The quest to buy a Terminator...

Does this look like a problem car?

  • Yes... stay away!

    Votes: 1 50.0%
  • Nope, you're all good!

    Votes: 1 50.0%

  • Total voters
    2
  • Poll closed .

BlackDeath3

New Member
Joined
May 26, 2013
Messages
8
Location
Washington, US
Hello everybody!

Some context here: I'm a guy on a quest to buy a Terminator, and there's a good chance that the right car is going to be very far away from me. As such, I'm looking at a car at a dealership right now that I haven't yet been able to see in-person, and there's a good chance that I wouldn't until it was delivered. I had a remote PPI (think Lemon Squad - the car hasn't been on a lift in a shop or anything) done on it, and I'm hoping to get some feedback from you fine folks on your perception of the condition of the car based on some of the photos that I received from that inspection. I understand that photos only go so far, but anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Keep in mind that I've been told that this car is stock, short of an exhaust. Most of the car appears to be quite nice, but we all know that looks can be deceiving. Particularly, I'm interested in your thoughts on what appears to be some wheel camber that I'm seeing (if the car is stock, would that be damage?), some rust/corrosion levels on the undercarriage, and... well, anything else that jumps out at you as a problem that may go more than skin deep.

I don't have much mechanical experience at this point. While I don't mind learning to wrench a bit if that's what it takes to upkeep a nice Terminator, I don't want to drop thousands upon thousands of dollars on a problem car. This is a car that I plan on driving around and enjoying, but I do want it to be around (and in my garage) for quite some time - I don't want a rust bucket with structural issues.

I've wanted this since I was a teenager, and I'm so excited at the possibility of finally joining the Terminator club... but I have to know if this car is going to be more trouble than it's worth.

An Imgur link to some choice photos of what I'm talking about above:

Here's an album of the engine bay:

Here's an album of the interior:

I've also added a poll, because those are fun.

Thanks for any help that you can provide!

EDIT: Some more information that's accumulated in below posts:

Mileage: <20,000
Price: Roughly $30,000

It's worth noting that there is a short-lived, state-mandated, implied powertrain warranty effective for a couple of weeks after taking delivery that should allow time for a local inspection at either a Ford dealership or other shop, and that I would plan to get on top of that pretty quickly after delivery.
 
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Mpoitrast87

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More info would be needed to see if its a good deal or not. But, right of the bat I can see the rear diff is leaking. overall looks to be a clean car.

Also. Compression checks are a must on these cars. I would ask the dealer to perform one.
 

BlackDeath3

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Joined
May 26, 2013
Messages
8
Location
Washington, US
Let me know what you'd like to know and I'll see if I can find out. Mileage is < 20,000, listed around 30k, CARFAX says no accidents.

I'm less concerned about getting a great deal and more concerned about getting a great car that isn't going to make me regret my purchase.

I'm going to do some research here, but is a rear differential leak a serious issue?

EDIT: I'll talk to the dealer about a compression check. Thanks!
 

offroadkarter

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I would not say a rear diff leak is a serious issue, but its certainly something you can use as a haggling point.

You should ask the dealer if they'd be willing to send photos w/ a paint meter on various panels to show it hasn't had paint work
 

speedoflife

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Jul 22, 2013
Messages
380
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Texas
Hello everybody!

Some context here: I'm a guy on a quest to buy a Terminator, and there's a good chance that the right car is going to be very far away from me. As such, I'm looking at a car at a dealership right now that I haven't yet been able to see in-person, and there's a good chance that I wouldn't until it was delivered. I had a remote PPI (think Lemon Squad - the car hasn't been on a lift in a shop or anything) done on it, and I'm hoping to get some feedback from you fine folks on your perception of the condition of the car based on some of the photos that I received from that inspection. I understand that photos only go so far, but anything you can tell me would be helpful.

Keep in mind that I've been told that this car is stock, short of an exhaust. Most of the car appears to be quite nice, but we all know that looks can be deceiving. Particularly, I'm interested in your thoughts on what appears to be some wheel camber that I'm seeing (if the car is stock, would that be damage?), some rust/corrosion levels on the undercarriage, and... well, anything else that jumps out at you as a problem that may go more than skin deep.

I don't have much mechanical experience at this point. While I don't mind learning to wrench a bit if that's what it takes to upkeep a nice Terminator, I don't want to drop thousands upon thousands of dollars on a problem car. This is a car that I plan on driving around and enjoying, but I do want it to be around (and in my garage) for quite some time - I don't want a rust bucket with structural issues.

