| purchase of a '90 TT. You'll find this link from the faq page ("What to look for when buying a Z") to be useful when looking over the car. This is a very brief overview of what to look for. I'd suggest using the search and FAQ features on this site to gain a more in-depth understanding of what to be looking for. I would strongly suggest getting the car to a mechanic who can put the car on a lift so you can inspect for body damage, poor quality repairs, fluid leaks, etc. One of the most important items to have checked is the compression.This is one step towards finding a potentially costly repair bill down the road. Inquire with the seller about records and receipts for any and all work/maintenance that has been done to the car. And while I understand what RedTTZ91 is saying with regard to the soft valve issue, I think it's widely overblown out of proportion. And in the interest of full disclosure, it's possible that my '90 TTZ (production date 7/89) might be exhibiting signs of that problem. But then again with 147K miles on the original motor, it could be signs of aging finally coming through. :-) The bottom line is that you shouldn't pass over a good car over the fear of the soft valve condition (IMHO). Read up in the FAQ section on how to check the ECU codes, this is another important item to check as this will indicate possible problems that should be addressed prior to the sale. Do a thorough inspection of the body for repairs/repaint. Check the spoiler on the rear hatch for signs of rotting and deterioration and look for hard-to-spot rust areas around the wing - and most importantly underneath all of the weatherstripping (it's not necessary to remove the weather stripping, but gently pull it back and check for bubbling paint or outright rust areas. If the car has a 5 speed check for smooth shifting between all gears. There has been many cases of gear grinding in fourth or fifth gears on the Z's. Check for proper clutch engagement when shifting and also check for slippage by accelerating from 40 mph (~60 kph) in third or fourth gear. If it has an automatic, check for smooth shifting and lock-up of the torque-converter. The shifts should be relatively crisp and quick. Look for abnormal tire wear due to poor tire alignment. Check out all of the electrical items to be sure they operate properly. When the engine is running, look for a smooth and consistent idle that should sit around 800 ~1,000 rpms (the factory tach may not be very accurate, so that's why I listed the range vs. a very precise number). Turn on the A/C and verify that the rpms increase to compensate for the load of the A/C compressor. And make sure the air blows cold. Look for smoke coming out of the exhaust while the engine is idling. Bluish gray smoke indicates oil being burned from possible turbo oil seal or valve guide/piston ring leakage. White smoke that doesn't dissipate quickly which would be a sign of coolant leaking into the cylinders and burning. Don't mistake that for normal condensation that comes from the exhaust (which dissipates more quickly). While idling, and with the hood open the engine should be smooth and sound almost like a sewing machine. You should mainly hear the soft ticking noise of the injectors. A louder clacking noise could be the hydraulic valve lifters which can be a typical situation on cars that sit for extended periods of time. The noise should go away within 30 ~ 45 minutes of the engine running. Test drive the car and check for odd vibrations from the wheels, or the car pulling to one side or the other (during steady state driving and when braking). Check to see if the suspension switch makes a difference in ride quality. "Sport" should produce a stiffer ride while "Touring" will be more soft (relatively speaking). There's a ton more that I could write, but I'll stop here. Feel free to email me if you have more questions. But I can't stress enough: do your homework by reading up through the FAQ section, and using the search feature. Good luck and if you end up buying the car, congrats on getting the best year out of all production years (IBBerniechiminginandsaying"negative"). All joking aside, everyone has their own opinion of which year is the best and some of that is based on facts while others are not. I personally like the '90 model year for the non-airbag steering wheel, the 90 ~ 93 rear wing, and the auto-A/C that knows better than anyone else which mode it thinks I want. (OK, so that last one isn't on my list of faves, but it's nothing that I find so bad that it would make me want to get rid of the car). Take care, Dave
 
Sig Quotes: "Your sausage scares me!" - TT-XTZ 6/13/05 "Or he's having a rough week like the rest of us and decided to take out his agressions of not being breast fed on me." BigTDogg 15:45, 09/25/03 "Pick her up from day care and take her to Dairy Queen for a snow cone." YugoBernie 1/7/04 of course those are canadian bannings and beatings, which after the conversion rate is really only a "hey! stop that!" Chris(NJ) 1/14/04 see the green "n" next to my name? what's COZ? (n/m) - 300zx88 8/11/04 |
