Quick question about a car I might buy...

[Kieran]

Hi. I'm new to these forums, and I found out through canadiandriver.com (specifically the used car report on the Lumina).

 

I'm going to be getting my G2 (Ontario driver's license class that is one below full, but I am able to drive alone) in a few days and I need a car for work. I started looking at the W-bodies because I am a GM guy and they typically have cheap insurance rates. Anyhow, I found a 1998 Lumina LS for sale just out of town and I went to check it out last Friday. All it needs are front rotors. Easy fix. The mileage is kind of high at 255,000km (about 158,500miles), but the car checked out and is in great shape. Oil sprayed every year, older guy owned it, etc. He's only asking $450CDN for it, so I'm thinking it's a smokin' deal since it is all good underneath. A/C doesn't work, but I know a guy who can fix it for me for like $50. It's a non-issue. All power stuff worked aswell. Body is in great shape with some minor paint chips and rust spots.

 

The one question or concern I have about it is that when I went to turn the interior lights up using the dimmer switch, nothing happened. The radio display was lit up as it should be during the day, but all other dash lights remained unlit. I know there is a photoresistor in the dashboard, and we tried covering it up to make it think it was dark out, but with no success. It was about 8pm and it was kind of like 'mid-sunset' so it was still light out enough to probably tell the sensor it was daytime. After some research on the internet I've narrowed it down to one of two things: 1.) The sensor wasn't covered enough so it wasn't registering as nightime, so nothing is broken. 2.) Something about a fuse panel under the hood and wires rotting from the bottom of it. Wires rot and fall off, so they need to be patched up to repair the connection.

 

Are those two possibilites correct? Or could this be a serious issue? As it stands, the car will not pass a safety inspection with no functioning dash lights. All other lights worked perfectly fine, i.e the signals, headlights (they were probably DRL), and brake lights. I do not recall if the brake lights were on or off. If they were off then it would probably confirm my thought about the DRL being on.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[z34mightymachine]

Maybe some fuses are no good. But if you are looking to keep it as a project and you have the patients for it. I don't see any real issues getting it. Just make sure that the engine and transmission is smooth and the body is worth it. I'm from Montreal and with all the salt they put on the roads here during the winter is brutal. It might be worth the $450. I only paid $700 for my 1992 Z34.

[Regal_GS_1989]

Did you try and turn the lights on manually to see if that worked? If not, then try that. chances are that the lights were not turning on because it wasn't registering as night time.

[Breakdown]

I'm assuming that you found the right sensor, it should be either in a dash speaker or near the defrost in the middle on the driver's side.

 

You have to cover it up well and for a while.

 

The logic is that if you're dipping under a bridge quickly that you don't want to be flashing your lights. Otherwise, can't reallly help you out, where exactly in Canada are you from? There's a number of 'canucks' on the forum.

[Euro]

what do you mean when you say "oil sprayed" ?

[Night Fury]

what do you mean when you say "oil sprayed" ?

 

I'm thinking undercoated.

[GOT2B GM]

undercoated with a waxy oil to help prevent corrosion.

[Euro]

ok cool, thanks!

[Kieran]

Yeah, I don't think I covered it long enough. It probably does work though.

 

Oil-sprayed it like undercoating.

 

I'm in Ottawa.

 

I'm still not 100% sure if I want to go through with the deal. As it stands right now, I couldn't drive the car until the 24th (when I get my G2), and by that point my parent's will be gone for like a month so I could just drive one of their cars. My summer job is working for my brother's car cleaning business. It's fully mobile, so my buddy and I load the stuff in his parent's truck and we go to the person's house to clean the car. The problem now is that we've been without a car for over 2 weeks so neither of us is able to earn any good money. That is part of why I'd like to get my own car, but I'm just not sure if it makes sense given the current circumstances. Like if I got the car tomorrow, it doesn't mean we can start working again because I wont have my G2 at that point.

 

The way I have it worked out right now, I could get the car for under $800 plated and on the road. Insurance would be another $150-ish/month. Gas wouldn't be bad cause I don't beat on cars and I don't do a crazy amount of driving anyways.

 

I'll just have to wait a bit and see what happens I guess...

[z34mightymachine]

That make sense. It sucks that you have to wait. But if you don't have your G2 right now, it doesn't make sense buying it if its going to sit for a while.

[Regal_GS_1989]

If you can have the car on the road for under 800, then that seems like a pretty decent deal.

 

http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-Chevrolet-1998-Chev-Lumina-4dr-Sedan-W0QQAdIdZ52237218

 

I'm assuming that this is the car.  Looks to be pretty decent for the price.  If I NEEDED to buy a car, then i'd probably pick it up.  With the price of scrap right now, you really wouldn't loose anything.  

[Breakdown]

Couple of things, one thing that I realized is that I'm retarded, if you just use the switch and turn the headlights on the dash should light up, despite having automatic headlights you still have a switch where you can force them on, that's like an acid test of whether they work or not.

 

Personal advice:

 

1.) If you can live without a car, do so as long as you can, after you have a car, you won't be able to live without one, they can be fun, but they're also a perpetual expense. Ottawa is at least somewhat public transit-friendly.

