JimmyG

Greetings fellow Corvette fans!

The day has finally arrived! I've waited many years to purchase a Corvette.

I have my eyes on a 209 3LT coupe, manual transmission with magnetic selective ride control.

I want to have a local shop near the dealer look at the car for any issues it may have.

Can you please suggest items for the shop to look for?

Thanks!

C6ToGo

In addition to the normal stuff you look at on a used car.....

harmonic balancer wobble
fuel smell-left tank
improper fuel gauge operation
sway bar link noise
wheel hub bearing noise
rear axle seal leaks
oil pan leak
water pump leak
tire condition/alignment
HVAC control proper function
hood and hatch supports
service records available?

Good luck

MissileDoc

The only additions I have to C6ToGo's list is check out the power steering hoses for leaks and evaluate the driver seat bottom foam and entry side seat bolster foam for wear.

captain vette

TT bearing can be a issue as well

HEB

I think it depends on the mileage on the vette,I would do a FAX-CHECK also,Good Luck!!

Icecap

Most of the items to look for have been covered by others but I can think of a few more. Condition of the headlights, are the lenses dull or opaque or are they dirty on the inside? I noticed mine had accumulated dust on the inside since the boots that cover the bulb holders on the back side had fallen off.

The 3 LT package has auto dimming mirrors on the driver side and center that dim by way of a liquid crystal display in the mirror glass. These have a tendency to fail over time causing them to lose their reflectivity and take on a motley cammo like appearance. The dimming mirror glass on the driver side can be replaced but is a pricey $300..

jakmarlin

Look under the front of the car. I mean get down on your belly and do a proper check. The front lip spoiler will likely have some damage as these cars are low. Also, look all around the bottom of the car for scraping damage. Almost always, you will find something. You will save yourself trouble later if things look really bad, but likely, you can point out minor damage in purchase negotiations.

gdmoore01

Adding another common problem...look for cracked or broken lower radiator bracket. Expensive repair if you have a shop perform the work.

GD

SteveDoten

ive gone through 2 of those

FAUEE

There are a lot of good things mentioned already. But one thing to keep in mind is most of these are VERY rare issues. Harmonic balancers are likely the most common issue, and it's more of a wear/replacement item than anything. These cars are VERY robust, and we tend to oversell the cars on problems.

buckmeister2

Absolutely F'n correct! A person reading this forum who does not know Vettes would think there are lots of problems, and there are not. Few of those mentioned will happen to you. That does not mean they never happen, but only that if things go wrong, those are the likely culprits. All the members here just want to help you avoid surprises. This is not a normal GM forum where many items are ignored. Most Vette owners are meticulous about their cars, and will point everything that may go wrong.

JimmyG

Wow!

Tremendous quick responses!

Thanks everyone!

A shop is looking at the car on Monday - I will create a list and include information from your posts.

Eritosthenes

An uncommon problem for low-mileage garage queens, but starting to appear more frequently in older daily drivers are corroded-to-the-core battery cables. The outer red and black plastic insulation looks almost new. If you're looking to buy a C6 with 100K miles or more, change both battery cables as a routine maintenance item.

The batteries in the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) have a ten-year life expectancy. These batteries are moulded into the sensors and cannot be replaced. For a 2009 C6, it's time to replace all four TPMS sensors. Usually done when you buy new tires, but not always. If you PM me I can send you the URL for a non-CF vendor who offers sets of four TPMS sensors for $109.80 (chrome) or $129.80 (black), plus shipping.

MsEllie

I would also like to purchase from that vendor. It's not from China, is it?

919cw313

So, did you buy it?