Keep the Camaro, sell the camaro

ok, so gas is a bitch and im always on E. ive got two raises at work that havent gone thru yet (my manager is slow as hell but i pester him daily) so should i garage the Z and take insurance off it, let my salary pool in my savings, mod the camaro with a few at home garage friendly bolt ons. and hitch rides to school/work until spring/summer? Sell it and buy a pos until i can buy a 69 Chevelle as a project (this summer after i graduate), OR shelf the camaro and buy a pos Geo Metro (just an example...) and save the money im not spending on gas for the camaro or even sell the Z save a couple thousand.. and possibly buy a 98-02 WS6 T/A around summer time? 

any better ideas?

I voted that just because it sounds like your Z has some issues the previous owner messed with. These are pretty reliable cars, so I'd sell the Z, take the bus most of the time like I do, and save up for a newer f body.

Doing a 69 Chevelle project sure isn't going to be any cheaper ;)

Yeah, that would be way down the road after nothing but working and saving. Id buy a running 69 Velle, and work as i go... not driving it until i drop the 454 in it .... It would take awhile... but it would be worth it.

I want to get a newer T/A and throw on some smokey and the bandit decals and make a BAN-TWO. I found one for 20K with an LS6. That would be my absolute dream car. If i could afford it RIGHT NOW id sell my Z for it in a heart beat.
 
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/486215075.html

i said park it and buy a junker but thats just cuz you can do the same thing i did....cuz it sounded like theres problems but the car is fast(witch usually go hand in hand i guess lol) but if i were you ide just park it and take the motor down and rebuilt it so that you kno for a fact what is goin into it and that its beeing done right...granit i did it with the 1980 idk how hard it is do take down the newer motors..but i imagin its al the same pricible....but yea my motor didnt really have anythign wrong with it it was just an untrustworthy sloppy mechanic for a p/o ....but if you take it down and its just little stuff the other guy skipped and you dont really need to buy all new parts just clean up what you have maby by summer you can have it up and running again and only spend a couple hundred bucks for maby the heads cleaned up...then your back were you thought you were when you bought the car but you did all the work persanally and kno whats going on.....sry that got kinda long but yea thats my opinion lol...well good luck

Sell it and get something more reliable. Hopefully you've learned your lesson on this one.

Ill just cut and paste my other post- since it really belongs here.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spartan66

I was like wow.. sweet.. he took me for a ride in it (because the previous bidders couldnt handle it and almost put it in a ditch) and he did a LONG brake stand burn out leaving TONS of smoke and really pissed the guy behind us off, then he let go of the brake, and basically while he still had no traction took it to the right and brought it down the road sideways for like 10 yards. That and the fact that it was louder than hell sold me on it...

So you are basically telling us your car has been the whooping boy for this guy and now you; dont be surprised that it is breaking left and right. Dude you bought someones P.O.S....he treated it like that right before your very eyes...you should have RUN away from that thing. Not trying to be mean- you want to buy a car from someone who isn't concerned with going fast- that way it hasn't been hammered on like yours. We all have been "blinded by the light" of a car that is loud and seems cool- we were all 17 once. These are very reliable cars if they have been properly cared for. Time to cut your losses- that thing is going to keep breaking until eventually you will have more into it than what it would cost to buy a new one. I would sell that thing ASAP and find one that has been owned by someone with more than a double didget I.Q.

lol... in so many words i see your point. I would like to get something newer.... thats been beat on less... and has the potential to move forward instead of starting in back trying to get everything straight. Right now ive spent (including the cost of the car) 7000 or close to that, just getting it to run properly. Ive gone back and fixed all the spots he got lazy with execept for the exhaust (which i plan on fixing before the summer, if i even own the car that long) In my opinion if i sold the car now, bought some 500-2000 dollar junker, i would have several thousand by this summer ( thats if i get an ultra low insurance quote, my raises go thru at work and i save and work like a maniac). Im already working this christmas eve and day..... honestly.. that might just be what i do..

I doubt you will be able to sell it for much though, especially in its current condition with the SES light and cooland problems, etc. So might as well buy something else to be your daily driver and make this one your first project car.

You can sometimes get '60's era Chevelles for relatively cheap if you're a little car savvy. I almost bought a '68 Chevelle with a 350 for under four grand (I'm really disappointed I didn't get it but I didn't have quite enough money at the time). It needed fuel lines, fuel tank, fuel pump and filter, a finished paint job and carpet, but it is possible. If it's gas mileage you're looking at getting, get a bike. If you live somewhere where it's usually warm you can ride it most of the year. You can get up to 60 MPG, depending on bike and engine size (i.e. a Ninja 250). Insurance can be cheap (my brothers is 90 bucks a year and he's 21 with a GSXR-750, noteably that's bare minimum insurance). Licensing is fairly easy, just take a motorcycle safety class ($75 where I live) or you could just get a permit and not ride out of state or at night or with passengers (those are the rules where I live at least). For bad weather you could get something fun but cheap (maybe an old Z or something). And it sounds like you've been having lots of problems with your car because the previous owner(s) beat on it. So to sum it up, get a bike and a cheap car and save up for the Chevelle (that's my advice, take it or leave it).

