1997 Camaro V6 with low milage just as reliable as 2002 V6 with low milage?

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

As I'm considering my options of buying a car.... I figured that if it had low milage... for the most part it will be about the same as if it were a new car... after all... the '97 has the same engine as the '02... If they both have low milage... does it really matter?

The reason is.... I have about 10k to spend on the car... My mom wants me to buy a newer one for 9k that has warranty... I want to get a '97 with less than 50,000 miles on it for about 5-6k, and throw on a supercharger and install a transgo shift kit.

My mom thinks it will break sooner if I get the older one... but honestly... aren't they about the same?

I mean... if I can get a car that looks exactly the same... has the same engine and milage... but one is 5 years older with a supercharger and shift kit... I'd go for the blown car!

What are your opinions?... Does it really matter as long as the milage is low?

[ABH]

If it was me, I would buy the newer one. They don't look exactly the same, the nose was changed :D

I just like getting the newest car I can for the money.

But you could probably find a 97-98 Z28 for 10-12K.

All things being equal, the 97 will die first.

[ June 23, 2004, 05:38 PM: Message edited by: ABH ]

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

97 wont die firt.........

go with the 97 and get a FFF turbo kit and have a realiable oqick car

[MustangEater8251]

ITs older... age affects a car... IF you have $10k and willing to go with a 97, get a 97 z28 [img]smile.gif[/img]

Motors last a long time on our cars... Things that are not low mileage affected.

In fact I trust cars with ~8-12k a year on them more hten a really really low mileage car.

[PiercedJD]

you need to figure out what you really want out of the car. if you are looking more at performance, then why not go with a slightly older v8 equiped car? you would see better performance 1/4 wise which with mods will increase exponentially over that of a v6 with mods.

buying a v6 equiped car with the sole intention of going fast is a self defeating goal unless you have a money tree in the backyard ( and if that's the case, can I come prune it for you? ).

As far as reliability? As soon as you begin modding a car reliability flies out the window. The formula goes something like:

Stock vehicle + performance parts = *spirited driving

spirited driving + engine producing more power than it's factory intended numbers = reliability downslope

it's a linear equation really. the more modded, the more you tend to drive it hard, the more things break, the less reliable it becomes.

I've been through that with too many cars, which is why I now have a daily, and the project car/truck.

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

I appreciate the attempt at help.. but I'm not sure you got what I'm talking about... I'm also not trying to be mean... and with that being said...

I HATE HATE HATE it when people go off offering "solutions" when I laid my question(s) out perfectly fine! If I asked you if you'd recommend a particular Athlon XP, or a particular Pentium 4, and you recommend a brand-new Athlon 64 then I'd be annoyed. If you put yourself in my shoes I think you'd feel the same way..... like if I asked about superchargers and everyone starts talking about turbos.

I am NOT getting a V8... it's more insurance, I have to pay for premium gas, the engines break easier... I'm a young guy... insurance is through the roof and I'm going to college... are you kidding me?

I'm looking for a V6 with performance... I want the low insurance and regular gas of a V6, with close to the power of the V8, and thus the supercharger... V8 was not even an option here... please stay on topic.

As for the less reliability... we're talking just a supercharger and shift kit. Shift kit makes the car better, supercharger doesn't really change much. It's simple really.

Anyone care to try again?

[speedy-v6-camaro]

Engine isn't the same either...different intake design and different exhaust manifolds.

[camaroincal]

Well, as far as your question, there are a lot of variables in answers. A 97 with the same mileage as an '02 could have been a weekend car and well maintained, and thus hardly driven...OR it could have just sat for a long time and not been taken care of. Or the odometer could be rolled back. But I have too say that it would be more likely that a '02 with X miles is in better shape than a '97 with equal miles. Unless of course the '97 was kept in a temperature controlled setting and meticulously taken care of..and since we are talking V6 Camaro's, I highly doubt that would happen.

