TransAmWS.6

^^I agree with these guys, absolutely put the car under your parents plan. It's a lot cheaper and it can save you if you get in an accident with the car like I did, this alone made it possible for me to replace my old SS with another one. It's the only way to go when you're a young guy

TheGeneralLee

To all those saying I should save up more, how much do y'all think is a reasonable amount to save up? (Keeping in mind I only get paid around $7 an hour working construction :p) Also, if the insurance companies find out your driving the car like every day do they care all that much?

Switching subjects, are there any more differences lt1 vs ls1 in terms of reliability and expense?

And just one more quick question, is it possible to drive an f-body in winter in a arctic wasteland like Wisconsin? I still have no idea why we moved here......

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

the lt1 vs ls1 debate is all over the board. In simple terms, the ls1 is an all around better engine. Newer technology and more efficient. Better mpg, more power, just as cheap to mod etc.. However that doesnt make the lt1 bad. The lt1 sounds better IMO and still has plenty of torque to make it a fun ride. Both are great but theres a reason why the ls1 is more sought after and expensive. Theres plenty of info on this if you search.

AndersonsSS01

I had a 94 z28 as my first car and it was more than enough car to get you into trouble very quick, the lt1's can be reliable and efficient as long as you keep them dry. I say that because i went through 3 opti sparks in 2 years and if you aren't familiar with the lt1 can start to get old very fast and expensive. you can pick up a decent higher millage ls car for around your price range and i think that would be a whole hell of alot better car for you. As far as driving it in the winter im not going to tell you its impossible, i did it for 3 illinois winters which aren't anything to shake a stick at (sometimes) and trust me when i tell you this. IT WAS NOT FUN. even with about 200 pounds of sand in the back i would still get stuck in about a half an inch of snow on top of concrete going down hill. I went through about 3 or 4 sets of floor mats trying to get my self unstuck when i was by my self one winter. so i would say just buy a pos fwd or 4wd vehicle to get you through the winter especially being in wisconson. But other than that have fun and try not to get to many certificates for performance driving. The Chicks dig the 4th gens especially when they make alot of noise!

wildcamaro

iTrader: (15)

I would go for the higher mileage LS car, I'd rather have a 100k+ LS car then a showroom floor lt4 Fbody....there is a reason the lt1 was only around for 4-5 years....and how many people are swapping lt1s in there cars compared to LS engines? I just built an 81 camaro with a 200k mile LS engine and it still had factory cross hatching in cylinders and has 30+ lbs of oil pressure....

1320Chicken

iTrader: (4)

If you can spring for a ls1 go for it. Reliable, easier to work on, and much more support in the aftermarket. Plus the parts are interchangeable(for the most part) across all the ls platforms within a given generation.

Lts are known for opti issues, and an oil leak at the back of the manifold.
I can't think of any really common weak points in stock trim for an ls1 engine.

I will always have a soft spot for an lt car, I owned 3, but the way I look at it is the lt1 was the missing link from the tried and true SBC, to the ls platforms we have now. Hell from 93 to 95 they used 3 different computer setups IIRC. I believe the 93 was maf less and limited to what you could do with it tuning wise, the 94 was obd1 and in late 95 they switched to obd2. If you really want to dig into it a lot of stuff changed on the lt in its short lifespan.

Ls cars didn't really change much aside from the 98 computer is different in 2000 they changed cams, and 01-02 cars got a better intake with less emissions equipment.

Either route you go I'd get a 97 lt1 or a 01-02 ls1.

00MaroonZ28

iTrader: (3)

Get a 4x4 truck.

You live in Wisconsin and this is gonna be your year round daily driver. Insurance is a lot cheaper, you still have a V8 and vehicle you can modify. You wont get stuck all the time when it snows or get stranded. A 4k dollar F-body is gonna be a piece of **** with problems all the time and that will add up in more money. Something most college kids don't have. Wait on the F-body till after you're out of college and can have fun and throw money at it and still have a winter beater truck. They're not going away any time soon.

Is it possible to drive one in winter?

You're a new driver. NO. I had problems driving mine up here the first winter I moved to Minnesota. I had driven in snow many times before that and had 9 years of experience with over 250k miles of driving under my belt. It was still absolutely horrible. After half way thru the winter and almost wrecking it a couple times I went and got a FWD Accord then got a Silverado Z71. Best vehicle decision I ever made was the truck. I never get stuck even on the worst winter storms with no plows on the road.

