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Prospective Spark Owner


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Hello All,

 

I'm eyeing a 2013 Spark 1LT 5-speed and, in my research, stumbled upon this forum community. I thought I'd reach out and get some feedback/advice from the group.

 

The car has 74.5k miles on the odometer and, according to the Carfax, was dealer maintained at ~5k mile intervals for the first 45k miles. At that point the car was "relocated" from Edinboro, PA to Palo Alto, CA and service records thereafter are sparse. I'm not overly concerned because I know with Carfax, not all shops report to the database from which they pull. I've read about some of the major issues including PCV system failure, excessive oil consumption, and poor A/C system performance. This car's Carfax doesn't have any red flags to me and the fact that it's safely made it to 74.5k miles seems to be a good sign. I'd like to think all those issues either never came up or have been resolved.

 

So at this point, I'm soliciting thoughts and advice on what to expect and what to watch out for before making the purchase. Some specific questions in my head:

  • How could I confirm all TSB's had been fulfilled (car is for sale on a Honda dealer's lot)?
  • Where do you find general replacement parts online? I'm accustomed to doing my own maintenance work and minor repairs. Searching the web a bit, I didn't find a source for parts I was really confident in. 

 

Your advice and input is appreciated. Hope to join your ownership ranks in the near future.

 

-Jon

 

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if you can make the jump in money I would just get a new 2016. there fully redesigned with no major issues.

once you get over 100,000 you may start seeing problems show up. they are the most high end cars out there so you

cant ask too too much of the little car. some people even call them disposable cars kuz once you get past 100,000 people usually get rid of them.

 

but the car you listed sounds great, just want to warn you. but like I said if you can make the jump and/or get financed for a brand new one

I highly recommend it!!

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Thanks for the response, Klhuffman. I hear you on the disposable aspect. It would be nice to splurge on a new one but I have tight financial criteria to abide by. This will be a second car for me. My current daily driver is a 3/4 diesel pickup that I need to tow my travel trailer but doesn't make sense for my commute which is 12 miles of stop-n-go traffic. In those conditions it gets less than 15 mpg and it is particularly detrimental to the emissions system. It's expensive to own but I need it for my choice of recreational lifestyle.

 

I've done analysis that supports buying a second car that will do 30+ mpg. If I can get it for $7,000 or less, my annual fuel, maintenance, and depreciation cost savings will pay for the car in about 4 years. Then its all savings in my pocket after that. The plus about this car is it is nearly fully depreciated. Trade-in is around $3.5k and not likely to go a whole lot lower. But it's only a 2013, has bluetooth connectivity, 10 air bags, the best IIHS crash test rating for its year/class, and based on most of my research, will fit my son's rear-facing car seat. <--This is a critical criteria that I need to confirm in person when I go to test drive.

 

I can absorb costs like clutch replacement and other normal wear and tear items and the savings will still pencil. I'm handy enough to make those repairs, I just need to be confident the parts are readily and inexpensively available.

 

...if you can't tell, I'm really trying to convince myself this is a good purchase. LOL. It seems like such a cool little car!

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yeah man when you explain your satiation it makes perfect sense, and with you doing most the repairs your self it makes even more sense to buy the one your talking about. I was just giving you a heads up but the cars sounds like its in great shape and has been looked at its entire life. so I would say to go for It for sure man

 

enjoy the spark life :p !!!!

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I think that the 2013 will go the distance (mine has about 120Kmi with conventional 4spAuto tranny and no issues) I know a pizza driver with a 2013  that has well over 150Kmi and no major issues..drives it hard. Seems the 2013 with the auto tranny have the higher resale value since many don't want the 2014+ when the CVT auto tranny was introduced...so Ya..I think if you can get a price of around $5-$6K or less your going the right route with this car. Parts can be found here:   https://www.iamgmparts.com/auto-parts/2013/chevrolet/spark/lt-trim/1-2l-l4-gas-engine/?search_str=KL8CD6S93DC559460

Just may want to punch in the VIN on a the GM site (don't have the URL handy) to be sure the only critical recall of the PCV valve was done..but with the mileage on that car it must have been done because PCV unit usually failed around 20-35Kmi with damaged engine resulting..Just do the usual visual and drive tests..make sure it idles smoothly and runs well at all speeds..check upholstery for tears etc..brake pad amount remaining and the usual..OH..also check the coolant tank for leaks as this is a known issue with quite a few Sparks..usually around the rubber hose to tank fluid return area..some posts about that on this site with images... I think if it checks out OK and drives the way expected you should be good to go...Let us know how it plays out..K?

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Awesome! Thanks for that feedback, Gearhead, especially the advice and tips.

 

The link is super helpful. Parts relatively inexpensive would you say? Looks like I can put together a clutch (disk and pressure plate) for ~$110. Not bad!

 

I ran the VIN on the GM website and it doesn't explicitly confirm the recalls performed, but it shows no outstanding recalls so I'm gonna rely on that as evidence anything necessary has been performed.

 

I plan to go see it in person tomorrow. Going to first make sure our child seat fits comfortably and then do a good inspection and test drive. I will definitely provide an update on the outcome.

 

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15 hours ago, Friffith said:

Awesome! Thanks for that feedback, Gearhead, especially the advice and tips.

 

The link is super helpful. Parts relatively inexpensive would you say? Looks like I can put together a clutch (disk and pressure plate) for ~$110. Not bad!

