Found one I can afford

[wcoates]

Re: Found one I can afford

Ken a salvage title with a good repair wouldn't bother me IF I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE CAR before purchase. Only one purchased (of an obsence amount of cars) that I bought sight unseen was a nightmare that I parted out. (65 year old guys do not need to part out cars.) This car was viewed by a trusted club member (Cadiilac Allante) on the west coast . Must have forgot his glasses.

Ken I'm to much of a newbie to speak about Birds yet but my experience is any convertible is cheaper in the winter months. Take your time, talk to the owner and be prepared for a long look see drive or have money in pocket and a one way plane ticket.
look it over at the airport and drive home (or make sure there is a return flight home). Take your time and spring will come to Vermont and you'll be tweeking your car during those long February and March winters.


Hey guys, your posts remind me to askif there is any electrical connections that need made for the HT rear defrost to work?

[merlot4]

Re: Found one I can afford

Your hardtop should plug into an electrical connection via the rear pin when it is attached. Try your rear window defroster and see if it comes on.

[Guest]

Re: Found one I can afford

It has a "rebuilt" title.

I have a rebuilt title on mine.(Rebuild Flood Damage) Didn't buy it to make money. I bought it to drive. It had been in flood waters but you can't tell it. I bought it for $6,500 cash little over 90,000 miles as is drove it home from Houston, Texas to Corpus Christi and it made it home fine.
Been driving it around for months now. I did replace the shocks. The waters I think killed the shocks/struts.
I see absolutely no water damage anywhere on the car. My insurance man I took insurance on the car with told me it happens all the time people turn in claims on minor stuff so they can clear out of the car and move on. Mine had a $18,900 payoff on it. So I got it for a steal. I hope it keeps running fine for me.

[Rondor]

Re: Found one I can afford

A re-build is fine if you know how to buy one. I had a friend years ago who re-built cars for a living and some were relly great buys. Knowing what wa damagrd and how it iwas repaired makes a huge difference and is crucial. If I were to be interested in one I would pay a good auto body man to look it over for me.

[abaton6]

Re: Found one I can afford

Ken,what color is it?

This one is yellow.

[62SportsRoadster]

Re: Found one I can afford

Over many years I have owned many rebuilts. Getting the before and after photos is a big help enabling you to check the specific areas that were damaged.

Keep in mind some states will not allow you to title the car and some insurance companies will not issue insurance and they can be impossible to sell sometimes.

A branded title (salvage, rebuilt, flood) lessens the value of the car by 50%. Lots of unscrupulous sellers will not mention it or lessen the stated impact on value.

A question I would have on the later models is how to verify if an actual functioning airbag is where expected? Those are costly, yet, not noticeable parts to replace.

The worse problem I have had with a used car was not caused by it having been a rebuild but by having had a previous owner that removed the brake warning bulb.
I totaled the car and the one I hit within months of the purchase due to only half of the braking system working.

Its all depends on the honesty of the seller.

[DogFather]

Re: Found one I can afford

I've often thought that in the age of Carfax and all the reporting they can do now, it would be nice if we could actually SEE pictures of the damage before it was repaired, and know which parts were replaced and which were just bent back into shape.

The information is out there, insurance adjusters don't mess around when they make the determination to total a car.

[007Cruiser]

Re: Found one I can afford

Did you reach a decision?

[BLACK BEAUTY]

Re: Found one I can afford

Pete- the more i read the smarter you become. (ie:free floe cat). For me I'd look for a 2003-5. Secondly I would NOT buy salvage. Before I had the good fortune of falling in love with Black Beauty, I was looking at a shadow grey 03 in the Minneapolis area. It had 80k and when I asked for a carfax, the guy READ it to me...rear end collision...no thank you.....

[Leroy]

Re: Found one I can afford

Yellow is OK but you only want a Yellow hard top or White. White being hard to find cheap. 02 is the worst year to buy, hold out for at least an 03, more HP and warranty on COPS. 44K isn't too bad, but if it's a local car and has been driven in the Winter up there with salted roads, forget it. Look at the tires too, if they're the original ones they're shot even if they look good, too old. Remember these cars are like Harleys, nothing for them is cheap and unless you're a rocket scientist, they're not easy to work on in the back yard.

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[Greg S]

Re: Found one I can afford

Those of us with trouble free 02s cringe when we read statements like above!

[justjon]

Re: Found one I can afford

I agree .. no problems here

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

Re: Found one I can afford

Those of us with trouble free 02s cringe when we read statements like above!

I know what you mean, I have have had two 2002's and still have the NM. Both are great cars and I really like the clusters on the 2002's, but do miss the heated seats. That said, the leather is much nicer on the 2002's. I would think it would be hard to have an opinion about the difference without having had one of each, but some do.

[2K2BIRD]

Re: Found one I can afford

People always have to try to convince others that they made the right choice. There is nothing inherently wrong with the '02s.

Bottom line - if you didn't buy an '02, you've had at least one year (maybe more) of not having as much fun, fun, fun as possible.

As for the original question, if you are happy with the way it looks and drives, plan to keep it for a long while and it checks out with a trusted mechanic - what difference does it make what the title says? Save the $5-10K and have a great time.

[DogFather]

Re: Found one I can afford

Three things I like about the 02:

1) Lower compression engine, (no variable valve timing?)
2) No electronic throttle control
3) Supposedly better quality leather

Electronic throttle control has crapped out on me SEVEN TIMES on my '05 Expedition. Twice I was on the interstate, in traffic, doing 70. The truck just DIED. Pull over, crank it again, everything's fine. Sometimes I just threw it into neutral and restarted while I was coasting.