92 vr4 for about 8k?

i just spoke to a guy with a 92 vr4 (red, newly repainted though i prefer black...). recently put in a new engine (not sure exactly what year, but likely 92) and it has about 50k (guess) on the new engine (car itself at 150k), new transmission, and new transfer case.

he only had it for about 2months, and purchases it from a guy who owned a body shop.

now, i just bought a 95 stealth a few months ago, and am making payments on it and such (should be payed off in about a year), so i'm kind of hesitant to purchase a new vehical right now...

however, this is a vr4 :p , and i told myself if i could find one with equal or less miles, as good shape or better, and for a decent price i'd probably go for it. (pending insurance details, loan specifics and such)

i've got an appointment to meet with him saturday afternoon, where i'll get to see it in person and take it for a spin.

first of all, does this sound like a good deal? (price includes the spare engine (turbos and all), and transmission). (as well as new tires)
are there things i should look out for and keep in mind?
good questions to ask?

another problem...i've never driven a manual transmission... :cwm27:

my main concern is just that it's an older model vr4. i love the styling, but the improved innards of the later models really make it seem less appealing... :(

what do you guys think?

as it turns out, he's selling it because his license is being revoked (something about slaughtering a camaro ;) )

8k is a good deal, I bet I could sell mine for 9-10k, since it IS a vr4, and so rare :)

well i thought it was ;)

hey, since you're the insurance man, do you think they might be able to give me the same deal i've got now?
what it is, is my dad owns his own business, and uses a truck (looks like a big blue bakery van) to haul large things. they put me down as primary driver for that, rather than the stealth. as such, i'm paying 125 a month (full coverage), where i was paying 100 a month liability only for my old car (86 gran fury).
i wonder if they'd be willing to do the same thing even with a vr4...
even so, it'd only last so long as i live with my parents (no rent, free fude), i really dont' plan on moving out anyway ;) )

Just make shure its a good paint job and not just the Macco "sell your car quick" special.

Only thing that isn't covered in teh FAQ...you mentioned it was owned by someone with a bodyshop...check the title and make sure it wasn't salvaged from an accident...

the guy mentioned on the phone that the title was clear, so hopefully that's not an issue.

i'll have to look at the paint when i see it on saturday, but i think it was done by the previous owner (the one with the bodyshop), so i can hope it's good.
even if it's not, that'd give me an excuse to paint it black ;)

Nah, you don't want to buy THAT vr4, tell him you're not interested, in fact give me his number and address and i'll tell him for you. jk

whadda nice guy :p

crap though, now i'm really starting to reconsider.
i honestly don't know if i have enough willpower to keep from getting arrested...

how many times can you get caught racing before your license is revoked?

(not that i plan on doing it much (at all?), but we all know that if someone in a modified honda pulls up next to me, theres no way in hell i'd be able to resist smoking him...)

I think it's up to the judge on what he sentances you to (or she in judge judy's case).

well, i went out and saw it today, and needless to say i was impressed :eek:

the only problems i could find (and i didn't comb it over with a fine tooth comb), were that the driver door won't go down, and that the keyless entry needs a new battery.

it's also got a $1600 (supposedly) racing clutch, in addition to the new engine, turbos, transfer case, and new tires.

also, the engine comes from japan, and i hear that makes a bit of a difference? could someone please elaborate on why one would want an engine from japan? (more powerful i'm told, but not exactly sure how or why or how much)

now off to figure out if i can afford it (and the insurance! :eek:)

Get it inspected first. When I bought my VR4, a couple hours into my trip home, the timing belt went, and it needed a new water pump, thermostat, etc. ($2000). The guy paid for it though. So just make sure everything is in good shape which it should be with a new engine. Sounds like a great deal, all the best!

1. Engine shouldn't be more powerful from Japan...
2. Racing clutch will grip pretty powerfully, especially a 1600, get someone who knows how to drive stick and see if it really grips hard and he has trouble stalling it.
3. New battery for keyless entry..you mean the remote battery..because that's 77cents at walmart.
4. You said the driver door wont go down...do you mean the driver's window? I'm confused about the door?
5. Ask to see some receipts of this new engine, turbo, transfer case...

1. he mentioned that it was, and i heard somewhere (in the skyline engine thread was it?) that the japanese engines are more powerful, but when i inquired further, noone responded.

2. he did say that the clutch was more difficult, and he had a hard time getting used to it.
do you think that's going to be a problem, given the fact that i drove a manual for the first time last night? :eek:

3. yes, i know it the battery isn't really a problem ;)

4. yes, sorry i meant the window, my bad :eek:

5. he said he has the all the receipts, so after i get things in order i'll have to look into it.

of course i'll take it somewhere to have it checked out, i wouldn't consider buying a car without doing that.

