I ran across an 89 RS, 305 ,TBI auto, T-top, 91/92 Z28 wheels, Ravin Exhaust, 61k original miles and the cleanest , unmolested engine bay I've seen on a car this age.

Cons are a mile long though.

Weatherstripping around passenger side door/t top had a hole in it you could stick 2 fingers through. The pull down motor for the hatch didn't work as usual so it was bunjee corded together. The interior was faded and ragged out really really bad. It had been wrecked I'm assuming because the fiberglass that you screw the headlights to was busted in 3 out of 4 buckets. It had a nice slick red paint job but the nose had already been busted pretty bad. Idling was erratic at times, acted like a throttle position sensor.

The car lot priced it at $7995.00!! The lowest was $5500 straight cash and w/ trade would be $6500.!

Is it me or should that car be around $3000 at the most?

 

My 86 T/A had TPI, mint interior, tiny scrape on bumper, and I paid $1500.

So the motor isn't good, the interior isn't good, and the exterior (possibly frame?) isn't good. I've seen better cars for $1000.

 

$3000 is too much for that car. Expect to spend over $500 doing the weatherstripping right, (and thats if you do it yourself). Interior work can be fun, depending on what you want to do. If I saw that price tag I would run away laughing. Are you sure you read that right? He can't be serious.

Erratic idle could be a lot of things. You said it seemed like the TPS. This is very possible.

Basically its an 89 RS L03 that has been wrecked, needs body work, needs weatherstripping, needs an interior, has some unknown engine probs, and has a nice paint job that for all you know could be the "$39 special". Thats a project car. It needs everything.

If they re-did the interior to stock, fixed the engine, repaired the body, and had the weatherstripping done (which I wouldn't suggest anything other that doing the weatherstripping yourself, its just too sensitive of a job to have somebody do it for you) I'd say its worth $2500 at the most. That car needs $3000 worth of work to be worth $2500.

(I wrote this post as if you were thinking about buying the car...I realize this may not be the case and you may just be sharing what you saw.)

 

That's what I told the guy. He was all "I have to make a profit, somebody will buy it" I told him some kid pestering mommy and daddy but anyone that knows better is no way gonna pay that. You arn't trying to profit but get rich quick. He said it's a buy here pay here lot and I deal with people who have no other choice. I was thinking he wasn't gonna be in buisness long. He quickly got defensive and I told him I understood trying to profit but I could buy 3 cars in the same shape at that price. I told him that he couldn't expect a customer to pay for his sentimental (spellcheck) value.

The best part of the car was the engine. 61k original miles and nothing had been touched. Which on the flipside of that would be it has sat for a long time and not driven for an 89 to have that low of miles. Any harsh running would be a death sentence.

 

I am thinking of buying a car but not that one, so I guess I was sharing this guys ego.

I did find another one while not looking. It actually seems like a better deal.
91 305 TBI auto. t top 91 Z28 wheels. 182k miles that only puffed black smoke, which the whole air cleaner assembly wasn't there and I'm sure it could use a tune up. No knocking, pecking or leaking for that matter it actually shocked me. Oil pressure dropped around 40 after 30 mins of idling but would jump as soon as you gave it gas. It took forever to get heat hand to move and voltage was consistent.

Missing overhead, drivers side window and door panel as well. The hood for some reason had hood pins and evidentially blew open on the highway and has a 10-12 inch curved lip at the windshield. Paint wasn't in too bad of shape but the inside was rough. they asked 1000 cash I offered to trade my wifes 99 neon. they did not have enough cash on hand to equal the trade on my part(I knew this from the get go) He asked how much I was willing to pay , I said 500. I think I'm gonna pick it up thu. I can replace the parts that are beat up from my 87 and the only ugly spot then would be the headliner. Faster, cheaper and less work to buy a v8 car than to convert my 87 from v6 to that. I wasn't gonna put a whole lot of trust into the running of that high mileage 305 but another thread on here proved everybody is getting quite a bit more out of these.

 

Sounds like you're in the market for a 3rd gen? Check out the classifieds section on this site or post a wanted add there. Chances are you'll find a nice car in your price range plus, you'd be working with someone that at least has a talking knowledge of these cars.

Good luck

 

I'm picking up the 91 LO3 tomorrow. replace the busted drivers window and door panel with mine from 87 Sport Coupe. Take off the 2" Cowl hoods with hood pins. Leaves me with replacing the headliner. I have a 4x8 sheet of diamond plated aluminum I was going to customize dash/console with in 87 but I think I'll just make a headliner out of it. Missing the air cleaner assmebly but I've already made arrangements for a pickup on one of those as well. As far as this F41 suspension option, is it fact or fiction. Not to get into a whole new debate on this topic, Was just wanting to know because ( I havn't checked label) This car meets the requirements for it. Not a bad deal either, cut their asking price in half. You are lucky where I am from to get a rolling chasis with a good body and a title for that price. A running V8 T-Top car is surreal. Of course they thought it had a 6 in it, I guess I lucked out. They said the guy traded it for a 96 V6 Firebird. Drove it in here and parked it. Of course lots tell you anything but for some reason I'm buying this story simply because they could have gotten more than they were asking for it. Southwest Virginia area, 3rd gens are few and far between. Most totaled and crushed.