Sorry that this isn't much of tech article, but I need some opinions from other 3rd gen owners! I have a chance to buy a 2.8L, 96 Camaro, 111,000 miles. The body and paint are straight, and the engine runs great. The interior looks good also. I have a 91RS 5.0L with 160,000 miles that needs about $2500 worth of body work, and the interior could use some freshening up, but the engine is great. I know this may seem like a dumb question, cause on paper the 96 Camaro sounds so much better than my car. But I feel like I'd be selling one of my kids or something if I got rid of my 91. That car is my baby, and I think it would be very mad at me if I betrayed it like that . Please help me make a decision!

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G-d bless the USA!

For all those flag-burning-sons-of-bitches: just remember who's over in Afghanistan protecting your right to do such stupid sh-t.

 

I say no way--having had the 3.8L (unless the guy swapped out for a 2.8 , in which case you really don't want the car), and having driven the 92 5.0 TBI (L03?) and now having a 91 formula WS6 LB9, I would take either of the above V8 cars over the newer V6. But then, I hate V6s and love V8s. I like the look of your car (assuming it looks good) better than that of the newer ones as well.

 

Around here you're likely to get a slightly biased opinion.
IMHO keep the thirdgen.

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91 Z28
Come see The Vicious...

 

I'd have to say NO WAY!!! If you have a V8 now you will be disappointed in the feel & sound of any six cylinder. Even though the 96 got the bigger V6, it is still 2 cylinders short. My wife is driving a 94 3.4 liter V6, & is wanting a 2002 Trans Am with the WS6 package. She told me not to even look at the six cylinder cars.

Or, you can stay with the 3rd Gen, & they are probably going to start disppearing after a while since most of them seem to get banged up fairly quickly (at least around here).

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1987 Z28 Black & Silver 305 LG4/5-Speed . . .
Dual Snorkel Air Cleaner
4th Gen Seats
NRA/AMA/FOP/IUPA/Blue Knights

 

Is your RS your first car by any chance? If so, KEEP IT!

I don't know how many times I've had people tell me, "I used to have a 57 Chevy. Sure wish I had kept it." Well, I kept my first car, and have absolutely no regrets.

In these situations, resale value isn't really the point. And, $2500 is probably a lot less than the difference between what you can get out of your car and what that '96 will cost. And, although they made great strides getting more umph out of the V6's, there's still nothing quite like a good ol' SBC.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4, 2300 stall TC. Ported World 305 heads, Crane PowerMax 2050 cam. ZZ3/4 intake, oil pump, pan & baffle. Accel HEI SuperCoil & module. Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback w/dual-opposite Flowmaster 80. 2.93 limited slip. Spohn SFCs waiting to be installed. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily year-round driver. Best ET, speed TBD...
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7:1 forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 700 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

I would say go for it and trade it. Fourth gens are nice cars, and the 3.8 is probably faster than your car anyway. You can still mod it, and it will most likely be more reliable.

 

Keep in mind though that 3rd gens are a LOT easier to work on.....have you ever seen how much space is under the hood of a 4th gen? Its horrible. A friend of mine had a v6 camaro...and i was expecting to have plent of room in there since it was 2 cylinders short....wrong. Not sure how often you work on your car or mod it, but if you do it a lot, keep the thirdgen...will save you from having bloody knuckles. The ONLY 4th gen I would considering having would be a 97 RS or SS with RS ground effects...hate the newer ones. Even then, I would keep the 3rd gen for my reasons and for the reasons everyone else posted.

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1992 Teal Camaro RS
T-Tops
305 TBI V8
Open air element
3" Flowmaster Exhaust System w/Quad Tips
Aiwa CD/Mp3 player
10 Disc CD Changer
Rockford Fosgate Speakers
SLP Headers Coming
Dynomax High Flow Cats Coming
More to come.

 

Keep the thirden.

It COULD be much faster than a 4th gen V6 and its a hell of a lot nicer.

