Pontiac Firebird

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $32000.00 from Vista Ridge Pontiac

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 TransAm

Summary:
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.

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

Weaknesses:
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.

Price Paid:  $25000.00 from Dublin Pontiac, Dubl

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 Pontiac WS6 Ram Air Trans Am

Summary:
I've always been a die-hard Pontiac fan. I've had several other Pontiacs, but never a Trans Am until now. I'm depressed that 2002 is the last year because after driving a Trans Am, all other cars in its price range just don't measure up!

Strengths:
- Raw power! Mash the pedal on a WS6 and you'll see what I mean! - Handling. This car handles like a dream around sharp corners, and just about everywhere else - Fuel economy (For a sports car) I was surprised how good the TA is on gas when I don't hot-rod it. 19/28 MPG (It's so hard to resist though) - A real head-turner. If you like to drive a car that gets noticed, this one is for you. - Great Front Seats. The seats have adjustable lumbar and lateral support, so you can adjust the seat to grip you which really gives the feel of a racing car.

Weaknesses:
Even though I'm biased towards this car, it does suffer from some shortcomings, most of the typical sports car nature: - Limited Storage Space. Take off the T-Tops, store them in the back, and you've used up 50% of your storage space. Put two people in the back-seat (and they better be short) and there goes your other 50%. - Rough Ride. You'll feel just about every bump you hit. - Engine Noise - Although this is one of the things I really like about the car, people that don't like a loud engine should stay away from this brute. - Cheap interior. Glove box and seatbelts rattle a lot. Car interior creaks and groans on rough roads. - Fuel economy. Drive her nicely or she'll suck your wallet dry. - Unwanted attention. There's always some dork in 5.0 Mustang or Japanese Tinker Toy car that wants to race you. It's funny at first, but gets real annoying real fast. Your Trans Am will be the first car on the road a cop looks at to give a ticket to as well.

Similar Products Used:
2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

Price Paid:  $32000.00 from Marietta Pontiac

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6

Summary:
This car is great. Its a shame they are no more (for now at least). Excellent acceleration and handling. Kept the car stock for about a year, then the got the "power adder" obsession. Added on a Vortech supercharger and Borla catback exhaust and now it REALLY flys. No Corvette or Mustang can catch it. Definitely recommend this car for any sports enthusiast especially those who love adding mods.

Strengths:
Raw Base Power. Pontiac underrates this LS1. Mine dynoed a baseline of 310 rwhp. That is much more than the claimed 325hp at the flywheel. Gets lots of looks...gotta love it!

Weaknesses:
Very cheesy plastic interior and plastic like leather. But that's not what you buy this car for. Also, some instrumentation is hard to see - bad placement by Pontiac.

Similar Products Used:
1997 Mustang Conv.

Price Paid:  $37000.00 from MacMaster Pontiac

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air WS6

Summary:
This fully loaded musclecar runs like a dream. Incredible power at all speeds. Throaty exhaust rumble makes this beast sound like a race car. Excellent handling doesn't even notice corners, though solid axle can be a disadvantage on bumpy corners versus split axle of pricier sports cars. In-your-face musclecar styling gets looks everywhere you go and intimidates Euro-exotic owners. Ride is good for a sporty car, large tires roar on certain roads. Difficult to see where the front of the car ends so you have to be careful. Dash is large and hard to see over - not a suitable car for smaller people. Raked windshield distorts view of the road, gives the impression of heat rising from the pavement at times. Having a 4-seat sports car is great. Kids love going for a ride in the "Batmobile". This is more car than you'll ever need for performance unless you got to the track. It hangs with Ferraris and Corvettes with a good driver. 100mph feels like 30mph, and you'll never arrive late for work again. I love the cockpit style interior and the fully adjustable leather seats hold tight for serious driving. Much better than average climate control. Overall the car is much better than the published press would have you believe. The trunk is small though, and rearward visiblity is not the greatest (but in this car you're never worried about what's behind you unless it has a flashing red light). All things considered this is a good solid car that is a lot of fun for the price. The best North American muscle car to date.

Strengths:
-Incredibly powerful 325hp LS1 (Corvette) engine (162mph top speed, 13.0 second 1/4 mile at the track). - Excellent fully adjustable power seats. - Handles and corners extremely well. - Solid rear axle makes this car best for drag racing. - Beautiful and intimidating musclecar styling. - T-tops beat convertibles anytime. This is the last car to have it. - It's a 2+2. You can put kids in the back seat and they love it. - Pontiac's red gauge instrumentation very easy on the eyes. - Headlights are excellent - rare on modern cars.

Weaknesses:
- You can't see where the front of the car is. - Paint quality and application is poor. - Road noise from large tires can be annoying on rough roads. - "Skip-shift" feature on 6-speed transmission is a pain. - raked windshield distorts road slightly.

Similar Products Used:
1970 1/2 Camaro SS. 1968 Pontiac Firebird 350 HO.

Price Paid:  $32000.00 from Don Miller

Year / Model Reviewed:
2002 Firebird Convertible

Summary:
Love my car..... very sporty, fast, and no Mustang comes close. I haven't had any problems with my car, everything is perfect. I have gotten what I expected and more with the Firebird. By far the best car I have ever owned!

Strengths:
Sporty, nice body design, good radio, very comfortable to drive. A sporty car that will still seat 4..... what more could you ask for????

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
Chevy Camaro