First off, let me say that I know that this is in the wrong board, but I looked for 10 minutes trying to find a fitting board, and just wanted to find a decent one so a Mod can put it in the right spot.

Anyway, I got my Learner's Permit 10 days ago, and my dad has been asking what I want for my first car (So he can save up to buy it when I hit 16). I told him a Third Gen Camaro, and he said that I picked a great car because it is hitting that age to where it will start to be a classic, and because they are in general great cars. I have been looking at classifieds for Camaros and I was wondering what kind of what years/trim packages I should look out for, what things to avoid, and just basically a young idiot's guide to buying a Third Gen Camaro. I want to be educated on these cars when it comes time to buying one, and I want to learn if nothing else just because the cars themselves are entertaining to talk and know about.

Help me out guys?

 

Look for top-of-the-line cars with top-of-the-line drive trains for their year, and well-optioned.

Avoid 6-cyl cars, ones with LG4 (base 4-barrel) or L03 (TBI 305). Get ones THAT CAME WITH 350, 305 TPI w 5-spd, or L69 esp w 5-spd. For a 305 TPI auto car to make the cut it would have to be DAMN FINE in every possible aspect: color, PRIMO condition, all possible options.

DO NOT believe somebody that claims their car has a 350 without documentation (CASTING NUMBERS ON THE BLOCK ONLY), especially if they hand you either the "out of a Vette" or the "runs too good to be a 305" lines. Both are BALD-FACED LIES and a SURE indication you are about to be ripped off. Do not walk away, RUN.

Personally I prefer Camaro, as the straight-up American no-frills hotrod. I don't like the Firebird as much because it's just a watered-down Camaro with more weight added and lots of gaudy over-the-top juvenile "looks" features that just ... don't.... DO IT ... for me (nostrils, screaming imaginary bird decals, a nose that's several inches longer than Camaro for no apparent reason, and so on). Others will no doubt feel differently, as is their right.

Avoid ones that have been "upgraded" to any significant degree. It's AHELLUVALOT harder for a first-time hobbyust to debug somebody else's project gone awry, than to start out with a clean slate. Only advantage to buying a "modded" car is that the mods are basically free; any aftermarket parts anybody buys, basically get devalued to ZERO by being bolted to a car. (one of these or any other kind)

Keep your money in your pocket until THE PERFECT car comes along. Do not "settle". There are SO MANY of these cars in the world, good ones are EVERYWHERE. Where you are you don't even have to worry about rust, old cars' worst enemy. There's PLENTY out there and don't let anybody tell you otherwise, especially not somebody trying to sell you one.

 

Third gen Camaro is THE pick for a first car. It meets all the criteria: Beautiful, fun to drive, and cheap.

You may want to start off with a lower model, then work your way up. These things aren't exactly screaming Ferraris, but the highest performance models are powerful enough to get you in trouble.

Just do you homework and make sure you get one that isn't rusted away.

 

As far as modding goes, I will not settle for some retarded paintjob, but I was thinking that I could deal some of the the awful wheels some people put on their 'Maros. I could sell those and use that money to buy some nice factory wheels in good shape from a parts car. I firmly believe in historical accuracy. (I.E. I won't put IROC-Z wheels on a '91 RS)

And yes, I am lucky I don't live near the coast, because I'm sure that 3rd Gen F-Bodies were hot beach buggies and they'd get lots of sun and salt time.

@eseibel67 I am looking for, preferably a Z28, but I just want a 350 auto. And I do NOT have a heavy foot. I touched a gas pedal for the first time ever on the Fam's Suburban and the 350 Vortec in it lurched forward like it wanted to just eat the curb. My dad thought it was hilarious.

 

As a father with a 15 year old son, I would never let him get a car with a ton of power. Get a car that looks nice and is reliable, and easy to work on (like the v6 camaros) and you can drive that safely until you have the driving experience and maturity to handle a car with more power. Your insurance rates will be a ton lower too.

I drive a V6 every day. The 5 speed makes it seem peppy because of the way the rear end is geared, but I would never say it has any real power at all.

but it does look damn good, and isn't' that more important for a young driver?

BTW, I also have a suburban with a 350, and you're right, it does have a lot of torque off the line. The imagine more power than that in a body that weighs 1000 pounds less. Not the kind of temptation a young driver needs. Be glad you're dad is considering a third gen, but if he's smart, he'll steer you away from the powerhouse cars. for now...

