buying a Supercoupe

supercoupeman07

Registered User
Hi im looking at a few diffenrent supercoupe and i need to know what to look for on a supercoupe when buying so i dont end up buying a broken one. Also what thing arre know to go on a 1989 sc. Thanks chris
 
How good is your mechanical knowledge of cars in general. There are only a few things that are "SC" problems. But think about it...an 89? Thats on the backside of 15 years old.

Ok...with that said, the main thing on these cars that I can think of is the head gaskets. After that, door hinges. Is it an auto or a five speed. You may like the sound of a five speed on the street, but the M5R2 trannies are SC specific and parts are getting hard to come by. Next, be sure the ABS ligts are not on and the ABS works. These systems can be trying on the paitents if the accumulator and relay are not suspect. Then, there is the high cost of struts/shocks if you want to keep the electronic stuff. Last, be sure the rear end has enough t-lock left in it to spin BOTH rear tires. By now, I can GARONTEE that the suspension bushings are GONE on the front end. At LEAST the strut rod to LCAs. Even if its a low mile car, you will see them fall apart.

Chris
 
Well it is a five speed with 112000 thousand miles and it seems to be well taken car of. It is Adam Wilson he is under the members take a look plz. tell me what you think
 
supercoupeman07 said:
Hi im looking at a few diffenrent supercoupe and i need to know what to look for on a supercoupe when buying so i dont end up buying a broken one. Also what thing arre know to go on a 1989 sc. Thanks chris
the headgaskets, harmonic balancers, ABS, are all known issues with these.although on mine a 1990 5speed with 180k miles, im still on the original hg's and original balancer, and ABS still work fine.however when i got mine , i rebuilt the front end since the upper and lower ball joints were shot and the inner tie rods had some play. so if that car hasnt had any front end work done to it, you can count on worn ball joints and bushings, etc...
 
dont do it :eek:


just kidding, kinda. you'll find that a lot of your money goes into fixing it, but thunderbirds are addicting, so you'll keep spending it because you like the car. oh well.
 
sc

i have had three sc, 89 91 and my 94. 89, tranny went to hell, 91 3 hgs but everything elese was good. my 94 engine decided to blow a hole in the #6 piston. these cars are sweet but be ready to spend some money!!!!
 
Looks like a good car. If theres oil leaks make sure the oil pan didn't hit the crossmember. Ask if he replaced the motor mounts. If not a easy check is to see if the oil filter is too close to the crossmember and ps lines. Like, touching them.
 
coupeCorona

Corona, Sorry to hear you had such bad luck with your SC's. My 95 Auto has been absolutely great. Virtually No problems for the last 30,000 miles, besides a bad battery, and that wasn't the cars fault. It now shows 123K on the clock, still going strong.

Your video clip really cracks me up! SO Funny!

Sent you a PM- check it out........
Now, Back to the Thread.......

89 was the first year, 95 the last, and over those years, several refinements and improvements were made. I usually try not to buy anything the first model year it comes out, just so I get the "updated" version(like the 4R70W tranny). Besides the usual walk-around, looking for leaks, etc., don't make up your mind until AFTER the test-drive...

Invariably, if you pay attention, you will know more from a 10-minute drive than an hour-long look. Warm it up, then try to include a freeway on-ramp where you have a clear shot. Take it to a steady 35MPH,then put your foot to the floor, lifting off when you hit 75. On the way up, check what boost its making, how it shifts, and listen for any abnormal clunks, whistles, bearing noises, slipping, etc.
You should get a solid 10-12 lbs. of boost on the gauge. Once you hit 75, apply hard even pressure to the brakes back down to 50. Check if it goes straight or pulls to one side, listening for any creaking, wobbling or grinding noises. A quick test like this can tell you alot about the overall general condition of any car as a whole, and all the parts you CAN'T see. On a boosted car, whether its a blower or a turbo, a Wide-Open-Throttle(WOT) test is a must to check out the performance end of things. Have the owner go with you, and explain to him, the need for a WOT test so he doesn't think you are thrashing his car needlessly. Any strange noises, discuss it and ask questions, listen carefully to his responses. Drive at least 10-15 min. so you can tell if it has any overheating issues.You will then know if you are buying a solid running SC, or aquiring someone elses problems. If the brakes are weak or bad, or the tranny slips, take it into consideration on the price and what it will cost to fix. And if by chance, it breaks down during a simple test like this, walk away, you don't want it.
A roll-on test like this is easier on the car than a similar test from a standing stop.
Then you WOULD be thrashing it, and we all know how much Fun THAT is! :)
 
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Check out all the switches and electronics.....

Does it have the keyless entry option?

Do both the side mirrors work?

Roll both windows up and down at the same time.....

Do they both get to the end of their travels at about the same time?

Do they make any abnormal noise when going up and down?
 
in a RWD car I like to check the rear tires to make sure that the car hasn't been through lots of burnouts and whatnot. Check up under the bumper and check for rubber if you see any rubber I would run from that car because its been abused
 
x182dan said:
Check up under the bumper and check for rubber

Dan, I thought that came standard on all used SCs? ;) :D

Check the suspension (tie rods, control arm bushings, ball joints and shocks. Check motor mounts too.
 
RadiumSC said:
Dan, I thought that came standard on all used SCs? ;) :D

Check the suspension (tie rods, control arm bushings, ball joints and shocks. Check motor mounts too.

comes standard on all my scs:)
 
x182dan said:
in a RWD car I like to check the rear tires to make sure that the car hasn't been through lots of burnouts and whatnot. Check up under the bumper and check for rubber if you see any rubber I would run from that car because its been abused
DOT!!! listen to this man. i wish i had that advice when i bought my SC. the guy gave me mustang rims with the car, and the tires on the rims are completely bald. i would consider them slicks because they are that bald. and my SC has given me nothing but problems, such as a blown motor. so, if you see any rubber, or ~~~~~~ tires, stay away like it's a hooker in thailand.
 
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