http://www.grclassics.com/vehicles/90/1989-pontiac-firebird

 

http://www.grclassics.com/vehicles/9...ntiac-firebird

nice looking car

 

Priced high.
Not super rare / desirable as far as options.
A 30k mile car would be a nice acquisition.

 

It's a red hardtop Formula 350, with some SLP parts... 89 isn't my strong suit, but the SLP package through GM was touted as "New" in the press release for the 91 Firebird. Interesting that it doesn't have SLP runners... In any case, I would think the value is closer to $10k than 20K. $12K or 13K probably wouldn't trigger the WTF alarm, but this is the cheap go-fast car of it's era, 20K is a bit ridiculous.

 

I really like Formula 350's and this one is definitely a nice survivor. I feel that it's worth $12-$15k, especially since it has some nice SLP parts on it too. I also think it's time for nice third gens to stop being undervalued. $12-$15k for a car like this seems very reasonable to me. Agreed that it's a shame that it doesn't have SLP runners on it, but at least that can (and in my opinion on this particular car) should be remedied.

 

Agreed that it would be a nice acquisition! I guess what makes it rare to me in the mileage and condition.

 

The problem for me is it's not a GTA, Trans Am, or Iroc, but yet it carries the price tag those cars would carry. I like Formulas, but a hardtop in a milk-toast color just doesn't scream out to me. Now if it were a metallic color, with T-tops, I could understand a bit more attraction, but not for $20K.

IDK about mileage... I feel bad about racking up miles on a low mileage car, and frankly it makes me so nervous worrying about other driver's, that I find them hard to enjoy.

 

It seems to me a lot of "nice" cars are on the market for "nice" prices right now. I don't see many of them selling though. Sellers of these cars don't seem to be in a hurry to sell them and I don't blame them. The market is moving in their direction. Even nice drivers are becoming harder to find and more expensive. Which is a good thing!

Having too nice of a car would scare me too. Worrying about every pebble and other drivers would take all the fun out of the drive.

 

As for the SLP stuff. The car could have been left over stock from before the factory shut down in 1990. I don't know when the SLP packages were available to dealers, but I could see one doing it to get a better price for old stock!

 

Guessing its a early 89 with its single cat Y pipe (cat delet)
CAI, no runners, headers and catback. Wonder y no runners?
Hope it has the stock chip.
Looks like a cool car but it may be a bit high on price.

 

It has gone through at least a couple of cycles on eBay now. It was recently reposted. Again.

 

The Formula was the GTO of the day.. That car looks great! Original spoiler, The only thing that should go is the 5.7 Tuned Port Injection stickers on the hood. I cannot tell if it is original paint or not. I did not spot anything that struck me as being repainted. Just spotted a little bit of polish compound in the gap between the hood insert and the hood.

That is a nice car regardless.

 

I know those decals on the hood are wrong (they look like Camaro decals). But for some reason I thought the Formulas had decals on the scoop if they were TPI cars.

 

87-90 350 cars had the "350" on the door, not the hood. Now the 91-2 formulas had the "5.7" on the hood and just "formula" on the doors.

 

I pulled this up.


https://www.phoenixgraphix.com/transam/8790fstp.php


The hood decals are in this kit. I don't think the the LG4/L03 cars had them.

 

The 5.7 hood decals are in the kit but that isn't factory "correct".

 

The L03s definitely had a decal on the scoop which said 5.0 F.I. or Fuel Injection or something.

Maybe "5.0L Fuel Injection"?

 

Really nice low mile car, but to much money. 10K to 12K would be good deal, 15K would be high but not impossible if you find someone who REALLY want's this year/model with the 350 and the extra low miles, nearly 20K though is just nuts as some of the others have said, its not a GTA or IROCZ model and there is nothing that makes this car ultra rare. I think the company are hoping a collector will buy this to put back in the barn for another 20 years LoL

 

87
LG4 - 5.0 Liter ("Formula" on Doors)
LB9 - 5.0 Liter F.I. ("Formula" on Doors)
L98 - NOTHING on hood ("Formula 350" on doors)
(Door handles on FI cars got "Fuel Injection" * Last Year)

1988 - 1990
Lo3 - 5.0 Liter F.I ("Formula" on Doors)
LB9 - 5.0 Liter F.I ("Formula" on Doors)
L98 - NOTHING on hood ("Formula 350" on doors)

91-92
Lo3 - 5.0 Liter ("Formula" on Doors)
LB9 - 5.0 Liter F.I ("Formula" on Doors)
L98 - 5.7 Liter F.I ("Formula" on Doors)

J

 

I think I need to disagree with this statement. I could be wrong, but I think the TPI Formulas are just as desirable as a GTA or IROC-Z. Being a Camaro guy, if I was to buy any Firebird, it would be a TPI Formula, over a GTA, any day. I like simple performance and the GTA is too "top end" for me.

I'm thinking that many others also feel the same way.

 

Yup, I don't look at the GTA or TA very often. I'm a formula guy.