Rocket_Man12

Hey guys, Newb here. I didn't want to bog down the forum with a thread like this but after browsing for a few days you guys seemed really helpful to people trying to purchase cars like this so I thought I would make the post and take any verbal beatings that come my way.

Anyway, been looking at the firebirds for a while now but havent really found one to my liking. Until now. As far as price goes these cars seem to be all over the place. Some are really cheap and some seem very expensive, of course this is all relative and since I am not very familiar with these cars I wanted to give the specifics on the car I am looking at and hopefully get an idea of what a fair price would be from the community.

So here it is:

'98 Formula, just about 87K miles. It is a 6 spd, no T-Tops. It is all stock but has a few problems including: The tires are completly bald, broken window motor, lose pulley (not sure there is a squeak coming from the front end), hole in the rear bumper. It also had some rear end problems that are supposedly fixed. The car isnt all bad, the interior is in good shape as is the paint mostly.

The car is within my price range as is, however, with the repairs I would have to do it jumps out of my price range. I dont mind doing the repairs but I need the money to get the parts haha.

Anyway hopefully I end up getting the car and posting more often.

Thanks for your help.

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

Only 556 '98 Formula HTs built. Not a very common car.

Rocket_Man12

Well that doesn't work in my favor! Haha, I would rather have T-tops to be honest, but I will take what I can get.

3.8SFITURBO

iTrader: (10)

Well the miles are no big deal except for book value. The LS1 is a very strong healthy motor as long as it has not been beat on to hard. Window motor is very common thing on all FBodys the lose pully is not good may show a lack of maintaince on the owners half. You do have to watch the stock 10 bolts they are junk and the 6 speed cars making any power or raced will blow them easy. How much are they asking? BTW I have a nice clean low mile Formula for sale

Rocket_Man12

I think it may have been beat on a bit as the owner was on the young side and also based some comments he made and the rear end problems. Don't get me wrong I know younger people can take care of cars but based on some subtle things I saw I am not sure that this was the case here.

The underhood area was pretty dirty and I think a squirrel might have been hanging out up there as well which also made me think the car could have been better taken care of. That reminds me, it wasn't garaged and was driven in winter for at least 1 year. The current owner is #2

Rocket_Man12

I saw your car, it is very nice indeed. Unfortunantly it is out of my price range and I am looking for a Manual Transmission. Thanks for pointing it out though.

The seller is looking for A bit over $7000. Of course I would need to then buy tires as well. Oh I also forgot, the battery is dead I need a new one of those too.

98_Formula

iTrader: (15)

i felt it relevant to post in this thread due to the title...

in all honestly it just sounds like this car was not taken care of... alot of the problems you are referring to are easy fixes and shouldn't cost too much ...loose pulley - which is probably just the need for a new belt... $50 window motor , there's BALD tires? if someone wanted to cheap out they could get tires for 300 bucks or even put some used **** on there just to look good, and the cars dirty?

It just seems like these are simple things that you would fix and CLEAN YOUR CAR b4 trying to sell it.

just be wary, there might be other things they were being ignored that could be problems in the near future. when u buy a used car you should leave some extra funds aside expecting something to break... just to be safe. nothing like buying a new car and then something breaks and you can't drive it while you try to save up for the fix...

but, i could be off on that, it could be a very sound car that your getting cheaper becuz someone doesnt want to take a day to fix small things on it

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

$7K isn't bad, $5500 would be a deal, and $8500 would be pricey.

The squeak is probably not the front pulley being loose, more likely needs a belt or a tensioner needs to be replaced. If the belt is on and all 8 ribs are on the way they are supposed too, it's probably something else and a small and minor fix.

I have a 1998 HT Formula.

Rocket_Man12

That is my concern as well. I don't want to buy the car thinking it just hasn't been cleaned thoroughly and then find out I need to start throwing expensive parts on there. I will see if I can offer a lower price to account for the tires on the car which are essentially useless. Hopefully because it wasn't cleaned and the small things werent fixed doesn't mean important upkeep was forgotten. The owner said the oil was changed every 3k miles. But you never know

Thanks for the information, I know that these cars arent always worth what KBB and the like say, whether it be more or less, especially with the current gas situation.

nhraracer

iTrader: (6)

I just wouldnt get involved in this deal, even though you know of these problems, there are alot that can be hidden/discovered down the road. Usually cars in this conditions need new spark plugs and wires, a engine flush and a oil change, a fuel filter, coolant flush, etc. Because if he didnt do the basic maintnence like the tires, all the other systems have probably gone to hell.

I paid 4,000 for my hardtop 98 formula sport gold (they only made 60 Sport gold formula coupes) and it had a near perfect body but had a oil leak and a differental leak and it was a good deal.

For the condition I suspect the car in question is in I wouldnt pay more than 3,500. Either get a great price for it or dont bother.

Save your money, look on ebay and autotrader. Ive seen a couple cars with great prices

1 Bad Ass Formula

iTrader: (7)

I wouldn't pay $7000, I'd say at the very most $5500 -$6000. Sounds like it needs a bit of work for it to be worth anything more than that. I'd look the car over very well and take it to your mechanic to have them look over it. If some of the things you mention happened then who knows what else. If that's all that really is wrong with it offer him the $5500-$6000 and then if he takes it, then you have a $1000 to fix it up. Check to see what else is around you fairly locally as well. Maybe someone might have a well kept car they just want to get rid of and are selling at a lower price. I see that happen every once in a while. I remember the stories my mom told me when she was looking for a C4 Corvette. Plenty of people asking rediculous prices for cars that needed to be restored a bit. She actually got the best deal from a dealer on a pretty low milage 84, and not from a private seller.

bottlefed98

iTrader: (2)

98 b/g chameleon ht formula here...

7 is a bit high I would think, it would have to me a immaculate car to be worth that much..