I'd just like to know generally how reliable thirdgens are, in particular, TPI cars, as my dad is very uptight about reliability, and very suspicious of any used car, i'm in the process of trying to convince him to let my buy a thirdgen. I could really use some positive points about these cars that i could use to convince him...i myself have a lot of confidence in these cars, and i think they are great, but he does not, as he believes they are nothing but trashy, unreliable cars, most of the time completely ragged out by their previous owner(s), so if you guys could give me some info to tell him to sway him to my point of view it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Well I can't speak for anyone else, but my 3rd gen has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned.
The total number of parts replaced before the engine rebuild were 3.
1 Exhaust, replaced with dynomax cat back
2 Distributor, replaced due to failed reluctor
3 Shocks/struts, replaced due to age
Those parts plus the normal maintenance items plugs,filters,belts, brake pads, etc. were, up until the engine bent several valves(my fault knocked shifter into neutral merging onto the highway) the only parts that failed. It started first turn of the key every time in temps fom -20F to 100+, so as far as reliable I would definatly say YES they are very reliable

 

I see it like this: Every car will have it's problems...but how much does it cost to repair, how long does it take to get parts, and will it happen again?
The thirdgen has to be one of the cheapest cars to keep on the road for life. Other than rust/body, everything is as durable if not more so than the trucks (known to be cheap). Only difference is that the f-body uses the same tranny (lighter car = longer tranny life) and a roller cam in most f-bodies means less valve train wear and tear.
Alternators, filters, belts, are all really cheap at the parts stores.
The one stink I have about my car is the alternator. I'm on my 3rd and this one is starting to act up (low rpm the voltage dips and car gets a little funky, stupid built in voltage regulator )
Brakes are very inexpensive, what else is there? The chevy small block (if you've got a v8) is one of the most durable engines ever built. It'll take years of abuse and still run strong.
What else is there? The a/c systems are crap, yes, they are unreliable! They're old and the seals crack, nothing you can do about that except pay $$$ to have it all converted and refilled. The only other thing that might be questionable is the fuel pumps. I've heard a lot of people having fuel problems but from my count 80% of the problems were just the fuel pump relay! Wow, $4 fix...lol
It all comes down to how well you keep up your car. You must replace the oil filter when you do your oil changes. Flushing the cooling system once a year is always a good idea and the brakes should be looked at on frequent intervals.
Oh yeah, power stearing...too many problems with these systems. I've seen so many leaking pumps and boxes it isn't funny. At least it doesn't cost $$$ to fix like those rack and pinion steering systems .

 

thanks for the responses guys, i'll be sure to keep all that in mind when i'm telling how good these cars really are.

 

I totally agree with JPrevost about them being the cheapest thing on the road to buy parts for. And, if your dad thinks all of these cars are trashy, tell him to look at just about anybody's on this board. If I had a picture of mine with me, I'd email it to you. There are some trashy ones on the road, but most of the people driving those totally shelled out cars probably don't know jack about cars in the first place (unless they are in the process of restoring it). They are most likely driving it because that's what they have to drive. When looking at it, check for things like receipts, owner's manuals, and see what the owner knows about the car. If the guy is a car freak like I am he'll have receipts for anything he's ever done to it, he'll have shop manuals, owner's manual, you name it, and he'll be able to tell you just about anything about the car.

As for things to look for, I don't think anybody has mentioned the rear sway bar. I've looked at a couple that somebody had apparently been flipping quite a few cookies in, because the sway bar was broken off of the brackets--happens when you're whipping cookies and you suddenly get traction. Another good thing to do is look really close where the sail panel meets the roof line to see if there is any overspray where the paint has been blended in. This could be indicative of the car being wrecked at some point in time and have the rear quarter replaced. There are just several little things like this that can help you decide how rough of a life the car's had. They don't necessarily say anything about its present condition, but they do help you know its history a little better.

 

ahhh my friend, how old are you? I bought my thirdgen when I was 15 years old, ( my first car ) and its been the best car I have ever seen. Its been years now, and I have went through 6-8 vehicles, and this is the only one I still have. EVERY parts store has pretty much everything for these cars, VERY common. Parts are cheap, ( GO TO EBAY, TYPE IN 82 CAMARO IN THE SEARCH STRING ) look how many replies you get, look how cheap they are. Do not expect the car not to have problems, but why do you think they made this model for 10 years straight? THEY ARE PROVEN tuff. They are very fun to build up, and great to play with. I bought my car with the crossfire 305 motor, with the 200C tranny, look at what I have now, and I am still a teenager. These are great cars, my father is a big car guy, and he is VERY impressed with these cars. The only thing to really watch out for is T-top leaks, ( if it has them ), because water will come in and rust the body, and of corse the other things mentioned. How much is the car you want to buy? You just cant go wrong, im glad to see another teenager turning to chevy than the imports, nice job buddy, you will learn to grow on these cars, endless options, endless fun! good luck.. heck ill talk to you dad on the phone if you want me to adn tell him about the cars... i dont mind.

