Quote:
- What makes for a more valuable GVR4?
- What detracts from the value of a GVR4?
- I'm going to look at a GVR4. What warning signs should I look for?
- Where should I be willing to compromise on my "must haves" in order to get a good car?
Definitely no rust. A well kept interior, as in vacuumed frequently and leather conditioned regularly - a rarity I find amongst even higher line auto communities, the leather always seems to get neglected. And of course well maintained over all, scheduled oil changes and maintenance with receipts to back it up.
]b]Detractions[/b]
Rust. Keep an eye out for any "modifications" the owner did relating to electronics and wiring. If there are wires running all over the bay to the battery that could be a problem. And of course as you personally saw, Driggs, other "modifications" such as "custom fuel cell" for example. Any metal fabrication parts should always be inspected. Of course there is no 100% way to tell whether or not the owner/seller did modifications correctly because even by just looking at the car there can be hidden issues. One example of this was the tape in the custom intercooler that I just happened to find by accident, thankfully.
I think a stock car is very valuable however a modified car can be valuable if the workmanship is of high level, and the parts came from known quality vendors. Example: IMO a vehicle would be more valuable to me if it had a genuine Mitsubishi turbo on it, 14b, 16g whatever, than say a Chinese knock off from ebay, and if the owner went the extra mile to replace all gaskets and hardware during the turbo install.
This is just my opinion, everyone is different. I think a general buyers guide will just need to say, here's what to look for, and then go on to state common issues that plagues these cars from a manufacturing stand point, which are not much. After that we are getting into personal preference, as in, one person believes their level of workmanship is high while the next guy might feel that persons level of workmanship is low.
Regarding manufacturing defects or common issues, off the top of my head:
Rust, usually in the lower front fender area and inside the lower door area. The stock metal strut tops are also a clear indication of how bad rust could be on the vehicle. If the stock strut tops are really rusty then it is likely that there is rust in the doors and fenders also.
The ECU, specifically leaking caps. Easily fixed by a professional.
Grinding gears with clutch engaged: could be a sign of a improper clutch install, or a hydraulic system that needs attention. Could get costly if the trans needs replacement, or time consuming if the pedal box needs rebuilding.
Last, leaking 4 wheel steering lines. Not a huge issue, it can be resolved going either way depending on how much money one has to spend. 4ws lines can be recreated if one wishes to keep the system, or they can be deleted fairly easily.
Other than those issues, I cannot think of any major manufacturing/mechanical issues that plagues the 4g63 and e39a platform. 6 bolt 4g63 FTW.