LS1Formulation

iTrader: (13)

Guess I'm in the minority with not caring what my car is worth, nor caring if mods make it less valuable. My '13 SS has been extensively modded, and I wouldn't care a lick about getting my investment back. I did it because I love doing the work to the car myself, and I have a blast with the result. If I sell it and don't get a lot for it, so be it. As for my '98 Formula, I've owned it for 18 years and I'll never sell it... In it's previous incarnation, I had about $35K invested when all was said and done. And I started with a car that had 128K miles on it. Last I knew, it had around 157K on it. In the past year or so, I've spent around $20K on it to build it like I want. I haven't even driven the car since '09, and it needs everything. It's not even a "nice" 4th Gen. It's been in accidents, needs paint work - it's not a beater, but most people wouldn't invest in it. But it's special to me for various reasons and I'm not concerned if it's not worth what I have put in. I'll give it to my son when I kick the bucket, and if he wants to sell it, that's money in his pocket that he didn't have. For now, I'm going to get it running, drive it like I stole it, and enjoy every moment. And I may have this mindset because I do all my own work, and couldn't care less about new cars and warranties.

Treburkulosis

I took mine out for a drive to my kids school about 40 miles round trip. Mine is just shy of the 500 hp mark. I was so ready to get out of it and back into my Eco Flex. I dont see how I did it for so many years. I love the car, but with all of the idiots on the road. People doing stupid crap trying to race you on the hwy and my 4.10 gears. I am good with enjoying it on a nice day and letting it just be a pleasure car. With that being said if I were about 20 years younger I would DD it. Technology can be added for cheap. I added a screen with navigation from amazon for like 60 bucks. It works great with a CD player insert holder.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

Interesting you'd say that. I've been driving G8's for the past couple of weeks and i'm really ready to get back into my Firebird (in the body shop due to a minor scrape). The G8 is comfy and rides great, but it's tall and gets pushed around by the wind (strong around here lately) where the Firebird cuts through it. I miss my stalled automatic. The only thing I don't miss about it is the rough ride and accompanying cabin noise.

Y2K_Frenzy

That’s a pretty big factor.
Two years ago I bought my ‘00 in Illinois (near Missouri) and drove it 700 and some odd miles home to TX. It wasn’t the worst thing that I’ve ever done but I bet it would’ve been a little easier in a G8.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

If I had to daily something for a decent amount of miles it would be something cheap and inexpensive.

Y2K_Frenzy

A beater car is an added expense though that most can’t swing. So we’re stuck daily driving the cars that we are financing. To and from work, to the store, out of town. Jack of all trades vehicle.

stockA4

OP Sweet God. This thread is horrible. I'm sorry I just found it. I live in STL and I've seen your for sale ad on Craigslist for that car. Please please please don't sell it. I've got an '01 sunset z myself that I bought 2 years ago and I'm having a blast auto crossing it bone stock. It's fun Embarrassing smug people with new cars. I have HP tuners. I can help you with the tune. Your car will drive great. Don't get rid of it. New cars are b******* they just have bigger wheels and the tires that cost more. They don't really handle any better they are bigger and heavier. It's the big *** wheels and expensive big *** tires that make them handle better. You're paying for b******* when you buy a new " muscle car" please PM me. I'll help you out with the drivability stuff. Keep the car and do something with it. Get some nice big ***, wide wheels and tires like you'd get on a stupid new *** car, there you go bing bada boom. Your old car is better than a new one cuz it's lighter than a new car and it's got the same big *** wheels and tires on it. Try autocross try something that asks of you and the car f*** your neighbors. Your car is way cooler than whatever the hell they have

Tommy42088

Sounds like you just don't enjoy in anymore, because I have 2 trucks. My 2019 silverado that's stock besides wheels and tires and a lift kit and my turbo 2000 silverado that's far from stock and I prepare to drive my old truck any day of the week. The only time I'd rather take my new truck is if I'm going on long trips or if it's blazing hot outside in which that would be now considering I live in Louisiana and our heat is outrageous and that's not because I prefer the new truck in those conditions but because I trust it's reliable more in those conditions. Keep your car for a toy and get a dd, doesn't need to be anything special just something reliable.

Y2K_Frenzy

“Beat the dog sht out of your sole mode of transportation.” Sound advice. It’s not about being cool so much as it is about being able to get back and forth to work. It’s even better when it can go back and forth to work as well as cross country without worries.

Y2K_Frenzy

100% this. Mod money for the toy might be hard to come by though while making payments on a new. That’s how it is for my lower-middle azz.

Gold TA

Been daily driving my 98 TA for two years now. Before I daily a 99 Saleen for 7yrs, and before that a 86 SVO for 15 years. Feels great not having a significant car payment, and can fix these things without a computer degree.

