I'm really starting to think I shouldn't have bought this car...

[streetknight]

Sorry if this gets long, but I need to vent.

I was so excited when my first TR came back up for sale. I've been out of them for several years now and got into music. I just had to have this car and sold most of my Guitar collection to buy it back. I new the car was rough, but that was great since I just want a beater to take to the track and not worry about.

I pick the car up, get it home and find a big ass snake in the engine compartment. That was clue 1 this could be a mistake.

I have OCD and when I want something done, I want it done right away and take the ut most care in doing it right. When doing the Spring Cleaning I find that it needs plug wires and the MAF duct has a hole in it. I get a MAF pipe, hoses, and plug wires from a vendor. Put some dielectric grease on the plugs and coil pack and install the wires.

Razor was going to be installing an Alky kit on the car and told me I needed to tighten up the gap on the plugs from what I had them. SO, I pull the wires back off and the ends stayed on the plugs on 1 of them. They've been on the car 1 day and of course the Vendor won't take them back even for credit (they won't be getting my business for all the other stuff I need)

Razor puts on my Alky kit and finds the Turbo and MAF are bad and the Fuel pump is possibly on the way out. Pull the turbo and IC, replace the Belt and find the idler bearing bad, replace that. Decide to go ahead and replace the heater and by pass hoses while they're easily accessible. Order the hoses from another vendor and the site says 2 days to get to me. They don't get here today and now it's gonna be Tues or Wed before they get here and puts me several more days behind. This is what I get for not calling the order in and relying on a site.

Everything else I've tried to order is out of stock everywhere I try

Oh well, I remember these things being tempermental, but this is ridiculous.

I didn't plan on the car being down passed this weekend. Meanwhile, my father keeps his # 30 of the first 500 97' Plymouth Prowlers in my shop, and it's sitting outside in the weather until the TR is drivable again and it's supposed to rain all weekend.

Well, now I feel a little better. Wish me luck.

 

[RUQWKNF]

My O2's worth...

My best friend once told me, "Buicks are money sucking pigs." And you know what, in most instances, that is exactly right. They will teach you patience and you will get some busted knuckles and bleed a little. For most, it's either a love or a hate relationship.

Take a deep breath, step back and try to relax. One thing you have to remember here, you're dealing with a 22-23 year old car, depending on the year model. Almost all of the parts have been discontinued for a long time now. Pretty much any wear item type maintenance with these cars, is going to be an ordeal. If you don't get flak from the parts store, you'll get it from somewhere else. Trust me, I feel you pain. I've been into these cars myself since '87 and can relate to your angers and frustrations.

We are very fortunate that we even have vendors that still support parts for these cars, not too mention vendors that come out with innovative ways to retrofit more modern technology into our cars. (Full Throttle comes to mind) I feel for you on the plug wires, but that is unfortunately part of the game we play. I've also had a set do the exact same thing before and the vendor give me the same answer.

These cars are definitely on the expensive side when it comes to up keep and maintenance. Especially if the car has high miles and or has been raced all it's life. You get the car for a sweet deal, only to have to do basically a frame off restoration just to be able to daily drive the car reliably. I can also understand your reasons for wanting to buy your old car back, sentimental reasons and all, heck there's a couple I wish I could get back myself.

Here's the thing, you obviously love these cars enough to sacrifice something in your life, in order too buy your first TR back. Don't give up, just step back, take a break and relax. Your parts will come in, and if not, I'm sure someone on here has what you need. There are plenty of other vendors on here who still stock OEM replacement items. Remember, these cars have a heart and soul all their own. Each one will test you over time. I see this as the car testing you, to see if you still care for her. Treat her right and she will reward you. On every Turbo Buick that I've ever owned, no matter what the issue, circumstance or problem, I've always treated my cars with respect and TLC. You have too or else they will bite back.

I wish you the best and hope you stick with it. We are all here to help and most of us old timers can definitely feel your pain. The rewards with these cars are worth the sacrifices you make in the end.
Just my O2's worth.


Patrick

 

[streetknight]

Thanks for the reply and I appreciate the words. I'm going to take a break from it this weekend and see if it relaxes me. I guess I was blinded by the fact the guy I sold it to has used it for a daily driver for the last 8 years and put over 30K miles on her. I guess in the back of my mind I was thinking, Alky kit, chip, drag raidals, and off to the track we go.

I'll get there, just gonna take longer than I hoped :smile:

 

[BlackMetal]

These cars do get frustrating. I have stayed out of the garage for about 2 weeks now. Replaced a leaking intake gasket, broke my back doing a hydroboost brake conversion, and now there's some ticking noise from the engine that I don't even want to know about. Sometimes you need a break.

 

[klrv6]

I know what you're saying about some vendors, take the good with the bad and give your money to the ones you are happy with. I was pretty ticked when I paid almost a grand for a rebuild kit, only to find the face of one of the lifters was scuffed because the vendor chose not to put them in a tight fitting box. They said it would be cheaper for me to go out and buy another locally instead of sending that one back to get replaced.

I'm looking into the whole turbo ls1 conversion on mine. I want the car to be enjoyable, not fear the next time I get on it, how much will replacement parts cost me. I'll just take it off the frame and clean it up a little first.

Keep your car and do what you must to have fun with it.

 

[charlief1]

If you want an agrivating idea, try finding parts fo an 83. Mine is a little harder to find parts for so I REALLY know how you feel. I've been gathering parts for 2 years so I have enough to do the resto so don't feel bad. After a while I take a break and do something else to keep my sanity. I even have a note from the army saying I'm sane. LOL JK

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

I can speak probably for most vendors....

The parts business is not like it was several years ago....with the bad economy suppliers are not stocking parts like before neither are end vendors like us.

Some have gone under due to the economy. Major warehouses are not stocking parts. GM dealers you know their situation. The entire industry is affected.

Money is tight all through the system and when that happens inventory cuts back. I just got word this week one of the companies that makes parts for us is closing its doors...they made some parts for a secondary company for Chrsyler.

We could be seeing the last performance cars to come out of ford-chrysler-GM for sometime to come.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com