i am planning on buying an 85 GS soon. (hopfully this weekend) its got a pretty good interior and theres no major body damage, probably a few dings. i'm not sure about rust (i've haven't actually seen it, just in a bunch of pics) the guy said it had lost ompresion but still ran for awhile. it has just sat for sometime now, so its probably carbon locked by now. the guy wants $650 for it and a bunch of extra parts from another car just like it. i'm relativly new to this forum so if anyone could tell me what they think? i really want to buy her, but i'd rather not pay that much if a rebuild isn't going to help. like i said i'm going to take a look this weekend, if someone could give their input. what do you think, a decent buy? thanks for any advice anyone can give.

 

take out the storage bins (behind the seat- 4 screws each) and spare tire and inspect for rust.

If rust free, it's hard to go wrong at $650.

 

thanks, 650 is good even with a dead engine?

 

IMO, not really. But, if all other mechanical stuff is somewhat new then it might be worth the money. What makes you think the engine is dead? Have you heard it run?

 

Yes, as Manntis said, check for wheel-well rust-through. If it's got the rust then offer much less. The rust is usually fixable but it'll cost ya.

It sounds like it may need an engine rebuild. If this car is gonna be a project/play car, get yourself a Haynes manual and rebuilt the engine yourself. It's not that difficult to do. An engine rebuild kit with all new seals will cost ya around $500.

Beware! These cars are addictive! If you buy it, you'll be spending a lota time modifying it and a lota time on this forum. Fortunately, compared with other cars, the 1st Gen is pretty cheap to play with.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

I got my 85 GS for $150 with a "dead" engine. If you don't want to pay $650 try and talk the seller down or find someone that knows squat about cars, for example a used car dealer/mechanic, and make it seem like your doing him a favor by taking a "problem" off his hands.

 

"What makes you think the engine is dead? "

i know it is, well needs a rebuild at least, it lost compresion in the rear rotor i don't know the full story on how that happened, i'm pretty sure the guy that has it just blew an apex and didn't want to rebuild it himself. on top of that, basced on what he discribed to me it became carbon locked a year or so after that and he didn't know what to do. he wasn't really rotary knowledgeable.