We got an 03 SS today
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Joined: Feb 2026
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We got an 03 SS today
Hello. My wife and I got a 03 SS today, mostly for an intown to and from work ride. We were told about it last night and showed up a few mins before they opened and as we left the lot on our test drive 3 other people showed up. Needless to say we we ended up with it. We snagged it for just under $1k. Found this place while looking for answers to the known problems that is has
I can't figured out how to post pics and haven't used photo bucket sense they got greedy and started charging.
The good.
It runs really good. We had a cold overnight this car had frost on the windows when we got there so it was a really nice really cold start with no problems starting. Didn't hear any ticks, knocking or other odd noises from the motor.
Transmission it's an auto it shifted through all of its gears just fine even manually shifting through them all no issues no noises no hesitation no hard clunks or anything.
99% but the lights work, going to have to see if any of the new LED ones we got will fit. The small semi-useless things like outside temp compass and auto dimming mirror work.
Tires are good I did forget to look for a date code on them but dealer said that the previous owner claims have changed them in the year and a half they owned it. They're all for the same tire, they don't show any unusual wear, the penny trick shows lots of tread, and it has my preferred kind of tire mud and snow, I live in Montana it's almost a requirement in winter.
Has the owners booklet
The interior is extremely clean not just they detailed it clean but it shows very very little wear I had to look for it, after we got it and I was riding shotgun rummaging through stuff I found the old owners debit card, and in the visor's mirror flap found a dollar cars already paying for itself.
Carfax shows a really good maintenance history.
All the smaller electronics work, wipers, power mirrors, auto dimming mirror. The heated seats work, really good. As does heat, defrost(front and rear) and AC
I don't see any signs of leaking under the hood after we got it home. Oil and trans fluid looked good when I checked during the test drive.
Struts seem to be working just fine.
The bad. Yes evap issues traction control issues and check engine light. I am that guy who brings a code reader with me and will check in the parking lot. The two codes it has stored are directly related to evap one is p0440, which is the crystal ball you got something wrong with your evap and the other is p0442 and that one is more on point "indicates a small leak in the evap, commonly caused by a loose/faulty gas cap, damaged vapor lines, or a stuck purge valve".
Has ABS and traction control lights on no codes for those.
There is a brief hissing noise on the drivers side either under dash or right on the firewall under hood and it happens when the key is turned on or off, may or may not be hand in hand with the evap issue or not.
Fog lights do not work, could be bulbs, more likely user error.
The exhaust. Chopped off just after the factory rear Y pipe, it will need to be fixed, you can smell it inside with windows up and straight piped V6s just don't sound the best
It has a slight pull to the right.
Only has one key(I asked if they had others and no). Need to figure out if its a chipped key and I need to see if it has keyless as well and order fobs if so
Nitpicky cons
Radio, sure it works but honestly who has CDs or tapes anymore?
The trunk is either missing support struts or its just friggn heavy.
Its a low car with a sport suspension, speed bumps here were fun
Ima have to fight my wife to keep it home a few days so I can properly go through it
Ima have to clean out and detail the Focus now cause side by side it looks like ***
3% card fee and paper work fee can **** off
Immediate plans. Dig into problems listed above
Car Wash(was going to stop on our way home, but our daughter decided to be a problem child today so likely later today
I want to change the oil
Check air and cabin filters
Pull all 4 tires and check brakes and rotors along with wheel bearings, ball joints, basically everything I can.
Radio needs updating. Neither of us even has physical media anymore.
It shows it has just under half a tank of gas but by the time I thought to pay attention to the gauge we were nearly home. I did ask them about the price.
"We are buying it regardless but why is it priced so low, its not just a couple hundred under value but 3 or 4 thousand under"
'Its not the kind of car we normally carry they almost always go off to auction, but we wanted a few lower cost cars for tax season. The exhaust and other problems are more then I want to fix. Its a beater with a heater'
I can't figured out how to post pics and haven't used photo bucket sense they got greedy and started charging.
The good.
It runs really good. We had a cold overnight this car had frost on the windows when we got there so it was a really nice really cold start with no problems starting. Didn't hear any ticks, knocking or other odd noises from the motor.
Transmission it's an auto it shifted through all of its gears just fine even manually shifting through them all no issues no noises no hesitation no hard clunks or anything.
99% but the lights work, going to have to see if any of the new LED ones we got will fit. The small semi-useless things like outside temp compass and auto dimming mirror work.
Tires are good I did forget to look for a date code on them but dealer said that the previous owner claims have changed them in the year and a half they owned it. They're all for the same tire, they don't show any unusual wear, the penny trick shows lots of tread, and it has my preferred kind of tire mud and snow, I live in Montana it's almost a requirement in winter.
Has the owners booklet
The interior is extremely clean not just they detailed it clean but it shows very very little wear I had to look for it, after we got it and I was riding shotgun rummaging through stuff I found the old owners debit card, and in the visor's mirror flap found a dollar cars already paying for itself.
Carfax shows a really good maintenance history.
All the smaller electronics work, wipers, power mirrors, auto dimming mirror. The heated seats work, really good. As does heat, defrost(front and rear) and AC
I don't see any signs of leaking under the hood after we got it home. Oil and trans fluid looked good when I checked during the test drive.
Struts seem to be working just fine.
The bad. Yes evap issues traction control issues and check engine light. I am that guy who brings a code reader with me and will check in the parking lot. The two codes it has stored are directly related to evap one is p0440, which is the crystal ball you got something wrong with your evap and the other is p0442 and that one is more on point "indicates a small leak in the evap, commonly caused by a loose/faulty gas cap, damaged vapor lines, or a stuck purge valve".
Has ABS and traction control lights on no codes for those.
There is a brief hissing noise on the drivers side either under dash or right on the firewall under hood and it happens when the key is turned on or off, may or may not be hand in hand with the evap issue or not.
Fog lights do not work, could be bulbs, more likely user error.
The exhaust. Chopped off just after the factory rear Y pipe, it will need to be fixed, you can smell it inside with windows up and straight piped V6s just don't sound the best
It has a slight pull to the right.
Only has one key(I asked if they had others and no). Need to figure out if its a chipped key and I need to see if it has keyless as well and order fobs if so
Nitpicky cons
Radio, sure it works but honestly who has CDs or tapes anymore?
The trunk is either missing support struts or its just friggn heavy.
Its a low car with a sport suspension, speed bumps here were fun
Ima have to fight my wife to keep it home a few days so I can properly go through it
Ima have to clean out and detail the Focus now cause side by side it looks like ***
3% card fee and paper work fee can **** off
Immediate plans. Dig into problems listed above
Car Wash(was going to stop on our way home, but our daughter decided to be a problem child today so likely later today
I want to change the oil
Check air and cabin filters
Pull all 4 tires and check brakes and rotors along with wheel bearings, ball joints, basically everything I can.
Radio needs updating. Neither of us even has physical media anymore.
It shows it has just under half a tank of gas but by the time I thought to pay attention to the gauge we were nearly home. I did ask them about the price.
"We are buying it regardless but why is it priced so low, its not just a couple hundred under value but 3 or 4 thousand under"
'Its not the kind of car we normally carry they almost always go off to auction, but we wanted a few lower cost cars for tax season. The exhaust and other problems are more then I want to fix. Its a beater with a heater'
Congrats on the new ride show a photo then you can.
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