I just picked up a 2000 Z28 Convertible, 50k miles, Auto, GM Certified for $11,400. I am having some problems with the GM warranty but suspect it will be worked out soon enough. Having just a little warranty is very reassuring at least to me, given these cars aren't usually driven by little old ladies.
Paying 4k over list is insane for these cars, unless it is a very specific build and you want a low mileage pristine example. If you are just looking for a car you can enjoy and don't need perfection, shop around, one will pop up.
Since I just bought one, here are some things to consider:
- Carfax type reports are great, but not perfect. They will not confirm the car was not in a wreck. Only under certain circumstances does an accident make it into these databases, so don't rely on them for that. Having said that, most 5 year old cars will have been in some sort of fender bender one way or another. Check for unibody damage and proper driving, but I wouldn't get too caught up if a fender or front bumper has been painted. Especially front end ones can be good, given how bad the front fascia paint gets eaten by bugs and highway driving.
- Look at the inside of the chrome wheels. There's a TSB for substandard chrome plating. Anywhere in the salt belt and they might be peeling like mad.
- Consider tires while looking at the wheels. Realize new tires will be at least $600, if not more, at least double that if you need rims and are willing to hunt for used ones. A low speed groaning is often times just feathered tires, and a sign of lack of rotation and/or bad alignment. Check the tires and have them swapped front to back if the car does this.
- 1999's on up have a slightly bigger, plastic gas tank. Seems like a small detail but the extra couple gallons can be a big deal if you drive a lot.
- The original sale date and mileage are important even if you're over 50k, because the factory emmissions warranty covers some things for 96 months/80k miles, like the Cats and PCM. As mentioned any car you are serious about you should take the VIN to your local dealer and request a pull from the vehicle inquiry system. It will show these coverages and the full GM dealer service history. This is important to check for chronic problems and major issues.
- Oil consumption is a common complaint. Since this is a long term one, not much you can do here but the GM service pull might show several complaints or even some resolution work.
- Check the glass alignment and the plastic-welds on the doors. Window motors go bad often, and poor glass alignment can make/increase the chance, of problems with the door shell bonds. This is expensive to fix right. I think it is more common on T-top cars.
- Overspray is a key thing to look for regarding body work, but I've also noticed checking the fender bolts to be a good place as well. There will be different witness marks, or overspray in these areas too. Also check the lower scissors jack points. If those are ever folded over, the lower fender mounts crack or at least get shoved out of whack. This is most noticeable because it makes the fenders jut out too far from the lower front corner where the door, sill panel, and fender all meet. Probably half the f-bods I see have this problem.
- I'd be weary of anyone including a power programmer. As it lets you play with rev limiters and line pressures for automatics. Bent pushrods are the weak link on the motors, common on manuals, so be sure to run it through the high rpm ranges.
- If you happen to get an automatic look for factory Z rated tires in the build sticker/door jamb sticker, and check for 3.23 axle, if you like performance. 2000+ (I think) also have a torsen limited slip. I think in general this is better than the Auburn unit. My 93's Auburn was all used up by 100k miles. On the topic of axles, groaning when you are off the throttle is very likely to be rear diff bearings. Infrequent changing of the rear diff fluid is hard on these cars.
- Cars with the Monsoon audio system are a little tricky to upgrade the audio in. Study up, if this is your thing. 2000+ CD decks can control cd changers. 1999 or earlier CD decks can't.
- WS6/Firehawk/ SS versions cost more to buy and insure. Make sure you really want one. Those purely looking for the best deal and speed usually recommend saving the money and putting it towards performance parts for a normal TA or Z28.
- The most common places for rust are the rear quarters around the wheel well lip, the back corner of the door sills where water collects, and the lower side rails which are beat up by gravel and tar.
- When cold, definitely check the cooling system. Old Dex cool is bad news because it sludges up. Mixed Dex Cool + Green is terrible news because is sludges up quickly. Green coolant isn't good news - but it also isn't killer. If you get in a jam and have to add green coolant, the safest path to take is to flush it out asap and stick with using green coolant. You just need to be sure to change it out every 2 years or so on forward. Mixing them is very bad - and it is difficult to completely flush out any green coolant to go back to dex cool. The green coolant is bad because it wears out faster and doesn't do anything to show you - as the aluminum corrosion won't show up as rust. If it's green, don't panic, just change it and keep changing it every couple years.
- If the A/C doesn't work, and you don't have a warranty - plan on spending some big bucks to get it back. Same thing goes if the person just removed the A/C drive belt. Anything fishy here and you are looking at a big bill. 95% of the time a simple re-charge isn't going to cut it. The refridgerant is a lubricant as well and it being not used or not there kills the seals and mucks up the whole system. Don't trust someone who said the belt is gone for more HP.