 

2.) If you do decide to buy a car, think about what it will cost to operate (as you have) and then add 50% (multiply by 1.5) I remember my taxes and registeration on my first car ($6000) knocking the price up by $1000 (something like $946) and even with a warranty and everything else, shit still happens that you have to pay for.

 

3.) Find some way around being a primary driver. When I was your age (actually slightly older) my parents and an uncle got my grandma a newer used car. Then my parents took her old car to use for grocery shopping etc, it's wasn't that great a car, but it meant that if I took my mom's car, that she wasn't just stranded at home, my grandma's insurance company didn't mind it as long as my parents (and not me) were driving my Grandma's crapmobile. It allowed us to have 3 cars in the household and only two primary drivers. Of course for this to work your parents have to trust you with their cars and you have to have a scenario where this can work.

[Kieran]

Basically every trick will be maxed out with insurance since we are a family of 5 with 4 cars already. Two are my parents' and two are my brother's. He really needs to move the hell out, but yeah. I'd be primary. It's either primary on that car, or primary on my brother's '98 Sunfire coupe. It's a safe bet the Lumina would be cheaper. HaHa.

 

Yeah, that's the one. Middle of nowhere. HaHa.

 

I don't know though. I can do that, and drive that car for a couple months and then sell it to get my money back, but I'm fairly certain I don't need my own car at the moment. My mother carpools to work so hers is always home, and since I'd be the youngest I get priority on using the car since that is how it has worked with my older brother and sister.

 

At any rate, thanks for the help with regards to that problem with the car. It will help in me deciding whether or not to buy the car.

[Regal_GS_1989]

Glad we could help. and good luck with you decision

 

On second note, Ontario sounds like it has a goofy insurance system. At least here, you can register a vehicle as all purpose(with commute if you live outside the city) and thats it. Doesn't matter who drives it or where or for what (as long as its not a commercial vehicle) and the rates seem to be fairly cheap compared to other parts of Canada.

[Breakdown]

On second note, Ontario sounds like it has a goofy insurance system. At least here, you can register a vehicle as all purpose(with commute if you live outside the city) and thats it. Doesn't matter who drives it or where or for what (as long as its not a commercial vehicle) and the rates seem to be fairly cheap compared to other parts of Canada.

 

It's not goofy, it's horrible. We have no fault here, which just royally messes everything up.

 

I quite litterally have to phone to change insurance from one car to the other repetedly because they'll almost charge me twice over if I have them both insured at the same time and, no I don't have anyone extra living with me that doesn't have their own car.

 

Kieran,

 

In I'm possibly retarded V2.0, just a quick question. Did you actually drive the car? Why? Well, if you have the parking brake on, the dash won't light up no matter what you do, turn the lights on, put it in the dark, etc.

[Regal_GS_1989]

Kieran,

 

In I'm possibly retarded V2.0, just a quick question. Did you actually drive the car? Why? Well, if you have the parking brake on, the dash won't light up no matter what you do, turn the lights on, put it in the dark, etc.

 

Not quite like that. If you have the parking brake on, the DRL's and the Auto headlights are disabled. The lights still function normally when used manually. Could also be a bad headlight switch. Had that happen in my 89, sometime all the interior lighting would go out, and if i tapped the switch, it came back on. It wasn't that big a deal cause i had a digital dash and that stayed on, but it is a possible issue if nothing lights up, even with the lights on manually.

[Breakdown]

Kieran,

 

In I'm possibly retarded V2.0, just a quick question. Did you actually drive the car? Why? Well, if you have the parking brake on, the dash won't light up no matter what you do, turn the lights on, put it in the dark, etc.

 

Not quite like that. If you have the parking brake on, the DRL's and the Auto headlights are disabled. The lights still function normally when used manually. Could also be a bad headlight switch. Had that happen in my 89, sometime all the interior lighting would go out, and if i tapped the switch, it came back on. It wasn't that big a deal cause i had a digital dash and that stayed on, but it is a possible issue if nothing lights up, even with the lights on manually.

 

My 1993 Cutlass Supreme, 1995 Grand Prix, and 2003 Grand Prix, all refuse to give you a lit up speedometer when the parking brake is on.

[Kieran]

I didn't drive the car as it wasn't plated or insured for the road, but my brother took it around the block and said it all checked out. I don't think the lights came on though. But like I said before, it wasn't that dark out anyways so it was probably still in daylight mode.

 

Ontario is brutal for insurance. Mostly if you're a new driver. Like I called Johnson Insurance for a quote since my parents and my brother go through them. They quoted me at $182/month. That was also including an educator's discount (my dad) and the fact that between the three of them there are four cars and a house through Johnson, they wouldn't budge. I even told the lady straight up that Bel Air quoted me $145/month and she was like, "Yeah, we can't beat them. Our rates are too high. Go with them." I was like, "WTF? Are you serious?"

 

As it turns out though, myself, my brother, and my brother's friend (who is very handy at fixing cars and stuff) are all going to split the cost 3 ways. Get it safetied and e-tested, and clean it up to 'like new' condition (since that is what my brother and I do) and then see if we can sell it at a bit of a profit come the end of the summer. A/C would be fixed too cause my brother's friend is a licensed A/C repair man. We're picking it up Saturday, but if it sells this week it's a complete 'no-go'.

 

I'll keep you guys posted.