What is this car worth / Is this car a good deal?

[Devilsfutbol17]

I found a 1996 Spyder GST for $4900. It is a 5-speed, 91,000 miles on it, white with black top, 17 inch rims. There is 80% tread left on the tires but the guy has a brand new never used set of tires for the car that is included in the price. He says the top doesn't leak, but it had a rip and was repaired, but he didn't like it, so he bought a brand new oem top that isn't installed and is included with the car. He says the interior is really nice, everything inside works, but you have to help the top up a little bit. He doesn't know if the timing belt has been replaced or not. It has a 3 inch cat back exhaust, 16G turbo, apexi intake and a greddy bov. He says it runs great and has no issues. He says he just wants to get rid of it because he doesn't drive it and its taking up space in his garage, which sounds good to me because he kept it garaged at least. he also said that the paint is good on it, no clear coat coming off, no body damage or dents. I'm going to check for crankwalk be looking at the clutch pedal when I turn left. I have been talking to the guy over the phone and I'm suppose to go drive for 4 hours to go and buy it if it checks out on Thursday. Does it sound good? Should I ask him or check for other things on it?

 

[Wooley91TSI]

Factory gauge reading means basically nothing. Mine was reading 7 on the factory gauge and 11 on my aftermarket gauge with no boost control modifications. I say go for it. I love my auto.

 

[havlc2u]

So new to AWD is there snything i should check before i purchase this 93 gsx.
Just wondering i have hsd bad luck with my 2g so i would like to actually get to drive this car.



Thanks

 

[Dylan0123]

is this one worth almost $54,000?: Eagle in Eagle | eBay Motors

 

[horizontalkev]

is this one worth almost $54,000?: Eagle in Eagle | eBay Motors

What's sad is his Ebay rating is really good. I'd rather put 50k towards a gtr

 

[horizontalkev]

So new to AWD is there snything i should check before i purchase this 93 gsx.
Just wondering i have hsd bad luck with my 2g so i would like to actually get to drive this car.



Thanks

Check this out

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/200797-dsm-buyers-guide-what-look-when-buying-dsm.html

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

is this one worth almost $54,000?: Eagle in Eagle | eBay Motors

Nooooooo waaaaay!

 

[96GSXShane]

96 gsx eclipse

first dms buy, checked it out yesterday, needs new clutch, but the thing wouldnt start, he put the fuel at 57lbs and it started running again. scared for several reasons, crank walk but its a rebuild and has new crank. 2 if theres more problems than that, i just wanna know an experts opinion. thanks!

 

[68442]

Wait and buy something stock or lightly modified. That thing will be a nightmare. $4500 and needs a clutch and runs like shit, ridiculous.

 

[shockey1013]

+1 on getting a fairly stock DSM. Most engines tend to crankwalk after a fresh rebuild. Also you shouldnt have to touch the fuel pressure at all for the car to start. Sounds sketchy man.

 

[thomcasey]

Yes, walk away. Problem starting could be the fact he has the BOV venting to atmosphere and the recirc tube just hanging there. So, he has to richen the fuel up to get it to run. As for the CW, the safest thing to do is replace the motor. Most motors CW again if it has done so previously. The above advice to get a stock model is the best advice.

 

[gsxdragger]

I've purchased stock dsms and heavily modified and after years of headaches I will never buy anything that isn't stock or lightly modded... but that's just my 2 cents. Too many people hack these cars up when modding.

 

[Soccerguy136]

Agree with all the others above.

If it is your first DSM, buy stock or lightly modified and learn as you go.

I see these types of cars all the time on craigslist and there is usually much more wrong with them than the owner would have you believe. ESPECIALLY if they rebuilt/built the motor themselves. Run away from those cars.

Most cars that are being sold with rebuilt/built motors with less than 15-20k on the rebuild are being sold because there is something wrong with them. Think about it. Why would someone dump 3-4k minimum into a car, and then all of a sudden decide they don't want it anymore. You almost always WILL be buying someone else's headache and problem car if you aren't experienced and don't know what to look for.