NATE

 

In response to your question, nesluopetan, i'm 17, and i will have a budget of around 3 to 5 grand, that's after i take out a loan, i figure i can pay it off in around 48 months, maybe less, depending on the amt. i decide on. i have that kind of money now, but my dad's convinced that any camaro i might buy will need some serious repairs, so i don't wanna touch my bank account, just to keep him satisfied, but anyway, yes, these cars have grown on me, and i don't even own one yet, i am a very ardent muscle car enthusiast, and i hate rice, unlike most people my age, who think that a honda civic DX with ground effects, rims, and 8 12" subs is a "fast" car.

 

I think it's more of a question of how well the car has been maintained, tune ups and driving conditions, weather conditions and the such.

 

Make sure you do a full inspection on the car and you shouldn't have any problems.

Before you buy it, I would do the following things:

1) Check the codes. Bring a repair manual with you that shows you how to do the paper clip check. The guy I bought my bird from was a bit nervous about this.

2) Compression check. Search the archives to find out about this.

3) Get a reputable tranny shop that is used to dealing with 700R4's to drop the pan and check it out for signs of wear/abuse.

Things that will probably go if they haven't already:

- Starter
- Alternator
- Gas springs for hood + hatch
- Brakes
- It probably needs an alignment done.

Remember that you're driving a 5 year old car now, but you'd be be driving a 10-17 year old car if you get a Thirdgen. I don't want to scare you away, but the maintenance costs will be higher than the one you have right now. (But it would be for any 10 year old car, not just a thirdgen).

Oh, and to convince him, show him the crash test data for these cars. They're very good, with the long front end and the heavy doors.

 

...well, at this point, the Stratus has had no real problems, other than minor maintenance, than a blown head gasket(these chrysler I-4's blow them like there's no tomorrow), and replaced the distributor coil, one of the wires shorted out, and the #3 cylinder was misfiring, or something like that...and anyway, i'd be willing to face the extra maintenance costs that owning an older car would entail, i think it would be worth paying a little more in repairs to not driving around a FWD 4 banger.

thanks for the crash test info, i'll use that, it should come in handy

later guys.

 

An unreliable 3rdgen will cost as much to maintain as a somewhat reliable front wheel drive car (I don't care what make it is)

If the tranny in your stratus goes you are looking at $3000 minimun as they have to drop most of the front end to remove it... on a third gen it MIGHT hit $2000 (auto)... front wheel drive cars were produced for one reason only... CHEAP manufacturing costs... they are a nightmare to fix. My 95 Monte required $3800 (CDN) in repairs after only 80 000 miles... and it was stupid little stuff.

Parts for our cars are very cheap (except for injectors but you can always buy Ford ones that cost less). Anything to do with the chassis and engine block are common parts used since 1969.

I'm at the point right now where I'm shopping for a new vehicle... my VW is costing more than it's worth (was bought for a canadian climate - not really practical down here) and my Bird has seen better days. I'll likely buy a 91/92 Z28 while I build an old musclecar.

Due to having less parts I think the TBI cars would be cheaper to maintain than a TPI car... but I'm sure there are many here who would disagree.

 

Youre not really going to get an honest answer here. The 80's is when people really started to ditch GM products and move to foreign stuff, quality was always the reason used. I wont be selling my thirdgen, but I've had much better luck with other brands of cars. My friends who owned thirdgens in the past feel the same way.

 

Personally I've owned two third gens. I've gotten great service out of both of them besides power window motors, starters, alternators, one water pump and numberous leakes and rattles. Nothing ever major. Parts are cheap, and I'd recommend one to anyone. It's always possilbe to get a bad one, you just have to know what to look for. Just don't fall in love with a 3rd gen because of the way it looks (I know that's easy to do) A pretty camaro is worth nothing when you can't get it to start. Look internally for your best deal.