Treburkulosis

My back issues dont help my decision. I just got 8 shots last week in it. I enjoy driving mine, just not everyday and I would not want to commute in it with all of the traffic we have.

Y2K_Frenzy

Daily like it’s a to and from work car? Or daily like to and from work as well as a 200 mile one way road trip?

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I was always happy to daily drive my 2002 Z28; it fit me like a glove. I had a ~75 mile round trip commute in those days, and when the weather was bad (winter, snow) it would sometimes take me 3 hours to get home. Once it even took 5 hours! No soreness, no cramping, no issues (other than a sore bladder ). I would still be daily driving that car if the weather hadn't destroyed it.

For decades I've heard folks complain about these cars not being comfortable, but I just don't get it. I don't mind the ride quality, and I don't have any issues with the seating position or seats themselves. I've had even more comfortable cars (1996 Bonneville with upgrade seats, felt like a couch), so I do have a basis for comparison, but still I just don't see what the problem is with a 4th gen. It's an enthusiast/sport segment vehicle; it's not supposed to isolate the driver from the driving experience (but perhaps that's what some folks want). Then again, I don't have back problems and I'm not seven feet tall, so maybe that's why I feel so comfortable in them.

On the other hand, my '71 gives me a leg cramp about 50% of the time I drive it. Nothing like that has ever happened to me in a 1993-'02 F-body.

Nathan C

I have no problem driving my fourth gen show car 300 miles for a big Pontiac show. My 1998 v6 Firebird is my true daily driver for the past 10 years. If I go on a family vacation, I get a rental car.

lees02WS6

iTrader: (5)

Agreed, I've driven much more expensive modern cars (super cars even), and they all ride more harshly than my T/A.

JC316

iTrader: (1)

It's been 9 years since I daily drove a 4th gen, but for 6 months, I daily drove a 1970 Buick GS with a H/C/I LS1 and T-56. I built the car with reliability and comfort in mind, but it's still a 1970. The only reason I quit daily driving it is fear, I had 5 or 6 near misses on wrecks, one I might not have walked away from. I hated to give it up as a daily, but I find the longer I live, the more attached I am to myself. I still cruise it, but I won't take it into thick traffic any more.

As for modern muscle, I've owned a challenger scat pack, a 6th gen Camaro 1SS, an S550 GT premium, and an S650 GT premium. The 6th gen is very much like the 4th gen, outstanding chassis, engine, and transmission, but a cheap shitbox inside and out. At 11K miles, I had torn weatherstripping, a hole in the floor mat, about 50 rock chips, and squeaks that were there from day 1. The S550 and S650 Mustangs are incredible daily drivers, but incredibly boring, they're luxury sports coupes, it might as well be a Lincoln Mark 9. The Challenger is a brute, stupid fun to drive, and incredibly comfortable, but it's the slowest and the technology is god awful, that Uconnect system can take a flying **** into a jet engine.

My vote is to keep what you love, but if you want a more modern version of it, Boss 302 Mustang or 6th gen Camaro.

Y2K_Frenzy

The 4th gen drivers seat isn’t the most uncomfortable that I’ve ever sat in but it does sort of have you sitting in a pseudo reclined position. The passenger side floorboard is pretty BS though. My dad went with me when I got mine 700 miles away. I drove the whole way and I think he was more beat up than I was.

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

I daily drove a 91 RS Camaro for 25 years and 389,500 miles. An 86 Camaro for ~84,000 miles.

Likewise, daily drove a 4th Gen 99 T/A for ~168,000 miles and 02 Z28 for another 30,000 miles. Except in winter in Indiana. The cars are still fun to drive and I enjoy them. However, all three of those cars are starting to be harder on my knees as I near 60 than they were in my 20's and 30's. Likewise, my wife has started to have real issues getting in and out of them so they are all weekend cars at this point.

While they are fun, they are older technology. As a daily driver, I much preferred my 91 RS for rhe daily grind over the 4th Gens due to better all around visibility. Daily grind as in sometimes 35,000+ miles some years on the 91 RS. I think the most the 99 T/A saw was ~20,000 in one year. Both cars were typically available to drive etc. In short, I liked driving the 3rd Gen going to work and running errands more than the 4th Gens.

HID headlights, radar cruise control, blindspot monitoring, back up camera & cross traffic alert etc are very sweet new school technology. If one is driving ~15,000+ miles a year, I'd have to say that's worth having on your side and favor a newer ride over an older one with 2002 features.

HTH

Y2K_Frenzy

Quick thought here. What if you changed the title to, “Daily Driving A 25 Year Old 4th Gen?” That age is where the issues lie.