Going to look at a White M6 2001 Formula today...What to watch out for?!?
08-12-2008, 12:44 PM
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Going to look at a White M6 2001 Formula today...What to watch out for?!? As title states...
Its got torque thrust II's, needs tires, but otherwise its an M6, all stock, great looking stance, Ram Air hood with 80k miles.
They are asking $13.5k. I'm thinking i definatly need to get them down to 13k, but in th meantime does anyone have good tips specific to this car as to how i might can talk him down more, as well as what i should keep my eyes peeled for?!?
Its got torque thrust II's, needs tires, but otherwise its an M6, all stock, great looking stance, Ram Air hood with 80k miles.
They are asking $13.5k. I'm thinking i definatly need to get them down to 13k, but in th meantime does anyone have good tips specific to this car as to how i might can talk him down more, as well as what i should keep my eyes peeled for?!?
Last edited by quickblue2; 08-12-2008 at 09:17 PM. Reason: pictures
08-12-2008, 12:57 PM
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Offer him 11 out the door. and work from there. <----Car salesman lol. Id check for general wear stuff. Seats being torn, bubbly tint, Filthy interior. A good portion of fbody people(at least formula ws6 ss etc.) are enthusist. So if the car as a whole looks nice its prolly been fairly well taken care of. Check the window motors. Make sure the ac blows cold that kind of thing.
08-12-2008, 01:10 PM
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Offer him 11 out the door. and work from there. <----Car salesman lol. Id check for general wear stuff. Seats being torn, bubbly tint, Filthy interior. A good portion of fbody people(at least formula ws6 ss etc.) are enthusist. So if the car as a whole looks nice its prolly been fairly well taken care of. Check the window motors. Make sure the ac blows cold that kind of thing.
Thanks for the advice, i think i actually heard someone say something about checking window motors the other day, I'l double check the A/C. Anything else guys?
08-12-2008, 01:16 PM
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look for signs of abuse from the spray, plugged holes in the intake. Holes under the hood at the fenders where nitrous relays, rpm switches were...
check the 10 pin (white wire off the PCU) see if it was spliced, indicates a tachometer was hooked up.
check the 10 pin (white wire off the PCU) see if it was spliced, indicates a tachometer was hooked up.
08-12-2008, 01:57 PM
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Check for bubbling of the sail panel, as stated that the headlights and windows work properly. Check the oil, ask when was the last time it was changed. Check the clutch and brake fluid, ask when they were last changed as well. Also if the door panels have a sign of the crack, that can bring the price down considering the crack will get worse through time. Good luck
-Joel
-Joel
08-12-2008, 03:22 PM
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definatly talk him down to at least 11grand and i would only pay that if the car was damn nice, there are awsome deals on ls1 cars out there with less than 90K miles on them, you just have to be patient and wait for the good deal to come along.
my advice is if the engine is dirty shut the hood and walk away.
my advice is if the engine is dirty shut the hood and walk away.
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08-12-2008, 03:34 PM
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definatly talk him down to at least 11grand and i would only pay that if the car was damn nice, there are awsome deals on ls1 cars out there with less than 90K miles on them, you just have to be patient and wait for the good deal to come along.
my advice is if the engine is dirty shut the hood and walk away.
my advice is if the engine is dirty shut the hood and walk away.
The deal is I'm having a hard time getting patient. My current car will be retired after this month. It needs over $3.5k+ of work done to it and its a $1.5k car at BEST! So...after this month the inspection & registration wont be legal, AND i start school back in 2 weeks, so i need to find something SOON to give time for loans to go through, etc...
I'll post back in this thread to let everyone know what happens
08-12-2008, 03:55 PM
#9
$13.5K for a 01 Formula? I asume you have to pay sales tax and fees on top of that??? Full Retail is only $11K for it. Hell I would sell you my white 02 Firehawk Formula for that (please no body PM about it unless you have cash! )
Where are you located??? The middle east???
IMO thats at least $3K-$4K too much. I wouldnt pay over $9.5K for it...thats trade in and in todays market you should be able to buy it for that. The hood and wheels are cool but not worth much if its at a car lot...I bet they have less than $8K in it.
