mermel

I was browsing online to see how many vehicles of my type were made.

I have a 2001 Trans Am (non-WS6, non-RamAir) Triple-Black Convertible 6speed manual. (pics coming 10-29-07)

I read that there were only 57 made in 2001 with those exact features. That's gotta be a mistake, right? What's the most reliable source for those types of numbers? Would a vehicle like this (meaning not a special edition or Firehawk) have a production number somewhere on it?

VIP1

https://ls1tech.com/forums/pontiac-firebird-1967-2002/518441-build-number.html#post4935997

According to what I saw there... There are 81 2001 Trans Am convertible M6. I don't know how many were black though.

NC01TA

That 81 number is correct for base model 6 speed Trans Am convertibles built for 2001. There were 396 total built that year with the remaining 215 being automatics. With 81 total 6 speeds I doubt there were 57 in black. Too many other colors like white, red, etc.. It is possible but even if half the verts built were black you are talking about 40 or so. You own a RARE car. You wonder why Pontiac stopped making these things and there is your answer. Paying $30,000+ back in '01 was HUGE money and still is today. Mine was $33,000+ and the WS6 versions were $3,000 higher. By the way only 796 WS6 convertibles were built in 2001 as well. Ridiculous LOW numbers. Part of the reason also was the production stopped early in May 2001 for the 2002 models. The final year in 2002 had more built but not that many. I have researched this info to the highest levels I could reach at Pontiac plus much of this info can be found in the Jan 2002 edition of High Performance Pontiac magazine. Color breakdowns just don't seem to exist for the 2001 model year. I sure have tried with many long distance calls.

mermel

I definitely appreciate your hard work. About 2 weeks ago I got mine from a dealer in Easton, PA. After a 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and taxes tacked on, I ended up paying just over $20,000. Car had 53.5K on it at the time. No problems with it. Think I overpaid? (Ok, of course I overpaid because I went to a dealer, but seriously......I saw an '02 Silver T/A with the RamAir, WS6 and T-Tops $9700 with only 30K for sale near me today..... http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/car/462336515.html )

NC01TA

That 2002 for $9700 sounds fishy. No one in their right mind would sell that car for that price unless it was a 'problem' car. By 'problem' I mean flooded (and not reported) or damaged somehow. A carfax sure would be interesting to see. You get what you pay for in most instances. You might have paid a bit high for your car but try to find clean '01 verts anywhere. It isn't that easy and you would be paying close to what you paid anyway. Good luck with it and enjoy the 'sleek beak' rarity.

mermel

I think it's just buyers remorse. Besides, I hate T-Tops. They leak more often than convertible tops. Lol, I like it, "Sleak Beak." I know it wasn't too smart to buy it in October (living in the northeast) but that's when convertibles are cheapest. Just got to grin and bear it with the snow.

I'm a sports car noob, totally, so I'll be posting a few more questions on the forums. Is 18 MPG decent for a combo of 60 MPH highway and stop-and-go traffic? I fill up with 93 (work in NJ, cheapest gas in the US, $2.87 this afternoon). Also, is one company REALLY better than the other?

VIP1

18 MPG is good for a mix of highway and city.

I can't seem to get better than 12.5 - 14.5 MPG lately.
(A4 w/ 3.23 rear - 90% city)

NC01TA

18 sounds OK for where you live. I rarely get better than 20 mpg in mixed driving with my auto and 3.23. Straight highway driving can astound you with 25+ mpg and even higher for those with 6 speeds.
Ref gasoline I just stick with the major brands like BP (Amoco fuels), Exxon, Chevron, etc to be on the safe side. I don't try to save pennies for such an important machine. Always 93 octane and keep that fuel filter changed. If you haven't done it yet, do it. Who knows when it was changed last and what the prior owner put in the tank.
Since you are new to this vehicle, be careful with traction in the upcoming winter months with all that power to the rear wheels. Whenever you need new tires, get decent all-season type, like the Goodyear GS-D3 which is even better than the Goodyear GS-C that was original with most of our cars. It's another item not to get cheap with. Again, you get what you pay for. I'm sure you are reading all the information posted on this site. Just use your head and weed through the BS and pick out the good stuff. I've owned F-bodies for 11 years now with no end in sight. Enjoy your ride and don't fret about the $$$.

mermel

Thanks for the encouragement. And don't worry about me driving in the snow. I've owned a 79 Chevy Malibu and an 89 Mercury Grand Marquis. Both heavy cars, both RWD. I just put a few bowling ***** in the trunk for a little extra weight on the rear wheels.

As far as gas goes, I filled up at Hess for $2.87. There's a BP and Exxon next to it that has 93 for $2.95. The only thing I know about Hess is that the CEO used to own the NY Jets.

One more thing. Besides getting the RaggTopp care kit, any suggestions on how to keep my fabric top protected from ice and snow?

VIP1

The GS-D3 is a summer-tire, not all-season.
I use GS-D3 in the summer and Blizzak WS-50 in the winter.

mermel

NC01TA, found another suspicious one.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/car/464265799.html

NC01TA

Your link has been flagged already. Lots of bad stuff out there. You really have to be alert.
Raggtopp is the way to go. That's all I ever use and the top is MINT! Just cover those windows and paint!! That stuff is a bear to get off. It tells you right on the can too.

mermel

lol, here's another noobish question. In order to keep the miles of my bird low (2001 model with 54K) I'm thinking of only driving it 4.4 miles per day to the train as opposed to the 37 I drive it to work. Would the short daily trips ultimately hurt the engine and transmission or is this a good idea to preserve the quality of the mechanical components? It'll also reduce the exposure to the snowy roads we get in the winter.