andrewp

Hi, Im new here and looking to get a new too me car, since I currently dont have one. Im looking for some power along with some reliablity and the 99 stang gt and 97 or so camaro z28s fit the bill.

Im wondering are the z28 MPG(city) close to the stangs city mpg, if so I think I'll go with the Z since they have the 6spd and I know they get better hwy mpg. Thanks for any help.

96flame

If you're buying either and use the horsepower in the city they are both gunna suck back the fuel. Otherwise I don't really know. My Lt1 is pretty much equal fuel mileage as my 99 Grand Prix with 30% city 70% highway. But driving habits have alot of factors in this.

andrewp

Thanks for the quick reply.

I mean driving sensible as in shifting at or under 3k rpms. Not redlining or launching at every stoplight.

Im just trying to see which gets better in the city mpgs. Thanks

romoranger

my car is cammed, its not too bad in the city. my work is liek 10 miles away. i fill up once a week. and drive to work and back twice a day on all days but once, and i drive to gym which is about 1 mile away everyday as well. i guess i get pretty good gas mileage

andrewp

Yah that is pretty good for all those mods you got. So when you say you drive to work and back twice a day. Do you mean that you go to work then home then work and then home again? 10 miles to work then 10 back. Thats 40 miles a day six times a week. Thats about 250 miles a tank Id say. Not bad for 5.7l. Thanks

Steve0

If gas milage is that big a concern, keep in mind that a Mustang GT will run on 87 octane...

That said, city wise id expect similar numbers. Highyway wise I'd give a slight advantage to the LT1, but still similar numbers.

I get on average about 18/28. Best I ever got was 30mpg. Worst 14...

andrewp

Oh yah, I completely forgot that a GT can run on 87. Thanks

LiENUS

isnt the lt1 supposed to be able to run on 87 octane as well? 91 is recommended but 87 is what we have the ks for

SP2340

Unless it has been modified the LT1 will run just fine on 87, of course you won't produce as much power. The computer can adjust the timing to compensate for the lower octane gas. If you don't belive this run the tank almost dry then have someone else fill up the tank a few times and try to guess what they put in. If you can't tell the difference, don't pay for the difference. I've run my 94Z on 87 octane for the past 5 years with no adverse effects. As far as the gas mileage goes I get about 17-18 in the city when driving as you suggest, sensibly.

blackztpi

with 90k miles on the clock, 3.73's, 6 speed, 1.6rr's, full exhaust and intake i managed around 15 mpg in the city constantly, getting into it almost each and every time i drove it. usually getting into it 1-4 times each trip. i could only manage 23 on the highway, but i also O2 problems. i'd say the lt1 would be a beter choice. but then again i could be biased since i hate mustangs. lol but the lt1 would probably get the edge on gas mileage, especially on the highway. on another good note, the lt1 will be cheaper to find parts for if you ever wanted to mod it up a little. not to mention you can pick up a good lt1 car for under 8k and the newer gt's will run you up a little more than that. as far as power, my friend's stock 78k mile 94 Z 6 spd with stock clutch and a flowmaster muffler (not catback) ran dead even with a '02 GT auto with some kind of catback on it. we raced that guy a few different time and i don't think either of the cars pulled on each other a 1/2 inch. my friend later added long tubes still stock pipes with flowmaster muffler) and beat the guy by a good 2 cars or more. pretty even comparison all the way around. sad thing, is... it took ford a good 5 years to get this matchup

blackztpi

i hear all this complaining of paying for premium gas, so i did a little calculating. if you use 10 gallons of gas every week for a year at a price of $2.30/gallon (price of regular unleaded here right now), you end up spending $1,192. on gas in one year. now, if you used the same 10 gallons every week for a year at the price of $2.44 (price of premium around here right now), you'd end up spending $1,264. a year on gas. thats a total of $72 more that you spend on premium in one year of driving under these conditions. enthusiasts spend way more that that a year on parts, so don't tell me you can't dish up the extra 72 bucks a year for better gas.
most of us don't even drive our cars every week of the year (at least not up north) so can safely cut half of that fuel cost if you drive your car 6 months a year. $36 bucks now. obviously, some use more or less than 10 gallons a week, but i figured that was a safe variable to use.

Steve0

Thats my exact stance on the issue. It really isnt that much more money, especially considering what kind of car (V8 sports car) it is your driving. I knew gas milage wasnt going to be the best when I got the car. I'd rather spend the extra buck or 2 during fill up to get the full potential out of my car everytime I drive it.

Jameslt1TA

When i was 17 and in hs i drove my car to school every day and being a cheap *** and already knowing i had the fastest car in town(small town) i always ran it on 85 or 87 octane(depending on the gas station). I would almost always get 18mpg or better and that is with almost a half and hour to and hour of cruising around after school. Highway i get 28 mpg most of the time. Now my car is blown up i drive a 89 toyota 4 cylinder...it gets 23 on the highway(i dont cruise this around) .

Keep in mind my car was stock.

andrewp

Thanks for all the replies.

I guess 72 bucks more per year aint that bad to have good performance. lol.

I've got $8600 and that will have to include tax to a purchase my car. So its gonna be which ever has the lowest milage on the clock and better overall condition.

What are some common problems with the LT1s'? I've heard that the fuel pumps screw up alot or something(I could be wrong, just a rumor). Im just worried cause most likely what I buy its going to have 75,000 to 100,000 miles on it. And these arent no hondas with great reliability.

Thanks for all your help.

ZMaster

Obviously your going to want to do your maintenance first. New plugs, wires, fuel filter!!!, oil change, pcv valve, air filter. Common problems include intake manifold leak in the rear, power window motors, power window switches, and optis. Be wary of the opti however, many people go through the hassle and $$$ of swtiching them out only to find that they weren't the problem. If it's an auto, be aware that it will need a tranny rebuild between 100k to a 150k miles; if it's a manual, get receipts for the most recent clutch that was put in, and also take good care when you inspect it for engagement of the gears. Be aware that many have problems with synchros and 3/4 shift forks. In addition, you may or may not want to invest in some new O2's. All I can really think of off the top of my head.