my 94 camaro z28, t-tops, every option available except leather, and only 53,000 miles on the clock was totalled recently. i looked up the vaalue at nada.com and came up 6,777$ as the average retail. i am looking at a few cars and one is 94 pontiac trans am with the same options and t-tops but with 95,000 miles and its avarage value is $6,815. now with out any smart *** ocmments like cause its better, or better looking, i am looking for osme serious answer as to why the value is more for a car with more miles?

 

The main reason I think is that "Pontiac" is considered a a higher quality product than Chevrolet, and a "Buick" is considered higher than that, and, "Cadilac" is higher yet. Weather or not there is any truth in that who knows but that's probably why.

 

Because they're nicer!

Just kidding guys. I've often wondered this myself, and thought of a couple of things.

For some reason, when I talk to someone, Pontiacs seem to get associated with female drivers, hence a general misconception that the car was driven easily.

They cost more to begin with. A base Z28 was about 20K, whilst a base Trans Am was about 26-27K. That's probably got a lot to do with it right there.

And I know that personally I don't see nearly as many Trans Am's out there as I do Z28's.

 

mostly because the t/a was the top line model for the pontiac brand.. the formula would be more in line w/ a camaro on blue book due to the variance's of opition's. Beside's they look better anyway...

 

A lot of the Trans Ams options are standard on that model, where as they're just optional on other models. I'm sure if you had a fully option Z28 (Y87 and all) and a non WS6 Trans Am, they'd be quite close in price.

 

yeah but there is a 40,000 mile difference! if they were the same milage i could understand a 40 or 50$ difference but the milage is considerably different.

 

Because they cost more. The difference is not much
though. This reminds me of why Ford sells more
trucks than Chevy.....because they cost less. This
is typically speaking, apples for apples.

 

I've owned 2 T/A's and 1 SS. I think the T/A is nicer FWIW.

 

Comparing "cousins" isn't cool...

There is also the element of production numbers and complication of supply / demand. Some of the retail pricing is related to what a large statistical number of buyers are willing to pay for stipulated vehicles. There isn't anything truely different between the two cars, but people's preferences are a fickle thing and do not always make sense. (Hey, look a William Hung off American Idol oops sorry for the digression) For me, I bought a Motor Trend mag when it had a cover story on the new black '76 Trans Am, the following year became the Smokey and the Bandit car. I was hooked then. So I would pay the extra bucks for the TA just on that stupid preference reason.
--ron

 

like i donno how much my buddys z28 is worth but my formula is so much nicer in every way... (its been abused tho ***** are missing and such) but i mean its got leather seats and the back adjustments and a hatch spot in a reasonable area (not in the glove box) the firebird appearance is more "money" i guess i donno that i like the firebird's look better but its something to pay for... lots of reasons, and mine is only the formula vrs the z28 and im pretty sure mine is worth more then his z28 stock for stock he's got a sound system and headers exhaust shift kit & ram air on his z28 so his looks and sounds 10 times better

 

I think the TAs are worth more because they came out with more from the factory

Almost all of them have leather
pop up headlights
elec antenna
ground effects from the factory
nice door panels
all have monsoon ( that i know of )

just my opinion

 

monsoon?

 

the " premium " stereo that GM offered for a while

 

stereos/speakers

 

They have lower production #'s and are considered "better" than Z28's. The Formula and Z28 are on the same level, and then you have the T/A on it's own, and then the SS and WS6 'bird/TA. Also, T/A's were more optioned than Z28's stock. For example, leather was standard on the later years, as was A/C, 4 wheel disc brakes, and an auto tranny. These options all varied throughout the years, but the T/A came with more options standard.
Oh yeah, and they had that cool tranny shift mode button!!!