Planning to test drive a '99 tomorrow...

[Liquid_force]

Well, later today I guess.

I'm basically clueless on these SHO's, but I've always been a fan from a distance.

I cut my Ford teeth on an '88 TC. I drove that for 7 yrs or so and learned a LOT about general repair/maint. Finally put it out of its misery going for 4th coming out of an s-curve at 80 -- it had 273k on the orig motor and turbo.
Been driving a very, very plain '00 Contour 2.0L for about 3 yrs now. It's boring, but it has been very reliable. Plugs/wires/brakes - not much else. It has 154k now. Main reason for shopping is wanting a little bigger car.

Anyway - the sho I'm looking at isn't pretty...http://topeka.craigslist.org/ctd/1931135480.html but the price is, especially at 90K. Leather's bad, but that's repairable.
I would have to shop around for what I can do about the clear coat.

The things that matter (btw, I'm 34 w/2 kids, I like performance, but it has to be reliable)...Generally, with street racer type cars like these I'm most worried about the trans. And a '99 having 90k makes me think a lot of in town driving -- And I'm envisioning a 17 y/o nailing it and stomping the brakes btw every stop light (like I did).
The old TC auto's were junk, but that was an entirely different car. What is the history on SHO trans's?

Electrical glitches to watch out for?
Tell-tale noises, that sort of thing?
Places to look for oil leaks?
Body/rust issues?

I'm aware of the cam probs, but it's probably just something I would just live with and hope that if it hasn't happened by 90K it's not going to.

Gimme some guidance.

 

[trainguy1989]

I don't know what if thats a great price for that car. But I do know that a cam can be spun at anytime. I have heard of some spinning at 60k and others spinning at 210k. Its just a question when. It may never happen or it could happen tomorrow.

 

[NP SHO]

Wow! That's the ULTRA-RARE rear wheel drive model! I'd jump on that s#!t! But seriously... be REALLY careful. These guys obviously know nothing about the car. Look over everything thoroughly and if there is ANY doubt, walk away, or better yet... run... fast! Hope it works out, but just be careful. You could also check out the SHOTrader section here on the forum. I'd be more comfortable buying from someone who actually cares about the car and knows something about what they're selling. Just my .02. Good luck!


As a matter of fact, you should test out that rear wheel drive. If they ride along on the test drive, you should drift a few corners. If you need any pointers on drifting a SHO, just ask zach44102. He's the forum's resident drift expert. lmao

 

[Liquid_force]

Yeah, you haven't really driven a sho until you've driven the rwd version

I'm not looking to jump on this at all. I will have to feel pretty good about it. I walked away from a few before I bought the tour. One as the owner was dropping the price by hundreds as I was leaving (Lexus with signs of an engine fire that weren't noticeable at first). It will have to be a solid car.

 

[NP SHO]

It's good that you're keeping your wits about you. Let us know how you make out! Hope it goes better than I anticipate...

 

[sperold]

If you don't plan on fixing the cams (near $1000.00), then wait for one that is already done, and still has all the clearcoat on it.
That is a pretty new car to have the interior slashed up like that.... most 89s have an interior in better condition.
I don't think the price is right on that car. Cams and transmissions are the problem areas of these cars, and the seats tell me that the transmission has not been babied.

 

[Liquid_force]

a regional comparison --- http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.j...ors=&max_price=4500&cardist=43&standard=false

That is more the price I typically see on a SHO in the area.

 

[sperold]

The odometer and the car don't match. There is a lot of wear on everything, and the seats are not only ripped, they are crowfooted and ready to open up.
This poor thing has been tortured since it was bought.
Try to get some history from the vehicle identification number, and don't be in a hurry on the purchase, as I doubt if this one is going anywhere soon.
Good luck on this.
The key is to get one with the cams already welded, and there are lots that have.
If you want this car, bargain ******* the price, because welding the cams, paint, and interior work are not cheap.

 

[danmn1313]

I would definitely bargain ******* that one. I just bought my SHO for that price a couple weeks ago and it isn't mint by any means (like7.5/10) but it sure is a lot cleaner than that one. Mine also had the cams welded and it was owned by SHO enthusiasts minus the original owner who only had it for 8k miles.

I would bargain hard if you decide to purchase that vehicle.

 

[sandrew]

Wanting a reliable car yet stating you're not going to bother welding the cams?

Those two things do not go together. How put out will you be if a cam sprocket lets go and the SHO has to sit waiting for repairs or worse case, scrapped?

Pass on the car and buy one already welded or find a nicer one that's not & have it done. IIRC there's a few people down your way who can help with that.

 

[Liquid_force]

It drove better than I expected.

Only obvious problems were :

the A/C. It started to work when I first turned it on, but 60 sec later when we left the lot I noticed it wasn't cold any more.
If it's just low on refrig I can do that myself. Have to recharge the 'tour every spring.

Needs rotors. High speed braking caused a LOT of vibration.