Just my opinion (seems like the majority)

 

I wouldn't trade it for a fourth-gen.

Now if it was a FIRST-gen, different story.

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ORIGINAL OWNER
92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Partial TBI mods, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Richmond 3:42 gears, Torsen HD Posi
Sights & Sounds:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers. Spectre valve covers and accessories, Z28 grille w/aftermarket lights, MacEwen whiteface gauges
NEXT UP: the rest of the TBI mods & Suspension upgrades

 

Don't get rid of it! My friend has a fourth generation and I've ridden in it many times and I'm just not that impressed with it. Now that they are saying (supposedly) that they will no longer be making the f-body that's even more reason to keep it. Your car will become a classic. $2500 to me is worth it. I own a 92 and I will never part with it.

 

I don't care what anyone says you'd have to be a damn fool to trade a V8 Camaro for a V6 one.

 

Keep in mind that the 96 Camaro had the option of the 3.8L. The 3.4 was still standard.

Just to give you an idea of what the 3.4 is good for, that's what's in my wifes 96 Lumina MINIVAN!!!!!!!! HEHEHE!!

AJ

[This message has been edited by AJ_92RS (edited December 03, 2001).]

 

I say you keep either one of the third gens.I went through this delima a couple years ago and ended up buying a newer car and quickly realized that I had it made with having a car with no monthly payment.I do admit that with the newer car I could drive without a fear of anything breaking but then when you measure it up to the pressure of making a monthly payment for the next 3,4,5 years?

 

no not unless you can get a 4th gen with the lt1. the v-sick(6) sucks. keep the 3rd gen!!!

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89 firebird formula


360 10:1compression (350 .060 over)/fully balnced and blueprinted
comp cams xe262 cam
performer rpm intake/port matched to heads
#1405edlebrock 600
sportsman 2 heads 64cc 2.02/1.60 valves 200cc intake runner/cnc pocket ported
msd 6al/msd8.5 super condutor wires
h.e.i. proform 50,000 volt vac. advance ditributor
700r-4 with 3.08 first gear and 3.73 7 5/8 rear end.
b trans shift kit(will kill shifts...suck dong!!)
shorty heddman hedders with custom 3" pipe y-pipe back(no damn cat!) with 40 series flowmaster!
griffin daul1" core rad.cutom fabrication to fit(but no cutting )


future mods: 406 roller REALLY REALLY REALLY RADICAL!!!!!.with lots of NOS

 

Keep the third gen. Never trade a V8 for a V6 (unless its a Turbo TA or a Buick GN etc..)

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2001 Black WS6 T/A A4
Direct-air flow lid w/K&N filter, BMR SFC's, BMR STB.

daily driver '88 ford taurus AKA "the tank"

84' Z28 all stock LG4

 

Hey man, don't say that. The v6 is newer, less prone to failure. Sure, the v8 can be faster..but a 3rd gen v8 is a dime a dozen. I can go to the junkyard and find a 305 in ten seconds. But try finding a 3.8 v6, much harder. If you did trade, it would be more than easy to get another 3rd gen if you ever wanted to.

 

Do you know why the 4th gen V-6 Camaro is so rare in a bone yard? Because no one buys them!! Well they do, but they are just mis-guided children who can't afford the insurance for a V-8. DO NOT TRADE. I don't know if your feeling bummed about the work your 3 gen needs or what, but picture this in your mind: Your at a stop light in your V-crap Camaro. You've put $1500 in wheels, window tint, possibly a cold air kit, maybe for some unknown reason, even lowered it a little, polished the paint. This anemic ride of yours is looking pretty good. Well along comes a 3rd gen. Your thinking just a little 305. Nothing to special. But listen to the sound. Hear that? That is American Muscle the way it used to be. THe body maybe needs a little work, paint chipped, faded. You can see through his un-tinted windows that the dash is cracked. Well, your V-6 is much better than that. Oh hey look the light went to green, better show him what the V-6 can do. But its to late, the power he had hidden is a little more that what your nice looking Camaro has. And we all know that if you had to pick between going fast or looking good, you always pick going fast. Because going fast IS looking good!! Do not trade....



