so i finally have worked up enough to buy my dream car, a camaro SS. i have found a 2000 camaro SS near my house with 55000 miles. are there any specific questions or things i should look at before buying this car? i already have a mechanic that will inspect the car before i purchase it but before i get to that step is there anything special i should ask or look for. thanks!!!

 

is it auto or manual? i noticed after i bought my 97 z that it was slightly bent. like the whole car was kinda twisted. the trunk didnt close right and the hood was a little up on the drivers side and down on the passenger, the previous owner beat the **** out of it so i just assumed alot of hard launches. as the normal questions i guess. although was it adult driven? ermm....responsible adult driven? its just like any other car, with proper maintenance and care it will last for well over 200k, but if its been neglected and hot rodded your lookin for trouble. sounds awesome though, if/when you get it post up some pics!!!

 

its a manual transmission and it was driven by a midage woman =D so even though it will smell like a woman for awhile i should feel safe it wasnt abused

 

nice, sounds like you hit the f-body lottery lol

 

Ask about if it is fast, then casually get to times in the quarter. If they can come up with some, they have drag raced it. Then you need to find how often. I used to run nearly everything I owned, just to have some times, so one night at the strip wasn't a big deal, but every other weekend would be.

Ask for maintenance records. READ THEM. Ask if they have had to repair/replace anything and then check the paperwork on those items. A hassle I ran into with mine is that it had AC work done a month before I bought it. It had the receipts for the shop, but a closer inspection showed that the owner/seller had bought in his own compressor. When it died in December, it was not warrantied by the shop because although they installed it, it was not their product or part. I had to go to the part's seller to get the warranty, which I can't do because I don't have the receipt for that part and I didn't buy that part. The seller saved $200 buying his own compressor but has cost me the whole AC repair. If he had kept the car, it would have cost him that, too.

If you have a shop repair something, use their parts. It is cheaper in the long run.

Check the windows. This is a common issue on how fast they run up and if they do run up without stopping.

Ask for sales receipts, window sticker, and so on. In only 55,000 miles, they are probably there, or should be.

Run a Carfax. Yes, it costs $30, but it gives you a real owner history. Then if the car changed hands every 6 months, you know that even with 55,000 miles, something isn't right.