BreadTM

So this is my first post here, finally.
There is a 82 Camaro Z28 that is for sale and it's in a pretty good condition.
The engine/trans have been rebuilt, and some other things, but i'm not sure. The car runs fine and there isn't anything majorly wrong. The guy who is selling it originally bought the car as a project car for him and his son, but his son gave up i guess, so he's decided to sell it. The interior does need some work, but he has most of the parts for that. I haven't seen the car personally, but my dad has. i'm 16, for the record. Anyway, the seller has put $7,000+ into the car, and wants to sell it for $2,500. My dad and others think that the condition and everything is worth it, which i do agree, but i'm only 16 with a job that'll barely cover me for gas/insurance. I do have family that would be willing to help pay for it, i would have to pay them back over time.
Now, i don't have my license just yet, mostly because i'm somewhat lazy, but i'll be getting it in the next month or so.
We found out insurance for me and the car, on my parents quote, would be $1,500ish/a year for me and the car.
I'm not sure how this thing is on gas, i'm guessing around 14-17mpg city? [would like someone to verify.]
Do you think that this one is worth it, or should i wait and find a cheaper one?


[Click to enlarge]

89RsPower!

body looks nice, any underhood shots? It's impossible to even take a guess as gas mileage without knowing whats under the hood..

BreadTM

nah, my dad only got those 4 shots, i know it has a 305 v8 and that's basically all i know, my dad probably knows more, but i won't be able to talk to him for awhile.
it's automatic, btw.

89RsPower!

is it bone stock? Carbed or crossfire? Is it still the origional 3spd auto trans?

BreadTM

couldn't really tell ya, sorry.
i think most of the car is stock.
and i'm not sure about the trans, i know it's automatic though, i'm assuming it's the original 3spd.
whatever you need to know, just keep the questions coming, i'll try to find all the stuff out in about 2hours or so, but i don't know exactly what my dad knows about the car.
also, i have til maybe november 1st to decide if i want it.

steeljab

iTrader: (3)

assuming you get a decent job (aka min wage with at least 20 hours a week) you should have no problem paying gas/insurance ($29 a week insurance+gas) i would buy it if its as good as it sounds, just as long as theres no real problems with it... i know i'll never regret buying my camaro even with all the engine problems i've had, and yours should be fine if it is reb uilt and you take care of it.

my $0.02usd

BreadTM

right now i get $7.15/hour and work maybe 15hours a week, because i only work on friday/saturday, because during the week it's slow and they only have 2-4people working, mostly the full time people.
i am looking to get a second job that i can work monday-friday that maybe pays a little more, but i'd be fine with another $7.15/hour i guess.
i get paid every other friday, usually the check comes out to be $130ish.
i know i'd never regret buying the camaro, since i love them, but it would suck if i couldn't even drive it.
i was thinking about selling a few things to make some extra cash right now, but i gotta gather them all up.

LFN AT U

iTrader: (1)

I'd definitely buy it and long it's as nice as it looks in the pictures. Make sure you check the floors to make sure they're solid. I don't think you're going to find a nicer car for $2500. This is the right time of the year to buy one, Camaros and Firebirds aren't exactly big sellers this time of year. If you wait until the spring to buy one you're going to be paying a lot more.

As far as the gas mileage goes, I would guess your 14-17 MPG estimate around town is about right.

Dens71TA

iTrader: (5)

There's no doubt about that! In the last month I've bought an '82 and '84 Trans Am for $1000 total. I'm really surprised how cheap driver and project 3rd-gens have gotten in the last six months.

BreadTM

yea, i have to get my mom's "okay" first, but she doesn't want to let me get it because i don't have the money. I told i could pay for it with help, then pay everyone back. My parents aren't helping pay for anything[car, insurance, gas, nothing.] So i told her that she shouldn't have a say in this really. The car does need some interior work, but nothing that stops the car from be drivable. We would get the car, without tags, work on the interior for awhile, so it would probably sit for 1-4months anyway, which is plenty of time to pay people back without having to pay for gas or anything.
Sorry that i'm bring my problems into this a little bit.

scottmoyer

They especially have a say if you don't have the money to buy things and you are getting it from them. Don't fall into the new American dream of get what I want now and pay for it later thought process. If you don't have the money, start saving. Another car will be found when the time is right and cash is in hand. You don't want to finance a vehicle of this age and condition. You'll never get it fixed up.

BreadTM

yea, i know.
the guy lowered the price for me to $2,300. my mom is still "thinking about it", but my grandma said she'd help pay for it and i'd work for her a little bit. so i'm a little closer to it, i think.

BreadTM

ah, sorry to bump this up, but i wanted to give an update.
i won't be buying it, but my mom agreed that she'd let me get a "smaller, newer, not so 'zoomy and flashy' car."

I'm thinking a Pontiac Grand Am[1994ish or newer]/Prix[5th gen or newer], Pontiac Sunfire, Eagle Talon, Mercury Cougar[7th gen], Chevy Cavalier[3rd gen], maybe some kind of Jeep Cherokee, which i drive with my aunt and i really like it, go figure, and there's a few others, but i can't remember what they are that i was looking at months ago. Any suggestions would be nice, you can tell what kind of cars i like from that list and from being on this site ;].

if anyone wants the number for the car, i'd be willing to share it through private messages, the car is located outside of Philly.
as far as i know, the car is still for sale, $2,500, just needs some interior work, and he should have most of the parts for that.

89RsPower!

Tell your mom to get a grip on reality, that's a good price and a great first car for a new driver. It's far from being a fast car, insurance would be quite cheap on it due to its age, they hold up quite well in accidents which makes them fairly safe in that respect and come on it's not exactly "flashy". Also does she seriously think these are "large" cars? Sure they arn't exactly econo-boxes but they arn't huge or anything.. Out of the other cars you listed I'd file the following under girl cars :Sunfire, Cavalier, Talon, Cougar. The others are kind of unisex. Most of them would be just as fast or faster than that camaro in stock form. None of them would hold up as well in a collision. I'm sorry to hear your mom isn't listening to reason, just because it's a camaro doesn't make it "zoomy" and "flashy". Tell her to list her reasons why she doesn't want you to get it and we will help you refute them.

BreadTM

ahhh i wish, but she's stubborn and i doubt she'll listen to anyone about the camaro, i've been trying for the past few months now.

as far as i know her reasons are basically because it's a camaro, she doesn't believe me when i tell her insurance is cheap, gas, and just stuff like that, i'm sure you know what i mean.

89RsPower!

Yeah insurance is quite cheap on these cars due to their age. You will likely pay significantly more on any of those other vehicles you listed since they are newer. Most of them will be better on gas though except for maybe the jeep, the rest of them are basically econo-boxes that get very good gas mileage. Look at it this way though, it's going to be your first car and any car is better than no car. Buy what you can afford for now and improve your driving skills, save money and in a few years when you have the money nessicary buy the nicest camaro you can find. I doubt you will have too much support on this site about any other car that you listed since it's a third gen f-body forum, but there are other sites out there where you can find that type of information, they just lack the technical knowledge that you'd find around here. Best of luck to you with whatever you end up getting, your first car is always exciting no matter what it is (a camaro is just that much more fun )