Newb - Looking at '98 Camaro

[supreme_style21]

Hey guys (and gals). Looks like a great place! Perhaps you'd be able to shed some light on some issues. I'm currently driving a Grand Prix.. had it forever. I've been looking to retire it for awhile now. I came across a '98 Camaro just this weekend. Its the base model with the 3.8 auto. Before anyone jumps me, I'm honestly not looking for extreme performance. Insurance is also something I must consider, being a 21 year old male.

The car is bright red, t-tops, 78,000 miles. Dealer is asking $5990 for it. It does need a rear tail light. It almost looks like the car had been rear-ended at some point in time, but again, it is a GM vehicle. I don't think I've had a GM product yet that had perfectly aligned body panels. Nonetheless, I'm a GM kinda guy. I'm new to the F-bodies and rear-wheel drive all together. I've always owned the Wbody line.. Cutlass Supremes, Grand Prix's. It'll be interesting to see how well I take to the rear-wheel drive this winter if I pick up the car.

Anyway, on to the point; I've been reading that the '98 models have significant problems with the transmission. A valve of some sorts.. I don't recall the specifics right now. Last thing I need is additional expense. College has made me ungodly broke. Can anyone shed any light on this problem? Any other common problems I should look for on Monday?

[raroZ28]

I paid $500 more for a 97, with an LT1, less miles than that, mint condition, and a six speed. Has t-tops as well. 6 grand doesn't sound like that great of a deal to me. If I were looking at the car you described, I would offer the guy $4500, tops.


Scratch above, I paid way under blue book for mine... maybe 6K is a fair price? But there are much better deals out there than what you have found. Also, I hear that insurance is about the same with the 6 cylinder as with the 8. Talk to your agent.

[Jay 02 TA ws6]

Going RWD in the Great White North would be a mistake, boss...........

...that's really my only input. If you're 21, then you're almost out of college. Just wait another year or two and pick up an LS1 f-body or whatver suits your taste at that time...

[supreme_style21]

I've already checked with the insurance. Big difference between the base - Z28 - SS. My plan for the past few years has been to wait til I'm done with college.. but those plans have to change. As much as I'd love the LT1 with a 6-speed, simply can't afford it. This base '98 has actually been the cheapest '98, considering mileage, of ANY model I've been able to find around here. Like I said, I'm not looking for performance as much as I'm just looking for a sound car right now. It'll get me around for a year or two, then it'll be time to trade again.

Jay - I've heard MANY comments like that.. is it just the RWD platform? Or is it the fact the car is so low to the ground? I guess now that I think about it, I see many 2wd trucks, but rarely a RWD car around here. BTW, love the TA!

Does anyone have any input as to the trans problems I hear about in the '98s?

[Z Ya Later]

Dude, I picked up my Z for $5k and my insurance is under $1200/yr. While the deal isn't bad, do some looking around before you settle. Just my 2 cents. Good luck man.

[supreme_style21]

What kind of mileage did you pay for? You'll have to understand that I'm kind of a mileage freak. My entire family trades cars off at 100k.. so thats kind of how I was raised. Once my cars hit 100k, they're gone. I know I know.. with proper maintainence and such, they'll last much longer, but its just how I am. My '94 Pontiac just rolled 100k, so its time for it to go.

I just went and looked at this Camaro again much closer. Three mismatched tires - one rear brand new, one rear bald, front two are close to bald. Like I said, the rear left taillight is busted, and the bumper has pulled away from the body a bit on that side. The paint on the bumper is also spiderwebbed in that one spot. There appears to be some paint work and touchups around that area on the body as well. Definately looks like it has been hit some way or another in the rear left side. Otherwise, the body is flawless. Interior is very clean as well. The 'free' Carfax report shows 17 records for it (which could be anything).. I'll have to buy a subscription to it if nobody has one. Otherwise I certainly have some bargaining room against the car.

[TraceZ]

I've already checked with the insurance. Big difference between the base - Z28 - SS. My plan for the past few years has been to wait til I'm done with college.. but those plans have to change. As much as I'd love the LT1 with a 6-speed, simply can't afford it. This base '98 has actually been the cheapest '98, considering mileage, of ANY model I've been able to find around here. Like I said, I'm not looking for performance as much as I'm just looking for a sound car right now. It'll get me around for a year or two, then it'll be time to trade again.

Jay - I've heard MANY comments like that.. is it just the RWD platform? Or is it the fact the car is so low to the ground? I guess now that I think about it, I see many 2wd trucks, but rarely a RWD car around here. BTW, love the TA!

