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History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
Again and again, members of this forum comment on the prices of these cars being outrageous or sellers asking too much for a car they believe is worth considerably less. To show the current trend, I've gathered a handful of current listings to show that these cars have value and are seeing an upward trend in value and demand. Even the magazines and news articles are commenting on the 3rd gens future collectibility.
3rd gens are on their way. The cars listed above probably won't get asking price, but if you haven't noticed that these cars are appreciating lately, you've been in a coma.
These cars are starting to follow a similar trend to the 1979 Trans Am's. You can find a T/A 6.6 for 6-8k (running driving project) all the way up to 50k for a very good (not perfect) Special Edition Y84. Surprisingly the 10th Anniversary cars don't get any more money than a regular Trans Am from that year.
The most underrated third gen IMO is the 20th Turbo TA. They are the super bargain at this point in time.
I don't think anybody is arguing that the values aren't going up. The cars you listed will not be driven, hardly ever, so from year to year to year their prices will stay at or rise ever so slightly because someone will buy it as an 'investment' and turn around a sell it a few years later (unless they're Jay Leno).
I don't think you can use them as a representative of the thirdgen era as a whole though because I can still go out and buy a decent shell of a thirdgen Z28 for $500 easily.
A shell of a 1st gen Z28 will not go for less than 4-5k.
When your average Joe starts getting 15-20k for a 5-speed RS with 70,000 miles, then we'll have reached an important moment in the value of these cars. If somebody wants to throw 60k at a 92Z 1LE, more power to them, it just seems like a waste.
Oh well, I know there are about as many people on one side on this forum as there are on the other.
My philosophy on the subject..... Buy them, restore them, mod them, maintain them. But the biggest to me is ENJOY them and DRIVE them. When the time comes to part ways with them and I make a dollar or loose thousands, I can at least say I enjoyed every mile.
They are too fun of a car NOT to drive.
Now for the above mentioned specimen's..........all very very nice....it would be hard to just look at it.
Elvis has left the building....the cat is out of the bag....the writing is on the wall...use whatever catch phrase you want, but 3rd gens are on the rise and investors have taken notice.
Rarity, options, colors & miles will dictate price. As with any other collector car, top hp drive line coupled with most options and lowest production will garner the top dollars.
The best indicator of the current value of a car is what people are willing to pay for it on at the time and not what the seller is asking. The prices of unmolested, low mileage 3rd gen Camaros and Firebirds have been steadily going up, but they rarely sell for what the sell asks. Go through the completed auctions on ebay for the past few months and you can get a good idea of recent values. Enough of the cars are starting to show up at the big car auctions like Mecum that you can also an indication of the current market values. Even real nice low mileage examples generally won't bring much over the low to mid $20Ks at auction, the kind you'd see sellers asking $30-$40 for.
You can't use eBay as a source for car values. eBay is very similar that shady used car sales dealer down the road. Too many times, a sale has been relisted due to dead beat bidders.
I tried to talk to the guy but he was unwilling to come down. Even after I pointed out that it will need a new interior, fender, and tail lights just to start.
You guys are posting Firebird prices here. This thread is titled Camaro High Prices. Also, if you post about a vehicle, please put a picture and the pricing with your post. These links may dry up in a few weeks and then they are worthless to this thread.
You can't use eBay as a source for car values. eBay is very similar that shady used car sales dealer down the road. Too many times, a sale has been relisted due to dead beat bidders.
Can't use ebay for pricing? We use it every day for pricing used equipment we buy and sell locally, we also sell a lot on ebay. Of course, there are some shady deals on ebay, have to know what you're doing when dealing with big ticket item especially. As a general indicator of what things are selling for it is useful, although admittedly the relatively small number of 3rd gens posted there is not a very broad pricing sample.
I don't think anybody is arguing that the values aren't going up. The cars you listed will not be driven, hardly ever, so from year to year to year their prices will stay at or rise ever so slightly because someone will buy it as an 'investment' and turn around a sell it a few years later (unless they're Jay Leno).
I don't think you can use them as a representative of the thirdgen era as a whole though because I can still go out and buy a decent shell of a thirdgen Z28 for $500 easily.
A shell of a 1st gen Z28 will not go for less than 4-5k.
When your average Joe starts getting 15-20k for a 5-speed RS with 70,000 miles, then we'll have reached an important moment in the value of these cars. If somebody wants to throw 60k at a 92Z 1LE, more power to them, it just seems like a waste.
