what would you do?

[hamboi]

hi guys,

i'm looking into a s13 and i was wondering what you guys would examine when looking at this car.

since it is a relatively old car, i'm sure there are places in particular that need paying attention to.

what would you do or what would your procedure be when it comes to looking for cars?

thanks!

[stickgoat]

Look at the exterior. Is the paint overly chipped/faded/scratched? Are the wheels scuffed up from one too many meetings with a curb? How do the tires look? Are there any dents or panels that don't sit flush with one another? Etc.

Look at the interior. Are the seats ripped up/dirty/stained? How is the carpet? Are any trim pieces cracked/broken/missing? How does the radio/cd/cassette player work? Is the dash all beat up? Etc.

Look under the hood. Check the oil, is it excessively dark or sludgey? Is the engine bay reasonably clean? Is the air filter clean? Are the spark plug wires torn? Etc.

Take it for a drive. Does it start up without hesitation or stumbling? Does it idle smoothly or is it rough or loping? Is the power delivery consistant or are there noticeable weak points? How does the transmission shift? If it's an automatic, does it slip or jerk excessively? If it's a 5-speed, how's the clutch? How are the shifter bushings and shift throws? Etc.

Find out if the car has been in any accidents, how many people it's been owned by, places it's lived, go over any available maintenance records, etc.

For the most part, if you know a little about cars, common sense should guide you towards a safe decision. Good luck!

[hamboi]

thanks a lot stickgoat! i will try my best to check out everything

[stickgoat]

No problem. Hope it works out for ya.

[blink0r]

Pop the hood and start the engine.

Do you hear a rattling, almost like a marbel in a tin can? If you do, chances are you will need to replace the timing chains (approx. $1,800 canadian). It's not cheap.

[Get240DiZzY]

Pop the hood and start the engine.

Do you hear a rattling, almost like a marbel in a tin can? If you do, chances are you will need to replace the timing chains (approx. $1,800 canadian). It's not cheap.

That's what? $7.50 U.S.?

j/k

[av8mech240sx]

make sure you do a title search on the VIN. Look for salvage titles or leans on the car.

My car had a cleared salvage title on it. When I looked at the car I used a mirror and flashlight to check for damage in places I couldn't see at. It helped alot to see how the damaged areas were repaired. At least the seller did a good job fixing up the car before he sold it, or I wouldn't have bought it. Salvage titles are always risky.

[90240sx]

make sure when you drive it, you pay attention to the suspension, and take a look at the wheels before you get in. scratches on the wheels screw up the wheels, but it could screw up the camber or suspension. this could be very pricy for the front. torque bars, sway bars, bushings ect.

it also depends on what you are planning to do to the car after you get it. if your going to do an engine swap, pay more attention to the asthetics of the car. paint, interior ect