5000 questions

**LSWONCOOP** · 10-16-2009, 02:27 PM

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum and I'm in the process of buying a car and I have questions:

1) What do you guys think about the longevity of the LS1? I'm looking at one car that is bone stock with 97k miles. It's an 00 WS6 NHRA edition. Looks well taken care of.

2) How do you feel about buying modded cars? Looking at a 00 T/A with custom paint, headers, duals, lingenfelter intake manifold, etc. (59k miles). Seems to run good but the guy took me for a drive and buried the freakin tach. Bounced it off the rev limiter a few times and smoked the tires. He's 44 years old but it made me wonder - does he do that often?

3) This one car had a seriously high-pitched noise coming from the back end that would increase in intensity right along with the rpms. What is it?

I'm sorry for all the questions, but I sure would appreciate some opinions. This car will be my daily-driver.

**SandmanWs7** · 10-16-2009, 02:48 PM

1) The LS1 is a very strong engine. There are members on here that have well over 100,000 and are still running strong. 97K is still good.

2) When I looked for mine I want a STOCK car, If any MODs were going to be made they were going to be by me. I got lucky that the car I bought was owned by a lady. All stock and 35,xxx miles.

If that guy did that with you on it, he probably does it A LOT. I would stay away from that one.

3) I would guess the differential might be going out. These cars have a sorry rear end that even stock HP can break them.

Originally Posted by LSWONCOOP

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum and I'm in the process of buying a car and I have questions:

1) What do you guys think about the longevity of the LS1? I'm looking at one car that is bone stock with 97k miles. It's an 00 WS6 NHRA edition. Looks well taken care of.

2) How do you feel about buying modded cars? Looking at a 00 T/A with custom paint, headers, duals, lingenfelter intake manifold, etc. (59k miles). Seems to run good but the guy took me for a drive and buried the freakin tach. Bounced it off the rev limiter a few times and smoked the tires. He's 44 years old but it made me wonder - does he do that often?

3) This one car had a seriously high-pitched noise coming from the back end that would increase in intensity right along with the rpms. What is it?

I'm sorry for all the questions, but I sure would appreciate some opinions. This car will be my daily-driver.

**LSWONCOOP** · 10-16-2009, 02:50 PM

So is the differential goes out what needs to be replaced? The whole rear end? Housing and all?

**SandmanWs7** · 10-16-2009, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by LSWONCOOP

So is the differential goes out what needs to be replaced? The whole rear end? Housing and all?

I believe just the gears.

**0rion** · 10-16-2009, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by LSWONCOOP

So is the differential goes out what needs to be replaced? The whole rear end? Housing and all?

the rearends are a weak point. It's best to upgrade to a 12 bolt instead of pumping money into the stock 10 bolt. Depending on what they're asking I'd be tempted to take the high mileage stock car over the car with mods. Depends on a lot though. The extent of the mods and the quality of the install would be a huge factor. Him bouncing the rev limiter definitely doesn't work in his favor but I wouldn't let it worry you too much.....if he did it very much it'd have a bent pushrod.

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 10-16-2009, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

the rearends are a weak point. It's best to upgrade to a 12 bolt instead of pumping money into the stock 10 bolt. Depending on what they're asking I'd be tempted to take the high mileage stock car over the car with mods. Depends on a lot though. The extent of the mods and the quality of the install would be a huge factor. Him bouncing the rev limiter definitely doesn't work in his favor but I wouldn't let it worry you too much.....if he did it very much it'd have a bent pushrod.

me too

**Mr. Luos** · 10-16-2009, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

It's best to upgrade to a 9" instead of pumping money into the stock 10 bolt.

Fixed.

I am also with the opinion of wanting a stock car, although they are becoming harder to find anymore.
Also, seen these cars run very strong for 200K miles and more. Depends on the treatment for the most part.

**0rion** · 10-16-2009, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

Fixed.

I am also with the opinion of wanting a stock car, although they are becoming harder to find anymore.
Also, seen these cars run very strong for 200K miles and more. Depends on the treatment for the most part.

my 12 bolt does fine

**Mr. Luos** · 10-16-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

my 12 bolt does fine

Most do.

It is the ones that don't that worry me. My luck...I get one that pops faster than a 10 bolt.

**SteveC** · 10-17-2009, 04:16 AM

You will have trouble selling a "modded" car, the first thing that comes to peoples minds, is "that it has been raced".

If you supercharge, or nitrous a vehicle, and keep those mods in, IMHO, you will never get a buyer, unless they are a "nitch" person, looking for a specific thing.

Another thing makes modded vehicles harder to sell, is if your state has stringent smog laws.

SteveC

**1986camarojoe** · 10-17-2009, 08:39 AM

My car has 170k miles and it sees WOT everytime I drive it.. never had a problem with the LS1 but I went thru two 10 bolts and 2 transmissions.. One being a performabuilt with 20k miles.. a few tranny mounts too.

**LSWONCOOP** · 10-17-2009, 03:15 PM

There is a 00 Trans am WS6 NHRA car blk/blk with 97k miles I'm thinking about. It's totally stock. I wanna offer him less but I don't wanna low ball him. As of right now he's asking $11000. The only flaw on the car is that the front bumper and headlight covers could use a new paint job. It's otherwise flawless. Would I be outta line to offer him $10000?

**67CamaroRSSS** · 10-17-2009, 04:10 PM

To answer 1 of your questions: My 98 has 180,xxx miles on it and it runs like a top! I've driven it from Phx, Az to LA, Cal 2x in the past year without incident. It got 27 mpg in 6th at 80mph. It's my DD and gets ~ 16 mpg around town.

**0verkill** · 10-17-2009, 04:39 PM

the price sounds high to me i would think about 8 or 9 k the miles dont matter if it was taken care of. i just saw one at the dyno day with 187k on it and it was still putting down about 320rwhp.

**allbaugh_04** · 10-17-2009, 05:02 PM

Well I paid 9.5K for mine with around the same mileage. If it's really clean then yea it might be worth that, but your typical beat up f-body would probably go for 7-8k.

It wouldn't hurt to ask him 10k I guess. If that's what you want, get it. If there is one thing you don't like, DON'T buy it. You will regret it like I do.

**pajeff02** · 10-17-2009, 05:08 PM

We lucked out and found a 99% stock WS.6 -- the only mod turned out to be a hacked up MAF that has since been replaced. Hi-Po posted a great thread on things to look for when buying an F-body: http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118628

**allbaugh_04** · 10-17-2009, 05:27 PM

I'd probably pick that up then..

**croslod** · 10-17-2009, 07:05 PM

I just purchased a 00 TA with 105k on it that was super clean with not a single mod on it for 6800. The plastic strip behind the t-tops has the little bubbles on it and the rest of the car barely has normall wear,runs and drives great but rear end does whine a bit. My last f-body a 92 Z28 made the same whining noise till i got rid of it at 230k so that wouldn't bother me at all. My 00 is driven daily 45mi each way to work and i hope it makes it to230k or more.

**camaroz98** · 10-17-2009, 07:09 PM

just throw a ford 9in in there things are a beast. dont know why ford build such a strong rearend with out enough power that it was needed but i thank them for it!

**LSWONCOOP** · 10-17-2009, 07:37 PM

This is a WS6 and it's blk on blk. That adds some value. Plus, like I said, it's immaculate everywhere except for the front bumper, but the more I see, the more I think $10k is about right or maybe a smidge high. I'm about to tear my hair out at this point. I figured it would be easy to find a WS6 T/A with 60k-80k miles with a 6-spd in my price range. ($10-12k) I might even go 13 for the right car, but no luck so far on finding one that is actually worth the $.