Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

Figured the guys on here would be able to give me a good answer to this question. I don't have much actual automotive experience so I'm just trying to see how much power I could get out of the car.

Say I have $5,000 to put into a 00 SS Camaro. The car still needs to be an everyday driver, and must be street legal. I also need to make sure that I build everything up at the same level, because there's no way I'm going to risk breaking something in the rear end.

I'm not looking for lists of mods I could make, though I guess those would be helpful, I'm just looking for ballpark type figures so I can decide between buying a cheaper car vs. a more expensive one.

Silly02SS

for five grand you could easyily have the ss running safely in the 11's and still be a great daily driver

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

The great debate, take money you've saved up your entire life and spend it on a one badass car, or do the smart thing and investin long-term growth funds so you can retire early.

Strahley

iTrader: (4)

What fun is retiring early if you are riding around in a Lincoln Town Car? The LS1 was meant to have fun. 5 grand can give you an easy 11 second (maybe faster, if you play the cards right) car that drives good, is dependable, and will last a long time (given you treat it good)

z98

What are your actual goals?

BLK85

iTrader: (1)

Get a Supercharger. You can get them in Summit for around 3 or 4 grand for one with about 6 psi that should be some good power gains.

samz28

you could sell it and get a vette.

i must admit i question that sometimes after seeing one, but i needed to get the drag race out of me first.

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

Huh, this comment confused me.

If you mean performance goals, I really don't know know enough about what to do to a car to give you an actual time or power number. I'm trying to decide between buying a cheaper, older SS so that I'll have money to put into it or buying a newer more expensive one where I won't have money left over after the purchase.

My goals I guess are to make it as fast as possible, while still making sure it REALLy is an every day driver , because this would be my only car for the next 4 years. Also while making it as fast as possible I'm definetely doing whatever it takes to keep the car safe and reliable. Meaning I don't want to have so much power on the back end that stuff starts to break, that can't happen.

tim99ws6

iTrader: (31)

I'd say go with a Auto LS1 Ls1 car. thats 98-02...hell you can get a 98 nowadays for low teens....the trick is finding one in good shape, and one that hasnt been abused. I think an auto car with a good full exhaust, and good bolt ons and a nice little Hotcam(to make it sound good) is right up your alley. I don't think you wanna brake any speed records, you just want a "fast car".....and that's cool.

z98

$5000 and still keeping it an everyday driver:

Headers and cat-back, catalytic converters if you have to pass smog

Stall and tranny cooler

LS6 intake, air lid

Ported throttle body, pulleys

Tires (Nitto/BFG's)

None of these mods will make the car less reliable, and you can get it all for around $2000 most likely.

You'll probably run mid-low 12's at a decent track which should be enough to give you the fastest car on your block.

Good mods after all that would be:

cam

Nitrous

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

Ok, here's the buying situation I'm in. My parents are going to buy me A car, probably spending around $14,000 on it. They want me to have something reliable, safe that will last me through college, so around 30k miles is my limit on mileage for whaterver I buy. Like one of you said, yeah I could get like a 98 for low teens, but it'd be high mileage, that wouldn't work for me.
I'm trying to make the decision now on whether I want to put money in with my parents and buy something nicer. If I don't spend any money I would probably get a Dodge Stratus R/T or something like that, something kinda sporty, cheap, etc, but not overly much fun. I COULD buy a car up to around $28,000 (ya gotta love what amounts to basically a full ride to college) but there's no way I'm gonna spend that much. What I'm trying to decide between now, if I go buying a more expensive car route, is whether I want to buy an expensive car period, or buy a cheaper car that's a little older, and then have money to put some mods on it.

tim99ws6

iTrader: (31)

No offense man,
But that seems like a personal decision more than anything. We've told you the differences in the F-bods....what to get and not to get...now it's your turn to choose what's right in your life...it takes a special person to really DRIVE a F-body, and not everyone is up for it. So you just have to decide what is in you???...

samz28

and you're getting free insurance too? Might be the difference between the honda and the fbody

seriously you aren't driving far. And if you think mileage means squat a 60K mile babied car can be very well 2-3X better than a dogged out off lease 36K mile car.

Imagine old lady blow who likes camaro's,does all maint,records, drives to work and back. (95% of the people in the usa)

Then imagine smart man 1, lease a 3 year term camaro, spray the hell out of it, dog out the whole driveline, put it back to stock and back on the lot it goes.

you do realize these cars attract cops and tickets, so i hope your 'rents are giving ya free ride on insurance. When it starts to get up in the 200-300/month due to tickets range that honda civic might be lookin mighty fine bout then.

lol

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

Yeah I know the actual purchase decision is up to me, just wanted to let you guys know where I was coming from.

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

Where did the Honda Civic comment come from? But yeah, parents are paying for majority of insurance, and I realize that mileage isn't everything, but overall it's decently good to go by. I know what to look for to see if a car has been driven hard, and regardless of mileage I won't buy something like that.

tim99ws6

iTrader: (31)

my friend has a TA for sale actually...i dunno if it's something you're interested in though....its a Auto Black Convertible Trans Am. he only wants 12k.....and i think i can knock some of that off for you...interested?

BTW-this car is a BONE STOCK one owner...and he doesn't have time to have fun with it, so it never got abused....just giving you an idea

ZR2877

I say just get the LS1 you will enjoy the performance and the attention you get.

Ru2n00n3er

iTrader: (13)

I also think that I need to be buying one of these now. This is my DREAM Car, so I want to be able to buy one that is in good shape and keep it forever. If I don't buy one now, once I graduate college in 4 years and get a job I'll probably end up getting an SS. The problem I have with that, is that all the Camaros I could buy will be 6 years old, I think it would be nearly impossible to find one that doesn't have a lot of mileage on it and that has been driven hard.

tim99ws6

iTrader: (31)

very true

blkZ28spt

Get an LS1. I got my 1998 A4 Z28 with 32,000 on it three years ago (as of next month) and it was only about $14k-$15. (hard to tell exactly it was trade in of a Taurus plus $4k cash) Got a great deal at the time. How much you looking to spend total? If you still had money to put into mods after a low to mid teens car you could go a long way with a few grand. I'll have spent a grand total of ~$3,500 on performance mods as of next month when my converter goes and it should then be running reliable, daily driven low to mid 12's.

The $3,500 in mods got me Jet-Hot longtube headers, true duals with X-pipe, 3500 stall converter (going in next month), cold air induction, lid, drag radials.....and the price of some of those things could be brought down from what I spent, esp since I paid speed shop for true duals and converter install. (installed headers myself)

Edit: Oh yeah i'd like to add that IMO it's not worth the extra money for a WS6 or an SS....that money could be better spent on mods all they really do is look a little bit better once you go modding it all evens out. I really wanted a WS6 I think they look badass but they were running $2,500 more than otherwise identical Z28's and Forumula when I got my car Also, an automatic would be best b/c of a lower chance of it having been beat on, it's easier on the rear, and a converter is suppose to be a great not too expensive mod that's a huge kick in the pants!