Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Well I found a clean 1999 Z34 on my local Chevy dealers lot. Car has 83,000 miles, torch red, black leather and it is loaded and has 4 new tires. Carfax came back clean but i did notice the right rear quarter has been repainted. I drove the car and it shifted fine, ac worked, heat worked and it seems to run fine. The sunroof would not open but dealer said they would fix for me before the sale. Out the door price would be around 4500.00. I am just looking for input on this style car with this amount of miles.

I had a 1998 Lumina LTZ with the 3800 that i bought new and had up till 2005 when i traded it in at 60K miles. I really miss that car and always wanted a Monte Carlo.

This is by far the cleanest Z34 i have looked at, the seats are almost perfect, carpet is perfect, paint is ok for the age, few chips. I am just worried about the 83K, only owned 2 used vehicles and never a vehicle with this mileage.

Thanks

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

KBB value for that car in EXCELLENT condition is only $4050. If the quarter was painted and you can tell I wouldnt consider that excellent condition. I wouldnt pay a penny over 4000 for that car. I payed 6000 for mine over a year ago with 33000 miles on it and it was EXCELLENT condition top to bottom. I still feel I paid too much for it. They are nice cars but with 83000 miles its not worth 4500 IMO.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

My KBB on it says 4350 as excellent....must be my location. They are asking 4300 plus tax title and all that.

It is very clean, no rust on the body or under the car, no door dents at all. The car just went on the lot yesterday and I am on the fence about it....really want a Z34 with the 3800.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

I would shoot them an offer of 4000. With the way cars are selling these days, they might just take it to get rid of it.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

BTW Im from pittsburgh too so it cant be location. Did you do suggested retail value or another option? Also, what side did you say was repainted. If it was the driver side I would be worried that the body work was done because it rusted out under the gas door. Ive seen that happen alot, especially on the Buick regals and lesabres. Same cars as the monte basically.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Really, I searched retail just last night. Its the passenger side rear quarter. I noticed the paint line in the pass side door jamb. I pulled back the trunk liner and looked at that panel and I did not notice any damage.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Maybe it was just a deep scratch or something.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Oh and i tried shootin for 4000 and they wernt into that since i wanted the sunroof fixed. So if i had to pay the extra few hundred there for teh sunroof to be working again i wouldnt mind.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Im not looking for a daily driver here, maybe more of a long term project car....maybe future 3800SC swap. I just really miss the LTZ I had and wanted the MC when I bought the LTZ but at the time it wasnt practical.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

the person probably payed cash to have the car fixed.. maybe a shopping cart ding or it may have been keyed.

you sound like you know what to check in a used car so i will not go over that... so i'd say $4000 repaired.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

I think I'd go with the cars aren't selling advice. The dealer feels they have you over a barrel cause you're just about the only person interested in this car. They reasoning is if you want it, you'll pay our price.

Your choice but you could always wait a day (or two) and see if they call you at home? This will tell you the price can be negotiated, unlike what they want you to believe.

With our '03 Pace car replica, the Pontiac dealer said they wouldn't fix one thing on the car at first. Then the salesmanager asked what I wanted repaired? My dad & I walked outside and showed him the things we weren't happy with the car. Next I get told, "We'll fix those things but only if we can go the loan on the car. Cause we get a kickback from the bank if we go the loan."

I told them fine. Go for it.

They did fix the things I wanted repaired on the car. And they did not get to float the loan on the car. Soit was kind of a win/win situation on our part as far as I'm concerned.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

If you're planning an L67 engine and tranny swap (that's the s/c 3800), I'd go for it. I think the car has the 3400 engine in it now, does it not? Personally, I had bad luck with the 3400 engine in my 1999 Grand Am GT. It had the tendency for the lower intake manifold to loosen and leak. But if you're planning an engine swap anyway, don't worry about it.

The repainted rear quarter could have been almost anything. Scratch and/or dent from a shopping cart, or an inconsiderate person opening their car door into the fender. Stuff like that.

If there's no rips or tears in the seats, and they fix the sunroof to your satisfaction, go for it.

In a side note, Chris (scc24540) did the L67 engine and tranny swap your considering in his 1997 Monte.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

the 99 Z34 would have been a 3800

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Cool. Thanks for the info Duane. I wasn't aware of that.

That adds to the sticker price right there. The 3800 engine has the reputation of being practically bullet proof. Proven to be a reliable engine. So I wouldn't worry about the 83k miles.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Its not the engine Id be worried about because of the miles, its the transmission. Nevertheless 83000 miles is 83000 miles if it has a 3100, 3400, 3.4 or 3800. Its not that youshould be worried about it, its that the value of the cargoes down as the miles go up. When I KBBed my car when I got it, it was worth 5000. Once Ihit40,000 miles the value dropped significantly. Its down to 3575 now.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Well im going to go look at it again today.

