Newbie buying a 90's Roadmaster ?

What kind of noise?
He said that it wasn't used for towing but there's a towbar receiver on the back? Looks like it needs tires but the interior is very clean. It looks strange without the trim, though.

 

Hi A1,

That's the idea, but it does concern me that the paint is said to be the original factory job. How can that be without seeing the trim mounting points? The picture of the rear wheel shows some paint respray on the fender edge.

There are no accident reports, but someone leaving the road without comprehensive insurance would have nothing to report, just a car to fix. So it is a question mark as to why this car lost its trim. There are rivets through the only small trim piece remaining at the rear right corner.

It is not currently insured, due to engine noise which his mechanic friend says is due to the air conditioner. That'll immobilize any car.

I'll press for an answer about the trim, but think that it will be "it was like that when I bought it"...

Thanks for bringing up the good and the bad. I'd be taking 3 teenagers along and don't want to be taking them for a ride into doctored used car land.

Vic

 

To go, or not to go, that is the question

The seller bought it last December and "started to fix it up". That is hardly something people need to do with a no issues low mileage car. So I wonder if there isn't something not genuine about the miles. Told me it would fetch big money in Puerto Rico.

I don't understand his story about why he is selling it only months after buying it and doing work on it. There's a motorhome in the driveway, I wonder if that's broken too and he tried to tow that with an aftermarket tow bar?

The engine runs he says, only it makes an annoying noise. He does his own work but had a mechanic friend look at it to conclude it was the air conditioner? He wasn't able to figure this out but had no trouble changing the starter, alternator and water pump himself.

So even if the color is nice and it has no rust, these are the questionable issues:

Are the miles real?

Was it seriously hit and straightened?

Is its motor shot? I had a car with a split crankshaft due to over-stress.

Should I pay 4 plane tickets to check it out? The local Chevy dealership offers a 27 point inspection without an appointment and I've added the car to my own insurance to be able to limp it there.

I love the adventure aspect of it, and if alone I'd already be there. But I can't get there alone and we'd drive back 2,000 miles upon purchase. Quite a gamble. Looks like we're on our way, but I haven't booked to airfare yet which makes it a whole lot more expensive: car plus travel without repairs over the $5k mark.

Vic

 

Doesn't look Fla. clean under the hood, some surface rust in a few places, but still nice. dent in the pass front fender. Screws in the right rear corner molding. Steering wheel can be replaced relatively easily. Looks nice still, you need to get under it and get a good look at everything if that is possible. A/C compressors, tires, can all be replaced, the main "structure" is what needs to be nice. Some guys remove the belt line trim for a cleaner "smooth" look, personal taste. That car looks to be a 7 or 8 out of 10 in those pics. Still a sweet car. Mileage is in the computer, so more than likely the mileage is correct. Split crank shaft? I doubt it. Accident repair, possible, does anyone on this forum live down there that would be willing to go look at it for you?
If that is not exactly what what you are looking for, than look closer to home. If it was me in your situation, I'd figure a way to get down there.
Good luck, it could be well worth it for you. See ya at Wagonfest!
Mike

 

I'll head South * IF * the car hasn't already headed South...

Hi Mike,

Thanks for this reassuring info. I don't mind the cleaner look, and I guess that the current 6 month owner must have removed the trim for that effect and maybe doesn't want to get into it. How would he mask the mounting of the trim? With bondo and a spray can? Or is it simply glued on?

That fender ding is nothing. I'm looking for a clean driver, not a garage queen, and a 7 is plenty because above that you don't dare drive on dirt roads: I turn around in my mustang as soon as the one I'm on turns to dirt. It's too fresh a car to sandblast. This car would have to be an all around summer car, stored in winter. He says the frame and body have no rust at all. The small bits of surface rust in places may be explained by it spending the first 2 years of its life in NY State before its owners migrated to inland Florida where it spent the last 12 years.

I've added this car to my insurance coverage to be able to drive it to a local dealership for inspection prior to purchase, and expect to buy 4 non refundable plane tickets this afternoon. If anyone can issue a warning - if needed - before then, thanks in advance. I don't mind spending the extra on travel to buy a car, but 4 round trip airfares to return empty handed is going to seriously diminish the car buying budget. And the kids would miss the great drive back up the coastline.

Best,

Vic

 

The trim glues on and can be carefully removed. A good polish job and you would never know it had been there.

 

Okay, so my fears of a bad accident and repaint are abated and the seller would then be honestly representing what he knows of the car. I'm booking the flights and we're heading down. I'll give news once we get there, and see about making the purchase on a bank and DMV holiday...

