when going to the private party... during test drive and walk around...

what should i be looking for? what kind of signs indicate problems?


i'll be purchasing a 2002-2003 Z06 once i sell my S2000 (currently in the trader)

how do i know if the car's been maintained well, and all maintenance (oil changes, etc) have been done on time? Thanks guys

 

First things first, do you want to buy a vette that has been modded? If so make sure it was done right by a known shop and try to get receipts. If you don't want a modded one look for body damage and ask a lot of questions. I don't think there is any way to tell if all the maintenance was done on schedule. Also ask the owner if you can pull the codes from the dic. To pull codes hold the options button and hit the fuel button 4 times in less than 10 seconds. Thedic will start to go through all the error codes the car has thrown. Any codes with an h at the endare history and not current. Any codes that have and h c or just c at theendare history and current which means they are current issues the car is having. If you write down the current codes you can look them up online on digitalcorvettes.com or just google and see if they are serious or not. Thats my input and im sure other people on here will give you there input.... Good luck!

 

These cars have no real known defects other than the ignition lock out factory recall.

Make sure the tire inflator kit (should be strapped in to the tiny trunk well on the passenger side) is there: a new one from the factory will cost $300+, a just as good one from AutoZone, etc., about $60.

Interior bits and pieces tend to wear poorly, and check the integrity of the seams in the seats.

Operate the dash display to show all the codes, but if the owner has anything to hide he will have cleared them all. Any car with miles on it will have a bunch and its more worrisome if there are none than many old ones. (Most historical codes (they have an H) are benign or close to it).

Under the hood, check if the battery (passenger side) has every leaked, cracked or spilled (if you get serious about a car, remove it and check underneath for signs of acid, or better yet remove the ECM inspection door!!), etc. The engine control module (computer) is directly under the battery and if it spilled acid it can eat down into the ECM . This is rare with 2002 and later models, but serious if it happened. You can access the ECM by removing the front passenger side wheel, the ECM access panel is at the rear of the wheel well.
Check the outer rim edge of all wheels for "road rash" (running into curbs): some owners will sand and repaint but it is obvious -- if signs there, take care -- replacements aren't cheap.
If there have been any mods, check back here about them. . .