Are 4th gens expensive to operate @ own!!

[denegrader]

Questions??????
Are f body owners using vehicles to commute in?
Are f body 4th gen owners working on cars themselves?
Are f body 4th gen owners paying for over $100 a tire?
Are f body owners owning just 1 car?
Are f body owners paying premium price for fuel?
Is reason for ownership speed, looks, handling @ exclusivity?
Is reason longevity, durability, quality control, bang for the buck, reliability?
I ask any of you owners to state why any of you like own, drive and or work on especially from west coast where smog standards are strict!
i know owners are in the minority versus the other competitor, so i just want to know.
It seems ownership is more expensive in everyway than the competitor!
Tell me give me all your reasons why you believe this is the car to own and drive over the main competito?
i want to learn !!! i want to learn !!! i want to learn!!

[transamtom]

1)Yes,my V6 DD most of the time.

2)Yes,3/4 of the work is done by me.

3)Yes

4)No,I have 2

5)Yes,only for the TA

6a)Yes, all of the above

6b)Smog is really tough here in Southern Ontario.

7)Expensive? If you want performance you have to pay.

8) Ponies are for girls.

The F-Body kicked everythings butt in the 90's on roadcourses all over North America.

Cars that cost 3 times as much back then, RX7 TT,Toyota Supra T,Porsche 944 and 996
Ferrari 348 and 355,BMW M3 not to mention the Stang.

[SMWS6TA]

Questions??????
Are f body owners using vehicles to commute in?

Some do, but most used it as a week end/fun car. Others pure track. It can get up to 26 mpg on hwy. But honestly i don't even bother trying to drive it economically. I like to go fast.

Are f body 4th gen owners working on cars themselves?

I do, as well as many, many others on here. Some are beginners others could be consider experts. I love working on my car.

Are f body 4th gen owners paying for over $100 a tire?

This is something you get what you pay for. A car that is meant for speed needs a quality tire. You low ball it you could end up in a ditch or worse. Quality tires can be bought at decent prices. I just bought some Nittos for about $660 for all four.

Are f body owners owning just 1 car?

For most I have to say this is not there primary DD. There are a few that it is.

Are f body owners paying premium price for fuel?

Like my tire response it also applies here. You get what you pay for. A LS1 performs better with 93 octane. It will run with 87 octane but you will get some knocking from the engine.

Is reason for ownership speed, looks, handling @ exclusivity?

Yes, no Hell Yes!!! to all above. I want a few more T/As, I even want to get a GTO for my next project car. I personally hate almost every Mustang ever built. There are some that I respect, but anything over the original Mach I's This is just my opinion.

Is reason longevity, durability, quality control, bang for the buck, reliability?
I ask any of you owners to state why any of you like own, drive and or work on especially from west coast where smog standards are strict!

GM like the other brands has its faults too. For me I just love Trans Am. My first love is a 78/79 bandit, but a good one is too much to pay for and getting rarer everyday. 4th gens I've also love since they came out.

Cali is so strict on their stuff I can't see how anybody would want to live there, let alone put up with their BS! We do have some members that are Cali residents. I'm sure they will chime in.

I know owners are in the minority versus the other competitor, so i just want to know.
It seems ownership is more expensive in everyway than the competitor!
Tell me give me all your reasons why you believe this is the car to own and drive over the main competito?
i want to learn !!! i want to learn !!! i want to learn!!

Which competitor do you mean. Imports = Yeah I guess you could say we cost more. But for them it takes a lot of $$$ to get to where we are stock. Anything can be made fast if you throw enough $$ at it.

4th Gens are a great platform. It took Ford up to 2011 to finally have a stock GT come out with enough power to take on a stock GM LS1. LS1s were first introduced in 97 in the C5 Vettes, came stock on 98-02 Camaros and Trans Ams. That is just sad......now if you compare it to today's standards then no, we can't compete without doing a LS2/3 engine swap. there those that have done it too.

Too tell you a reason to buy one is kinda hard. We all have our own reasons for loving these cars. When you get in one and drive it and get a feel for it you will know if its right for you.

[Knight]

You can answer yes or no to all your questions. And you can mix it too. Everyone has a different reason for having one. Some for looks, others performance, others the solid LS engines to build on, ect.
Are they expensive to own? Depends on your goals for the car. For a dd, not that expensive and decent gas mileage. For someone who craves horsepower and fast 1/4 mile times, it starts to dig into the wallet. But any car does. Many find a happy medium in between the two. Plus, you won't find a better community, or better source of knowledge, than here at LS1.com.

[TLS_Addict]

Questions??????

There are answers.

Are f body owners using vehicles to commute in?

Yes. It is my summer car.

Are f body 4th gen owners working on cars themselves?

Sometimes, often times though I have others help me.

Are f body 4th gen owners paying for over $100 a tire?

Depends on what tires. You can find tires on sale, also depends on size.

Are f body owners owning just 1 car?

Some day, I own multiple.

Are f body owners paying premium price for fuel?

Sometimes, depends where I am.

Is reason for ownership speed, looks, handling @ exclusivity?

