hey guys, my ex-car which is currently owned by my ex-girl was just totalled in a hail storm. yeah trust me i'm depressed, i put so much work into that car (92 Firebird) and that girl (5'5", 115 pounds, curvy) and now i've lost them both!
lol anyways, since i'm such a nice guy, and still in love, i'm helping her find a new car. she'd like a 4th gen camaro or firebird like my own, however i think she'll be better off with a v6 since they're more reliable. that being said, can you guys tell me what to look for on these v6 fbods when we go car shopping? what are the common problems with these cars? also, i know that in 96 or 97 they switched to the 3.8 liter engine. i would imagine this is a better engine than the 3.4 but i'd like to hear what you guys got to say.
thanks in advance for any help.

Michael

 

I think the 3.4 is a better engine but the 3.8 is faster

 

She'll like the 3.8 a lot more, just hope you don't have to do any of her engine work.

Had me feeling bad there for a minute, you said you lost your car AND your girl. Then I kept reading...

Both engines are fine...the 3.8 just has more power to it.

 

I haven't ever heard of any common problems with the 3.8l. I thought it was a great car then I sold it to my brother and he loves it. No flame intended to you but the only engine I have ever heard of having common problems in a f-body is the LT1. Even in knowing that I think she would be happier with a LT1 if shes got the money. But if she doesn't have the money the V6 is a great car. I check for the same things on all f-bods: Besides the obvious I check under the nose piece to see how many times it has been scraped on the ground (hopefully none).

 

what he said above,the LT1 engine is not that good ,my friend has a LT1 trans am and its in a shop all the time

 

seeing how i do own an lt1, i have to stick up for it. the lt1 is a good engine, but you gotta remember it's much bigger, there's more energy going through it, thus more wear. why do you think honda engines last forever? because the entire engine in a honda 4banger is as big as one lt1 cylinder! so considering that, i think the lt1 is a pretty good motor, especially for being a 350ci v8.
personally, i've driven my lt1 about 30,000 miles since i bought it a year ago and i really haven't had any problems with it (knock on wood!) and i'm about to turn 116,000 miles...and on top of that i'm gettin 24mpg driving back and forth to school on curvy hilly roads. i'm tickled to death with my lt1, but i i have to admit i think i've been lucky with it so far and i'm expecting something to go wrong anytime now.
as for endurance...i don't think you can go wrong with a v6 camaro/firebird. do regular maitenance and i believe they'll last forever. to tell ya the truth, i wish i had the extra money to buy a v6 fbody for driving all the time, and park my Z28 before something gives on it. just my 99cents.
thanks for the input on my question. we've found two 95 camaros, one with 120k miles on it and a burgandy one w/o ttops and with i think 8X,000 miles for $3999. she wants a white ttops car, but i imagine she'll save a grand and buy the cheaper car.
thanks again.

 

My 98 V6 Camaro was white with t-tops. I wish the SS was white. The only time I am glad I have a black car is right after I wash it.

 

there are no substitutes for the mighty GM 60* V6

 

:rofl: yeah pick a car that 98% of the hondas will outrun that would be a smart decision

 

make sure the power windows work....i had mine replaced and now the driver's is going bad again...

 

That is really a problem with all 4th Gen F-bodies in general, though, V-6 or V-8.

I would strongly recommend the 3.8L. The 3.8 has an excellent reputation, puts out solid power, and will not disappoint in terms of reliability. It seems like there's always something going wrong with my 3.4... I can't wait to unload the car. Hopefully, if I save up a good amount, I might be able to pick up an L98 Corvette, which, although probably less reliable, is a damn sight easier to work on.

 

well i went and looked at that white 95 camaro today with her dad. i forgot it was a car dealer selling it or i wouldn't have even went. that camaro was sad. i can't believe someone could neglect to take care of an fbody to that extent. i'm not even going to go into detail, but it was trash. and the sad thing was that her dad almost bought it just because it was in his price range!!! i was about to drag him across the car lot and and throw him out into the street!
anyways, enough of that.
so does anyone know of some nice fourth gen's in ohio for $4500? i know there's some nice one's out there somewhere.
preferrably a 3.8liter, or if you have a Z28 for that cheap, that would be great! preferrably not red (on a camaro anyways), she doesn't want a car that looks exactly like mine, but hey, if you got a deal on a red car, then let me know anyways!
oh yes, and a technical question now...i've never driven a 4th gen v6 before today. do they shift "super smooth", or was the tranny on this thing about to go out? the 92 3.1 liter firebird shifted firmer than that car today....

 

I don't know about the 95 V6 Camaro but I know my 98 V6 did. I think they make the V8s shift really firm and the V6s shift normal.

 

About the tranny shifting thing: I've noticed that my car shifts harder when it is first started up and cold. After a minute or two, it is smooth.

3.4s were in 93-95. 3.8s were an option in mid 95 cars, and became standard 96-02. My brother owns a 97, and I own a 95, so I know how both engines fell. Both feel smooth, the 3.4 is stronger down low, while the 3.8 has more high RPM power. Try to find a 3.8 if possible.

If it's an auto, just idle the car and shift from P down the line and feel if the car lurches a lot. All cars lurch a little, but ****ed up ones will lurch a LOT! Look at the seat for how much wear and tear is on it, that will give you an indicator of miles. If the seat is messed up, and the odo says 10K, then obviosly it's been turned back.

Just look for all the stuff you'd look for in a normal car, basically.

 

Hehehe,we have another member who's so "small" that he has to worry about other cars beating him You shouldn't be racing on the street anyway Anyway,the 3.4 is a great motor based on the old 2.8 V6 and it's been proven to last many many miles with the proper care.The 3.8 is also good but not as tried and tested.There are some 2.8's with over 200k on the clock and still running strong.One day we'll see if the 3.8's can do that,but until then......Good luck in your search.
Kevin