Thinking about buying a car that's listed here on the forums, built block, TN ST, etc.

Can anyone share some anecdotes / advice about buying a used FI car, etc.? Bad idea?

Would normally do the build myself, but the price is right on this one...

 

This would be better answered in the Force Induction thread.

 

Good point. Silly me.

 

Go see the car if you can, or have someone you really trust check it out.

Do a compression/leak down test at a minimum.

If someone that knows FI z/g's is in the area, may be best for them to go or go with you to see it.

If they are near one of the reputable shops or dealers, take it there and have them go over it.

Tom

 

+1 and check your PM's

 

NOT A CHANCE IN HELL would i buy a used FI vehicle. Regardless of who did the work there are just to many unknown variables inovolved.

Plus half the fun is putting the car together

 

I have to agree there, but I figure I'd have my fun in building the suspension and making things just the way I want (EM maps, interior, exterior, ride, etc.)...

BUT there's no argument from me on that one!

 

If compression was good, shifted well, was tuned well with boost and wideband gauges in place, didn't overheat, didn't overflow coolant tank, didn't have too much oil in the IC piping or plenum, didn't have any CEL codes, didn't have oil leaking, then I'd consider it.

 

I did it - engine build/turbo setup was exactly what I'd planned, suspension was nicer than what I'd planned, same w/ sound system. Car had an excellent pedigree - JWT kit tuned by jim wolf himself, engine build done by one of the best at the time on the west coast, plus I was familiar with the car and the owner as were many people in my locality. Saved me a ton of money, went from 5AT to 6MT too. Still drives extremely strong after all this time being built/turbo'd and it has been driven across country several times.

Of course, this is not the case with every turbo'd car. I remember a couple months back a guy in Florida bought a turbo'd Z and didn't even make it 150 miles before the engine blew on him.

So, follow the advice from above, but it is a good route to go with the right car.

 

What kind of unknow variable.....

My car is a solid as anything Nissan sent out the factory door and I have the reciepts to prove it. If it can take track abuse it's solid. I'll even offer a 6mo warranty to anyone who buys it. My car is solid.

On the other hand I wouldn't buy a car that hasn't seen some track time and held together. The track is the litmus test where most cars would fail miserably. I worked out all the bugs from my car.

 

Oil changes, reglar maitenance, etc. You can inspect the car all you want to but it you still will not be able to tell how hard the previous owner drove the car or revved the **** out of it You can check compression, but you still can't check for things like the clutch, balance of the rotating assembly, how solid the tune is, clutch/transmission wear. Again there are just alot of unknowns and the effort it would take to ensure me that the car was good wouldn't be worth the hassel or headache.

BTW Jet i am not talking about your car. I am speaking in a general sense. Hell if i was on the other side of the fence i wouldn't buy my car and i have had my work done by 2 of the best shops in the country.

 

Honestly, if I had it to do over again, I would have bought a used FI Z. Preferably built to boot.

Mainly because, if there were any problems, to fix it would still be cheaper than building. Most of the bugs and or headaches would have been addressed and I could have skipped my first shop or two, they were absolute nightmares!

 

Maaaaan, I drove by your broken-down car the other day and you were waving your thumb at traffic!

LOL! Bro!! HIT! ME! UP! You need to come up this way again and we can hit the city. Just close yours doors for a week....

 

I would.

 

 

Isn't that the downside to buying any used car?

 

if the price is good enough to make a worst case scenario managable,then it's an easy choice...buy it.i get asked to look over cars for sale all the time,i always start my inspection by telling the buyer that there is no crystal ball that i can look into.every test in my arsenal will not promise trouble free ownership.thorough inspection for a large ticket item is a no brainer,but in the end a used car is a used car.fatigue is real and part of why you are about to get an awesome deal.

 

if the car was done by a reputabe shop, that is maintained by that shop and they have records and will honor the new owner warranty. I say go for it. especially is its one of the vendors on here that put the car together. and there is no percentage in reliability. its either good or not.

 

I wouldnt trust buying a FI car, thats why i went and got my evo from the dealer

 

true, BUT it is my opinion that the conseqeunces of abuse and the cost of these consequences are MUUUCCHHH more expensive and than on a stock car. If you deny this then you are just lying to yourself