hi guys..

l have 97 firebird formula metalic green with t-tops and l have spent with radiator, over $6000 on repairs..( you guys are gonna tell me WTF!! 6000 bucks. yes, if it is dealer and if u tow it all the time, it costs u 6000 bucks.. but dont worry l dont deal with dealers anymore that times l was a newbie here in the USA and l didnt know it)

here are the repairs done since l got the car(6 months ago l bought her)
ALL OF THEM FROM DEALER AND DEALER INSTALL:
-brand new original waterpump
-machined rotors
-brand new brake pads four wheels
-transmission lines
-heater hoses
-transmission mount

just rebuilt the tranny it has 2k on it
l replaced both side power windows 15 days ago
new kumho ecsta tires for four tires
flowmaster exhaust system on it and l just replaced the muffler
now brabd new radiator l am about to install

could be some other repairs that l dont remember now..

it has 130k miles on it.

and l just picked up a 94 corolla cuz l was sick of my car anymore..

here is my question..

should l keep my car and sell the toyota for 2k bucks or sell the firebird and lose $1250 bucks???

ALSO IF I KEEP MY BIRD, WHAT ARE FUTURE BREAK DOWNS ON MY BIRD? CAN U GUESS?

this is so important for me, Please honestly let me know what ya'll think.

Thank you

Erdal

 

no suggestions yet???

 

You learned your lesson obviously with dealer work, their labor rate is just way too high. You have a 12 year old toyota and a 9 year old f-body, it is a hit or miss if something will go wrong with either car. Its just the nature of the beast, mechanical things break. Personally, I would just keep the Toyota as a gas-friendly daily driver and use the Formula for leisure purposes.

 

but l gotta sell one of them man.. l really do not make good enough to keep them both and pay for insurance and also l need some money to come to my pocket by selling of them. cuz l still owe the capital one auto financing company.

 

Well, if I were in your situation and I just sunk 6 grand worth of repairs into a car, I would not sell it. It really is for you to decide though, each car has its pros/cons.

 

I'd second that. At least you know what repairs it won't - or shouldn't need again. Did you really need 4 tires, brakes, rotors, trans work, radiator etc..? Or did you just bend over and let them stick it to ya..

Any Toyota Corolla is excellent for reliability (my 87 never needed a thing), but isn't quite the power a Firebird Formula has.

If I were you, I'd keep it and in the summer months switch it over and enjoy it. Any further problems and let me know you're price, I'll start working on it myself. I doubt that both power side windows, tires, transmission mounts, brakes, or radiator were all somehow connected. Something was wrong with the call. Find a new mechanic.

 

dump the toyota, most of the typical problems you could have it sounds like you have already fixed, the only thing left is the opti if it wasnt done with the water pump. as long as its actin ok though the optispark has probably been replaced. besides its way too muchfun pullin up to ricers with their fart cans and as soon as they see that youre in an f-body they wont look at you anymore cause their scared

 

hey you have gone this far to get it running go out and enjoy it, i have the same problem with my car, it just keeps breaking something everyweek and i figure sooner or later there is gona be nothing else to go wrong cause everything will be new.

 

sell the toyota and have fun with the firebird....only thing that i can think that would go wrong at the high of mileage would be your opti sumtime in the near future...im in the middle of changing mine out right now...but considering how much money u've spent on it and how much more fun it is than a corolla id definitely dump the toyota!!!

 

guys, my aopti just died 1 month ago..

l still ahve that problem but l swear l have no power loss or the car runs different.. everything seems ok but l got that engine light on..

now my radiator is off.. l am gonna replace it soon l just do not enough time for now cuz working hard. since l have the radiator off, l would like to replace opti too but l am scared l dont know if l can..

thanks guys..

Erdal

 

Check out www.shbox.com, he has tech pages there and look under cam removal/install and it will detail how to remove and replace the opti.

 

couldnt have put it any other way. i agree