A buddy of mine woke me up this morning to check out a '92 Bird he was thinking about buying. It was a 305, Automatic, Black, chrome rims, ground effects, hard top, 117K. Seemed pretty nice at first, but my appreciation for it only went down upon closer inspection.

First of all, the paint was pretty messed up on the doors and hood... other than that the body was in great shape besides the normal fading. Neither power window motor worked properly. Both of them had the classic "goes up half way, then goes on strike for 2 minutes" deal. Power mirror switch was messed up and would not move the mirrors left. Fog lights would not work also.

So I ask if he will let me take it for a spin. First thing I notice when I start up the car is that the oil pressure gauge is acting funky. With my foot on the brake the gauge maxes out, with my foot off the brake it reads normal. That didn't make any sense to me at all. Anyway, next I popped it into drive and heard the most aweful bang from the transmission. Sounded like its not bolted down properly... only does it when you initially take off unless you go very very slow. On the road I was unimpressed with the 305 compared to my 3.1. They seemed to have about the same get up and go.

This car had a $4k price tag in the window. I told my buddy I wouldn't give them more than $2300 for it.

I went back to the dealership with him and talked to the sales guy. According to him, that car in the condition it is in books for over 5 grand. I laughed at him, so he pulled out his little blue book and pointed it out to me. His words exactly "See right there? 1992 Firebird FORMULA."

Me: "This isn't a formula."

Him "Oh yes it is. You see here, the Firebird is just your v6 model, the formula is the 305, and the Trans Am is your 350!"



If that wasn't enough, when I mentioned the mirrors didnt work right he saracstically says "Oh darn! I guess that means you're gonna have to roll down the window and move it yourself."

Then he starts going on about how his friend has a Camaro of the same year with the stock 350 TPI, and that the intake alone is worth over a grand.

After we left, I informed my friend that he should probably stear clear of this car lot...

 

And the tech content of this post is where?

Are you asking any sort of question?

 

common probs


the gauges tend to do that over time.. its not too uncommon.
the tranny sounds like a bad tranny mount
and the 305 auto cars are just as slow as the V6s... heck the L03 is rated for 170hp.


from the sounds of it, its a 1200-1500 car. nowhere near 2k



the sales guy is a idiot. this isnt anything new.. they usually are.
if they knew **** about cars, could they honestly look a person in the eyes and sell them a cavalier? i think not.



not a bad idea

 

I wasn't sure what forum this would be best suited for, so I just posted in the one I read the most.

Coincidently my buddy was going to trade in a Cavaliar for this car.

 

i own a caviler...:-(...Stock it beats v6 cameros and mustangs..

 

Not 4th gen V6's

 

for a year or so, i had a 2000 VR6 VW Jetta 5spd..

it would whomp V6 fbodys and v6 mustangs... athough my fave was to take my totally stock jetta and whomp ****...

by downshifting and waiting until they were 2 car lengths or so behind me, i could even defeat flybys with it........

4thgen v6s arnt that great as far as V6 cars go either.... remember.... fbodys were made for v8s and heavy, meanwhile most other cars were made for 4cyls and are lighter.. not to mention, domestic v6s usually arnt designed with performance in mind.

 

Oh I agree, but keep in mind that the 6 cylinder 4th gen was only 3 hp less than the Mustang GT.
I would never trade my 3rd gen for a 6 cyl.. I'd only do it for a nice new LS1.

 

just go back tomorrow or whatever and punch the schmuch in the face, right between the eyes....
haha
nah just post a few signs around the area saying not to go there that they try and rip you off. lol

 

I hate to agree with a salesmen but in 92 if it had a V8 it had to be Formula or T/A...base models only had the 3.1 v6

 

was the 305 a tbi or a tpi?

 

If it was a Firebird, then it was a TBI.

I bought this 88 Formula a few months ago for $1700.
305TPI Auto. 103K miles. Not a bad deal,


Just had to replace shocks and struts and cut off the ugly muffler tips.

 

then the salesman is wrong, and so is the person who replied above me.

 

Did they drop the L03 in 92? My friends 91 Firebird has the 305 TBI in it, it's a base Firebird with the 91-92 gfx and all power options.

EDIT: according to the tech data on this site, in 92 only the Z28, T/A, GTA, and Formula had the TPI motors.
Firebirds had the V6 or the TBI 305.

 

I'm not trying to pick a fight about this but I have a 1990 Formula with a 305 TBI, maybe some base models got it too but i was under the impression they only came with the v6...if someone has a base model with a 305 then i stand corrected

 

This was a base model with the 305 TBI.

 

This car has a 305 TBI, base model Firebird,


This one here is identical but has the V6,

 

Zepher, that black Bird is exactly the same as the one we tested, except it had the stock hood.

 

looks like I was wrong...maybe i should apply for a job as a used car salesmen

 

i gotta disagree, my friend has a 00 cavilier, i have never rode in something slower, the s-10 blazer i had with a carbed 2.8 would beat it. not a chance against my 3.4 camaro. or even my old 2.8 camaro

EDIT: opps i see the problem, it beats cameros, never heard of one of those :lala:

 

a little off topic, but i couldn't help but notice the shaker hook on the green firebird. i've been looking for exactly that for my car. is that a whole different hood, or something bolted on to a stock hood?

 

It is bolted onto the hood. It was part of the Bandit II Edition.
The Black 91 is a Bandit II and the Green Firebird had the hood from the black car for awhile. I sold that hood awhile back though.

 

#1) The firebird was availble with the V8
#2) a FORMULA is a Firebird
#3) All V8 LO3 Firebirds got "Firebird formu" or something like it on the Title, this creates major confusion, and unfortunately some BOGUS Formulas.
#4) THe Formula was determined by the WS6 Suspension, the power-buldge hood, and aero spoiler.
#5) The FORMULA NEVER came with Ground effects. EVER!!!
#6) the chart is wrong, Formulas should also be shown to have the LO3 as the base engine.
#7) From 89 - 92 Here is the availble engines for each model:
Firebird - V6 & LO3
Formula - LO3, LB9 & L98
Trans AM - LB9 & L98
GTA - L98 & LB9

John