 

How much Bull**** do us TGO owners have to endure. They are probably the ****tiest cars that GM ever built. Has ANYONE researched the old mags. to see how the TG cars rated. If you can't handle a wrench, DEFINITLY DON'T buy one. Mine has been the most maintenance intensive car I have ever owned. If the damn thing wasn'to pretty I would have dumped it years ago. They have intermittent EVERYTHING. But as my own DAD never realized that a car is TRULY a labor of love. The TG 's are the BEST looking Camaros and "Birds" ever made. Every time my wife looks at the credit card statements and DOES NOT bitch, WE just lock ourselves in the garage listening to the oldies.

 

People get that view from seeing 1's that have been beat on and not treated correctly. When kept correctly and taken care of they are GREAT cars that are VERY reliable, I'd take 1 over anything. And I happen to know many that feel the same.

 

Amack, Alot of the reliability in the car you find will depend on the vehicles maintenance history. There are some real gems still out there and the owners know what they have and they'll set their price accordingly.

 

Sure, all beaten up.

I bought a pristine well-maintained garage queen with 28k miles on it and it was the biggest piece of junk I have ever seen. I was also nice to this car until it kept breaking for no reason whatsoever. Rear end grendaded at 24k, the tranny went at 31k, engine at 44k and 70k. I cant count how many sensors were replaced, lost count. The radiator died at around 50k. The water pump was replaced twice in its 70k mile life. The starter literally fell off. The alternator went at 46k and somewhere in the mid 60 range. The radio had been replaced, dont know when for sure. I am also sure I have forgotten the numerous other reasons I took it in to get repaired. It was a lemon in every sense of the word.

The other I had was previously owned by some woman who purchased a Volvo and traded the car in. It had 37k miles and was fairly clean but there wasnt much maintenance, just oil changes. I beat the living heck out of that car and it never broke until some moron turned in front of me one day.

The one I have now is between the 2. Its had its share of problems, some reasonable, some unreasonable. The biggest failure it had was the block cracked across the middle of the lifter valley and up where the distributor is. Chasing my cooling problem was no fun at all, finally got smart and just put a different engine in and then traced the problem down to what it was.

My parents bought a brand new 86 GM car, ordered it special. It never would align right until I tore the whole front end apart and moved things around and replaced parts. The power seat switch literally fell apart more times than I can count. The infamous GM power antenna died at around 40k. The trans was going when the car was stolen, had around 65k miles on it IIRC. Theres a whole list of things I could put here about it but I dont feel like getting the list. Trust me, long list.

To give you an idea of how well my dad takes care of his cars, he had a 68GP that had well over 140k miles on it (bought it with 20k~ish) and the oil was as clean at 3000 as when he put it in. It never leaked and didnt use any either. Original tranny. Original rear. The car was very much in good shape. Won a few car shows with it. His truck he still has, its been through an engine (its a Ford 390, what can I say) but has otherwise been fine. Still has the original paint after 29 years and looks pretty good. Very little has been replaced on it. Needless to say, the repair book on the new car they bought left a sour taste in his mouth. The repair book on the Cadillac we later got was smaller but still too much. That car was wrecked and replaced with a T-Bird, which to this day has been totally problem free. We've had that car for 3 years now. Most of the work on the new GM they got was within the first 3 years of ownership. Unfortunately it didnt stop there either, tapered off some, but still kept breaking parts.

I have lots of friends who have owned thirdgens in the past, many of them bought new. There was a huge problem with TPI thirdgens eating the tranny in less than 40k miles. Dealers were recommending tranny coolers to try and save the tranny, they figured it was related to the high operating temps and it probably was. Of course, most of those were past the mileage GM would cover the repairs. I'm not the only one though, GM's fall from grace in the US that started in the 80's wasnt some fluke that wasnt due to GM's poor reliability and lack of improvements. Repeated alternator, starter, and water replacements are not normal. These devices I have seen last well into the 150k mile mark and sometimes more on other cars, and somehow mine always die before 100k.

But thats why I said you wont get an honest response here. Almost everyone here is some sort of GM or F-body fanatic of some sort, and is definitely not going to admit or even say their car is not better than every other car on the road. I know better. I had a pickup that I put more abusive miles on than I could count, and all I ever did was oil and pad changes. Same goes for friends that owned them. But somehow with GM's I see this list of 'hard parts' getting attached to the list of repair at what I perceive as early mileage. GM's bad rap as far as reliability goes came for a reason, it didnt just magically appear and everyone was snowballed by something that didnt exist.

 

I know my '76 TA was the most reliable car I ever owned out of 4.

 

I have never experienced nor have known any1 that experienced that many problems with a Third Gen. Or almost any car for that matter!! I guess some just come out of the factory like that and some don't. I've seen beat Third Gens with less problems than that. That does stink that the car is like that though.