Does anyone have any input as to the trans problems I hear about in the '98s?

The problem with RWD in the snow is that the rear wheels have to push the front wheels through deep snow. The front wheels resist the deep snow and the rear wheels end up losing traction. Also, when stopping in RWD the front wheels will tend to lock up (75% of all braking power goes to the front wheels) and the rear wheels will continue to push the car. This is not as much an issue in cars with ABS.

In front drive cars, the front tires bite the deep snow and pull themselves over it. The rear tires are left to roll in the ruts created by the front tires. Stopping is better too because the drive wheels are the ones getting the majority of the braking effort.

I used to always put my rear wheel drive cars in neutral when trying to stop on snow. Of course, of them had ABS. If you get a manual transmission the problem goes away.

RWD cars are more fun to drive in snow, though. You can go into a icey parking lot and spin donuts all day!

As for the 98 you are looking at, I think you would be better off looking on Ebay or Autotrader nationally. Find a car in the same price range with around 50,000 miles on it and have it shipped home. Just make sure you get lots of good high quality close up pictures of the interior, seats, body, rimd and engine. The pictures should look like a new car.

I have purchased all 3 of my cars online and am very pleased. When I tell people I got my daily driver for $4700 their jaw drops. Bluebook on it is $6500 and it oly has 46,000 miles on it!

[Z Ya Later]

I bought her with 102k mi. and, outside of this little EGR problem, she has been fine. My 79 Jeep took over 160k mi. before it needed a motor rebuild. The GN is at 180k and only had the cam timing sprocket strip...which ended up with 5 bent pushrods and 3 valves...but nothing that serious, esp. on a car with 15 psi. of boost stock. The number of miles isn't always a good indication of how much life is left. It is your call and I wish the best of luck, but my recommendation is don't write the car off just on how many miles are on it. Just my thoughts.

[supreme_style21]

You paid 4700 for that 'vert? Add one more jaw drop to your list. Very sweet lookin' car. I have been looking around on eBay a little bit.. nothing really caught my eye. I wouldn't be afraid to purchase one if it was well represented though.

I know I shouldn't write things off based on miles, but I run 40-60k a year onto a car, so low mileage is of somewhat importance to me. Well taken-care-of low mileage cars is what I search for. If I pick up this Camaro with 78k on it, next year I'll have nearly 140,000 on it. But I'll certainly keep an eye out for something else. If I can't get the guy to move on the price, I'll pass it up. The more I dig into it, the more damage I find.. nothing serious (yet), just an eye-sore if you look for it. Based on what I've described, would I be out of line to offer 4k? Worth less? More?

[Z Ya Later]

From what you've said, $4k would about right. Maybe $4500 at most.

[TraceZ]

You paid 4700 for that 'vert? Add one more jaw drop to your list. Very sweet lookin' car.

Our Oldsmobile was $4700. Actually I paid $3400 for it, then there was a $600 state of NC "documentation fee" for an out of state sale and $700 to ship it home. It totalled $4700 delivered to my door. Not bad for a minty $6500 car. It is a 96 Cutlass Supreme with leather, digital climate, premium sound, 4 wheel discs with ABS, 16" alloy wheels, dual airbags, etc...

The Camaro was in TX. I watched the auction on Ebay end with no bidder meeting reserve. I called the dealer and asked what the reserve was. He said $7500. I said sold. It had 53,000 miles on it and was minty clean. $500 got it shipped to my door for a total on $8,000. It is a 94 6-speed vert with every available option and aftermarket leather.

Our minivan was in autotrader in Illinois at a dealer. It had 11000 miles on it and was 1 year old. It has rear A/C and a CD player in addition to all the other power options. I scooped it up for $15,000, well below book value and it still smelled new. A "Brand new" one would had cost at least $22,000 with similar options. It is a 2003 Grand Caravan nicely optioned. The kids love it almost as much as the back set of the Z28 with the top down.

There are great deals to be found online. Take a week or two and dont hurry. You'll be surprised what you find.

[supreme_style21]

Ah gotcha. I used to have Cutlass Supreme. Great car. I really wouldn't mind another one if I could find one FULLY loaded. I've owned several of the Supremes, Grand Prixs, Regals.. they've all been super reliable.. but next-to-no aftermarket. I'm not really looking for anything fast right now.. really don't have the cash for it. But I know the deals are out there, they usually pop up when I'm not looking.