Paying 4k over list is insane for these cars, unless it is a very specific build and you want a low mileage pristine example. If you are just looking for a car you can enjoy and don't need perfection, shop around, one will pop up.
Since I just bought one, here are some things to consider:
- Carfax type reports are great, but not perfect. They will not confirm the car was not in a wreck. Only under certain circumstances does an accident make it into these databases, so don't rely on them for that. Having said that, most 5 year old cars will have been in some sort of fender bender one way or another. Check for unibody damage and proper driving, but I wouldn't get too caught up if a fender or front bumper has been painted. Especially front end ones can be good, given how bad the front fascia paint gets eaten by bugs and highway driving.
- Look at the inside of the chrome wheels. There's a TSB for substandard chrome plating. Anywhere in the salt belt and they might be peeling like mad.
- Consider tires while looking at the wheels. Realize new tires will be at least $600, if not more, at least double that if you need rims and are willing to hunt for used ones. A low speed groaning is often times just feathered tires, and a sign of lack of rotation and/or bad alignment. Check the tires and have them swapped front to back if the car does this.
- 1999's on up have a slightly bigger, plastic gas tank. Seems like a small detail but the extra couple gallons can be a big deal if you drive a lot.
- The original sale date and mileage are important even if you're over 50k, because the factory emmissions warranty covers some things for 96 months/80k miles, like the Cats and PCM. As mentioned any car you are serious about you should take the VIN to your local dealer and request a pull from the vehicle inquiry system. It will show these coverages and the full GM dealer service history. This is important to check for chronic problems and major issues.
- Oil consumption is a common complaint. Since this is a long term one, not much you can do here but the GM service pull might show several complaints or even some resolution work.
- Check the glass alignment and the plastic-welds on the doors. Window motors go bad often, and poor glass alignment can make/increase the chance, of problems with the door shell bonds. This is expensive to fix right. I think it is more common on T-top cars.
- Overspray is a key thing to look for regarding body work, but I've also noticed checking the fender bolts to be a good place as well. There will be different witness marks, or overspray in these areas too. Also check the lower scissors jack points. If those are ever folded over, the lower fender mounts crack or at least get shoved out of whack. This is most noticeable because it makes the fenders jut out too far from the lower front corner where the door, sill panel, and fender all meet. Probably half the f-bods I see have this problem.
- I'd be weary of anyone including a power programmer. As it lets you play with rev limiters and line pressures for automatics. Bent pushrods are the weak link on the motors, common on manuals, so be sure to run it through the high rpm ranges.
- If you happen to get an automatic look for factory Z rated tires in the build sticker/door jamb sticker, and check for 3.23 axle, if you like performance. 2000+ (I think) also have a torsen limited slip. I think in general this is better than the Auburn unit. My 93's Auburn was all used up by 100k miles. On the topic of axles, groaning when you are off the throttle is very likely to be rear diff bearings. Infrequent changing of the rear diff fluid is hard on these cars.
- Cars with the Monsoon audio system are a little tricky to upgrade the audio in. Study up, if this is your thing. 2000+ CD decks can control cd changers. 1999 or earlier CD decks can't.
- WS6/Firehawk/ SS versions cost more to buy and insure. Make sure you really want one. Those purely looking for the best deal and speed usually recommend saving the money and putting it towards performance parts for a normal TA or Z28.
- The most common places for rust are the rear quarters around the wheel well lip, the back corner of the door sills where water collects, and the lower side rails which are beat up by gravel and tar.
- When cold, definitely check the cooling system. Old Dex cool is bad news because it sludges up. Mixed Dex Cool + Green is terrible news because is sludges up quickly. Green coolant isn't good news - but it also isn't killer. If you get in a jam and have to add green coolant, the safest path to take is to flush it out asap and stick with using green coolant. You just need to be sure to change it out every 2 years or so on forward. Mixing them is very bad - and it is difficult to completely flush out any green coolant to go back to dex cool. The green coolant is bad because it wears out faster and doesn't do anything to show you - as the aluminum corrosion won't show up as rust. If it's green, don't panic, just change it and keep changing it every couple years.
- If the A/C doesn't work, and you don't have a warranty - plan on spending some big bucks to get it back. Same thing goes if the person just removed the A/C drive belt. Anything fishy here and you are looking at a big bill. 95% of the time a simple re-charge isn't going to cut it. The refridgerant is a lubricant as well and it being not used or not there kills the seals and mucks up the whole system. Don't trust someone who said the belt is gone for more HP.
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