the more i read on this forum about fuel pumps ,fuelinjectors,overheating,vacuum leaks,no starts,etc.....and after owning my z for about 4 yrs. now.and the 1st. 3yrs only driving about 20 or 30 miles whenever i took it out. only in the past 7 or 8 months have i begun to drive it more i drove 200 miles a couple of months ago.it was so enjoyable i plan on going back to chicago where iam from for a visit in a few months. then ill be driving about 11 or 1200 miles round trip i need to read more positive things before i take my triip from tenneessee. we need to not only send a thread when we have a problem but also tell of our good times more often....thanks for listening..z vette
the more i read on this forum about fuel pumps ,fuelinjectors,overheating,vacuum leaks,no starts,etc.....and after owning my z for about 4 yrs. now.and the 1st. 3yrs only driving about 20 or 30 miles whenever i took it out. only in the past 7 or 8 months have i begun to drive it more i drove 200 miles a couple of months ago.it was so enjoyable i plan on going back to chicago where iam from for a visit in a few months. then ill be driving about 11 or 1200 miles round trip i need to read more positive things before i take my triip from tenneessee. we need to not only send a thread when we have a problem but also tell of our good times more often....thanks for listening..z vette
How is this for positive - I've had my Z for 4-5 years. The only things that have broken are oil sensor and alternator.
i need to read more positive things before i take my triip from tenneessee.
OK - I bought a 90 Z with 18k original miles which was not driven much that lived in Long Island. I flew in, gave it the once over and drove it several thousand miles back to Las Vegas. No problems what so ever...
Chicken Beef same same...
Bought a 93 Ruby Z (13k miles) out of Long Island a year later about 20 miles from the other car. Drove it to BG and then to Las Vegas. No problems what so ever...
Problems can happen in any car... It just depends on the level of risk you are willing to take. In the military we call it Operation Risk Management or ORM. If you not willing to accept any then your car will stay in the garage only for you to admire...
Keep in mind that you know the troubles the car can experience so use that to your advantage and be prepared.
You shouldn't have any problems if you do the normal pre-trip checks. I bought my Z with about 94,000 miles and a full warranty. It was well worth it because I had things like hubs, ball joints, starter, radiator, alternator, and some other stuff replaced without much cost to me.
Then, I took several trips of 2-3000 miles. I did have to replace my axle U-joints while in Coos Bay, OR visiting my son, but it wasn't all that hard, and was pretty cheap considering. Oh...and a clutch cylinder seal...no big deal. If yours is a low mileage car it shouldn't need much.
It's well worth the fun. Most of my miles through Nevada were at 90-100 mph (at night) and I didn't have any problems out there. Make sure you take some extra oil because these cars do use a qt. or two on long trips. Put a little sealant on the vacuum tube joints and you won't have any problems with leaks. Give your wheel bearing a good check, too.
I bought my car in May '06 with 64,800 miles on it. It had been driven only 500 miles in about three years when I got it. It now has 71,400.
I drove it to Las Vegas in September '06 for the first West Gathering and went 151 down there and 147 at the mile. That trip was over 1,300 miles round trip.
I drove it to Portland for the PNW Gathering last year and ran 12.81 @ 114 at the drag strip. That trip was over 1,000 miles round trip.
I have raced it for the past 2 years at Firebird in Boise, putting over 70 passes on it.
I have had to replace the rear wheel bearings ($80 a piece off the Bay) after going through tech in Vegas and they pointed out they will need replaced soon. I also got the CD player and the left front speaker repaired ($225 total, they were bad when I bought it). I have added a quart of oil. That's it, no other issues at all in the two years and 6,600 miles I have put on it.
I have also added the following mods to it since I got it. It was stock then. K&N filter w/ open lid, Haibeck chip, Flowmaster Exhaust, Watson Headers w/ no cats for now and a Hurst Shifter.
Last year it laid down 332 @ the rear wheels. That was without the headers. Should 350ish now.
__________________ John Boyd 1991 ZR-1 #473 RED/BLACK 36k miles (For Sale) 2000 HARLEY BRONZE PEARL Roadglide (For Sale)
I have had a few stragne problems...like shorting out my CCM when trying a jumpstart...my fault...the clutch slave cylinder went out, and then the roof bolt broke on me...but the reliablility of everything else has been great. I drive mine all the time...had it out today in fact.
I have had a few stragne problems...like shorting out my CCM when trying a jumpstart...my fault...the clutch slave cylinder went out, and then the roof bolt broke on me...but the reliablility of everything else has been great. I drive mine all the time...had it out today in fact.
well thanksfor all the positive feed back.i only have 25,ooo mi. on the z sooooo i guess as long as i ckeck everything out before hand i should have a perminint smile for the trip...now iam worried about getting stopped for speeding just kidding..
I've had my ZR1 for 15+ years and 50K miles with very few problems. It has been autocrossed regularly since it was 6 days/300 miles old so I certainly haven't babied it. She screams to the rev limiter and begs for more. I've changed the water pump, primary fuel pump, spark plugs, engine clutch, posi clutches, and brake pads. If you consider the clutch, spark plugs and brake pads as normal wear items, that makes for a pretty short list. The fuel pump was my fault because I use to let the fuel level get so low I could hear the pump sucking air and I knew I could still get another 30 miles...burned the motor up and learned a lesson. I abused the posi clutches by letting the inside rear tire get in the grass when straightening a curve on a road course and not lifting even though I knew the inside tire was spinning...the clutches finally gave up after ~10 years and I still don't lift with the new clutches.
I'd recommend getting a set of the Helms factory service manuals and take them with you on the trip along with a few tools and a Fluke. I was just starting a trip when my primary fuel pump went out and left me on the side of the road with 400 miles still to go. I got the service manuals out and found out quickly it was the fuel pump. I pulled the fuel pump assembly out and swapped the primary and secondary pumps and was back on the road within an hour and the best part was it was free. The service manuals were worth their weight in gold. Enjoy your trip!
Last edited by glass slipper; 03-15-2008 at 05:08 PM.
i have had my blk carsince july 04 .got her with 71k miles now she has 149k . been trouble free .till today and have the dreaded no start . dove 3 k miles a year ago to coreys in texas and back ran like the king it is and got 26mpg to boot .
Corvette Store
Iam getting paranoid
Toyota...last a L-O-N-G time and even win occasionally at NASCAR!!! 