No, thats good advice and i appriciate it, but i live in washington state and it rains a bitch load here.. i wouldnt feel safe on a bike... plus i live in a wooded area with alot of rocky roads. What i want to do the more i think about it, is just sell the Z. I dunno what an SES light is, but i dont have any check engine lights or anything, just the red symbol, and it doesnt come on as often. only when im low on fuel and ive been running 87 octane over 89 (dunno if thats a coincidence.. cant spell... or if its legit.) Ive got a dying alternator, a radiator full of what looks like mocha coffee (engine doesnt over heat) it takes a bit to warm up, this mystery red light comes out every now and then, ive got a valve tick, possibly rod knock, a hole in my induction boot, possibly a leak in my exhaust manifold and definatly one in my exhaust piping. Ive already thrown 7000 (bought it for 4500 plus 3000 for repairs and upkeep).. If i sold it i wouldnt be looking to gain all 7k back.. maybe just 5 at the most.. because i have gotten it into ALOT better shape than it was in (full tune up, oil change, fuel system cleaner, seafoamed the crankcase etc.) BUT i saw a black ws6 and i fell in love with it... not to mention their newer, less likely to be beaten on, have a faster more pliable engine... idk.. my future is a mystery right now, just need some feedback on whats goin thru my head.

From what I have found in my research, running 87 octane is asking for hassles. It is $.20 a gallon more for premium and that hits a little, but basically, you get better mileage with the right gas.  The computer is pulling timing and adjusting other things to make it function on the 87 octane, so you may be saving $4 on a tank but costing your the same in lost gas mileage.
 
Flush the coolant out.  Flush it all, even what is in the block.  Many recommend getting rid of the Dexcool orange stuff and going back to real green coolant.  If you keep with the orange, you need to flush that regularly.
 
Don't go buying the WS6 because you fell in love.  The worse way to buy a car is to let it seduce you.  This one is your first lesson on that.   If you keep it, figure your mileage and how far you have to drive each week.  You might be able to buy a 35 mpg beater cheap and be ahead with the gas you save, depending on how far you drive.  This also helps in that it can be your primary vehicle on insurance, the Z becomes a pleasure only car, and your rates go the more favorable route on cars.  Also, you can get a multi-car discount.
 
The '69 Chevelle is NOT going to be cheap.  If you buy one for less than $10,000, you have to figure the trunk and rear quarters are rust and replacing them is not cheap.  And it won't get anywhere near the mileage.  Figure 14 as tops, and probably around 10 the way most old Chevelles get set up.
 
My '98 Z is getting over 23 so far, so you need to figure what you have done and what needs to be done.  Cutting it loose and SLOWLY looking for its replacement may be the best bet.
 

Damn, the Dr. has a point. Ok so i stopped running 87 and went to 89. My engine sounds alil more even (not considering the ticking that comes from never nook and cranny). I havent had any problems since like September when i got a flat tire, before that it was just a p/s pulley bracket replacement i had done.
 
As far as learning lessons, BOY HAVE I! Im bringing my mechanic to every friggin car i look at in the future.. if he has even the slightest doubts im out of there. I wanna buy a 98-02 T/A because their newer, less likely to have been beaten on, look nice, have more power and alot more potential.
 
Right now I have narrowed it down to two things. Sell the Z and save like a crazy SOB for a more reliable Z or T/A down the road (thats been mechanic approved of course) OR take insurance off the Z, hitch a ride to school until i start to get the 250/mo i put into the Z in gas and insurance back, buy a Geo Metro (3cyls ftw... but just an example) and use it for temporary transportation. Get the cheapest insruance rate, run the cheapest gas.. you get the picture... and mod/fix up the camaro until summer comes and its in top shape, sell the beater for w/e i can get for it, and live happily ever after with the Z.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spartan66
Ok so i stopped running 87 and went to 89.