All I can tell you is cash talks...and dont be scared not to buy it!
I asume you have to pay sales tax and fees on top of that??? Full Retail is only $11K for it. Hell I would sell you my white 02 Firehawk Formula for that (please no body PM about it unless you have cash! )Where are you located??? The middle east???
IMO thats at least $3K-$4K too much. I wouldnt pay over $9.5K for it...thats trade in and in todays market you should be able to buy it for that. The hood and wheels are cool but not worth much if its at a car lot...I bet they have less than $8K in it.
All I can tell you is cash talks...and dont be scared not to buy it!
Last edited by 97ramsst; 08-12-2008 at 04:42 PM.
08-12-2008, 06:47 PM
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I've bought numerous cars and I can tell you that if they wont budge on something like stating "we cant go lower then 12k," and clearly the cars not worth that much, then just walk away. I'll then give you less then a few hours and they will be calling you to come back and talk. If they dont then dont worry, there are plenty of cars out there. Just take your time and be patient, the right one will come along and you'll pay what you want for it. Also, to help you out- browse around and see what else is out there to compare this car too. Bring in info on other cars and act like you've already seen them and the dealer will sell you the car for $xxxxx. It usually works. COMPARE and have the FACTS to back it. Also, make sure you drive it before you buy it!!!!! Good luck.
08-12-2008, 09:15 PM
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**Update**
Ok its NOT a formula, but it is a Ws6 with the badge removed (i believe), is there a way to check the VIN to see if it is a Ws6? Carfax calls it a formula/transam.
Problems:
1. had a ding on the right rear quarter panel (a baseball at low speed could have done this, not very noticeable.
2. Had a very small chip on the driver side door
3. A 2 inch scratch on the top of the passenger side view mirror
4. a 4 inch strip of yellow paint on the front bumper, not sure what this was...could have been touch up paint for another car
5. The black peice in between the ttops was faded pretty bad on top
6. The tail light on the spoiler had a crack (the crack was visible but running your finger over the tail light you couldnt even feel the cracks...)
7. I believe the original clutch is on it since it takes some distance to get it to engage but it still catches gears fine
8. The car pulls to the right pretty noticeably but the front tires need to be replaced (Also the front right tire is VERY bald on the outside, the seller said it has a fresh alignment but it needs that front tire so it wont pull to the right)
9. 2 rims have some curb rash
10. Powersteering is making noise (he assures me it just needs fluid and there are no leaks)
11. Passenger side window is a little bit slower to rull up or down.
Goods:
1. interior is pretty much flawless, looks like it has 25k miles on it rather than 80, not a single rip!
2. Paint looks great, other than a couple issues mentioned above.
3. My first T/A driving experience was fun!!
My discussion with the seller assuming a $12.8k selling price:
The seller would have the car buffed, and have problems 1-5 fixed up in the "problems" section (these were pretty minor but nothing wrong with being picky)
As of right now the car is scheduled to get looked over at a nearby Pontiac dealership tomorrow, and to get the powersteering looked over specifically. I will then make final decisions and final bids if it checks out good.
Anything else I'm missing guys? What do you think a fair price should be at this point?
Pics:
Ok its NOT a formula, but it is a Ws6 with the badge removed (i believe), is there a way to check the VIN to see if it is a Ws6? Carfax calls it a formula/transam.
Problems:
1. had a ding on the right rear quarter panel (a baseball at low speed could have done this, not very noticeable.
2. Had a very small chip on the driver side door
3. A 2 inch scratch on the top of the passenger side view mirror
4. a 4 inch strip of yellow paint on the front bumper, not sure what this was...could have been touch up paint for another car
5. The black peice in between the ttops was faded pretty bad on top
6. The tail light on the spoiler had a crack (the crack was visible but running your finger over the tail light you couldnt even feel the cracks...)
