Hard Decisions
by tresola » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:02 am
I'm a newbie to the forum, looking to buy my first Solara. I previously owned a '95 Celica GT and a '04 Camry SE V6. I really like the looks of the Solara, and it is very comfortable to ride in as well.
But the right car is tough to find! I am really set on owning another manual, and everyone knows how tough it is to find a manual Solara. I have found two prospects so far, each with its own issues. Since this forum is so knowledgeable and helpful in so many topics, I was hoping maybe you can help me make a "decision" of which car may be a better bet.
1999 SE 178k for $3875. Nice body, nice interior! However, a mechanical inspection turned up bald tires, bad brakes, leaky valve covers, leaky power steering pump, left inner tie rod has a little play in it, and new belts are needed, possibly timing belt too. Possibly up to $2000 in repairs, eventually. The car runs very well, although my bf noticed the tranny seemed just a little off in shifting, like you needed just a little more effort to get it into the gears. The mechanic didn't check the tranny fluid, and we're wondering if it needs a tranny fluid change, or if something could be wrong with the tranny itself. The clutch seemed fine and the rpms matched speed. The suspension was very solid and very little body lean. The radio is missing a button so I am thinking of buying a different one to throw in. Its a dark red color too, nice.... Its also at a small dealership who refuses to acknowledge the car has any shortcomings and probably won't go down on the price too much since they can "replace" brakes & tires for cheap. Yeah, I know what you get when you buy cheap auto parts. No thanks! The salesman also wants me to drive the 30 mile drive up there and have a chat with him and his manager about the price. Don't like that either.
2000 SE 103k for $4599 obo. The body has damage- it needs a new front clip. The guy first told me his gf hit a parking block when parking, then he said his mother hit a snowbank with it. He talked about an accident he had a few years ago where a motorcycle slid into the car and took the bumper and radiator out. I'm a little uncomfortable with the inconsistencies in the damage stories, although the title is clean, I had it checked. The interior is in a little rougher shape and the power seats ticks a little as it moves. I'm not sure it raises like it should either. Expensive fix? The seats seem just a little more broken down too. There are no leaks to be found in the engine compartment, although I'll have my mechanic inspect it, plus autobody person. The tranny was solid, the clutch was done at 85k. I found it a little hard to find reverse for some reason, I've never had that problem. The car runs a little rough but since the guy didn't really do any maintenance besides oil change, its to be expected. The car shakes violently at high speeds although the guy said he just got brand new tires. Well, 2 anyways, and they are a super cheap brand so all 4 tires need replacing immediately. But the shake is bad so I'm wondering if there's more going on than that. Periodically the brake light warning shows up on the dash but the guy's not really saying much about that problem. We also think the suspension is a little rougher than the other car as well. I like the climate control unit in the '00 vs. '99 as well. He put in an aftermarket radio that I'd like to replace, and I actually wanted the factory radio. We met the guy off Craigslist and it was odd how trusting he was to meet somewhere and we took out the car alone. He will also let us borrow it to have it inspected anytime. He already has a new vehicle, but still....! Again, title checks out so who knows. This car is gold metallic.
One thing interesting I noted was there was no filler piece that went into the black moulding around the windshield on the '99 but there was a white filler in the black moulding on the '00. What's normal for these cars? My Celica did not have a filler in the moulding and I didn't think the Solara did either. ??
So.... what are your thoughts and opinions? Yesterday I was thinking if the '00 checks out mechanically and body-wise, it would be a good deal if I can get a cheap new bumper for it. But now I'm thinking since I was more comfortable in the '99 maybe the little bit of maintenance it would need wouldn't be so horrible, if I can get the salesman to cooperate with me. Note to self, sexier outfit next time.
Thanks guys, and I'm excited to finally be a part of this forum!
But the right car is tough to find! I am really set on owning another manual, and everyone knows how tough it is to find a manual Solara. I have found two prospects so far, each with its own issues. Since this forum is so knowledgeable and helpful in so many topics, I was hoping maybe you can help me make a "decision" of which car may be a better bet.
