Q for Brain Trust - Want to buy specific "classic" car. Looking for resources...

ThePreBanMan

ThePreBanMan

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Like the title says, I am looking to buy a specific "classic" car... I say "classic" because, well, it's 23 years old at this point.. What I'm looking for is an unmodified, 2002 Pontiac WS6 Trans Am. Black on Black, with T-Tops and a manual gear box. Bonus points if it comes with a matching leather jacket. Looking for something with mileage at or below 80K on the clock.

I've been looking at eBay, CraigsList, Facebook MarketPlace, and BringATrailer.Com. Are there other resources I should consider? I get it, there aren't a lot of them around. So I want to cast a wider net and figured there must be some car guys here who have a secret or two for finding the old gems...

I've had a lot of cars in my life... There is only 1 that I regret getting rid of...

bringatrailer.com

5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #132,053.
bringatrailer.com bringatrailer.com


Get me the matching leather jacket, and queue up some Billy Idol or Guns n Roses on the radio!! My girl is at a loss of words to express her horror, but man I loved that car..
 
HARRYM said:
The level of dishonesty and outright fraud in the classic car market makes EBAY look like a Saint......you had better know what the hell you are doing.......experience can get really expensive quickly...
Click to expand...
My father has been in it for almost 50 years, the shit ive seen guys try to sell him would make the worst used car dealers in MA look reputable.
Bondo, paint, gear oil in motors, swapped vins, clones, unsafe mods.
Its easy to get overjoyed when you find the car you want, but you need to go into it with suspicion
 
snax said:
My father has been in it for almost 50 years, the shit ive seen guys try to sell him would make the worst used car dealers in MA look reputable.
Bondo, paint, gear oil in motors, swapped vins, clones, unsafe mods.
Its easy to get overjoyed when you find the car you want, but you need to go into it with suspicion
Click to expand...

I would pay for a 3rd party inspection - no doubt about it. Especially since it likely wouldn't be coming from a local seller and may be sight unseen and getting shipped.
 
I took someone with me when I bought my basket case Fairlane vert.

We both looked at it, we walked away and I asked him to tell me 'no'. There was a lot of hemming and hawing, 'lot of work' was said a bunch, but he didn't say 'don't buy it'.

I now have a Fairlane in my garage waiting for someone to hire me to do something at a reasonable salary.
 
buying a 20 year old (GM) car is a crap shoot at best.

one of the big issues is the electronics, and things like capacitors that start going bad, leak, eat boards, etc.

20 year old plastic is getting soft on the outer layers (will scratch if you look at it the wrong way) and brittle if you have to take a panel off to get access to something else.

Wait til you have to chase and replace every rubber line that cracks and tosses a CEL

think long and hard before you go down that road

Wait til you have to take a connector apart and it crumbles in your hand.

Think loooong and hard before you go down that road
 
ThePreBanMan said:
Like the title says, I am looking to buy a specific "classic" car... I say "classic" because, well, it's 23 years old at this point.. What I'm looking for is an unmodified, 2002 Pontiac WS6 Trans Am. Black on Black, with T-Tops and a manual gear box. Bonus points if it comes with a matching leather jacket. Looking for something with mileage at or below 80K on the clock.

I've been looking at eBay, CraigsList, Facebook MarketPlace, and BringATrailer.Com. Are there other resources I should consider? I get it, there aren't a lot of them around. So I want to cast a wider net and figured there must be some car guys here who have a secret or two for finding the old gems...

I've had a lot of cars in my life... There is only 1 that I regret getting rid of...

bringatrailer.com

5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #132,053.
bringatrailer.com bringatrailer.com


Get me the matching leather jacket, and queue up some Billy Idol or Guns n Roses on the radio!! My girl is at a loss of words to express her horror, but man I loved that car..
Click to expand...
Car guy tip for you......... You want to find a nice classic for a reasonable price?

Wait until the good weather gets here and start hitting your local cruise nights. Talk to people make some friends. Those are the guys that know where the good deals are. And you never know, I have had many people politely say "if this beauty is ever looking for a new owner let me know" or words to that effect. Just don't flat out ask if the car is for sale, that is considered poor etiquette.

Also, quite often there is a car at cruise night with a for sale sign on it.

Good luck and remember, classic cars is even a more expensive hobby than guns. :)
 
appraiser said:
buying a 20 year old (GM) car is a crap shoot at best.

one of the big issues is the electronics, and things like capacitors that start going bad, leak, eat boards, etc.

20 year old plastic is getting soft on the outer layers (will scratch if you look at it the wrong way) and brittle if you have to take a panel off to get access to something else.

Wait til you have to chase and replace every rubber line that cracks and tosses a CEL

think long and hard before you go down that road

Wait til you have to take a connector apart and it crumbles in your hand.

