I see some cars in the For Sale section that have very low miles. One TTA has less than 100 miles and one GNX has less than 1,000 miles. I would imagine the seals in these cars are fairly dried out. What other problems could be expected with low mileage cars?
Risks of buying very low mileage T-Rs
- Thread starter V6POWER
- Start date
BLACK6PACK
1 sec reaction King
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
Most people that would buy a 15 year old car with 100 miles on it, will just stick it in thier garagemahal and look at it. I couldn't see buying a TTA with 100 miles and taking it to the track, or driving it down the road just so some a-hole could run into the side of me.
If I spent 'x' amount of money on a car I would drive it at least 1,000 miles per year just to enjoy/show it. Cars that have that low of mileage aren't cheap to purchase and I don't have enough money just to buy it and let it sit where I or anyone else can't enjoy it. JMO.
Now, back to the original post...what risks are there in purchasing a car like this?
Now, back to the original post...what risks are there in purchasing a car like this?
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
Nah, it is missing the battery hold down bracket...that knocks the value down to 11,500 and I would never by you anything so cheap.
Steve Wood
Active Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2001
It's truly a pleasure doing business with a man of discriminating taste!
T
tc86gn
Guest
My job is a military technician and this is kind of up my alley as we store and maintain every kind of rolling stock in the military inventory. Some of this equipment has been here at this location for many years and only has 3,000 miles on it. From 1983 and up.
If I was buying a GN with this kind of low mileage on it I would hope that everything was serviced at least 1 time a year and the car driven at least 5 or 6 miles a year. The biggest problem we have at work is humidity. even with equipment stored inside. If the fuel tank has not been completely drained and sealed or filled all the way to the top depending on the climate you are in this can mean a lot of work.
Basicly anything that holds fluid is a candidate for problems. I have seen radiators to windshield washer bottles leak for no reason at all. Turns out we would have been better off draining everything that doesn't hold oil.
I just serviced a 3/4 ton chevy pickup today and it has been driven 25 miles in a year then stored. When I popped off the diff. cover, It was totally rusted from the top of the fill hole to the top. Everywhere inside of the diff total surface rust. This is from condensation,humidty and not driving it. This is also in Louisiana.
Also any weatherstripping or rubber components on an older car should be serviced accordingly to prevent drying out. Many times they look good but are very easy to tear or crack.
Make sure you really check out the brake fluid,it seems to attract moisture. I have replaced a few that never got wet but were rusted inside. But this is really a climate related storage problem.
I probably will never own a low mileage GN because of the $ involved. but sure wouldn't mind it,along with the problems that go with it. Sweet problem If I ever got ahold of one I sure could keep it tip top! Hope this info helps.
If I was buying a GN with this kind of low mileage on it I would hope that everything was serviced at least 1 time a year and the car driven at least 5 or 6 miles a year. The biggest problem we have at work is humidity. even with equipment stored inside. If the fuel tank has not been completely drained and sealed or filled all the way to the top depending on the climate you are in this can mean a lot of work.
Basicly anything that holds fluid is a candidate for problems. I have seen radiators to windshield washer bottles leak for no reason at all. Turns out we would have been better off draining everything that doesn't hold oil.
I just serviced a 3/4 ton chevy pickup today and it has been driven 25 miles in a year then stored. When I popped off the diff. cover, It was totally rusted from the top of the fill hole to the top. Everywhere inside of the diff total surface rust. This is from condensation,humidty and not driving it. This is also in Louisiana.
Also any weatherstripping or rubber components on an older car should be serviced accordingly to prevent drying out. Many times they look good but are very easy to tear or crack.
Make sure you really check out the brake fluid,it seems to attract moisture. I have replaced a few that never got wet but were rusted inside. But this is really a climate related storage problem.
I probably will never own a low mileage GN because of the $ involved. but sure wouldn't mind it,along with the problems that go with it. Sweet problem
If I ever got ahold of one I sure could keep it tip top! Hope this info helps.The condensation issue is a very good point and one of the biggest problems when it comes to storing a vehicle. Any semi-enclosed portion of the vehicle (diffs, trannys, engines, fuel tank, even the interior if the windows were rolled up) exposed to variations in climate/storage conditions runs the risk of forming condensation, and when the vehicle isn't driven, the fluids and cavaties never get warm enough to evaporate the collected moisture.
This isn't a large issue in more temperate climates, and less of an issue if the car is stored indoors, but it is still a problem. Another reason why it's important for a car in storage to be driven occasionally, because starting it and letting it warm up doesn't warm the rear end to drive off moisture. Seals can dry out and start to stick to things, and then when you go to drive the car the dry seals can tear because they're stuck to what they're sealing, which after months or even years of sitting stationary for some reason decides to start spinning.
As far as brake fluid goes-- it is Hygroscopic (read: it absorbs moisture). Brake systems are very vulnerable to sitting, and if they absorb enough moisture they can begin to rust.
Low mileage cars, as long as they are driven occasionally and have occasional fluid changes to get rid of any condensation are usually ok. My TTA has 2500 miles on it (I've had it for a month now) and I haven't had a single problem with it. The previous owner did start and drive the car occasionally, it was stored indoors in a semi-climate controlled shop, covered and out of the sun, and the oil was changed once a year. The tranny and diff were OK and free of any surface rust when I pulled the pans, and I flushed all the brake fluid and saw no signs of rust. I also flushed the gas tank and saw no signs of rust.
