Has the last of the storied and famous original small block Chevrolet engines that is torquey and powerful. Overall the car is fun to drive and its sleek styling can attract attention. There's a great club following with Trans Ams and Camaros so you'll never be without friends. It has hiding headlights and you can't get them anymore. Very fast and easily modified for horsepower lovers.

Poor build quality. It has a distributor in a ridiculous location. It is big and it uses a lot of gas, has poor brakes and hard steering.

This is one of two Trans Ams that I own, the other is a 2002 WS6 car. This 1993 (automatic) Trans Am is fast, very torquey off the start and it handles nicely on the highway. Mine is a completely unmodified car and at the track it ran a consistent 14.2@99.1mph 1/4mile in hot air. The car has quick ratio steering that is hard-turning compared to other cars. The ride is harsh compared to the 2002 Trans Am I have, but it has very little body roll in the corners. It is very stable at high speeds. The 1993 car is plagued with a cheap interior that rattles and squeaks incessantly, the main culprit being the cheap seats that just won't sit still, otherwise the snap-together console and dash look fine but are flimsy. The controls are well placed and gauges are easy to see. Brakes are very poor single caliper discs requiring more effort than most cars and far more than most sports cars I have driven. Mechanically this car is more problem prone than most. In particular it has a distributor (commonly referred to as the optispark) mounted under the water pump that requires replacement of its cap and rotor every 50,000 miles. A common misconception is that the entire distributor has to be replaced, but this is not true. In any event, the rotor and cap replacement is a big, messy job that must be handled with a good set of tools. Otherwise the LT1 runs smoothly, with the famous small-block Chevrolet rumble so many love.
The Trans Am is a big car. Far bigger than it needs to be for a sporty car and this makes it awkward to handle. Benefits of its size are the interior storage space. You get a fairly large trunk if you roll down the rear seat, which is otherwise pretty useless for anyone but kids under 12 years of age. Despite being big the car is not really heavy owing to its plastic body panels that don't dent. This is a great feature on the Trans Am. The V8 gets about 17mpg in the city and 22 on the highway, so remember that this car is not for the fuel conscious.

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2002 WS6 Firebird Trans Am
1968 Pontiac Firebird
1970 Camaro SS

Some Speed, Body Style, and Overall Look of the Car.

Power Window Motor, Gas Mileage, Radio Display Failure, Antenna Motor, Audio System, Oil.

It's an ideal car for a teenager with a need for speed. Very sporty body style. The red guages are easy on your eyes. Great ride. Radio should be a little more modern though. The Monsoon Radio System is getting a little old in the Pontiac.

Body is almost rustproof due to fiberglass. Everybody else will tell you how fast it is, so I don't have to. Every time I enter and exit the car, I feel like I am in a movie, like I'm coming from or going to a place that's actually important (usually isn't). It makes me feel like the world really is a stage. My mother in law's comment when she first saw it: "I always wanted to date a guy who had a car with wide tires." She said this with a huge grin as she was staring at it. Could a guy have a better mother in law than that? One last note: this is one of those cars that will, fully restored, be worth much more than whatever you paid for it, if you can hold on to it through the next few gas crises.

Almost everybody seems to notice that the electric motors controlling the windows fail. They are telling the truth. Still, a small price to pay for a car that gets more approval than a Mercedes SLK. And when it is 30 years old, you will still be able to buy parts for it.