Best and all my thanks to the great crew at SWF !

Vic

 

Well....you have my feelings on that in my PM answer. I do NOT like the fact that the water pump has been replaced and that, for some reason, the car has been sitting ever since. The water pump, when leaking, leaks right onto the opti spark. Almost always....when you change one you also change the other. I think the guy is mechanically over his head on this car and you could end up spending a lot of money with this trip and then on that car. Hey....you don't even know if it will get you home. And...if you take it to a dealer for an inspection...well...good luck with that. Seems to me that this is going to be one expensive trip. I think you should keep looking. There are better ones that come up for sale now and then. This car has turned out to be a not so honest in my opinion.

 

This car has 75K miles, allegedly, and it is a dealer car so cash would likely get you this car for the same money or less. Not saying you will like this car...just making a comparison.
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/ctd/1808339608.html

 

WHA!??
http://burlington.craigslist.org/cto/1784003701.html

Doubt it's still there but isn't this right in your area. Shows what can pop up. Maybe it IS still there?

 

Vermont car impossible to locate - possibly sold and ad not removed

Hi Silverfox,

I wrote them several emails a day for 5 days several weeks ago, well before looking at that one with big wheels and torn seats. This car is what got me to look further into RMWs so I won't complain. I even used Google satellite images to see if I could locate it among that town's 500 inhabitants, to no avail. I think they sold it and weren't able to remove their ad. I registered at Craigslist just to be able to ask if the ad was active and they told me that sometimes people use their email forwarder but some mail services reject forwarded emails so they get no letters in response to their ad. I think that is what happened because they added pictures after I had written several times. I gave up on this car in mid June.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Vic

 

IF.... the gray Caprice needs an opti the dealer will soak you, but if you can do it yourself and find a place you would be able to do it at, the car is worth it. Have fun on the adventure! I'm jealous!

Mike

PS, Do Not buy a cheep opti if needed. AC/Delco, or MSD. NAPA is ok.

 

Useful parts info

Hi 200OZ,

Thanks for the very important info. I will note these references and make sure I have sources for them on hand before setting out on the trip. Although Silverfox was probably prudent and wise to caution me, it is the remote location which also brought me to go ahead. Otherwise I never would have taken the kids to Florida, which they've been begging me to do for years. So one part adventure, one part vacation, one part road trip and "maybe" one part misadventure. Should make for a memorable trip.

News should follow shortly after the weekend.

Vic

 

Friendly folks and an unusual car sold as is

Hi Silverfox,

I appreciate your giving some rational balance to the emotional affair this wagon purchase has become.

I have spoken at length with the owner and he cleared some things up. You're right that he got in over his head, being more of a handy man than a mechanic. It isn't because it's a bad car but because he is getting on in years and wasn't diagnosing the car well. He is not old but is no longer young at 71, and doesn't feeling like keeping on doing repairs. He put in a new starter and later after hearing a noise he thought it was the alternator, which he also changed by himself. That didn't stop the noise so he then changed the bolt tensioner.

Still no fix so he had a mechanic friend check it out who said it needs a new a/c compressor but he was fed up with repairing the car. So he removed the a/c belt and drove it until he saw a very small puddle under the gear driven waterpump. He says he fixed that right away but decided he didn't want a car he would have to look after, so he'd sell it. He garaged it, stopped the insurance and his daughter placed that ad for him. If he was going to keep it he'd put in a brand new compressor, not wanting to be stuck without air in Florida heat. So he figured on selling it and let somebody else deal with the air issue.

The reason I am taking it to the dealership is that they usually exaggerate problems to scare people into being taken to the cleaners. So I can expect them to paint a grim picture. This will give me a worse case scenario, and I can then decide what's a priority and what isn't. I'm still driving cars with issues that dealerships say MUST be repaired but which really haven't been a problem. I'll ask their service department if they've got an old timer who remembers seeing one of these way back when.

If it turns out that it needs an opti, I'll get him to figure it into the sale price. However he assured me that it had barely gotten humid for a short time, and wasn't drenched. He says it was caught in time, which is possible although it needs to be verified.

So thanks for your prudent cautioning, but it seems like I'm getting tempted by its solid color the kids love, its exotic location, its straight body and hopefully rust free frame and maybe even a cool pillow cushion ride !

If worse comes to worse, it will be a fun vacation and we'll find another way home.

Vic

 

My experience with the b-body so far has been that starters and power steering pumps are high on the list of failure prone items.
And a squealing belt tensioner might be "confused" for an ac compressor bearing.