 

I've got an 86 . I've had it for 10 years and 220K miles(engine has yet to be rebuilt). It's starting to die now. I had the transmission rebuilt at 140K. Fuel pumps died 3 times. It's eaten 4 alternators and the doors have been sagging for about 3 years (I just fixed them last weekend thanks to ANDYZ28). The paint decided to jump off the car in 93 (repaint in 94). Oh, yea it got stolen once too.

It's been in the garage for the past few months while I fix all the things sixteen years does a car. But I know that if I go outside right now the car will fire right up.

 

I absolutely loved the car. It was the nicest car I have ever owned, looked like brand new. Looked that way the day I sold it too... amazing it had all that work done and looked almost showroom new. Maybe it was all that 'lift time' it had? All my friends and family convinced me to sell it, and off it went. I dont know where it is now, the guy moved out of state. Last I heard (3 years ago), he still had it. Motor gave its last hurrah about a year after I sold it to him, he was out one morning messing around (asking for it) and it let go for the last time. Probably still looks like a new car.

Friday car. Never buy a Friday car. Ever.

 

My 86 out in the garage has 192k. 305 4bbl never rebuilt engine or carb. still has original clutch, t-tops only leak in an automatic car wash. several things dont work but who needs a motorized hatch pull down anyway as long as the thing opens and closes. radio died, used one from another car works fine now. theres always something to fix but its generally nothing that causes big problems and parts are cheap! except for that hatch pull down mechanism.

 

i've owned 2 thirdgens. One was an '87 LG4 5-speed formula (first car). It was fairly reliable but it was still a total POS. To be fair, some of that was due to abuse and half-assed do-it-your-self jobs by the previous owners. It was slow. It got BAD gas mileage. It rattled like crazy. And the interior was falling apart on me. I spent a lot of time fixing that car up before i sold it. My GTA so far has been very reliable. Its had a few stupid problems (o2 sensor and a few ignition components) but those wouldn't have occured if i didn't mess with them . Other than the motor is very tight eventhough it has over 100K on it, although the good 'ole 700R4's shifts are sloppy. But it still rattles way too much. A few of the cheap interior pieces have had better days (center and radio consoles, p-side leather seat). Its way too slow to justify how much gas it sucks down. And if you want to make it faster thats a PITA too. These cars are a ***** to work on. If i didn't love the looks of 3rd gen birds, I'd would have never have bought one again and instead put all that money on my other ride.......

 

most reliable car i've ever come across.. my parents 90 cutlass cierra SL 3.3L..
310 000 kms and it's still going on strong.. only things done to it, muffler, shocks/struts..
and i soo gave that thing a lickin' before i got my firebird..
but, so far, 27000 kms (16500 miles ruffly) in 10 months and it's going good.. although i bought it and didn't know of some rust (that's one thing you gotta watch out for on these cars.. rust where you can't see it).. but, other then that, it's damn good.. and fun to drive.
but.. there's a catch with these cars.. once you get one.. you get this virus.. which eats away inside of you.. giving you ideas in your head.. whispering.. "need more power.." "you need better heads".. "you need some headers"..... "you need a 350".. no wait.. that last one is from the members of this site.. sorry..
(or most of them)..


i hope you get what you want..
and don't rest t'll you do!

 

Hey, I dont like your response about us not giving accurate results. were not going to sit here and lie, look at all the neg things we have said to help him out. You have to realize, EVERY MAKE AND EVERY MODEL HAVE LEMONS.. it will always be that way. we are just telling what we feel about our cars. Yes there are alot of bads, but tons more goods. You just get the car, and do checks all the time, keep it mechnically sound, and then you should be okay. Any brand will have its bad ones, thats how it goes.. but overall third gen camaros are very reliable cars. You need to look at all weve said, we have warned him of everything we can think of, we not just sitting here saying " OHH YEAH NOTHING EVER WILL GO WRONG, YOU GOTTA HAVE A THIRDGEN", we are saying car for car, they are pretty reliable! enough said from me. .! good luck man. let us know

nate

 

I've owned my 82 Z28 since 84. Bought it with 17K miles. Now has over 260K miles and still runs well.
It has only left me stranded once, when my fuel pump died.
Not a bad track record.
I did have a problem at abt 160K miles with a couple of lobes on the camshaft wearing down due to a bad batch of cams in the early 80s, but it gave plenty of warning and was still running when I pulled the eng.
Bottom end was checked and found to still be within "new" eng limits.
Replaced cam and lifters, got a valve job, honed the cyls, replaced the piston rings and put it back together.

