CamaroWill

Hi guys, I'm still out looking for a new daily driver and found this one last week...

1998 Z28, 104000 miles, auto transmission
Maroon w/ gray cloth interior
Power seat/windows/locks, t-tops, traction control



Has clean title, but was in a drug raid before the current owner bought it at auction from the city. The car has recently had a tune up that included brake rotors/pads, filters (including in the transmission), fluids, plugs, wires, battery, alternator, thermostat, and muffler. It's sitting on a newer set of Z rated tires that have quite a bit of tread left.

The drug bust history of the car was a little off-putting, but I went to look at it, and the engine and transmission were very clean. I was in a bit of a rush, so there wasn't time for a test drive, but we started it up and let it idle for a while. It was literally the first one out of the several I've looked at that didn't have any oil leaks or loud, prolonged ticking.

That said, there are a couple things wrong with it. The AC compressor won't kick on. I'm not sure if it's shot or if there's a leak. And the front bumper cover has a crack in it, currently being covered by a LeBra. The interior could be cleaner, but it's nothing that a good shampooing and vacuuming won't fix.

We've negotiated a bit and the owner is currently at $4500. What do you guys think?

NC01TA

I wouldn't touch this car but I'll offer my opinion. This is a tough one. That engine compartment sure is dirty and from what you describe of the dirty interior, certainly unloved. It sure makes you wonder about maintenance even though you state that everything appears to be done. I hope there is proof of that and it's not 'lip service'. The a/c is most likely going to be quite expensive so if you want it to work you need to allow $$ for that repair. It could easily exceed $1,000 depending on what is wrong and who repairs it.
Before even thinking of price you must test drive it and make sure everything is OK, and don't forget to look at the dash for any service light warnings. If you are happy with everything at this point in time, and there are no further issues, then that $4,500 price is not unreasonable. I would offer $4,000 cash which allows a solid $2,000 for repairs and cleaning. Having $6,000 into this car would not be excessive and hopefully you could enjoy it for a few years of DD use. Do your homework and good luck!

CamaroWill

Thanks for the response NC01TA. Apparently the current owner only had the car for about a month, bought it on impulse, and was fixing it up for a family member, but he wanted a truck instead. I was thinking about offering 4000 after a test drive if everything seemed to work well, but the AC problem is quite the gamble because it could be a very expensive fix. Replacing front bumper and cleaning less-so, since that's stuff I could do myself. I don't know, maybe I'm just getting desperate since it was the first one I found after six months of searching that wasn't completely disappointing after starting it up.

NC01TA

It sounds like you have a very low budget if this car seems decent. That's not good when it comes to buying a LS1 car. They can become 'money pits' very quick when looking for one in this low price range. Sinking thousands into a $5,000 car is usually not wise even though there can be exceptions. It is so much better to find that $10,000 car that has had one or two owners and some maintenance records. It would be a car you could own without too many worries for many years. I can hear you saying that you don't have $10,000, but having $8,000+ (after repairs, any needs, etc..) into a $5,000 car still leaves you with a $5,000 car in most instances, one that will need even more work down the road. The ownership experience could sour you on the car as well. I have no idea where you live but here are two examples below of lower mileage LS1 cars that appear decent, and can be had for about $9,000 - $9,500. There may be issues with them but that has to explored with each car you might have an interest in. They might be fine. Don't be afraid to take an entire weekend to travel to find that one car you like. Just do your homework (phone calls, lots of pictures, Carfax) ahead of time. Gas, cheaper motels, fast food, is nothing to spend when finding a car. I do it all the time for myself and my car collector friends. Best of luck with your search!
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...Index=10&Log=0
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...Index=14&Log=0

CamaroWill

Thanks for your input NC01TA. My budget is pretty low in the sense that I'd really like to buy a car without needing to take out a loan. And I think my standards have been lowered from the months of searching and being disappointed. Even near the upper end of the price spectrum (around $8500), this car was actually better in some ways. Despite the disappointments, I'm quite the Camaro nut and I know there are some really nice ones out there, but some buyer's fatigue has started to set in recently. I've been borrowing a family member's car since my '84 Camaro died on me several months ago and there are times where I'm just about ready to buy any old $1000 beater to drive to work.

Your examples are what I'd really like to see, because I wouldn't mind financing 1/3 of the purchase, but anything below $10,000 has nearly 100k miles and/or is complete junk around here, even within 500 miles. Most who have Z28s with less than 60k miles are asking $13,000 and up.

There is one exception nearby (which I brought up on this forum a few months ago). It has nice low miles (less than 30k) for roughly $12,000, and I know it's a damn good deal, but I've only got enough cash to pay for about half of it straight up, and financing that much isn't a viable option for me right now. Maybe in a few months if it's still around, but not right now.

Again- many many thanks for your help. You've given me a lot to think about. If something worthwhile doesn't pop up around here soon, I'll have to start mapping out a road trip.