DyingYoung138

Okay, so apparently I'm allowed to post in the FAQ section, so I'm just going to post this and hope someone moves it to the proper section.

Now that I've gotten that across, I'd like to talk about the values of our third gens. My main question is which model is worth more? The Camaro or the Firebird? I see a lot more Camaros than I do Firebirds, and even less actual Trans Ams.

I'm mainly wondering this because I have an 86 Trans Am. I bought it because after years of searching for the perfect Camaro, I never found one, and thus, I found a Trans Am that I fell in love with, so I bought it. I have always preffered the Camaro in any year or model, except for the 98-02 models where the Ram-Air Trans Ams just completly blew the Camaro away...

My second question, I've found a pretty good looking Camaro sitting on a car lot around here and was thinking about offering a trade. My Trans Am for the Camaro. Second thoughts crossed my mind sitting here thinking about it and I was thinking, this Trans Am is going to be worth more than that Camaro ever could be in the next few years... and as far as resale value goes, I think I'm better off with the Trans Am.

I know it's all about prefferance, but eventually, I want to own a first gen Camaro. Preferably a 69 z28 302ci Camaro... but second to that, I will always have a love for third gens.

Anyways, back to topic, please excuse my babbling, but which model is worth more? A Camaro or a Firebird? And do you think that I should offer the trade? '86 Trans Am for an '84 Camaro? I'm leaning against it, but I have a slight depression that I may not ever get my hands on a Camaro. lol.

karl's-92'-z28

iTrader: (5)

I say keep your car if its in better condition thant the camaro. But its totally up to you . I think the birds are harder too find replacement parts for as the camaro is a dime a dozen., I say keep her.

Camaroguy18

If you're concerned about value, thirdgens were a poor choice in a vehicle

omnipotentgoku

iTrader: (1)

I might have to agree with Camaroguy. I think about another 500,000 need to be destroyed before ours start going up in value.

BirdsOnly

+1, our cars will go up in value when 70s muscle cars get too out of reach for the common folk... just as the 70s cars did when barrett jackson started inflating 60s prices

TOM-1LE

I'm constantly watching the classifieds and auctions, and I don't see much difference in the market value of thirdgen Camaros versus Firebirds. It's really just a matter of preference.

These cars are probably not going to bring big dollars for at least another 10-15 years, if then. There might be some exceptions, such as the cloth/hardtop TTA, the lower-production years of the 1LE, or some other rare option combo, but your "average" thirdgen F-body is not really a collector car and probably won't be for a while.

Right now the 1960s muscle is worth big dollars and the 1970s stuff (even the slow "smog" Z28s and T/As) are appreciating rapidly. The 1980s cars will start to go up quickly when all the 1970s stuff is out of reach of most people. At least, that's the way it's gone in the past.

88TransAmFreak

iTrader: (15)

The vehicle itself is cheap but the parts can get expensive

I have an 82 Corvette that's completely restored that I'm going to sit on for a few more years....after the economy get's another boost. Last year of the stingray body style and it's worth more than I have it in.

Aaron91RS

iTrader: (2)

The TA's and GTA's and even upper level firebirds will be a little more. They cost more new, there were less made total.

An 86 may go up someday but not soon and not near as much as the 91-92's
Just start at 91/92 and count backwards. Each year you go back, the demand, due to option package, and thus value goes down except for a few already mentioned cars. (TTA, 90IROC)

DyingYoung138

Okay, I took that a tad bit offensively, but I know you didn't mean it that way. I love these cars and I'm the only guy around here that would pay more than the average price for them because that's what they're worth to me.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

DyingYoung138 your statement of paying what it's worth to you is right on the mark. That is what's driven the price of '50,'60 and now '70s models. People that remember these cars but were to young or couldn't afford them when new are buying them now. Witness the rise in prices of 2nd Gen F-Bodies because most 1st Gen prices have gone out of sight for the average person. I can remember friends in high school (I graduated in '81) driving these because they were in the category the 3rd Gens are now. And even then there were just the few exceptions -original Z28s or BB RS/SS and convertibles and heaven forbid you want or find a real '69 T/A. Given time and the continued rise in value of 2nd Gens ours will definitly follow suit

okfoz

Over the past Ten years I first noticed a slight dip in prices then over the past 5 years I have seen an increase above where things started. Whether its from inflation, or whatever the dollar values of NICE 3rd gens is going up.

Not to step on toes, but in MY OPINION anything less than an LB9 is not going to hold up to the test of time as well as the LB9, L98 & obviously the Firehawk and the TTA... These cars (especially the L98 cars or better) are actually increasing quite rapidly from what I can tell.

As far as Firebird vs Camaro...

I think one thing that must be understood when looking at these cars is how the cars were originally marketed. Although it may or may not have a whole lot of weight in the future, it must be explored.