Its fast, cheap, decent handling, but not very exclusive.

Is reason longevity, durability, quality control, bang for the buck, reliability?

I like Chevy/GM and I like LS1 engines and Camaros. They are not the most durable, the QC is not the greatest but it will take care of you if you take care of it.

I ask any of you owners to state why any of you like own, drive and or work on especially from west coast where smog standards are strict!

Just because you mod it doesnt mean it will be a mosquito fogger.

i know owners are in the minority versus the
other competitor, so i just want to know.

Lots more Mustang fan boys out there than us.

It seems ownership is more expensive in everyway than the competitor!

I dont think so. Heads/cam/intake/tb/tune is NOT going to break the bank. However, you replace the tranny and rear end with aftermarket stuff and yeah, its expensive however all modding on about any performance car is expensive.

Tell me give me all your reasons why you believe this is the car to own and drive over the main competito?
i want to learn !!! i want to learn !!! i want to learn!!

To me its not. It fit my budget and I wanted another summer car. I am not partial just to Camaros/Firebirds. I have had a few of them and like them but also had a newer GTO and a few Corvettes.

[wileyCoyote]

mine is a daily driver..

yes it is (very) expensive, at least it has been for me - my car has been a lemon IMHO.

[StuntmanMike]

Mine is a daily driver from about April to October, then I drive my Jeep the rest of the year, since I live in New England and we have winter here.

I work on it myself, it's been fairly easy to work on so far. I also do all my own work on my Jeep, I just hate paying someone to do something I'm capable of doing myself.

In four years and 40k miles of ownership, I'll I've had to do is a tuneup (plugs/wires/fuel filter/pcv valve), replace the shocks, a set of tires, and a few other small things, like fix one of the pop up headlights, which was a free fix.

So I would say it's been very reliable. I also had the catalytic converters replaced at 77k miles, but that was under GM warranty, so it cost me nothing.

I run premium fuel in it because I seem to get the best mpg with it. I tried running 89 in it once, and although the car ran just fine, my mpg was reduced to the point that I SAVE money by running premium fuel. And realistically, premium is only .20 or .25 more than regular, so a 13 gallon fillup is only going to cost you another 3 bucks or so. When a fillup is over 50 bucks anyway, what's another 3 bucks? It'll only get you about 3/4 of a gallon of regular.

I own it because I've been a fan of these cars since I was a kid, and I've had 3 in the past before this one. Truth be told, as a car, they're really not that good, but if you're a fan of them, there's just something about them that's just really great. I love the way it looks, handles, sounds, and I also love the feeling of being behind the wheel.

And yes, I like the relative rarity of them, I really don't see very many of them around. And most people are very surprised when I tell them my car is now 11 years old...most people think that it's almost new.

My car is basically all stock, so I have no problems passing smog standards, and because I've kept it stock it's been cheap to own, since I haven't spent alot on parts.

But even if I did, I don't consider that being "expensive to own", as modding is a choice one makes, it's not required, and thus really shouldn't be counted as cost of ownership. And alot of thep arts are no more expensive than they are for other types of cars, most are actually less.

But if you get one of these cars, you really have to want one, and you really have to love it, becasue they DO have thier quirks and faults, many that we gladly overlook, since we're in love with these cars.

Owning and buying one of these is not the same as going to a car lot and just picking out a Toyota or a Mazda because those were your choices and you liked the color. I'll bet most of the owners here actively hunted for thier car, and new exactly what they wanted. I know that's how I got mine...I spent hours a day, for months, looking for my car.

[gashkerwin]

Questions??????
Are f body owners using vehicles to commute in?
Are f body 4th gen owners working on cars themselves?
Are f body 4th gen owners paying for over $100 a tire?
Are f body owners owning just 1 car?
Are f body owners paying premium price for fuel?
Is reason for ownership speed, looks, handling @ exclusivity?
Is reason longevity, durability, quality control, bang for the buck, reliability?
I ask any of you owners to state why any of you like own, drive and or work on especially from west coast where smog standards are strict!
i know owners are in the minority versus the other competitor, so i just want to know.
It seems ownership is more expensive in everyway than the competitor!
Tell me give me all your reasons why you believe this is the car to own and drive over the main competito?
i want to learn !!! i want to learn !!! i want to learn!!

I no longer commute in my camaro, but I did for a few years. No highway, not a lot of stop and go, and I had no issue. I still drive her to work from time to time.

Depends on what needs doing whether or now I'll do it myself. I don't have a good spot to work, so if I can't get it done in a day, no dice.

I think I paid 96 each for my tires.

I own 3 cars and a sport bike. LS1 was my only car for 3 or so years. Wasn't good in the snow, other than that, no issues.

Yes, I buy premium fuel, my tune is tuned for 93.

For me, it was the best bang for the buck. If I could have afforded it, I'd have gotten a C5 Vette, but for the same year and miles, they were 12K or so more than I paid for my car. Way better than Mustangs for the same price too.