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

Buy a sub-$500 beater for your winter driving. Something disposable that you won't feel guilty beating up in the snow and ice.

redbird555

iTrader: (14)

I'm alway shocked when people think they cant get a nice fbody for 4k. I bought my 02 with 100k on it bone stock for 4200 and drover her home 300 miles. My buddies did the same thing for around the same price on their fbodys, so there are good deals out there just shop around. Depending on where you live a 4k fbody can be a decent car.

A 4x4 truck will not be cheaper on insurance seen people go there and do that. My buddys 99 f150 cost 20 bucks more a month than his 01 ss.

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I don't think the issue is that one can't find a decent car for $4000, but that car is inevitably going to need some things done to tidy it up. If the total budget is $4000, then I'd probably stick to something around $3000 so that there is money left over for maintenance items and maybe a couple small mods.

BoostinIx

iTrader: (7)

Always something that needs replacing.

NC01TA

That's the simple truth, and the older the car with more miles, the worse it gets. There is no escaping it. Sometimes when you are young, such as the OP, you don't need the a/c or don't care about cracks in the dash, etc.. That is up to each individual and what they can tolerate.
TheGeneralLee I think you may need to consider a different car now that you have posted about needing to drive in the winter. I'm not sure there can be many worse combinations than a new driver figuring out how to handle Wisconsin winters in a powerful rear wheel drive F-body. I've had my hands full with those very rare situations here in NC and I have numerous hours of driver training behind me (it was required for my job). As much as I love F-bodies (17 years behind the wheel now since I bought my first Formula in July '96) these are just horrible cars in the snow.
Best of luck to you!

JohnS Z28

iTrader: (1)

Is it possible?... yes, hardly, I live in michigan and once theres a layer of snow on the road my car is going to sit in whatever parking lot or garage until its gone, One night i was working, took the camaro in, went from perfect to blizzard during my shift, couldn't even get out of the parking lot haha.. these cars are RWD, Front heavy, lightweight, and powerful.. Its like the worst possible combination for winter, I picked up a $500 alero that i can use if i need to save on gas or if the weather isnt nice.

BoostinIx

iTrader: (7)

When I lived in WI, no matter what summer car I had, I always had a civic to fall back on for winter.

TheGeneralLee

Ya my family has like 5 cars including a shitty subaru that they let me drive all the time now so I'll be able to park my f-body and drive that if I get one, I was just wondering if snow tires and a couple sand bags would do it but from what y'all say I guess not (It still sounds kinda fun though ) And so do y'all think that $4,000 will be enough? (and also the $4,000 budget is for the initial purchase only not inevitable maintanence) Then I guess everybody lists their cars for like twice what they're worth lol

pferris

iTrader: (2)

a stock o2 with 100k is worth a hell of a lot more than 4200.. But if you look around for a while, you can find a descent ls1 fbody for 4k. I paid 4150 for mine, and that was a good condition ls1 t56 t/a with 200k. From what i have seen, that was a steal.

00MaroonZ28

iTrader: (3)

Does your buddy live in Fla with you?

Down there, it's more of a luxury to have 4wd. They make you pay extra for it. Here it's a necessity and you hardly see 2wd trucks up here. Insurance is cheap for them because you need the 4wd during the winter and it's so common for trucks to have it here.

JohnS Z28

iTrader: (1)

I wouldnt count on it...people think these cars are worth a lot more than they actually are, you could probably find an OK 98 for 4k, lots of miles likely. I would try to save up 7-8 and find something worth the money

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

Just keep saving while also being prepared to jump on one that really seems to be "the one." If that means you don't find anything for six months then you've got six months more money saved up for something nicer.

Speedy1990

I would also recommend that whatever you get, it would be better to get something stock (or close to it) instead of something that's already been modded. Buying something with some extra go-fast goodies make seem cool at first, but getting stuck with the bill for fixing someone else's fun would ruin the appeal pretty quick, and that doesn't sound like something you need to worry yourself with in your situation. Maintenance and/or repairs would also be easier on a stock car since you'll have a much better idea of what you're working with and how to care for it.