LostMom

Help. I went to buy a 9 v6 auto firebird for my teenager last night. after taking it out for a ride when i was sitting in park the engine started to rev up/race? and the yellow engine needs serving soon light came on. I did not have my foot on either the gas or brake. I tapped both lightly and the light went off.. The only other issues was the AC does not work and owner says its not the compressor there is a freeon leakthat needs to be fixed, (Heat does work) and the headlights wont come up automatically. well the right comes up.. the left tries to but it has to be pulled up manually. When turning them off. the left one went down automatically the right one had to be put down manually..oh yeah and the hatch wont stay open... Its a 92 and the price is right but the engine light scared me. The owner would not sell it tome and wanted to see what it was. He thought maybe the TSP???? I'm still trying to buy it. Anyone know what the racing and light might mean? I have a brokenhearted near 16year old. Thanks!

NC01TA

Pass on this car. The issues you mention are not cheap to fix. Dealerships and shops can costs hundreds of dollars just for the headlight fixes alone. The a/c repair cost can be astronomical as it is the old type a/c system in a '92. Sinking good money into a nearly 20 year old car is not wise at all unless it is a collector car or something you are very familiar with. You may think this car is a good buy but it is a potential 'money pit' and nightmare.
No need for the 16 year old to be brokenhearted. There are many Firebirds in decent shape for cheap and in much better condition. Just look around in a 200 square miles area. A short ride is nothing when making such an important purchase. Good luck!

LostMom

The owner was asking $1950....still not a good deal? The idea is for the teen to work on it..earn it with good grades etc...soI expected to add in some money for it..He won't be able to drive it for at least 6 months. The sound system was over the top lol..

I just saw a 94 mustang v6 raptop 40 th anniversay edition at a nearby dealer for $4400..how about that one?

Thanks so much for the input..

NC01TA

$1950 plus repairs can add up in a hurry. I just do not see the value in this particular Firebird with all the known issues. As far as the Mustang 40th anniversary, that would be a 2004 car, not 1994. Maybe just a typo. Need a lot more info before making a judgement call on that one, plus you are talking about a Mustang on a LS1 site

If I may make an assumption, it appears that you and your teenager could use some assistance in looking at cars and all the pitfalls attached with them. This should be a pleasant life-long experience (or memory) picking out a car together. Don't let a bad purchase ruin this. There must be someone you know that can assist. If not, and you are considering a Camaro or Firebird (probably any GM product), then posters here will assist. Your price range makes it difficult to buy a decent car but they are out there. You may have to travel a bit but it is well worth it. Just to give you an example, I was watching a 1995 Ford Taurus SHO ( a nice performance sedan) on ebay this past week for a collector car neighbor. It was was in excellent condition with a mere 27,000 low miles. It needed nothing! It sold for $6,200. That will be a wonderful car for the buyer for years and years most likely. Would it be worth spending a weekend to get a car like this? I certainly think so. Sometimes that is what it takes. My last two car purchases were days away, in Philly and in MD respectively. Not exactly in my neighborhood in western NC but worth it in every respect. Again, best of luck!

00'WS6Rocket

iTrader: (3)

Hey I sent you a pm, checkout that website it deals with that generation firebird and camaros. also wait to see what the yellow light code is before jumping the gun

02v8ta

iTrader: (8)

3-rdGen? That was going to be my suggestion. You can get some amazing deals for under 2k on there for those generation cars.

Edit: oh just get him/her one with the 8cylinder in it. They can't go that... much faster and it'll sound good with a decent exhaust on it, just saying.

DYING BREED

iTrader: (5)

unless you have family or a friend that is VERY familiar with the 3rd generation firebird (1982-92), i dont recommend it. They are fun and can be reliable, but the problems that do arise are common and some fixes are cheap, and some are not. If you and your teenager are serious about it, find someone to help you check it out, and look over on this site called thirdgen.org .. this site is dedicated to that bodystyle camaro/firebird and there is a ton of information to be had. I hope you guys find something you can spend time together with and make this a great experience. feel free to msg me for any questions about these cars..