02 WS6 - good deal?

**Tataocb** · 06-29-2016, 09:13 AM

A local dealer has a WS6 with an auto trans and 201k miles listed for $4500 plus tax. The paint in the hood is bad, but the rest looks fine in the pics. According to the ad the AC works and it does not have any mechanical issues. A couple of warning lights are on, but no CEL codes. I think it is the ABS INOP and TCS OFF warning lights. The seats look good except for 2 small tears in the drivers seat. The dash pad has a couple of cracks. I havent taken a look at it in person, only the ad. Do you think this is a good deal considering it is a WS6?

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-29-2016, 09:28 AM

Verify it is on the drv's door in the RPO codes.

Make sure you test drive it thoroughly, that many miles the transmission will be my major concern. Make sure you let the car warm up for 10-15 mins and on a test drive.

Check all fluids. Coolant - look for oil, oil look for coolant, transmission - smell to see if it is burnt.

Pinon seal is going to leak so not a major issue.

With that many miles you are likely going to hear piston slap. Also listen for ticking, Hell I'd take a long screwdriver so I could probe the heads and block to listen for any bearing ticks or lifter noise.

Dash Pad - if it didn't have a crack I'd be amazed.
ABS & TCS lights should go off when car is started. It could be just sensors need replaced.

**Tataocb** · 06-30-2016, 04:54 AM

I will make sure to check all of that if it is still available this weekend. I dont know if it is better to just do some upgrades to the one I currently have, which a little less than 150k miles. Although, after being stranded this past weekend for over 3 hours, I have lost some confidence in the car.

***SMWS6TA*** · 06-30-2016, 10:16 AM

Electrical gremlins are a MAJOR PITA to troubleshoot and find. I feel your pain.

**Tataocb** · 07-02-2016, 02:40 PM

I took the car for a test drive today. Apparently they had put 87 octane fuel which was causing it to misfire and the service engine soon light was on. The other dash warning lights were the BRAKES, ABS INOP and TCS OFF. The brakes seemed to work fine. It did not have any leaks. The oil looked new without any coolant. The trans oil did not smell like it was burnt.

However, I did notice the trans only shifted twice and I was driving at 75 mph at over 2500 RPMs. I put the trans in 1st and hit the gas; at about 4000 RPMs I changed it to 2nd, but it did not shift at all and went up to 5000 RPMs until I changed it to 3rd, then it shifted, and when I put it in D, it shifted again. I tried it again with the same result. It does not shift out of first until I put it in 3rd. Is this normal? The sales guy said there was a receipt there for a rebuild done to the transmission about 2 years ago for over $2k. I did not look at the receipt though. That seemed to be the only issue aside from other cosmetic stuff. Could that mean a new transmission or rebuild is in the near future? I told the guy I'd call him on Monday. He wanted $5k firm including tt&l.

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**024mula** · 07-03-2016, 07:28 AM

$5,000 dollars for a car with 201 K miles on the clock is alot, even if it is a WS6. I'd look else where.

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-06-2016, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by Tataocb

I took the car for a test drive today. Apparently they had put 87 octane fuel which was causing it to misfire and the service engine soon light was on. The other dash warning lights were the BRAKES, ABS INOP and TCS OFF. The brakes seemed to work fine. It did not have any leaks. The oil looked new without any coolant. The trans oil did not smell like it was burnt.

However, I did notice the trans only shifted twice and I was driving at 75 mph at over 2500 RPMs. I put the trans in 1st and hit the gas; at about 4000 RPMs I changed it to 2nd, but it did not shift at all and went up to 5000 RPMs until I changed it to 3rd, then it shifted, and when I put it in D, it shifted again. I tried it again with the same result. It does not shift out of first until I put it in 3rd. Is this normal? The sales guy said there was a receipt there for a rebuild done to the transmission about 2 years ago for over $2k. I did not look at the receipt though. That seemed to be the only issue aside from other cosmetic stuff. Could that mean a new transmission or rebuild is in the near future? I told the guy I'd call him on Monday. He wanted $5k firm including tt&l.

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No it isn't. Could be a shift solenoid out but that transmission needs looked at.

ABS could just be a sensor is unplugged or out. Since it has TCS it will be a 4 channel ABS, those sensors are located on each rear wheel.

**Tataocb** · 07-11-2016, 05:17 AM

I think I'm going to pass on this one. I kept telling the salesman there was something wrong with the transmission, and he kept blaming it on the bad gas/misfire issue. He said it was working properly now. So I told him I would go to test drive it again; and he told me it was at the shop because he was getting the spark plugs changed. It all seems a little shady to me.