McGinnis

I was wondering around Barrett Jackson Auction over the weekend and I probably found the cleanest 4th gen firebird ever. It was a pewter 2002 Firebird Transam WS6. It was a 6-speed, with leather and all the goodies. It only had 280 miles on it, literally looked like new. I was surprised it only brought $20,000, or $22,000 if you include their "fees". They also has a black 1991 Camaro Z28 auto, with 100 original miles it brought about $21,000, or 23,000 with fees. So perfect all original like new f-bodies are still out there, just not very many left.

CO_BlackHawk

Someone got hell of a good buy.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I've heard of SSs and Firehawks with more mileage selling for higher prices recently, perhaps this WS6 met a lower price ceiling both because it was pewter (not particularly sought after) and also not an anniversary or CE package car.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

im surprised these cars are selling for so low with that kind of mileage.

McGinnis

My dads buddy who lives in Minnesota was desperate for money and couldn't get any reasonable offer, so he traded it in to a dealer for $12,000. It was a 1999 black totally stock Firebird Formula Firehawk with about 19,000 miles. The only option it had was the chrome wheels and a 6-speed. So keep your eyes open for a nice Firehawk, it'll probably show up on autotrader soon. He bought it in 2006 form my dad for $16,000 and thought it would be more money. He ended up buying an 1987 Grand National instead, and selling the bird. Most "FireHawk" owners think they have some special one of a kind car worth $20+grand they are indeed cool, but not worth anymore then a well equipped Transam, unless you find someone who is crazy for a Firehawk. Even at retail I don't think any 4th gen will bring over $15 grand. A CETA might bring another grand or two but thats pushing it. Most of these "mint" firebirds seem to sit on craigslist and autotrader for years.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

id never buy these cars to try to make money with with.


theres better investment options.

idahoz28

iTrader: (2)

Prices have dropped on just about all of the collector cars too. Hemi Roadrunners were going cheap compared to where they were 5+ years ago. I sold my basket case 440-6 '70 Superbee for more 15 yrs ago than clean complete Hemi Roadrunners were going for at Barretts this weekend.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Other than the top tier rarest, #1 condition examples, which I agree are no longer at their peak "bubble" prices, I've actually noticed the opposite trend locally. The more common but still highly popular models of the '66-'72 era seem to have regained much of the value they lost during the great recession....in some cases even exceeding previous highs. And now I see some mid to late '70s cars trading hands at prices higher than ever before.

I agree. I only buy cars for purposes of transportation or as toys/hobbies/recreation, but never as investments; too much risk, and too many better options for that purpose.

idahoz28

iTrader: (2)

Some of us were lucky enough to buy them when these highly sought after cars were 10-12 yr old and we were still in high school (79-81 for me). I picked up the 440-6 pack '70 Superbee in 1980 for $250.00 after it had suffered an under dash electrical fire (that's all that was wrong w/ it)... I bought several low mile 66-67 396 4 speed Chevelles for 2000.00 that I would clean up and sale to my buddies for 500.00 profit just to watch them go out and total them weeks later. I still have my '68 Formula S Notchback Barracuda that I drove in High School. (I bought it for 650.00) I have kept it exactly the way it was in 1979... Its sitting in my driveway next to my Pewter Z28 in the below picture..... On the other hand I have spent lots of $$$'s building cars that I always wanted. The '29 Roadster in the second pic is an all metal car that I built that cost me well over $100,000.00 and no way I could sell it for close to that

AnotherWs6

iTrader: (17)

Car is pewter. Weak sauce. That's why.

CO_BlackHawk

What's wrong with Pewter? It was one of my preferred colors when I was looking...

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Pewter isn't a vibrant color and personally I find the goldish-sandy hue to be undesirable (Sport Gold Metallic is much worse though). I've owned two of these cars in pewter and ended up disliking it both times, but the second time I only settled for it because the car was going to be a daily driver and I new it would be good for hiding dirt.

CO_BlackHawk

It is a little bit subdued, but the 4th Gen Firebird is already an attention grabbing car, so tone-ing down the "hey look at me factor" didn't seem like a bad thing to me.

There was a SOM ws6 for sale when I was looking and I realized that was just way to much for my tastes.

To each their own I guess.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

im another that has never liked pewter. it looks like mud or crap or something nasty.

murphinator

iTrader: (2)

pewter has grown on me... of my current 4th gens black,mystic teal ,pewter I like the pewter best

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I don't mind subdued at all, in fact in my older age this is why I prefer Camaros and Formulas over the WS6 Trans Am that I bought 15 years ago.....they're just a bit over the top for me now.

It's just the sandy/light brownish/goldenish sort of quality about pewter that I dislike. Interestingly enough, my favorite color for these cars, and most cars, is silver. Most people would consider silver to be equally mild, but it lacks the goldish/brownish quality that I dislike so much with pewter.

CO_BlackHawk

Silver is my favorite color also... and because the pewter is so close I like it too.

I can't say I agree with you on the camaro though, I like it, but I've always had an eye for the 4th gen Firebird. Just not in a loud color.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I thought the same thing in 1999 when I bought my first 4th gen, a Z28. GM was offering a year-end incentive on the '99s and I wanted silver but all that was left locally with the other options I wanted was black or pewter. Black was out of the question since I had just sold a black car about a week earlier and didn't want to deal with that hassle again. I figured pewter was close enough to silver that it would do, but after about a year of owning the car I realized I had made a big mistake and that I really disliked pewter. So I sold the pewter Z28 and bought a brand new '00 WS6 Trans Am in bright red....haha, the polar opposite of the Z28 I had just sold. That one I kept for four years, and then decided that I should get what I wanted in the first place...a silver Camaro. So I sold the WS6 in 2004 and bought the '98 Z28 that I still have today. After 10+ years with this car, I'm still 100% satisfied with the model and color and wish I had just started with this one in the first place back in the late '90s.

In the mean time, I picked up an '02 Z28 in pewter back in 2007 as a daily driver. The color was great at hiding the dirt, but I still didn't like it much. I kept that one until last year when I sold it for a more normal daily driver....in silver.

It's just a matter of personal preference. I know many people prefer the Trans Am (especially the WS6) because it's styling is much louder/busier and more in-your-face than the more understated styling of Camaro (and even Formula). My opinion is generally in the minority, but after having had both I'm quite certain that I prefer Camaro. Having said that, I would probably have kept the '00 WS6 I owned had it been a WS6 Formula. I could definitely see myself buying some sort of Formula at some point (I've already had a 3rd gen Formula), should the right one come along at the right time.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Yep, Pewter is one of my favorites on WS6's. Tones down the aggressiveness and is just a super attractive color on that body style. Both my brother and a best buddy have Pewter WS6's and I love them. Don't think mud/brown ... think champagne! There's a lot of metal flake in it and the color really sparkles.

melchoir

iTrader: (4)

Personally I'd love a shot at a 99 Hugger Orange SS like Nineball used to have.
Black accent on the hood and TT2s with artic white leather, m6.

I love the look of that car!