New to Firebird....need advices

[sedoriku]

Hi everybody, Im new to this forum, recently sold my Yamaha R1 (still crying about that), and last week I bought a 97 Firebird V6. It is a nice car, even if it will never replace the performance of a motorcycle (took her to 189mph and you can get a 0-60mph in 3s). So I just wanted your opinion on my car, I bought it for $7400 to a local dealership, and got a 2 years/30000 miles extended warranty on it (the plan UA2200M, if anyone knows about it, please let me know if it is a good one). The car is in great shape, has 82750 miles, the Monsoon stereo, t-top, power lock... and it is a standard shift too. So, does it seem like a reasonable deal or did I get ripped off?? I still have 9 days to decide if I keep it or not.
There is something else, the clutch pedal is very hard, is it normal on this car or not?? May it be something wrong?? I have no idea since I've never drove another Firebird before. I drive regularly at work a Ford Ranger with standard shift, and the clutch pedal is not as hard.
Last thing, I bought a Flowmaster American thunder, the cat back one, how does it sound on the Firebird? I just hope the sound is not too intrusive inside the car, and it is not too loud when you are cruising... any sound file here?? And do I have to cut the factory pipe to install it??
Sorry for all the questions here, i hope some of you will be able to help me here, and give me some advices. Thanks in advance

[bret_xi]

that sounds like a good deal... its about the same as mine when i got it... but i've put like 8k miles on it since then....

:eek: u took ur bike to 189mph?! was that on a track or just a road?

[camaroincal]

Hi, I have a 1997 Camaro M5, T-Tops, factory chrome 16 inch rims etc. I bought mine in 2001 with 73,XXX miles for 12,000 (I live in the bay area of Cali (expensive) and at the time that was the going KBB value) I should have worked them down less, especially with what I have gone through with it. The car now has 90,XXX miles on it and between 73k and 90k I've had this crap go wrong:

driver side sun visor fell in my lap, serpentine belt was worn out, radiator fluid was low and very dirty, tried some doughnuts and broke my power steering pump, tried some more doughnuts a few months later and broke it again along with the rack and pinion [img]graemlins/rock.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] , the rear main seal starting leaking after a 200 miles trip avg. 85-90 mph the whole way, driver side power window motor and switch wore out, have an exhaust rattle of some sort, replaced water pump, cracked a head and blew a head gasket..very costly repair, alternator went out, stock batery ran out of juice, gas peddle linkage broke [img]graemlins/burnout.gif[/img] new spark plugs, couple of new wires, new tires and I think that's it :D

I DO/have otherwise taken very good care of the car as far as maintenence and warming it up etc otherwise. BUT, I also have driven it pretty hard. But in the list, some were regular maintenence things that every car has, but some were a bit premature for a car with that kinda mileage. The car is a blast to drive of course, though. It's just F-bodies in genereal are known to be rather maintenence intensive.

If I were you, I'd find out exatly what's been replaced as there is a good chance you'll be in the same boat I was. You buy the car then all the stock parts start falling apart and needing to be replaced. If I had to do it all over again, I'd def look for a car with under 50,000 miles or if it had more than 50k, made sure that lots of parts had been replaced already.

About the Flowmaster. I had the cat back installed 3-4 years ago. At first, it didn't sound so hot. But, Flowmasters are known to start sounding better and deeper as they get older and burned in. I'd say for the price you'd have a hard time beating the flows. I also have the 3.5 inch slash cut chrome tips so that might have an affect on the sound of them. It is a bit loud, but I like it. It drones at certain speeds and not at others. For instance, it's actually louder and drones at 65 and then at 75-80 its quiter with no drone.

The stiff clutch peddle is normal from my experience with my M5. And I'm pretty sure that's just how it is. I'd check the clutch fluid reservoir to make sure it's full though.

[sedoriku]

Camaroincal, sorry to hear about your problems, seems that american cars are usually not the best when it comes to reliability anyway, that's why I got the warranty with it (got a pretty bad experience with my first car here in US, a Chevy truck, I went from problem to problem...). Thank you for your advices anyway, I will also check the clutch fluid reservoir just in case (though the dealer is supposed to have checked that I guess).
Bret, yes I took my R1 to 189mph on the freeway here, kind of crazy I know, but I had to see how fast it would go... and it was actually still pulling, but the digital speedo won't go over 189mph. The bike is actually very stable at those speeds but you have to really dodge under the bubble, and it is quite amazing to pass the car at that speed, they seem like stopped on the road...lol...

[lizzardfire]

I guess I just got lucky with my firebird. I got a 96 wth 68k miles in PERFECT condition (physical and mechanical) for 4600.

[sedoriku]

Yes, you got lucky for sure, that's an amazing deal. You bought it from a private party I guess. I bought it from a dealership, so I was expecting a higer price, a 97 Firebird is actually at $7400 if you buy it from a dealership, and $5600 I think from a private owner.
Anyway tomorrow Im gonna have the Flowmaster American Thunder catback installed, I hope it sounds good, and I just hope it is not too loud INSIDE the car...any opinion here??
One more thing, I have a monsoon stereo, and I think one of the speaker in front is dead, what kind should I get??
I may go to a place like Audiomax and see what they can put there, though they tend to be expensive sometimes...