Muscle cars have always been my favorite, and in the past I preferred to restore an older one. But as I have become more successful and involved in my career I have had less time to devote to fixing up old muscle cars. So I bought a new one with cash. I am surprised at how much better this car is than the muscle cars I recall driving in the past. In my opinion, the latest generation firebird is the pinnacle of GM muscle car/pony car development. It has had some minor problems, but still, it is amazing how much better the quality and equipment of this car is compared to previous generations. I have never been disappointed in the car, and have never regretted buying it. I feel sorry for the younger drivers who pay high insurance rates. I assure you, as your age increases and your points decrease, your insurance will go way down. I am sorry that I cannot be objective about this car, because I love it so much for the style, performance, and the attention it gets. I know there are better cars out there, and I could easily have afforded to buy a much more expensive machine. I like the "cheap plastic" some people complain of because it is just part of the raw muscle car character. What I like best about it is the total lack of snob appeal. Some people complain that cops stop them more often. I have not had that problem, and ironically it is the only car I have owned in the last 20 years that I have not been stopped in. Maybe the cops are actually looking at the way we drive? I ordered the car exactly the way I wanted it, and opted for the hard top, mainly because of the extra rigidity. My wife made me order it with an automatic so she could drive it. However, on the one occasion she drove it, for about 30 seconds, she hated it and never drove it again. So when people wonder why a gearhead would order the automatic over the 6 speed, I tell them that this is the heavy price I have paid to preserve the quality of my marriage. I have to admit the automatic is better for crawling in rush hour traffic anyway. I was concerned that the automatic would suck up too much power. But I have to tell you, the 320 stock horsepower is such overkill that I have never felt a desire to increase the power output. The muscle cars I have driven in the past did not seem to have nearly as much power, and I suspect that the old horsepower figures were exaggerated back then. The front windshield seemed to cause some optical distortion when I first drove it, but now I am so used to it I don't even notice. Something I find amusing is that virtually every gas station attendant feels the need to remark on it. Likewise, the one time I brought it to a dealer to have a warranty repair done to the alarm system, the mechanic felt the need to inform me that he wished he owned it. Needless to say,it wasn't for sale. Some people complain of poor visibility to the sides and rear, although I have never had a problem seeing everything when the mirrors are properly adjusted. I am impressed that very little of the body is actually metal, other than the quarter panels and the headlight covers. Nothing kills a car's classic value like rust, so this is a great but often overlooked feature. And have you ever seen how ugly iron block motors get when the paint flakes off? Aluminum is so much better. I considered installing softer springs, shocks, and bushings because of the hard ride. But I did not have the heart to alter the vehicle in a way that would compromise its handling, so I resisted the temptation. I have not had such great gas mileage, and considered changing the rear end ratio. But I decided not to do that either. The wide tires, 275 mm with the Ram Air performanc package, were not as expensive to replace as I thought they would be. Unfortunately, the wider the tire the worse the gas mileage. I guess that's everything I had to say! If you have gotten this far, it means you will probably be a muscle car fanatic for the rest of your life. Nothing wrong with that.

Similar Products Used:

72 Camaro SS 396, 4 spd manual, posi.
67 Firebird 350 2bbl, 4 spd, convertible
69 Ford Torino GT 351, 4 spd manual.
64 Mustang hardtop, 4 spd manual.
70 Mustang Mach 1 351 Automatic
73 Mustang Mach 1, 351 Automatic
As you can see, I know what muscle cars from the past are like. Believe me, they are no comparison to the last generation of firebirds. Even the 396 camaro with a posi wasn't nearly as fast.
My advice is to take care of your ride. You may never find another one as satisfying.

Amazing power, short shifter, great exhaust, and fantastic body.

headlight, window, and antenna motors are either slow or end up goin out.

I love this car. It is amazing My 98 Formula is black with tinted windows all around and looks like the batmobile. All i need is to put a SLP hood oon it with rims and it would be the meanest thing out there.

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I had a 1999 firebird V6 automatic but that was nothing compaired to my formula.

Power Stylish Attention Sound

Handling

Wow actaully this is about a 1974 corvette. It has a 454 big block in it. But the main thing about me and the car is that im a 15 year old and mommy and daddy arent paying for it. The car has way to much power for me personally but i love it. The car is gonna be babied though and wont be romped on like you think a 15 year old would. It has a dark mattalic red paint that is needing some attention. I am hoping to paint it this summer.

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Dodge avenger not really similiar but its my other car

V-8 LT-1 More updates availible for it then Honda's. No replacement for displacement As long as it can inhale and exhale its alive. Will out run Ford Pony's anyday. And besides, racing in a honda is like the special olympics, no matter if you win or lose you are still retarded.

Tires are expensive and do not like to stick to the road, whether it be off the line or a rainy day. In snow? Forget it. But this car has all the fixin's an 18 yr old could dream of.

