Looking at a ZR-1

[ffvetteman]

Hey guys, Im new to the forum, and looking at a 91 ZR-1. I do not have a Z now, but I have wanted one for a loooooong time.

The 91 I am looking at is in TX so its a long way away from me(in WI).

Im not too sure what to look for . I may know a guy who will go to look at it and if he gives a good report I may fly down there to check it out.

What kind of things should I look for on this car?
It has 76,000 miles and has been repainted from black to medium blue.

I dont know too much else about it, but from the few pics Ive seen, exterior, engine and interior look good

Any info would help, thanks

[90ZR1]

I would travel anywhere to find another ZR1... it's worth the travel. What I would look for is all the records on the car, get the vin number and run a carfax as well as making sure you look at it in the day when its clear out.

I would turn on the radio, ask lots of questions.

If it's been repainted definitly find out why... that may mean accident. If so you may want to stay away from the car.

How much is he asking?

[ffvetteman]

They are asking $18,000, and I am having someone look at it for me first, because it is in Texas and I am in WI. But if he gives a good report I will fly down to check it out and I would have it transported back.

The distance is what I am having a problem with. Never bought a car from far away. But I have wanted a Z for so long.

I am not a over finicky person. If there was accident damage and it was fixed properly, I would not care, but I would need to make sure is was done PROPERLY.

[90ZR1]

You need to be a over finicky person when it comes to looking into this car. You dont want to carelessly buy it and have there be many problems like frame damage or anything else. Some of the best cars I have bought have been in other states, sometimes that's where they are, just take your time and if you feel it's right for you, buy it. Good Luck!

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by ffvetteman

Hey guys, Im new to the forum, and looking at a 91 ZR-1.
Any info would help, thanks

Hello, and welcome to the forum.

I can tell you from 1st hand experience that many deals are out of state, but you must be smart when considering one. When I bought my ZR-1 it was in California, and I flew out to get it, but only after having a certified ZR-1 mechanic looked it over. Even if I was not lucky enough to find a ZR-1 mechanic, I would have had a Corvette mechanic look it over. What I suggest is call the local Chevy dealership nearest the car and arrange to have them get their Vette mechanic to check it out for 1 hours labor. Find out what they will look at, and ask them to pay special attention to the frame, body, etc. since it has been repainted. You can pay them via CC, and get a unbiased report on the cars condition. At that point you can make an informed decision as to whether or not it will be worth flying out to see and buy. Also, if you plan on driving it back, they will have told you what might need to be done for a long safe journey.

Good luck, and keep us posted on whether you become a KOTH owner.

[ffvetteman]

Thanks for the info.

That is not a bad idea to have a mechanic look at it. I have a guy in the area going to look at it soon and the dealer sent me more pics.

A bunch of scratches in the paint, but I dont care about that. The repaint did not include the door jams, but that may be better if I decide to go back in black.

My biggest concern is the condition of the motor. I do my own repairs on my vettes and probably will on the Z too.

But if that motor has issues, that would not be good. The dealer said it is on consignment, so I dont know if the original owner will be straight with me.

VIN check came back clean, but as we all know, that doesnt mean it has not been wrecked, just never reported. But no other problems showed up so that is good.

Man I cant wait, I want a Z soooooo bad!!!!!

[ffvetteman]

BTW, I saw two small, less than 1/2" cracks in the top. Is the top the same for the Z and the base coupe?

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by ffvetteman

Man I cant wait, I want a Z soooooo bad!!!!!

We all have known that feeling, hence the reason we bought ours.

Originally Posted by ffvetteman

BTW, I saw two small, less than 1/2" cracks in the top. Is the top the same for the Z and the base coupe?

Yes, the tops are interchangeable.

Good Luck

[ffvetteman]

Excellent Thank You.

Now I need to see if I can find and how much it would cost to have a ZR-1 certified mechanic take a good look at the car.

[Z Factor]

Originally Posted by ffvetteman

Excellent Thank You.

Now I need to see if I can find and how much it would cost to have a ZR-1 certified mechanic take a good look at the car.

What I did was ask the owner for the two nearest Chevy dealerships to him, and get him to agree to bring it in one morning at my expense. One of them had a ZR-1 mechanic working there.

You can also look for one from this list compiled here on the site;

http://zr1netregistry.com/ZR1_shops.htm#8

As to the cost, I'd say between $70-$100 depending on how much you want them to check things out. So basically figure 1 hours labor, more if you want things like a compression test. Something like that shouldn't be necessary unless they find something troubling, but the 1 hour will be money well spent.