The BASE BASE Firebird, generally from year to year had "Standard" items that were not "Standard" on the Camaro. Basically a BASE firebird was intended to be a little step up from the BASE camaro. Although I do not see it as much with the early 1982-1984 cars I think it became more evident from 1985-1989, and again less evident by the time 1992 rolled around. In many ways I think the Firebird was intended to be a slight improvement over the camaro, typically they had a better ride, a quieter cabin and in several magazine articles it is evident when they compare the two side by side.

Typcially the IROC was faster than the Trans Am or GTA, and usually performance was similar to that of a Formula because the Formula was lighter. The Z28 & IROC tended to have a harsher ride, and was more noisy, the GTA was more sophisticaed and refined. This was mostly evident in the 1985-1989 Firebirds interiors, especially when you step into a GTA. The GTA was more expensive than an IROC new, as it did have more options standard. I want to think that for some years there were actually more items on the GTA, like the Digital Dash, and the Articulating seats etc that make it a little step up.

Now when you look a the cars TODAY many of the selling points may or may not be a factor... Sure the GTA & Trans Am were avaialble with a Digital Dash, but many (I did not say ALL) of those IP's no longer work properly. Or the lumbar seats may not be a huge pull to some teenager simply looking for a first car. So the cars have kind of evened out for value. MOSTLY what I find is the cars are regional. You go to South Carolina I am told that a Firebird is hard to give away, but a camaro you can sell for a small fortune in comparison. BUT you come up to Michigan where I live and it is almost the opposite, There is a really nice IROC down the street from me and it has sat there almost all summer and I did not think he was out of line for price. Take that same car and make it a GTA and I would bet it would have sold long ago. BUT you have to look at the different areas. South carolina is a cheeper place to live from what I understand, groceries are less, The "Standards of Living" is simply less to live there than Michigan. You come up to MI and it is VERY expensive to live here, Food is more, taxes are higher and so the demographic is different on average

In the end what does all this mean??? Nothing really, it simply means that there are MANY factors that contribue to what car is going to be "Worth more" In the long haul I would think the Firebird line, Pontiacs in general may actually hold better "True Value" as there are companies like PHS that are keeping things HONEST. For example AFAIK you can only get a duplicate Pontiac window sticker from PHS, they will ONLY make you a window sticker that was EXACTLY like the original. In contrast you can buy a window sticker for a camaro saying just about anything you want, in the end it will hurt the camaro collectors because of the bogus Camaros running around, and no one will be willing to trust the information.

take it with a grain of salt and an asprin call me in the morning.

John

gekko

since I graduated in 1978 then the car I want is going to be a 78 or 79 Z28 OR the "Smokey and the Bandit" TRANS AM........I want these cars and so do alot of other guys my age...this creats the demand that will drive the prices further up each year, eventually becoming collector cars in the process.....the thing that will drive the 82-92 camaros up is the Earnhardt era...and the IROC series

DyingYoung138

Well, going through high school I wanted an Iroc. I searched the whole time in school and for about 2 years after I got out and never found a "true" Iroc for a decent price. This one guy had taken a 91 RS and changed everything on the car to look like an Iroc and swore to me that it was. He had alaso swapped the engine from a 305 TPI to a 305 2 barrel carb... Then he wanted close to $2000 for it. I passed...

I found my Trans Am a few cities over. Drove out to see it and loved it. Bought it 2 days later and brought it home.

I love 3rd gens and I'm always going to own one. The only reason I opened this thread is because I have a strong feeling that the Firebirds and Trans Ams will hold a higher value in the future than the Camaro.

Blue_Thunder

iTrader: (1)

I have noticed in the past couple years that all 3rd gens have increased a little in value. The other thing I have noticed is that the 68-69 camaro craze that has been going on for a while seems to have hit its peak. I have noticed that 3rd gen camaros have started to get hot in my area.
Irocs have gone up in price around here, And to the post where someone wrote 3rd gen camaro parts are a dime a dozen, have you ever tried looking for a rear quarter panel for our cars, They don't exist, only 49,000 Irocs were built in 86, most have either been wrecked, already bought up or bought as a parts car. I can't find very many good body panels for my Iroc anymore

paulo57509

I have to agree 100% with the Barrett Jackson statement.

okfoz

Little known fact MANY of the cars sold on Barrett Jackson are actually purchased BACK by the original owner...

John

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

I have noticed that my T/A has gotten more attention this summer than it did a couple years ago, even though on the outside it looks worse and I've driven it around a lot less. I'm starting to feel the interest in 3rd gens going up and I expect once mine is wearing new paint that it'll get a lot of looks and comments. As for the firebird vs. camaro thing, i haven't noticed a difference in pricing, but then again I haven't looked much either. I think the production ratio is about 2:1 for camaros and firebirds, and the interest in purchacing probably matches that ratio closely enough where you wouldn't see desirability impacting price much.

greatpumpkin_68

blue thunder.. goodmark industries sells 3rd gen camaro quarter panels. but they are the only ones i have found so far..good thing goodmark is a quality company.