Some of these ultra-low mileage cars were purchased and just parked... original oil and all. No maintenance on a stored car isn't good for them. If fluids were occasionally changed and the car was at least started occasionally that's a plus, and if it was driven occasionally that's even better.
If it matters any, since I've owned the car (about a month now) I've put more miles on it in the last 2 weeks than the previous owner did over the last 5 years I have had no storage related problems, but I made sure to throughly inspect all storage problem-prone items and do a complete fluid change when I bought it. So far, so good.
This isn't a large issue in more temperate climates, and less of an issue if the car is stored indoors, but it is still a problem. Another reason why it's important for a car in storage to be driven occasionally, because starting it and letting it warm up doesn't warm the rear end to drive off moisture. Seals can dry out and start to stick to things, and then when you go to drive the car the dry seals can tear because they're stuck to what they're sealing, which after months or even years of sitting stationary for some reason decides to start spinning.
As far as brake fluid goes-- it is Hygroscopic (read: it absorbs moisture). Brake systems are very vulnerable to sitting, and if they absorb enough moisture they can begin to rust.
Low mileage cars, as long as they are driven occasionally and have occasional fluid changes to get rid of any condensation are usually ok. My TTA has 2500 miles on it (I've had it for a month now) and I haven't had a single problem with it. The previous owner did start and drive the car occasionally, it was stored indoors in a semi-climate controlled shop, covered and out of the sun, and the oil was changed once a year. The tranny and diff were OK and free of any surface rust when I pulled the pans, and I flushed all the brake fluid and saw no signs of rust. I also flushed the gas tank and saw no signs of rust.
Some of these ultra-low mileage cars were purchased and just parked... original oil and all. No maintenance on a stored car isn't good for them. If fluids were occasionally changed and the car was at least started occasionally that's a plus, and if it was driven occasionally that's even better.
If it matters any, since I've owned the car (about a month now) I've put more miles on it in the last 2 weeks than the previous owner did over the last 5 years
I have had no storage related problems, but I made sure to throughly inspect all storage problem-prone items and do a complete fluid change when I bought it. So far, so good. BoostMasterK
2 boys now, need more GNs
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
Lotsa good stuff here. I'd also offer that electro-mechanical stuff doesn't fare well in storage. I've had and seen problems with MAF, starter, powermaster, coil pack, AC compressor, TPS, fan motor, grounds, power antenna, etc. from stored Buicks. I would think humidity is to blame.
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Steve,
The GN you posted from eBay is making its 3rd trip thru the online auction this year. No genuine bidders at those numbers yet.
It is very near me, in storage purgatory, awaiting an enthusiast-buyer to give it freedom, a winding road, a Mustang biscuit for breakfast, a trip to the coast, etcetera...
Adjusted for inflation, the current owner has lost thousands on the car, and no one has enjoyed its true spirit & intended purpose.
With all the gasket, rubber & condensation issues, the car has actually been harmed, & will need repairs.
It's a sad waste to me when I encounter such cars.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS: Want a litle interesting side-bet? When the car does not sell on eBay this time, watch for it to be seen next being offered by Kirban
The GN you posted from eBay is making its 3rd trip thru the online auction this year. No genuine bidders at those numbers yet.
It is very near me, in storage purgatory, awaiting an enthusiast-buyer to give it freedom, a winding road, a Mustang biscuit for breakfast, a trip to the coast, etcetera...
Adjusted for inflation, the current owner has lost thousands on the car, and no one has enjoyed its true spirit & intended purpose.
With all the gasket, rubber & condensation issues, the car has actually been harmed, & will need repairs.
It's a sad waste to me when I encounter such cars.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS: Want a litle interesting side-bet? When the car does not sell on eBay this time, watch for it to be seen next being offered by Kirban
Originally posted by mkazigian
Lotsa good stuff here. I'd also offer that electro-mechanical stuff doesn't fare well in storage. I've had and seen problems with MAF, starter, powermaster, coil pack, AC compressor, TPS, fan motor, grounds, power antenna, etc. from stored Buicks. I would think humidity is to blame.
[
Good points I forgot to bring up. The A/C in my car was not working when I got it (low freon-- previous owner neglected to run the air when he ran the car and as such the front seal on the compressor shrunk and leaked). Also, my wastegate solenoid was stuck open due to sitting for so long. I got the car home, did all my fluid changing/inspection, took it out for its first "real" drive and saw that boost gauge hit 20 and keep on going like there was no tomorrow
Changed the solenoid and fixed the problem. The compressor cycling switch on the A/C also decided to stick after 2 weeks and wasn't letting the compressor switch on, so I had to change that as well. I expect little problems like this to occur over the next few months as things that haven't seen use in a long time try and come back to life. So far though, only minor stuff.Also, if the car was stored near any electric motors (such as an air compressor) that's also a problem. Electric motors generate ozone while running which deterioriates rubber items.
Low mileage cars are neat though... when I was going through mine and bleeding the brakes, I noticed that all the lugnuts still had the factory torque-striping on them (I was the first person to remove the wheels), the brake rotors still had the barcode tags stuck over the studs, all the suspension parts still had barcode stickers on them, etc.
I also had the joy of finding out that the factory crossthreaded and stripped 3 of the lugnuts and studs on the driver's side front wheel... at least the wheel lock was one of the survivors.
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