Footlead

iTrader: (18)

I found a clean 1996 Trans Am with 138k on the clock. Bone stock with a flowmaster runs great looks good silver color. No leather no Ws6. T-Top car. What is it worth??

UTzo6

$500.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

$4000-4500 is the average price you'll find for something like that. Maybe a little more for an M6.

Some pop in and say an LT1 isn't ever worth that, and "LS1 cars can be had for that" but, that's a normal price for an LT1 car for the most part, and you'd really have to hunt to find an LS car that cheap, and 99% of the time when you do, it's ragged out to ****.

1965GP

iTrader: (2)

3500-5k max. If it was a WS6 I would say 7500 top end value- to the right customer.

LT cars get no love...

happysem

iTrader: (5)

"Clean" gets thrown around so much now it makes me sick.

If it is truly clean and well taken care of, I'm right there with 1965GP.

Also, I may know the owner of the car you're describing. Care to give me the general area?

hiram007

iTrader: (19)

Is the vehicle auto or M6? Thats pretty important info. If its auto, $4K. If its M6, $5k max.

This is a very true statement.

Doubt it, even to the right guy.

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

i've had a similar thread and most people were saying 2000-2500 for mine with 210k miles, so i imagine the other would be worth closer to 3000-3500. for the record mine is a 96 a4 ta in what i would call average to slightly above average condition

Spartan7

iTrader: (7)

I'd agree with that. But price will depend on a few other things; namely clean title, interior/paint condition, maintenance records, etc.

1965GP

iTrader: (2)

LT1 cars are hard to estimate. A lot of people are scared of them. But, clean and as mentioned I mean really clean (everything works, interior is in great shape, a/c blows cold, paint looks good enough to grab attention) are getting really hard to come by.

I think these cars are stuck in a lull between what owners think they are worth and what people will pay. Owners of these cars feel they are worth 6-8 and buyers think 4-5.

It will really come down to who is looking at the car.

Footlead

iTrader: (18)

The car is a auto and is located in Montgomery county. Northeast part. Is that the one your thinking of. I doubt it!!!

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

These cars are really in between the "new enough that it's cool" and "old enough that it's cool" stages. Most people don't respect them right now as a majoirty of the people who own them are now 16-22 year olds who are finishing them off from common existance.

Take a look at clean original 3rd gen prices, 80's monte carlos, ect. There's more and more lower mileage, well taken care of 3rd gen examples popping up every day in the $6-8k range. They're at the point where the "bang for the buck" purchase goes out the window, and people who just want them for what they are are looking to buy clean examples.

It goes kinda like this for performance cars:

1-5 years old: Cool cuz it's new
5-10 years old: cool cuz of the bang for the buck
10-15 years old: cool cuz it's affordable and respectable performance
15-20 years old: nobody cares, beat them all up
20-25 years old: wow, you never see clean ones of those anymore!
25-30 years old: starts re-gaining value
30-40 years old: don't touch my ******* classic car.

If you can pop in at that middle mark for a good price somewhere and keep it well taken care of, you're golden.

1965GP

iTrader: (2)

Good breakdown, and the reason I have 3 LT1 cars!

You also need to look at the nostalgia factor. Look at an age group in high school and what car was popular (for me it was the 5.0). When that age group gets to the age where they have disposable income the price will start to go up. How much it goes up is a gamble...

They will also jump in price when that age group becomes empty nester's and their houses are paid off.

UTzo6

I really don't see the lt1 cars ever having value beyond ls1 cars. They look similar and one outperforms the other in every way. To me they will be dinosaurs in a couple years and fall into the "boat anchor" category, but who knows.

94fixerTA

iTrader: (5)

Coming from the guy with a c6Z. Lol. I've seen a lot of clean lt1's. When it comes down to it, is that the car you want, and is it exactly what your looking for. I have to admit I love the sound LT1's put out but wish they had the capabilities of the LS. I will keep my car as long as I can. Maybe the "cool" factor will come back someday. Kinda like seeing a "clean" GTA.

hiram007

iTrader: (19)

I had an LT1 in high school (sig), no way am I going back to that. Never had problems with it, but when I got my LS1 in college (also in sig), it just blew the LT1 out of the water.

Not sure about the "boat anchor" tag lol but agree overall. Having to defend the LT1 over and over kinda says it all, similar to the ZL1 when comparing it to the new GT500, but thats a story for another day.

happysem

iTrader: (5)

There's only two ways I'll ever get another one;
if its a super clean LT1 SS
Or I'm rich and need every different kind of Camaro and LT1 is needed to complete the collection =P

It is what it is, barely better than a run of the mill SBC with a problematic distributor location and reverse cooling heads.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

here we go again with the opti bullshit mostly from people who have never owned an LT1...keep it out of the river and under 8k rpms and you'll be fine for 150k+ miles...

69gto96z

iTrader: (13)

This is a true statement. Optis have never been a problem on my car.

hiram007

iTrader: (19)

I also never had problems with my opti however I only had he cars for 2 years and put 30k miles on it before someone totaled me out (50k to 80k). Not saying it's not an issue but since the OP asked on the value of the vehicle, this will affect it.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

The optispark lessens the value of the car??