Wrong Expectations?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
Cars here are cheap though comparatively from what I've seen, at least with the cars I've always bought. Trucks and SUVs may be another story and I could care less. 
Though therein lies my problem, the cars I want are near impossible to find here. Took me over three months to find my Miata.
You should've sold it to me.
Though therein lies my problem, the cars I want are near impossible to find here. Took me over three months to find my Miata.You should've sold it to me.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
if anything, try cargurus.com and they'll find the exact car you want down to the mileage and tranny type from a dealer and with the 5k you got, 90% of dealers would get you a nice trans am/Camaro/c5 for a great monthly payment deal. and with dealers, usually there is no potential problem with the vehicle. THATS how I got mine! 
my ws6 has mint exterior and interior with 190k miles and no issues at all! 
my ws6 has mint exterior and interior with 190k miles and no issues at all! 
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
if anything, try cargurus.com and they'll find the exact car you want down to the mileage and tranny type from a dealer and with the 5k you got, 90% of dealers would get you a nice trans am/Camaro/c5 for a great monthly payment deal. and with dealers, usually there is no potential problem with the vehicle. THATS how I got mine! my ws6 has mint exterior and interior with 190k miles and no issues at all!
my ws6 has mint exterior and interior with 190k miles and no issues at all! Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
Thanks will check out those two sites as well. I had considered maybe financing one as it'd help build credit, but I've always bought my cars from private sellers. At least with the private seller you can get a read on how they treated the car and usually have some kind of maintenance log. If the seller starts to cry as they sign over the title you know you've bought the right car.
Messaged the seller of the '96 hardtop today and supposed to get more pictures later this evening. I think he's asking a bit much though, as it's $5,000 OBO for a '96 with some 133K miles. It's a hardtop though, so that makes it worth more to me, but it's as base as the Trans Am could get as it has cloth seats and the Firebird spoiler. I really wanted the leather seats for the power bolsters... It's also bright red, which is my last choice as I rather have one of the many nice shades of blue or green or even black. Still, having the hardtop was a high priority for me as I don't want T-tops I'd never use. Just wish there was more to choose from...
Messaged the seller of the '96 hardtop today and supposed to get more pictures later this evening. I think he's asking a bit much though, as it's $5,000 OBO for a '96 with some 133K miles. It's a hardtop though, so that makes it worth more to me, but it's as base as the Trans Am could get as it has cloth seats and the Firebird spoiler. I really wanted the leather seats for the power bolsters... It's also bright red, which is my last choice as I rather have one of the many nice shades of blue or green or even black. Still, having the hardtop was a high priority for me as I don't want T-tops I'd never use. Just wish there was more to choose from...
Last edited by Boxxx; Dec 4, 2014 at 03:45 PM.
TECH Resident
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 807
Likes: 1
From: Toronto
I would hold out for the right car and if nothing else increase your budget to 10k. A lot of TAs at this price point are rough or have an ify history. I find a project car is just that and becomes just that, a never ending project. Team that up with not everything you want in the car(missing leather, ls1, etc) and I find it makes any car seem less "worthwhile". If it's a car you plan on keeping forever I would try to buy something with lower milage and a reasonable history.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
The leather isn't a deal breaker as I was originally planning on throwing in some Recaro seats, but then I remembered the leather had the power bolsters so maybe they'd be ok. I don't know why everyone thinks the LS1 is a need, I'm fine with the LT1 and prefer its exhaust note and the look of the car to be honest. The thing is I usually keep a car for about a year and decide I don't like it and then sell it, so it's not really worth holding out for exactly what I want. I know already the shifter feel, mushy brakes, cheap interior, and rattles will drive me crazy, but it's a car I've always wanted to have. I love the F-body, don't get me wrong, I'm just really picky when it comes to cars. The Miata forum really doesn't like me because I ripped on their beloved roadster, but hey no car is perfect and no reason to live in denial. Anyhow saving more really isn't an option at the moment, the $5,000 is from my insurance payoff and I've already run the gamut of fun JDM and USDM cars from 1980-2000 except for the F-body and Corvette. Of course I could not go back to school at the start of the year and get a more expensive example or a Vette.
Finding a crack-free dash in a F-body is like finding a crack-free plumber. 
What kills me is when the seller thinks since it's a common occurrence that it somehow excuses it and doesn't negatively impact the price... 
I mean, it's not that hard to use a sunshade and to clean and protect the interior often enough. If anything it's a way of easily seeing if the car was cared for or not I suppose...