Otherwise everything seemed fine. Aesthetically the pictures really brought out the worst in it. The interior is in "good" shape except for the seat.

I don't know -- just not as bad as I was expecting...not really "bad" at all.

I asked about the price, he said it's always negotiable.

Guess I'll take the wife by some day soon and see if it passes her test.

Cams - yeah - makes me think I should look for a duratec.

 

[sperold]

Trust me, it won't pass your wife's test.
Get the information available from the VIN number and see if things look right, often they record mileage when ownerships are changed.
The AC may have been charged right before you arrived, so count that one out.
That car came through the auction system and that dealer has almost no money in it, so don't be afraid to embarrass him.... because you can't.
If you know some paint places to fix up the exterior, and you get an interior / seat from someone on this forum, and you get the cams done at a cam-fest, then sharpen up your negotiation skills and be prepared to leave and return a few times.
Look over the "cars for sale" advertisments on this forum in the mean time, and imagine flying to a destination and driving one home.

 

[Liquid_force]

I have the carfax. Acutally a forum memeber did that for me.
The records up to 05 are thorough - one owner, basically just standard maintenance through '05. It was bought new at a dealership in a town not too far from me, Great Bend, and apparently sold back to them in '05. There was one entry in Florida, but 2k mi later back in KS.

The carfax history from owner #2 on, at about 40k, gets a lot less thorough.

Last reported mileage was at the end of '07 with 55k, also in Great Bend.

There was an oil change ticket on the windshield performed at 86k which was also from the original dealership.

 

[sperold]

Maybe it is OK then.
If you can do the tidy-ups, it could turn out well.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do. There is lots of information on here to help you make the decision. Take your time and get used to the forum and use the search feature.

 

[bacernate]

How about a Drive to Denver for a rust free 97 with welded cams? For a little more cash you could have a good one.

 

[Liquid_force]

For now I guess I'm going to sit on it.

I am considering going in with 2k and making an offer, but I'm afraid he'd take it, and I don't want that to happen until I feel like I can maintain this car semi-inexpensively by doing the majority of the work myself.
Besides - I wouldn't expect a 20% drop in price the week it hits the lot.

Not too concerned w/the brakes. I believe I could manage those myself at a reasonable cost, parts look surprisingly affordable -- unless of course there's something special about the process, which seems very possible by what little I've researched on these cars.

I would like to know more about the a/c. I have a GOOD mechanic that's not too far from the dealership that I may take it to next week for the once over.

As for the cams. It's not something I'd run out and have done immediately after I bought it. I have read it is often preceded by noise in the valve train, and since I would be driving the car 95% of the time I believe that's something I would catch.
In the meantime I would be looking for a welder in the area (or region) and possibly make a mini-vacation out of it.

Until then I'll be daydreaming about re-entering the world of performance ford ownership.

 

[Liquid_force]

Spoke with a local performance engine shop today.
They are perfectly willing to do the welds. I've worked with them before and I trust their service. The tech told me to bring in info regarding location, type of wire, pics if I have them etc. -- I like that, much better than someone who acts like they know it all.

So -- what I would like some advice on...
Based on the pix (and the car honestly looking pretty decent in spite of the seat and hood), non-working A/C, and needing brake work - probably new rotors -- what do you think would be a reasonable offer that wouldn't offend the guy?

19? 18 maybe?

I'm planning to drive it again and run it by my mechanic and a body shop to at least get some numbers in mind. I think the upholstery shop can give me an idea just based on a description.

I'm starting to geek about it -- that probably means it will sell before I get a chance to check it out again.

 

[danmn1313]

Good luck with whatever you decide. You won't be disappointed if you decide to go with the SHO. I never thought I'd end up driving a 13 y/o car as my daily but I love it!

 

[sperold]

You have your second price of 4K for a reasonable looking SHO. Price this one by subtracting away the cost of the repairs you need on this one.
Allow 1K for AC (sounds high to you I know, but just wait).
Allow 1K for cam weld (sounds high I know, but again, just wait)
Allow 1K for paint and who knows what for the seat (may be able to get one here).
Allow $300.00 for brakes, but take a look at the lines running to the rear before you settle on that price.
As you can see....the 4K one is a better deal that this one, and no work involved.
People will scream at me for suggesting $1000.00 to $1500.00 (as being too high), but remember they have near nothing in this car, so price it accordingly.

 

[Liquid_force]

Value to value is a car 2 yrs older with 40% higher mileage at around 2x the price really a better deal?
I'm led to believe neither is welded. Local welder will be a lot closer to $100 than $1000, more than likely under $100.
I would be shocked if the seat repair is more than a couple hundred.
Unless the a/c is major I'll do that myself. Optimistically it just needs freon.
Brakes are definitely a home job - I haven't paid for brake work in over 10 yrs.
Paint -- I just want it presentable. If they quote me $1000 for that I'll just let it go.