Thread: chevy...?

Tweet

hi i am 16 and its about that time i go searching for some wheels. I was wondering about a deal that poped up to me last week. A friend of mine is going to offer his 91 camaro 305 rs to me for 2grand. i have heard alot of talk about how i shouldn't go with only a 305 chevy, thats its too weak. i am wondering what are your thoughts on a 305 camaro ?

If you look at Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) a 2001 Camaro with a 305 automatic is listed as worth $2005 in fair/average condition. So, unless it is a pristine car with new tires, etc and low, low miles, the asking price is about average. The 305 is what came in these....the 350 wasnt available in an RS. You can bolt a 350 in since the 305 and 350 are exactly the same on the outside. However, you should sit down and ask yourself what you are looking for.....the RS is not a screaming drag car nor was it ever intended to be. What is the saying? "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

I'm going to generalize here because I don't know what you want out of the car and I don't know what condition it is in. Please bear with me.

First, because it is a '91 I am assuming that it has a pretty healthy number of miles behind it. So, for me, that would be something that I would pay fairly close attention to when determining the remaining usable life of the motor, tranny etc.

If you really like the car and are happy to part with the $2,000 to acquire it, I don't see anything wrong with it. I think you could probably do worse. You may very well be able to find one with a bigger motor already in it for around the same price (I don't know for sure, because I'm not in the market for one, it's really just a gut feeling). Even if you do find one with a bigger motor already there though, that doesn't mean it will be a better deal.

Here, you at least know a little bit of the history of the car. By that, I mean that you probably have some idea as to what problems, if any, your friend has had with it. You probably also know how your friend has taken care of it while he's owned it as well. Has he run the living hell out of it, racing it around all the time, foot always to the floor? Obviously, it won't last you as long if he has. Has he done regular scheduled maintenance on it? Or, has he approached it with a "just drive it until the wheels fall off" attitude? Those are questions I can't answer; but, you probably can.

Buying a used car from someone you don't know is a riskier in that regard, because you never really know what your getting into. It is what it is, as is, so to speak. On the other hand, there are always risks involved in buying anything from "friends" too.

As for the 305 specifically, it's definitely not the racer's choice for a reason. I wouldn't expect to get a whole bunch of power out of it; because they're definitely not fire breathers and there are more efficient, cost effective and reliable ways to get the power wanted.

If it doesn't have the power you want, (because you're 16, and I was there once too, I'm sure it won't) you can always put a bigger motor in there later. That of course will cost you more, so that's something you'll probably want to consider.

In the end, I guess, I don't believe it really matters what anybody else (other than your parents) thinks about it. It doesn't really matter what car you buy and at what price, it really all comes down to you making a decision to part with your green. Do you feel it's worth it? Are you willing to spend the money that's being asked for it because you want it, and then hope it is reliable enough to get you from point A to point B? And then, if it's not exactly the way you want it, spend even more money (possibly a lot more money, like in the 1,000's or even 10's of 1000's $$$ more) to make it the way you want? Those are the questions that matter most I think.

Good luck,
Dutch

If you want a 91 camaro with a 305 then get it ! they are your frog skins!
> BUT ... I bet if you hold your cash and start talking to people a few more deals will open up .

letting people know your looking for something in a price range ( tell them lower then what you have!) ,seems to start the talk and people you wouldn't think of would be your next lead . Only thing is while your looking, you could lose the deal on the 91'.
Talk to the local tire guy , go down to that old feed store , maybe the local diner early in the morning , think about where your grandpa would hang out if given the time, that's where I'd ask around.

Think about what you really want to drive , take your Dad or someone a lot older (who has owned a lot of cars in there life time so they will start the stories of " I had this car one time ..... " ) out to a used car lot and talk and ask question, about everything , sit in everything, drive as many as they will let you, do this a few times at different places .
If this is your first time owning a car you don't know what you like yet ,other then the color and maybe a style .

What about car or truck?
2 or 4 wheel drive?
long bed or short?
compact or full size?
front or rear wheel drive?
auto or stick ?
bench or bucket ?
injected or carb ?
8,6, or 4cyl ?> this also decides gas mileage ,
2 or 4 door ? < this is insurance rates also and how many friends you can tote around .
power windows ?
power seats?
sun roof?
chrome?
fixer up'R or turn key?
if something happens are you doing the repair ? < how much are you willing to learn ,are you willing to try your hand at body work ?
brand ? ...
The more things that are to your liking when you buy the car, the less you'll want to change and have to spend money on later .......>and you never seem to have the money down the road when your young ,
ask why your mom drives what she does,
ask your dad why he drive what he does.

what do you need this car for ?
is a 199? what you really want or is this just the first thing that popped up when you had the opportunity to get A car? how bout a 1970 something , or a 1960 ? that needs some work ?
You can get a lot of different really neat stuff, for a lot less if you just put some time in on it and maybe a tune up. And you'll have more fun when you like what you drive or work on.

If your parents are helping you with this I'd sit down and talk with them about what you need and then what you want and see if there is something in the middle that will work for you .

