Looking at a couple of cars for my stepson.
1. 1996 Z28, t-tops,119,000 miles, has been repainted, auto trans, R title(salvage), looked at it briefly last night, drivers seat was wet(raining) wouldn't start battery dead. Wants $3500 as is, could probably buy for $3000. Should I go back when he gets in running on the next good weather day?
2. 1994 Z.Auto, No t-tops which my stepson wants, 92,000 miles, I haven't looked at it yet supposed to this weekend. Wants $4000. The kid has about $2000 saved up his mom and I have to help with the rest.

 

I would pass on the first one. Wet seats mean you have to deal with leaking t-tops, and it's not running. $3500 is way too high for something like that with a salvage title with that many miles. This car would be better off for use as a project car that you planned on tearing apart anyway.

The second one sounds nicer but still kind of on the expensive side. If it's in excellent condition I would offer maybe $3200 cash for it.

 

what he said

 

Honestly neither sound like much of a great deal to me. If I had to pick between just those two, I would definatly lean toward #2, but there are much better deals to be found out there than either of those. Just look in the "Vehilces for sale" section, or even online around your local area. Used LT1's are everywhere, and unfortunatly for the seller, they aren't worth much any more. You are better off finding one that has been taken care of a bit more, and barganing them down to the price range of the above ones you are looking at.

 

The '94 will have better resale value because it doesn't have a salvage title.

 

Found the 94 on Craigslist, been checking cars.com, traderonline, ebay and the local newspapers. In the northern Delaware, south Philly, Nj area people think the cars are worth a mint. Most want 5K and up for a high miles LT1. He really wants T-tops and they seem to want quite a bit more for those. Yhe leaking T-top with an R title scares me a bit, could have been knocked out of line with the accident and may never get it to quit leaking.

 

You can convert a hard top to t-tops if its that big of deal..

 

I'd hate to think what that would cost to convert. Anyway, going to look at the non t-top 94 early next week. If it's nice I might offer him 3K, you never know how desparate he is to sell. Plus it's burgandy where the 96 is white same color as mine. Don't know if I want the stepson in the same color car.

 

You just need to look around a bit. Earlier this year I found my 98 Firebird Formula, LS1, T-Tops, 80k, WS6 mint condition, (worth a bit more than most any LT1 car), and I got it for $8,000. A mint LT1, such as my 95 is probably only worth $6-7k (if that). Making most LT1's in decent shape with 100,000+ miles worth about 4k. Anything less than good working condition (especially salvage title) isn't worth more than a few thousand at best.

 

He wants more than he can afford. He has about 2K saved up and his mom and I can only come up with about another 1K. So it puts a big restriction on what he can buy. But this time of year Camaro's usually go for much less.

 

heres a few

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...g=1&cardist=80 97 Camaro for $3850


http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ce=&cardist=54 88GTA for $3500

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ce=&cardist=56 93 T/A $3900

 

Thanks for those, I didn't check that many miles away, those are all over 50 miles away. The white Camaro has t-tops and looks clean though. I might give them a call on monday. My stepson wants only a Camaro, he say's Firebirds are for girls although I'd trade my Z for a WS6 T/A anyday.

 

god i hate those wheels on the 93 trans-am

 

for 3k, its going to be hard to find something, but lately there have been a few highly modded LT1s around my area for that. Some guy just sold his 94 formula w/ h/c and all bolt ons for 3200 in the paper.

 

watch craigslist like a hawk-i got a real nice 97 m6 t-top car for $2000.and it only needed tires and o2. but i had to go 80-100 miles south of Seattle too.tution,kids and santa are on your side not nice summer weather so play hardball and be ready to buy or walk-its just a car