Hiyall:
Well, the last 3 80s with lockers that I looked at all had one or more of their lockers inoperative, even after trying to engage them in both forward and reverse during the test drive, say over a couple of hundred yards. And, yes, I am aware that it may take some time for these to engage after several years of inactivity. (Perversely enough, the reaction I got when I pointed out the non-locking lockers was “who cares, nobody knows what these things are for anway…?” A nasty twist on the notion that you don’t pay more for a locking rig than non-locking… :-\)
I am running out of options locally as far as getting a decent 80 with lockers, it seems. The one I was going to try to get was sold from under me. So, I may need to consider getting one with inoperative lockers or get one without –shudder …-.
Question: how much of a risk would I take to get a ’95-’97 mall cruiser with inoperative lockers? (I am assuming that a mechanic inspection may not be able to tell readily the magnitude of the problem without a serious check that would itself be costly, and I likely would not have access to the rig to check things out carefully either.) How likely is it that the problem is serious vs a simple matter of actuator stuck due to dirt, corrosion, or a poor switch or connector contact? What $$ are we talking about in the worst case scenario (replace all if available)?
Thanks for all the good advice so far
Eric
(btw, the last ‘97 I looked at had a center lock that would not engage in Low ( no light, no sound), whereas the front and rear lights would flash. Is it likely that the front and rear would engage if the center is fixed?)
edit: btw, you guys better quit out there . It's been a couple of times now in L.A. that I call and the seller says "somebody already called to ask about the locker too..." So stop that, OK! I'll have you know that I alway ask about the lockers at the end of the conversation, as an "afterthought" so they don't realize how valuable these things are! Geeez!
Well, the last 3 80s with lockers that I looked at all had one or more of their lockers inoperative, even after trying to engage them in both forward and reverse during the test drive, say over a couple of hundred yards. And, yes, I am aware that it may take some time for these to engage after several years of inactivity. (Perversely enough, the reaction I got when I pointed out the non-locking lockers was “who cares, nobody knows what these things are for anway…?” A nasty twist on the notion that you don’t pay more for a locking rig than non-locking… :-\)
I am running out of options locally as far as getting a decent 80 with lockers, it seems. The one I was going to try to get was sold from under me. So, I may need to consider getting one with inoperative lockers or get one without –shudder …-.
Question: how much of a risk would I take to get a ’95-’97 mall cruiser with inoperative lockers? (I am assuming that a mechanic inspection may not be able to tell readily the magnitude of the problem without a serious check that would itself be costly, and I likely would not have access to the rig to check things out carefully either.) How likely is it that the problem is serious vs a simple matter of actuator stuck due to dirt, corrosion, or a poor switch or connector contact? What $$ are we talking about in the worst case scenario (replace all if available)?
Thanks for all the good advice so far
Eric
(btw, the last ‘97 I looked at had a center lock that would not engage in Low ( no light, no sound), whereas the front and rear lights would flash. Is it likely that the front and rear would engage if the center is fixed?)
edit: btw, you guys better quit out there . It's been a couple of times now in L.A. that I call and the seller says "somebody already called to ask about the locker too..." So stop that, OK! I'll have you know that I alway ask about the lockers at the end of the conversation, as an "afterthought" so they don't realize how valuable these things are! Geeez!