ianfromMA

i drove to maine yesterday to check out a camaro (3.5 hours away!). it looked real clean online but had a few problems that made me think it wasn't worth anywhere near the asking price.

are the throttles so sensitive on all third gens? i mean, i would barely put my foot on the gas and it would rev up to like 1500. that made it horribly difficult for an inexperienced stick driver like myself. i must say the pro 5.0 shifter is NASTY! compared to the sticks i've learned on, this thing just glided into its spot. so i have a few questions on whats normal for a third gen. i'm still thinking about buying the car, but I would offer about 1000 less than the asking price.

some things i noticed and want to know if they are normal-

-the extremely sensitive gas pedal
-in a parking lot doing 5 mph full over turns the car would shake
-the spots where you put the jack were bent to hell!
-weird *** vibration on decel in third gear (he said it was due to a wire that is holding up the exhaust). i saw the wire, but i don't know if that should be causing the car to vibrate like that.

oh yea....and flowmasters sound like **** from the inside!

trackbird

Depends on the year and engine combo. Yes, they are all sensitive. In 1988 (as I remember) GM changed to a progressive throttle linkage in the TPI cars to make the cars a little easier to drive. You may have a worn throttle cable that is "dragging" and making the pedal hard to press (until it "slips") and then moving in "steps". But, if the pedal moves easily and isn't hanging up, I'd call that normal.


The geometry of the front suspension is such that the front will walk or step when turning at full lock in a parking lot (or anywhere else). The tires are on a slight bind at that point and the front will grab, slide, grab, slide. It feels like it is taking a step. That is pretty normal.


Normal (unfortunately), but not "good". Many people seem to miss the jacking points. This can buckle the fenders slightly. Unless they mashed/bent something important, or caused visible damage (buckled the fenders), it will probably not hurt anything, but I'd look for a car that has been better cared for (unless the price is really right).

This one I'd be a little more suspect about. If it is speed related, it should do it in any gear at that speed. If it is the motor moving on the mounts (torque reaction) and the exhaust "buzzing" the body, I'd think 3rd and 4th (and maybe all gears) would do it as well. If it is a shaking in the stick of the shifter and such, it may be a bad 3rd gear. Third is usually the first gear to break on a t5 (unless you just beat 2nd to death). So, that could be a bad sign.

Normal!

What is the asking price/mileage? (motor, TPI, TBI, Carb?)

ianfromMA

wow...a helpful post for once

heres the ad-
1991 Camaro Z-28 brite red, 5 speed V-8,91,000 miles,
runs and looks great! MINT Black interior,car is solid and straight,
clear title. Tons of performance upgrades,
Factory fit Hooker Headers,Pro 5.0 shifter,full 3 inch Flowmaster exhaust,
SLP runners,Bigger Cam,1.6 Roller Rockers,MSD ignition,BMR strut tower brace, Global West steering brace,Ram Air kit,K&N filters,Auburn 3.73 Posi,KYB struts,and more etc.Clean Title in hand..$4700. B.O.


he claimed 300 hp (i doubt it). it was nice, but not 300 hp nice


he said he'd do 4400 before i came up, but when i was up there i didn't even feel like making an offer because i wanted to see if these things were normal. its an lb9 btw. i emailed him offering 3500...i think i could probably get the paint fixed up for 500, so it would have a mint body. the interior is near perfect, only a small crack in the dash on the left corner. the exterior has a lot of small paint problems (clearcoat missing on bumpers), the paint on the hatch is wearing, the paint of the side bumpers (on the doors) is fading.

it also looked like the body kit was kinda bulging out slightly right behind the the front wheels on both sides. it just slightly bulged, not sure if thats normal.





i also found out how much snow sucks in these cars. i drove into his driveway...TOUCHED the gas in 1st, and the rear end started to slide. i decided coasting into his driveway would be a better idea

ianfromMA

heres some pics

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/316758/3


and with the vibrating, i think it only did it when he went up high in the rpms in third (may have even been second?) and then didn't shift and let the engine wind down. it just made a crazy vibration and was really loud. it drives great and shifts awesome (although i didn't get it all the way into 2nd once and made a nice grind ). its hard when you haven't really drivin stick except for a few times.

