For my first car i want about a 98+ Camaro z28 with maybe a few mods after awhile.. Would this purchase be worth it. To me i think for the price this car is a great bargain, speed + nice overall car. What are your ideas on this.. do you think there is a better bargain for a car with nice bhp and alright gas mileage?

 

Gas milage is great, but are you sure you can handle the power? I've seen a lot of them wrecked because people weren't used to or couldn't handle them. Even with the years I've been driving f-bodies it can still get away from me if I'm not careful.

Personally, I'd say get a lesser car to learn on (Like a Mushtang GT- mwa hahaha Ford) then step up later. That way if you wreck it's just a Stang down.

 

LS1 fbods are the best bang for the buck, no doubt. But definitely too much car for an inexperienced driver. Plus the insurance would be murder. Think about a v6 fbod for your 1st car. Plenty of power, good mileage. You could move up to a v8 later.

 

Well if its your 1st car then your gonna get raped on insurance...and gas prices arent getting any better.. w/ every mod your mileage gets worse and worse. Bang for the buck the only better car would be a LT1...but thats about it.

 

i agree with the V6 idea...

enjoy the car, do some simple mods to make it more fun to drive.

and then later step up to a v8.

there are many..MANY parts that are interchangable. suspension, wheels/tires, stereos, and even some hp mods.

gives you the experience behind the wheel, behind the wrench and then you can swap everything over to the LS1 when the time comes.

 

ive been driving my dad's corvette forever (i learned on that) and it's a early 90 model with a bigger cam and performance heads and a bunch of stuff. It was dynoed to like 403hp. So yeah I dont normal get in it at all. I almost wrecked once when i first started but ive pretty much learned to take it easy and its all good.

 

werd on the V6. You can always put a turbo on it or get a V8 conversion later, and your insurance will be much cheaper.

 

Well. Although you have driven your dad's modified C4, it's a little different when you get to drive a car that powerful around as your every day driver.

I am also for the V6 f-body thing. I've owned a 2000 3.8L M5 camaro for 2 1/2 years. it has treated me extremely well. although it was my second car, i still feel it would have been extremely foolish to just go from an '83 242 volvo turbo to a z or an ss.
the 3.8's in f bodies are great motors. Some guys on www.firebirdv6.com have shown some pretty impressive track times on that forum. I personally modified mine a bit to make it fun to drive. (slp cold air intake, LSD, MSD 8.5mm wires, hurst short throw shifter, B&B Triflow catback) it run's low 15's in the 1/4 mile. i say find yourself a cheap 98+ M5 3.8 camaro or firebird. and then step up to a z or ss later on. just my 2 cents...

Rick M.

 

When talking "bang for the buck", IMHO the winner has to be the Fox 5.0 Mustangs.

 

you must be talking about wild horses...because we don't like to talk about those in this forum.

 

Yea, your right...but I was staying on the whole camaro theme...i thought about the fox idea..It would be fun to build but nowadays its almost near impossible to find one not ragged to he!! or modded to he!!...Plus comparing it to a LS1 it takes a good deal of mods for a fox to hang w/ a LS1..much more then a LT1

 

True, but total investment wise: The Fox car plus built 347 or swapped in 351 can be had for less than clean (see: non ragged to hell) LS1 powered car. Either way, LS1 or LT1 you can't go wrong. I was just stating a counter point to the arguement

 

Don't buy a V6, you will just get it and want a V8 even more. If you want a Z28 go buy one, don't drive stupid and you won't crash it. I went from a 4 cylinder grand am to an LT1 firehawk and now an LS1 t/a with no problems.

 

I agree with Kataklysm. It's not WHAT you drive, it's HOW you drive. I live in San Diego, and just about every day some ricer gets wrapped around a tree. We are talking 2 liter ricers. It's not the car, it's the driver.

 

Yea dont buy a 6...I bought a 95 firebird 5spd when I first got in this thing years ago...use to go out and ride w/ my buddy in his modded 93 Lt1..he use to smoke the hell outta me and it pissed me off...to make a long story short I traded that in for the LT1 in my 2nd link and even things up w/ him, and eventually surpassing him...If you wanna drag race/mod definately go for the v8...IMO modding a v6 is pointless