Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Workman
Marty...If ever you buy an airline, DO let me know so I don't accidentally board one of your planes!  
I like the feeling I can jump into my Z and drive it anywhere with confidence. Like Hans says, my Z is a hobby unto itself, and I take pleasure in doing all the maintenance stuff I'm equipped to do; learning all the time (with the help of many experts on this forum, I might add). And, tho I'm generally in favor of what Marty says: "Don't fix what ain't broke", one can't say enough for monitoring everything (I) can so as to anticipate and replace chit before it leaves me stranded somewhere.
Unexpected stuff is always gonna happen. That's why having a spare tire or stuff to make a repair on the road makes sense. But, soon as possible, I feel better after I "reset the clock" on various parts, and be ready, at least; or anticipate when it will be "time" to consider replacement.
Some time ago I started a thread, a POLL regarding "common mode failures" (resurrected below). It could be or should be reconstructed to focus more on specific data/details to enhance its usefulness. But, still the poll and comments might interest those new to the ZR-1 HOBBY.
http://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread....ommon+failures |
I have owned two ZR-1's.
Continuous ownership for over 25 years.
Driven them over 60,000 miles combined.
NEVER had a breakdown except for blowing a muffler off once and a lower radiator hose during a 7k plus 1-2 shift, both times, car got me home.
I pay very careful attention to even the slightest anomaly whenever I am in any of my cars.
I perform fluid and filter maintenance with near religious fervor, and inspect the car on the ground and on the lift many, many times a year.
However, I do not replace parts just for the heck of it.
I pay AAA and my insurance companies for towing that I never use, but keep just as a safety net.
And unlike many, I will resist the temptation to buy and replace my power steering reservoir, just because I read earlier that another poster's unit somehow failed.
I maintain a stock of ZR-1 parts for customer's cars, however I do not do so for my car. If something fails, I'll find one at that time and replace it.
Our ZR-1 parts become scarce because many owners stash the stuff in their basements, where it sits unused for decades. While fine and understandable, that's why the non owners hear that parts are difficult to locate. They are. Darn near every owner keeps their stash, because they fear the failure and the resultant difficulty in locating a replacement part.
We create and perpetuate our own self-fulfilling prophecy. We make our parts hard to find.
Anything I need, I usually find easily at Jerry's Gaskets, whose inventory just keeps expanding to cover most of what fails.
(Thanks Jerry for my fuel pumps, gaskets and injectors!!!!, all for customer cars mind you)
Those contemplating a purchase stumble onto sites like this one and turn and run after seeing us talk endlessly about parts that must be replaced when contemplating buying a used one.
When asked, I always tell them if they buy a cheap car that has had the snot beat out of it, and never had much maintenance they will likely be faced with problems talked about here. The cars owned by people who treated them like a toaster are the ones to avoid. Fortunately, a careful inspection can spot them, and a low price is usually a good warning that such an inspection is required.
HOWEVER, if they buy a well-maintained and cared for ZR-1, it should be no more of a risk than buying any other performance car that has been enthusiast owned.
I have no plans on buying an airline, but my earlier post stated that airplane maintenance procedures are what they are because people may die if something fails should the aircraft fall out of the sky.
That is not likely to happen with a ZR-1.
So no, I will resist the urge to replace my water pump or starter, etc. until it actually presents some degradation of performance.
We should have a poll to determine how many thousands of parts are in basements being saved, rather than on a shelf for those whose part has actually failed.
At car shows, I enjoy dismissing fear of ZR-1 ownership. Do you think that it an accident that those are the first things said after someone says how intrigued they are by the car, but would never buy one because of parts rarity and no shops in the universe can work on them.
I shake my head, and try to help them understand, but that is what we create whenever someone comes on to these forums and asks about buying one, and we proceed to talk of all that must be replaced the very minute they buy one.
Some then wonder why the market is as it is; This talk causes it, and they figure we, as owners certainly know what we are talking about.
The buyer then runs away with hair on fire.
ZR-1's are no more likely to fail than any other Corvette, and far less than many other C-4's in fact. Did you ever hear the word Opti-Spark?
Thankfully we have no such part on the ZR-1.
Drive them, maintain them, and ENJOY them!
Marty