Tis the season! I have my eye on another 90 VDP, this one is black. Its in better shape than my daily Satin Beige driver. Guy says it won't run, sputters while starting. What am I looking at here, any insight would be helpful. If I can get him to $500, no more than $650 it will be my christmas present to myself

I'll give more info after I go see the car in about a half hour.

 

Merry Christmas to me! I bought it! Black 90VDP. It has been sitting for 3 years. The interior is a 10 out of 10. First purchase was a new battery 125$.
It has 3 little dings on the outside and needs a wash and wax badly.

She won't start. She will run for a bit with starter fluid then stalls out. I am re-reading posts on this issue. As always I will keep you updated on the progress.

 

Congrats on the new addition and a Merry Christmas to you.

I would do the whole tune up thing with an oil change. I'd probably replace the ignition coil as well. Once it's done, take her out for an "Italian tune up" -> get her on the highway at high speeds for a while.

Best of luck.

 

mrtalk:
Yes, congratulations indeed. Very exciting - I'm rather envious! A full tune up is good advice, but it sounds like your non-start is fuel related. Check or have the pressure checked. Could be what else? Fuel pump, relay, pressure regulator, bad gas? If you are getting spark, it's a simple process of elimination that will result in you having one heck-of-a-car for very little money. And, you'll have two of them! I was tracking an XJ40 on ebay a while that was quite nice, and I suggested, somewhat tongue-in-cheek to my wife that we go in for the 'his and hers' OR, to be much more precise, 'his and his other one.' Needless to say, I didn't get it.
Cheers!
Scott

 

My 90 was prone to the fuel rail getting clogged up (my car sat for a few years, had to replace fuel pump filter and still had a clogging problem,must have had some residual goop in the lines from the pump to the fuel rail eventually stayed clean and ran fine for three years)

 

Check your local craigslist every 3 weeks or so, or 100 miles in any direction. You'll find them. Its a buyers market as well. To may is an old car they just want to get rid of, to us its like finding gold. You can get a great car for under 1k. And even much lower than that with your offer.

 

Thanks Lumpy it is part of my investigation.