You guys, I love my third gen. But she's falling apart and I simply do not have the money to pay for new stuff left and right! I'm going to be 17 years old on Thursday June 28th, so you can see I do not have a lot of money on me. My car likes to stall, which i think is an O2 sensor problem. I'll get my uncle to fix it sometime soon. My heater core just went and it leaks antifreeze all over the interior. I'll get that fixed ASAP. KBB value on my car is between $3750-6250, not including my sound system.

I was considering fixing up the major mechanical problems, and the asthetical problems, and selling her. This money will goto a down payment on a 4th gen Trans Am, probably a '94-95. I have a large crack on the rear bumper and the front bumper is flaking paint, and its cracked and spiderwebbing. I can't keep dumping money into my car right now. She's got 105k miles and is just a money pit.

Should I continue to fix up my little 305 and save her for a little while, or should I just go with a big 350 T/A possibly with a warranty from a dealership? God, I'm so torn! My car is awesome, and my girlfriend couldn't possibly imagine me parting with my car. I worked forever to get it, blood sweat and tears.

If I fixed up any asthetical damage (to fit an excellent category on kbb) and replaced whats wrong with it now, could I get $6000 firm for my car? Its a 305 TBI, with 105k miles on it, no engine problems, doesnt burn any oil. New tires, brakes, [heater core]. Expensive sound system. Professional Tint. Very good interior, all the factory options excluding leather. How much would you say I could get for the car alone, not including my stereo? Would it be worth it to fix up the bumpers before selling?

I know most of you are biased to 3rd gens, but you 4th gen people- would this be worht it?

------------------
1992 Pontiac Firebird (stock)
- 305ci V8 TBI / Automatic Trans / Every option, excluding leather
- Killer car audio system:

• Aiwa CDC-MP3 head unit
• Rockford Fosgate 360a2 amp
• pair of 12" MTX Thunder 5000s in a custom box
• Pioneer 3-way 6x9s, soon to add more more more!

 

Heater core is about $20 or $25. I just bought an O2 sensor today, it was $23.

If you think things like that are a money pit, just wait until you obligate yourself to pay a car note of a few hundred dollars a month, every single month for several years whether the car works or not. And, you are proposing to buy a car that is very similar to the one you have now except that all the parts cost more, but it's almost as old, so instead of little repair bills you'll have bigger ones, on top of that pleasant car note.

A crack on the rear bumper and flaking paint do not impact a car's usefulness. Again, if you can't afford to repair a 10-year-old car, you can't afford a newer one either; so for the time being, you should get accustomed to the idea of driving a car that's not quite in showroom-new perfect appearance condition.

Learn to work on it yourself, especially extremely simple things like the O2 sensor, which is about a 5-minute job. Your uncle will be grateful.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Yeah I know those minor things are no problem. But the rust forming on the inside of my fender IS. And the fact my engine is 105k miles old worries me. And that the best performance I can get out of my 305 TBI would cost me thousands.

 

If you're concerned about the way it looks, and you don't want/can't afford to fix it for yourself, why would you want/scrounge the bux to fix it for somebody else? Honestly, if you have (let's just say for the sake of an argument) a $3750 car, would dumping $2250 into it turn it into a $6000 car? Frankly I doubt it, it never works that way on the lower optioned cars within a car line. I would be surprised if you would get more than 50¢ on the dollar spent that way. That is, put $2250 into it, turn your $3750 car into a $5000 car. In other words, you might just as well sell it for $3750 and hand the buyer a check back for $1000. Not smart.

Have you worked out what a car note will be yet?

Is the patch of rust keeping you from getting to work in the morning? Is that patch worth obligating yourself to a $350 car note every month, come hell or high water, job or no job, car runs or car doesn't run, for 3 or 4 years?

The car I'm driving today, a 78 El Camino 305, has 340,000 miles on the motor. The car my wife is driving, a 91 Cadillac, has 190,000 on it. IMHO 105k is just to the point where it's almost broken in.

If you can't afford an O2 sensor or a heater core, you don't need to be concerned just yet about performance.

Without any bias toward either car or type of car as such, I don't see the reasons you have stated for being unhappy with your car as being justification for selling it and taking on a car note. I think it would be a majorly wrong decision, literally jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, even assuming somebody would lend you the money to do the deal.

------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

TRUE!!!! The man speaks the truth listen and learn.

 

I know what you guys are saying and everything. Im not saying a heater core and O2 sensor are major expensive parts. A part of me just wants a 4th gen. I need speed too. And modifying a 305 TBI is worthless.

 

The 305 TBI is pretty easy to work on for 1. The mods Ive done are pretty easy and with only 2.73 gears it lauches pretty hard. I think its fun to drive. I love how my car looks, even over the 4th gens. You can make your car perform. You can get a 330 hp 350ci for only $2000. Not a bad deal.


If you want to work on your car and build it up and have fun tinkering with it, jsut keep your car since youll have much mroe money to work with.