 

Of all third gens, that's the top banana.

 

Look for good weatherstripping, no rust, good paint, no body damage etc... Unless that is out of the budget. If you can find a super nice clean v6 that may be the best bet for now. You can always throw a 350 into it down the road. Don't settle for something with a "350" if the body is shot.

 

I have considered that about the torque and insurance. And I would not be tempted to stomp the gas because I am, for lack of a better term, a WEENIE. I am not reckless at ALL, and I have not even gotten on a roadway yet, because I would feel I would wreck the car because of my inexperience.

And yes, I have considered the power of a car with about a metric ton off it's total weight! Along with my insurance. I just hate that you can't prove yourself as a risky or unsafe driver without driving without accidents for a couple of years.

I would get a V6 but my dad has always preferred V8's over V6's because V6's have always been unreliable and have problems. That on top of the fact that I have not seen a V6 3rd Gen yet.

And I do not mean to sound cocky, or too confident in any way, but I am not the average reckless teenager that everyone sees today. I do not walk around with ear buds in my ears, I do not act like a pervert around girls or when referring to girls, I do not make stupid jokes, and I know my limits and I have common sense to know when and when not to do things. I grew up with a humble life, and I am very much more down to earth than many other kids of my generation. In fact, I can't stand the idiot kids of my generation.

 

Lucky me lol.

I don't feel I have the coordination to drive a car like that with a stick, and I naturally prefer an auto.

And SDTransAM, I don't think that I would like to throw out a couple G's for a 350 when, If I had bought that in the first place, those dollars could be used for other things, like restoring the car. I could have a FIELD day new getting parts from Hawks, random parts cars, and JC Whitney with that kind of money.

 

And I didn't mean to imply you were a typical teen, but The fact is the insurance company is going to rape you if you try to insure a high horsepower camaro as your first car. The saving grace my be you might be able to declare you main car is the suburban, but yet drive any car in your family plan. (that's what my state farm rep is going to do when my son turns 16 this summer)

I love my 2.8 V6. People who leave them stock and just take care of them as is rarely have problems. My car has close to 200K and it still runs and drives like brand new.

 

That is what we where thinking of doing, adding the family car as my main car. We are actually buying a second car around the time of next week, and it will be a sedan of some sort, so that might be an even better option. And we have Geico, so I do not know how that much that will be.

 

Funny thing is when you find your self in a Third gen, I don't care if its a 350, iroc, V6 your going to WANT TO GET ON IT! And your a kid, when i got my first Iroc I was a grown woman and that did not stop me from wanting to have fun in my Camaro.
So get something that looks good, be cool and stay off the gas!!! Any tickets before 25 will count against you! Best wishes in your search

 

honestly( coming from a kid who just got his license not ever 7 months ago) start out with a v6. i bought my car when i was 14 for $250, standard v6/auto, beat to hell, needed alot of money but i enjoyed the last 3 almost 4 years of building it. even after all the money iv put into my car and time i would do it all over again if i had too because it taught me everything and made me respect my car. you say your sensible and wont get in it but i can garentee your just like all of us gearheads here, the minute you have someone pull up beside you or your alone your going to want to stomp the hell out of any car you get into. and honestly im loving all the v6 hate here. i can put my little v6 sideways by stomping it, they have alittle power and some torque, but its enought to get you into trouble and a few oh shi^ moments....trust me.... but honestly look for a rust free car and one thats running.


edit: funny thing, i got offered a 350 vortech out of a 96 suburban for my car lol, oh my lol

 

Oh, and if your avatar is your '89 RS, when did they stop painting the headlight pockets black? I'm thinking '91? I much prefer them black. And can you have them painted black if they are not?

 

It's fun to see a woman enjoying Camaros too.

Thank you for the advice, I'll try to only get my fast fix in a discreet place like a parking lot where I won't endanger anyone or get a ticket.

 

painting buckets black is easy, and one of the best improvements you can do to make a base model car a little dressier.

 

Get the cleanest V8 car you can. Don't worry what model it is, just make sure it's a V8. The lower output V8s are slugs so you won't get in trouble with those anyway, and who knows--in fifteen years you just might decide to hang onto that slug even if you're in a position to get something that's theoretically much better/more valuable.

