Do you guys think a '97 Formula will some day be worth something as a classic collector car? I have a '97 Formula with the 6-speed, T-tops, 12-disc changer, basically every option except ram air. It's currently completely stock save for a shock tower brace under the hood. 86,000 miles on it.

It's been paid off for some time now, and I have a feeling the trade-in value of it won't be much when it comes time to get a new car. So we are thinking of keeping it for the long haul.

My thought is it's the last year for the LT1 engine in the Firebird, it's a Formula (which isn't as numerous as a Trans Am or a Z28), and it has the 6-speed and T-tops.

What do you think?

 

Unless you have financial obligations that are forcing you to get rid of it, I'd keep it.

 

The goal is to keep driving it as a daily driver at least until my '00 Accord is paid off. Then we will have both cars paid off and can begin thinking about diving in for another car payment.

At that point we will have to make the decision of whether to use the Formula as a trade-in so we don't have to cough up a big down payment on an SUV, or continue to drive the Formula until we can afford to buy an SUV without using the Formula as trade bait.

 

My plan is to keep mine for life, but im not even in college yet, so we'll see how that goes. If it were an auto... no. But 6 speeds make up just over 10% of production, and theyre also the ones you see everybody 'testing' continually at the track.

 

Who knows what the future holds for the F-body as a collector car. With that said, I vote that you should keep it.

 

also 4th generations were the fastest f-bodies produced. And it could stay that way if GM were to fail and not come out with a fifth gen.

 

Truthfully it's going to be a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooong time before these cars start picking up there value. There's still so many on the street.

 

Yeah, we definitely have no illusions about this car appreciating in value in the near (next 5 years) or even mid (15 years) term. I'd really like to keep it if we can afford to, and we can live with 3 cars in a 2-car garage house with a small driveway.

 

I would have my doubts about keeping it as an investment, but if you like the car, it may be a source of happiness in the future.

 

This is an easy one Keep it's paid for...... NOW MOD THE **** OUT OF IT

 

I love the Formula, meaner looking than the T/A in my opinion, dont like the lower effects of the T/A's. I used to work for a pontiac dealer for 3 years, we stocked the Trans ams but rarely had a formula in stock, it was mostly customer special order for the Formulas. They are kinda rare car. One other thing.. off the 97 year subject, the 98-02 Formulas could be had without t-tops and leather which is good for someone not a fan of t-tops and leather, T/A's standard with leather and t-tops 98-02.

 

I'm planning on doing the same thing with mine, aside from the daily driver part. My Z sits in a garage year round. I'm planning on just storing it for years once we get a financially set. I've owned it about 3 years, and put on 3000 miles.