 

I ran the VIN on the GM website and it doesn't explicitly confirm the recalls performed, but it shows no outstanding recalls so I'm gonna rely on that as evidence anything necessary has been performed.

 

I plan to go see it in person tomorrow. Going to first make sure our child seat fits comfortably and then do a good inspection and test drive. I will definitely provide an update on the outcome.

 

Looks like all the recalls have been done..("no outstanding")..Only important recall was for the PCV unit...I think you have a winner there..well serviced..but don't let on about that when negotiating a price..Since you seem to know mechanics and cars fairly well (clutch info descriptor) .. next step is to do a drive & visual..Body work? Tracks straight..brakes and A/C..Underside check for loose components..power windows up and down ok without binding and interior visual. Check that overflow tank for leaks (common issue..but cheap DIY repair if needed) Check for heat from interior heater to eliminate coolant pressure and tank issues. Play in steering and drive over to a smooth parking lot to do sme left and right turns to listen for bearing noise..another issue that is somewhat higher on the Spark and a few other GM smaller cars...That's about it other than a poker face during price negotiations...Show some doubt about having made up your mind..Good Luck..and let us know how your adventure turns out..K?

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Thanks Gearhead! Took your advice to the dealer today.

 

I have a mixed bag of emotions. The car was pretty clean. The detailer left waxed residue all over the place which looked horrific but fixable. It had normal wear and tear that you would expect with a 75k mile car and the rear bumper had clearly been repainted (red didn't match exactly). No evidence of structural damage up underneath so I don't suspect it was any serious accident. But it drove great! As good as I imagined and maybe better. We did a mix of city and highway and I have to say, on the highway was impressive. I took a tight 270* uphill onramp in 3rd gear and once it straightened out, I just held 3rd gear until 65mph (just shy of redline) and merged at the same speed as traffic!! Unerwhelming power? Sure. But sufficient? Absolutely. It cruised at 70mph incredibly quiet. So it ran like a gem. Everything interior wise was functional. Not a great test of the A/C since weather is cool, but it worked.

 

So then was the numbers game. The dealer had listed for $7,900 marked down from $8,900 the week prior. KBB "fair value" is $6,638. KBB trade-in $3,274. I offered $6,000. SOMEHOW the dealer claims they're in it for $6,550 of cost. The salesman showed me a cost sheet of all that was done (detail, inspection, etc.). I called BS. They're all nicely rounded numbers and I assure you are well padded with profit. I mentioned that it has moved dealers a couple of times and it's actually been for sale since June 2016. He then pulled up a database of listings to show me all these Sparks (lower mileage mind you) for $9,999. But guess what, THEY had all been listed for 200+ days. I made the point that in the end they will not sell for what they're asking and dealers are gonna have to cut their losses and unload them. He suggested they don't have to because people will come buy them because they can get into a low payment. The thing is, you can lease a BRAND NEW subcompact for the same monthly payment. And that appeals to young first-time car buyers who would be the most likely market for this vehicle. I'm not interest in lease because I want to own it outright and have equity in the residual and not have to get into another monthly payment every couple of years.

 

So... they basically wouldn't budge from their price. And I simply will not pay more than fair market value. So we reached an impasse and had to part ways. No Spark for me today. The search continues.

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UPDATE: The dealer came down in price and we reached an amicable agreement in which I became the new owner of a 2013 Spark 1LT!

 

This car is awesome! It has so much character and is such a great value! I've read of a lot of complaints about the MyLink system, but I'm impressed. Compared to my wife's 2012 Jetta, the sound quality from Bluetooth streaming music is significantly better. And it rides so much quieter also. Very surprising!

 

The engine tugs this car around with spirit! My one qualm at this point is the transmission feels a little sloppy. It shifts perfectly smooth and I'm not having trouble finding gears, but there is excessive movement forward and aft when clutching in, applying throttle, letting off throttle, etc. It's likely I'll be refreshing the transmission mount(s) and, if possible, upgrading the bushings to something stiffer like polyurethane. I did that on my old GTI and it improved the feel and engagement of the transmission noticeably. the trade-off being a little more engine vibration through the cabin. Also, I've been searching around for some short throw shift kits and see folks just shortening the shifter arm. I wish someone sold a true short throw since I like the height of the shift knob as is, but I haven't found one.

 

Also, I'm noticing a gear whine of sorts that is correlated with speed. Sounds like its transaxle related. But hey, the tranny shifts like butter and the car drives so I'm gonna live with it 'til it breaks. Hah!

 

I'd post pictures but I haven't taken any yet. Besides, you guys know what a bone-stock Salsa Red 2013 Spark looks like. :) I hope to be a positive contributor to this forum community.

 

-Jon

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  • 3 weeks later...

Welcome to the Salsa Brigade! Glad you got the car you wanted at the price you wanted - that's not always easy.

 

Your comments about the available power are spot-on - no, it's no stormer, but I have no trouble keeping up or even passing on the highway. And this is with a CVT in mine - your manual should be able to wring that much more out of it. Having driven the manual version a few times as well (I work at a car auction), I also agree that the shift throw is a bit long, but the trans feels very smooth even on Sparks with plenty of miles. So yours should hopefully hold up well.

 

And yeah, pics! Need more Salsa up in this board! :happy feet:

 

Duncan B)

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