Good to hear, reciepts or logs are the sign of a responsible owner...I've got a log with every single thing I've done to the car listed...down to every oil change and intake recharge...

The window probably just needs a new motor or something, you can do a search on here, I honestly don't know how much it would be exactly, but I think there have been a few threads regarding this.
As far as the clutch...it will take a bit more getting used to...however just realize that it's a new car to you, and a new clutch, and your a first time manual driver...you will stall...just don't get frustrated.
I drove a POS manual euro van that barely even had a clutch left when I was 15...then I didn't drive manual until the night before I got my vr4...I drove my friends POS 6 cylinder mustang around and stalled it a few times. I then got my vr4, and made plenty of mistakes on the 200 miles home...big deal...it even took me 5 mins and 10 or so stalls in 6th gear before I found reverse...it will happen...it's inevitable..but don't get frustrated, just keep at it. You'll do fine and in a few months you'll be a pro.

I think the J-spec engines had 13Gs, maybe as an option but that would explaine the power difference.

i'm not concerned that i won't eventually get it, i'm concerned that i'll destroy the car in the process :eek:

another thing i forgot to mention and ask about...

he said that he heard from the previous owner (he's only had it for 3months, so only during the summer), that the vr4's are terrible in snow.
i would have figured it would handle well in snow, but apparently the way the coupling works it isn't?

i tried searching but didn't yield any results...

well, i went out today to have it inspected at a local shop (denny's muffler), and everything checked out real good, except that the transmission (i guess just the transfer case is new, not the entire transmission like i said earlier), was slipping a little, and the fluid was a little dirty.

as i said at the top of this thread, i'd only driven a manual for a short time a few days ago on my friends laser, and wasn't terribly good getting out into first.
well, i drove the vr4 today, and didn't have any better time getting into first, though the other shifts felt nicer. i really beat the crap out of that poor thing when trying to get into first, shuddered quite a bit.
is it possible i damaged anything? (this was after the inspection btw)

so what do you guys think? yay or nay?

Man, like I said give me that guy's number so I can have a talk with him about selling you some junk! Just kiddin again, I say yah. But I don't know about the vr4s, it sounds good though, but the shop can't really tell you anything about the trans unless they open it up. The vr4 guys should respond soon and let you know about that, but damn...a vr4...FOR 8Gs! Me personally if everything else is fine especially motor wise, damn the trans, I'll put another one in. It's all up to you.

well, after talking it over with the guys on 3si, it looks like it may not be such a good deal after all :(

my main reason for wanting to jump on it was because i thought it was a good car for a good price, but they seem to think this is not the case, so i might as well bide my time and wait for a better car. my current car runs well, and i like it, but naturally i'm dying for a vr4...

Yea 8k is about average price for a first gen like that, there are better deals to be had you just have to look for a while.

The best deal I've found on a first gen vr4 with decent mileage (Under 100k) was 10k for a non-modded 89k mile '92 vr4 in good condition. 8k is a helluva deal assuming it is working.

It all depends on your location, I happen to live in an area where there are a lot of 3Ss and I found a 95 VR4 in my favorite color for 11k.

How many miles on that vr4? The trick is finding one that wasn't abused (So that I can), or with low miles. That's all that really differs with the ones I've found thus far. 12-16k is the average I've seen.

Its got 80k, and looks like its in good shape in the pics.

156k total, but the engine has about 50k, and the transfer case only a few k.

the 3si guys vehemently warned against purchasing it... :(

well like i told u before roth its not a good deal IMO im looking at a 92 vr4 with 89k and 2nd gen converstion and 13g's wit supporting mods for only 5500 bucks so i mean if u not willing to drive ur gonna get screwed but in the end the money u spend on traveling will save u in the long run.

lol greek, that's a terrible deal. I'll call him and tell him he's out of his mind to sell it like that, and I'll take it off his hadns for him. And this is where you tell me what his number is....

yea migra let me get right on that nope :) this will be 2 vr4s at once hmm how am i gonna handle it guess ill have to sell one.anyone wanna buy my 93vr4? 76k modded new clutch all new fluids lol o wait would i tell u guys about it my friends offered me cash for it lol

geek, help a buddy out willya?! :D

whatever your friend offers, i'll match and include a free candy bar.

haha ive been offered 12.5k for mine.but maybe for a mars bar lol

crap, i can't get those locally, but i'll try my best :D

dude its not local im in pa im going to ky to get it. i got my vr4 in atl flew down tested drove it back.its not hard man