|
Your search remind me of what I went through looking for the car I currently own. I paid $4,000 for a 93 base model fastback. It had high miles 135k, but there was absolutely no rust, 2 small little dings, 1 owner...lady driven. The factory paint was also amazing. All of the car's qualities make up for the fact that is has 135k miles. I'd like to eventually do the Silvia face swap, and SR or RB swap. For this reason the mileage didnt matter as much as the condition of shell and interior. (whats the use of putting a S13 silvia front end on a car that has a bent or rusty frame?).
What I found when looking is that most 1989-1991 coupes or hatch's, decent condition 85k-170k miles......$2,500-$4,500.
1992-1993 coupe or hatch 75k-150k miles......$3,500-$5,500.
Convertibles (1994's) go for $4k-$6k
Also, where you find the car is also a big deal. Florida and California have tons for sale (from what Ive seen). Northern East coast (NY, MA, etc) have alot also. Watch for rust on northern cars....especially ones from states that use salt on their icy roads. Watch for repainted cars. It costs more to paint part of a car (masking off and doing it right, buffing it out to match) than it does to quickly repaint the whole thing. Look for overspray on the springs and under the wheelwell. Look on the rubber weatherstripping under the hatch (or trunk lid) aswell. Check the edged of the taillights also for overspray.
Check the undercarriage for rust, and under the spare tire. Look near the liscense plate mounts and underneath badges. Check all corners of the trunk/hatch for rust also. Check inside the gas hatch.
Look behind the taillights inside and check for bondo. Look to see the fenders are flush with the hood, and the doors. Look to see the doors close flush with the unibody. Check for glued together plastic parts under the hood, including the plastic bumper. Look for ripples in the metal around the radiator mounts. Look at the car's paint job in the light. Shadows will reveal dents or dimples. 12o'clock noon won't give a nice shadow, so late afternoon 3-5pm is good. Look to see if the car has what looks to be the origional trim tape.
Check the electronic connections (plugs, etc) under the hood for rust or corrosion. Could have been in a flood if it has either.
When test driving, get the car up to highway speeds...use all gears, down shift to a stop (if 5 speed). Do this again, and brake heavily this time. Listen for grinding/squeaking, feel pedal for pulsating (warped rotors). Also check reverse gear.
When sharp cornering or quick acceleration/deceleration, listen to see if the body-roll/weight-shift makes the undercarriage clank. If so, the bushings may need replaced (no biggie....but probably a pain to change).
Then check everything else (all switches and knobs). Check that they work, and weren't superglued previously. Make sure hatchback gas struts stay up. Make sure windows open and close without rubbing. Do automatic seatbelts work fine? If noisy, use white lithium grease to lube them. Make sure seats recline and slide.
Thats all i can think of right now.
M
|