What matters most is that it's clean. A clean low output car will be much more rewarding than a high output turd. You can't polish a turd-especially on a high school budget--keep that in mind.

 

First off, welcome to the board and its great that you are wanting a thirdgen camaro. I started off with a v-6 camaro with a 5-spd as my first thirdgen. It was wrecked before I bought it and someone put it back together. Car looked sharp. Nice shiny paint and red interior. Didnt have too many problems with it. Never did ride right though. The way I look at it is, if its been wrecked, they're never the same as before. No matter how good the body guy is. Got rid of that one and got another camaro with a v-6 and auto trans. Wish I never bought it. All it did was break down and had to sink more money in it. Got rid of that one and now I have a 350 tpi iroc. Never own a v-6 camaro again. Even though that v-6 camaros are good starter cars, me, I would stay away from them. Get a v-8 car. You wont regret it. Doenst have to be tpi or top of the line car, just a good runner. Look for rust on the floor boards, fender wells and the hatch well. Dont buy the first one you see either. Look at quite a few and then deciede. Like sofakingdom said, dont take someone word for it that they say its a 350 car. Plenty of info on this site to let you know what the car actually is that you are looking at. Just play it smart when looking at one and look over the car really good and ask us if something doesnt seem right. Good luck looking.

 

I've been enjoying them longer then most of the kids in here! LOL
Maybe longer then most third gen owners..Haha There is a lady in my neighbor hood, retirement area that has a 91 vert with a TPI in it and she is close to 80 years old. I asked her if she ever though about selling it she said no! when I am dead my Son will take over and enjoy it. It is mint, like it just drove off the car lot. Sweet lady to. She said when she bought it new off the lot it was the best chevy there!!!

 

^^ THIS Is why I don't want a V6. I would spend money on too many repairs, and, come on. A Camaro with a V6 is like a vanilla ice cream cone when you could've had a chocolate one with nuts. Sure the vanilla is cheaper, but you will enjoy the chocolate and nuts more. Along with the bragging rights of owning a chocolate cone with nuts.

That is cool. An 80 year old lady in a 91 convertible Camaro. (You mean convertible when you say vert, right?) I can imagine the old guys staring at that car on Bingo night lol.

I know it is unflattering, if not insulting to ask a lady her age, but how old are you, since you mentioned a retirement community?

 

My vote is for a carbed 82-87 LG4 car. They're cheap, and offer modern 4 cylinder-like performance with the sound and low maintenance cost of a V8. Plus you won't feel as bad when you total it out as you would if you had totaled a valuable TPI car.

It's your first car, so you might as well start with a turd. Then you can get something nice when you learn how to drive.

 

First of all I just want to shake your hand (if I could) for having good grammar, good taste in cars, your maturity, etc etc for a young kid. It seems my generation (I'm 22) can't even form a complete sentence let alone act like decent people and I didn't expect the next generation to be any better lol. So congrats on being better than the other 90%

But back on topic...

If it were me, I would just stick with a V8 car. They aren't anything over the top for a 16 yr old to handle and when you get the mod bug, you will already have a good base to start with. My first car was an 87 Trans Am with the LG4 305 4bbl and it did the job for me. I never got in trouble with it and I am a pretty spirited driver. It was by no means fast but It was a V8 T/A and that's all I cared about. You'll be much happier with a V8 car I promise you.

Now I'm not really a camaro guy but If I had to choose, it would be any 85-92 V8 RS, Z28, or IROC-Z. I would personally opt for a 91-92 Z-28, those were by far my favorite camaros ever.

Have fun with your first 3rd gen!!

 

Isn't that the truth! Between him and the other quality n00b asking about the black IROC purchase, this site's stock just went up a couple points.

 

i would say get a any clean v-8 no reason to have a v-6,do it right the first time. another thing to loook for is cracks around the steering box where it bolts to the frame, i recently went to look at a roller for racing and thanks to this website i noticed the cracks and they were to much for me to deal with.anywys good luck on your hunt and post some pics of what you get.

