I got my '84 T/A Recaro edition from the local junk car lot (Berl's auto sales, LOL) for $2500 2 years ago. It was all stock, in kind of rough shape. I've since had the stock 305 rebuilt, radiator redone, and had the seats reupholstered (cost over $400, but they're beautiful!!) Now I have like $7000 in it, due to various problems, but it still needs headliner, carpet, paint and decals. Still a lot cheaper than the only other Recaro I've seen in person ($17,000 for a perfect 5-speed). I probably have the only daily driver recaro in the state.

Where did you guys buy your 3rd gens? Get any amazing deals on them?

 

I made money by getting my '91. I wheel & deal constantly....I LOVE Craigslist.

My 91's story:

I bought a P.O.S. Toyota Tercel for $500. About 3-4 months later I traded it even swap for a '79 Trans Am. About 4-5 months after I got the 79 I discovered that it had a bent front sub frame. I traded the 79 for my 91 + $750 cash.

At the moment I'm working on a really sweet deal that I cannot disclose the details on at this time. But, I should have another thirdgen in my driveway by Monday with no $$$ out of pocket.

 

i got my 85 iroc in 1989 from the local chevy dealer. it had 64,000 miles on it and it looked like it had never been sat down in. the original sales contract was still in the car from the original owner. his payments back in 85 was $360.00 for 5 years and that was with $2k down and a camaro traded in. it has been a great car now with 173,000 miles on it. i rarely drive it now but it starts every time. and i do start it and let it come up to normal temp. it aint going no where. steve best i can remember i paid $6900.00 for the car

 

It was 1989.....My parents had a Corvette that just wasn't fitting the 3 of us. I was getting too big. So my step dad went out looking at F-bodies. At the time I was hoping he'd bring home a blue IROC with 5 speed, T-tops, and those window louvers that used to come on the back windows of F-bodies (forgive me, I was much younger then).

Imagine my surprise and disappointment when he brought home a black solid roof GTA with an automatic and normal back window.

Well you know what? The GTA grew on me fairly quick. I liked the deluxe'ness of it and they seemed rare compared to IROC's even back then. I also really liked the bright orange guages at night. My parents had bought an '82 Z28 when they came out although they didn't keep it long. And I was a huge fan of the Player's Challenge series. Having gone to the races whenever I could. So I had always enjoyed 3rd gens. But this was my first time really looking at the Pontiacs. Liking the interior better.

It was a summer car from day one. So it's always been low miles. Well fast forward a decade or so. Parents rarely drove the GTA as it was a weekend only deal and they would invariably end up too busy in the summertime or they'd simply drive one of their regular year round cars and not bother to insure it since they drove it so infrequently.

When my step dad saw a 2002 black Firehawk coupe at the dealer with automatic, black leather. Essentially the same thing as the GTA except newer and with T-tops, he mentioned he was going to trade the GTA in.

1) I knew the dealer would give him jack even though the car only had 35,000 kms on it.
2) I'd grown attached to the car. So I bought it off them.

Interesting story? Here's one for you. The guy that bought the GTA originally traded in an '88 Cadillac Allante and $11,000 for the GTA. (talk about getting hosed). He drove the GTA for one week and took it back. Not his liking. He then bought a Jeep. Hey if that's what he liked, then good for him. The original bill of sale price on the GTA was nearly $32,000 cdn. A lot of money back in 1989.

 

Where people got their car or the deals they got doesn't follow the idea of History/Restoration for the 3rd gens so this will be watched. This is a tech only site, not an open chat forum.

 

bought my iroc as a parts car from a buddy for a grand with no wheels didnt run and all the breaks were shot and spent months everyday after school working on it now i drive it daily and its getting ready for paint in late may. the cool thing is they didnt even realize it was a fully loaded 1990 iroc with the 5.7 and damn near every option except leather oh well my score

 

Bought My 85 camero for 600 bucks off my math teacher, and drove it home. a tune up later i got one large speding ticket and they took 6 points off my license 200 more dollers for that one. any way it still runs but is parked now for lack of an exhaust system. the neighbors love that.

 

I had 3 third gens. first one was a 1987 firebird 2.8L. I bought from a guy at work for 1,000 Bucks. Second one was a 1987 Formula with a 5.7L I was looking at a local garage sale and there it was with boxes and clothing for sale laying on top of the car. just for the hell of it I asked if he was selling it and what do ya know 1,500 bucks and I bought it. and now 1989 Trans am GtA 5.7L. Bought of Craglist and had it ever since

 

I prolly have the best story... I will share at the right time.. Thanx Greg !

 

My bud the car nut across the street always comes across something daily in his work as a auto body tech. Seems his bud and dad who lives in NC have a auto wholesale license and bring up all kinds of cars from NC to NY to resell.

One day he brought home a 84 Z-28 mint virgin body mint interior fully loaded with t-tops and it had a bad r-700 trans. Even the a/c was converted to 134!
He bought it for his kid who turned 16. Well he went thru the car tuned it up , put a new matching set of Goodyears on it, had a bud build a new tranny and he did a bunch of TLC items and the car was ready for the kid !
Well it seems the kid wasn't with the program at school and was screwing up so the Mommy and head boss sez.....NO pass......NO license or car !
Stupid kid!
The car sat for 8 months ready to ride and the kid was still screwing up so my bud wanted to sell it and buy a truck !

I was looking for a new play toy for my fleet and finally ask him....HOW MUCH?
Well the deal was done and I paid a measly $1500 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Car needed NOTHING and I have done nothing but drive and enjoy and the only work its required in 3 years is oil changes and a new heater core!

And NO I do not drive it in the winter either! I have a pickup,
Cadillac and a winter beater to ride while the Z sleeps next to
my GTO, Triumph and other summer toyz in the barn!

A deal or what ???????????????

 

I think the problem is that there is no forum to just have general chit chat on this site. The only way to do that is through the regional boards but not enough people traffic through there. I hate to say it, but with the amount of closed threads popping up in the history section and others because they are too general, i think TGO needs another forum just for random chit chat that hopefully still has a third gen focus but doesnt fit into any of the other forums already present.

 

I got my '89 Firebird for a straightup trade for my '86 Jeep Cherokee Cheif with the Chevy 2.8 in it and automatic ,it was a crap Jeep Just Empty Every Pocket, I have owned the car for 7 years now with only changeing normal wear and tear items .

 

There are plenty of other message boards that have general chit chat forums. TGO prides itself on being a tech only message board. I personally enjoy reading posts that are relative to the subject and not have to sift thru the garbage of general chit chat. It has been looked at before and the decision has been made that TGO will not have a general forum. Is this post considered general chit chat?

 

I think this thread can be useful to others to decide if the car they are looking at getting would be a good deal or not by seeing what other members have gotten there cars for or how they got them and in what shape they got them in .

 

I traded a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse 5 spd. GST key-for-key for my 92 RS 3.1. It was oxidized green w/gray primer, but now it's gloss black with a silver center section in the hood.

 

There are other threads similar to this one, why do we need another?

Not trying to be the TGO **** here, I just think it is time to realize that this type of discussion has nothing to really benefit the history board. Honestly it is actually a very interesting read, and sometimes fun, but it negates the purpose of the boards...

Sorry.