7. I believe the original clutch is on it since it takes some distance to get it to engage but it still catches gears fine
8. The car pulls to the right pretty noticeably but the front tires need to be replaced (Also the front right tire is VERY bald on the outside, the seller said it has a fresh alignment but it needs that front tire so it wont pull to the right)
9. 2 rims have some curb rash
10. Powersteering is making noise (he assures me it just needs fluid and there are no leaks)
11. Passenger side window is a little bit slower to rull up or down.
Goods:
1. interior is pretty much flawless, looks like it has 25k miles on it rather than 80, not a single rip!
2. Paint looks great, other than a couple issues mentioned above.
3. My first T/A driving experience was fun!!
My discussion with the seller assuming a $12.8k selling price:
The seller would have the car buffed, and have problems 1-5 fixed up in the "problems" section (these were pretty minor but nothing wrong with being picky)
As of right now the car is scheduled to get looked over at a nearby Pontiac dealership tomorrow, and to get the powersteering looked over specifically. I will then make final decisions and final bids if it checks out good.
Anything else I'm missing guys? What do you think a fair price should be at this point?
Pics:
08-12-2008, 09:29 PM
#12
**Update**
Ok its NOT a formula, but it is a Ws6 with the badge removed (i believe), is there a way to check the VIN to see if it is a Ws6? Carfax calls it a formula/transam.
Problems:
1. had a ding on the right rear quarter panel (a baseball at low speed could have done this, not very noticeable.
2. Had a very small chip on the driver side door
3. A 2 inch scratch on the top of the passenger side view mirror
4. a 4 inch strip of yellow paint on the front bumper, not sure what this was...could have been touch up paint for another car
5. The black peice in between the ttops was faded pretty bad on top
6. The tail light on the spoiler had a crack (the crack was visible but running your finger over the tail light you couldnt even feel the cracks...)
7. I believe the original clutch is on it since it takes some distance to get it to engage but it still catches gears fine
8. The car pulls to the right pretty noticeably but the front tires need to be replaced (Also the front right tire is VERY bald on the outside, the seller said it has a fresh alignment but it needs that front tire so it wont pull to the right)
9. 2 rims have some curb rash
10. Powersteering is making noise (he assures me it just needs fluid and there are no leaks)
11. Passenger side window is a little bit slower to rull up or down.
Goods:
1. interior is pretty much flawless, looks like it has 25k miles on it rather than 80, not a single rip!
2. Paint looks great, other than a couple issues mentioned above.
3. My first T/A driving experience was fun!!
My discussion with the seller assuming a $12.8k selling price:
The seller would have the car buffed, and have problems 1-5 fixed up in the "problems" section (these were pretty minor but nothing wrong with being picky)
As of right now the car is scheduled to get looked over at a nearby Pontiac dealership tomorrow, and to get the powersteering looked over specifically. I will then make final decisions and final bids if it checks out good.
Anything else I'm missing guys? What do you think a fair price should be at this point?
Pics:
Ok its NOT a formula, but it is a Ws6 with the badge removed (i believe), is there a way to check the VIN to see if it is a Ws6? Carfax calls it a formula/transam.
Problems:
1. had a ding on the right rear quarter panel (a baseball at low speed could have done this, not very noticeable.
2. Had a very small chip on the driver side door
3. A 2 inch scratch on the top of the passenger side view mirror
4. a 4 inch strip of yellow paint on the front bumper, not sure what this was...could have been touch up paint for another car
5. The black peice in between the ttops was faded pretty bad on top
6. The tail light on the spoiler had a crack (the crack was visible but running your finger over the tail light you couldnt even feel the cracks...)
7. I believe the original clutch is on it since it takes some distance to get it to engage but it still catches gears fine
8. The car pulls to the right pretty noticeably but the front tires need to be replaced (Also the front right tire is VERY bald on the outside, the seller said it has a fresh alignment but it needs that front tire so it wont pull to the right)
9. 2 rims have some curb rash
10. Powersteering is making noise (he assures me it just needs fluid and there are no leaks)
11. Passenger side window is a little bit slower to rull up or down.
Goods:
1. interior is pretty much flawless, looks like it has 25k miles on it rather than 80, not a single rip!