If you want to have a shop or your uncle fix everythign for you then you are not the type of person who should have an older car because it will need a lot of repairs. In this case get the new car since it will have less problems.

------------------
89 camaro 305 tbi, flomaster 3 chamber cat back, gutted cat, Edlebrock TES Headers, Exhaust cutout, Edlebrock open element, 160 degree T-stat, and a Stage 2 FastChip.

2 kicker comp 12"'s, polk for the rest. Phoenix gold xs2300 to subs, kicker impulse 404XI to 4 speakers, pioneer DEH- P7000R head unit, and finally a 12 disc changer. Full leather interior from http://www.MrMikes.com

 

I have like $715 in the bank, and a lot of that money is for emergencies

 

Good Luck getting a new T/A with $715 dollars.. Keep the third gen! Well it's up to you.

 

hehe silly, this would require me SELLING MY 92 FIREBIRD. And then making monthly payments to a dealership. uhg.

 

100k miles is nothing for a 305 TBI. well taken care of, it will cruise past 250k miles with ease. worthless to modify??? If making a 16+ second car run 13s isn't fun and worhwhile then go buy a toyota tercel.

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

Soon to be installed:
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz

[This message has been edited by Tas (edited June 26, 2001).]

 

I found a 1995 Formula for sale - $5000 or best offer. Minor body damage, nothing major. $1100 est. to repair the damages. I could offer $4500 or %5000 roll in a fast car, and when I have the money (not more than a month to get the cash) get it fixed.

[This message has been edited by One Eyed Jack (edited June 27, 2001).]

 

get a car fax on it.. try to find out about its past. why is the guy selling it? what else may be wrong with the car? you complain now of 100k miles on your car, its only got 85, which is damn close to 100 in my book. dont get frustrated with the little things that are wrong with your car.. keep messing with it and avoid debt, at all costs. before too long, it'll be what you've always wanted. debt is the worst

------------------

• 83 Z28-- not a pretty site to look at, 200k miles and im sure it was treated like a rental car every day of its sad life(before i got it).. sold, thank the lord
• 74 Z28-- 383/400, green on black. pretty clean. FOR SALE!!!

 

I've got a friend with an 88 5.0 LX now bear with me before you start shoutin off left and right. His car has had it's fair share of problems, and he keeps leaning towards something more reliable i.e. a 01 gtp or something of the sort, you see his problem is the same as any teen to mid 20 yr old (in most cases) We lack certain funding for our projects. That said, a new '01 gtp coupled with the desire to go fast does not go too far. We purchased our cars namely for one reason, do go blistering fast without going blistering broke ( FAST ) We fail to see that there will be drawbacks and we let everything get the best of us, i myself have invested well over 12000 canadian into my beast and i have no desire to sell it ( despite my add in the classifieds im just wondering how much i could get for it for curiousity sake) You see i have accepted the road to low 13's even 12s wont be easy i have also accepted that this is in no way impossible I accept all the delays and await with patience my first 13.2 @ 115mph or so pass i know it will be one of the most fulfilling experiences ever... and then I will want to go faster.

Weigh your options, how much have you sunk into your beast? I didnt buy my car for an investment and i dont believe you did or should have either. Do you really want to part it out? 5 yrs down the road with this car you could be looking at a bird putting out 500hp at the rear with a glistening paint job pumpin stereo on 17's running low 11's Are you then going to whine about only getting 11mpg? Didnt think so.

Everything sucks at some point in time, can you wait it out? Take your car out for a spin do a few burnouts and let the car "talk to you" this is always a remedy I speak from personal experience.

 

Hey look at it this way, you are 17, still in high school I guess? Why Sell the car that you have had "so long" to buy another car and already PLANNING to fix IT. Why not make what you want, its more fun too.

But hey, a guy once told me that if the car you want is truely YOU, than don't let somebody else tell you what to do. That's what he told me when I was debating whether or not to buy my "project car".

What ever you choose, have fun.

 

here's the voice of someone closer to your own age.. These guys know what they're talking about, and not to be ****y, but most of the time, I do too. Don't ditch the 92 so soon. I regret getting rid of the 87 to this day. I was in the exact same situation as you at the time.. Hell i'm not even an entire year older than you, turn 18 on July 25th.

If you get a 4th gen, keep this in mind, there ain't **** that can realistically run at is optimum performace and go 100k, or even 60k with out a tune up.. and tune-ups on 4th gens are a ROYAL pain in the *** , I mean ROYAL. if you're not mechanically inclined, you won't finish it in a week. Taking it to a shop will cost you anywhere from $600- $1400, that just depends on what they're not changing, and what they are.

3rd gens are MUCH easier to work on, parts are cheaper, and for the most part interchange with other vehicles(meaning parts availabilty is high.) Proper care will keep your Firebird running for a long time.

if you act rashly, you'll regret it in the long run.. Personally I think 3rd gens have more character than 4th gens.. They share more tradition w/ the original F-body.. a true muscle car.