 

There is nothing wrong with a new driver having a V8. This person sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders. Will he screw up and do something stupid with the car? Yep! We all have. And it doesn't matter if it's a V8 or a V6, the stupid actions are there. My first car was an 83 Z28 (in 1985). I totaled it 10 days after I got my license due to inexperience. An 18 wheeler didn't yield at a cross street and I didn't start braking sooner. Inexperience! The replacement car was an 82 Cross Fire Z28 that was fire engine red with ttops. I got in trouble all the time because I was a teenager in a red Camaro! Not because I did anything wrong, but the police wanted to make a point I guess. Just be careful on the color and you'll be fine.

My suggestion is to get an IROC-Z with the TPI engine or a 91/92 Z28. If you get a clean one to start with, you'll try harder to keep it clean and won't do as many stupid things that might mess it up! Just be careful and enjoy the car.

 

I nearly wrecked my V6 Camaro the first time it rained and I tried to get onto a freeway on-ramp.

If I had a V8 the car would of been in the weeds without a doubt.

I'd give you a 10% chance of not wrecking a 350, no matter how "careful" you think you.

To add - this reminds me of so many threads on the motorcycle forums about people trying to justify a 600cc super sport for their first motorcycle. Yes, people have survived it and there are people that say "just keep your throttle hand under control and you'll be fine", but you know what, most of the people end up with a wrecked bike in the end,

 

Personally, my first car was an 89 RS 2.8 I got in 98. It was gorgeous, and too slow to get in any trouble. After I got my 91 RS in 06, with a 305 TBI 5 speed, I can highly recommend a TBI as a first car. Why?

NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS AND HEADACHES My TBI had 119k when I sold it. After 5 years and 12k miles, I never had an SES light come on. My 2 TPI Trans Ams did it all the time, randomly. My IROC's turned on the other day, then just as magically turned off.

First time driver? Buy a '91-'92 RS 305 TBI and call it a day. Less headaches, decent MPG, and a later car tends to have better build quality on top of being a newer car, period.

 

Oh I don't live in the retirement area the 80 year old lady does. I live near the area and see her cruising it. Talked to her at the corner store one day.
And your right a lady never tells her age!!! Haha Old enough to know better, young enough to do it!!

 

Seriously? 5 years and 12k miles, that's it? I put that much on my 1990 Firebird V6 in one summer driving it around the country.

 

This is true, though it can be good or bad. The other day when I pulled mine out of storage, I drove over to the old man's house and as soon as I pulled in the driveway it died inexplicably, including all the lights. Then when I tried to start it I just got a single loud "Pfffffffff" sound and that was it (never heard anything like it, it was as if the car was disgusted by something every time I turned the key), no cranking, no clicking, nothing. No idea what it was, stayed that way for about 10 minutes and numerous tries and then all of a sudden she fired right up and has been fine since. Given the lights turned off I can rule out a fuel issue, but it's odd the SES light didn't trip.

Do get a V8 car though, OP, regardless of model. I do second buying one of the later ones, the early cars just don't get much love and I think the later ones look better.

 

Hahaha your car didn't like storage? Also I've had my first car for 9 months now and I don't think a 305 w/ 5speed is too much for a teenager (given they are responsible). The most power to be obtained from a stock third gen would be 230ish crank hp, given you lose 10% and another 5% from it being an auto, that's really not that much hp. Hell, my mom's subaru baja can keep up with my car when I rip through the gears, and it only has 165 hp and a 4speed (My car doesn't burn oil when you floor it though :P)

 

You guys just made my day.

And as far as color goes, there are a lot of black 'Maros here, and I love that color. Silver, white, and black are my 3 favorite colors for 3rd Gens. There is one guy on here who has a completely blacked out Camaro with not smoked, but black taillights and let me tell you, stranger whose name I cannot remember, that your car is SICK. It looks better than any Black Formula or KITT. (IMO)

And Amorget, Not really relevant to your post, but I will never get on a motorcycle unless undoubtedly necessary. Scared to death of riding on those I-beams with engines and wheels. And not to bash you or anything, but you seem to be basing my possible driving skills on YOUR previous driving skills. Camaros are notorious for being poor handlers in bad weather like rain and snow. (Luckily we don't often get snow down here in the Peach State!) I also don't see how cars are automatically considered speed demons because they have a big block in them. Cars with large ci engines can have the same amount of acceleration off the line as, say a VW Beetle. You just have to adjust to how much pressure you apply to the accelerator. You have to press more on a small engine, and less on a big block. How old were you when you drove that V6 Camaro, and what had you driven before that?

