Skyset

Hey!

I bought my Firebird (2.8L v6) about 6 months ago, and have been using it as a daily driver since I got it. I haven't had a single problem, and have been maintaining it, etc...But people are always putting it down, saying it's going to break down so easily, it's a piece of junk that will leave me stranded one day, blablabla...

Please tell me that there are others here who use their thirdgens as daily drivers, and have been relatively successful with them?

Or are thirdgens just meant to sit in our driveways looking pretty while we drive civics to work...

motenkjr

iTrader: (1)

I use mine as a DD, unless it's uber cold outside because my heat doesn't work right now...lol

84redta

iTrader: (34)

I use mine as a daily driver during the summer. Driving it during the winter would just defeat the whole purpose of the restoration i did to mine so obviously i take it off the road, but yea, every day, with no other car on the road as a back up.

Stangski09

iTrader: (10)

My GTA is a daily driver. Just treat it as a show car

Arizona IROC

iTrader: (4)

My IROC is too. I keep a '85 Z/28 in reserve just in case I get in a wreck.

greatpumpkin_68

all cars will leave you stranded "one day"... i could use my car as a daily driver (it is reliable) but choose not to drive it during the winter because i want to prolong it's life... i am not a fan of icy roads or road salt.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

My 210,000 mile, L98/700R4 1987 GTA that still gets 21mpg, is not only my daily driver but is also my ONLY car. And the only thing that has left me "stranded" was the 8 month old alternator that went out, in the Home Depot parking lot. Can't drive with a locked up alternator.

87WS6

iTrader: (1)

I don't use mine as daily drivers. I've got two third gens. One I can drive that I'm working on and another that I'm doing a total restoration on. I typically use my 2008 F-150 Supercrew as a daily driver. I have a 2005 Pontiac GTO I sometimes use instead of my truck. My girlfriend usually uses the GTO as a daily driver, so I normally only take it if she's not going anywhere.

kevmann

Mine is currently in the garage with the the front fender off of it but I plan to use it as a daily driver to get me to and from work this spring. I think these cars are as dependable as most. Given the fact that they are 20+ years old and still on the road says a lot. I recommend that you do the routine maintenance and you should have few to no issues.

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

i used mine as a dd until the inspection ran out and i decided to make a nice project out of it. i drove it year round. the 305 seemed tired so i decided that the 305 will do better as a paperweight.

84redta

iTrader: (34)

See thats the difference, these are 20 years old. If you do preventive maintenance instead of repairs, then you're good. I mean you can hear when a wheel bearing is going, you know when your brakes suck, and you can feel when shocks need attention. If you can afford to maintain or do preventive maintenance, than these cars will be your friend thru and thru. Plus with how cheap and plentiful parts are, the main components of these cars are easily replaced when needed.

novafirebirdguy

281k miles and I drive it every day! That's on the original 2.8 V6 BTW. I've got two thirdgen's, I don't drive my Firebird because, well, half of it is in my basement and the other half in the garage, total resto project. I should be finished sometime this summer though, and then I'll start on my Camaro. Which has never left me stranded, just preventative maintenance and a new tranny (ok that kinda left me stranded, but I knew it was coming long before it happened). The engine will probably need to be rebuilt soon, I can tell the main bearings are getting pretty worn. But I've known that for a while too.

$750 L98

Driving it is what I got it for. Daily driven, cammed, stalled, LSx swap, etc.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

1989 Firebird V-6 is my Daily Driver. It needs a lot of work but hasn't left me stranded, in fact none of mine have left me truly stranded and any unreliability issue I come across is self inflicted.

MY87LT

iTrader: (2)

I used my car as a daily driver from 1993 when I bought it with 63,000 some odd thousand miles on it till 1998 when I began to restore and work on it and clocked up to 121,000. The car never left me stranded anywhere. I don't drive it like I used to by choice.

Reliability is all based on maintenance. And well there is the occassional lemon that pops up. Put it this way, my 2002 and 2005 Saturn's new off the lot were in the shop more times than I can think of.

I have friends who have blown pistons and still made it home on six or seven of the 8 in their Camaro's.

iroc stangs

well my camaro's gonna probaly be a daily driver when i start driving unless i get another car and then the camaro's just be for cruisin and nice days but my friends dad has a 88 i belive sport coupe camaro with over 400k miles on it and supposely it still runs strong. its his daily driver for about 60 miles each day and i dont belive it's left him stranded ever.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I've used 3 different thirdgens as daily drivers... Two of them were rescued rez-runners. They can be ok, but they can also be a huge headache. Personally I prefer to keep nice thirdgens nice, so I only use beater thirdgens as daily drivers. Usually due to the condition they're in when I get them, they tend to have problems. It helps to have some mechanical knowledge and a back up car.

