ok, im enlisted in the Army. i got a 2k sign on bonus and while im at basic and AIT i figure i should be able to save up at least another 1k+.

so here's my dillema(sp). im either gonna mod the **** out of my 96 Z when i get back, OR i'll be getting a 6sp '02 SS/WS6/Firehawk with that few thousand as a down payment.

if i decide on the first option, im thinking HARD on getting the LT4 conversion kit from Jim Pace performance, which consists of heads/cam/intake/valvetrain. they "advertise" 425+hp out of it.

if i do the second, ill prolly just pull the bottle off the 96 and put that on the new car along with some meat out back and just enjoy it.


i know if i keep the 96 it'd prolly end up faster, but i LOVE rowing through the gears and would just like a newer car with less/no miles.



i help to figure out what i want to do!!! please help...





jon

 

The LT4 kit is a waste of money. Minimal bang for the buck. Cam, heads and headers. You can get all three for 3 grand and get the experience and install them yourself. You will get WAY more out of that package than the LT4 package. And I highly doubt you will get anything close to 425 out of the LT4 package. Just look in my sig. My cam, heads and headers came to about $3K and it will greatly outperform an LT4 package. Just remember to get new valve springs and rocker arms with that.

 

The 96 is getting old. Pretty soon you are going to invest more money than is worth it than getting a new car. I guess the 02 wouldn't be brand new or is it? But even if there is minmal miles on the 02 and you can afford the insurance I'd get that. It's newer has an LS1 more available power to mod in the first place. It will definetly last you longer I bet. That is my opinion and my 94 getting close to 10 years now is making it seem older every day. Good luck if you have to be shipped out after you are done training!

 

anyone else???




jon

 

that's kind of what im thinking. the 96 is already 7 years old. originally i was thinking of keeping the 96 a couple+more years but i do like the idea of having a newer car with warranty and no/very little miles.

im leaning hard toward option two right now. i talked to a dealer yesterday that still had a BRAND NEW '02 arctic white 6sp loaded SS on the lot. sticker was 28k. said it wouldnt be any problem getting me into the car after i got back, and that if that one was gone, they could get in a SS/WS6/FH usually within a week or so.


any more opinions???




jon

 

This is JMHO...

I was about in the same boat as you last summer when I picked up my 95. There was a 00 TA WS6 that i was looking real hard at. When I looked at the other things (insurance, taxes) here is what I got:

95 Z28
Allstate(my carrier): $2400/year full coverage
Taxes: about $275

00 TA
Allstate: $4800/year
Taxes: over $500

Then you have a car payment on top of this. And the above ins. rates are based on my perfect driving record, so if you get a ticket WATCH OUT.

With that money, you can keep your car, refresh/build the engine and tranny how you like, customize the interior/exterior/stereo/etc. how you like, and whatever else you'd like to do make a car what YOU want it to be, and still not have a car payment to worry about. Or the rediculous insurance and taxes.

Don't get me wrong though, I'd give my left nut for a LS1 TA WS6 with the 6-speed. I LOVE those damn cars. But, unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with the $$$ necessary to get one. Just some thoughts

 

One great thing is you can buy the new one now and you dont have to make any paymentsw till you get back. That goes for any car you buy so long your in military and sent out on duty.

Back to your question why not just sink the money into the car you have. Just rebuild with a nice set of worked heads and a big cam cc306. If you want more put a 125 shot on you will be in 11s all day long. You might have to do a tranny if you have an A4, and then your like new. You should save some $$$$ too. Its never fun to wake up to loan every damn day for XXmonths + big insurence payments.

JUST MY .02

 

good point. the insurance is one thing im checking on now and....well, we'll see when i get the call. im supposed to hear something today. im not going rediculously high but id definately be willing to pay more than im paying now.

the only thing im thinking is- if that hypothetical few extra a month saved from insurance was going to be saved for something important, i could understand it a little better. BUT, if you're going to be dumping it into a old car that you'll NEVER get the the full worth of, then that's wasting too, as far as im concerned. so what it comes down to is want you like better- a newer car with maybe a little less hassles, warranty, etc. ; or modding a current car to your liking.

like i said, if i did the newer car thing, id prolly pull the bottle off the 96 and put it on the new car, so i'd be about as fast i as wanted to go originally with my 96 anyway. BUT i also said im not going crazy with the insurance payment either. so if it's TOO high, than F it, ill just mod my car. we'll see...



anyone else??





jon