Pontiac Firebird 1967-2002 - 2012 Bird census poll/comment

Well I thought I'd make a poll and see what everyone thinks, I'm having a little issue here, last year I bought my 96 WS6 with 15k, I currently have 18k on her, When i went shopping last year my thought was to buy something that i could pull into cruise night with, and also drive to work on sunny days and help alleviate some stress on my pickup, also when I get home with the boat late at night i could just leave it hooked up and worry about it the next day. Plus the T/A gets better mileage and a whole lot more fun to drive. Well I was looking at LS1's and came across my car in my back yard with 15k and was less then LS1's I was looking at with 80k on them. so I pulled the trigger,

Well this car is amazing! I mean this is "That car" just too clean, ultra low miles, never left out of the garage except when driven, on and on, I struggle with wanting to drive it, but at the same time wanting to keep it in its current state of shere bliss, the last three days Ive driven the car and enjoyed going to work, but it gets so damn dusty at work I hate driving it there, I was planning on driving it tomorrow, but i washed it tonight (dusty) and now I don't want to take her to work, so I tucked it back in the garage and put the cover on :engarde: Ive actually toyed with selling to buy a differant one that I would drive more. anywayz just curious what everyone else thinks of there's and what they do..

For the record I'm number between 3 and 4, I drive it enough to get buggy so it needs to be hand washed often, but I don't drive it if I know there's a threat of rain and its only sat out once in the rain for my kids bday party in the rain, need the garage, and the damn kid says I don't love him lol still never driven in the rain or left out overnight:eek2:

1. I bought it to drive and I drive it everyday and drive the hell outta it!

2. I drive it on nice bright Sunny days only!

3. I drive it on nice bright sunny days but have gotten caught in the rain a few times a year.

4. I drive it to cruise nights and car shows, and very sparingly in between,

5. Yes I'm "that guy" take it to shows and never wash it with water, (California duster etc)

I personally think that you should enjoy your car as much as possible. That doesn't mean you need to drive it every day, nor does it mean you need to drive it in inclement weather. My SS has 66k miles, and while I won't drive it to work if it's calling for rain, if it happens to get caught, then so be it. For instance, I'm taking it to Carlisle in July -- rain or shine. That's why they make car soap and wax.

Honestly, I've been "that guy" who's only washed his car once back in February before claying, compounding, polishing, and waxing. It's just been dusted and quick detailed since.

You have a special car, so enjoy it. As long as you're not modding it, then putting some miles on it is just fine. Further, you can't take it with you :)

The only mods Ive ever considered are exhaust, and still haven't done it due to the originality of the car, I've thought of pulling the org silver WS6 wheels and stashing them aside and putting on OEM chromes WS6 wheels, and Ive thought of putting the TA emblem overlays on, either silver to match the hood decals, or red just because


http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/jamin87ss/2012-04-04184254.jpg
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/jamin87ss/2012-04-04184235.jpg

Definitely driver #1.

And I'm very happy.

Bought it to drive it daily, and I do. I have a Jeep that I also drive, just depends on the day, but not scared to put miles on the WS6 at all.

I drive mine daily during the summer months. she sees rain occasionally but is tucked away in winter

#1 here all day. My only car so I drive it A LOT and in any weather condition. I have a motorcycle too so that will obviously get more attention as it keeps getting more nice out and gets better mpg, but still the Trans am will get used frequently throughout a week's time. 155k miles..

Though I voted for the first option, I ride my bicycle and use public transportation most of the time.

In fact number one does not even begin to describe it. I'm Air Force and my wife is Navy. So I'll drive this car no matter what or where and she's never let me down.

Usually just when it's nice out

Just by reading these replies, I'll make one other comment:

When I was "younger," I had no problem driving my cars everyday... because they were my only cars! I got my 2000 SS with 14k miles when I was 21. That saw all four seasons and I never, ever felt bad about it. My 2001 Z28 had 100k on it when I sold it, too. However, now that I'm older, have a better job, have multiple vehicles, etc, I don't need to put my nice cars through any of the crappy weather.

