Buy a GSX? need help quick...

[Jackyll]

Hey

I've been looking for a GSX for quite some time now, and I came across one tonight. It's a 97 GSX with 57,000 miles on it. From what the dealership says, it has an exhaust (true), it's lowered (true but don't know with what), it has an upgraded turbo (don't know about this one cause I don't know the differences between them), and it has bigger injectors (don't know about this either).

Anyways... the exterior was perfect, so was the interior except for the missing headrests However, when he started up the car, it died right away and they said it stalls when the RPMs are under 2K... could this be because of the injectors? easy to fix if they don't? Even though they assured me that the car would be running perfectly when they sold it. Only other thing I noticed that is really making me nervous... one of the tubing pieces to the SMIC had duct tape all over it :thumbdown

Anyways, I told them what they wanted for it was too high for me and left them my number after I embarassed the salesman cause he didn't know I actually knew a little bit about the car, kinda made me smile haha. But as soon as I got home, they called me and asked me how early I could come in tomorrow to buy her up. I got them to bring the car down to my price and everything... amazingly... the other "3 deposits" they have on the car aren't going to mind

So, as for my questions... besides the few I put in above... do you guys think I should pick her up tomorrow or should I leave her be because of the problems she's having? Or are these problems easy for me to fix... keep in mind that I'm a noob ... or for the dealership to fix before I get there tomorrow night??

BTW... she's burgandy and a 5-speed

Thanks for the imput!!
Mike

 

[RoasT BeeF]

Make them fix everything before you buy it. Including the duct tape on the IC. Make sure it runs and drives right. See if they can somehow proove that it has aftermarket injectors and what brand they are as well as the turbo. Don't get taken. Be a dick.

 

[Defiant]

Agreed.

I got a bad feeling about this, Luke....

 

[GSGoinFast]

i dunno it will stall under 2k rpm's? how are you spose to stop at stoplights then? that seems a little fishy... but it could be a fun project

 

[eclipsed95]

The stall problem sounds like a mass air flow problem i had once, had to replace to fix it. I sell cars, so it's sad for me to hear the salesperson doing the stereotypical salesmen things. Keep in mind, we're all not like that.

Good luck with the car, sounds ok besides the few issues

 

[Jackyll]

well... if we're speaking of an air flow problem... i didn't see any kind of intake or a cone filter or anything under the hood. just the normal black box where it would go. that any help?

 

[eclipsed95]

The black box that connects to the intake is the mass air flow, that's what I had to replace. Anytime I pushed the clutch in, the car would idle down and shut off, I had to give it gas to keep it going. I replaced it and my car ran fine. Not saying that's your prob, but it fixed mine

 

[BUCK]

Will you have $2K or $3K CASH laying around AFTER you buy it? You BETTER!

 

[deusxmachina]

It'd probably be a fairly easy problem to troubleshoot, if you knew more about the cars. Buying problemed DSM's is a great way to save money because most people have no clue about them for some reason. It's like they are magical beasts that can't be attended to by mere mortals.

Can't say if it'd be worth it because you didn't give the price. Also, if they can't prove the injectors and turbo etc are aftermarket, then you have to act as if they are stock. It's like when someone says they changed the timing belt but can't back it up with a single receipt. Maybe they changed it, but if they can't provide evidence, then that's their problem and you price it accordingly.

You might want to join the Chicago DSM yahoo list and post to see if someone in the area will check the car out with you. You might have to wait an extra day or three, but it might save you a lot of headaches, too. They said it'd be running perfectly when they sold it, though, so I guess that means they'll have it fixed the next time you are there. If so, proceed back to paragraph two.

 

[98RedGs]

Sounds possibly like the MAF is messed up or it could possibly be the tps. Don't let them tell you that it's running like that because of the injectors. If it is the injectors then they are flooding the hell out of that car at idle.

Ask them what turbo is on it and to show you proof with a receipt?
Same goes for the injectors.

I wouldn't trust them saying "it's upgraded" if they can't prove it.

 

[Talek]

Could the BOV just be vented and causing problems? Or maybe a vacuum leak (from that l33t duct taping job on the ic pipe)?

 

[98RedGs]

Could the BOV just be vented and causing problems? Or maybe a vacuum leak (from that l33t duct taping job on the ic pipe)?

:shrugs:
Possibly.
But if it's that big of a vaccume leak then he should honestly hear it while it's reved to 2k rpms. Time to make a homemade intake leak tester and find out bro!

HOOK IT UP!

 

[Jackyll]

Thanks for the help guys...

I went and checked out the car again yesterday... i looked at the turbo a bit and it says "TD05H" ... I read on another post that that was a marking for a 16g, correct? Other than that they said the car still wasn't running correctly, but it should be by saturday at the latest and they're calling me tomorrow with an update on her. I was kicking myself on the way home last night cause i brought my camera but completely forgot to take any pictures of her