I don't like looking at private party cars most of the time. The reason being is simple. Private parties are almost always attached to their car so they ask ridiculous amounts of money for them. I don't know of any small dealer lot that gives a warranty on an old car like this, but private parties sure don't. I also don't like trying to work around somebody else's schedule. Most of the time they don't really want to sell their "baby" anyway, and it just gets to be a game of phone tag. Actually, both my 88GT, and 87GT were purchased from private parties, and to tell you the truth, it didn't really make much difference. The cars were in poor shape, the 88GT previous owner was just an idiot, messed up the brakes, exhaust, and the 88 broke something new every day for the first 3 days. Clutch flew apart, water pump went out, and I think the starter fried? Years ago, but I look whever I can find a car that matches my profile, and sometimes at a car that doesn't. Hehe, you guys might find out what I mean in a couple days. My 87GT had 113k on it, and I knew the problems right off the bat. It's been a pretty good car, actually, real good. It's now at 161k. I've had to do some work to it tranny (junkyard tranny was in it), starter, radiator, exhaust (knew was bad), heater core (knew was bad), but that's just about nothing for 50,000 miles of LT-1 and LS-1 killing joy. Actually, about the only car I've ever had with under 100k was a 91 Escort GT I bought after my 88GT. The scort had 64k on it when I got it, and 90k when I got rid of it. During that time it caused me no end of trouble. Electrical gremlins, fuel pump problems, fuel line issues, computer, heater core, transaxle exploded, gas tank was improperly installed, etc etc. What a POS.
Quite frankly, I expected a heck of a lot better from a dealer. He should know better than to stick a POS like that out on the lot and advertise it as clean. Keep in mind, this is what I found in a 10min lookover and 15min test drive. Who knows what else was wrong?
As far as the performance of the car goes, I don't think it was lacking for what it is. It was a strong puller below 4500rpm, no pinging, missing, rattles, or clatters all the way to 6000rpm. From my encounters the SN95 is just no match whatsoever for my 87GT. Now I know how they feel winding through the gears from the drivers seat. There is no other word to describe it but "doggy."
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