My poor GA

[cage47]

I just have to lament on the abuse some people dish on their rides. I've had my car 4 days now and been digging into it getting all the little dings and clunks worked out. I'm finding that it's a great little car but it's been abused. Looks like it was ditched once. The driver side was in the mud. I took the fender off to replace the door and it was full of mud. And the ball joint is out of whack. There are half the screws missing from the dash under panel. bulbs blown everywhere and never replaced. 3 oil leaks. Radio with only one working speaker (the radio bad not the speakers). and yesterday I found the thermostat was removed and not replaced. On top of that none of the tires match and one is even the wrong size. I mean one at a time these things wouldn't have been a big deal to fix but all at once it's a bugger. So far I've gotten the door replaced with a new window crank put in. relined my headliner, replaced the radio, fixed 2 out of my 3 leaks, replaced about 25 to 30 missing bolts and screws throughtout the front end bled the brakes and replaced the front pads. New filters. new shifter knob. about 8 new bulbs in the dash and overhead lights. new wipers and a tank of fuel injector cleaner. still have to replace the timing cover seal and gasket. Replace the driver side ball joint. Replace the shocks in the back, put new rubber on the front and then replace the driver side fender. Then find that annoying vacuum leak and it'll be a #1 ride again. not bad for $800 though. Oh and I'm missing 1-2 lugs off each rim. And then again getting the a/c going next spring. Kiss my tax return good bye.

[BBT]

Sounds more like you should have been PAID $800 to take the car, not the other way around. I dunno. With all that it needs, I don't think you got a bargain.

[cage47]

I'll post pics soon. It's a nice little car. I'm just picky about how I want it to perform. Thing that gets me is that none of this is hard stuff to fix. It would have only taken a bit of effort on the previous owner's part. The only big thing will be the a/c. It's a must in Tx. But it'd be a suprise to find one working in a '90. But then again it was a choice of a '90 GA for $800 that needed a little work or a clean 94 Thunderbird for $1100 that only needed brakes and shocks. (no choice there)

[cage47]

Oh yeah, and when I put the replacement door on I forgot to switch out the lock, so there's one of my own doing.

[RomeoGAOC]

check your private messages....i sent a PM a while back about the headliner.

[cage47]

Homeboy, message back at ya.


HEHEHEHEHE! FINALLY! Oil leak #3 fixed. Now on to the ball joint, then the shocks. Oh but first....now I've gotta clean the mess off my driveway. Old charcoal ash found a new use.

[cage47]

Sure, never fails. OK So I went out during work to check on the car. Fine, no oil leak. It's clean still. But now my old curse comes back. Never fails that when ever I buy a used vehicle I replace the water pump within the first month. NEVER FAILS. Sure so I go out to check the oil. No there's no oil on the ground but water is dripping. Guess I couldn't escape that curse.

[LoneRangers15]

I've got to agree. I think $800 was too much for the car, but that's just my opinion. I paid $1,500 for a 1990 LE with about 80,000 miles about 2 1/2 years ago and it did not need any work.

[cage47]

Eh considering the condition the body is in and over all performance I think it was worth it. The only complaint I have is that I wish whoever had it before had taken the effort to do some of this before instead of letting it all go. I'm just diving in since I got the $$$$ left over to do it all at once. I mean if the body was bent or the engine had a blown valve or major break (not this maintenance crap which all this is) I'd be upset or wouldn't have bought it. But no it does not rank up with my old '92. (YET!) I'm the kind that doesn't mind picking up an older beater and fixing it up to pristine again. Heck I restored my old 75 grand prix a few years back. now THAT was a job.

[cage47]

OH and today I pulled into autozone. Had them check the codes. Only the code 12. so it's ready for inspection. I'll deal with the vacuum leak later. I've got shocks and a ball joint that need replacing first.

[cage47]

OK Sorry guys but gotta disagree with you. I think it was a hell of a deal. I used my inspection money and put it in the shop that did my blazer's a/c. They did a complete engine diagnositc. They found that for a 90 with 140k miles the engine is in excellent shape with many years left on it. No engine error codes. All sensors working fine. no mechanical problems. Though two ignition wires were arcing and all the plugs were gapped wrong. Those I all replaced after. And aside from a low idle, at least it's idling smooth now. So new fuel filter and then the ball joint and shocks. I've since finished cleaning up the interior and the trunk and engine brite twice on the engine to clean off the leaked oil. Aside from faded paint and that fender I still have to replace it looks superb. And the fade is mostly on the top and the hood, the sides and doors are still nice. About the only complaint I'm going to have left on this car is to the engineers back then who decided to put the radio behind the shifter.

[Bruce Gabriel]

I've got a '90 that'll turn 240.000 mi soon & still using no oil.(except the half a cup that gets past the valve cover) the 2.5 tech motor is related to the engine pontiac put in that early econocar they made in '62 or '63(and it seems like they put a turbo on it in '65 or so.) that had a corvair transaxle mounted in the rear with a long drive shaft. It's got a cast iron block & is well built & you have to really abuse one to hurt it.

[cage47]

Yeah, mine seems fine. Aside from possible sensor issues it runs great. And I can't see any hint of oil burning or loss in the two months I've had it. I even got my emissions down from 9800 to 15 with just a cat converter and new egr valve. And new plugs.