ZeroFear

iTrader: (1)

Im thinking about geting this nice 02 V6 Firebird w/50K miles as an everyday car. How well do these motors last? Are they bad for everyday driving? The other option i am looking at is geting a prelude or eclipse, but i think the firebird looks nicer. V6 drivers post your comments. Also does the rwd suck in the snow even with good tires? Sometimes in the winter there is light snow/slush here.

ohohsilverado

Man my camaro was super reliable and heck of a lot of fun, especially after i put the performance clutch and headers on it. I had a limited slip rear and yes it can slide around at the wrong time but if you know what you are doing and have half a brain it shouldnt be a big deal. Oh yeah, my camaro also got 42 miles to the gallon once on a trip from houston. Most of the time it was in the mid 30's miles per gallon on the highway and about 18 in the city. I sold it with 93k on it and it still ran pretty close to what it did when i got it with 24k on it. Just take care of it and it will take care of you. Hope this helps

Bryan

ChocoTaco369

V6 f-bodies are extremely reliable cars. their engines are very durable assuming you maintain them (regular maintenance, oil changes, spark plugs etc...). the automatic f-bodies are especially reliable (unlike V8 f-bodies, it's the manual t-5 that is the weaker transmission in the V6). they have 4L60E's in them. 4L60E's get a bad rap in 400hp V8 cars but in V6's they are tanks. 200hp cars are nothing for a 4L60E. it's a very reliable engine/transmission combo. throw on a lid, cold air intake, exhaust, a shift kit, a 3000 stall, a hood and chrome rims and you got a high 14 second car that'll get 23mpg on regular gas and still looks pretty good while being very reliable.

NoFive0

I had a 95 3.4 Camaro that I got when I was 16 and I got rid of it when I was 19. I beat the living dog **** out of that car for a solid 3 years, with the only problem being rust in radiator/new water pump. I took it rallying/off roading, and there was a joke between all of my friends that they were going to make a throttle button that said off/on because that was the only way I knew how to drive (no in between). I doubt anyone has beat on a V6 Camaro in a whole lifetime, like I have in that car. Sadly though, I let a friend drive it to work for a week or two and he brought it back banging on 4 or 5 cylinders...could never find out the problem. And eventually traded it in for a Jeep for like $1500. Damn, I really miss that car now.

Tim.

Edit: I probably got around 15 mpg.

ChocoTaco369

in my first post above, i was talking about 3.8L V6 cars. i personally owned a 3.4L for 3 years also. it is absolutely DOGSHIT SLOW but you could lay the hammer down for miles and miles in those bad boys. no 4th gen V6 is an unreliable car (assuming you don't get a lemon and you maintain it well). the 3.4L's are just very slow. the 3.8L's are just regular slow (but they have ample mods out there to get you into the 14's. the 3.4L's have a poor aftermarket and it's difficult to even break into 15's with them )

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

3800 Series two is a hearty engine. Do regular maintainance and it will go for a couple hundred thousand miles. Not only that but a new one is way less than a thousand dollars. T5 is ok as long as you don't really try to beat on it. Autos are sturdier for the track. 10 bolt - well you already know about those. Everything else the v6s share with the v8 bretheren, for better or worse.

As far as modding them or more in depth questiosn on 3.4s or 3.8s, go here.

ChocoTaco369

you won't break a 10-bolt in a V6. they were a poor choice in a V8 but in a V6 they were a good combo. the 10-bolt/4L60E is a great rear end/tranny choice for the 3.8L. any larger of a rear and you'd suffer BIG parasitic loss. it's just not necessary.

NoFive0

[QUOTE=ChocoTaco369] i personally owned a 3.4L for 3 years also. it is absolutely DOGSHIT SLOW [QUOTE]

Haha, I'm not arguing with you there.

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

Stock v6, you are right. But there are people out there that are not stock running double to triple what the 3.8 is supposed to put down, and then the 10 will probably not be the best choice.

The bearings and seals will all go out just the same though.

bene

iTrader: (16)

Well, I own a V6 that has 196,xxx miles and still runs and never did broke down on the road. Is that reliable enough?

davered00ss

iTrader: (4)

Great cars

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The 3800 Series II is an excellent motor. Great MPG for the size (231ci), decent power and torque for what it is, and maintenance is very affordable. Take care of the motor and it should run forever.

I've been very happy with the L36 3.8L in both my Monte and Bonneville. I beleive the F-body verison gets an aluminum intake vs the plastic unit in my W and H bodies. Overall, good motors.

brady346

iTrader: (13)

I have a 98 V6 M5. It has 136K. 1 clutch, 1 alternator, 1 battery, and a set of plugs and wires. I have beat the absolute dog **** out of this car and it is still the most reliable vehicle I own. I would go anywhere. These are great cars and impossible to tear up. I have been drunk several times and held the car on the limiter for minutes. nuff said?

ChocoTaco369

well yea, but that's with any car. we're talking stock to light bolt-ons here. i just find it funny that they're the opposite of the V8 cars. the 10-bolt holds up dandily and the automatic is the stronger tranny

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

The 10-bolts have done fine in my LS1 cars, all the way to the 1.6 60-foot range at full weight. The 4L60Es haven't done me wrong either.

The 10 bolts will live for awhile in an A4 LS1 if you avoid wheel hop.

The 4L60E will survive for a while at bolt-on + cam level if you keep the fluid changed, keep temps under 180 while racing, and reduce race weight. And at stock or bolt-on level, the 4L60E will live a long time if you follow the same steps.

And for those not interested in drag racing, the 4L60E should survive a very long time on the street behind an LS1, unless abused.

GXPPOWER

go for the 3.8 engine. its probly the most reliable engine GM ever made. their are more 200k+ mile 3.8 out on the road than probly any other engine. was also picked by JD and associates as one of the top 10 engines of all times.

the 3.8 was used in alot of cars. my mother has an old buikc something with the first gen 3.8 in it. 250k miles on it and the car still gets 31 mpg. and nothing with the engine has ever went bad.

as far as trans go for the v6 f-bodies. i havent really heard of any going bad if the car was driven properly.

lo_jack

iTrader: (27)

Fbody = alum intake, sho nuff

Now that is the truth. t-5 =

Deuce Bigs

iTrader: (1)

current car
99 M5 V6 Camaro
160K+ miles regularly get 360-400 (high of 420) miles to the tank (alot of highway miles)
replaced - alternator, starter, 2 power window motors
still on the original clutch and i've beat the f*ck outa it taking it to the track alot in its youth, barely have a second gear from all the power shifting but still have the miracle clutch and can still chirp second when i ram it into gear.

a/c compressor needs to be replaced, maf sensor seems to have died but not really affecting much driving but has erratic idle when first started.

all in all great car and looks good still.

homegrown TA

iTrader: (20)

i had 260 k on my 3.8 and it was still kicking .... strong at that. i went throught 2 trannys .. and said screw it and swapped an ls1 in it. but the V6 is ver strong and reliable engine.

Smoke Panther

iTrader: (10)

yup...popular opinion here is that the 3800 is a roach motor..and, for once, that V6 stereotype is true. Only problem I've had was an alternator go out, and the T5.