'98 Camaro newbie questions

[acoysighintime]

I'm about to buy my second F-body, ever. My first car was a 1980 Camaro base model automatic. My father swapped the V6 and stock transmission for a tweaked 350, and a Turbo 400 trans. It was absolutely scary fast. I loved it.

I found a '98 base model coupe, with T-tops and the automatic trans for $159/mo. I signed the papers today. It's dark blue, and I absolutely love it.



I have a few questions about this car.

#1) It has a cassette player, this is unacceptable. I really want to match the interior of the car, and keep it somewhat stock looking. Does anyone have a original 98+ cd deck to buy?

#2) The ashtray lid is busted. Where's the cheapest place to get a replacement?

#3) What's the average gas mileage for this thing, assuming I drive somewhat nicely?

#4) What are the weak points on this car to watch out for?

#5) It has 59,000 miles. Should I use synthetic blend, full synthetic, or regular oil?

[Joe 1320]

Re: '98 Camaro newbie questions

Originally posted by acoysighintime


I have a few questions about this car.

#1) It has a cassette player, this is unacceptable. I really want to match the interior of the car, and keep it somewhat stock looking. Does anyone have a original 98+ cd deck to buy?

Fairly common on message boards and www.tacreationsusa.com

#2) The ashtray lid is busted. Where's the cheapest place to get a replacement?

Most likely Jason Cromer at Sam Taylor Buick (877)726-8295

#3) What's the average gas mileage for this thing, assuming I drive somewhat nicely?

Probably probably an average of 20
#4) What are the weak points on this car to watch out for?

Front rotor warpage, wear on driver's seat, front tire wear on outer edges, power window motors die prematurely.

#5) It has 59,000 miles. Should I use synthetic blend, full synthetic, or regular oil?

I would go with full synthetic.

[acoysighintime]

Anything I can do to extend the life of the front tires, and the window motors?

I prefer to use Mobil 1 Synthetic. Is that an approved oil?

What can I do to my T-tops to keep them leak-free for years to come?

[Joe 1320]

Originally posted by acoysighintime
Anything I can do to extend the life of the front tires, and the window motors?

The alignment of the front end from the factory has a slightly positive camber which will wear the outer edges of the front tires a little faster. Different alignment settings and routine rotation will cure this.
As far as the window motors? Not really. Usually requre replacement when they go bad.

I prefer to use Mobil 1 Synthetic. Is that an approved oil?

Yes. The factory fill for LT1 Corvettes. One of the best.

What can I do to my T-tops to keep them leak-free for years to come?

Subframe connectors. They will keep the chassis rigid and help keep eveything from rattling their way loose.

[acoysighintime]

Wow! Thanks for the prompt responses. I'm really glad I signed up here.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

On that busted ashtray lid, I'd try to get them to fix it first.

My first F-body was a 98 Camaro 3.8 just like the one you're getting. The only real weak point that stood out was wet weather traction. Part of this was the tires that came with it, but it also lacked posi-traction (limited slip rear differential). Had to be really careful taking corners in the wet while accelerating. Other than that it was a great car, the ONLY reason I traded it for my '96 was the V8 power.

On the T-tops...in addition to what was said before, spray some silicone lubricant on the seals every once in a while. This will keep them from drying out and cracking. You should actually do this with all the rubber seals in the car to avoid annoying air leaks later on.

[acoysighintime]

Thanks.

In addition, what are "subframe connectors", do they bolt on, or is it a difficult install. I assume they brace the chassis more, so this should help cornering too.

Joe K: What sort of gas mileage did you get with yours?

[hotwhip9]

on my 98 Z, i get around 16 city if im real nice and around 24 highway, being a 6 i would assume it gets better mileage than that. Definitely watch out for the t-tops, run a hose on them make sure they dont leak. Window motors.. play with the windows and see if you notice any problems.

[00 Ragtop Z]

subframe connectors connect, wha-la, teh front subfarme to the back subframe. Weld-in are best. they stiffen teh entire body since these cars have no frame as such. They also provide long term support to help prevent the body sag that can happen on t-top cars. You will notice the differnece especially in cornering. Have a pro install teh weld-ins. Won't cost a whole lot but make sure they know how to install becuase they must be properly fitted and mounted to prevent later problems. (Found out my 92 RS had been rear ended before I bought it becuase when they were fitted, the rear axle was about 1/2 inch furtehr forward on teh left than teh right. The guy knew what to do and got a good fit by elongating the hole in teh left SFC where it connects to the LCA before welding it in. He did a great job and at 180,000 miles now, it's still rock solid.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

Milage is pretty good.

On my highway trips at 75 mph I got just about 29mpg. If you're conservative you could get 30mpg or more. In and around town I usually got 22-23mpg.

Compare that to my current Z that gets 18 city and 25 hwy.