Thinking of buying a VR-4

[spoonraker]

I was filling up yesterday and a red 3000GT VR4 pulled up next to me with for sale written on the back. I've always loved those cars so I was intrigued. I just quickly asked him how much he wanted for it and he said $8k. Not sure what year it was but I believe it was a second gen, the body appeared to be in very good shape, and if the engine matches the body then overall it's a very clean car.

Anyway, sometime in the next few days I'm going to go out and take a look at it and drive it hopefully. I know these cars can either be awesome, or a pain in the ass, depending on how well they have been maintained.

Anybody here familiar with these cars? I just need to know specifically what type of things to look for when checking it out so that I don't buy a car thats going to repeatedly break on me. Also what do you guys think of the price? Assuming that it's a very clean 2nd gen with no major problems. Seems to be right about NADA value.

I make about $1500/month (after tax) so I should be able to handle $600/mo for the car, assuming ~$300 for insurance and $300 for car payment.

[toom1h]

you must have some speeding ticket issues for 300 dollar insurance

my ex's step dad owned a vr4 94

what do you want to know about them?
(they usually have transmission problems, but the 2g upgraded alittle bit)

[spoonraker]

Yes I have one speeding ticket on record, and one that I took STOP class for, ~$300/mo is just what progressive.com quoted me on their "recommended" plan, they lowest one was all the way down to $90/mo. I just started this programming job about a month ago at $12/hr. Now that I'm up to speed and done with training I should hopefully see a significant raise in the next few months, and even now I'm still making plenty to afford the car.

Anyway...like I said any info that would help me make my decision would be great. If you've owned one, how was it? Reliability, easy to work on, common problems, things to look for when buying, that kinda stuff.

[Johnny]

wow kid you jump around nonstop with what car you want.


bad idea. huge tranny problems. You DO NOT make enough money to maintain such a car. NOT a daily driver.

[MadmaX]

Fun to drive
Look cool
etc etc...


I would never consider owning one.
ever.



btw, did it have chrome wheels? there was a second gen one on craigslist that was red f/s for $6500 or something.
Not that you should go look at it, just, in case it's the same one and you looked like you had an extra $1500 on ya.

[spoonraker]

Rabbid, are you sure you're not confusing me with somebody else? I've owned the same car for as long as I've been on SCR/here, and only once have I posted a WTB ad. It just said "wtb : somethhng fun" and then listed a few types of cars that I see for sale a lot that I would consider...A few people posted some cars I liked, but I decided to just keep driving my Oldsmobile for the time being.

Belteshazzar, it had black wheels.


As for the maintenance, they aren't as bad as everybody says they are. The transmission is the only really common "major" problem, and it's usually just caused by abuse or by leaking oil. The first gens are notorious for having capacitors leak in the ECU, but it's a cheap easy fix. The biggest problem is just that they are always beaten to hell.

I'd always have another car available to me in case of a problem. My girlfriend has 2 cars and I can take either one of them whenever I need to, and I might just keep my Oldsmobile on top of the VR4, since it's going to be tough to find a buyer for a car with a sound system taking up the entire trunk and a CarPC.

[Ervin]

are you talking about the red one with black wheels that highschool kid owns?

[spoonraker]

Maybe, he did look to be a younger guy. Like I said I just saw it for like 20 seconds when he pulled up next to me and I just copied down the number.

I can't imagine there are two many VR4s running around with black rims driven by younger kids, so it was probably that one. What's the story with it?

[Ervin]

PMed

[Johnny]

maybe i am thinking of someone else.


but dont do it

[c0z]

The red one on craigslist was a scam... was interested in it for teh g/f and after getting a message back from the guy it was pretty obvious, and now it's gone.

[Fyrtruck]

I know of VR4Plays old VR4...its got tranny probs.

[Ervin]

^^^ his was a grey, goldish color. Wasn't it?

[spoonraker]

It's not VR4Play's old car, that I'm certain of.

I don't think it's the craigslist scam either, like I said I saw the car in person. My friend ran into a gas station to grab something and I sat in the car when the guy in the red 3kgt pulled in to get gas. I pulled my car around to get a better view of it and I saw it said for sale on it, so when I saw the guy come out of the gas station after pre-paying I asked him how much he wanted, copied down his phone number, and drove off. I wasn't even looking to buy a new car, I just happen to see this one, and I know they are really hard to find, and the price seemed reasonable, and I thought it was definitely worth a serious look.