What kills me is when the seller thinks since it's a common occurrence that it somehow excuses it and doesn't negatively impact the price... I mean, it's not that hard to use a sunshade and to clean and protect the interior often enough. If anything it's a way of easily seeing if the car was cared for or not I suppose...
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Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
It means they were either garaged and/or taken care of. Speaking of I finally got a few more pics of the '96 hardtop and it looks pretty clean. It's the bright red and from what I can tell not even the roof is faded any, so it must've been taken care of well enough. Interior seems clean too. Even though bright red is pretty much my last choice, at least the Trans Am can pull off ostentatious colours.
It was at a DFW sponsors shop so I won't say where, but I saw a Camaro with the upper dash in 100 pieces recently.
It was cracked in the '98 1LE Formula I had (seller said it wasn't) but it was replaced. My '01 T/A, garaged since new but parked in the sun as a daily driver for a year, is still pristine. Wish the door panels were...
It was cracked in the '98 1LE Formula I had (seller said it wasn't) but it was replaced. My '01 T/A, garaged since new but parked in the sun as a daily driver for a year, is still pristine. Wish the door panels were...
It means they were either garaged and/or taken care of. Speaking of I finally got a few more pics of the '96 hardtop and it looks pretty clean. It's the bright red and from what I can tell not even the roof is faded any, so it must've been taken care of well enough. Interior seems clean too. Even though bright red is pretty much my last choice, at least the Trans Am can pull off ostentatious colours.
I'd offer to sell you my silver one but are a bit apart on price :/
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
I had read where later models had issues with the door panels cracking too, that and the sail panels bubbling... It just makes me wonder why they cheaped out as much as they did, which just about all domestics of the time are just as bad. The second gen is pretty decent from a materials standpoint, seems like the third gen isn't too terrible but I've never been in one to say for sure. Oh well it is what it is. If I end up keeping it long term I plan to revamp the interior some along with some other things here and there like the suspension to upscale it. I could spend a small fortune on resto-modding a second gen Trans Am, I guess it's a good thing I'm not rich.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
It's also a vert. :O
My car has <47k miles. Both door panels are cracked (they were before warranty was out I should have had them replaced) and the top is bubbling nicely. The only paint work it has had was the hood when the writer for HPP scratched it when photographing it.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
That's a shame. I had read where the cause was the windows going up and down, but with so few miles I wouldn't think that'd be why.
Anyhow for laughs I looked around for a '79-81 Trans Am and it seems like there's more of them around than 4th gens... If it wasn't for the fact I need more than 10 mpg I'd get one in a heartbeat. I had thought about getting a 301 car and doing a more modern swap though, kind of get the best of both worlds. My brother has a project '80 Trans Am and even needing all that it does you can't help but feel special driving it.
Anyhow for laughs I looked around for a '79-81 Trans Am and it seems like there's more of them around than 4th gens... If it wasn't for the fact I need more than 10 mpg I'd get one in a heartbeat. I had thought about getting a 301 car and doing a more modern swap though, kind of get the best of both worlds. My brother has a project '80 Trans Am and even needing all that it does you can't help but feel special driving it.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
Ended up finding a '79 Formula with a 350 literally down the road, so going to check it out tomorrow. I've always dreamed of owning a second gen and I really love them, and this one seems nice for the money. So why not...
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 267
Likes: 1
From: Springville, AL
Somehow I ended up buying the '79 this(yesterday) afternoon. I pretty much stole it...and I paid his asking price. Apparently he was wayyyy behind on bills and needed the money NOW, and with Christmas coming up he wanted to be able to do something for the family. I kind of feel bad for him, was a real nice older gentleman. I promised I'd take care of it, and I will. I drive like an old man, I think the entire time coming home I didn't use more than 1/8 of the throttle. Being this is for all year Firebirds I'll make a separate post for it here soon, for now it's nap time.
Being this is for all year Firebirds I'll make a separate post for it here soon, for now it's nap time. 
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Somehow I ended up buying the '79 this(yesterday) afternoon. I pretty much stole it...and I paid his asking price. Apparently he was wayyyy behind on bills and needed the money NOW, and with Christmas coming up he wanted to be able to do something for the family. I kind of feel bad for him, was a real nice older gentleman. I promised I'd take care of it, and I will. I drive like an old man, I think the entire time coming home I didn't use more than 1/8 of the throttle. Being this is for all year Firebirds I'll make a separate post for it here soon, for now it's nap time.
Being this is for all year Firebirds I'll make a separate post for it here soon, for now it's nap time.