And take it from people here who bought a V6 and not too far down the road wished they got a V8 for more power. If I were you, I would DEFINATELY consider getting a '98+ LS1 Z28/SS. The insurance isn't as much more for the V8 as you would think. Infact, when I was at my insurance broker here in California about 3 years ago, when I was 19 with a clean record, I asked them to see how much more a Z28 would be. I had bought my '97 V6 from a dealer and had full coverage which at the time I was paying $200 a month. A Z28 of the same year and everything the same would have been only like $15 more a month. I was pretty stunned, thinking it would be way more. Also, about the gas. I've read quite a bit about the 3.8 and what fuel (octane) people use. Most people get better gas mileage and better performance out of 91 octane as opposed to the 87 prefered in the manual. Also, an LS1 V8 gets almost as good gas mileage as a 3.8

But if you are set on the 3.8, it is a good choice. And I would go with the '97 + the power adder as it seems that's what you have your heart set on. Take it from me who got the V6 (mom didn't want me to have an 8!!!) even though I wanted an 8, if you are gonna spend thousands of dollars on something such as a car..u damn well better get what YOU want, not someone else.

[PiercedJD]

Originally posted by Deoxyribonucleicvitriol:


I am NOT getting a V8... it's more insurance, I have to pay for premium gas, the engines break easier... I'm a young guy... insurance is through the roof and I'm going to college... are you kidding me?

I'm looking for a V6 with performance... I want the low insurance and regular gas of a V6, with close to the power of the V8, and thus the supercharger... V8 was not even an option here... please stay on topic.

As for the less reliability... we're talking just a supercharger and shift kit. Shift kit makes the car better, supercharger doesn't really change much. It's simple really.

Anyone care to try again?

supercharger changes more than you think apparently. supercharger and 87 octane aren't in the same zip code. You NEVER run a supercharger and cheap gas. furthermore, once you have your supercharger, I GUARANTEE you will have your foot in the gas more often than not, and a 6 banger on boost is going to get the same gas mileage as a v8. period.

you are also putting more power through your transmission than it may be able to handle. hift kit is doing nothing to improve the strength of the transmission. There are plenty of locals trashing 700R4's/4L60E's because they can't handle power. Why do you think people would switch to an old school TH350/TH400? it certainly isn't for better gear ratios.

You haven't addressed your rear end yet. a stock open diff 10 bolt isn't going to handle any power. anyone care to hit any areas I missed?

I really tried to stay on topic this time, I hope you consider this a better attempt at making my point.

[MustangEater8251]

Putting a supercharger on a v6 won't be as fast as a stock v8, cost more in the end, get worse gas mileage then a stock v8, where out more parts.


Fastest supercharged car on stock internals I ever say was a high 13 second car. Had just about every bolt on availible, and a intake/exhaust ls1 woudl smoke it and get better gas mileage.

v8s don't "break more" Most trouble parts in f-bodies are pretty universal amoung all f-bodies v8 or v6.

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Crap, this stuff is too much. I just need to find a nice stock car and be happy. But for the final time.. I'm not getting a V8!!! >:{} My money stays in the pocket!

[ReodDai]

So buy a little accord or something and be happy.

[PiercedJD]

or buy your v6 and keep it stock and reliable.

[MustangEater8251]

exactly... you talk of a reliable car that doesn't cost money then talk about buying a $4k supercharger kit.

[silvachris1]

Actually, if I remember right, the LS1 will run fine on 87. My buddy gets 22/28 mpg in his TA. Like the above mention, some insurance companies don't charge that much more for the LS1 cars either if you have a good agent and a clean record.

But then again, I'm not sugguesting the V8, it's prolly too much car for you anyway. Alot of people don't realize how powerful the cars are and get in trouble. Heck, the V6 alone is enough to get most people in trouble. It's kinda like getting a starter bike to learn on.

My reccomendation is to just get the 2002 with low miles, since it'll be a better car, more reliable, have better flowing intake and exhaust (tubular manifolds). So yeah.