Choosing Used - Never an Easy Decision

[theoldsone]

I think you will have to remind people that the prices you are quoting are in Canadian dollars.

At first I thought he was talking 8000 pesos lol.

 

[85442/86buick]

Both are OEM 86 SS's. Both are similarily asking priced(roughly $8000USD). If you had to pick from below - which one? I think I will pass on both.(just wonder how the GB Forum would respond)

Ed

Guy's
as per Ed's first line he has converted asking prices to US Dollars.

 

[theoldsone]

I know. I thought 565bbchevy was joking. Lol. Maybe 565bbchevy got confused.

 

[565bbchevy]

I know. I thought 565bbchevy was joking. Lol. Maybe 565bbchevy got confused.

Actually I did not really read the first post I just saw that he posted two very high priced Monte's and remembered his last post "Waddahya Think of This MCSS?" and we didn't find out until 3 pages in that the price of the car was in Canadian currency.
But maybe these two should have been in peso's though.

 

[ed1948]

Re: windshield water leak. Seller says leak(hole) in cowl was repaired but was found to still leak. Apparently the mechanic found a blocked drain - once that was corrected the leak stopped. Not actually having inspected a G body cowl, what is this drain blockage being refered to?
also the seller states he is not very handy with tools.
...and people - no need to panic as this car is off my list of cars to see.

 

[clean8485]

Most likely, the drain blockage that he's talking about is the drain at the bottom of the HVAC case, which allows moisture to drain when the A/C is in use. If that drain becomes blocked, water can leak into the car.

 

[ck80]

Re: windshield water leak. Seller says leak(hole) in cowl was repaired but was found to still leak. Apparently the mechanic found a blocked drain - once that was corrected the leak stopped. Not actually having inspected a G body cowl, what is this drain blockage being refered to?
also the seller states he is not very handy with tools.
...and people - no need to panic as this car is off my list of cars to see.

To oversimplify, if one of these cars is left outdoors and not garaged, and not kept clean of leaves/pine needles/debris, the water that should normally drain off the cowl panel and/or out of the climate box bottom through channels/holes in the bottom and/or down behind the fender and wheelwell area backs up. This puddling effect then, over time, eventually allows the water to seep in where it shouldnt, running in behind the dash on the firewall, running down to the floorboard, and ultimately accumulating at the rear floor pan.

As you know, the early 80s cars in general, not just gbody, were one of the first time underhood areas were getting really compressed with components and less open space. Side effect was factory designed gaps for things to run water off and drain, these cars issue is cleaning neglect plugging the drain holes near the cowl.

(Not unlike the rainwater weep holes in the floor of a pickup bed corner being blocked.)

Look at the bright side, our cars leaf debris buildup led to leaks. The same cleaning neglect on a fiero led to the infamous car fires (aside from the weak 1984 connecting rod issue) due to the debris being too near the heating core


Also as an aside, factory carpet in these cars had a heavy rubber like backing. Once water got underneath, it was kept trapped with less evaporation potential (more rusting).

 

[ed1948]

ck80--great answer, my head just expanded from the new info I learned