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Joshua Johnston
1991 Z-28
350, T-5, K&N, Ported Vortec heads, Edelbrock RPM, Holley 750 D.P., HEI, 11.07:1 CR, Comp Cams Roller-.510"/.520"-282*/288* dur., Shorty Headers, Dual 2.5 Exhaust, Dynomax Bullet Mufflers, T&R Motorsports custom air intake, Bald tires

 

96 was standard with the 3.8. 3.4 was the base engine in 95 and older. i'd take the 3.8 4th gen over a tbi equipped RS any day. the fourth gen has it's share of problems but will outperform a stock tbi equipped RS and get better fuel milage in the process. all in all you'd be stepping up quite a bit. the v6 vs. v8 issue really doesn't apply when it's series II 3800 and 305 tbi.

 

No. I used to sell them. I know what was available & when. The 3.8 was not the 'standard' engine until 97. Or actually until the later part of 96. Like in July, 1996.

AJ

 

I agree with AJ_92RS. I have one of the Series II 3800 in my Grand Prix. It's the 200hp version. Its not all that spunky of a motor. It may seem that way in a 4 door sedan, but in a Camaro, anything less than a V-8 is just wrong. What is the aftermarket like for the 3800 compared to the V-8. I know Thrasher makes a lot of parts for the 3800, you could go to the Grand Prix store and pick up some 3800 stuff. But while your there look at the cost. Its outrageous. If you have any future plans at all that contain the words fast, or power, KEEP THE 3rd GEN.




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Joshua Johnston
1991 Z-28
350, T-5, K&N, Ported Vortec heads, Edelbrock RPM, Holley 750 D.P., HEI, 11.07:1 CR, Comp Cams Roller-.510"/.520"-282*/288* dur., Shorty Headers, Dual 2.5 Exhaust, Dynomax Bullet Mufflers, T&R Motorsports custom air intake, Bald tires

 

i'd agree with most people and say KEEP THE THIRDGEN! personally i dont like forth gen camaro's and despite what most of u might say on this but the 4th gen rustang even looks better then the 4th gen camaro, except the once after 99 they seem to have improved, another reason is after a v8 a v6 will seem kinda, really,very slow
even though i drive a v6

 

You say people pick between going fast and looking good.. Why is the mustang so popular and the camaro not going to be in production? People like how the mustang looks(although I don't), even though the camaro is faster. Looks win out most of the time.

If you want to work on your car and make it fast, nice, clean.. keep it. If you would rather be done with it and have a decent car, trade. It isn't that big of a deal.

 

Thats when you mod that puppy!!

 

If it were me, I'd keep the thirdgen. But you're not me. At least I hope you're not, that might be interesting. ANYways...

I think the thirdgen v8's are faster than the fourth gen v6's.. at least the later thirdgen's. But if reliability's your issue, well... I haven't experienced a more reliable engine than the one in my thirdgen. Of course, I'm young, and haven't experienced TOO many, but it runs a lot better than the Honda's I've seen with the same amount of mileage. (I know, it's dependant on sooo many things.)

With a newer car, you're less likely to have all those minor headaches that pop up over time with older cars. Headliner coming loose, dryrotted steering wheel, you know, that sort of thing.

But really every car has their quirks, so.. if you like working on cars, I guess any car is a good car. As I said, *I* wouldn't trade it in. Not a v8 to a v6, Now, if it was an LS1...

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

 

but you have to think, if it was an LS1, would she be asking in the first place? Keep the third gen, you will regret it later if you don't

 

yes, the 3800 was the standard engine in 96. in 95 it became optional only with automatic equipped cars with a/c. in 96, a/c became standard and so did the 3800. also said is you can just modfiy the tbi engine, well it's just as easy to modify the 3800 and they are as fast or faster than modded tbi's. i do agree the third gen does look better than the fourth, but not with the shape her third gen is in.