My 95 Chevy truck has left me stranded 3 times since I bought it in 97. Once when the tensioner pulley fell apart,and once when the idler pulley fell apart. (starting to hate serpentene
belts)
Once more when a bad electrical cable left me on the side of road.

If the Z could tow my boat, I'd sell my truck.
I'll never sell my Z!

 

My family has owned nothing but GM cars for as long as I can remember so I guess I may be biased but I am also a good judge of the past. The 80s were not good times for a lot of GM cars. My first car was a '84 Olds wagon. Awesome car in an era of iffy cars, 130K+ without a serious problem (did change a head gasket right after my dad bought it new - warranty). Super reliable. GM has come a long way. Today's cars are far better. My 2 camaros are labors of love. period. I do put a fair chunk of change into them for the miles I drive but I am a Camaro enthusist. I don't rely on them for my daily transportation. For that I got a 2000 S-10 4x4. Bought it new, now has 24K miles. All I have done to it is change fluids and filters. Great vehicle. Camaros are more fun when you have the cash to make them great. Older cars require teardown time to tighten them up. To do it right required time, tools, and cash. You can't short change the work. You have to do it right! Like every other older car that gets a lot of work, you can make it better than it every was from the factory.
Every model has its lemons and the 80s had a few more lemon trees but these cars have endured for a reason. Doing a good investigation before buying a car and spending a few more bucks on a car in better condition will always pay off it the long run. paid $4500 for my 85Z last year but the condition could not be beat. Just try to keep a clear head, these cars can be a whole lotta fun but they do cause their share of headaches.

 

i dunno about u people, but i don't keep all my receipt for the car.....i don't see why, OMG an oil change, went and got oil and a filter from wally world, gotta keep that one?? why?

 

I have bought two thirdgens new. An '84 H.O and my current '90 IROC. I have put a combined total of 200k+ miles between both of them. I've also known several friends that owned new F-bods or Vettes. They had similar tales of woe. Most gave up and traded their cars.

So with that in mind I can say they are far from reliable. The warranty repairs alone should have bankrupt GM. Some of the repairs were the fault of how the cars were assembled, or dealer prep'd, and some were just bad design flaws.

Fortunately, as was already pointed out, most of the parts for our cars are relatively cheap, but if I didn't somehow love my car in some weird sado-masochist way I would have gotten rid of Christine a long time ago...

 

I think thirdgens are exceptionally reliable cars. Mines never left me stranded in the 8 years I've owned it.

But now they're all 10-20 years old, mostly with a few hundred thousand miles. Doesn't matter how great and durable the design is..some things are gonna start to need to be replaced and failures are gonna happen.

 

I only keep the important stuff. Like the receipts for how much I paid for the mods, or my new engine receipt, in case for some ODD reason one day I have to sell the car.

 

I will add my name to the "very reliable list".

My 91 L98 GTA has 300,000 kms (200,000 miles) and the heads have NEVER been off, nor the waterpump or timing chain cover.

I will say that a lot does have to do with how well one maintains their car. I've ran synthetic oil starting just after I 'broke' the engine in 1991 (I'm the original owner) and my car doesn't burn a drop of oil nor do I get that "puff" of blue smoke that is typical of many Small Block Chevy engines.

The most common problems I've had (other than regular maintenance items) are:

1) Alternators (I am on my second one now)
2) Oil leaks on the intake manifold (this will be the fourth time that I have had to remove it).
3) Power Antenna
4) The "gas shocks" to hold the hood up
5) Cassette player

Those are the recurring problems I've had, but remember I have almost 200,000 miles on my car. And while I don't "beat the snot" out of my car, I am not afraid to boot it or take it on long drives either.

I would say that overall, this has been one of the more reliable cars I have owned in my 30+ years of driving cars.

 

I'll be the first to admit that GM's 80's to mid 90's cars were a POS... but so were everyone else's!!! Chrysler's burn as blue as the sky... you can hear a Ford rusting away around you... Honda's are tiny little deathtraps... Volvo's are ugly as $hit (although they do last forever)... etc...

Everyone needs to ask an honest question:

When did your 3rdgen become unreliable?

Mine did as soon as I started messing with it... I bet yours did too.

GM made some stupid choices (because they were cheaper to design that way)

The starters are garbage... well then get a remote solenoid... if you know it's prone to failure why do you keep putting the same part back on!!!

Same goes for the alternator... buy an external regulator and don't get a rebuid from WallyMart... you get what you pay for.

The 700R4 is a POS... buy a stick shift car if you can't handle it.

