96-00, pros and cons

Ill be car shopping in 6-8 weeks and was thinkin about a camaro. 1996-2000 models. How easy are the engines to work on, are the performance upgrades at a good price like a mustang 5.0 would be? Do these engines and trannys last beyond the 100k mark without worries? How about the suspension what would need to be replaced or looked at ASAP? Any other info would be great

If you're going to get a Camaro, I'd say to look at 1998+ cars. LT1 cars are less powerful, harder to work on, have smaller brakes, and have the dreaded OPTISPARK. I wish I would have waited a year or so and got a 98-99 SS...
For some reason, aftermarket parts/service are usually higher priced for GM cars, when compared to Ford. Don't really know about the auto trannies, I've got a T56 6sp. They're supposed to be pretty strong right out of the box. Suspension is pretty good from the factory if the car will just be a daily driver.

depending on your preference of LT1 or LS1, a 97 will have the LT1 engine and front end but the interior of a 98+