super83Z

Where do you live in MASS?

ianfromMA

hopkinton

are you a member of new england f-body. the first meet is april 4th, and hopefully i'll have my slowmaro by then

ianfromMA

emailed him and just got this-

"I just took the car over to the car dealer after I sent you that last email,and had him try it and see if he wanted to buy it,you can even ask him about it,Id give you his number,he was suprised how good it went,and I can prove just what I said about the exhaust because I took another wire strap and put it close to the Y pipe and it doesnt rumble half as bad,and thats proof that its not the trans. because tightening up an exhaust wouldnt fix a trans. problem,but let me know because the car dealer made me an offer pretty close to yours.and he's a dealer and he dont give **** for money.But I dont blame you for not dropping cash and leaving without wondering if everything is fine,I can explain to any third gen owner of what your worried about and they will tell you the same thing.I could make it even less rumble through the floor with the exhaust but theres too much ground clearance issues then,and its not worth it to anyone,because then they'd bitch how close it is to the ground...
If that trans. was bad it wouldnt just be a rummble it would be worse than that and it wouldnt go into each gear smooth! Not that it was going in that smooth when you was driving it but you know what I mean,I have owned 4-5 thrird. gen and 3 of which were 5 speeds and when there trans. are bad you will absolutely know!
But as I said I need cash and ask ANYONE.. and they will tell you 3500 for that car even if it wasnt in as good as shape is a GREAT price.I sure as hell wouldnt sell it for 3500 if I didnt need the cash,I paid 4500 for the car without all the new extras put in it,I have the bill of sale to prove that too..but anyway if you want that dealers # let me know,if not thats ok too,see-yaaa Ian"




tomorrow i'm taking a trip up with my dads friend tomorrow who knows a lot about cars...he doesn't know anything about camaros, but he knows cars in general and he should be able to help. for $3500 i'll take it as long as nothing major is ****ed up

think i should do it?

doug791

3500....i wouldnt pay over 3000

I paid 7000 canadian...(so like 4500 american?) for a 1990 iroc, 5.7L V8 86 000 kilometers so like 55 000 miles, had one paint job by the owner i bought it from and that was the only paint job, very good quality job too, body was in mint condition had never seen a winter since it left the factory, and had a bunch of goodies like 3.73 gears, true dual exhaust, aftermarket shifter, supposedly ported and polished heads, and a couple other things im not even remembering. Id have to see the car youre looking at but you could probably find one in better shape for 3500.

As for the sensitive pedals you can thank the tpi intake and the gobs of torque it produces. I lightly touch the gas in my car and the thing jumps forward. Youll get used to that its really quite cool actually

transxtreme

Your too picky. All those things sounds normal in a third gen. I would try to talk him down alot tho.

ianfromMA

sure its fine in an auto...ever try and launch a stick like that when you have about 3 hours of experience on a stick!? its not easy! haha, i think its a pretty good deal. i can get the exterior near perfect for about $500. so for 4,000, i'd be getting a third gen with a mint interior, mint exterior, and good drivetrain. not a bad deal to me

that pro 5.0 shifter is the ****

Black6SpdTA

The stuff, yes it sure is.

I wouldn't pay that for it though. Figure it's got a good amount of mods which would make me want to think the guy has beaten on it pretty hard. If you could get her for $3,000 I'd take it.

trackbird

I'll help you put it in perspective.

My father in law just sold a '95 Z28, non T-top, 6 speed, LT1 car for $3500 with about the same mileage and a few less problems than that car may have.

I love the 3rd gens (I want to sell my 2002 and buy a 350 TPI car), but I'd take a 4th gen for $3500 before that car. That's my opinion, though. I'd start here. It's a good reference.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6427

The buldges behind the front wheels are usually caused when somebody misses the jacking points with a floor jack, it bends the sheet metal right there and buldges the fenders.

My thoughts.

lordmetalz28

sounds pety those are petty problems ifs its a clean car grab the beeeyotch up before someone else does. you probably need some mounts and maybe a driveshaft but its worth it flash the cash in his face hell take your price i got my iroc-z for 1600 from 4000 jew him down quick

lordmetalz28

bro be careful with that vibration on decel could be the torque converter yo

trackbird

It's a 5 speed.....