I'm surprised nobody knows more about this car, it really did look to be in amazing shape, it's red with black rims.

[BOORAH]

I think i know it. The owners name should be Justin, you, he just got the car not that long ago after wrecking his car "street racing" on 27th..........Dont do it.

[spoonraker]

Actually today after work I called the number to get some info and got voicemail, the name on the greeting message was Justin....

So you're saying it's been seriously abused?

[BOORAH]

hah, yeah thats him. Thats the guy that was on the news because he wrecked his nissan spec-r on 27th on that bridge, and i have personally seen him abuse it and race it.

[spoonraker]

weak...well I guess I won't look into it any more. If I'm going to buy a VR4, it's not going to be an abused one that will most certainly have lots of problems.

[BOORAH]

Yeah his mommy and daddy bought it for him from B&D.

[ali]

weak...well I guess I won't look into it any more. If I'm going to buy a VR4, it's not going to be an abused one that will most certainly have lots of problems.

Good luck trying to find one thats not abused

[spoonraker]

They aren't all abused, and I understand that if you drive one you're gonna have fun with it every now and then.

I think I'll still go take a look at it, but knowing that it is routinely raced isn't a plus. Who knows maybe he does race it sometimes, but he takes great care of it and it'll be a great car.

[veemaxx]

I know that car and Justin, the car has a boost controller I believe. Not too sure it has been raced all that much but last I talked with him there was some problem with the shift linkage if I remember right. The car has been in a couple of car shows around here.

[coop]

waste of money

[spoonraker]

Well I'm definitely gonna take a look at it, but I'm doubting I'm going to buy it right now.

If I wasn't moving out early next year and I didn't have student loans to pay off I would, but I just can't justify something that impractical right now. I gave it plenty of thought though.

[Ervin]

according to a friend, the reason he's selling it is because he can't afford it?! But I don't know the guy so I can't really tell you anything

[Mits3kGT]

It's not VR4Play's old car, that I'm certain of.

I don't think it's the craigslist scam either, like I said I saw the car in person. My friend ran into a gas station to grab something and I sat in the car when the guy in the red 3kgt pulled in to get gas. I pulled my car around to get a better view of it and I saw it said for sale on it, so when I saw the guy come out of the gas station after pre-paying I asked him how much he wanted, copied down his phone number, and drove off. I wasn't even looking to buy a new car, I just happen to see this one, and I know they are really hard to find, and the price seemed reasonable, and I thought it was definitely worth a serious look.

I'm surprised nobody knows more about this car, it really did look to be in amazing shape, it's red with black rims.

his name is justin dalton
clean car, ryan from B&D rebuilt it and did a lot of work on it
it does have some weird problems with it tho..would make a great project if you knew the cars.

[spoonraker]

lol way to revive an old thread, oh well I appreciate the belated good advice

I already bought a 2001 civic for a daily driver, and I'm not going to be purchasing a project for a while

[Yngvar]

Fail

[Cobra Commander]

Buying a VR4 is the worst idea ever.

Civic > VR4

[spoonraker]

The civic is definitely the better daily driver, but at the time I made this thread I was thinking more along the lines of a project.

Anyways, like I said I'm not really in the market right now so /thread

[swaggy853]

Civic > VR4

If my sig wasnt already too long, I would add that.

[Cobra Commander]

I was thinking more along the lines of a project.


Too heavy. Only '03 Cobras are allowed to be heavy AND fast. :lol:

[c0z]

And Supras.

And be glad you didn't buy the VR4 as a daily spoon, you would be hating your life severely right about now, and forcibly learning a lot about cars in the process :lol:

[C.J.]

so basically any car that can make 800+whp on stock shortblock can be heavy, that means we have....

a.) supra
b.) 03/04 cobra
c.) a & b

[toom1h]

spoon,,, you will never buy a project

[Kelvin]

every car is a carpc project

[toom1h]

I take it back then

[spoonraker]

my oldsmobile was a project, just not a speed project