I know the 3800 is a great engine, had a few of them on other cars and i know that the tranny is the weakpoint but from what my parents drove it, and i drove it it seemed to run and shift fine.....and i drove it hard. Brakes felt good no pulsing and at 90mph there was no shacking of any sort in the steering or brakes.........lol the salesman didnt tag along for the test drives [sm=gears.gif]

I am just really interested because none of the other Z34s ive looked at were so clean. The steering wheel has no signs of wear, the turn signal stock has all of the white lettering still, seats are very nice, door panels are spotless, headlines is clean and not falling down, carpet looks very clean with no wear and the trunk liner is spotless. The spare has never been used, all the bumper brackets, crashbars are factory, the machine faced wheels have no corosion on them, all factory glass and it looks like the alternator was changed thats it.

Id like to in the future swap a 3800SC into it and upgrade the suspension and brake parts but that may be a few years down the road....thats my dream plan.

Well im going to go look it over again, i was up most of last night trying to decide what to do.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

One thing you have to look at is the economy. I am kinda in the same boat as you but I want an 04 or 05 SC SS Monte Carlo. KBB which has inflated prices and the dealerships believe that is what the cars are worth. Because of the present economy cars are worth a lot less than what KBB is saying. I was trying to trade in my 06 Mini Cooper S with only 14500 miles on it and on the average dealerships would only give me 14k, and the Mini is one of the very few cars that keeps their resale value. So, I am selling my Mini outright on ebay and going back to the dealership and hopefully I will get what I want to pay for it - 12k for an indimidator with 33k one owner car taken in at a Ford dealership as a trade-in for a used T-Bird. If the dealer really want’s to sell their car, they should come down a little on the price. You know it costs them money for that car to sit on their lot.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

I understand that....

For me it wouldnt be a problem, im soon to be 25, i work full time and have a part time job, i live at home, everything i have is paid for. My parents have also agreed to buy the car in their name with their insurance and sell it to me later on so it is cheaper to insure for me.

Im sure we can deal on the price we will be paying cash so i guess well see.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

My car was bought with 110k and it still runs great (ive added 5k miles lol) but i say shoot for 4000 and if they dont budge, well i think still get the car, from the way you describe it the extra care taken on the car is worth the extra $300, and try to find any other little htng first too to have them fix, then the 300 will be worth it.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Well I just went to look at it again...looked it over in and out for atleast an hour. It is very clean and the dealer is fixing the sunroof. 2 other people looked at the car and they were told the sunroof does not work and it will not be fixed. I was told by the dealer owner that it would be fixed for no charge. So its mine, going to pick it up after the roof is fixed. Ill try to post the pics i took on my cell phone here shortly.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

With all the hype i think i forgot to mention it has 4 brand new tires on it too!

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Sounds good, i want lots of pics.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

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[IMG]local://upfiles/4962/3C909728939847E6ACDAF090D020B351.jpg[/IMG]

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

just get an 00 ss.. please lol i hate those body styles.. and what part of pittsburgh are you 2 from.. im in west mifflin

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Im right down rt 51 from you in the Mon Valley! Ive always loved the look of the Gen 5 Montes, really love the rear with the quad exhaust tips. I wanted another one ever since i got rid of my Lumina...now i got it.

Maybe when the weather gets nice all us Pittsburgh crew can get together somewhere with our rides!

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Looks good from what I can see. You got the factory spoiler on too, plus 1 there. Just a little tip, go get yourself some dielectric grease and pull the side markers out on the bumper covers and put some in each light socket.My socketsare all corroded because those markers love to hold water.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Thanks mrl, I already plan on doing this because i did that to my 98 LTZ. Infact I think i still have that tube of dielectric grease around here somewhere! They definately have some water in them and that will be one of my first projects to dry them out and all. I figure if they are really bad ill just put new sockets on them.

Thanks on the spoiler too! It was a must, along with the machine faced wheels and the leather and sunroof. Torch red isnt my first choice but its in really great shape so i dont mind. Once I get it home ill post up a ton of pics....its very clean inside!

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

I think you will like the torch red. With a fresh wash and wax and a little black magic on the tires, the color really pops and shines. It is really good for hiding water spots and scratches too.

And yes, pics are a must.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Yeah I cant wait to give it a good detail job.

Hey mrl, I was checkin out your cardomain page, nice Earnhardt plate frame! I will be putting my #3 sticker on the lower left corner of my rear window, just like on my LTZ and currently on my Sierra,as soon as I clean the car up.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Thanks man. Both were courtesy of the PO. He was a big earnhardt fan. He even had a 2004 dale jr monte in his garage with 4000 miles on it.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Nice looking car. AS long as you're happy with it that's all that matters.



Thanks man. Both were courtesy of the PO. He was a big earnhardt fan. He even had a 2004 dale jr monte in his garage with 4000 miles on it.

I met a guy at a cruise in back in september who owns a 96 or 97 Dale Monte. He said the one he bought new amd setting at home has less miles on it then the one he was displaying at the cruise in.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Well I got the monte about 2 weeks ago....i put up some pics in the new member area.

RE: Need Advice - looking at 99 Z34
 

Cool.

So how's the car been so far for you?