Reliability?
#1
Reliability?
Hey all I am very new here and to the third gen community in general. I am looking to get a third gen firebird but I am also open to getting a camaro, I知 mostly looking for which deal I find first. My main question is about the reliability of these cars. I知 looking to daily drive one. Is this too out of the question?
#2
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: *member since 1999, I think - just can't remember my old name, and the big site crash...*
Posts: 1,199
Received 151 Likes
on
105 Posts
Car: 89 GTA ASC Conv., Prev: 89 GTA 6.3L
Engine: 5.7L L98 TPI
Transmission: 700r4 Automatic
Axle/Gears: 3.27:1 w/ JG1 Options:B2L, N10, U1A
Re: Reliability?
Welcome to the forum.
At this point, reliability is dictated by the condition of the car and treatment/maintenance from the previous owner(s) of the vehicle.
Having owned one back when nearly new, they were fine for every day. Drove one from 1991-2005 when I sold it. It was a great car, and had at least 130k mi. Only once do I recall needing a flatbed.
Fast forward, and the TPI Injectors crapped out on my "new" one. Needed a flatbed again. Changed them, and all is fine. Known weak spots are easy to address. Good luck.
At this point, reliability is dictated by the condition of the car and treatment/maintenance from the previous owner(s) of the vehicle.
Having owned one back when nearly new, they were fine for every day. Drove one from 1991-2005 when I sold it. It was a great car, and had at least 130k mi. Only once do I recall needing a flatbed.
Fast forward, and the TPI Injectors crapped out on my "new" one. Needed a flatbed again. Changed them, and all is fine. Known weak spots are easy to address. Good luck.
#3
Re: Reliability?
Welcome to the forum.
At this point, reliability is dictated by the condition of the car and treatment/maintenance from the previous owner(s) of the vehicle.
Having owned one back when nearly new, they were fine for every day. Drove one from 1991-2005 when I sold it. It was a great car, and had at least 130k mi. Only once do I recall needing a flatbed.
Fast forward, and the TPI Injectors crapped out on my "new" one. Needed a flatbed again. Changed them, and all is fine. Known weak spots are easy to address. Good luck.
At this point, reliability is dictated by the condition of the car and treatment/maintenance from the previous owner(s) of the vehicle.
Having owned one back when nearly new, they were fine for every day. Drove one from 1991-2005 when I sold it. It was a great car, and had at least 130k mi. Only once do I recall needing a flatbed.
Fast forward, and the TPI Injectors crapped out on my "new" one. Needed a flatbed again. Changed them, and all is fine. Known weak spots are easy to address. Good luck.
#4
Supreme Member
Re: Reliability?
I've been daily driving my '91 RS for over 2 years now. Hasn't left me stranded yet. I did replace the entire cooling system, battery, alternator, EGR valve, and just about every sensor on the car when I got it though, and also did a full tune-up. It's been extremely reliable, but I'm pretty sure I have the most reliable powerplant that they offered (stock 305 TBI). TPI and carb cars seem to have more problems. I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a trip. Car has roughly 100K on it.
#5
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,009
Received 408 Likes
on
295 Posts
Car: 1986 IROC Z
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 Posi
Re: Reliability?
Hey all I am very new here and to the third gen community in general. I am looking to get a third gen firebird but I am also open to getting a camaro, I知 mostly looking for which deal I find first. My main question is about the reliability of these cars. I知 looking to daily drive one. Is this too out of the question?
As always, and especially where buying old cars is concerned, Caveat Emptor.
#6
Supreme Member
Re: Reliability?
Most buyers of 30+ year-old performance cars are experienced at repair/maintenance of such vehicles; they evaluate a potential car to buy, and then determine if the work required to bring said vehicle up to their standards is worth the asking price. IOW, they don't expect to be buying reliability, but rather, are planning to put it in there themselves.
As always, and especially where buying old cars is concerned, Caveat Emptor.
As always, and especially where buying old cars is concerned, Caveat Emptor.
#7
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: S. UTAH
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 0
Received 160 Likes
on
132 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z 305 LB9 AT Convertible
Engine: LB9 305
Transmission: AT
Re: Reliability?
Most buyers of 30+ year-old performance cars are experienced at repair/maintenance of such vehicles; they evaluate a potential car to buy, and then determine if the work required to bring said vehicle up to their standards is worth the asking price. IOW, they don't expect to be buying reliability, but rather, are planning to put it in there themselves.
As always, and especially where buying old cars is concerned, Caveat Emptor.
As always, and especially where buying old cars is concerned, Caveat Emptor.
CONDITION is Number 1. Also, NO MODS! Compared to (SOME) modern GM, Ford and all Toyota, no they are not that reliable. Never will be.
Trending Topics
#8
Supreme Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: North East GA
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 0
Received 44 Likes
on
40 Posts
Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 5.7 LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: Reliability?
Daily drove mine from 1997 to 2007, I had only three road side repairs.
Ignition control module
Front wheel bearing (it went from ok to wobbling wheel really fast)
Starter hung up at parts store... hey at least I had access to all the parts I needed LOL
Had the 700r4 transmission rebuilt at like 170k miles as it started not shifting right.
AC died in around 2004/5 time frame.
Once it wasn't my daily and was only driving it once in a blue moon the fuel pump went out and I had it towed.