Here are some good guidelines to buying a car when you are not all that experienced

1. Car must be stockish

2. Car must run and drive with only minor issues (brakes need replaced, hoses need replaced, etc.)-Use your best judgement here. If you don't know how to work on cars/haven't before, I would suggest being very picky here. An extra $1,000 up front could save you in the long run, especially if you don't do the work yourself.

3. Car must fall in line with KBB or Nada value. (This only applies to relatively stock cars, which are the only ones you should be buying !)

4. Owner MUST have receipts for ALL MAJOR WORK (Engine, Trans, Etc.) Again, if they did it themselves, run away from that car. It's not worth it.

5. Car must pass basic compression test. ALWAYS compression test a car you are buying. ALWAYS.

6. Don't trust the previous owner. He WANTS to sell you the car. I, personally will never buy a car on the spot. I will go and look at it. Talk to them, and then go think about if for a few days before making a decision. Find out as much as you can about the car and then think about it long and hard. Research any potential issues you have about it and come to a final decision.

7. Take a friend/someone you know who DOES work on cars or has done this before. It will take a lot of pressure off of you to buy the car on the spot. Two heads are better than one. Maybe they will see something you missed, etc. Trust me, if you are new, this makes buying a car so much more fun and easy.

That's all I can think of now .

Hope this helps!

 

[Breezio69]

To further go with what has been said... first hand experience right here.. I can't keep up with all the b.s. the previous (how many) owners of my eclipse did. I'm about to coin toss selling it or not as its cutting into my home life, not being dependable to get to work, and mostly... who wants to fix a car instead of enjoy a car.

If I could do it all over again I would have found a stock one for sure... maybe exhaust and intake at the most.

 

[bluegatorade]

soccer guy nailed it.

I'm no expert but I wish I hadn't tool the plunge into my dsm. I thought "aw man, this guy has already bought all the high dollar parts and I just have to tweak it" WRONG

I went from needs intercooler and rediator to full blown head job and having to pull the block out. not to mention all the little things like learning the car and wiring. I wish I had bought something more stock and done add ons as I wanted not major work needed to validate my expenses. If I followed the rule about compression test I would be 2600 bones richer right now(still expect another 6-800 more). I will NEVER make that mistake again.

In hindsight, at least in my case, I will know the car is in tip top shape and will get to enjoy that as well as not be like the dick that passed it off to me if/when I pass this one off.

If you miraculously get him to knock several hundred off you'll still be spending that money in the long run. Again , Im no expert like you requested just my 0.02

 

[Turbowrx 32]

I agree with almost every one that has replied to OP. I have bought both modded and stock and all of my major headaches have been trying to fix someone else's crap. Buy close to stock and don't look back.

 

[Breezio69]

Just to get further in, so far I've had to do:
Rewire horn
Rewire running lights
Rewire marker lamps
Fix stripped out j pipe bolt on turbo
Replace o2
Replace wheel bearings
Replace all 4 turbo/exhaust gaskets
Fix oil leak at turbo return line
Replace half of the water hoses coming off the water housing
Replace injector pigtails (he broke two of them)
Fix large hole in the rear of the exhaust that he used rubber coupler and hose clamps to fix
Rewire radio the correct way
Figure out why he detuned the afpr to 30psi running 660's on stock tune... then buy stuff to tune my 560's I put in myself.

All in all, I haven't spent a ton of actual money on the fixes, but it does make the girlfriend pissed that once a week somethingnew pops up. And when I find out it went wrong because something was cut and plugged with a bolt or snipped and left uncovered with tape or something it pisses me off. Completely turns me off to even wanting to drive the car for fear something else that was half assed will go wrong.

These were all fixes on top of actual maintenence that I did to the car. Hopefully I got it all

 

[bluegatorade]

^ brings up a good point.

Will this be a DD OP? That's the only reason I have been able to keep my composure through all my repairs. that is, not solely depending on the talon.

 

[Turbowrx 32]

^ brings up a good point.

Will this be a DD OP? That's the only reason I have been able to keep my composure through all my repairs. that is, not solely depending on the talon.

Agreed I love my Talon but I only drive it 2-3 day maybe if its nice outside.

 

[Breezio69]

^ brings up a good point.