2. Paint looks great, other than a couple issues mentioned above.
3. My first T/A driving experience was fun!!
My discussion with the seller assuming a $12.8k selling price:
The seller would have the car buffed, and have problems 1-5 fixed up in the "problems" section (these were pretty minor but nothing wrong with being picky)
As of right now the car is scheduled to get looked over at a nearby Pontiac dealership tomorrow, and to get the powersteering looked over specifically. I will then make final decisions and final bids if it checks out good.
Anything else I'm missing guys? What do you think a fair price should be at this point?
Pics:
OK...is it a Trans Am or Formula? You can have a WS6 in either. Car fax calls both Formula/Trans Ams.
There is no way to tell if its a real WS6 just by the VIN...you have to look on the RPO codes on the drivers side door. If "WS6" is listed then its real...if not its not. Its that simple to check. BUT I would lean toward it not being a real one before I would think it was real with the emblem missing...just a guess.
So just for fun lets say its a plain TA with a hood and a list of problems (none of which are too bad by themselves but together they certainly add up!) The clutch and PS problems are not cheap repairs (since I doubt you could do the work yourself.) I wouldn't pay over $9K for the car....actually I wouldnt pay close to that for it but I guess thats a fair price. I think you could find a lot better car for the same money.
Last edited by 97ramsst; 08-12-2008 at 10:15 PM.
08-12-2008, 09:34 PM
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So just for fun lets say its a plain TA with a hood and a list of problems (none of which are too bad by themselves but together they certainly add up!) The clutch and PS problems are not cheap repairs (since I doubt you could do the work yourself.) I wouldn't pay over $9K for the car....actually I wouldnt pay close to that for it but I guess thats a fair price. I think you could find a lot better car for the same money.
Thanks for the advice on price though...Like i mentioned in another post, i HAVE to find something by the end of this month, but i start school in two weeks, so I'm trying to find something by then. So its hard to say if i should say **** it and grab something or keep looking...
08-12-2008, 09:50 PM
#14
Its DEFINATLY a T/A, just dont know if its a Ws6 or not...I might have a pic of the sticker...lemme check.
Thanks for the advice on price though...Like i mentioned in another post, i HAVE to find something by the end of this month, but i start school in two weeks, so I'm trying to find something by then. So its hard to say if i should say **** it and grab something or keep looking...
Thanks for the advice on price though...Like i mentioned in another post, i HAVE to find something by the end of this month, but i start school in two weeks, so I'm trying to find something by then. So its hard to say if i should say **** it and grab something or keep looking...
08-12-2008, 09:55 PM
#15
yeah hes got a point. still though, i'd check. its missing the badge, but so was my last WS6 and it turned out to be a real one. hmmm....
one thing i did with my LS1s was pull the #1 spark plug. its the easiest to get to. if theres a lot of oil on the threads you've got some oil consumption problems. from my research all LS1s have this issue, but from my personal experience with my 02, no matter what i did to the pcv system it still pinged under hard throttle, so i think it may have been ring-related.
my 02 had a lot of oil on the threads and i could never get it to stop pinging. my 99 wasnt bad and i changed the pcv valve and i have no issues.
if i were you i wouldnt buy that car. i dont know why hes asking so much, but my 99 WS6 with 90k was 11. its near flawless and only had one owner who bought it in this very town. sure this 01 may be really awesome, the first one you drive always is, but look around a bit first.
one thing i did with my LS1s was pull the #1 spark plug. its the easiest to get to. if theres a lot of oil on the threads you've got some oil consumption problems. from my research all LS1s have this issue, but from my personal experience with my 02, no matter what i did to the pcv system it still pinged under hard throttle, so i think it may have been ring-related.
my 02 had a lot of oil on the threads and i could never get it to stop pinging. my 99 wasnt bad and i changed the pcv valve and i have no issues.
if i were you i wouldnt buy that car. i dont know why hes asking so much, but my 99 WS6 with 90k was 11. its near flawless and only had one owner who bought it in this very town. sure this 01 may be really awesome, the first one you drive always is, but look around a bit first.
