Greetings. I need to ask for the collective help of this forum in evaluating a car I'm thinking about purchasing. It's an 85 GSL-SE with 161k miles but a complete factory engine rebuild 40k miles ago. New clutch, front springs, battery, and a few other assorted bits. The owner acknowledges that it needs new struts. It has a complete service history. Really clean.

Is there anything in particular I should "know" when I'm test driving and inspecting this car?

And if everything looks in working condition, what's a fair price?

Thanks so much for any insight anyone can offer this rotary newbie.

T.

 

It depends how clean the car is. Any pics?

$2500 is reasonable unless it's super clean.

 

Damn those are hard to find in the Chicago area. If ya can get it for 2500 and the engine only has 40k on it and all that stuff has been replaced and it's looking great...then damn. I could easily see someone charging over 4k for something like that in North. IL since they are VERY hard to find.

Check for rust in the bins. If he lets ya, ask him. Take out the storage bins and look where the wheel wells are, check for rust. If it's bad, you might have alot of work to do on that, if not. You're lucky, like me. haha

 

Here's a pic. It's the only one I have:



Thanks so much for the insight. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

T.

 

Holy s#*t, has that been repainted?

Looks nice!

 

Looks very clean! $2500 would be a deal considering the engine has been replaced 40K ago. Completely stock? How are the seats? Does he have a glass sunroof to throw in ? = ) Check for oil leaks.

 

Some insights into the SE's are that the front-mount oil cooler is very common to leak oil from the fittings - this is due to the lightweight aluminum flexing under tightening torque and causing hairline cracks on the 'bungs' that then leak oil on the front under-cover and the ground.

If it were me, I would ask the guy why it needed a rebuild 40k miles ago and see what his answer might be. If it was due to an overheat, you may have just created some bargaining room to talk him down. There could be other things to watch for on an overheated engine, such as general maintenance.

The front strut replacement is an easy job and really only requires the parts, some spare time, and a little mechanical knowledge. If you get the car, and can get a good price, front Tokico Blues can be had for about $100 each, or lower on-line. Definitely worth the upgrade, since the whole suspension will feel differently with the right struts/shocks.

Overall, if the picture above is your potential purchase, the owner appears to have taken good care of the outside, which is a pretty good indicator of how the engine was handled for tune-ups and general maintenance.

Open the hood and look for any obvious gas or oil leaks under the intake system and around the oil pan. This should tell you a lot about the level of maintenance that he has performed over the years. Good luck,

 

It has been meticulously maintained over the years. Both owners have replaced stuff as it has worn out and have used only OEM parts. I don't know on the repaint. This thing clearly wasn't a garage queen with 161k miles (haha), but it does seem to have been well cared for.

I like the engine overhaul a lot (I'll be sure to ask why it was needed -- I suspect the whole car got a thorough restoration around then), and the full maintenance history is critical. I'm going to try to do a test drive this weekend. Many more impressions after that.

T.

 

How much is he asking for it? From that pic it looks real straight.

 

Asking price is $4,900.

T.

 

Wow! $4900 is a little steep but not if the car is immaculate. Did you test drive the car? Does anything rattle? Drive through bumps and stuff, does it feel solid? Are there any leaks? Ever been in an accident? Bring the car to a mechanic so you can have them put on a lift and inspect the undercarriage for any rust and what not.

 

they are? guess the guy i bought it from is really pissed that i bought it from him so cheap

 

Can I ask what you paid? All I want to get is a fair deal. CPI lists the car at $2,675 in "good" condition and $4,175 in "excellent" condition.

I haven't driven it yet. I'm trying to do that this Saturday.

T.

 

Got my 85 SE $900. Looks almost as good.