[camaroincal]

It isn't that loud. Don't worry. Don't expect to love the sound right off the bat either. Usually the Flows take time to sound right. About your front speaker. The front speakers are notorious for blowing out on these cars. Mine are too and all I do is just set the fader to the mid and back speakers as they are still good.

[sedoriku]

Well, I was playing with the equalizer to try to get a better sound, but the front right speaker is really starting to bug me, it kinds of vibrate all the time, it is very irritating. Moreover it seems that the main unit of the stereo has a bad contact somewhere, sometimes it just stops, especially when i take bumps, and it will restart if I hit the unit..lol. Will check that tomorrow. And my electric antenna is not going down anymore, though I hear the motor working...should I try to grease it or what?? I can't put the antenna down, even when I force on it...
One last thing, there is always a kind of whistle coming from the back of the car, what is it?? The dealership told me it it the gas sensor or something like that...I doubt...

[38fury]

Damn you guys have a lot of problems as per the power steering pump going out, it's because when you turn the wheel all the way it creates pressure and then when you mash the gas it creates more pressure, so the pump breaks. But i bought my '97 A4 with ttops, factory cd player and alloys for about 3500, but mine also had 134xxx(153xxx now) on the clock that was almost two years ago i think i've had just fairly normal stuff. Coolant flush, plugs, ICM(not as normal), fuel pump, power steering pump(cookies as well). But really for the miles and the abuse i've put it through the thing runs like a champ, it's reliable still gets decent mileage still has plenty of power(for a v6) leaks maybe 3-4 drops of oil a night(i've had much worse). And sedoriku that whistle is the fuel pump, i can hear mine over the radio sometimes.

[38fury]

Originally posted by sedoriku:
Well, I was playing with the equalizer to try to get a better sound, but the front right speaker is really starting to bug me, it kinds of vibrate all the time, it is very irritating.

The speaker covers like to rattle you can silicon the back side of the cover to the door panel that should get rid of the rattle.(unless it is the speaker of course.)

[brink]

Originally posted by sedoriku:
Hi everybody, Im new to this forum, recently sold my Yamaha R1 (still crying about that), and last week I bought a 97 Firebird V6. It is a nice car, even if it will never replace the performance of a motorcycle (took her to 189mph and you can get a 0-60mph in 3s). So I just wanted your opinion on my car, I bought it for $7400 to a local dealership, and got a 2 years/30000 miles extended warranty on it (the plan UA2200M, if anyone knows about it, please let me know if it is a good one). The car is in great shape, has 82750 miles, the Monsoon stereo, t-top, power lock... and it is a standard shift too. So, does it seem like a reasonable deal or did I get ripped off?? I still have 9 days to decide if I keep it or not.
There is something else, the clutch pedal is very hard, is it normal on this car or not?? May it be something wrong?? I have no idea since I've never drove another Firebird before. I drive regularly at work a Ford Ranger with standard shift, and the clutch pedal is not as hard.
Last thing, I bought a Flowmaster American thunder, the cat back one, how does it sound on the Firebird? I just hope the sound is not too intrusive inside the car, and it is not too loud when you are cruising... any sound file here?? And do I have to cut the factory pipe to install it??
Sorry for all the questions here, i hope some of you will be able to help me here, and give me some advices. Thanks in advance

http://www.dbzevolved.com/pics/exhaust.mov

eh, firebird, camaro, both sound the same ;)

[phantomzer0]

man, you got ripped. i got my 2002 for 10k with 20k miles...

[sedoriku]

Thank you guys for your replies, you obviously know about those cars. So the whistle in the back is the fuel pump?? make sense somehow since the tank is in the back of the car... About the flowmaster cat back, I got it installed saturday, and I have to say that I really love the sound of it, it doesn't sound raspy at all (I have the resonator on), even when you go in the high rpm's, and it is not too loud inside the car, so Im very happy with this exhaust (though Midas ripped me off to install it, told me first it would cost $60, and then they called me to tell me it will be $160...I paid $120...BOUHHHHHHH), and I don't have the rattle anymore. As far as performance goes, I can't rely tell a difference, I only had the car for a week and still don't really know her that much.
Now I just have to fix the front right speaker, it is clearly not working well... Do u know if I can put aftermarket speakers there, I asked a shop here, and they don't have aftermarkets which are 2ohms (I have a Monsoon system)... I saw a pair of Monsoon speakers for the front for $75, does it sound like a good deal? If anyone here wants to sell his, let me know... even just one.... Thanks guys anyway.

[98 3.8]

Hey man where in ABQ do you live? I'm in Rio Rancho...You're the first person from this area that I've seen on this board! I think you got a pretty good deal on your bird. I got my 98 Camaro for 3200 with 150K miles and Camaros are cheaper than Firebirds.

[sedoriku]

I live on San Mateo near the amusement park (Cliffs). As for the deal on the firebird, well, I got a decent price I think, I could have had it for cheaper Im sure buying it from a private owner, but at least I got a 2 years extended warranty, so Im kind of covered if anything happen... And the car is in pretty good shape for a 97 model, no major dings or scratches and the engine is quite clean. I like the Firebird so far, nice car, fast enough to get speeding tickets but still good on gas. It is a smooth ride too, and I like the sound of the flowmaster. Now I just need to change the ****ty monsoon speakers and I should be allright (thinking about an aftermarket CD player with MP3, it is cool to have 150 songs on one cd, instead of carrying all the cds for the Monsoon cd player...)