Davemutt

Follow your heart. It sounds like you really want a Camaro. Neither car will finance your retirement so go with what makes you happy.

gekko

buy stocks ...all energy stocks....run from tech stocks....buy the camaro

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

I agree with Davemutt's sentiment as to why the majority of us bought a 3rd gen in the first place - to enjoy her. I don't see myself ever selling mine unless there were extreme unforseen reasons. And besides she's the oddball of the bunch - she's an original (and still) CFI Z28 beige with gold trim and loaded with every option. The motor/color combo wouldn't be a big selling point to some people.

As for the Camaro vs Firebird selling points. As Okfoz pointed out even the base 'Birds were generally better equipped than Camaros. And then there's equipment that you could get on a 'Bird you could on a Camaro (ie; steering wheel radio controls,digital dash,etc). But then Pontiacs have always been more upmarket than Chevrolets and thus sold that way.

okfoz

I want to think it was Harly Earl ( could be wrong on his name) but he was an executive at GM in the 50's?? He basically put it this way:

"Chevrolet is for the poor, Pontiac is for the poor but proud... Cadillac is for the Rich"

DyingYoung138

Well, I want to keep my Trans Am and will never sell it unless something goes horribly wrong, which I doubt, but I have been wondering this just in case the perfect Camaro does take a stroll through my town... lol.

Looking at buying a 91 RS for the future wife soon, white/red, t-tops, 305 Auto, Loaded. Not the Camaro I'm looking for, but she wants it and it will be her's. lol. But if I ever come across a yellow Iroc or a Black/Gold Iroc... it's mine! lol.

scottmoyer

In response to Blue_Thunder, there might have only been 49k or so IROCs in 86, but the quarter panels from all 82-92 Camaros will work. I think that gives you plenty of selection to choose from. You don't need one from an 86.

gekko

I am a buyer for a few retailers down here in Florida....my job is to find the deals on nice cars and I can say that your statement is correct.....finding the right car to keep right now would be the stuff from the 70`s....they will go up in demand

flippermtc

iTrader: (1)

Our cars are still 10 years or maybe more away from being worth the kind of dollars 60's & 70's are.. Low mileage,or special edition Firehawks,Formula verts, TTA's will be the exception. Pristine examples like scottmoyer's will always be worth more. 3rdGen's for the most part haven't caught on just yet. They will. Give it a little time.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Third Gen values have steadily been increasing over the last 8 years, more in the last 5 though. Especially if you're talking mint, lower mileage, top models. Regardless of how much they were new, in the collector car market, Camaros, and Chevrolets in general sell for more money than other GM cars on a regular basis. Most of that is due to popularity and demand.

89ROC-Z

iTrader: (7)

Correct me if im wrong but i havent seen any convertibles talked about in this post. How about them? Not to many around my area, (well i have never even seen one in real life!). There is a 91 RS 305 vert for sale in MN, they're asking $3500 with a new paint job . Dont know about you guys but i think that is dirt cheap.

I do think values are going up aswell but was just wondering about the verts.

gekko

I need an SS vert....very hard to find right now...most guys are just sitting on them .....

okfoz

To be honest I would look at that car with a magnafying glass. ANY car that is being sold with "NEW PAINT" is a HUGE flag for me... If it said paint looks like new, IE it was painted 10 yars ago, notsomuch... New paint hides a TON of stuff, not to mention I got prices on Materials for my friends car with QUALITY Paint, in RED of course.

Sherwin-Williams $1,300
PPG $1053 & $1156
Dupont $ 970, & $1035

Those are ALL QUALITY paints, that would be the materials to paint his car... Granted it Should be more than what I need BUT it will do the job and it gives you an idea of what the material costs are... So if someone is selling a car with a NEW paint-job for $3500... Either they used CRAPPY paint, Or they are possibly hiding something... I might be wrong,

John

89ROC-Z

iTrader: (7)

Thanks okfoz i was kind of wondering myself if the car could of been in an accident before. Wow i never knew paint itself cost that much!

And to gekko, my dads cousin has a White SS Vert, i believe its a 2000. he's always had camaros throughout his whole life.

okfoz

Keep in mind that you can buy paints for a lot less, BUT you get what you pay for and you pay for what you get. These are the Top of the top paint lines that I know of... I imagine there are some other quality paints out there but I know nothing about them. THese are just the BIG names... And to be frankly honest there should benough paint there to paint almost two T-top Firebirds if using HVLP, if using a regular Production suction type of Gun then your looking at about one car... not quite but close.

John