Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

[Need4Camaro]

I have owned 4 Camaro's in my life. The first one was a 95 Z28 LT1 - Technically it was a family car and it was the car I got my drivers liscense in. I really enjoyed this car as it was one of our first cars and I learned so much about cars through this car. Unfortunately, during the period of ownership we hit hard times and had to sell the car to keep afloat.

The second one was my "real" first car as it was a graduation present from my parents after High School. A 98 3.8 V6... It didnt have T-Tops and it had a cracked dash but I didnt mind the difference in power as it was my first real car. Didnt have too much trouble with it asside from learning what a misfire was.
-- This car was stolen...

My third car was a Black 97 RS with the Y87 package and man this car turned heads. I got it with a bad door driverside door, when I got it the door wouldn't even stay closed, had that fixxed immediately, shortly after the transmission crapped out, got that fixxed, then it was wrecked, fixxed that, had constant misfires, water pump went out, drive shaft snapped in half, trans mount had to be replaced, then the alarm went out and started going off for no reason at all when I finally said I had enough and sold it for my most recent car...

a 2001 Camaro Z28. For awhile there was grace. No repairs or anything and it only had 40k when I purchased it. I was working full time so I was easily able to afford the payments and insurance. Well I was never really able to break a mod into the car, not that I NEEDED them but I still kind of wanted them. Did a $500 brake job on the car myself along with a few other minor things... Nothing major ever happened to this car except myself becoming unemployed as I went through college (noone wanted to hire me for my available times)... and so the car was repossessed...

Well - I had enough cash to pay them when they repossessed it but they didn't want it due to my excessive inconsistancy while unemployed...

So yesterday I was looking at a 97 Z28, LT1 I could have for $2,000... It is a 6 Speed with a new clutch and has 165K on the clock.. The interior needs alittle work, needs new carpet and floormats, needs the window motor mod done to the passenger side, needs a few new interior bezels and the shifter boot came off aswell. Needs new foglights... Has like $2k invested in sound equipment and it sounds good and it also has T-Tops... It runs strong or so it seems...Sounds awsome...but I dunno I wasnt ready to just jump into another Camaro because I need a more reliable car while I complete college... ...(I'm currently in a Ford Focus)... It seemed like a great project car and it would be mine but I just dont think I have the time and especially the stamina to invest in a car like that anymore and I'm only about to turn 23... ...what do you think?

[zpwn06]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

make sure you pay in cash.

[notsonic]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

i think you should find something with less miles, or in better shape.

some people beat the **** out of these cars, and some take really nice care. i lucked out. even though it had 150k on the clock and was owned by 2 kids, its still running strong at 180k. (95 3.4l auto)

id say if youre willing to, just wait till you get out of college and/or have a steady income.


though 2k isnt bad at all for a 6 speed. but youll likely have to replace the opti or water pump soon if they havent been already. new shocks are almost a must if theyre stock.

[FirebirdPhil]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

Sounds like it's a matter of you're tired of having to constantly fix your cars, not that you're getting old. Save up for a nicer one down the road, for now buy a car thats going to get you from point A to point B safely, and that you're not having to drop money into constantly for repairs. Repairing a car and modding a car are two different things IMO. Repairs suck, mods rock.

[dashboardrunner]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

imma have to agree.... you need to just save your money and buy a car that hasnt had the s-it run out of it or that isnt falling apart already... yes it seems that buying a car that just has minor s-it wrong with it is a deal, in the long run you WILL spend more money than if you had just saved and spent a little more to start with... you said youre 23 so maybe youre almost done with college.... i dont know your situation there... but just keep cruisin the focus until youre done and SAVE SAVE SAVE and once you get done with school, go on and pick you up a 5th gen.... haha

[notsonic]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

Repairs suck, mods rock.

the worst is when you have to do a repair with a stock replacement when you couldve upgraded but you didnt have the cash.:(

[1998silverbird]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

Its one thing to pay a car payment every month and not being able to drive your car due to it being broke down.. Thats what happened to me and my V6.. I built the motor but left the tranny and rear stock.. Every month the rear or tranny broke.. I broke 1 rear end before the motor swap and after getting the motor into the car in Feb2005 till when I sold the car in Sept2005 I broke 3 more rear ends and 2 trannies.. I got sick of looking out of the window of my apartment and seeing my Firebird sitting in the parking lot with me not able to drive it..

So yeah if you can get this car for 2000 cash then I say do it.. Who cares if it breaks down because you own it and you dont have to make car payments on it.. Besides Lt1 motors can be found for real cheap now.. So can LS1's .. I wouldnt buy a brand new sports car because with the gas prices the value of the car after you buy it will go down pretty fast.. Look at the Z06's.. My buddie at work is selling his 07z06 for 48,000!! Thats 30,000 less then he bought it for a year ago!!

Keep your Focus and get the camaro!! What is a window motor mod??

[gugdathug3]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

i am/ was in the same predictament as you. heres my long story short.

when i was 15 1/2 yrs. old (about 3 years ago) i obtained a 1995 3.8L camaro (my first car, still have it but its broken for now). i have always been into car since a kid but nothing really hands on till my senior year of hs (about a year ago) when i took a automotive tune up and electrical class and earn my ASE tune up certificate. i ended up blowing a headgasket about 2 yrs later of owning it which was about a year ago. so it sat for awhile while i graduated from hs and saved for a low mileage engine to replace. i put about 2gs with appearence and the drivetrain. got it all done at the end of '07. engine ended lasting me about a month till the oil pump went out and i overheated my engine by driving it. i was pretty much frustrated with the car. as much as i am attached to it i was tired of putting money and effort into something unreliable. i started college last winter and knew i needed something reliable. i still live with my parents dont pay any bills. but i think im pretty established with a good job. i have ~$1200 each month that i can blow or drop on anything i want. school is pretty cheap for me most is taken cared by scholarships and fin. aid. but pretty much i been working for something a little different. i wanted a fun new car and a few days ago i jumped on 95 z 28 M6 practically a clone but with c6 wheels manual tranny and the @ LT1 power. 130k miles for $2500. car seemed legit. he replaced opti and waterpump so i wasnt too worried. i just wanted it to last me for the end of the year so i can save up for a nice downpaymnt on the '10 camaro. but a few days ago 2 hrs after i bought it turned off on me and started leaking coolant. i still going thru this car dilemma gna have it checked tomorrow and see whats wrong. could b thermo freeze plugs and unfortunately my heads...my point is think it thru REALLY WELL....because anything can happen. would u b able to handle the unexpected.
before for a bit i had to deal with lack of transportation...had to ask friends parents and took the bus for rides. its all on u bro. good luck.

[95astrovan]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

i had the same worries as you for a long time...

when i turned 16, my dad handed down our old Astro van to me. i drove that with no problems for about a year, until last june, when my dad bought me my first real car, a 95 camaro. it had 199K on the clock when we bought it, and i just KNEW it was gonna cost me TONS of money, but i've been very lucky. the car was well maintained, and it's holding very well...it just all depends on the car. good luck with your decision

[zpwn06]

Re: Sigh - Have I mellowed out?

the worst is when you have to do a repair with a stock replacement when you couldve upgraded but you didnt have the cash.:(

true story
all the time