I've wanted this since I was a teenager, and I'm so excited at the possibility of finally joining the Terminator club... but I have to know if this car is going to be more trouble than it's worth.

An Imgur link to some choice photos:
I've also added a poll, because those are fun.

Thanks for any help that you can provide!
I voted to stay away. Let this car sell to a less educated buyer. So much rust/corrosion for so few miles. It may be the pictures but that camber looks very.... wrong.

Also, pics of the engine bay are NECESSARY.

I’d pass based on what I’ve seen around unless you’re getting a crazy good deal. There are much cleaner examples of cars out there IMO. My previously-abused 68k mile Cobra that has been driven in the rain has much less rusty stuff on the underside of it. You might be fine with that car but you can probably find a car that has been cared for a little more too.
 

BlackDeath3

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Messages
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Washington, US
Requests for engine bay shots are totally understandable. I included one at the very end of the first album, but I'll give you guys some more.

Here's an album of engine bay shots:

Here's an album of the interior:

The reason I'm interested in it in the first place is because, for the most part, it looks very nice inside and out, be that the body, the engine bay, the interior... very clean-looking (aside from the things already mentioned in this post) and it's quite low mileage. There are just a few things getting me hung-up here that I've mentioned above, but I want to get some idea of how big these issues actually are, because I don't know that I have the calibration for that sort of thing myself, to be honest. The car did spend the first seven years of its life in NJ, which I suppose could account for the rusting, but I'm not really sure.

At roughly $30,000, I don't know that I'd be getting a screaming deal, but I can afford to miss out on a great deal. I'm more interested in getting a solid car.
 
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Mpoitrast87

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If $30k is the price tag then I’d wait til a car comes up for sale on this site. You will get a lot more for your money in my opinion.
 

TBCobra

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I'd probably pass for 30k.

If you're like me, you're looking at cars at dealers so financing is easier. If that's the case, I feel your pain here.

If it's not the case, I'd keep looking around for something on here. Or offer the dealer 25k.
 

P49Y-CY

fomocomofo
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from these pics the only things i see that is not stock on that car are the little felt pads under the battery terminals and it is missing the rear differential harmonic dampener weight.

good luck, there is no higher quest.
 

speedoflife

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Texas
Requests for engine bay shots are totally understandable. I included one at the very end of the first album, but I'll give you guys some more.

Here's an album of engine bay shots:

Here's an album of the interior:

The reason I'm interested in it in the first place is because, for the most part, it looks very nice inside and out, be that the body, the engine bay, the interior... very clean-looking (aside from the things already mentioned in this post) and it's quite low mileage. There are just a few things getting me hung-up here that I've mentioned above, but I want to get some idea of how big these issues actually are, because I don't know that I have the calibration for that sort of thing myself, to be honest. The car did spend the first seven years of its life in NJ, which I suppose could account for the rusting, but I'm not really sure.

At roughly $30,000, I don't know that I'd be getting a screaming deal, but I can afford to miss out on a great deal. I'm more interested in getting a solid car.
Damn that engine bay is CLEAN. Bolts are not corroded, has gold coolant still, looks very stock. Interior looks fantastic too. Paint looks really good as well. Any amount of life in the NE would explain the nastiness on the underside (which is very fixable and not the end of the world).

That price is crazy though, they need to calm down. A budget of 25k should be able to get you a VERY clean Terminator in my opinion.


Edit: just an example
https://www.svtperformance.com/threads/2004-cobra-coupe-21k-miles.1176470/
 
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cbehr

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It does look clean with the exception of the underside as mentioned and I agree that the price seems high. Another vote for keeping any eye out on here...in the short amount of time I was looking for one a bunch went for sale on here. An added bonus is you can often get a better history of the car if the member has been around a while and even better if they are the original owner.
 

NateDogg

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Wesley Chapel, FL
Coming from a guy that has bought 2 sight unseen broken cars that were inaccurately advertised...

Go look at it. Get your inspection done. Compression/leak down will show you the health of the car.

A 300-400 dollar plane ticket is worth saving your 8k in a motor rebuild and countless other undisclosed issues.

Trust me. I've made the same mistake twice and lost ALOT of money because I'm inpatient.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

BlackDeath3

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Washington, US
I had an inspection done remotely by an online PPI company, and it's worth nothing that because there is a state-mandated (albeit short-lived) powertrain warranty on the car, I would plan to have it inspected locally by either a Ford dealership or other shop after taking delivery and go from there.

Mileage is <20,000, which is part of why it appeals to me so much. I realize that seals will likely go bad on me at that mileage, but as a result (almost) everything else looks very nice.
 
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