I just finished up a restro-mod with LS1/T56 swap etc thus far that has been extremely reliable and everything works (AC, gauges, etc).
Car has 212k miles on it now. though only the instrument cluster and the body everything else I've redone.
Ignition control module
Front wheel bearing (it went from ok to wobbling wheel really fast)
Starter hung up at parts store... hey at least I had access to all the parts I needed LOL
Had the 700r4 transmission rebuilt at like 170k miles as it started not shifting right.
AC died in around 2004/5 time frame.
Once it wasn't my daily and was only driving it once in a blue moon the fuel pump went out and I had it towed.
I just finished up a restro-mod with LS1/T56 swap etc thus far that has been extremely reliable and everything works (AC, gauges, etc).
Car has 212k miles on it now. though only the instrument cluster and the body everything else I've redone.
#10
Supreme Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,702
Received 235 Likes
on
181 Posts
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3:42 Auburn
Re: Reliability?
Buy the best condition car you can for your budget and just plan on changing some parts. You create reliability yourself with these cars as regardless of mileage the parts are still 30+ yrs old. The engines themselves are pretty reliable if maintained through the years, and the chassis parts are predictable on their lifespan.
#11
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Huntsville AL
Posts: 3,938
Received 97 Likes
on
62 Posts
Car: 88GTA
Engine: 5.7TPI
Transmission: Auto
Axle/Gears: 3.27
Re: Reliability?
Buy something unmolested and in well cared for condition. If you open the hood or look under the dash and see nothing but wires running every which way, hacked, spliced, jumped, and the like, just turn around and run!
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
Posts: 727
Received 221 Likes
on
158 Posts
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA
Engine: 5.7 liter V-8
Transmission: 4 speed auto
Re: Reliability?
With cars this old, it's not easy to predict reliability. How long will old parts last, even if they haven't been used all that much? But the fact that they still survive indicates that they've likely been well taken care of (if you're not buying a junker) and also that whatever problems might have been inherent to these cars were taken care of long ago.
I bought one new in '90 and it was my daily driver for 8 years and 167K miles, although the last few years I also had another car. I bought another '90 in 2003 with 57,000 miles and it shared daily driving duties with another car. I had that one for about 6.5 years and logged 67K miles. Neither car ever failed to start or stranded me somewhere. Neither ever required a significant repair, and I really can't think of even many minor repairs that were needed.
I bought my current '88 GTA about 16 months ago. I put about 2,000 miles on it the first year I had it, and drive it a bit more than that now. It's not my daily driver and likely won't ever be. But I don't have any reason to suspect that the car couldn't be driven daily.
For all the crap written about 3rd gen f-bodies, I've found them to be incredibly reliable cars in my experience. There's some cheap parts that start warping or cracking often even if the car has been meticulously cared for, like the rear wraparound spoilers or the center console. But otherwise they seem to hold up well. For all the trashing about cheap plastic and other poor materials in the interior, outside of the warping on the edges of my center console (good luck finding an un-warped one), everything else looks to be nearly showroom new after 32 years.
I bought one new in '90 and it was my daily driver for 8 years and 167K miles, although the last few years I also had another car. I bought another '90 in 2003 with 57,000 miles and it shared daily driving duties with another car. I had that one for about 6.5 years and logged 67K miles. Neither car ever failed to start or stranded me somewhere. Neither ever required a significant repair, and I really can't think of even many minor repairs that were needed.
I bought my current '88 GTA about 16 months ago. I put about 2,000 miles on it the first year I had it, and drive it a bit more than that now. It's not my daily driver and likely won't ever be. But I don't have any reason to suspect that the car couldn't be driven daily.
For all the crap written about 3rd gen f-bodies, I've found them to be incredibly reliable cars in my experience. There's some cheap parts that start warping or cracking often even if the car has been meticulously cared for, like the rear wraparound spoilers or the center console. But otherwise they seem to hold up well. For all the trashing about cheap plastic and other poor materials in the interior, outside of the warping on the edges of my center console (good luck finding an un-warped one), everything else looks to be nearly showroom new after 32 years.
#13
Re: Reliability?
Reliable? In good shape unmolested form tough as nails. I received mine in 2004 in perfect shape t tops didn't even leak. (i was 16). I drove it daily for 9 more years. I took very good care of the engine even though only a 2.8. It survived a kid in southern Alabama mud. It ran through corn fields and drifted dirt rodes. It then drove me to college and work. It took abuse and a sound system that rattled off mirrors. In 09 the odometer went out at 188,000 miles. I parked it In 2013 when the fuel pump went out. It sat there until 2020. No longer a kid, and with a family of my own, I have returned to the firebird of my youth. I spent a you total of 4 days working on her and she lives again. Soon she'll drive everyday till the day she doesn't. So reliable? About as reliable as you can get if your maintenance is on point.
#14
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Johns Island, SC
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 1989 Iroc
Engine: 5.7
Transmission: Auto
Re: Reliability?
I have my daily driver 1997 5.7 with 6sp. 130K Love it and drive it all the time
My 1989 Iroc is my show car. Only 49K. auto.
My 1989 Iroc is my show car. Only 49K. auto.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Surreal86z
Carburetors
5
10-24-2001 11:51 AM