Big doors sag, period... it ain't that hard to buy new hinge pins and do the install if they bother you that much.

Compromise needs to be made. Do you want to drive a car you enjoy and that requires some maintenance? Or do you want to drive an ugly POS that is more reliable?

If you can't turn a wrench then you have no business buying an older car and then bitching about how much repairs cost.

 

My 92 is the best car I have ever had, I purchased it new and it just turned over 160,000 miles and it's never left me stranded except once when I let it run out of gas Besides the normal tune-ups and brake jobs I've rebuilt the starter once and the alternator once and replaced the waterpump and the O2 sensor once, all the other sensors are original. I had to replace the struts that hold up the hood and deck lid a couple years after I bought the car but I replaced them with good ones that are still working. The air conditioner still works like new and still has all the original freon in it. And I still have the original clutch also. If all cars were like this one there wouldn't be much need for mechanics!!!

 

I got my 88 GTA with 112K already on it. I have put 30K on it in 3 years, and the only problem I've had is that I had to get a new computer put in. And the mech said this is not the first time the comp has been replaced.
Oh yeah, I had a minor problem with accessory fuse blowing, but finally fixed that.
Not bad for a muscle car.

 

thirdgen = old car = car with various cosmetic & mechanical issues

newest thirdgen = 1992 model year = 11 years old
oldest thirdgen = 1982 model year = 21 years old

some common problems that come to mind with thirdgens:

rust on body panels

corroded brake & fuel lines

anything rubber is likely to be brittle if still original (brake hoses, vacuum hoses, engine seals, etc)

worn front end suspension & steering components (tierods, idler arm, center link, balljoints)

broken subframe around where steering box mounts

leaking hydraulic cylinders (hatch & hood supports, front struts, rear shocks)

worn door hinges

transmission failures

electric hatch pulldown failures

bad grounds & failed reistors on heater blower motor

a/c refrigerant leaks

carburator troubles

fuel injector, pressure regulator & pump problems

motor brushes wear out on power window motors

alternator brushes worn out

lubrication dries out on door latch internals, heater box, and window tracks

interior panels sunrotted

drivers seat fabric worn through

front seat metal frame bent

headliner foam breaks down and headliner sags

t-tops leaks

oil leaks, especially around the valve covers & on higher mileage thirdgens around rear main seal & harmonic balancer. note rear main seal leaks are troublesome to fix, usually have to regrind the crankshaft to get it to seal properly (engine rebuild time). valve covers easy to fix, there are repair sleeves for harmonic balancer leaks but they are time consuming to install.

on older thirdgens you won't have the problem, but many later model thirdgens have VATS related problems.

on 1985-1992 firebirds, interior instrument cluster illumination is controlled by a transistor. transistor fails and you have no dash lights when headlights are turned on.

not too common but on some thirdgens, the rubber breaks down on the harmonic balancer and the two peices of aluminum start to seperate and damage the engine.

is very common on firebirds & transams to have faulty headlight door motors & support components

 

13 years, 125K miles I've had to replace PU coil, Module, ECM and IAC (ECM and IAC was done under warranty, as well as 3 intake gasket re-seals that never held..), an alternator and a MAF sensor. Car has never left me anywhere, so I'd say the reliability is pretty good.

 

Ahhhhh, brand loyalty.

Reason 1 I said you wont get an honest answer is exactly the reason you found fit to say I am wrong in calling them unreliable. I'm batting 1 for 3 so far with thirdgens. I've owned numerous other cars, none of which have been as problematic aside of the 84 I had that never broke. That, and what my friends have experienced is what I base my opinion on. You dont like it, tough. Not going to change my mind. Reason 2 is that if you go to any internet board that is brand specific, most of the people there are going to tell you their cars are the most reliable on the face of the planet. Doesnt matter if its GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Yugo, whatever. I think some Fiat and MG owners might have a hard time carrying the flag but then again I might be surprised too.

I like the post above, it points out quite a few common problem areas. That is the information you need to know. There are going to be good cars and bad cars, you already know where I think most 80's GM's fall. But denying common problems that arise is just silly, thats the same wool that was pulled over my Honda owning friend's eyes. I guess that blown head gasket he had was no big deal, neither was the $1800 bill that came with it. Hondas are the most reliable car around to him, just because he likes Hondas. I take what I see, make my opinion. I dont know what planet most of the other people are living on, but on my planet GM's reliability leaves something to be desired.

 

Have to agree with madmax.

Over just the last 12 months how many times have I seen people asking about hatch pull down motors, hot start problems, brakes pulling to one side, car won't start, car runs hot, seat belt recall... Yeah, they're reliable.

