By all options do you mean that option that only has major things finger tightened? Bet you wouldn't have given 9 for it now with all the issues you had to fix.
Properly maintained well driven tc's are getting harder to come by.

 

Lol. True.
But in all honesty; I did the math and I am still a good deal under what the BB was even with buying the ZFR. I could sell the car and make a few bucks still.
And since I fixed it I know things are right and to my standards.
I also enjoy tinkering so it wasn't so bad

 

Anyone have a rough idea of what a buyers inspection would cost at a GM dealer? The dealer this car is at offered to have a compression check done, but mentally I would rather have that done on my command to whomever I took it to.

 

Call them up and ask them.
I have not had any helpful or timely service from a GM dealer.

 

I paid around a hundred dollars think it was 89 plus tax

 

I have a feeling they would be no better than Ford dealerships. Do you feel it is worth the time or effort? I am decently mechanically inclined, but I know very little about the Turbocharged setups vs Supercharged ones. Just that Turbos make more power.

Not bad, will keep it in mind. Need to see if finances work in my favor, if that works out i'll go up and take a look.

 

I enjoy working on and modding cars so it has been worth it to me. I am annoyed I sold my perfectly running and built LSJ, but oh well. Even with my issues the car has started and gotten me where I needed to be every time.
My issues are somewhat special. If you buy a modded one, make sure it is CLEAN or one of the ones for sale here. Buy a stock or GMS1 one if you can.
I would still recommended these cars to people and you will learn a bunch here.

 

Wasn't yours from a guy on here?

 

I bought it on Craigslist. He was a member here, but never told me his name and just said he never posted much.

I guess I should have expressed "an active and known member here." Like, from us guys that post up all the time and constantly document what we are doing and have done to our cars.

 

I have to some what agree that a clean intake and intercooler pipe when the rest of the engine compartment is dirty, is a little suspect. I would have to think that the stock unit went back on and the aftermarket stuff came off to be sold when the person traded the car in. I'm guessing that if it has an intake, that it was also tuned, which leads to how much boost?? I bet the two tires were replaced due to "happy foot". Then I'd have to ask, when was it in an accident? If it was recently, there is more than likely something wrong with the car that you won't be able to find right away. Also remember that with that title, the car will be worth much less down the road.

 

Good info thanks. I kind of wonder if the new tires was due to tire schreading or poor alignment. I'll have alignment checked over before I take it real serious.

The accidents were in 2012 and 2013, both by the second owner. How much boost would it have stock?

 

At normal altitudes and temps around 15 psi. Sometimes as low as 12 psi in cold dense air at sea level sometimes up to 20 psi in really high elevations. About 15 is normally what you would see. A tuned car will normally be 20psi minimum and up to 30psi max spiked if they really cranked on it.

 

Thanks for the info! My understanding is 30psi is a no no, 20 is where things should be at.

I have expanded my search a little bit. My bud trying to find me one found me a '08 sport red coupe but I am not a huge fan of the sport red paint. It is clean, does not have USB though, but its just under 39k miles. $1400 more for less than twice the miles sounds appealing.

Then I looked on Craigslist more and in Jersey I found a black '09 for $12,500, 45k miles, and its just got bolt ons & tune, sportline springs, minor cosmetic changes. Owner claims to be a GM technician and has full records and the original window sticker. Needless to say this car is appealing most to me. Says its at 20psi 320whp, upper/lower charge pipes, 3" straight piped exhaust, catless DP, Intake, HPTuners tune, and a large intercooler. How does all that sound mod wise? Sounds like everything I would do to one if I bought one, pretty much buy & drive ready!

 

Not bad on mods but I'd lose the straight pipe. Imo it sounds like **** but to each their own

 

I agree, I don't particularly like hearing engines straight. But the catless DP and straight that's just gotta be too much. A nice ZZP catback will give it some clean and clear tone.

I really like it a lot. Photos of it look great and not overly molested. I guess I might be taking on another $3k, sounds worth it for having 35k less miles, and ZERO accident records.

 

Down pipe will help you now. cat back would be more suitable if you run a larger turbo

 

Ok. The only reason I consider catback kits are for a better sound. Perhaps that is the pickup truck guy within me that sees exhausts powerless on vehicles. Either way I'm going to see what I can make happen W
with this one.

 

If you want some more noise get/keep the catback

 

My ability to snag one of these cars has somewhat hit a wall. I am finishing a loan on my F-150, down to $4900 right now. If I get it down another grand I can comfortably pay it off, but I am also trying to sell my current car to make room and offset the cost. My truck would have been paid for by now but I took my Cavalier's balance and put it on the truck for the 1.49% interest rate. Financially smarter than the 7% I had before due to old age ( bought in 2013 ). I was sort of hoping to refi my truck balance into a SS/TC loan but my credit union manager advised me that I can not put a vehicles balance nomatter how low is owed, onto a vehicle of which books less than the original vehicle. In this case, my $17k F150 can not go on an $11k SS/TC. So i'm at hold until I can pay my pickup off, or sell my Cavalier for what I want and knock it out.

Yes I shouldn't jump right back into debt but it unfortunately is how I have purchased all my vehicles. Credits good and I have been able to pay off early. Anyways, that's where I am at now. The red 2009 that I originally linked was dropped to $9100 and sold shortly after. So that is no longer an option. The car in Jersey I hope still is ( black, mildly modded orig. owner ), I haven't pestered the seller because I don't want to talk business and unable to act on it. He seems firm on only selling it for his asking price and doesn't seem like the car has to go asap so I may get lucky. If not then I guess my search will continue.

Ah the struggle! So we'll see what happens.

 

Sell the truck, lol

 

Kinda attached to it, it's my original 'fun toy', my only 4wd ( almost a requirement in north PA ) and I do very light hauling with it. I would hate to give it up for an SUV also. And with 124k on the ticker i'll only get low-balled on it so I might put it through a few more years, get an LNF car and once that is paid for, strip the truck of its mods, sell/trade it for a 2012+ F-150 and start all over with that scene.

 

I bought my 09 lnf sedan for 13k with 52k from a little dealer in NY. The CABs were already shot and alignment was off. nothing too crazy (im a mechanic) so i took care of everything myself. The car was mint otherwise. It's been a very reliable car. I didn't realize the "newer" tires on the car were summer tires so once the first winter came I had to swap them out with something that can handle the colder temps. That was pricey but now I have two sets of tires so I'm set for a while. threw some B&G springs on, AEM intake, a catless DP, and a muffler delete and its fun to cruise. The turbo definitely spools faster with the catless DP but I still need to get a tune to really benefit from any of the mods. I highly recommend the AEM intake BTW. It sounds sweet.

 

The search continues.

I found a black 2002 Trans Am WS6 that I really wanted, but someone bought it. Heart broken but perhaps it's for the better.

My research on cars.com found me this however.
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...5224/overview/

I love that it is red with red interior and the high rise wing, just don't love the miles. But my Cavalier is at 111k right now, not really much of a difference. Might call about it but i'm not overly motivated to do so. If I traded my car in for it for $1500 I could probably deal with it though.

Opinions?

 

Looks stock which is a good thing and in the pics it looks pretty good. I would go look at it and drive it. Make sure it boosts to about 15psi and no hiccups. Go through at least 3 key cycles so if any DTCs are pending the MIL will light up. Make sure the trans shifts into reverse easily as well.