1999 SE 178k for $3875. Nice body, nice interior! However, a mechanical inspection turned up bald tires, bad brakes, leaky valve covers, leaky power steering pump, left inner tie rod has a little play in it, and new belts are needed, possibly timing belt too. Possibly up to $2000 in repairs, eventually. The car runs very well, although my bf noticed the tranny seemed just a little off in shifting, like you needed just a little more effort to get it into the gears. The mechanic didn't check the tranny fluid, and we're wondering if it needs a tranny fluid change, or if something could be wrong with the tranny itself. The clutch seemed fine and the rpms matched speed. The suspension was very solid and very little body lean. The radio is missing a button so I am thinking of buying a different one to throw in. Its a dark red color too, nice.... Its also at a small dealership who refuses to acknowledge the car has any shortcomings and probably won't go down on the price too much since they can "replace" brakes & tires for cheap. Yeah, I know what you get when you buy cheap auto parts. No thanks! The salesman also wants me to drive the 30 mile drive up there and have a chat with him and his manager about the price. Don't like that either.
2000 SE 103k for $4599 obo. The body has damage- it needs a new front clip. The guy first told me his gf hit a parking block when parking, then he said his mother hit a snowbank with it. He talked about an accident he had a few years ago where a motorcycle slid into the car and took the bumper and radiator out. I'm a little uncomfortable with the inconsistencies in the damage stories, although the title is clean, I had it checked. The interior is in a little rougher shape and the power seats ticks a little as it moves. I'm not sure it raises like it should either. Expensive fix? The seats seem just a little more broken down too. There are no leaks to be found in the engine compartment, although I'll have my mechanic inspect it, plus autobody person. The tranny was solid, the clutch was done at 85k. I found it a little hard to find reverse for some reason, I've never had that problem. The car runs a little rough but since the guy didn't really do any maintenance besides oil change, its to be expected. The car shakes violently at high speeds although the guy said he just got brand new tires. Well, 2 anyways, and they are a super cheap brand so all 4 tires need replacing immediately. But the shake is bad so I'm wondering if there's more going on than that. Periodically the brake light warning shows up on the dash but the guy's not really saying much about that problem. We also think the suspension is a little rougher than the other car as well. I like the climate control unit in the '00 vs. '99 as well. He put in an aftermarket radio that I'd like to replace, and I actually wanted the factory radio. We met the guy off Craigslist and it was odd how trusting he was to meet somewhere and we took out the car alone. He will also let us borrow it to have it inspected anytime. He already has a new vehicle, but still....! Again, title checks out so who knows. This car is gold metallic.
One thing interesting I noted was there was no filler piece that went into the black moulding around the windshield on the '99 but there was a white filler in the black moulding on the '00. What's normal for these cars? My Celica did not have a filler in the moulding and I didn't think the Solara did either. ??
So.... what are your thoughts and opinions? Yesterday I was thinking if the '00 checks out mechanically and body-wise, it would be a good deal if I can get a cheap new bumper for it. But now I'm thinking since I was more comfortable in the '99 maybe the little bit of maintenance it would need wouldn't be so horrible, if I can get the salesman to cooperate with me. Note to self, sexier outfit next time.
Thanks guys, and I'm excited to finally be a part of this forum!
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tresola - Regular SolaraGuy Member
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:26 pm
Welcome to SG.
I think the gold is pretty fun. The guy didn't bother cleaning the car so it looked blah. I am a backyard detailer and I highly recommend the Wizards line. They've got a polish/sealant that does wonders on the paint, and I've had my cars so slippery you can't put anything on them because it falls right off. The clay will help remove bonded contaminents but its the actual polish that gives it that smoothness you're looking for. I also used to use Meguiar's professional glaze as well. I couldn't take a picture of my car because all you saw was reflections.