Hyper_Eye

I have a '92 RS that had been my daily driver for 6 years until someone hit it in the parking lot of my workplace late last year. Within a month or 2 it will be my DD once again. It has been out of commission for an extended length of time twice during that 6 years but it has never left me stranded and, with exception to those 2 repair periods and short periods of maintenance, it has taken me to work and home again 5 days a week every week for those 6 years.

mmm88TA

iTrader: (3)

I used mine as a DD for about 6yrs until I bought a 4x4 pick up a couple years ago (needed a vehicle that could navigate snow better and make it to work with fewer close calls, f-bodys don't travel well on unplowed roads). Now I just drive it on nice days and garage it in the winter. No major problems to speak of, I bought it w/ 115k on it now it's at 200k+. For a 22yr old car it's been pretty reliable, it's all about how you take care of it.

sam24th

iTrader: (1)

I drive mines daily as well. But when it gets real cold I drive the wrangler because they salt the roads around here and I dont wanna ruin the practically rustfree body I have. Also I put 19k on it since Ive gotten it and its still running strong. Original owner put 115k and so far no probs besides regular maintenance. I did almost get stranded once but that was because the battery died, but luckily I got a jump from a nice old lady.

johnblacksox

Yes, I use mine as a daily driver, year round in Mass.

It needs repair no more than our other car, and it's cheap and easy to have my Camaro fixed.

For winter, I put on 4 studded tires, weights in the back, and it goes great in the snow. Last year a FWD Honda was spinning its tires and stuck in the snow, and I drove right around it in my Camaro. Felt great!

3rdGenGuy6792

17 and a senior in high school. On my 3rd car in under a year lol. Im currently driving a 92' Z28 350tpi. Only having a part time job really puts a beating on your wallet for gas and repairs. Since I got the car i had to change the ignition coil and had a bad connection to my fuel pump. So far so good, let see how far this car gets me.

quisterio

All of these speak for my situation. My GTA is what I drive everyday, it's just too much fun not too!

And about these cars being reliable and whatnot, my car has been wonderful to me, except the times it didn't exactly like what I did to it haha! I've learned a lesson or two on what not to tinker with. Just take good care of them and they will do the same to you.

blue85305

mines daily driven as well.

alloy

iTrader: (16)

I've got 234k on mine and drive it every day. Got a new 355 going in it also. I wouldn't even think of driving anything else for my daily. It's only left me stranded once., Danged ignition module. Was fixed in 20 minutes.

92RS_Ttop

iTrader: (3)

Friend of mine from high school drove all 3 of his(89 RS, 85 Z28, 82 Z28) daily from the day he got his first one in 97 till he sold the last one in 2004. Never got stranded by any of them for mechanical problems. He drove them year-round and did get stuck in the snow in his driveway a couple times(1/4 mile dirt road) but no other problems.

I daily drive mine every day in the spring, summer, and fall. I park it over the winter for working on and because I don't want to drive it in the snow. I have to climb some pretty good hills to get to work and having a 4x4 truck just makes it not worth risking the camaro on snowy, salty roads in the winter. Plus it gives me about 5 months straight where I can work on it and don't have to worry about rushing the work cause I need to drive it. Its never left me stranded anywhere. In fact, the car sat untouched for 4 years after a friend wrecked it and when I went to trailer it to my house, it started right up on the second rotation of the engine.

shelby7099

Mine is my daily driver. 84 and carbed. It is alot more fun when it is warm outside. It doesn't like 15-35 degree mornings...

DeathStarr89

iTrader: (1)

I daily drove my '82 T/A for a while (cammed 355/TH400). I had blown the engine in my old Cavalier so i was pretty much stuck with the purple beast.

the gas mileage sucked of course but it lasted when i needed it most.

IROCK ZZ

I use mine as a daily driver, however i live a whopping .5 miles from work!

sonjaab

Depending on my mood and the weather I drive whatever suits my fancy for the day!
Could be my truck, the Z, the Caddy or even break out the old GTO!

I LOVE having 4 vehicles !!!!

Al Hasse

I've had my 92 RS for 12 years, never gave me a problem until about 4 years ago when the timing chain broke while idling in the driveway (right at 200,00 miles). A couple thousand miles later, the thrust bearing gave out and I replaced the motor with another V6. It's still pretty much my daily driver, but 3 years ago, I bought my 89 RS with the 305 TBI as a project, and now both see about the same amount of driving.

ThirdGenFire93

Yup, mines a daily driver for sure.. I don't have another car! :P I wish I did though, I dont like taking my Trans Am everywhere honestly.. (Long trips etc). I dont like racking up the miles, or being far away from home if something goes wrong.