Will this be a DD OP? That's the only reason I have been able to keep my composure through all my repairs. that is, not solely depending on the talon.

I'm either to a point where I'm going to
A) sell my eclipse, because things keep going wrong to the the point its not dependable.. like dump it cheap. Its running, tuned to 17psi and pulls hard, but this and that happens literally every week... on sundays it seems, .

Or

B) take my locker and my spool out of my jeep so I can daily that, regardless of getting 12mpg, on a great day...

Either way its a pain in the ass having one unreliable vehicle when you depend on it. And its mainly my fault, not going to lie... had I started a thread like this I would have never bought the car I have now.

Take that or leave it op.

 

[ThunderChild]

96 gsx eclipse

first dms buy, checked it out yesterday, needs new clutch, but the thing wouldnt start, he put the fuel at 57lbs and it started running again. scared for several reasons, crank walk but its a rebuild and has new crank. 2 if theres more problems than that, i just wanna know an experts opinion. thanks!

Too bad u don't live close to me.

Link

 

[DxmaSonxM]

Hey guys! Thought I would hop in this thread and ask about 2 2gs I've been keeping my eyes on. Looking for some opinions on both of them and what I should maybe offer. Or just stay away, ha. Thanks!

Wtt/wts 97 Tsi awd.

99 Eclipse Gs-t with Evo3 engine

 

[timm98gst]

Hey guys! Thought I would hop in this thread and ask about 2 2gs I've been keeping my eyes on. Looking for some opinions on both of them and what I should maybe offer. Or just stay away, ha. Thanks!

Wtt/wts 97 Tsi awd.

99 Eclipse Gs-t with Evo3 engine

Don't forget this one: 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST w/ EVOIII Engine

 

[james1990]

This is continuing the thread from the newbie forum titled "looking to buy a DSM tonight.."

Its a 97' GSX. I checked the VIN and its a true GSX no conversion. The carfax said it has had 4 reported owners and a reported ACCIDENT in 1997 saying it went into a ditch and had moderate damage.

This car is nearby and I have had a ride in it and it drives nice and pulls decent. No grinds in the tranny and no leaks that the seller knows of or that I saw. Starts right up. The guy selling it is part of a local forum here and the guys say he knows what he is doing when it comes to these cars.

-The car 106k on the body
-miles unkown on tranny and rebuilt engine
-short block has forged internals. I saw pics to prove it. He swapped that out of another Eclipse and put it into this Eclipse
-NEW genuine Garret GT35 with less than 600 miles on it
-750cc injectors
-Wally 255
-AEM Fuel Rail
-Fuel Lab Inline Filter
-Aeromotive FPR
-FMIC
-Ebay Blowoff Valve
-new suspension parts(bushings, axle, and joints)
-Factory Leather Soft Option. Nice interior
-NO DSM LINK
-NEEDS GOOD TUNE
-NEEDS NEW FRONT BUMPER
-RUST ON HATCH(Thats the only rust)
-Compression check was done over 6 months ago when he bought the engine and he said all cylinders were between 150-160

He has no real receipts for any work or parts. He did the work himself. He said he can tune it but it would be a rough tune.

He wants $7000 with the GT35 or he will swap the GT35 out for an EVO3 and drop price to $6000. He is firm on price. I am using car for autocross so I would go the EVO3 route. I put a pic up in original thread of the car.

 

[eDeclpse92]

Whenever someone has a car that says it still needs to be tuned, I always get a little leary about that. Tuning does't take that long to be honest. Maybe an hour and that's starting from a base map and idling assuming everything is working and wired correctly. He may have a good reputation and it's probably a really nice car and done right, but if a car isn't running right or "pulls decent" like you said, then for me that kind of tells me to walk away or get it for cheap. There could be other problems with it. Compression looks good though so the engine is most likely good but you never know what you are getting into whenever you buy someone else project or build. Food for thought!

 

[kenjiw]

I like what i am looking at, just looking to get a few more opinions what do you guys think of this car? Im going to check it out in a few days but just curious to see what you guys think. Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T Convertible - Markham / York Region Cars For Sale - Kijiji Markham / York Region Canada.

He's selling it to me for $6000 everything.