Hello all. I am 18 and I just bought my first car. Its a 1992 base firebird with a 5.0 liter TBI V8, T-Tops and a manual tranny. I really like this car a lot. 140k miles

I am taking interest in a 1992 GTA (only 508 made) with an automatic tranny, Hard top, a 5.7 liter 350. Its being sold for 2,200 dollars and will probably cost me about 500 to get shipped to my location. 190k miles

What should I do? I will have the cash to get the GTA very soon. On my current 1992, the heater core went bad and my clutch assembly also broke, and I got these things fixed. It seems as if anything else is going to go bad that would be pricey would be my engine or transmission. I really like my T-Tops and manual tranny. But a GTA of 1992 is a very rare car, and overall is cooler. I could also actually beef up the car performance wise being that I have an engine worthy of doing some minor work to, aside from my crappy TBI.

Any suggestions people? If I kept this GTA, wouldn't it probably be more valuable than my current car? I don't know if it would be worth it to waste money fixing my base firebird as much as using the resources on the GTA. The GTA is probably one of my favorite cars and the years 1991 and 1992 being my favorite of the thirdgen firebirds. I am just not sure what I should do. If I bought the GTA I would keep my base firebird and possibly use parts from it and give me the option in the future to make the GTA manual. What would be a better investment? Thanks all!

Mike!

 

I'm not a fan of the 91/92 Firebirds, but a 92 GTA,....I wouldn't pass up.

Get it if you can. Use your 92 for parts, if you have to.

 

Why exactly is it that you would not pass it up? How rare it is? Could it be worth money 20 years from now?

 

You said "The GTA is probably one of my favorite cars and the years 1991 and 1992 being my favorite of the thirdgen firebirds.". That puts the car into 2 of your favorite choices.....

1 of 500 is nothing to sneeze at. Yes, it will continue to lose vale, until it hits closer to the 20 yr mark, then climb again.

But if you put in a 5-speed, keep the original 700R4, pedals & such. Otherwise, it's just another modded car.

Swapping the parts is OK, but if you are ever concerned about selling it for value, it would be best to have the original parts on hand, if not put back in already.

 

or you could buy the gta and sell the base model . then you would have money to repair/modify it.

 

The GTA has 190K miles on it. Your car has 140K. I'd say keep your base car and mod it. I'd take the $2700 it would take to get the GTA and put it in the car you have now. That can go a long way. You could put in an LSX motor, upgrade your suspension, etc. The ONLY difference externally of the two cars is the hood, the rear wing, and the emblems. Oh yeah, the wheels too if you want the stock look. You could alway build a clone. If you're planning on modding a car, I'd say keep the one you got and build it like you want it. That's what I did. I've got what a base bird myself, but it's got lots of GTA parts in it and under it.

That's just my

 

Ultiamtely I think the GTA would be worth MORE than the Firebird all day long. Neither of these cars are low miles cars by any means and really they are about the same for miles. Granted the GTA has 50K extra but in reality a condition of a 140K car is usually not a whole lot different than a 190K mile car.

The GTA will have more value in the future, bar none, I guess it really comes down to what you want and if your willing to own and maintain two cars. The GTA has more potential than the Firebird so its a hard call. I do know that if looking at the two cars and everything else was the same I would take the GTA, even with the difference in milage. But that's me.

John

 

A 5.0 TBI engine would be worthless to me and I would have to replace it. A 5.7 TPI is worth having. If the 5.7 is tired you can just punch it 030 over and go another 190k miles. For sure, get the 5.7 car.

 

Get the GTA, steal the parts you need off your old car, then part it out the rest of the way and maybe recoup a bit of money.

From a value perspective, I doubt that a GTA clone would ever be worth the $$ of a true GTA.

 

I'd get the GTA and sell your firebird. then mod the GTA but keep all the original parts so you can take it back to stock if you want to.
Besides the 5.7 TPI is a way better motor than the 305 TBI
the GTA will Probably better gas mileage.