DUDE RUN PREMIUM- 91 or 93!! Still cutting corners? Some people never learn lol.......I really think the best bet is to sell this one and get one that is -MECHANIC approved- as you say. Bringing along someone with a level head and superior automotive knowledge is the best thing you could ever do for yourself when shopping for the next car. Not only will it give you someone who can check the car out thoroughly; they will not be inclined to let you fall in love and buy a piece of **** out of emotion instead of logic. It sounds like you could have really used that someone to slow you down last time- if I were there we wouldve laughed all the way home about the dumbass that took you out on a test drive and proceded to drive his car like he stole the damn thing.....bottom line is you may dump many more thousands into that car fixing the problems it has, and still have a car that isn't nearly as nice at it should be. If he did that to his car on a TEST DRIVE imagine what he did to the poor thing before you were there. This car doesnt sound like a good starting point for anything- find one that has been cared for and you will love these cars again.

Sell the car and buy a more reliable but less fun car. Its probably what you really want or just plain need simply because it will get you from a to b better than the z. Older cars will have just as many problems as new ones, and parts arnt always as easy to find for older cars.

Yeah, ive been craiglisting and i found a nice 1990 4cyl Mustang Notchback (just about the only foxes i like) Its a "sporty" car but its 800 bucks. Im thinkin about what i should do from here. As far as learning lessons go ive learned many, luckily i havent had ANY problems since i had my p/s bracket replaced. (heres a link to the mustang, now remember its a cheap A to B car and VERY temporary http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/485678161.html i will bring my mechanic along if i decide to sell the Z garage it w/e.) As for gas, just got a full tank of Shell V power Premium! kinda proud of my self lol.
 
Edit: If i took insurance off my Z now and garaged it in two months i would have enough to buy the Mustang (if its still for sale)

well you have to also figure that if you buy an 800 $ notchback, geo or w/e  your more than likely going to have to put a few hundred if not more into it, still pay for insurance, and again will most likely have problems with it being sorta old and worn out. parts don't last forever ya kno? The way i see it you have 2 options,  1) sell your Z, save for one in better condition (even if its still an 93-97 lt1 style)   2) keep ur Z get 'er  running perfect with the money you would spend on the notchback (and the cost in parts it would undoubtedly need) and realize whatever you do is going to cost you in the end....      
 
 
 
~ Pro

or just sell the z, buy a 3.8 camaro, gut the cats and pay a whole heck of a lot less on gas, with a faster car

Yeah.. i dunno a whole lot about the whole gutted cat joke kuz i wasnt around for that.. a 3.8 Camaro would get like what 20 mpg... id save like 10 bucks over something that gets 27-30.

Like i said i wouldnt be buying a car for more than 1000, id have it until school is over in June, then id sell it and take the camaro out again. I would of course have my mechanic check all the spots that could cause a problem and if he has any doubts i wouldnt get it.. because i dont want to buy something cheap and have it turn into something expensive. As for insurance, id get the lowest rate i can get here in washington, id run the cheapest gas.. w/e saves me money. When June/July rolls around ill sell it pull the camaro out and with some extra money i saved up i will start to make it better again, or even mod it.

However i could even save myself the trouble, sell the Z buy a cheap mechanic approved gas saver car let my money pool and then june/july see how much i have, because i can find some nice 98-02 Trans Ams for between 10,000-20,000, not only that but they are more likely to have less miles and not have been beaten.

If you get the LS1, make sure you take your mechenic because being newer has nothing to do with the car being beaten on, and the cars will still "look" like eye candy. Maybe it's been beaten on for a shorter period of time if we're talking purchase dates, but take your mechanic.

oh yeah, most definatly. but Im not sure what i want to do any more, I want a T/A VERY badly, but i might be taking an automotive engineering class at a local technical college next semester that allows you to work on your own car so i might have the opportunity to do alil work. however i have until this friday to sign up for the class.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Spartan66

Yeah.. i dunno a whole lot about the whole gutted cat joke kuz i wasnt around for that.. a 3.8 Camaro would get like what 20 mpg... id save like 10 bucks over something that gets 27-30.

 
My AWD 5.0 Mountaineer will get that...   My sixer Camaro gets 24-26 mpg 75% highway/25% city.

just keep t he z. if you get a 6 youll hate it.

Do any of you guys remember when you see an old classic car that's drop dead georgous that your jaw drops at the site of it? Right after that your grandpa or your pops says "I used to have one of those back in the day and I sold it for $100. I wish I would have kept it". Well you may not believe it now but if you own a Z or an SS then you own a car just like that. Maybe it's not worth much right now but if my memory serves me right there was a time in the 70's when they couldn't give away big block cars like Chevelle's, GTO's, Camaro's and the Olds 442? Now those cars are worth $$$!!! Something to think about.

yea like my dad's 70 cuda 440 6 pack plum purple absolutely gorgeous i have pic of it just one of many that hes had. but just that one would make us live a little easier. or happier if we kept it and didnt sell it

hey jhl88......... so you have 2 camaros too lol....... hey are you still paying on them both??? i owe like 2500 on both of mine still