Hell my 92 RS.. clutch rod keeps falling off the clutch pedal.. It's terribly confusing a lot of VERY good technicians.. To top it off, electrical gremlins popped up.. lights stayin on w/ fuses removed and all like that, and I broke a t-top($700 each from the dealer..) Now a year ago, it would have been on a flat bed tow-truck on it's way to the boneyard.. even though it runs perfectly, 18-20mpg in the city, 28-30 on the highway.

don't give up on it yet man.. Just stick with it. It's cheaper to fix what you have than buy another car.. trust me. It would have been cheaper in the long run for me to have kept the 87, than to start driving the nissan again. and fix all it's problems, and sell it and get the 92.

Anthony

------------------
previous ride: 87 Camaro LT
350, A4.Comp Cams 268H, Edelbrock Preformer intake, Hedman Headers and y-pipe, gutted cat, No AIR/smog pump. 14x3" Open element K&N, Q-jet w/ D hanger and DA rods, adjusted AV spring tension and quick can.

Current ride: 1992 Camaro RS, K&N, Flowmaster, 305, T5, Black, T-tops, 76k miles.

 

My name is Anthony too!

 

One eyed jack,
Your killing me.... Get a $190 ZZ4 cam and $60 valve springs and it will add about a 40 HP to your car.....
for example
Factory 88 350 L98 230HP
Factory 88 305 Auto 200HP
Factory 88 305 5spd w/ L98 cam 220HP
You see, Just the very small (compared to ZZ4) L98 cam added 20HP.... im assuming your cam is even worse than the 305 TPI auto cam (cause TBI guys ALWAYS bitch about the cam).....
Anyways, just a thought.... Thirdgens look better to, especially a 92.

 

Yeah cams are cheap
but they're 5-6 hours of labor that I dont know how to do

 

Hey man. How do you plan on paying for the new car? If you're in school you really won't have that much time to work and even then jobs for high school guys suck and pay like ****. You may have to work so much that your grades start suffering and that leads to very bad things. Keep the thirdgen man. You DO NOT WANT TO BE IN DEBT or RUIN YOUR CREDIT RATING this early in life. Just get a job where you don't have to work a whole lot, dump a little of the money into the thirdgen, and take the girlfriend to the drive-in with the spare change you got left in your pocket. Just a few things for you to consider. Different angles from different people always helps. Good luck, stay in school, and don't do drugs.
This concludes the afterschool special for this week. Be sure to tune in next time when we explore the dangerous consequences of sleeping with your bosses wife.
bsa

------------------
"If they do not run, Then they will die." - Stonewall Jackson
#3
'87 IROC, 355 TPI, Converted to SD, 700R4, B&M Megashifter, 3.42, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Accel Runners, Comp Cam, Crane Gold rockers, Lucas 24# injectors, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster 3'' exhaust, Mallory Ignition, Transgo Performance Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, 2,000 Stall Torque Converter

 

Haha I know what you mean

 

Jack,
Pay your uncle $100 to do it.....

 

irocbsa

what's your time in the 1/4?
high 13's?

 

can you edit/delete that autotrader link already. geeze.

 

My uncle works two jobs, and he's also contracting his new million dollar house. Plus he has three teenage boys, oldest is 14. Its a huge problem to find time wiht him to help me. I'll ask friends though.

 

GTA,
My best time with 2.73s and no upper intake mods was 13.6 @ 101.3. With the 3.42s and the new manifold and runners I'm hoping to see low 13s.
bsa

------------------
"If they do not run, Then they will die." - Stonewall Jackson
#3
'87 IROC, 355 TPI, Converted to SD, 700R4, B&M Megashifter, 3.42, Trick Flow Twisted Wedge Heads, Edelbrock Intake, Accel Runners, Comp Cam, Crane Gold rockers, Lucas 24# injectors, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster 3'' exhaust, Mallory Ignition, Transgo Performance Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, 2,000 Stall Torque Converter

 

Hey Man,

DONT lease a car, that is something I will never ever do again! I did it when I was 17 and just got my 97 cavalier paid off now, and I am 20. 3 years of paying $350 cdn a month is not fun!!! You have to make that payment every month! They dont care if its christmas or not and they dont care if you want to go to your prom but cant afford the limo, tux rental, etc. I will never again lease another car, if you dont have the cash to buy it then dont get it. The "low" monthly payment quickly becomes high when you need $1000 worth of repairs in the same month...

------------------
Mike Tennyson
1997 Cavalier Z22
Soon to have an IROC!

 

well then it's settled.. if we have the same damn name.. then just consider it my gift to you that I made the mistake of selling my first 3rd gen so you wouldn't have to. DON'T SELL!!!!!!!!!!

A
N
T
H
O
N
Y

 

I won't sell it unless a major problem comes along! for now the 92 bird is mine.

But I do want performance out of her soon. Gotta fix this damn heater core first.