Glenn, your car is just a freak.

My '90 IROC, on the other hand, endured its' first 85k miles in Germany on the A'bahn between '90-'95. It saw duty as a real "daily driver." It was not parked in the winter. It drove down salty, snowy roads. It idled in summer traffic jams in downtown Stuttgart. It saw a lot of A'bahn action at WOT. It had Mobil 1 starting with it's first oil change at 1000 miles.

By 30k miles I had already replaced both the transmission and rear under warranty. It wasn't from abuse, it was simply high rpm and minimaly-designed components. ATF won't stand up to 2+ hrs of WOT. My trany sounded like a cement mixer after a 200 miles blast down the A'bahn. I finally heard of Redline MTL and the second transmission survived the remaining 55k miles over there. The engine was smoking bad on startup at 85k miles. Suppose the valve guides were toast. The distributor wore out at 100k and the ECM gave up the ghost at 115k.

In so far as my friends new cars, I can recount a problematic '85 Vette that was traded in after the third MAF was replaced under warranty. '85 IROC that wouldn't keep it's paint on. '82 Vette that just had issues and never did run right.

Could go on but you've got my point.

 

And to just to let you know, my 86 is for sale as it is getting replaced. Going to find out fairly soon if its going to be 1 for 4 or 2 for 4 on the thirdgen reliability scale for me. I'm hoping for a 2 for 4.

 

im sure mine would be reliable if i would stop screwing with it and leave it alone for one week-end. i alway start working on it and realize i don't have the money to fix it. but i don't have my lisence yet so it dosen't matter that much, and i have a 94 blazer to drive when i get my licence. so i will probable keep doing that like a retard. but o well. as long as you don't tear it apart every week-end you should be fine.

 

Having owned 5 Third gen's during the last 13 years, I can say this, for powertrain reliability you can't beat the L03 (TBI) mated to a WC T-5. Nothing but oil changes, and the clutch lasted 110K!! (over 75 K with woman driver) The biggest weak spots with most third gen's are: MECHANICAL: water pumps, 2.8L head gaskets, TPI's (various injectors and sensors), ELECTRICAL: ALTERNATORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, power window motors, weak power locks, hatch pull downs, power antennas. BODY: hanging doors, T/A rubber spoilers, Hood and rear shocks, poor paint ,( mostly those painted in Van Nuys CA especially light blue, red ,gray, white, and black) ****ty ground fx in 91-92 in the front under the fenders, (one hard bottom out and crack, snapple pop!) shocks and struts. INTERIOR: HEADLINERS!!!, map pockets, radio pods, center console, lid, T-top leaks, ripped seats, GM pleather driver side seat. COOLING, EVERYTHING! (just kidding) Heater core, anything AC. It still depends on a number of other factors. To quote one Chrysler exec. " Out of 100 cars, 15 of ours are as good as anything Toyota has ever built, 70 are O.K., and 15 will cause repeated problems for our customers. ( AS far as Chrysler goes he definetely eggagerates the good!)

 

163k and only a couple real failures here (1 alt, 1 radiator), but the radiator was really my fault. Broke the fan switch installing headers, and it fried the fan relay, which let things get too hot and crack the rad. And this is since new (1.1k miles at purchase).

But even then, considering how many thirdgens I've seen and worked on, I know better than to say they're the "most" reliable vehicle out their in it's age bracket. It's certainly one of the cheapest and easiest to fix, but for someone who can't or doesn't want to work on their own, there's many better options out there than a thirdgen.

So let's say thirdgens rate a 6 on a scale of 10 for reliability, and it only gets the extra point up from 5 because it's cheap and easy to maintain. I think every kid's first car should be a POS that could leave them stranded, requires a prayer to start in the morning, and doesn't look the greatest. It'll teach them to respect and care for a nice car when they finally do get one, and realize just what a great thing it is to have a perfectly reliable car, and that it takes conscious work to keep a car that way, no matter how old or new it is. Which makes a L03 or V6 thirdgen a good first car.

I'm just assuming this is your first car and that you're very young, since you wouldn't have to "convince" your dad of anything if it were otherwise; just go and get it yourself.

Basically, I'm indifferent. Pick any 10-20 year-old car, and it's going to have it's own distinct set of common problems, and even well-maintained ones are going to start showing wear by now. Might as well have one that has cheap, common parts you can find in *any* parts store, as well as a decent, affordable aftermarket parts following.