My future Camaro will be my FIRST car. My dad has already assured me of that lol. I am learning to drive in a 1999 GMC Suburban with a tuned 350 Vortec in it. I will be more suited to driving a 350 Camaro when that time comes. Even though the Camaro will be around a ton lighter than the GMC, I will be more prepared for the pure torque and power of Camaro than if I had learned in a V6 Toyota. Practice makes perfect and nothing beats experience. And remember, I will have around another 8 months or so to practice in the family SUV before we actually start seriously looking to buy one of these cars.

 

Like I mentioned earlier, a responsible teen can handle these cars very easily. I learned to drive in NJ. My Camaro was my daily driver. I drove it in rain and snow! I was also a volunteer rescue worker in high school. I would drive that car in all weather conditions to get to the scene of an accident or whatever. With posi, the rear would slide out on wet roads, but if you learn to drive that car, and learn to handle the car, the weather won't be an issue either.

Like you said, just because some people couldn't handle a Camaro or Trans Am as a first car doesn't mean all people can't

 

Thank you for your logical words!

And, if I may ask, what are you doing in Florida if you grew up in NJ? Didn't like the climate?

 

This guy has a good head on his shoulders. He thinks ahead. Anyway, Its good that your practicing on that suburban. Since its a bigger vehicle and has power, you wont have any problems driving a camaro when you get one. My very first car was a 76 chrysler newport. The thing was a land yacht, probably about as long and wide as that suburban, but it prepared me for driving anything. I ended up hitting a deer with it. Sucks because I loved that car. Ended up getting a 74 charger after that and got rear ended in it. Thats when I got my first thirdgen. Havent looked back since. Just make sure you get a v-8 camaro. I regreted every moment with the 2 v6 camaros I first bought.

 

I've been all over. Grew up in NJ, moved to PA, then moved to Michigan for the USAF, moved to Minnesota and now I'm in Florida. I've tried moving to Northern VA twice in the past 10 years, but never made it. If I can get out of Florida, it wouldn't be too soon!!!

 

The car was broken, apart and being restored longer than it was ever driven The good thing is the new owners in FL got a helluva ride...

 

USAF? That's really cool, man. I love meeting people who've been in the military. There is just always something interesting about them.

And thanks jerm, it means a lot to be complemented by you guys when I'm just a young idiot getting into the enthusiast sport annoying a bunch of gear heads. Also, the '76 Newport looks like an awesome car. My parents used to own a 1979-1982 4-door Mercury Marquis. (Can't remember the year because this was 7+ years ago) It was cream in color and had a brown landau. Got crappy gas mileage and dad was not fond of the car because he is a GM guy, but the car was reliable. Sold it for, I think $1500-2000-ish to a black guy who was buying for his friend who wanted one like he had. Never seen it since, but I imagine it has "twenty fo's" on it.

 

Now, when I DO get my Camaro sometime late 2012 or early 2013, will you guys help me fix and clean it up?

 

Depends on how much fixing you want to do

 

However much she needs to look sharp and clean.

Of course I won't need help with absolutely EVERYTHING. Just stuff like part-buying advice and fixes for odd problems.

 

This site gives great advice, even to guys with poor manners, so you shouldn't have a problem getting help.

Just be careful. Rumbling V8's are constantly begging you to mash the gas. I'm 30 years older than you are, I know better, and I still succumb to the temptation. Every time I take it out.

 

Speaking from experience, find the cleanest car you can for the price you want to pay, and don't worry about displacement. Automatics are easy to come by. When I started driving a few years ago my first car was a 1986 Trans Am, 305 TPI, very well optioned car...but it needed a lot of work...its currently still in the restoration phase and hasn't yet seen the open road with me behind the wheel! My second car (first DD) was a very basic and very clean 1991 Firebird with the "dreaded" LO3 305. Like you I am not a hotrodder, and I can believe you can resist temptation to get on the gas. The LO3 car has enough power to satisfy me, is very clean (except some faded paint) and is actually easier to work on than my Tuned Port car (more room in the engine bay!) My advice to you is to find yourself a clean, reliable, LO3 car and enjoy it as it is. Fix it up, use it to learn about these cars, then when the right 350 IROC comes along you can upgrade, or add it to the stable. No need to rush, a TBI 305 3rd gen is a great first daily driver.
Also nice to see someone younger than me who wants to keep cars original, many in my age group (early 20s) look at me like I have 6 heads when I say I'm keeping my car all factory, I even pulled out the expensive stereo my car came with to replace it with a stock tape deck.

