I've seen a lot of ratted-out 4th gen tops down here.
Sun kills them, if you don't keep after the material
with a decent preservative. RaggTopp seems to be
the name to go with. White tops are a pain in the
*** and prone to mildew.

Check that the mechanism works quietly and smoothly.
Joints need to be greased, but any binding you can't
explain may signal abuse or accident. Check around
the back window for any separation between the glass,
the "rubber" ring and the fabric. Check the liner for
water stains that indicate a leak / tear / pinhole.

Figure on replacing a top every 5-10 years anyway,
even if it's pristine. Convertible tops are like cute
19-year-old virgins. Not meant to last. Enjoy yours
while you can

If you can, on a car this old it's a good idea to get a
look at the floorboards under the matting. A 'vert
that goes to the beach collects salt. A 'vert that gets
wet salt in its matting is a rust bomb ticking. Feel around
where the top meets the body sill; any lumps that
might be cancerous? Check around where the trunk
lid closes over it; any abrasion?

Look at the fit of the door seams. As convertibles age
and are abused in Dukes-of-Hazzard style maneuvers,
they will sag and the door gap will be closer at the top
than the bottom. If there's a visible difference there,
it will at the least annoy you and at worst signal
some frame damage / distortion (if you can call the
extra bit of channel connecting the subframes a
real frame). Any issues with door closure? Does it
shut easily, or have to bump up over the latch post?

In the end, you'll probably buy it anyway. If any of these
points are heinous then maybe you should find a better
example, but they can all be negotiating points. Though
people with convertibles for sale have plenty of phone
calls usually and aren't always amenable to dickering.

 

Another vote for the vert here. I bought mine new in 12/98 and have 62k miles on her so far. The dop does not leak unless you aim high pressure spray upward toward the top of the door windows (high pressure car wash).

Wind noise with the top up is typical of any convertable. Wind noise with the top down is actually less of a problem than with most convertables, because of the slant of the windshield. Cars with more vertical slanted windshields (like the mustang) are noisier with the top down. At least that's my experience from having rented a stang to try it out.

 

man u must love ur convertible... u even spelled it wrong in ur sig =)! Just playin with ya.

 

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

Car checked out nice and all. However, we are still 2K apart on the bottom line. They did not want to budge. And neither did I, so back to the drawing board.

I actually drove a M5 GT Vert at another dealeship. It wasn't bad at all... There's also a 99 Vert T/A M6 available but it has 95K miles. And a Z28 w/under 50K.

So, lots to choose from. The search continues... I'll keep you posted.

TS

 

Well, even though you decided not to get it, I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in...I have a 99 Z28 'vert and I love it. Wind noise is not a problem for me. I've gotten a lot of comments on how quiet it is, actually. As for window leaks, as someone else mentioned, I only get them with high pressure sprays. Not a big deal there either.