Buying a 20 year old vehicle

I'm going this weekend to check on buying a 1991 car.
1991 ??????!!!!!!!??? WTF ??
Yeah, I know.
But, in the pics I've been sent, this thing is damn near perfect inside and out and has only a shade over 33k miles. A cherry!

Anyway, now to the question(s).
For you super mechanic, tool man types:
What do you think would need checking and/or replacing right off the bat?

Might want to check for leaks from motor and trans, from the low miles it must have set around most of its life, that is sometimes worse than using it everyday. Seals dry out and leak, these can be very expensive to replace.

What kind of car DD?

I'm embarrassed to say, but I'll post up pics if I get it.

DirtDawber wrote:

I'm embarrassed to say, but I'll post up pics if I get it.

Not a 1991 Yugo is it? Cause it's life expectancy was about 30,000 miles.

DD,,, you can throw the book at it and change all fluids and filters, belts and hoses right off the bat or if you have time to just drive it awhile and do little things at a time. You will want to check and/or change:
engine oil and filter
tranny fluid and filter
fuel filter
antifreeze with a good flush
power steering fluid and brake fluid do go bad after time (just check for now)
all radiator and heater hoses (warm it up and inspect closely)
all rearend and/or diff fluids
grease anything with a zerk

I'm sure there is more but this will be the basics. Good luck!

wvyankee2 wrote:

DirtDawber wrote:

I'm embarrassed to say, but I'll post up pics if I get it.

Not a 1991 Yugo is it? Cause it's life expectancy was about 30,000 miles.

Nope, LeCar!



What I'm looking at is at least 2.5 notches above these.

GOOD SUGGESTIONS, guys, I'm copying these down!

GunRunner wrote:

Might want to check for leaks from motor and trans, from the low miles it must have set around most of its life, that is sometimes worse than using it everyday. Seals dry out and leak, these can be very expensive to replace.

X2

Some times when one sets you can fire it up and it will seem fine at first but a few miles down the road it will start having issues, I would keep this in mind when negotiating the price..

Gunrunner wrote:

Might want to check for leaks from motor and trans, from the low miles it must have set around most of its life, that is sometimes worse than using it everyday. Seals dry out and leak, these can be very expensive to replace.

Clayboy wrote:

DD,,, you can throw the book at it and change all fluids and filters, belts and hoses right off the bat or if you have time to just drive it awhile and do little things at a time. You will want to check and/or change:
engine oil and filter
tranny fluid and filter
fuel filter
antifreeze with a good flush
power steering fluid and brake fluid do go bad after time (just check for now)
all radiator and heater hoses (warm it up and inspect closely)
all rearend and/or diff fluids
grease anything with a zerk

I'm sure there is more but this will be the basics. Good luck!

I agree 100% with them....

I would take it to a local garage and put it on a rack before I bought anything. Check for rust, etc,etc. Especially buying a car from north.
When I got my truck, we had to replace a wheel bearing in it.

Hey DD.......if'n u don't see anything leaking when ya look under the car and under the hood......put the key in the sucker, fire it up, and put the hammer down.......everything will show up later and there's nuttin you can do about. Take it from someone that drives a 34 year old Peterbilt with 3,406,773 miles on it......."All in good time, my little pretty, all in good time."

good luck keep your fingers cross

Rhino Rob wrote:

good luck keep your fingers cross

Best advise yet!

Rob has his moments.

So whats the holdup? Cant get granny out of the back seat?

Damn, a General Lee GEO Metro.

That's futting AWESOME!!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!!

GunRunner wrote:

So whats the holdup? Cant get granny out of the back seat?

Waitin' on someone in Bug Tussle to send the CARFAX.

Stench wrote:

Haha the gen lee is cool but look how happy he is about killing a armadillo? The possum of the west!

I could not pass it up! This little car KICKS ASS! 30 mpg is going to beat the crap out of the 14 that my Dakota gets!



Go ahead and laugh... I would too.

isn't that the car from that 40 year old virgin movie?

A Tracer.......

Thats takes some SAC DD. "Scared At Climbs"-SAC.....

Adding the General Lee paint job instantly adds more than 330 HP. DD you should follow suit. Another cheap instant HP gain is a Chuck Norris bumper sticker. If you do neither we can defiantly assume that your are not trying to get laid, with that ride....