Potential purchase advise...

[PipeHitter]

I'm looking at a 2g DSM with mods listed below. The seller tells me the car runs 'fine' but needs a tune. I ask him why wasn't the car tuned and what about the potential damage to running it without a tune. He replied that he drives it short distances but never romps on it, and that the car sat for a while and lost the tune due to a dead battery. He claims he purchased the car with no tune, and has owned it since Sept.

According to Apexi's site their SAFCII does not lose its settings even in the event of battery removal. I tried searching this site and google but can't seem to find evidence to support or refute this claim. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with lost settings on a SAFCII?

I'm worried that he may be hiding a poor running condition under the guise that it needs a tune, and once I tune it I find I'm looking at costly engine repairs. He is asking $7500, and the car is super clean with low miles, and tons of mods. I would have bought it already if it wasn't for this tune issue.

Only thing I can think to do is a compression check,,,any other ideas to keep from getting hosed? Or should I just walk away on this one?

I've already told him $7500 was out of the question as I was taking a risk. He said he would get back to me on his final price.

1998 GSX -84000.mi
Full 3" Apexi n1 exhaust
Forced Performace header
o2 housing
Forced Performance cams1 2
Slowboys racing 20g turbo
Injen intake piping
Greddy BOV
Greddy 24v intercooler
Greddy intercooler pipes
MLS headgasket with arp headstuds
Mishimoto radiator
Prothane motor mount inserts
660 injectors
ACT 2600 clutch
Duel stage manuel boost controller
Ported manifold
Megan front and rear strutbars
Eibach sportline springs.

Wheels
17" MSR model 190 wheels

Interior
Apexi safcII air flow converter
boost peyrometer
aem wideband gauges
HKS turbo timer
Temp and oil pressure gauges.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[saturnshadow]

GST or GSX?

 

[PipeHitter]

She's a GSX

 

[dsmdeliveryboy]

Looks pretty clean to me, I don't think the motor is in any immediate harm right now if he isn't romping on it and running wastegate pressure. I would only pay $5k for it though.

 

[LV-DSM]

My AFC sat in my car with no battery for nearly 4 years and did not loose it's settings. Pretty impressive I thought. The price seems a bit high, but I really couldn't say what it is worth. Personally, I would recommend a compression test and a run throught the AFC settings.

Is it running well? Is it idling poorly or real rich? I didn't see it in your list, but maybe it has a Walbro fuel pump and no regulator dumping crazy fuel. It happens pretty often.

One side of me would be all over this car, but the other side would be suspicious of the guy dumping a car he just bought. Just my 2 cents. Good luck, looks like a beautiful car and pretty clean.

 

[Venom13132]

Needing a tune would scare me away, especially at that price. He may think thats all it needs but it could be the heads or block crapping out. Its definitely a gamble. See if you can work out a deal to take it to a shop and have it tuned.

 

[GsXtC21]

if its in good condition "with no hidden extra's" id be willing to pay $6k easy for that with all the mods that thing has, got some good parts and doesnt look like he cheaped out on parts but the whole tune things... hmmmm

 

[LiquidX]

Have him dig up the reciepts and bills for the work that was done. Check for crank play as well. Does it smoke at all and will he let you drive it and wind it out. Even without a tune, you'll still be able to drive with the 660cc inejctors but it'll be a running very rich and make sure the gauges work. Why is he selling it as well and really pry into that question. Ask what is all wrong with the car and have him agree to take it to a garage or a local DSMer that knows his shit about the car and get it throughly inspected.

 

[DIRQUIN]

Im in nashville as well. If you would like to meet up, I would take a look at it with you. I have a compresion tester set and any other tools needed. Im in nashville till 5:30. Then Mt Juliet. Let me know I would be glad to help out so you dont get burned.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

If you run wastegate pressure the stock fuel map should be enough to get a feel how the car runs. I'd ask to take the upper timing cover off to see how the belt looks and see if its loose. Pull the dip stick and check for any sediments or discoloring.

 

[FLASH1970]

I'd say 6K wouldn't be too bad of a price if it all checks out. It looks like it's nicely modded and clean. Check ball joints, tie rods, compression, end play in the crank. If it all checks out, then pick it up, tune it and have fun. The SAFC shouldn't be too hard to dial in with the wideband on the car.

