NOOO! I don't want to!

[turbohead2332]

If everyone here doesn't already know, my dad is an endless fountain of mechanical knowledge. :P He helps me out and gives advice to make sure I don't f*ck anything up, since I'm relatively new to mechanics. Well he came over today and we worked on getting the new starter in today. Then he told me the thing I fear most. He explained to me that when he was my age, (18ish) that he had a 67 Chevelle, in which everything that could have gone wrong did. And he feels that this car is going to be the same deal for me. Since I have to rely on this car for transportation and job, etc, He recommended that I get rid of the Camaro and, (in his words) "as much as (he) hates them, to get an import." :(


Since I've had the car, I've had the problem with the ignition system, which got worse over time. It's left me stranded a few times. That's now no longer a problem. I have to put a quart of oil in it about once every 3 weeks or so. I've had to replace about 5 bulbs in the rear driver side tail light assembly. Water leaks into it when it rains. The battery may be going. The passenger side rear tire is old and balding. (partially due to burnouts and whatnot, I admit. :D) All of the tires are old. The car sat in someones yard for about a year and a half, rarely being driven. It has about 177.5k miles on it. It still runs strong, but god forbid anything else happen. What do you think I should do? If I get rid of it, I'm going to try to get another Camaro or even a Firebird. If not that, then what?! The thought of losing this car is difficult!

[Smoke Panther]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

I've had the problem with the ignition system, which got worse over time. It's left me stranded a few times.

elaborate

I have to put a quart of oil in it about once every 3 weeks or so.

Find the oil leaks and seal them.

I've had to replace about 5 bulbs in the rear driver side tail light assembly. Water leaks into it when it rains.

Find where it's leaking and seal it.

The battery may be going.

replace it

The passenger side rear tire is old and balding. (partially due to burnouts and whatnot, I admit. :D) All of the tires are old.

Replace them

What do you think I should do?

Learn to take care of your vehicle? Really, a lot of the problems you've listed are the result of parts simply wearing out on the car. Keep maintaining your cars the way you currently have, you'll have battery, tire, and taillight housing issues with them all, import or not.

[Taheen]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

About the same age I had an '89 S10 with the good 'ol Iron Duke 2.5l (thing made at best like 80hp... at the flywheel). Parents said the same thing to me. You need to get a more reliable car, something not so old and without so many miles (140k). So they told me I could have $5000 to spend, but the car was to be picked by them and was to be an import. You know... 'cause all imports just own domestic in reliability.

I fought, with that money I found a handfull of southern (no rust) 80's Monte Carlo SS's with good paint/body and semi-recent 350 swaps. No go, had to be that magical reliable import. They picked out a Daewoo Nubira. I have to say that was the biggest piece of **** and money hole I have ever knowen. Aside from many minor breakdowns on a trip from Dallas to Houston (300 miles or so) the timing belt snapped. Valves crunched. $1700 later it was running. Same stretch of road about 5 months later... timing belt tensioner went. Another round of valve crunching. More money this time though. I had so many problems other than those though, it was a mechanical piece of ****.

Sorry, just a rant. Bugs me when people tell others to 'get an import, they're more reliable' Oh and that '89 S10... still running strong for a friend of mine, no breakdowns, NOTHING.

ok, /rant. Sure some imports are very reliable, but saying domestics are just all bound to be an issue and you should definatly go import since you need to depend on your transportation... pass.

[kristen]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

i went threw alot of cr@p with my camaro when i first got it. but once you fix the problems your going to be good for years

[3.4orNothing]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

i believe that imports are more reliable,we have 2 toyota at home,one of them the same year as my camaro,its way better then my camaro,dont even throw a ses light,instead my camaro........hummmm....wow that is a headache box,,,,as i said before ...i still have it because i love it....otherwhise i would be driving a mitsubishi 3000 gt.

[95astrovan]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

i am a firm believer in american reliability. i've had 2 cars since summer '06 when i got my license, a 95 astro (206K miles) and now my 95 camaro (205K miles), both still run like a top, (knock on wood) no major difficulties at all, and i beat the living CRAP out of the astro while i drove it, and so far i'm yet to break anything other than a rear tire...all i need to replace right now is a driver side marker light buld and a bulb in the 3rd brake light on the maro...the van is sittin right now waitin on a tranny screen n new fluid. my grandfather however, has had 2 toyota camrys...a 89 and 98...the 89 ate 2 engines before he gave it to my uncle (hahahah) and the 98 has has multiple ignition and gasket troubles...he's 77 right now, and contemplating replacing his camry with a camaro similar to mine lol american mechanics FTW!!

[cam98aro]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

he is probably burning oil, not leaking it

[Dozer]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

maybe its just a lemon. sell it and find another in the color you like.

[3.4orNothing]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

i am a firm believer in american reliability. i've had 2 cars since summer '06 when i got my license, a 95 astro (206K miles) and now my 95 camaro (205K miles), both still run like a top, (knock on wood) no major difficulties at all, and i beat the living CRAP out of the astro while i drove it, and so far i'm yet to break anything other than a rear tire...all i need to replace right now is a driver side marker light buld and a bulb in the 3rd brake light on the maro...the van is sittin right now waitin on a tranny screen n new fluid. my grandfather however, has had 2 toyota camrys...a 89 and 98...the 89 ate 2 engines before he gave it to my uncle (hahahah) and the 98 has has multiple ignition and gasket troubles...he's 77 right now, and contemplating replacing his camry with a camaro similar to mine lol american mechanics FTW!!

wel,maybe those camry`s were assembled in u.s.. our toyotas are straight from japan,you know something,even ford is beter then g.m. as in reliabilty.
btw,i dont like g.m. is the camaro i love. (please dont ban me for what i just said)

[turbohead2332]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

elaborate


Find the oil leaks and seal them.


Find where it's leaking and seal it.


replace it


Replace them


Learn to take care of your vehicle? Really, a lot of the problems you've listed are the result of parts simply wearing out on the car. Keep maintaining your cars the way you currently have, you'll have battery, tire, and taillight housing issues with them all, import or not.

I understand what you're saying, but right now, I don't have money. I'm struggling as it is. I know where my oil and tranny fluid are leaking from and I have a filter kit w/ gasket for the transmission, I just need to put it in. I dunno. I'm going to try to keep it and see how that goes. The ignition was my biggest problem, I'd say. What would happen is that I'd go to fire it up and the solenoid would just click. No starter, nothing. Then I'd have to click it a few more times before it would start up. Over the 7-8 months that I've had it, I've gradually had more difficulty in starting it up. Sometimes it would start right up, other times, I'd end up clicking it 5, 6, 7, 8 times before anything would happen. Occasionally the starter would drag.

[HokieBird]

Re: NOOO! I don't want to!

Get a Turbo RX-7. They are the pinnacle of import reliability.


Every car company makes some lemons and every car wears out eventually. Toyota made some really great cars in the mid 90 (reliable not interesting or fun). They have also made some horrible cars. I.E. the new tundra that has camshafts that snap in half and a tailgate that breaks when you put minor amounts of weight on it.