92RS(real slow)

mine used to be now it hardly ever leaves the garage lol only put like 500 miles on her last year

IROCK ZZ

oh and i dont know what all this mpg mumbo jumbo is, i easily get 30mpg+ im my tpi v8

my mechanic/smog tech said its also the cleanest running tpi he has ever seen

kurfbird

iTrader: (24)

I have 4 third gens as a dialy drivers.

wifes 92 formula been driven daily for 3 years. bad igntion module left her stranded. I replaced it alone the side of the road and it was runing again.

91 camaro 3.1 v6 never left me stranded. But went through it and replaced all the bad worn parts. head gasket timing chain etc. Had to swap trans. But could tell it was going out.

92 firebird 3.1 broke down in the drive way right after I got it. Bad timing chain. still going stong daughter is driving it.

91 firebird. 3.1 had a new paint job but the guy forgot to put oil in it. Me and my son are going to swap the motor and go through it will be his car to drive.

ownor

iTrader: (5)

damnit kurfbird, that's what i call a real 3rdgen family nice

i use my formula as a daily every now and then in summer when the weather is nice enough. makes the daily commute to work much more enjoyable

Bullydawg

iTrader: (7)

Mine is my DD and only car...

nr2180

My DD is the most unreliable car I have owned, a 93 ford SHO. It is sitting in the drive with a blown motor again right now. So I drive the Z most of the time unless there is snow on the ground and then I drive my girlfriends (cough cough)nissan sentra. I have never had a camaro that was not reliable. The only time I ever got stranded was when I submerged one.

camaro1185

NOT a daily driver for me. Its my summer car/resto project. It only left me stranded once because of a bad alternator.

veritas91

I don't use mine as a daily driver either. I would love to have a third gen, or any car as a daily driver, but to keep my miles low and save money on gas I drive my Cobalt.

z28 TPI

Mine was my DD until it caught fire. Its gonna have to be my DD probably this year as my Z is gonna need some serious attention. So I gotta finish her soon I just need paint. She was extremely reliable right up to the end I would get 20+ mpg no problem, just the sound police would love to stop me just to pop my hood to listen to her lol. I just can't wait to get her back.

89rs305-DP

I also use mine as a daily driver. Had some problems with it when i first got it but now shes runnin strong. Unfortunately its my only car, so i have to drive it in these harsh wisconsin winters. Not good on gas too... especially how i drive haha[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Kim/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Kim/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/IMG]

89rs305-DP

Thats a shame... you should be out burning rubber and showin up some ricers in their hondas!

87WS6

iTrader: (1)

I'd never drive one of these cars daily. Beyond not being all that great in poor whether conditions, I'm going to have a ton of money tied up in the cars. I don't want to put that investment at more risk than I need to. If you drive a car every day it will get worn out faster than a weekend/summer cruiser would. I want to get my cars to, and keep them in show car or near show car condition. Actually I intend to put them in car shows occasionally, and take them to the track occasionally.

Stangski09

iTrader: (10)

Same.. i'm only 18

usacamaro

mine is a daily driver with little over 260000 miles. 305 tbi still running strong. well strong as a stock 305 ever was. when ever the 305 decides to go out then i will put in a 350 but will still be a dd. cars are ment to be driven. whats the purpose of buildind one of these cars if you cant get out and enjoy them .

DubyaSsixTA

Mine was a daily driver for 2 1/2 years until the t-tops started leaking bad and the ball joints have become worse. I'm having issues with the new weatherstripping and have no money to fix the ball joints, so it gets driven once a week when I'm not headed to work (I work nights in a rough neighborhood...not a good place to break down). Not getting rid of the car under any circumstances!

87WS6

iTrader: (1)

You can still get out and enjoy them without driving them daily and without racking up tons of miles on them or causing the inevitable wear and tear that hits any daily driver. Dents, sun fading, etc. Sure a stock third gen I'd rebuild later with a total restoration would be fine to drive daily, but a car I've poured 10 grand into or so, hell no. I'm going to protect what is ostensibly a depreciating asset which I'll never recover funds from if destroyed. It is damned near impossible to keep something pristine when it does get driven every day. Especially if you don't have the luxury of owning a garage to store the vehicle in. In fact when I only have one choice for a daily driver, I tend to get bored with a vehicle fast and start wanting something else.

veritas91

I am nineteen and I have two cars. I bought my Cobalt when I was sixteen and had it paid off in two years. And then I bought my Firebird. I would hate to drive it in the winter because it doesn't take much to break those tires loose, and not only that in my opinion it makes the car more exciting when its the perfect day and to go out for a cruise. But like I said I would have a third gen dd if I could, but I would still have my Firebird in the garage the majority of the time.

88fastgta

iTrader: (9)

i daily drive my thirdgen..... its my only car..... love my car lol....