Last edited by noriceinside; 08-12-2008 at 10:01 PM.
08-12-2008, 10:01 PM
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agree on the 17 inch assumption.
DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS CAR.
I LOOKED FOR 2 MONTHS BEFORE I FOUND THE C5 I WAS GUNNA PAY FOR.
The power steering pump is toast, 2 hours labor to fix. You get a replacement and it could still whine. I have a "remanufactured" , it whines like a biotch.
The alignment problem = a SUCKER.
F the cosmetic crap !
Get the car to stop pulling, fix the bald *** tires or get a BETTER car.
I wouldn't sell you my Z/28 for 12k, not worth it and it has new tires.
Give em 9 k tops then be prepared for 2-3 k to fix it.
If you can't wait then don't sleep and keep looking.
DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS CAR.
I LOOKED FOR 2 MONTHS BEFORE I FOUND THE C5 I WAS GUNNA PAY FOR.
The power steering pump is toast, 2 hours labor to fix. You get a replacement and it could still whine. I have a "remanufactured" , it whines like a biotch.
The alignment problem = a SUCKER.
F the cosmetic crap !
Get the car to stop pulling, fix the bald *** tires or get a BETTER car.
I wouldn't sell you my Z/28 for 12k, not worth it and it has new tires.
Give em 9 k tops then be prepared for 2-3 k to fix it.
If you can't wait then don't sleep and keep looking.
08-13-2008, 01:45 AM
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I agree with what everyone else is saying man. They dont have near that in the car. they can tell your excited. (car calesman) Do like they say tell him that its a 9.5k car and heres why. Walk if need be man. As happy as you are about getting it would be horrible to pay to much for a beater
08-13-2008, 08:56 AM
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So everyone thinks i should walk huh?
As i said all the cosmetics would be fixed if i bought the car as part of the deal...
And I'm not sure if i should waste my time & money getting it inspected at a dealership or not. But at the same time it may give me leverage to negotiate, but i just dont think he's going to come down to what I'd be willing to pay...
What i CAN tell him is that it needs 2 front tires RIGHT away & it will need a new clutch pretty soon which is going to cost a pretty penny as well...
As i said all the cosmetics would be fixed if i bought the car as part of the deal...
And I'm not sure if i should waste my time & money getting it inspected at a dealership or not. But at the same time it may give me leverage to negotiate, but i just dont think he's going to come down to what I'd be willing to pay...
What i CAN tell him is that it needs 2 front tires RIGHT away & it will need a new clutch pretty soon which is going to cost a pretty penny as well...
08-13-2008, 09:48 AM
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So do you do the work yourself on cars, or do you take it to a mechanic? If the latter of the two suits you, take it to him and have him personally check it out. They'll tell you exactly whats wrong and maybe even an estimate as what it might cost to fix. Then if you REALLY like this car then you factor in that to the cost of the vehicle. TRUST ME- Take the time and the few bucks to have a mechanic/dealership look it over!!!! It might clarify to you that this car isnt anything special.
Ok, so say 4K to fix everything(clutch/PS/tires/alingment/anything else wrong that you dont know about), you had talked about 12.8K to purchase provided cosmetics where fixed. Now subtract your 4K from the 12.8K and you got 8.8K. Thats assuming you dont mind fixing the other major issues yourself. Thats why people said that cars not really worth more than 9K.
But by the sounds of things, the seller doenst wanna budge on price and there is just too much that YOU picked out that NEEDS to be fixed. Afterall, its your decision though.
Ok, so say 4K to fix everything(clutch/PS/tires/alingment/anything else wrong that you dont know about), you had talked about 12.8K to purchase provided cosmetics where fixed. Now subtract your 4K from the 12.8K and you got 8.8K. Thats assuming you dont mind fixing the other major issues yourself. Thats why people said that cars not really worth more than 9K.
But by the sounds of things, the seller doenst wanna budge on price and there is just too much that YOU picked out that NEEDS to be fixed. Afterall, its your decision though.