I plan to go see an '02 Z06 (private sale) over the weekend and am interested in some pointers regarding anything specific I should be looking for when I'm there. I'm no mechanic or expert, to be sure, but just wanted to eyeball it, take a ride, see how it looks, etc. If push comes to shove, I'll get a shop to do a thorough once over on it, but for now, is there any advice you experienced 'vette dudes can offer a n00b like me?

 

Tire wear, oil condition and or % (DIC), rear seal leaks, run vehix car report, look for documentation, listen for belt squeeks, check battery age, tranny engagement, DIC status, overall condition. Just a few things...

 

Oil pressure gauge(pegged out), wobbling balancer, I would personally run an Autocheck report.

 

Besides physical appearance,ask the owner to see any maintenance records he has on file. Look up the proceedure to pull up codes on the DIC and check for any C "current" type codes. Do not worry about HC codes as they are Hisotry. Check condition or appearance of the oil on the dipstick as well as condition of the fluid in the brake and clutch master cylinders. Check fluid levels in the Power Steering and Coolant resevoirs as well as condition of belts and hoses. Get down low and look at the condition of the rims and tires as well as any damage to the lower rocker panels and front facia.

Always a good idea to run a Carfax report and have the car checked out by a garage. Good luck with it.

 

Common issues besides the infamous column lock and leaking rear differential gaskets are:

1. Pulsating brake pedal: This is normally caused by uneven (OEM) pad deposits on the rotor. The OEM pads are incredible, but I found that I can still use them with slotted rotors and never have a recurrence of this sort. I bought PowerSlots at Tirerack. Some owners go to ceramic pads but while they alleviate this problem, they tend to wear the rotors down faster.

2. EBCM: This box of electronics controls active handling, traction control and ABS. When it fails, all three warning lights light up on the dash. Dealerships charge $1200 to replace but you can have yours fixed at absfixer for $150. My unit went out at 34,000 miles.

3. Smog pump check valve: There are two, but the one that fails every few years is the one that requires the intake manifold to be pulled. The check engine light will illuminate.

4. Fuel sender unit: Sulpher deposits can cause this to fail. When it does, the fuel gauge may show empty when there is gas in the tank. I've never had this issue, but using concentrated Techron every 6 months probably saved me.

5. Oil pressure gauge pegs at max pressure: This is due to a faulty sender unit, which is very hard to get to. Some relocate or cut out firewall for easy access. I've never had this problem (luckily).

6. Door lock module: The driver's and/or passenger door will not lock when the alarm is set. This (driver's door lock module) was replaced by my dealership under warranty and is supposedly not a hard thing to do.

 

Overall just check to see if the car is clean in all areas. If you sit down in the seat and absorb some armour all, they are trying to hide something

A well kept car that is clean indicates someone who has treated it with respect. A dirty, unkept car is probably unkept in other areas as well such as regular maintenance. Don't by something unless it is exactly what you want. You will take better care of the car if it is exactly what you want

 

How many owners?
Was the 5 year inspections done? On time?
Engine coolent.
Tries and air pressure sensor batteries.
Battery.
Clutch fluid-not dark colored.
Leaks -wet areas , trans , rear end, oil pan and brake cylenders.
Look up under front end where radiator and condenser come together. These are bottom breathers-look for leaves, plastic bags, dead birds ect.
Rocking seat.

Also ask about MODs-and are stock parts included?

If its a clean one owner car, just what your looking for, work out a price and drive it home.

Good luck

 

My top tips would be:

Check for signs of battery leakage
Check for leaks around the diff seals
Check the door modules and window motors work correctly

Find out how to pull the DIC codes and check for and (C) current codes.

 

The 01-03 C5s came factory-equipped with AGM batteries. You can still check, but I've never heard of an AC Delco AGM battery that leaked. The big leakers were the 97-00 C5s.

 

Z06 does not have air pressure sensor batteries.

 

Good stuff, guys. I appreciate all the input. Keep it coming!

 

you got a lot of great info posts good luck with purchase

 

An update (for those who care and were nice enough to offer their advice): I went to see the 'vette this morning, and it was a nice overall experience. I checked quite a few of the items listed in previous posts, and everything looked good. The seller was real cool, very forthcoming, an enthusiast but not over the top about it. Takes good care of it, but it is a 7-year-old car, so there's a couple of rock marks here and there. Nothing major, though. It didn't throw any current codes, just a few historical ones, but that was it. Gearbox felt solid, I didn't notice any body/interior squeaks, driver seat didn't rock. Car tracked straight and true, tires probably have less than 1,000 miles on them (Firehawk Wide Ovals), rims had no curb rash. And the power.....well, it was awesome! Jeebus. More than any sane person would ever need.

Guess the next step is to find a mechanic in the area to do a once over.

Is it better to take it to an independent wrencher, or a stealership if that's all I can find? Looking in the Winter Haven, FL area.....

 

All of the above are great suggestions!

I just sold my 02 Z06 with 11,573 miles on it. It ran great and as far as I knew it had no problems, none. When I bought it I drove it, looked in front of the radiator for debries, there was a little. Found a bad door lock module but nothing else. [SIZE="3"]I would have sold this car to my Mother!

The guy that bought the car had it on the interstate the very next day and a valve spring broke! I have a feeling that He missed a shift as He told me He was in third gear when He passed a Semi after going through a construction zone. But who knows.

If the car has low miles then I would not worry too much but anything over 25K, I would have it checked out at a Chevy dealer, it would be worth the $200.

Good luck!

As they say, if you buy the Horse and it drops dead the next day, it is still your Horse!

 

a ps; There is a known problem with 02-03 valve springs, look up valve springs on the Forum. Have these been changed?

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'll mention it to the wrencher I'm taking it to tomorrow for the inspection.

 

Good luck with the purchase!

 

I've got a buyers checklist as well as a number of other files that I can send to you via e-mail. Just PM me your e-mail address and I will send them out to you.

 

and have a mechanic look at it prior to purchase