I know many of you are proud to say you drive yours everyday (I was -- screw those old guys who don't drive their cars, right?), but in hindsight, one can't really enjoy these cars in inclement weather the way one can on a bright sunny day. I'd much rather be in my SUV to go play in the snow while my SS is waiting patiently for the spring rather than a white-knuckle ride on drag radials in the middle of winter (yes, been there, done that).

I drive it every day except for when there is snow on the ground which was two days this year. I over-maintain it and fix any issue that comes up so nothing ever really gets worn out. 72,000 miles so far.

I have entered it in car shows and won awards but no longer do so because the paint is getting a little frosted at the bottom of the doors and behind the rear wheels from gravel.

Keeping the car in the garage and waiting for good driving weather would be like having a beautiful wife that you only fuck in the summer time, in my opinion.

I average about 2,000 - 3,000 miles per year on my T/A (about to hit 29,000 miles) but I'm not afraid of inclement weather either. I drive it all season long, obviously less in the winter. I've been out in rain numerous times including a 4 hour rainy stretch on the drive back from Pittsburgh where I picked up my SS. Bad weather does not really hurt the car if you clean it and detail it properly after such an event. I literally spend hours on it, not a half hearted effort. My T/A is still very much admired at car shows and I get constant 'thumbs up'. I probably still will when I hit 50,000 miles in another decade. If you care for it properly, drive it anywhere you like in any conditions. Unfortunately far too many owners will hit that rain storm and let the car sit for a few weeks before washing it or rinsing the undercarriage, or they skip the door jams or whatever. That takes a toll even on a garage kept car. Enjoy your ride!

Keeping the car in the garage and waiting for good driving weather would be like having a beautiful wife that you only fuck in the summer time, in my opinion.

Let me put that analogy into perspective...

I do not drive my car for three months out of the year (December-February; I get discounted insurance for this). That is 12 weeks.

Women have a "special" week each month. Twelve months in a year; one week per month -- 12 weeks of not sleeping with your hot wife.

However, I do understand that there are people who will drive their car in messy snow and whatnot. I also understand that there are people that have no problem banging their wife during their "special" week. These people have something in common -- they don't mind cleaning up a nasty mess.

My '02 WS6 is @ 98K miles, it has had to be my daily for the last 3 years I've owned it. It is taking a turn though, it is in the shop getting a refresh painting, alot of parts going to the chromer shortly, and it will reside in storage when it gets finished painting. I will drive it to car shows, and some on sunny days, but it's not gonna be out in the sizzling TX heat fading the paint. I've showed it @ several shows, and that's what I want to do with it, I say to each their own if they want to drive theirs everyday, I....do not though. :cheers:

WOW. Very interesting analogy

Let me put that analogy into perspective...

I do not drive my car for three months out of the year (December-February; I get discounted insurance for this). That is 12 weeks.

Women have a "special" week each month. Twelve months in a year; one week per month -- 12 weeks of not sleeping with your hot wife.

However, I do understand that there are people who will drive their car in messy snow and whatnot. I also understand that there are people that have no problem banging their wife during their "special" week. These people have something in common -- they don't mind cleaning up a nasty mess.

I have 2 show cars. One is a 2002 Formula I bought brand new that only has 13,000 miles on it. I take it to maybe 6 car shows a year and the rest of the time it sits in the garage. I have no problem driving it 3 hours to the Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, but I still put less than 500 miles a year on her. I truly don't like racking up the miles on this car, plus it is black and harder to keep clean.
My other show car is a 1999 pewter TA that has 136,000 miles that I drive to shows around Dayton and also to Indy and Kentucky sometimes. Because of the mileage and color I feel more comfortable driving it.

It's a POS. Just drive it.

I bought mine new in 02. It was my daily through 2008. Then I bought a Traverse and now I only drive it on Nice days. It has 92,000 miles on it. I have not actually washed it in 2 years--spray detail and wax only. I take the wheels off in the summer and wash them but basically that's it.