This car has been amazing from day one. You want the looks to turn peoples heads while having the power to turn them quicker, this is the car for you. I bought my Formula pretty much loaded, 17 inch chrome, K&N cold air intake, MSD Ignition. Then I tweeked it slightly, bosch 4 platinum plugs, you can feel the difference, a centrifugal supercharger- it may be electronic and only engaged when floored but definately worth the 200 bucks for the 43 HP it added. The stereo was updated, pioneer dvd 7.5in screen player, Rock Fosgate speakers, JL W7 subs to let the neighbors hear you coming. But they typically hear the Flowmaster Cat-back system way before the stereo. Exterior neons bring the try me look to it, and they are nothing but a blurr when the mustang jockey pulls up and tries chasing you. The t-tops are definately a lady getter and hold the body design well unlike many clothtops. Someone lost a goldmine when this one was repossed, my mere cost, $3,500, almost more for insurance. Someone was doing this car right when the bank decided the owner put more money into the car than into their bills.

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I own a 1974 Corvette Stingray, hard to beat the heartbeat, but this car is just a showy. With the Vette having 383 strokin and a N.O.S its in a different category

1. Unbelievable power. World class. 2. Great gas mileage esp. w/ 6-speed. 3. LS1 engine is one of the finest ever built. 4. great shifting tranny. 5. nice interior. comfortable seats. 6. great sounding stereo system. 7. meanest, baddest looking car on the planet!!

1. As the Firebird/camaro became more powerful over the years (LT1,LS1) The drivetrain (rear,driveshaft) was never beefed up to compensate for the added 100+ hp It has remained unchanged for over 20 years. 2. radio display digits go wacky. 3. In cold climates under startup, speedometer and tach. indicators jump and the trip odometer gets reset. 4. Big car, maybe hard to drive for some people. 1 to 4 skip-shift can be a problem for an inexperienced driver.

I've owned this car for 6 years and 46, 000 miles, and the car has been flawless. Reliable, great gas mileage for 300 hp car. 30 mpg on the highway in 6th gear. I do about 18 in the city. Just a great car. Scary fast. Had a 6th to 5th downshift problem when it was new but it was fixed under warranty and never happened again.

1. Unbelievable power. World class. 2. Graet gas mileage esp. w/ 6-speed. 3. LS1 engine is one of the finest ever built. 4. great shifting tranny. 5. nice interior. comfortable seats. 6. great sounding stereo system. 7. meanest, baddest looking car on the planet!!

1. As the Firebird/camaro became more powerful over the years (LT1,LS1) The drivetrain (rear,driveshaft) was never beefed up to compensate for the added 100+ hp It has remained unchanged for over 20 years. 2. radio display digits go wacky. 3. In cold climates under startup, speedometer and tach. indicators jump and the trip odometer gets reset. 4. Big car, maybe hard to drive for some people. 1 to 4 skip-shift can be a problem for an inexperienced driver.

I've owned this car for 6 years and 46, 000 miles, and the car has been flawless. Reliable, great gas mileage for 300 hp car. 30 mpg on the highway in 6th gear. I do about 18 in the city. Just a great car. Scary fast. Had a 6th to fth downshift problem when it was new but it was fixed under warranty and never happened again.

Great pick up... Fast... Beautiful... and ALL MINE!!!!

Burns oil fast. Fish tails if punched too hard. Insurance is killin' me @ 365.00 a month.

AWESOME CAR!!!!! My first car was a 1995 Camaro Z28, and let me tell you. There is NO comparison. I love GM Models. I have to give it to the formula. OH, and whats a formula without the t-tops? It just makes it so much better.

Similar Products Used:

Camaro Z28 w/ SS Pkg.

The car has great get up and go. Looks great.

Rear-End. Road noise. Not enough leg room. No room in back seat. Overall I thought the 2000 model was a lemon. Until we bought the 2002. You couldnt pay me to own another one.

Overall the car was a piece of junk. We previously owned a 2000 model. It was in the shop numourous times with oil leaks. The 2002 model has been a problem from the start. It has been in the shop at least 10 times, over the past 2 years. The sway bar in the rear has been replaced 3 times. The motor in the windows have been replaced twice. There is so much road noise. There is constant creaking in the rear.