need some help

[loki993]

well since CombatComProgs car seems like it may be sold. there are 2 other cars that im looking at in FL. they are in the same price range but not nearly in the same condition. wondering if i could get a little input on what you guys think.

the first one is a 87 WH4
link: http://www.gnttype.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5336
here are some pics, have more but i will attach a couple

the other car is an 87 T
link: http://www.gnttype.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5335
unfourtanatly the owner has no pics of the car, its in FL hes not from what i understand.

the we4 has a built motor like i said, but the owner said its been sitting outside and has not been driven much since 99, right after the rebuild. why? other than that everything else is said in the link.

the T has some rust on the bottom of the doors, normal i guess. he says that the drivers and passenger side floors have been replaced. the car is at a shop right now, the mechanic there says that there is some rust underneath the car, the owmer does know know where, he has not seen it. also the car needs new brake lines and maybe a new gas line. this car i believe has been sitting for a while also, the owner has not said that, but hes not there and the problems the car has seem right for a car that has sat for a while. the good thing is that the owner says the car runs excellent.

dont know needs an opnion. i need something that will be a reliable driver. also i would like something that isnt going to fall apart on me. what do you guys think?

 

[86gngirl]

If you are in Fl. where the cars are, why don,t you take them to a local GN guy that knows these cars? I am looking for one too , but the frames are always shot in the rear and they want too much for the car. Anything is fixable, but how far do you want to go is the question. Unfortunatly pictures can hid alot. See if you can carfax the WE4 to get true milage or if the guy will offer one. Also, make sure they are not huricane or flood cars. I've heard horror stories on those. Good luck.

 

[loki993]

im not in FL, thats to problem. the reason im looking at FL cars is i will probally be moving there in 2 weeks. i guess the bottom line is that, at least for me, is that i have to see these cars before i can buy one. i will not buy either of these cars sight unseen. i could have done it with CombatComProgs car. the WH4 i suppose its possible it could be huricane car, but its in gainesville, its pretty inland. the T i doubt it. the owner seems pretty honest and he is the original owner, which i like. he has offered me the phone number of the mechanic that has it so i can talk to him and hes been good about telling me what wrong with the car. if the WH4s done right though it shoule be a rocket with a tune, though. i just dont understand why someone would put all that money into it and the not drive it ever. it raises a red flag for me. the only think im worried about the T is bad body rot.

what do you mean about the frames being shot in the rear? never heard about that before.

 

[86gngirl]

Found one in Ohio that looks decent:1986 Buick : Regal buick Item number: 4641883102

You have to check the frame right behind the rear tires. They get soft right before it shows visable signs, cracks, holes, etc. Buick was known for frame rot in the 80's. I personally would still have your own guy look at the car. The other guys machanic may be truthful but to save your own investment get a second opinion. Just my 2 cents.

 

[loki993]

dont know about that one. 1 cant afford it. 2 seems a bit pricy. ive seen much nicer Ts go for the same or less than that. you can get a decent, key word, GN for 8-9k. 3 dont like t tops. the car that sold was a t top car also but the price and condition was right. dont know if it runs as good as he says it, wait...just saw the milage. hes on crack, 156K?? 8k is way too much.that car is a 6k car max. at least imo.

ive never heard anything about the frames going on the cars. but ill keep an eye for that. this is anouther reason im looking at southern cars. there genrally rust free. i have no bodywork skills and body rot is a real pain to deal with.

 

[86gngirl]

Wasn't sure what you were looking for. I can keep my eyes open if you would like. Let me know price and stuff, if I see what your looking for I can let you know. As far as pricing, tis the season to sell high. In the winter they are much lower, but its getting hard to find exactly what you want now days. I have an 86 GN with 11,324 original miles with astro roof. I don't see them hardly any where any more. Well let me know, I'd be glad to help.

 

[Grumpy]

the cars you are looking for sound like $$$ pits waiting to happen ... then to use as a DD .. you had better have a fat wallet :biggrin:

 

[loki993]

yeah, youre probally right. thats why im thinking about not getting them. ill probally just have to pick up a halfway decent beater anything when i get down there and just wait.

what im looking for now and what i will be looking for in 6 months will be very different. riht now in on a limited budget and bad credit. once i get to FL i should be able to get a decent job, get my bills paid down and me credit up and i will be able to finance something nice.
i i were to buy right now, it would have to be probally 5k or lower, i know its not much, was hoping i could get lucky. the car would have to be in good mechanical order, like i said a DD, as little rust as possible. the paint, body and int would be pretty secondary because i know i wont get much for the price in looking to pay and at best it would have to be in FL or GA.

