DO NOT BUY 98 TA in Lodi/Harrison NJ on Ebay

**oberth1** · 06-18-2009, 06:22 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Im not some hater, im not over picky im just looking out for you guys. I have been on LS1 tech for years under this and other user names, im on my 6th F-body.

I went to check the car out and the guy is a complete scam. The car was hit in the front, both fenders, hood and bumper replaced. Rear Driver side 1/4 was repainted also, couldnt tell if there was any bondo work done. Terrible Paint. The interior is in by far, the worst shape of any f-body i have seen other than in a junk yard. The rims are pitted, tires are near end of life. The upper rad hose was put on wrong, clamp halfway on the hose, and hose shoved all the way up to the block, not even clamped at the right spot. The car will not reach operating temperature. it stayed at about 140 the whole time idle, dropping low when driven and air was moving through rad. As far as i could tell, the thermostat housing/seal and water pump were original. Ran like the Tstat was stuck open. Also, he claimed the alternator was replaced, and as far as i could tell it was original due to the oxidation matching everything else on the car. The headlights do not work fine, the pass side has a broken "stop" switch, so when they go up and down, the motor doesnt stop spinning down at all. Both sideskirts are near falling off, the rear bumper was hit so hard it ripped the upper PS mount off the 1/4. Lots of scratches and scrapes on car. And either the suspension was crap or the exhaust was getting ready to fall off.

Even with all that we made him an offer he refused. Sensing a little scam goin on, i offered full asking price, and was refused. He said he was considering other offers. Who the hell offers more than asking price on a car? and refusing asking price in cash on the spot? Dont waste your time. Shortly after i went to see this, his cell number which was listed originally was disconnected, and now this guy is no where to be found.

On a side note, the engine ran well. Clean car fax. Stock exhaust, no mods done, and it was filthy from sitting a year. No Codes, but im assuming it hasnt run long enough for them to pop.

If anyone sees this guy selling it elsewhere please let me know so i can talk to interested parties, this jackass wasted 3 hours of my time today between driving and inspecting.

oh i forgot to mention, the seats are outa a 93-97 firebird. Wrong headrests and bottom cushion style.

He has relisted car on ebay now not a classified, but as an auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ponti...spagenameZWDVW

please do not buy car unless you inspect and drive it.

**third_shift|studios** · 06-18-2009, 11:04 AM

damn..2800 for the whole car? it's worth more apart!

**jknelms** · 06-18-2009, 11:37 AM

those aren't '98 rims either.

**02transamce** · 06-18-2009, 11:48 AM

is it a t/a or a formula,has t/a rear bumper and side skirts but a firebird front bumper.

**jknelms** · 06-18-2009, 11:54 AM

it's a formula, there's one in my town that has a firebird front clip, but the whole rearend is a T/A. i'm not sure if they came out of the factory like that, or what.

**oberth1** · 06-18-2009, 11:56 AM

no, its a TA. He put on the formula nose after it was hit in the front and he couldnt find a replacement. Fenders off same car. Serious overspray under the nose on stuff that shouldnt be painted. if anyone wants the fax on it just send me an email, oberth1@comcast.net

**jknelms** · 06-18-2009, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by oberth1

no, its a TA. He put on the formula nose after it was hit in the front and he couldnt find a replacement. Fenders off same car. Serious overspray under the nose on stuff that shouldnt be painted.

hmm, i always figured they were formula's. shows you what i know. maybe the guy in my town just likes the firebird front end more than the T/A.

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 06-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Id shoot the asshole for letting that car have woodgrain inside it....

**cammed goat** · 06-18-2009, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by oberth1

no, its a TA. He put on the formula nose after it was hit in the front and he couldnt find a replacement. Fenders off same car. Serious overspray under the nose on stuff that shouldnt be painted. if anyone wants the fax on it just send me an email, oberth1@comcast.net

+1. T/As had the fogs closer to the front plate frame. That's a patch-up job that is a total waste.

**02transamce** · 06-19-2009, 01:03 AM

i don't want to use pledge on my t/a.that woodgrain is horrible!

**sscharged** · 06-19-2009, 02:21 AM

i'm gunna stick w my camaro on this lol

**big hammer** · 06-19-2009, 04:53 AM

for 3 grand i'd buy it--- be a perfect car to mod so i can leave my 02 alone

**oberth1** · 06-19-2009, 05:45 AM

yeah i figured for 3 grand id let the girl have it and shed stop nagging me to try to drive mine (she doesnt drive stick)

**vannatte** · 06-19-2009, 08:07 PM

The seats are confusing too? Are the seats mismatched or just the headrests?

**Cutlass** · 06-20-2009, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by oberth1

The car was hit in the front, both fenders, hood and bumper replaced. Rear Driver side 1/4 was repainted also, couldnt tell if there was any bondo work done. Terrible Paint.

On a side note, the engine ran well. Clean car fax.

The local news here just ran a story on CarFax and other similar services. They ran a bunch of VIN numbers off of wrecked cars listed on Ebay and a lot came back with clean CarFax reports. Some of these cars were terrible wreckes. One looked like it rolled over. So a CarFax report isn't necessarily always a trustworthy seal of approval it appears.

**oberth1** · 06-21-2009, 09:11 AM

carfax is terrible. They give no detailed information on accidents which can be misleading. My carfax shows front end collision on my ta, and all that happened was a lady nudged my car in a parking lot one day scuffing the bumper a bit. Once a report is made to the police, then its entered in carfax.

**BLKBRDTA** · 06-21-2009, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by FORD RECOVERY EXPERT

Id shoot the asshole for letting that car have woodgrain inside it....

I'll 2nd that....

**JoshieDoom** · 06-21-2009, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by oberth1

carfax is terrible. They give no detailed information on accidents which can be misleading. My carfax shows front end collision on my ta, and all that happened was a lady nudged my car in a parking lot one day scuffing the bumper a bit. Once a report is made to the police, then its entered in carfax.

Someone ordered an engine using MY VIN number while I was autozone. Reported to carfax that my engine could be possibly blown up.

**Archaelas** · 06-22-2009, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by BLKBRDTA

I'll 2nd that....

Here's a 3rd. Woodgrain does NOT belong in a T/A...

Also, in the ebay listing:
"May I include that this is a T-Top Convertible, "
So this guy doesn't know the difference between T-Tops and Convertible???

**2000LS1Bird** · 06-23-2009, 10:17 PM

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that the wood trim "could" go in a TA.

If GM had kept the GTA nameplate into the 4th gens, I could see it.

The Trans Am has always been the loaded F-body, quite a bit more prestigious than a Z-28. So I could see it in a "luxury" model.

Hell, If I had been running GM, all 4th gen Formulas would have came with the 4.3 SFI Turbo motor from the Syclone/Typhoon, and the GTA nameplate would have lived on with an LS1 as early as '97, woodgrain and other outrageous options. This would have given consumers more choices, and more sales for the entire Firebird line up.

Ford, rumor has it, is coming out with a Turbo Mustang option very soon...