1999 Trans Am.
05-20-2016, 09:26 PM
#1
1999 Trans Am. So I have an opportunity to purchase an LS1 trans am for $5000. The car has 73,000 miles ,its an A4, black in color with leather interior. I used to own a 1994 Camaro Z28 with a GM847 Cam LE2 heads and all supporting mods... So I am fairly familiar with this style of car.
I sold my Camaro for $4500 in 2003. Is $5000 a decent deal on this car? Should I even try and talk him down? He said the rear end is making a whirring noise which he thinks is wheel bearings... The way he was explaining it im worried it may be a rear end howling.
He has owned it for 2 years and hasn't done anything to it besides driving it and parking it in the winter.
It has a catback exhaust and that's about it as far as mods go.
I have to fly to take a look at the car and plan on driving it back if I buy it. He said the body and interior is in great shape. No issues with the car, he is just wanting to get into a Jeep Wrangler.
I sold my Camaro for $4500 in 2003. Is $5000 a decent deal on this car? Should I even try and talk him down? He said the rear end is making a whirring noise which he thinks is wheel bearings... The way he was explaining it im worried it may be a rear end howling.
He has owned it for 2 years and hasn't done anything to it besides driving it and parking it in the winter.
It has a catback exhaust and that's about it as far as mods go.
I have to fly to take a look at the car and plan on driving it back if I buy it. He said the body and interior is in great shape. No issues with the car, he is just wanting to get into a Jeep Wrangler.
05-21-2016, 08:11 AM
#2
TECH Enthusiast
That's an excellent price for a Trans Am LS1 of 75K miles or less that needs only minor things. Won't be as nice a deal if it needs major rear axle/diff work. I assume they provided you with a video/photos/walk around of the car to prove that the body and interior are indeed in "great shape." The red flags are up with an owner that is ok with driving a car with the back end whining. Could be minor though requiring only a few $hundred to fix....or not. Why didn't they have it diagnosed at a shop?
Fwiw, I test drove a black 2000 SS A4 convertible with 74K miles at a local Chevy dealer that had a whining rear end. Just assumed it was going to be a costly repair. The car eventually sold for $8500-$9000. The previous owner of that car bought it with 20K miles and then traded it in with the whining and brakes pulling hard to the right.
The price would normally be very right at $5K. I don't know if I'd risk taking a flight to see the car....and then pay for a return ticket as well when things didn't work out. I'd want to know a lot more about the maintenance/fluid/filter habits of this owner and the previous one(s) if possible before proceeding. If you're up in Alaska these are probably far and few between. Worst case might have you spending $2K-$3K for a complete rear end.
Fwiw, I test drove a black 2000 SS A4 convertible with 74K miles at a local Chevy dealer that had a whining rear end. Just assumed it was going to be a costly repair. The car eventually sold for $8500-$9000. The previous owner of that car bought it with 20K miles and then traded it in with the whining and brakes pulling hard to the right.
The price would normally be very right at $5K. I don't know if I'd risk taking a flight to see the car....and then pay for a return ticket as well when things didn't work out. I'd want to know a lot more about the maintenance/fluid/filter habits of this owner and the previous one(s) if possible before proceeding. If you're up in Alaska these are probably far and few between. Worst case might have you spending $2K-$3K for a complete rear end.
05-21-2016, 10:37 AM
#3
Thanks for the feedback/advice. I have miles to use for the flights so it's costing me $5 and some time to go look at it. My good buddy has a TA and his rear end whined for a while after we installed gears in his, so I'm familiar with what rear end growl is.... my buddy has a a spare rear end without posi if I just needed to limp buy until I fixed the one on this car.
I spoke with the owner via phone and he sounded straight forward. He basically said he bought it from a military guy at the airforce base a few years back and he hasn't done anything to it since. Winters where he lives are brutal so he said he just parks it in a warehouse in the winter. He said it has a dent the size of a quarter but otherwise is in great shape. Has the typical interior TA door crack but he drives it every weekend and he hasn't had an issue with it.
I plan on crawling under and looking for any oil leaks, smelling the trans fluid, checking the oil, the normal stuff....
If the car doesn't check out I just schedule a return flight and pass on the deal. It's the only ls1 TA I have seen for sale in a long time within my state.
I spoke with the owner via phone and he sounded straight forward. He basically said he bought it from a military guy at the airforce base a few years back and he hasn't done anything to it since. Winters where he lives are brutal so he said he just parks it in a warehouse in the winter. He said it has a dent the size of a quarter but otherwise is in great shape. Has the typical interior TA door crack but he drives it every weekend and he hasn't had an issue with it.
I plan on crawling under and looking for any oil leaks, smelling the trans fluid, checking the oil, the normal stuff....
If the car doesn't check out I just schedule a return flight and pass on the deal. It's the only ls1 TA I have seen for sale in a long time within my state.
05-21-2016, 10:53 PM
#4
Well, I bought the car. Drove it 5 hours home without any issues. I need to jack up the car and see if the rear end noise is wheel bearings or the diff.
Otherwise very happy!
Otherwise very happy!