 

[GsXtC21]

Im in nashville as well. If you would like to meet up, I would take a look at it with you. I have a compresion tester set and any other tools needed. Im in nashville till 5:30. Then Mt Juliet. Let me know I would be glad to help out so you dont get burned.

Man, we need more people like you in my city...!!!

 

[PipeHitter]

dsmdeliveryboy: Wish I could find a decent one for 5k. All the ones I have looked at in that price range have been trashed. Bad paint, no maintenance, rotten interior, sketchy owners. Figured I would have to up my $$ if I wanted a cleaner ride...

LV-DSM: Thank you very much for sharing your experience with your AFC. Was it an Apexi brand? Good idea on the fuel pump/fpr question, and what exactly is the running condition. I'm trying to reach him now to answer those questions.

LiQUiDx: Good questions, I didn't think to ask him if its smoking or showind any evidence of crankwalk ! I'm going to ask as soon as I get in contact with him.

DIRQUIN: Thanks a ton for that offer, you 'da man! I would even buy beer/dinner!! Only problem is the car is about 3hrs from Nashville, which is why I'm trying to hammer all the detail before I drive to go look at it. I'd like to take a trailer and make the trip once,,,either buy or no buy. But thanks again, if I do find another in Nashville I may hit you back up.

GSXSixteenG: Good ideas that I'm going to add to the list.

FLASH1970: To be honest, I sorta felt that 6k was worth the risk. Some people say they wouldn't pay more than 5k for any 2g DSM but in my 400mi market the only ones I find are nasty. IF this car just needs a tune I would feel good paying 6k for as clean as it is. But if not, I could wind up 7-8k in the car. Then again, these 5k roaches that I'm been looking at prob need about 2-3k to get them looking/running clean. So same money and I had to do more running around to get them right. I guess it all really balls down to my acceptable risk level, and what his final price is going to be.

Thanks guys for the responses, feel free to keep them coming!!

 

[shadoof77]

Just ask to take it for a test drive. And WOT. If he says no or seems sketchy don't bother. It does look clean so that's a plus but you will never know until you see it up close in person. And tune-ups aren't cheap and some shops might not carry the right cable to tune it so your going to have to get the cable which average 200$. It'll probably cost an additional 500+ atleast to get a good tune. I had to buy a cable and get mine gsx tuned and it costed me 700$ on addition to the 7.5k I spent on mine. But it came with a totally rebuilt engine and alot of other mods. Look into the costs of tuning by your area and if you will need the cable to tune it and get an estimate. And basically do what everyone else said to look into compression test and such. Make sure you drive it before you drive it home though! Make sure that tranny doesn't grind or slip cause you don't wanna replace one a tranny a week of having your car. Good luck with it though if you decide to buy it

 

[96eclipzGsT]

I would be worried someone rolled a set of bearings in it because it was knocking and is now trying to sell it. Give it hell on the test drive.

 

[PipeHitter]

Well, he came back at $6800. Says the car idles fine, has an upgraded fuel pump, blows black smoke while driving sometimes, and pegs the wideband at 10 during WOT. Says the tranny shifts good. He mentioned that the tranny was replaced because the previous owner "put the wrong fluid in it and burned it up. That's how it lost the tune because it sat so long waiting for a replacement tranny out of another car.".

I'm not sure he knows a lot about the car, I feel like he's asking a buddy all the questions I ask him. For instance, he did not know what 'WOT' or 'fpr' stand for, and doesn't know what crankwalk is. I'm starting to wonder if he bought this car from a friend and had no idea what he was getting into. He mentions his reason for selling is he needs money. Clear title in hand.

At any rate, I'm tired of it. I told him I would be willing to travel the distance to look at it, and if he would let me drive it, do a compression check, and take a look at the timing belt I would be willing to go 6k if I like what I saw. Any more and I should probably look at one that's good to go. So I guess we'll see.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

I would just like to add, it appears that the turbo isn't a 20g either. Sooo, thats bring up a lot more questions about the truth of the car.

 

[LV-DSM]

At the end of the day, that car most likely got the crap kicked out of it by inexperienced drivers. It looks good, but who know what your getting into. Also, the AFC I have is made by Apexi.

 

[Rockbmx1]

That turbo could be a lot of things. It is just in a tdo5 housing. SBR makes Bastard 20g turbos that are stuffed into a tdo5 housing also. I have an hta82 wheel in a tdo6h housing for instance.

 

[Guzman08]

so did u end up getting it??