damn,Is it just a given that I'm going to be sinking $$ in the car as soon as I get it?
Is the abs gonna fail,trans etc... I thought these cars were very well built and a little
tougher than the average car! ( I am seriously a newbie)
****,especially for the almost $60,000 sticker price
any input?

 

Regarding Stomper's previous comments==YES!



ABS system IMHO gives this car a bad rap. The 4.5 motor if serviced regularly will run damn near forever. The pics of the 89 tell me that the owner is a guy that loved to tinker with his car and had to be doing something with it. Hope that means all scheduled maintenance.

I love the Pearl, I like wire wheels, hate the Buick type port holes, hate the Allante decal on the windshield, screen behind seats is a love it or hate it item but isn't cheap. Looks like a decent car--negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Isn't a better $4k toy car out their.

Would have no problem with an '89. Would be interested in Stomper's buy phase II campaign. Same 4.5, different seats,different top latching system. Have had both and Manual hooks work well for me. Radio with redone (by Bose) amps work for a tin ear like me. I would stay away from the 4.1, even though many friends swear by it, it still scares me. Interesting that Dick Hussey prefers I and II cars over the '93. when asking advice while looking for a second Allante (one is enough), I spoke with Johnny Monzo at length whose only comment on the 93s were that parts were definitely more expensive. Good luck with the chase!

 

I agree those stickers have to go asap! Not a big fan of stickers
and those Buick type fender hole things remind me of something
picked up from pep boys! Tomorrow is the day. I'm gonna go test drive it
and poke around a bit. Thanks for the input, I have somewhat of a clue now

 

The cars were well built but they were the kick off of the GM evolution of the last 25 years. Technical innovations that you may enjoy in many of todays GM cars were born with the Allante. With all new technology, there is a period of fine tuning and debugging. 1987 was the start, 1992 was the end. Of the two, which would you expect to have less problems: the 1987 or the 1992 models?

I dont consider the 1993. Although the 1993 model had the Allante shell & body works, almost nothing else in that model car was Allante; not the electrics, not the seats, not the stereo, not the engine, not the transmissions, not the lighting system. GM dumped it all to pay for the Northstar and we all know what engine has been running GM since. Read the XYZ Allante Facts thread

Unless the car is PERFECT MINT, expect to sink an additional $2,000 into it. The bug to make it perfect will hit you. And the $2,000 does not include the items below, failures, or tires - that is EXTRA .. the $2,000 is just for "little" things like interior repairs, touch up, belts, brake pads, A/C service (not failure), wires, plugs, coolant, trans service, hoses, light bulbs, music system, etc ...

if the brake fluid has not been changed DO EXPECT an ABS failure. It is not an IF but a WHEN. the brake FLUID has to be not only changed but flushed in these cars. Is the fluid clear, dark ? Do you see SEDIMENT in the reservoir ? Sediment and dirty fluid are signs of approaching issues.

The Allante 4100 and the Allante 4500 are excellent proven engines, debugged and hardy;
the Allante 4600 Northstar is not - its 1st gen, with expected bugs.

both the 4100 (1987 - 1988) and the 4600 Northstar (1993) cars carry transmissions that have parts that are unique and not available anywhere .. when those fail people buy whole cars just to pull those needed parts . . . the cars with the 4500 transmissions do not share that critical issue.

The 1993 Allante introduced the Northstar to the world, the 1st generation NorthStar, and of course has been hit with serious issues, overheats, headgasket leaks, bearing spins, recalls, and failures. Also, the 1993 had transmission issues that created TWO different 1993 models .. the early issue and the VJ4 issue, with a change in transmissions and NOT compatible with each other. When the last of the warranties expired for the 1993 cars, the values started plummeting to the point that often, they are sold for LESS than a '92 of the same mileage and condition.

anyone thinking of buying an Allante would be highly advised to read our " XYZ Allante Facts " thread ...

============


Bill,

The Allante 4100 (1987 / 1988) is NOT like the Cadillac 4100 engines that saw problems in the early 1980's. That was rectified in 1985 and the 1st 1987 Allante never saw those engines. There are no reported issues with the Allante 4100 engines and you know I have tracked these puppies for 6+ years - this engine is also much more powerful than the standard Cadillac 4100 engine of the other cars due to the different internals.

The 4500 engine has a clean record all around. It is a workhorse and has proven itself over its several decades long history, along with its variation 4900 engine.

The difference of the Phase-I and the Phase-II cars is not about the latches. the latches is only one change. I also prefer the hooks of the Phase-I but several other changes throughout the car, make the whole car much better, IMO.

Both the '89 and the '92 have the 4500 and yet, they are different animals. You of course know that I have owned two 1988 models and one 1992. When its all over, I expect the 1992 to be the only Allante in the barn.
They even ride like different animals, the difference in traction and stability is huge - the Phase-II of course winning hands down!

As to Dick, if I may, prefers the PHASE-II over both the Phase-I & III cars. And so does Johnny but he has to walk a fine line to apeace his membership that is mostly '93 owners. Lets all keep in mind that the majority of the Allante cars out there ARE 1993 models - simply stated, they made a whole lot of them, a whole lot - and being the last year, of course, simply by being the newest they have not experienced the attrition of the years. What finally made Dick cross over to the Phase-II was the increasing issues with the '93 models, specially when the warranties expired in 2003 and the engine and transmission failures started to hit so many of the cars.

For those that dont know who Dick is, he is considered the one and only Allante super-tech in the planet .. he sees more Allantes in his shop than anyone else and in fact, he is reported to own more Allantes than anyone else.

 

Well,decided not to get that car. It was ok but not worth
$4500! Brakes seemed to tight too...and after I pumped the he'll out of them I got a error message that popped up on the dash! also,the place where you Check the codes(the dic I think) the LCD panel was broken. Couldn't read it at all. you were right on about the duel exhaust! It was just another pipe coming from the muffler! Looked horrible actually think the more I learn about these cars the more I don't want one!
everything is insane expensive! just browsing on google and was reading about how many total brake failures the 87 to 89 models have. And the complete brake system is $3500??
WTF!!
Unreal......I sure don't have that type of cash for a brake job.

 

Whoa Kracker
WTF??? How many of these cars have you looked at ? One, two. I looked at over 40 before I bought one and that's just part of what you have to do. Friend of mine says there is a $2000 initiation fee for membership to the Allante community. Not far wrong. My $1000 ABS system from Allantesource solved all my major problems.

This car is not for the faint of heart but well well worth it.

 

hey Bill,

the numbers match !

all kidding put aside, owing an Allante requires prior consent .. skills .. knowledge .. patience .. and .. MONEY !






.

 

The car has made it's way to Ebay - starting bid $4,500. Lots of "interesting" modifications. Is that a roll-bar or wind screen?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cadil...=p4506.c0.m245

 

that is a windscreen - probably the only decent addition.

$4,500 for a '89?

and with 105,000 miles?
and missing mini-covers?
and a hole in the hood?
and exhaust ports in the front fenders?
and did you see the rear with all the Allante logos?

someone is in dreamland.



.

 

Yeah, the car had a lot of weird **** to it. Stickers,broken LCD on the dic display.
Didnt have very good pick up either. It actually scared me away the way it "felt" while driving it.