Oh well, I know there are about as many people on one side on this forum as there are on the other.
You can still get a 1st gen 6 cyl camaro for reasonable. However if you put a V8 in that V6 car the price seems to go up, even not being original. People do not seem to care.
Just a V6 with a 5 speed, but a very nice low mile Camaro. Asking price is $11,000, curren bid just under $1,600.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Camaro-2-8-V6-5-SPEED-/351425908601?forcerrptr=true&hash=item51d29dcf79&item=351425908601
A gorgeous 1985 IROC 5 speed low miles, 0 bids at the starting price of $29,689. Some good photos, I'm saving them in my collection.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Camaro-Z28-/321780361606?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4aeb9aa986&item=321780361606
You can still get a 1st gen 6 cyl camaro for reasonable. However if you put a V8 in that V6 car the price seems to go up, even not being original. People do not seem to care.
Yeah I know, weird, right? I have a friend who bought a rust free California car, original paint, straight six, automatic, '69 for 9K. He put a smallblock and 4 speed in it and enjoyed it for a year or two, then sold it for 19K.
im glad to see these sellers asking these high prices for these beautiful third gens but with that being said there are alot of low mileage , mint , original irocs and trans ams out there that can be bought for in the teens all day long .. i see them everyday ..
I've been watching prices here on CL in the Midwest and the big auctions for 3 years now. Prices for low mileage, top of the line or specialty cars are rising.
You can't touch a v8 Camaro convertible for under 12K and many are now pushing 20K+.
TTA's 20K - 30K+
5.7L originals 10K - 30K+
5.0L 7K - 20K
Like John said 6cyl Camaro's are still cheap for clean under 100K cars. I saw a nicely kept garaged one yesterday on cl in Neb. selling for 2.8K with 80K in miles.
Several other thoughts come to mind as well. Prices have risen enough that more and more collectors seem to be coming to market with sub 20k cars to sell that they have been holding. This is especially true for the last year. This spring several showed up on CL and the big car auctions. The several cars listed above as well. Not all of them sold or sold well, but the visibility they are getting can't be bad.
Many of the 3rd Gen top of the line Camaros beat the prices of late 70's top of the line 2nd gen prices. I can think of several 3rd Gen Camaros that are much more sought after than a 77 - 80 Camaro.
100K+ and Mystery Motor rattle can cars are still and will probably remain cheap for a while yet.
you guys missed the mack daddy of all camaro sales
That's a beaut!
80 grand, I can't even fathom that. Surely it was a museum or something that payed that ticket. Or someone with more money than they know what to do with.
I gotta wonder.....do the hood and hatch struts still hold up the hood and hatch? lol.
I recently sold my 87 G92 T5 with 31,500 miles on it for $12,500. The new owner didn't bat an eyelash about the price and didn't even try to haggle with me. These cars are beautiful cars and are getting very hard to find in great condition for a decent price. You can find $3000 cars all day long with 200K miles on them but the pristine ones are going to cost you!
80 grand, I can't even fathom that. Surely it was a museum or something that payed that ticket. Or someone with more money than they know what to do with.
I gotta wonder.....do the hood and hatch struts still hold up the hood and hatch? lol.
Yes they do. I knew the former owner if this car. He sold it in the last month to the company that listed it on eBay. The car is perfect and breathtaking in person. Everything is exactly how it was in 1990.
Yes they do. I knew the former owner if this car. He sold it in the last month to the company that listed it on eBay. The car is perfect and breathtaking in person. Everything is exactly how it was in 1990.
i recently purchased my 1991 Z28 Vert. 71,000, I bought it off CL from N. Florida 3 months ago. I paid $6500. I thought I paid a little on the high side but after seeing this thread I might be wrong on my thinking.
We're showing the higher prices that go with an original car. The above car that was purchased for $6500 is not an all original, low mile example selling for top dollar. The rims, seats, stripes, parking lights, front end repaint, etc all show this as part of a different category of 3rd gen resales all together.
We're showing the higher prices that go with an original car. The above car that was purchased for $6500 is not an all original, low mile example selling for top dollar. The rims, seats, stripes, parking lights, front end repaint, etc all show this as part of a different category of 3rd gen resales all together.
gottcha...BTW the seats are original those are covers.
06-15-2015, 04:55 PM
