Should I buy a Formula?

**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 06:09 PM

Hey guys, I'm having mixed feelings on buying a firebird. I'm definitely getting one just not for aure which. I want to get the ws6 since it is the big dog but I'm not for sure. I found a 99 Formula with 95k miles and in immaculate condition. Should I go with it for $5500 or just wait and get a 120-130k mile ws6 for about $9000? Any opinion will help!

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**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 06:25 PM

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**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 06:25 PM

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**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 06:25 PM

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**98TransAmWs-6** · 08-30-2016, 06:36 PM

I'd get which ever is cheaper and better condition. You can mod it to be faster easy and do appearance mods to make it look aggressive. I'd do this especially if there really is a $4000 difference in price.

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**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 06:39 PM

That's what i was thinking. I feel like my buddy was just saying to get the ws6 since he has one, but this one here appearance wise looks just like a ws6 besides the hood. I'm goinf to look at it tomorrow and probably make a decision then. If i can save $4k I can just use that for the performance "upgrades" it doesn't have.

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**Naaman** · 08-30-2016, 07:26 PM

I understand your reservations. But I think the primary deciding factor is to consider what the WS6 has that the Formula doesn't and then determine whether those things are things that you would "upgrade" even if you did get the WS6.

If I had it to do all over again, I am reasonably sure that all of the mods I would do to a Z28 are also mods I would do to an SS. Therefore, the extra money spent on the front end would be wasted, since those parts would be coming off anyway.

I am sure that my Z is a "better" car than a stock SS, and that is without accounting for the engine internals that it has (the suspension/chassis upgrades take it beyond what an SS has, for example), and I didn't pay a premium for parts I won't be using.

**mcantrail08** · 08-30-2016, 07:41 PM

See that's the thing, most of the mods the ws6 has, I would still be upgrading. Suspension would all be new, sway bars, lcas all of that. Therefore, I think i should go with the formula. I don't want to so i can have the title of ws6 but I believe it'll be the better deal for my budget. I can either dump $10k on a ws6 and wait a few month's for mods, or get the formula and start immediately.

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**Naaman** · 08-31-2016, 02:20 AM

Well, I honestly don't really see enough of a difference between the formula and the WS6 to fret over the details, anyway. They both have the same powertrain, so....

***SMWS6TA*** · 08-31-2016, 05:55 AM

Like Will stated get it if it's a solid car. For $4k everything that makes a WS6 "slightly" better is replaceable for much better parts period.

I wanted a WS6 or Firehawk when I was doing my search and ended up with a stock Trans Am. I knew going in that I was going to build it up and after researching these cars heavily I figure it was far cheaper to get a stock TA and go from there then to pay $2-3k more for what would end up being a badge. With $4k you can have ALL of the suspension upgraded and even get an aftermarket hood like the WSQ (which I have and think looks far better than a WS6 hood) and still have some $$$ for other stuff.

I picked up a broken WS6 airlid tray base for free and repaired it, you can't tell it was even broken in 2 unless I show you where it's at.
Wheels - you have tons of options over the stock WS6 17" wheels, 16" for a Formula.

Only major cosmetic difference is the nose piece. Formulas have the Firebird nose and not like the Trans Am nose. The fog lights are towards the outside for FB's while on a TA they are closer to the license plate.

**mcantrail08** · 08-31-2016, 06:01 AM

It already has the appearance as a ws6 with the rear bumper, front bumper, side skirts and even the wing. It pretty much looks like one besides the hood but I should be going to pick it up Sunday

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**stewiesgarage** · 08-31-2016, 03:25 PM

I just picked up a Formula a couple weeks back w/a Procharger and only 32k miles...I felt the same way going in; why spend the extra coin on a higher mileage WS6 or SS, when other than appearance, I plan on upgrading the suspension, exhaust, and wheels anyways, regardless of model...I do want a nicer hood, and rear bumper one day, but not top priority...the complimentary mods to the Procharger are higher priority

**taman76** · 09-01-2016, 01:43 AM

Nothing wrong with getting a Formula. Our Firehawk is a Formula and we love it.

**hardtrailz** · 09-01-2016, 08:25 AM

Save the money and do the mods to a formula

**mcantrail08** · 09-01-2016, 09:11 AM

Thanks guy I'll find out if i can go and get it today. If so it'll be a nice 6 hour drive

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**DarrenWS6** · 09-01-2016, 11:53 AM

x2 buy the Formula. As time goes on and these cars get more rare and beaten down, certain things we can't b e picky on. I myself was wanting a WS6 for the Trans Am bumpers/trimmings, hood, and the badge. I wanted a solid car to be a small project power-wise, but not body wise.

**hardtrailz** · 09-02-2016, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by mcantrail08

Thanks guy I'll find out if i can go and get it today. If so it'll be a nice 6 hour drive

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Did ya get it?

**mcantrail08** · 09-02-2016, 04:45 AM

No not yet. Im taking Sunday off to go pick it up. It's a 6 hour drive from where I am

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**Whamhammer** · 09-02-2016, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by mcantrail08

See that's the thing, most of the mods the ws6 has, I would still be upgrading. Suspension would all be new, sway bars, lcas all of that. Therefore, I think i should go with the formula. I don't want to so i can have the title of ws6 but I believe it'll be the better deal for my budget. I can either dump $10k on a ws6 and wait a few month's for mods, or get the formula and start immediately.

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Some things for you to chew on:

98-99 (maybe 00 also, cant remember for sure), the WS6 package was available for both the Formula and the Trans Am. A Formula WS6 , appearance wise, would only have the different hood, wheels/tires, exhaust, and the WS6 badge (although the 98 was a single outlet tailpipe). It wouldnt take much to make a Formula WS6 clone if you want the look.

$5,500 is a great price for a low milage car (get that confirmed with Carfax or something like it), that looks in great shape. If I had the money sitting around, I would have already been there to check it out.

$5,500.00 plus heads/cam/tune, LT headers and exhaust, wheels and tires, could get you a 13k-ish investment that would stomp down just about anything on the street, and have fun doing it.