well I recently found a lady near me with a 86 camaro with a 2.8 auto in it that she will sell me for $600. havent really had a chance to poke around it much, but doing a couple slow drive bys at her house (cant stop as her dang dog is MEAN!) and the body looks good and dent free, she says there is no rust on it adn the motor is only 2 years old. I have no idea about mileage, or how the tranny shifts.

I am basically asking you guys what I shold look for when I go to check it out on tuesday. I just read through a bunch of threads about these cars rusting out from the inside in the rear, so I will check that out, but what are some other common issues with these?

I know it is an old car. that is not an issue. the issue is it will be a Daily Driver for me, and my commute is 98 miles ONE WAY! so I need a reliable car.I have mailnly been a Import Sport Compact car guy, owned two different RX-7's both totaled, (one my fault the other a drunks....) a turbo Eclipse, and a Dodge Stealth.had a blast with all of them, but have always liked Camaros and Firebirds, but was never able to find a decent one when I had money and was looking for a car.

so any advise would be helpful.
\

Thnks.

Mike S.

 

Long as you treat it right they will run forever like a toyota. 2-300,000 easy

my 2.8 T5 get 25-28mpg

though see the tomp thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/359178-tomp.html

 

Pop the hood and check all visible components to see if any are broken/missing and what not you can usu ally tell how it has been treated which is usually a good indication of possibe engine condiion, start it up listen for anything out of the ordinary. on the rust check the weather striping is it good? do the windows shut right? do they fully seat against the rubber. if the weatherstriping is to new it probably has been replaced meaning it was leaking before. you really cant check for the interior rust without removeing the rear seat and pulling up the carpet. ifit is there ya cant see the startings of it from the insides but if ya see any rust on the undersides of the car on the floorpans definatly stay away from it.

I have owned my car for 2 years now and have only had minor nitpick things to have to repair on it, nothing that has prevented me from driving the car.

If the rest of the car looks ok and the car starts and runs, and the wireing and engine components havent been jerryriged it shoud be ok.

 

Long as you treat it right they will run forever like a toyota. 2-300,000 easy

my 2.8 T5 get 25-28mpg

though see the tomp thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/v6/359178-tomp.html

 

ran away from the car. body was covered in rust, interior was shot, motor wouldnt run, car was base as hell, (80 mph speedo, no tach, manual windows, no cruise...) not worth it in my opinion to go from my 93 stealth that looks good and runs good, o a beaten on car.

 

ah, thats too bad man.... Keep your eye out, there are better cars to be found

 

Actually the 85 mph speedometer was a federal law back in the 80's. It ended some time in the mid-late 80's... but you know GM... if they had a million of those 85 mph f-body speedos made, they'd use them until their stock ran out!

Something else (if you keep looking for f-bodies), the 4-speed automatic's most "trouble free" years started in 1987. 1983-1986 700r4 autos had a fluid pump problem that would cause the tranny to run dry and eventually wear out! So if that '86 was an automatic trans, that trans might've been near-death.