Would it be cheap/easy to repair this car myself? It seems like a steal so i'm guessing the problem is pretty bad.

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/car/734855884.html

and yes, it is not a automatic

 

Are you knowledgeable with automotive wiring? Like diagnosing etc? You may need a new ignition switch at least. The ignition harness isn't that complicated on 20 year old cars. It's in the factory service manual available in the FAQ. But if all you've ever done on a car electrically is put in a radio or something then it will be difficult to figure out yourself.

 

Thanks, and yes all ive done was install a new radio :P. I'll wait for the right car to go on craigslist

 

Go look at it if its close, see how screwed up the ignition is.
If the wire are just cut and you can see the colors on each side, just splice them back together.
Or call a dealer up and ask them how much to replace the ignition.
Either way, it looks to be in nice shape, offer the guy half as much as he wants because it won't move.

 

OK..this is What I would do..Look at What you are getting into..Look to see if the Wiring is Hacked up after the Ignition switch.IF it isn't then it Won't be bad to Fix..I would get ANOTHER Steering column With Key,and then Switch them out,and you are DONE!..That Saves you from trying to Fix the Cluster-Fudge of Ripped out wires that the "Thief" tried to Obliterate when he tried stealing this poor car...and by the Way,Don't Say "steal of a car"..it just doesn't fit,in this case!

 

My friend bought a GSL-SE with similar issues and it took us about 2 hours to diagnose it with a multimeter, put in a fuel cut switch, a push button starter, and custom hidden ignition switch (the original was fubar and we had no key for it). If you know how to read a diagram and solder it should not be that hard.

 

your looking at soldering do you know how to? a new ignition switch. new fuses. if you can read schematics it will be easy if you know someone that can it wouldn't be hard but if you can't it will be time consuming and a pain.(worst case the wires all have been burned up and everything else i mentioned.)

 

Yeah "seems like a steal"... i just saw the irony, sorry.

Well im going to call the guy to take more pictures of the ignition and wires and if he does, which i hope, ill post them here.

 

You could just buy a new column with a good switch on it, and install it and plug them wires right up...if they were not cut on the car's harness side.

 

Get compression numbers first if they are good offer him 1200 factoring repair costs. Sounds like you should be able to swap the column really easy. Also really any decent shop should be able to handle rewiring if your not fully confident in doing it yourself but to me if you wired the radio from scratch not and did not by a din kit this shouldn't be any more difficult just need to know what wires your looking at on the diagram.