"and a 305 is gutless and will coast an arm and a leg to JUST bring it up to par w/a STOCK 350 "
now if your just cruising around and never want to go fast or spin the tires then YA ! I will agree a 305 is fine for an every day driver, ..... just..... fine .

hope this helps you sort it out and didn't just confuse you.
good luck and keep posting , We like pictures to.

T L

If the 91 is in good condition and has been well maintained and you like it than go for it. Sure the 305 is not going to win many stop light races, but since you are only 16 you have many years ahead of you for that stuff. Right now you want a dependable car, that's not going to cost you a fortune in gas, maintenance, tickets and insurance. There are a lot of things you can do to spruce up the car and the engine to make it your special rod.

However if you got money to burn and the 305 just ain't going to get it, then hold out for something else. Another point and an important one, is no matter what you get make sure it is a SAFE car and drive it Safely. Way too many 16 years olds die too soon doing things they shouldn't when behind the wheel.

thanks for all the advice. I agree that i need a safe car, but yet i love that V8 feel when i drive my cousins Z28. i guess i should pass up this deal because if i think about it i could hold off for a while and get a classic. I say this because I would more likely appreciate the car and love fixing (restoring) the car with my dad. once again thanks for the advice. P.S. what does "treekiller" mean by "my frog skins"

Originally Posted by mrp82391

P.S. what does "treekiller" mean by "my frog skins"

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

green paper american currency , A-de-La, moolah , benjermins , dead presidents , scratch , green back , stack , coinage , paper , loot , almighty dollar , banknote , bankroll , beans , bill , bread , bucks , cabbage , capital , cash , check , chicamin , chips , coin , dinero , dough , ducats , filthy lucre , finances , fund , funds , gold , gravy , green , green stuff , hard cash , jack , kitty , legal tender, long green, loot, lucre, mazuma, pay, payment, pesos, property, resources, riches, roll, salary, silver, skin, specie, sugar, treasure, wad, wage, wampum, wealth, wherewithal,cash , jack ,pelf, money... thats all I got

good luck with what ever you decide on, keep us updated.

T L

Originally Posted by treekiller

green paper american currency , A-de-La, moolah , benjermins , dead presidents , scratch , green back , stack , coinage , paper , loot , almighty dollar , banknote , bankroll , beans , bill , bread , bucks , cabbage , capital , cash , check , chicamin , chips , coin , dinero , dough , ducats , filthy lucre , finances , fund , funds , gold , gravy , green , green stuff , hard cash , jack , kitty , legal tender, long green, loot, lucre, mazuma, pay, payment, pesos, property, resources, riches, roll, salary, silver, skin, specie, sugar, treasure, wad, wage, wampum, wealth, wherewithal,cash , jack ,pelf, money... thats all I got

good luck with what ever you decide on, keep us updated.

T L

O.K,I think we have got it.

Tree, you didn't have lettuce on there.

hi mrp....I am new to this forum stuff.My youngest grandson is 16 .owning a car is not just buying it.If you have use of family cars,then think toy if it is transportationdo not listen to friends trust your parents advice.More problems come up for most young guys who impress their friends with thier car.As with. my grandson who are motorheads make thier car thier mistress.THE CAR TAKES THEIRtime and money.LOVE TOBE 16 again! phil the geezer

When I was 18 ,I purchased a new formula 350 firebird,well almost purchased it,I was ready to head out the door with the keys when they asked about insurance ,I said sure and called my insurance company.
The guy at MY insurance company actually laughed and said no insurance at any price on that car...
So I promptly told him how I felt about that and called another and another and another ,most said the same thing ,...no insurance for you on that car
I did find one place that said sure,it was almost double what the car payment was for the insurance
I went out and got the second alternative,a 79 chrysler newyorker fifth avenue,pennies for insurance and I got to watch people wreck into it and get there cars hauled off on flat beds to the junk heap That car was indestructable,had leather everything and power everything and enuff lights on the doors ,sills and rockers to light a small house
After numerous ,streets of sanfrancisco,jumps ,numerous farm field excursions,30 plus miles with no rubber on the front rim,several cars getting totaled from hitting it I finally was ready for a different ride.
I called about entering it in the demo derby and they said no that car the roadmaster station wagon and the buick electra 225, were the 3 cars that could not be entered into a regular derby,the logic was that those cars would demolish standard cars and not get hurt at all,making it unsafe for normal cars to be in the bull pen with em
One of those 3 would be a good car for a 16 year old,if I had a kid ,thats what I would buy for the first car.

I have another new driver coming up in less than a year. My first thought was the Buick Electra 225. I can afford the insurance and when talking to the wife about getting one, my common sense kicked in and started to worry about liability in this world of litigation. I started having visions of lots of courtroom experience when my Daughter got tangled up with a lesser car when her duece and a quarter was too much and the other party suffered substancial loss and I was being sued for being unfair.....just a thought. I love sticking my kids into a tank type car....just got the chills from the civil legalities of the tought.

I forgot, my oldest step son got a55 safari .The baby turned 16 in1989 he got a60 buick 4 door special. however use of family wheels also.