 

I do not see what all the talk is on which is being worth more in the future ( 20 years ) unless you are actually going to keep it and it is almost completely restored. They are great cars in which I truly love, but today they are worth dirt. Record high gas prices ain't helping the cause either. Andrew

 

You said this was your first car, right? Are you seriously going to keep it forever? If so, then the GTA is a no-brainer. If not, then it really doesn't matter. Both are going to be worth very little in the near future with that kind of mileage.

And if future value is what you're interested in, then instead of spending all kinds of money on mods, the smarter idea would be to save all that money you want do dump into mods that will reap very little value down the road and buy a car that will be worth hanging on to for the future. A modded '92 base firebird will be worth about the same thing as a modded '75 Camaro is right now ... virtually nothing. There is currently a '75 Camaro on my local Craigslist with a 396 and a Muncie 4-speed, Edelbrock carb & 4" cowl hood and the guy told me he would take $4,000. That's like buying a motor and tranny and getting the car for free. If you want value in the future, mods aren't the way to go ... a rare low-mile car that will be in high demand is.

 

The other thing to consider really, is the shape that each engine is in, and if you would keep that motor in the car. If your willing to keep the 5.7 in the GTA, or only think you need to do a little work on it, it'd probably be easier than swapping out the 305 and then dumping a larger motor in it, and trying to mate it up with that tranny (or a replacement tranny) and then get everything else to work.

I'm not sure where your coming from, but an engine swap is way over my head right now, so I'd certainly go for the car that wouldn't need a swap to have the motor I wanted in it.

 

With that kind of mileage, I'd say a motor swap is inevitable soon.

 

The question I have is, what color is the GTA? And what month was it built in?
If it is a late year build, like July or Aug then I would def get the GTA. A GTA will always be worth more than a base model in similar condition but a late year production GTA is even better!

Mark

 

My LO3 averages 28 MPG, and I pulled a 30.17 MPG last week. My buddy is lucky to get 17-18 out of his 5.7 GTA.

AMEN!!!

 

Milage really has more to do with how you drive than anything. Anyone can get 17Mpg out of a car that is suposed to get 23mpg. I can get 18mpg out of my 2005 Buick Rainier V8 with the 5.3L.

My 89 Formula 350 convertible got 26mpg all the way back from Asheville NC to Flint MI... So it really depends on how much you get on it, how fast you stop actually takes gas, as does sitting at red lights, stop signs. I can see a dramatic drop in milage if I choose to go thru the drivethru at Mcdonalds and the Bank vs walking in... When parking pull THRU the spot so when you leave you can drive away without having to reverse and go forward. If you plan ahead and coast to a stop rather than speed up to a stop I can gain 2 to 4 mpg by doing all of this, depending on how the lights are timed and traffic.

I do want to point out that FUEL milage on a second car is meaningless, who gives a crap if you drive it only 10 times a year. If its your daily driver then thats another thing. Honestly I highly doubt that the price of gas will hurt the values of our cars in the long run, if we all think that it will and most of us go and crush our cars all that does is increase the values of those who kept them nice and a long time... "CRUSH AWAY!" is what I say...

At this point in time MOST of these cars are getting turned into second cars, the daily drivers are going by the way side as they age, heck mine does not see sunlight unless there is a 0% chance of rain for two days, unless I am going to a show in which case I always get cought in rain

L8r

John

 

John, where can I see some photos of your 2 cars? You're lucky to keep them like that. Heck, I had mine professionally detailed 2 weeks ago, and afraid to drive it as it sits in garage, but the 3 times I had to use it I had
A. idiot running on shoulder of highway exit bringing dust everywhere
B. light sprinkle when parked at attorneys office
C. bird crap all over rear when at market today. Andrew

 

GTA all the way. i recently picked up a 91 5spd GTA and couldnt be happier with it. I would assume a GTA would be worth more in the future so many options available too. do what you think is right not because what we say it is.good luck

 

i dont know if you care or not, but the value of the car dosnt mean anything to me. You said u like ur T-Tops and 5spd, sounds to me like u need to beef up the base model. You can clone a GTA relativly easy. I would go find a wrecked 4th gen, get the LSX and T-56 out of it, get a posi/disc rear end, and call it a day. You will love that combo more than anythign else, and you could probably do it if you shopped around enuff. I dont know how knolegable you are or anything, you could also sell old parts from the LO3 car when doing the upgrades, ppl like to buy T-5's and whatnot, id beef up the LO3, who cares how rare the GTA is. Do what you will enjoy more, not what is "worth" more to the world.

