Newb with a few questions...

**chad3113** · 06-02-2007, 05:46 AM

Aight guys, I've found a 99 T/A, M6 with 42,500 for 13000 at a dealership. I'm looking to get it out the door for 11,000 so if all goes well i'll be driving a T/A soon.

First, what are some things i should look for when checking the car out? I'll of course check the basics oil, coolant, leaks, A/C etc but i was wondering if there was anything specific to look for with these cars.

Second, how are the LS1 reliability? This vehicle is stock and i'd like to do just some basic bolt ons for now -intake/exhaust. This will be my DD for awhile.

Last, where are some good places for aftermarket parts, in particular the ram-air hood.

Thanks
-Chad

**shady milkman** · 06-02-2007, 05:54 AM

ok ..check the gaps around the doors. look for quater size dents in the rear quarter panels, (shows body flex and how the car was driven.) then look at the rear end housing..some mosture is normal but if its leaking or if you can see the fuild in ball form stay away. look at the door panels and see if they are cracked(interior) since it is a m6 run it through the gears...really shift 2-3 hard and listen and feel for any grinding. work the clutch a couple of times and see how the clutch does...um let the car run past op temp and listen for ticking coming from the valvetrain. at start up until op temp it is normal to hear piston slap so don't worry about that. that is the major stuff. Ls1 are reliable as long as you give good maintenance. ls1s are know to go over 200k with good maintenance

**Mike's TA** · 06-02-2007, 06:22 AM

Check to see if there is a garage that does full 600 point inspections.
I know in Texas there is a company called Lemon Busters. They will go anywhere you want and do the inspection for $120. It will tell you absolutely everything you need to know about the car before purchase. I had this done to mine and found out that the bushings on the front were bad and there was a coolant leak at the water pump (there weren't any puddles under the car), along with a couple of other things. Needless to say, I had the dealer fix all of it which took about a week, but well worth the $120 for the inspection.

**dlmeadows** · 06-02-2007, 07:03 AM

First off ask for a complete carfax report. then i would definantly have them put the car on the rack and look at everything under it. check for leaks around the rear end, oil pan, rear main, etc. also you can check for any scrape marks on the exhaust and floor pan which will show you if the car has saw any air or not. call me anal but any time i buy a used car i always do those two things. plus check the gaps like shady said

**TACE02** · 06-02-2007, 07:49 AM

If you can get it on a lift, then yes check the rear main seal area, where the tranny mounts to the engine, for leaks. Test drive it all day hell all week if you can, another thing to check, if it passes all inspections at a stand still, find a nice hill, approach that hill in 6th gear around 60 MPH and as you are going up it, floor it. That will give you a good clue if the clutch is about to be toast, if it slips any take it back and tell them to replace it. You can also check the clutch resevoir the small resevoir next to the brake fluid reservoir and see if it is full and the fluid is clear.

**chad3113** · 06-02-2007, 10:30 AM

Thanks for the input fellas, i forgot all about the clutch trick. Although it will be hard to find a hill in Louisiana, hah.

**Kup98ss** · 06-02-2007, 10:56 AM

I always check the rear tires. If they are worn alot more than the front I'll usualy pass. These cars are also rather low so look under the front bumper and see how often it has been bottomed out (don't worry about a few most have that) Also check how well the doors hold and if the windows are loose or not.(rock back and forth) 11,000 doesn't sound bad. I don't think I would go higher than that though.