 

First, do yourself a favor, get a job, save up, and help with the price of the car so you can get one that's in good to very good shape unless you want a fixer upper. These cars are in their 20s-30s and it will pay off to get a good one right from the start, alot less trouble. Chances are you'll be replacing stuff no matter what. Go over everything when you go to see the car and be skeptical about everything that the owner says. Stay on here until then and read as much as possible. Second, if you don't want to get too much attention, especially from the law (if it's nice and has a little sound it will regardless) you might want to stay away from the brighter colors as they will attract more attention. If you don't care about that, just be careful. Third, get a V8, any V8. SBC no matter what. An 89-92 305 TBI RS is a very good starter car. If you don't like those for some reason, an 85-92 305 TBI Z28 or IROC-Z would do and be even better. Check the Tech Data on the main page for years, combinations, and power ratings. Honestly, I wouldn't put a 305 or 350 TPI car in the hands of a beginner. Especially the L98 or the G92 version of each. These cars can handle very good and TPI is very torquey especially. Everyone is different, but many an idiot has not understood just what they can do. I'd get some experience before switching to one of them unless you are serious about not wanting to drive fast.....which will probably change right after you get the car. Treat it good and it should treat you good. If it doesn't, keep treating it good until it does.

 

I’m 16 and bought my Camaro about a month ago. I’m glad that I bought the Camaro. Mine is a 91 z28 T-top with a 305 auto. Since it is a 91, it has a driverside airbag aswell. I wanted the 350, but couldn’t pass up this deal. My 305 has plenty of torque and power, however it's not the fastest car on the road, but trust me, it is plenty fast enough to get you in trouble.

If you can find a 350 that is in good shape, go for it. Just know that every time you drive it, there is a little guy under your hood taunting you to step on the throttle, and you are the only one that can control your temptation.

If I were you I would find a good shape 305 car for a good deal, instead of a decent 350 car, and spend the difference on looks. Such as new paint, some nice wheels, etc. You should look into T-Tops as well. That is my favorite feature of my third gen.

As a high school owner of a nice z28, it’s wonderful. The girls love the car, the guys think it’s cool, hell even teachers ask me about it. Also it's nice to leave school and drive to a local cruise in car show. Not many other students have a car "cool" enough to do that.


On an ending note, thanks for having good grammar and being mature. It's almost embarrassing to post our age on online forums due to the fact everyone assumes you are some idiot that just wants to disgrace these cars, race them, and make the whole third gen community look bad.

You can't buy a better first car. Heres mine

 

That's really nice for a first car. Also cool to hear how the Third Gen is being appreciated by today's younger high school generation!

 

I know that the temptation demon will slowly come outta the engine and start teasing me once I get used to the car, but I will have to resist for me and my car's sake.

Taking out that expensive Alpine would allow you to sell it and use that money to buy wheels, weatherstripping, and whatever you want! Originality increases it's value tremendously.

I plan to get a job when I can, and use my paycheck to buy parts and restore that baby.

I know right? I hate telling people my age because I automatically get lumped with my nutjob generation.

That is one SWEET Camaro, dude. Love that color. And I'm assuming you positioned it perfectly to get that flash near the T-Tops?

And oh, I would be hard-pressed to get a hardtop Third Gen. T-tops are a must.

I'll tell you, it's pretty rare.

 

Go for it .just be reponsible.may I recommend an 87 l98 iroc. comes with g92 stock,the best factory rims and ground effects without all those fake air holes.If not just make sure whatever u get is a v8(mpg ain't to bad on my 350) and g92 to try and avoid the peg leg rear end.anyway if your responsible ull be fine.but everybody is allowed to drive like a moron once in a while.(helps us learn,and if you don't make mistakes you can't learn)

 

Honestly i say look for a 91-92 RS with a TBI 305, i love mine, and never had to work on the engine other than change spark plugs and oil

 

Having been in a similar situation, get one with a solid body and good paint. Body work will suck your wallet dry.