Looking for comments and advice.

Going to look at a Z28 Sat the 10th in Texas. The owner says he has a copy of the title. Now if he has a zerox copy I'm going to walk away. But if he has a certified texas title I'll still be a bit concerned.

If a person has a car and gets a certified copy they can take the original title and get a loan against that and then sell the car with the copy. Then the new owner would be facing the lien.

Anybody hear of this happening? I'm sure I wouldn't be facing much on a lien but even $750 over what i would be paying brings it above value so I don't want to take too big of a gamble.

Comments? What to watch for?

 

Once you file for a transfer of the title to your name you should be OK. Just go do it the same day. Once it is in your name, any old title is worthless.

If you think something fishy is going on, insist that the seller accompany you to transfer the title.

I've lost a title, gotten a copy then sold a vehicle. So I would not automatically assume there is a problem.

 

I think I saw it on craigslist...brown/gold one with no keys right? Sounds fishy. Also saw it a few weeks ago...looks like the second person to sell it in the last month or so.

 

http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/2685060507.html

I did see one with no keys. i don't think this is it.

 

Looks like it might be a decent car.

It says "crossfire" but that air filter doesn't look like a crossfire to me.

It should have the ABS hood with working hood scoops.

Looks like the same velour interior I have.

 

The z28 on Craigslist lust that has no its is a 1882 z28, I went to check it out a few days ago,looks good in pictures but has been eating away by rust in major areas. Like the ttop lining is all eaten through

 

Heres a pic I found on the web. Maybe with this factory setup it is not the abs hood. Think I'm going to look at it.

 

I went to look at it. Here is an update in case anyone is interested.

The man who owns it is about 60+ and doesn't speak english well. It seems to be very legit. He lives about a block or two away, the car is at one of his kids house.

The car appears to be original paint and engine. The inspection and registration ran out in 2004 so it has sat unused for 7 to 8 years. Window sweeps literally fell apart when I rolled the window down. Window rolled down like it was new. No slack in door hinges at all. Appears to be low miles just like he said. 86xxx. I did not drive the car.

I asked him about the "engine 1998" in the ad and he said no it is original and it appears to be so. Probably language problem. Starts and runs but needs a tuneup. Appears to be original everything so everything is dry rotted. We ran the engine at idle for about 15 minutes and it was missing pretty good but ran solid.

Interior is in excellent shape but t-tops interior is trying to sag a little - t-tops doesn't allow much sag so... Horn button missing on steering wheel. Factory radio. A/C turned on but didn't seem to turn on compressor. Dash and console were nice. Has the big clock in the console.

Body has a small dent in front passenger fender above tire. Paint is 30 years old and looks it - needs to repainted period. It was not even a 20ft paint. Maybe 40 and it still would not be shiny. Saw no rust. It does have the crossfire hood and appears to be all hooked up but I do not know if it works. Still had the ground strap connected. Hood needs to be propped with a stick and I'm sure rear hatch does too. Windshield wiper blades were rotted off. Drum brakes on rear. Brakes felt a little spongy.

Tires look brand new 8 years ago but must be changed due to dry rot - it a shame but no way around it. Looked under it and it looks like new shock bushings and new sway bar bussings were installed very recently - the originals most like fell out completely from rot so he did this to stop rattles for selling it - shocks were original old stuff. He said a mechanic removed the gas tank and cleaned it and put new gas in. I forgot to ask about fuel pump. There was an old oil leak(s) starting at the front engine seal going back. The typical oil mixed with dirt going back to the rearend. I saw no fresh oil except maybe at the rear diff. Appears to have an oil leak from the power steering pump or gearbox - small spot on concrete under it.

I am not sure I could drive it home before some major seal gave way.

So here is what it will need at mininum now or very soon: (a lot of this due to rotting rubber)

Front and rear engine seals, probably pan gasket and valve covers. Maybe intake gaskets
misc rubber things concerning the crossfire
Maybe injectors, iac, etc during tuneup
Water pump and power steering pump
Belts and hoses and vac hoses and heater hoses
A/C o-ring seals and then recharged
Front and Rear trans, trans dipstick etc seals
Pinion seal on rear diff
Wheel bearing seals
Brake hoses definitely and most likely calipers and drum cylinders
Fuel lines where they are rubber
Possibly ttop seals, rear hatch seals, door seals. I did not inspect these for rot. I forgot.
Window sweeps in and out, triangles by window. These were rotted out.
Paint job
Tires unless you need to die for some reason. VERY dry rotted.
Hood and hatch piston prop thingys
ANd whatever you can think of made from rubber...

 

For everyone who thinks with their wallet and not their heart and also believe time is money.

here are some rough numbers but still very close. No labor costs included and did not include Paint or weatherstrips - just window sweeps.

TOTAL $2306. This is AFTER buying the car

Front and rear engine seals, probably pan gasket, valve covers. Maybe intake gaskets 75
misc rubber things concerning the fuel system 50
Maybe injectors, iac, etc during tuneup 250
mixture control solenoid 95
fuel injector filter 6
fuel injector rail seals 10
fuel pressure regulator 70
fuel pump 50
egr 90
iac 90
belts and hoses 60
O2 Sensor 20
plugs 20
cap, rotor, plug wires 70
oil changes complete engine, diff, trans and trans filter gasket etc 100
water pump 40
trans seals 50
power steering pump 50
A/C o-ring seals and then recharged 50
Pinion seal on rear diff and gasket 15
Wheel bearing seals and repack for front 25
Brake hoses definitely and most likely calipers and drum cylinders and pads/shoes 150
Fuel lines where they are rubber 20
Window sweeps in and out, triangles by window. These were rotted out. 200
Paint job ???
Tires unless you need to die for some reason. VERY dry rotted. 550
Hood and hatch piston prop thingys 100
Possibly ttop seals, rear hatch seals, door seals. I did not inspect these for rot. I forgot. ???
ANd whatever you can think of made from rubber...

 

Rock! Didn't know you were still around! How's the vette running?

 

Yep, that's a cross fire all right.
So did it have the ABS hood?

 

yes, it had the abs hood. Car may or may not be worth what he was asking - it was not worth it to me. Too much work, getting too old to live under a hood

 

Crossfire cars are getting pretty rare. It probably isn't worth much, but it might be a good candidate for restoration.

I would like to have the hood.

 

If the body was perfect I might reconsider. One of the door things on the hood was bent. warped gfx, bad paint, dented front fender... Things just add up in time and money.

But at least he really had a car for sale and it was a real person!!! I am SICK of craigslist and the people that will not reply or are just trolling for phone numbers