 

Maybe, but I prefer to think that I always maintained my car and I never ignored a "small thing". There are a few "parking lot door dings" in it now and it could use a new paint job. But it still looks fairly good for a 200,000 mile car.

But I firmly believe "maintenance" is a key part. Over the years, I don't know how many times I have seen people (non-males especially) that just "ignore" things, and let those "little things" become "big things".

I do admit that I have never had my car running 2+ hours @ WOT. Not too many places where I can drive 140+ MPH around where I live.

 

Wow... Has this turned into a bitchfest... what a bunch of whiners!!! ... sell all your cars and go buy buy a Toyota... say hello to the Lord for me when you get t-boned by a moron in his SUV.

Thank you Jza, for having the ability to bring some reason.

"My power windows/hatch/antenna don't work... sniff sniff, boo hoo!!!" ... the car is at least 11 years old, is subject to hot/cold extremes, intermittent useage, and constant shaking as you drive. You guys need to see the maintenace that these boats here in the saltwater require... you'd count yourselves lucky real quick.

Rust??? Well maybe if you had the sense to WASH it more than once a month during winter These cars rust as commonly as any other car... the difference is in how much care a person takes... try using some rust prevention too.

"My TPI system always breaks"... Any time you try and make sensitive electrical components work in triple digit temperatures you're going to have problems. If you weren't prepared to work on it then you should have bought the TBI system... with less power

Yes these cars have problems. Your job is to figure out what they are and work around them.

How often to you slap your thirdgen from stoplight to stoplight? I bet it's far more than you slap your 110hp Honda. This may cause a few reliability problems don't ya think?

Brand loyalty my @ss... My Ford was a POS as is the 5 speed in my 01 VW.

A $15000 Camaro is no match for a $30000 BMW on the Autobahn... what were you thinking?... they cost more for a reason. And yes, a BMW or VW are most DEFINITELY better built than a GM or Chysler... they also cost more!!!

I said it before... I'll say it again:

If you buy ANY car older than 8 years then you had better have either deep pockets or the ability to turn a wrench. If not then you need to buy a new, or slightly used, car with a warranty.

 

I have a comment to make. As I scroll down the list of threads posted to this topic, I've noticed that some people have had serious problems with their cars. Don't you guys think that perhaps your mechanic's suck @SS, and its not GM's prob.
I personally think that if you take your car to someone who knows what they're doing, you should only have to replace parts maybe once?! damn, im no expert! just my 1/2 cent..

 

Sleeper it is evident that your knowledge of Euro cars come from the pages of Road & Track. LOL! I have 16 yrs experience on the A'bahns of Deutschland. ...and remember I was refering to '90-'95.
FWIW, per ADAC (German Motor Club) of the expensive German-built cars, BMW was considered to be the least reliable and most likely to be found on the side of the road. LOL!

Anyways, back to the Euro-spec '95 Bayerisch Mist Werke (BMW)kraftfahrzeuge. The only factory BMW model out at the time that would flat walk me was the M5. That was only to 155 where they hit their speed limiter. So when the conditions were right I have actually rolled past a very frustrated M5 driver that was stuck at 155. The 540, 740 series were just coming out when I left. The 535, 635, 735, and lesser models were simply prey. M3s were not quite as fast as the M5.

This obviously discounts tuner cars. I was given a serious run for my money over 15 miles by just a 320i. It was a slightly windy, summer afternoon and I couldn't pull more than 145. We were reduced to drafting each other for the advantage.

If you've never driven flat out in an environment where you can for miles on end you simply have no idea what cars can really do. This is an environment where changing the weight of your motoroil will take or add 10 mph to your top end. Qtr mile jaunts are only a small part of performance.

In closing I will admit that I enjoyed busting many of the German egotists in their expensive cars.

 

hey guys, sorry i haven't replied to any of the comments, i was gone all weekend at a church camp, hmm, i'm seeing a lot of conflicting answers...wow, it seems that reliability is somewhat random, some cars having less trouble than others, thanks for the warnings, and views, this is what i pretty much expected, i guess when the time comes i'll have to look at each car's history/who owned it/do they have records/how was it driven, etc.

 

Hah! Glenn, you gotta get out of those mountains around Kamloops and come on down to the prairies

The Medicine Hat to Moose Jaw run will let you wring that old 91 out real good! Practically straight as an arrow for 300 miles, with only the odd hill here and there

Of course, there's the occasional Mountie with a radar gun but you ought to be able to outrun them with that Camaro of yours.

 

That's what I'm afraid of. In BC, that will get you an automatic 2 year suspension ON THE SPOT! Not to mention the "screaming" from the wife whenever I go "10 over".