Guys,
My GF just bought a used 98 camaro z28 very cheap... the car needs some TLC but runs and feels strong. One of the things i noticed is the car drives somewhat sideways. You can't notice too much but i can because I am a freak like that. It is like the front wheels are just an inch or so to the left and the car drives straight like that.. it can also be that i am crazy. What could it be? Alignment? or frame damage??

 

Sounds like the frame is bent.

 

Bad shock maybe?

 

drive through some water, and then pull over and look at the tracks made by the tires. Are there only 2 tracks, or do the rear tracks not follow the front, if so, it may be frame damage.

 

so if the car's rear wheels does follow the front wheels exactly the only reason is frame damage? can't it be aligment+ panhard rod?

 

It could be frame damage, or any sort of suspension damage. Bent control arm, panhard rod, etc.

Take it to an allignment shop and have them look at all 4 wheels. Look at the "thrust line" of the rear axle, it should line up perfectly down the center of the car. If it is angled off to either side, you have a problem.

 

Alignment will fix that.

 

Are you sure you just dont have a wheel that is out of balance. Swap tires from side to side and see if the car pulls to the other side. Makes sense to eliminate the simple things first.

 

My interpretation of what he is describing is not a simple pull, what he is saying is that the car is dogtracking down the road. The rear tires are not following in the path of the front tires. It's like it is going down the road crooked.

 

run a carfax on the car to see if it was ever in an accident.

 

Heh.

This where Carfax = OVERRATED.

Carfax only can tell you what has been reported, if it's even accurate. Not everyone reports everything, whether to hide something or just from being lazy. Even then, I swear you Carfax BEFORE the purchase, when it makes any difference at all.

Flat out...lady friend should have gotten the car inspected by a good mechanic--even call out a mobile mechanic in the phone book--to look this bad boy over.

"My GF just bought a used 98 camaro z28 very cheap... "

If she bought on her own, yeah, trouble right there. Not that most guys would have thought of inspection before costly purchase, either. Good luck trying to nail a stealership for anything, since if she didn't ask, they did nothing wrong.

Anyway my Ranger drives like that--in a "that's stretching it" way, but it's a radius arm bushing that's worn and pulling my truck one way and it's slight at that. I can only imagine (heck, I really don't want to) what this Z got driven into to make it boomerrang like it is...

 

yeah, it is like it is going down the road crooked. but it is hardly noticeable .. but the car has been on a accident... just wondering how bad it is... and if it isn't frame damage what else could it be. The car was bought from a private seller.

 

It could be suspension damage. You need to take it to an allignment shop and have them see what is up with it. It might be easy to fix.