The main competetor of the F body is the Mustang. An SL1 powered Fbody is a WAY better car than those old 4.6L Mustangs. Insurance on an F is more, or was for me, because my camaro crossed some power/weight ratio that a mustang gt of the same year would not have. I think they're better looking too.

[race5050]

Original owner of a 2002 Firehawk TransAm, 6spd. It's been the funnest yet practical car I've ever owned. Also been the most problematic! Just like a beautiful woman.

[Smittro]

You can answer yes or no to all your questions. And you can mix it too. Everyone has a different reason for having one. Some for looks, others performance, others the solid LS engines to build on, ect.
Are they expensive to own? Depends on your goals for the car. For a dd, not that expensive and decent gas mileage. For someone who craves horsepower and fast 1/4 mile times, it starts to dig into the wallet. But any car does. Many find a happy medium in between the two. Plus, you won't find a better community, or better source of knowledge, than here at LS1.com.

This...

Oh and also I have the build sheet for our cars..

The 01 Camaro never came in "midnight blue metalic"..

Only NBM (navy blue metalic) like mine, and MTM (Mystic teal metalic)..

I believe yours is RPO paint code,(28U) for NBM...

Unless it was repainted different..

[Young11b]

All Im saying is I love my Trans Am and wouldnt want anything else. Its expensive if you want it to be. Leave it stock and putt around it wont be expensive. Im sure if you get a 4th Gen you wont be disappointed.

[Naaman]

Questions??????
Are f body owners using vehicles to commute in?

Absolutely. My combined city/highway mileage is about 20-22 mpg because I lack the discipline to avoid going WOT at least once in every trip.

Are f body 4th gen owners working on cars themselves?

Absolutely. I'm quite green when it comes to working on cars, but I've done almost all of the maintenance myself. I've also installed a couple of simple mods with the help of some friends. The other nice thing is that the cars are relatively simple to work on because parts are so abundant. If you're talking about the aftermarket, there is a vast selection of products to choose from and many of them will get you a decent performance gain for under $200 and under 1 hour installation time (some mods can be installed in 5 minutes or less and get you a few horsepower).

Are f body 4th gen owners paying for over $100 a tire?

I am. Doesn't make sense to get crappy rubber when you're putting 290+ to the wheels. If you're driving the V6, the stock tires are what... 215s? You can probably get away with cheaper tires.

Are f body owners owning just 1 car?

I have two cars. Mine's the Camaro (my DD). My wife drives an Element.

Are f body owners paying premium price for fuel?

The LS1 requires premium fuel. Not sure about the 3.4 or 3.8.

Is reason for ownership speed, looks, handling @ exclusivity?

Speed is awesome. Can't complain. If you keep the paint in good condition, the car looks sexy, even stock. Handling is good enough for me, but I never push the car past 4 or 5 tenths, so.... Exclusivity? Maybe on another planet... where cars don't even exist....

Is reason longevity, durability, quality control, bang for the buck, reliability?

I think bang for the buck is probably the highest ranking of the traits you listed.

I ask any of you owners to state why any of you like own, drive and or work on especially from west coast where smog standards are strict!

Are you in California? If so, check out BBK products. They manufacture in Cali. Not everywhere on the west coast is strict. Thurston County in WA, for example, has no emissions requirements (you can do whatever you want to your car)

Why do I like my car? First and foremost because it's masculine: It feels like an appropriate car for an automotive enthusiast to drive. When it comes to agility, it's no Ferrari, but it can handle some hard cornering. Straight line speed is a no-brainer. Also, this may be due to my particular set up, but the brakes on this car are very strong.

i know owners are in the minority versus the other competitor, so i just want to know.
It seems ownership is more expensive in everyway than the competitor!
Tell me give me all your reasons why you believe this is the car to own and drive over the main competito?

I assume you're talking about the Mustang of equivalent model years? I've driven two Mustangs from the 90s. They sucked. They're not that fast (even though the have a reputation for being "fast"). The interior space is smaller than the F-body... the gear selector (in the 5-speed I drove.... not sure they're all like this) was very ambiguous... hard to find the gears. Now, the NEW Mustang is another story altogether, but if you're looking for cars in the price range of a 10-year-old F-body, then those are off the table.

[My00Z28]

1) yes z28 DD
2)yes 99.99% of the time i do my own work
3)yes about $135 each plus install for my BGF G-force Sports
4)just have one now plan on getting a 02 WS6 later
5)Premium all the way doesn't matter the price... the price determines on how hard i drive her!
6) there isnt a thing i dont like about the cars the harder it is to work on the more you enjoy it when your done! my old 94 lt1 TA, and my 00 ls1 Camaro have treated me very well, it doesn't seem to matter how hard i drive them they just dont break(knock on wood)... the speed of the cars are great also.. and the price i got mine for the "bang for the buck" was by far the best thing about the car!
7) why an f-body over others? well i had a 97 mustang gt that did nothing but break.. 2 transmissions, 3 intake manifold gaskets, 1 intake manifold, all within a year and a half!!! my trans am only went through an opti spark that had 190,xxx miles on it and the camaro has yet to break(knock on wood) that is why f-bodys are the way to go IMHO!!