectari
That being said, in my experience on my last two cars (mustang: 88k miles to 146k and trans am: 99k miles to 142k), there are some failures you can expect. For example, clutches and water pumps tend to go out around 100k miles. But they're not intended to last the life of the vehicle, either, and they're not that expensive. Your alternator will probably go out, too, but again, they're under a hundred bux and easy to do yourself.
It all depends on how they've been cared for, and the older the car is, the more you have to check that out. If you can, get an oil analysis done (AAA has that available in their used-car check service).
-sectari
I'm Formula has 84K on it and it's still going strong... you're pretty much gonna have to plan to do maintenance on it, though... Window motors, headlight motors, stuff like that... they break. You will have to replace them at some point. And parts aren't all that cheap in some instances. Tires, for example, will run you about $700-800 a set or more unless you're buying the **** tires. A clutch? $1000+ if you count the install.
Last edited by DrEvyl; Jul 12, 2006 at 01:00 PM.
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11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,524
Likes: 1
From: The South
IF it was taken care of before you aquired it you shouldn't have much in the way of problems. Window motors always need replaced, but that's really it until you get into mod related issues.
Be carefull what mods you do since it is your only car. I wish I had done my mods differently. It was fine the first four years, but this year it's been down due to either tranny problems or a broken rear end for two months already.
There is something to be said for building up your rear end, clutch, tranny, etc before adding power.
Be carefull what mods you do since it is your only car. I wish I had done my mods differently. It was fine the first four years, but this year it's been down due to either tranny problems or a broken rear end for two months already.
There is something to be said for building up your rear end, clutch, tranny, etc before adding power.
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