Someone please take a look at this GSX, should I risk it and buy it?

[Automobile Maniac]

1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX

Price $4995 (I talked them down to $4200)
Mileage 61565
Exterior Color Black
Interior Color gray leather (a little rough)
Body Style Hatchback
Doors Two Door
Engine 4 Cylinder Gasoline
Trans. Manual
Stereo N/A
Fuel Type Gasoline
Drive Type All wheel drive
VIN 4A3AL54FXTE400630

Carfax http://www.carfax.com/cfm/FSBO.cfm?r...FX000007872948

Notice the odometer rollback...? hmmm?

THE BAD
exterior a little rough---missing driver side moulding above ground effect (with bolt holes showing)---eagle talon swirl rims, with eagle center caps---all emblems ripped off of front, back etc...-stalls and keeps cutting off at idle---1st gear hard to engage---when hood is closed, you can move easily (like it would fly off going on the highway)---looks like it has had 3 different owners in one year's time

THE GOOD
big "wooshing" blow off valve---3" exhaust---no dents or scratches---the color black---it's a GSX!

Guy's/Gal's serously, should I risk it and buy it?????????

[guitarXgeek]

$4200 is extremely cheap for a 96 gsx with that low mileage! (even though there may have been an odometer roll-back). It seems a little suspicious, mainly because of the price. Ask the seller why exactly he is selling the car. Finding a 2g gsx with that kind of mileage for that cheap with a few problems sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen. I'd keep looking around if I were you.

And for what it's worth, my 95' gsx had 125k miles on it when I bought it: absolute mint condition inside and out, as well as mint mechanical condition and I paid $5200 for it! Just a heads up.

[Scoped_GST]

i couldnt find any GSX's with under 50K miles (what i was looking for) for under 10K. If they were priced below 6K or so, they were either in bad condition, high mileage, or heavily modded with something wrong. Keep looking around for a real gem if you have to, and you wont regret it in the long run.

[Automobile Maniac]

Thanks alot, also I forgot to mention it is at a car lot, they said it keeps stalling because they steam cleaned the engine (yeah right!). It also has a short thow shifter.

[danameisoj]

well from what i read the stall is coming from a vented bov... that would cause it to idle and stall... pop the hood to see if im right ... u never know... if not keep looking... i got my 95 gst running great and in mint for 3300.. u could always end up with a fwd.. but i perfer a awd as well good luck .. and let us know how your search ends!!

[anarchy1114]

suspicous to me

[kjewer1]

Originally Posted by danameisoj

well from what i read the stall is coming from a vented bov... that would cause it to idle and stall...

Good call on that one.

I would just make sure the basics are ok. If it passes a compression test, and the timing belt doesnt look too bad (Shoulve been replaced between 60-90k miles), the rest is usually an easy fix. The hard engagement to first gear is most likely just clutch hydraulics/bleeding. But at the same time I tend to be pretty lenient when it comes to this stuff because I can fix it all in my sleep. 4200 is cheap, and in my case worth the risk. My brother buys car with broken timing belts and such all the time because they go cheap, its an easy fix, and then you make some good cash. But it all depends on how much work you can do yourself, and wether or not you have a budget set aside for fxing any problems that arise. Another point I make is that the car could look the tits when you go to buy it, but then fall apart 1000 miles later. You just can't tell. Either way good luck

[Automobile Maniac]

Just want to say thanx to everybody, you have all been great. If I can talk them down any lower to maybe $3200 I will go for it (but I know thats not gonna happen!). Anyhow thanx again