1999 Firebird Questions

[alkemyst]

You should be able to find a good specimen for about $1100-2000.

I would enter cars in autotrader and see what comes up.

 

[SnipeMasterJ13]

As others have said, if you go 3rd Gen, get a V8. My first car was a 1989 Iroc-Z. It only had the 305 because my parents didn't want me to have a 350 and manual for my first car. After building that engine - cam, heads, full exhaust, new rear end, rebuilt tranny, etc. it still wasn't super fast. Don't waste your money on an older car like that. When I turned 19 I bought a 2000 Trans Am with the 6 speed. It was awesome. Then at 21 I got a 2002 Z06, which was even more awesome.

It's a disease. You will most likely always want to upgrade, so don't spend all your money right away like I did. As for insurance, check on it, but you can find it cheap depending on area. It's not always going to be sky high. (Since you are younger you don't have credit so it will depend a lot more on your parent's credit/auto history.)

 

[rezinn]

Don't buy that 91' camaro. Buy a newer car that you don't like before you buy a 17-year old car in bad condition that will most likely cost you more than you could ever imagine.

 

[boomerang]

Go with your gut. Do what you want to do.

 

[Black88GTA]

Originally posted by: rezinn
Don't buy that 91' camaro. Buy a newer car that you don't like before you buy a 17-year old car in bad condition that will most likely cost you more than you could ever imagine.

Not necessarily...mechanical parts for third gen F bodies are dirt cheap even when compared to most other domestics, let alone any Asian or Euro car, and the body panels are readily available in decent condition in junkyards. If the OP can do some work himself (or is willing to learn) then that car wouldn't cost much to keep up at all. If it has to go into the shop every time something breaks, then it may get expensive.

I would agree that better ones can be found in that price range. The body damage on the one in question, while repairable, sort of kills it. At minimum , it is going to need a new fender, work done on the rear quarter, and paint. It'll probably also need a hood and other odds and ends to make it right.

OP - your call, but don't feel like you have to settle for some shit Corolla that you'd be miserable in just because you are scared of potential repair costs. I'd keep looking around.

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: Black88GTA

Originally posted by: rezinn
Don't buy that 91' camaro. Buy a newer car that you don't like before you buy a 17-year old car in bad condition that will most likely cost you more than you could ever imagine.

Not necessarily...mechanical parts for third gen F bodies are dirt cheap even when compared to most other domestics, let alone any Asian or Euro car, and the body panels are readily available in decent condition in junkyards. If the OP can do some work himself (or is willing to learn) then that car wouldn't cost much to keep up at all. If it has to go into the shop every time something breaks, then it may get expensive.

I would agree that better ones can be found in that price range. The body damage on the one in question, while repairable, sort of kills it. At minimum , it is going to need a new fender, work done on the rear quarter, and paint. It'll probably also need a hood and other odds and ends to make it right.

OP - your call, but don't feel like you have to settle for some shit Corolla that you'd be miserable in just because you are scared of potential repair costs. I'd keep looking around.

actually a corolla would probably cost more to repair, at least in my experiences. It's an import and parts generally cost more, thou it would most likely get better gas milage.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Don't bother with that V6. Hell I bought a 92 B4C (cop package, Z28 and then some) for $2200 - the paint was crap on it and the windshield was cracked, but everything else worked great.

I think that car probly has the 3.1L V6 in it, which is a good motor, but you're just not getting a lot for your money IMO.

Pop the hatch and look for signs up rust near the top and follow it down to around the rear seats. Sometimes the seals leak and let water pool in places.

Look carefully at the doors - do they line up well with the body? Do they close cleanly and smoothly? Those doors are really long and really heavy, so old age can cause them to sag.

Is the dash cracked? If not, you have a unique specimen there - most of the cheap ass plastic dashes cracked pretty quickly.