i might have found me a ride!! got questions!!!!

[themadness]

a white 94 with the wine interior. it needs an a/c compressor but the guy is willing to fix it for a price adjustment. i'm gonna need advice and recommendations on how to get it up to speed to be a reliable DD. the guys says it runs good but needs paint and the cloth on the seats is in mediocre shape.

here's the kicker. if it is in running condition........only 950 dollars!

i have a couple of ????'s since its been a long time since i have been in one.

what do i need to look for that might be a MAJOR problem? the little things i can handle but i want to be prepared to tell if it is going to be a money pit.


what should i look for under the hood, under the car, what sounds should i listen for? when i got rid if mine it was tinking and knockin its ass off. that was cheap but i didnt know it then. i dont want a small issue like a pcv valve keep me from buying a car i have been wanting for a long time.

cosmetic stuff doesnt bother me at all. if you have good wine colored parts layin around get them out. if i buy this thing i may need them!

you guys know better than i do so throw me some info!!!

heres the ad:

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/2465593063.html

[Wanako]

sorry, I can't see the CL ad at work so I can't tell, BUT If it's a 3100 motor, I would start by replacing the Lower Intake Manifold Gasket. They blow easily and will spout coolant in places you don't want coolant. Other than that I can't think of much else.

[themadness]

how is that done? and how do i check it?

[themixer]

easy to get a bypass pulley if you dont care about AC

[heavywoody]

Check the motor/trans mounts for excessive cracks in the rubber. Also check the control arm bushings to see if the one in the "back" towards the door hinge is popping out of the control arm. Check the seepage on the lower intake manifold; ask if the intake gasket has been replaced. If it hasn't, it will need it very soon if not immediately.

[Chad91GTZ]

100k = lower intake gasket. I agree with everything said.. If you dont mind cosmetic stuff the rear control arm bushings, LIMG, and motor mounts like Geoff said.

One thing I would add is check for rust in the rear shock tower mounts in the trunk under the carpet. Drove a 94 with both of those rusted out, busted through when I stomped on the brakes, FUN FUN!!

And of course do the compulsory "is the drivers side floor mat wet" check. Seal that up as soon as possible.

[indyyellow]

3100 the same as the 3.1 in my 90 Indy?

[themixer]

no different motor

[Wanako]

3100 the same as the 3.1 in my 90 Indy?

the 3.1 is a Gen II 60*V6 motor that was offered in the L-bodies until 93. 94-96 they put in the Gen-III motors. That's why it's easier to put 3400 and 3500 into the later cars.

[indyyellow]

So is the 3.1 a good motor? Any querks with that one? How strong is the tranny for a 1990?

[themadness]

talked with the seller today and he confirmed it was the 3.1. he also said he had his mechanic buddy look it over and everything is in check except the a/c compressor. which he will have fixed for 50 bucks making the total cost of the car $1000.

given the suggestions you guys have given and some searching around here is what i think may be the biggest issues. i threw some of the suggestions you guys made at him and he stumbled a little, LOL.

motor mounts
control arm bushings
intake manifold gasket
wet carpet
fuel filter
o2 sensors
EGR valve

these are all possible issues the car may have based on common problems i have found online. but it may be absolutely sound, i wont know until i check it out. bottom line is i want to turn it into a daily driver that is dependable.

where should i buy parts if i need them?
what is the DIY difficulty rating for some of these tasks?
how much should these things cost if they were an issue?

best i can tell the interior is rough. any suggestions on restoring, cleaning, and repairing. i will certainly need seat covers.

sorry for all the questions.

[heavywoody]

Motor mounts, fuel filter, O2 sensor and EGR sensor are all easy to swap out with minimal headache.

Control arm bushings aren't too bad, just time consuming; same with the intake manifold gasket. As long as you pace yourself and take your time, doing an intake gasket isn't hard at all. Control arm bushings would probably cost about $300 to get fixed, intake gasket around $600-800 depending on where you go.

Rockauto.com is a good place to buy parts from.

Good luck with the interior; you can get replacement dashes, plastic trim, door panels, etc from junkyards (hit and miss on condition for obvious reasons), but just about every Base model seat I've seen is destroyed on the drivers side. Factory carpet can be cleaned by taking it out, pressure wash it at the car wash, spray it down with Bleach White (yes the tire spray) and scrub away. Otherwise try a steam cleaner/fabric cleaner that you can rent from the store.

[themadness]

i know for a fact the seats have tears. my original beretta back in the day had that signature tear from where i flopped my ignorant 16 year old ass down behind the wheel. the wine interior is going to be a challenge to make look good with over the counter seat covers i think. any recommendations with out having then professionally redone. i called our junk yard and they dont have ANY beretta parts.

[Chad91GTZ]

Black seat covers would look fine. If its a daily driver I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Chances are nothing is wrong with the car and you could put 50k miles on it and never change the oil and it would be just fine.

Not saying to do that but you could. Just give the stuff we listed a look and you'll be fine.

Where are you located again? I know where there are a nice set of burgundy seats.

[themadness]

i'm in NC. i have run color schemes in my head all day. i'm nervous about buying such an older car. going from an 02 jeep to a 94 is a big change with mechanical risk. i'm a nervous nelly when it comes to my vehicles. gray and black are pretty easy to find so it looks like i may do the best i can with it and clean the vinyl and carpet the best i can. i did see a guy on cardomain.com that had a black z26 with the wine interior that he dyed black from end of the car to the other. didnt look bad but looked like tons of work.

you guys are helpful indeed. i will be barking in your ears if i pick this car up. i am going to check it out tomorrow and will be taking tons of pics. if i do get it i will have to figure out how to drive it home with out sparking the high way patrol!