WTB: Car around 8500$

This is just a feeler. My GTI is costing too much and I think I might as well send it on its way. :(
Easier said than done I just washed and waxed it and it's sitting in the garage looking all sad, knowing what's coming.
I need somebody to take care of her.
But I need new wheels myself, too.
Can 8500 buy me a running condition LT1? I wanted something with ABS and all.
Post whatcha know of around!
Thanks!

yeah no prob........they all have abs........just look in the buy in sell for one in the 9000s.....then do some serious talking down....should be no prob

oh yeah check the province I saw a cheap one in there

Yeah my civic si is costing me too much money as well...I was going to insure my 95 but then I realized my 81 would be even cheaper to drive:rolleyes:

An old camaro like that will put you in the poor house faster than your VW. I can see it now opti's shot , leaks oil everywhere, needs tires, Check eng light comes on , noisy rearend, won't pass aircare, needs sensors and O2s...all cheap to fix. NOT! These car are anything but cheap.

Originally posted by Zedzag


An old camaro like that will put you in the poor house faster than your VW. I can see it now opti's shot , leaks oil everywhere, needs tires, Check eng light comes on , noisy rearend, won't pass aircare, needs sensors and O2s...all cheap to fix. NOT! These car are anything but cheap.

Who on this forum is experiencing all these problems froma 94 or so? :confused:
Opti every so often, yes, but no way a stock LT1 should fail emissions...what would the cat just fall right off?

I'm just saying these are problems that can happen. All have happened to someone here at some time or another. Cars wear down with age and driving, parts wear out. I've personally had my opti go and my cat plugged up so bad my car could barely pull it's own weight. I've had friends whose stock fuel pumps have failed at 100,000 kms and others who failed aircare.

I'm not trying to discourage you, I think an LT body is a fun car. Let me ask you f-body is a this, how many repairs have you done to the VW not including cosmetic/accident repairs in the time you've owned it?

Originally posted by Zedzag


I'm not trying to discourage you, I think an LT body is a fun car. Let me ask you f-body is a this, how many repairs have you done to the VW not including cosmetic/accident repairs in the time you've owned it?

-New Clutch
-02 sensor
-that's it

Seems to me that it's pretty reliable. Why is it costing too much? As far as the gas/insurance situation an LT1 will be as much as your VW.

It's reliable but the payments are the part that's killing me. Payments and the car's higher insurance than an LT1.

opti's are more of a problem in 94 (non-vented style) which is probably the year you would end up buying if you only want to spend 8500.

Stock LT1's fail emissions every now and then, as said due to bad O2s, bad cat, etc.

oil leaks can also be problems, especially the famous intake manifold leak. rear main seals can also go which would be a huge PITA.

Probably the biggest potential problem is the 10-bolt rear. Once it start whining be prepared to spend $600+ to get it fixed, or $2000 USD+ for a stronger rear end.

Basically if you get a LT1 for $8500, it will be high mileage and probably a 94. Ownership cost will be a crapshoot - you might get lucky, or you could be stuck with a massive set of repair bills in the next year or two.

IF your insurance is higher the extra fuel the LT1 eats will make up the difference. I guess it all depends on the car...you may get one that needs everything or needs very little. Only one way to find out Jimbo.... buy one and see what happens. If it turns out to need alot of money in repairs at least you may not mind repairing a car that can kick a little more ass than your VW. Either way you'll have fun!

OUCH !! 8500 bucks is going to buy you a peice of junk man . . . you will end up hating it . Spend 16000 or so and get a well maintained , garage kept lt1 or spend the 8500 on a mustang . Mustangs are cheap and easy to find in good shape . We all have a different idea of what a nice fbody is but to me 8500 is going to be a crap pile that someone has beat up .


. . . however you could pick up a pretty nice 3rd gen IROC -Z for that kind of money and those are dead sexy :bow:

Dude, just from my experience, $8500 will buy you a nice F-body. My '95 Z28 is fully loaded, 6-speed. Never been wrecked, new tires, had EVERY service record in a folder. I paid nowhere near $8500. It had 107,000 on it. Haven't had a single problem with it. Like any car, if it's been cared for, then it's gonna last, plain and simple.

I vote for a 5L or Iroc at that price...stay FAR away from 4th gens for anything under $12,000 at this time.

PS to the guy above: We are in Canada...the land of any style of car BUT american V8's. Everything is WAY more expensive here.

Again, I disagree completely. The earliest of these 4th gens are over 10 years old, do you honestly still think they'll ALL bring over $12,000?

and you are???:rolleyes:

Ok, with all of the problems that a cheap 4th gen is going to have, just imagine what kind of problems most of the older 3rd gens and back are going to have? The older it is, the more worn out it's going to be.

For 8500 bucks you will get a really nice shape Iroc-z if you shop around , one of the upper percentage if you will . For the same cost you get a bottom of the barrel Lt1 no matter how you slice it .

For that price I would most likely be looking for a GTA or a IROCK.
Very nice models

I disagree I bought my 94 camaro with 130,000 kms on it for 10.5 drove it to about 175,000 kms......had no major problems......and then sold it for 10 back to the dealer.........if you have the car checked out .......you should be fine.......

i got my car 6 months ago for only $9000. it was advertised for 11k. it only had 115000km 6 speed black all in really good condition and stock. i got it all checked out and all was good. no leaks except the rear diff is just beginning to leak very slightly. i havent spent a cent on it since...i'm REALLY HAPPY with it :D