 

What do you want to do? That's the most important factor.

Base Firebird vs GTA is a no brainer. The GTA is a completely different car in stock form. The feel will be completely different, and you'll know the difference. Hardtop cars tend to hold up better over time, less squeeks, less rattles, etc. Also you're not going to find a Ttop 5.7L 92 GTA, it wasn't offered. Same with the 5spd, it wasn't available. To bring your base model Firebird up to the standards set by a 92 GTA, you're going to spend a lot of time tracking down parts, and more time installing them. When you're done spending the money and time, you'll have a modified base model. The collector value, and even resale value will be higher for a REAL GTA. Do what you want, but a GTA is a GTA, a Firebird is just a Firebird and that's all it will ever be.

 

Drew has a point, the GTA has goodies that the base firebird does not have, like 16" rims, WS6 Suspension... It think ultimately its a better car to own, but thats me.

John

 

It goes a lot deeper then just the stuff you think about right off the top... 140mph speedometer, leather wrap steering wheel, shifter, ebrake, etc... The GTA has pretty much all the nice features standard, like cruise, the fully adjustable seats, etc...

 

Car still ain't worth crap, check the last 3 Formulas on eBay with super low miles and super clean and no bids.

John, again, where can I see some photos of your cars as your site does not contain them? Andrew

 

Hey guys, thanks for all the input but right now i think I will just keep my car and save the cash for a wrecked 4th gen. sounds like the best course of action to me. I love my car, i love my t tops, i love my 5spd. Overall these things make my car enjoyable to drive. Im think I am going to go ahead and paint it black and mod the crap out of it this summer (already have the paint job confirmed at this private place my father knows) and use the money I'd of spent on the GTA and get my LSX T56 combo. My cousin has a 4th gen and works at a Porsche specialty place where they get rich guys with 15 cars to get them to put turbos in.

Although i don't know much about the LS1 swaps (ive read a lot of the stuff on the boards but I am still having a hard time distinguishing what I can use stock and what I can't use) my cousin said he'd put the elbow grease in with me.

I think I like the look of that super pro hood they make for the firebirds that hawks sells but its expensive and I am really not sure how it would look in the long run. Anyone ever seen one of these on an 80s bird?

Once again thanks for the support and feedback!

Mike

 

Actually I have one pic of my vert on the site, and I should have an older pic in the 1987 section. What are you looking for?

John

 

super duty is what i meant, oops

 

hey listen man i would go for othe gta i personally own a 1991 firebird gta but with a manual tranny with a 5.0l 305 which i love....but if as some of these guys said if you want money for it after u cant take out all the parts soo keep it original

 

At 190k miles I'd at least want to drive the car before I bought it, it may look good but could sound like a rattle-trap going down the road. Rare or not i'ts still an 17 year old car with high miles.

I'd look for something closer to home that I could inspect a little bit before I plunked down my money.


Just my opinion.

 

Don't mean to be rude, but did neither of you notice that this thread is over 4 months old? I'd bet the guy has made his mind up by now ... and either way the GTA is probably long gone.

 

yeah i kept my car, thanks for the reply though

 

Btw What happened with the Gta Deal anyways? let it go?

 

pretty much!

 

Ok, now I will chime in and shouldnt get flamed too much. DO NOT buy a third gen as a investment. Even with low miles it is a waste of money. Get it to drive the hell out of it and have fun. If you are getting it to make fast buy a 02 with a ls1. Cheaper in the long run. I love thirds and when I see guys who dont drive there cars I laugh. They were produced for 9 years, tons were made, they will never be worth that much. Maybe in 100 years, but too many were made for to long. Also, there was nothing special about the cars. Maybe the TTA, but thats it. If you want a GTA get it. But, it not a investment, and it will break down, it is a 17 year old car. The o2 came with a LS6, it was the last of the breed, they are fast and made faster easy. I have a 02 Formula, auto. 420 made, less then the special edition or the Firehawk. I drive the hell out of it, and have never seen anther like it.