six months to a year, thats a whole different story. 86-87 GN, maybe a T if its really nice, but then i would still have to ge a GN eventually, hardtop analog dash. probally 120k or less, good straight body, rust free, excellent mechanicals, preferabilly fresh rebuild, good int, maybe some mods, not too many though, becuase modding it is half the fun. decent paint. again it will be DD realiable. price most likely in the 7-13k range. maybe as high as 15 for a REALLY nice one, but i would like to keep it under 13k if possible.

see my dilemma. i was thinking i could get something relativly cheap, drive it, fix it up a bit and sell it and get what i want or maybe keep it if i really like it and do a full resto one day.

im just afraid the prices will start getting out of control soon, like the 60s musclecars, it will happen eventually. they have been prety stable, but they cant stay that way forever, the average already seems to be going up just in the 6 months ive been seriously keeping up with prices.

by the way NICE car 86gngirl, that is definitly a good score. i like the astroroof cars.

 

[suicide six]

If the WE sat that long with no added mileage,then Id say something big dollar wise is wrong.The T sounds like a rust problem and thats sometimes worse.Floor pans mean there worse elsewhere.Watch this or other boards,place an add.There are good people here that love their cars and hate to sell them yet are forced to.Airfares are relatively cheap nowadays and most sellers will send you endless amounts of pics so you can weed out the lesser ones.Dont rush to buy.Get a nice one and youll be much happier.

 

[loki993]

well the WE4 has been driven since the work, but he said rarely driven, but thats pretty much what i was thinking also, red flag for me. also yes the T seems to have some rust issues, which could be bad, also what i was thinking, another redflag for me. was just making sure i wasnt crazy. i would alway tend to stay away from cars that have been sitting for a long period because there are a lot of problems that this can cause. my dad had 2 nice lincolons, one sat for about a year the other for about 2. one was his the other he gave to my sister. the one that sat for 2 was just done, nothing could really be done with it, the other one i was driving and the brakeline blew out on it.

i do have an ad posted on the boards, but have not gotten any hits, i will admit what im looking for is a bit unrealistic, but like i said it was worth a try.

i guess i will wait, probally for the best anyway, i will need that money for a trip to vegas probally, GFs brothers wedding, and a trip to germany, what the money was for originally, for an uncles birthday. and of course the enevitable hidden costs of moving.

this was just going to be a tempoary comprimise car anyway.

 

[loki993]

ok, sorry to bring this thread back from the dead, but i just got an email today from the guy with the silver T-type. he says hes "getting rid of it as is" next week, dont know what that means, and for me to make him an offer. now im torn here. i have 2k. if i were to pay 2k or even better 1500 for this car, with all the things that may be going on with it that ive stated in this thread would it be a good deal? i suppose it would be. also if hes junking it, dont know i may ask, i might be abale to get it for even less? what do you guys thing. would it be worth it? id think at the very least if the car rusts apart id still have the motor and other stuff like that.

 

[loki993]

another thing, he is the original owner and claims that the car runs great.

 

[86gngirl]

For $2000 or $1500 you can part the car out and make money if its in bad shap to run. If you can get it that low I would say do it! Worst case you part it out for that kind of money, if your willing to do that. Let us know what you deside.

 

[loki993]

i was thinking about that. i didnt really wan to part it out. what i was thinking was get it. then get a cheap $500 beater to drive around. fix it. sell the beater and drive it. if it rusts apart on me maybe i can pick up a decent roller down the road and drop the motor into it. if not i can always sell it for the motor. that alone is worth probally 1500. i guess i need to email him back and see exactly what he means by get rid of it. anyway thats what i had on my mind. the only problem would be getting it from cocoa beach, where the car is, to vero beach, where i will be living in 2 weeks, when it dosnt drive. there about 1.5 hours apart.

 

[no-nos]

$2k is great, even if you spend a couple grand on car and motor you come out with a very nice car for about 6-7 grand

 

[zeus87gn]

No rust!

Loki,

Don't go for a rusty one. If it had rust before, it still does. You don't want to have to fight that battle because it will never end. Believe me, I tried. Of course that was also when I decided I can't do body work. Rust free Buicks for sale can be found, you just have keep your eyes open. Get those bills paid down, put some money away. You will need it if you have to get a loan to get the car you really want.

You have to watch out for Florida cars. The salt will get into them and never leave. Not to flame Fla owners, I'm sure there are many that take excellent care of thier pride and joy. But there are some that don't.

Be patient and take your time. The right one will come along. I had to wait about 10 years to find the right Jeep....without rust. I was glad I did.