Think loooong and hard before you go down that road
Click to expand...
That’s called hot rodding my man 👍
 
ThePreBanMan said:
Like the title says, I am looking to buy a specific "classic" car... I say "classic" because, well, it's 23 years old at this point.. What I'm looking for is an unmodified, 2002 Pontiac WS6 Trans Am. Black on Black, with T-Tops and a manual gear box. Bonus points if it comes with a matching leather jacket. Looking for something with mileage at or below 80K on the clock.

I've been looking at eBay, CraigsList, Facebook MarketPlace, and BringATrailer.Com. Are there other resources I should consider? I get it, there aren't a lot of them around. So I want to cast a wider net and figured there must be some car guys here who have a secret or two for finding the old gems...

I've had a lot of cars in my life... There is only 1 that I regret getting rid of...

bringatrailer.com

5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 5-Mile 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #132,053.
bringatrailer.com bringatrailer.com


Get me the matching leather jacket, and queue up some Billy Idol or Guns n Roses on the radio!! My girl is at a loss of words to express her horror, but man I loved that car..
Click to expand...

I've been seeing a lot of stories online of people who have been screwed over by bringatrailer. Cars that were not what they claimed, upbadged cars being sold as the better trim versions and cars that cease to work shortly after purchase. There's just enough horror stories to make me think that bringatrailer is where unscrupulous a***holes dump unmaintained cars that are on their death bed and use the emotional appeal (you fall in love with the car at first sight) and ignore the warning signs.
 
Stop looking and one will fall in your lap. And if you buy a not so nice one for too much, a mint old lady's grocery getter will be sold for a song the next day.
 
VetteGirlMA said:
I've been seeing a lot of stories online of people who have been screwed over by bringatrailer. Cars that were not what they claimed, upbadged cars being sold as the better trim versions and cars that cease to work shortly after purchase. There's just enough horror stories to make me think that bringatrailer is where unscrupulous a***holes dump unmaintained cars that are on their death bed and use the emotional appeal (you fall in love with the car at first sight) and ignore the warning signs.
Click to expand...

I would have it inspected by a 3rd party before ever agreeing to make payment - for sure. For all the reasons you mention. Emotion, ass holes, etc. There's only so much you can do. But 300 or so bucks for a disinterested 3rd party from a reputable company to look it over is short change when considered against what these things sell for these days.
 
Nomad3 said:
Bring a trailer sold one 10 days ago… nevermind. I see you want a 2002
bringatrailer.com

13k-Mile 2000 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a 13k-Mile 2000 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Coupe 6-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #174,562.
bringatrailer.com bringatrailer.com
Click to expand...
That one was a bit out of my price range. I felt it was over priced. I should be able to get a good one for less than 30K.... Even that feels like alot. But that's what I'm allowing myself here.
 
HARRYM said:
The level of dishonesty and outright fraud in the classic car market makes EBAY look like a Saint......you had better know what the hell you are doing.......experience can get really expensive quickly...
Click to expand...
YouTube has one horror story after another. The only people more corrupt than the classic car dealers might be MSP.
 
snax said:
My father has been in it for almost 50 years, the shit ive seen guys try to sell him would make the worst used car dealers in MA look reputable.
Bondo, paint, gear oil in motors, swapped vins, clones, unsafe mods.
Its easy to get overjoyed when you find the car you want, but you need to go into it with suspicion
Click to expand...
It absolutely amazes me that some people will by a classic car without even putting it up on a lift to see what the underside looks like.
 
Coda said:
Car guy tip for you......... You want to find a nice classic for a reasonable price?

Wait until the good weather gets here and start hitting your local cruise nights. Talk to people make some friends. Those are the guys that know where the good deals are. And you never know, I have had many people politely say "if this beauty is ever looking for a new owner let me know" or words to that effect. Just don't flat out ask if the car is for sale, that is considered poor etiquette.

Also, quite often there is a car at cruise night with a for sale sign on it.

Good luck and remember, classic cars is even a more expensive hobby than guns. :)
Click to expand...
Concur.
For most of those people that car is their pride and joy. They sunk a ton of money and time in it. If they're willing to sell it would be to fund something else, like another project, retirement, etc.
You won't get junk but you will pay a price for that.
 
Derek at Seacoast House of Cars | About Us may be able to help source your car. This dealership just transitioned from a McFarland Ford used car dealership to his new venture. I have no pecuniary interest in this dealership, but was a customer of his under McFarland. He has a love for older and unique sports cars.
 
Roof gunner said:
That’s called hot rodding my man 👍
Click to expand...
Hot rodding is fun, give me any pre computer controlled , not full of emissions equipment car any day of the week

I can do anything with one of those cars.

especially a car where there is a ton of aftermarket support for sheet metal, interior trim, etc etc etc

Try finding a blend door actuator for a 94 Corvette.

Not made by GM or Delco

The Doorman part they swear fits does not

try to find a good used one...
 
Man I remember carrying my tri power intake around the English town racetrack looking for a certain vendor. It seemed to weigh a thousand pounds and I walked around for hours with it 😊
 

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