 

Have to disagree. They did make a lot, but they were the begining of making some power again afte the 70's, They were a whole new breed of styling, they are the end of the 1st gen small blocks, there are a whole slew of reasons.

Actually people reasoning like you are just going to help the value of them go up. The ones that arent worth anything are either in a yard or will be there in the next few years. They are getting old. The 305 TPI 5 speed t-tops will be worth a few bucks, the 350 t-tops will be, the G92's will, obviously 1LE's, the Z03's, There are a whole slew of desireable models that they didnt really make that many of that will probobly worth a good deal in a few years. Im not saying 6 figures, but they are gaining in value and will be just as valuble as other gens soon.

 

Amen also have to disagree with what you said about third gens not going up rideon. All Third gens are going up in value.. just more people are getting into them. thats the way things work for most classic cars. most are getting 25 years or older now and people are wanting what they had back in the good ole' days :-) I have to say i have seen an Extreme appreciation of good low mile examples in terms of price. when I bought My Iroc-z it was 7500$ pushing it 2 years ago. Now the same car on the market is atleast a 10-12k car just from its mileage/iroc-z example. another example is the second gen camaro's. Look how much those have spiked up in price. especially low mileage well taken care of cars. Time will tell and it is almost guaranteed they will go up.

I also have to say the 5 speed cars are going to always be the most valuable cars to. I mean of course theres nothing like driving a 5 speed 305 Tpi Iroc-z

 

Its interesting to see that many people think that these cars will never be worth anything... Of course back in the 70's & 80's (some of you do not remember) but 1st gens were once considered Hillbilly Transportation... And now look at what they are worth...

I think most people that get into these cars get an LG4, LO3 or a V6 and realize that there is no value in these cars with those engines and assume immediatly that none of these cars will be worth anything. "There are TONS of cars made" Well there were about as many 1957 Chevies made in ONE YEAR as they made camaros from 1982-1992... Also There were almost 700,000 1st Gen Camaros made for only three years but there were only 1.5 Million 3rd Gen camaros made over 11 years... But only slightly more than 800,000 3rd Gen Firebirds... So the high production numbers do not count...

There is no performance... Sorry to say that the Fastest F-bodies (in stock trim) were the 1991-1992 Firehawk, and the 1989 Turbo Trans AM... PLUS third Gens handled better than ALL other generations, so on a track in stock trim the fastest Third Gen should outperform all other "Fastest" of any other generation.

Also there is a misconception that cars from the 60's were all low 13 second cars... Unfortunately that was not the case by far, only a very few were in the 14's and only a select handful of cars that were specially built by the factory for racing were really faster than that. Truth of the matter a Bone stock L98 car should be able to compete well with most of the "Muscle Cars" of the 60's, comparible options... Put the cars on a nice road course and a 3rd gen will dominate them...

All in all we really have nothing to be ashamed of, 3rd Gens are starting to win Car shows, there coming into their own they are some of the sexiest cars made in the 80's to boot, and not to mention some of the sexiest cars made ever IMHO...

Enough of the soapbox...

John

 

I never doubted them going up , I truly believe they WILL and lots of people still deny it. I don't care though, because I'm gonna keep my car for a while so it will be worth money later on in life no matter what... In fact, my father truly sees them as old ragedy cars and doesn't think to much of a high mileage car. But I truly see it. I give it 5 years before they start to really take off.

 

Many of the cars are beginning to take off, once the low miles cars are snatched up, the higher miles cars & Drivers will begin to take off even faster than they are now. Once all of the nice drivers are gone the parts cars will start to increase...

I can still buy on occasion a $500 beater... 7 years ago that same car was $250... Of course part of that is inflation caused by over taxation and too many free lunches by what only appears to be a generous government, who ultimately only serve themselves and hurt the people... Sorry, I should stay out of politics.

John

 

On occasion i can find a nice beater also, just hard to come by now.

 

I'd say do it up. Personally dont like t/as except for the 91 92. I'm 18 as well and I've had 7 cars since 15 and I'm sick of it so don't get in to the "have a car for a little while and get another" just keep collectin and improvin... dnt worry bout resell value