Found an 83 camaro berlinetta with 19,000 original miles for $7500. I've been looking for something to replace my Camry and could handle long trips. Would it make a good daily?

 

with only 19k it has set for long periods of time. that sometimes can be harder on parts than using. be a good idea to check everything out close.

 

Would be fine as a d.d, but they don't do all that well in the snow...especially when stopped at a red light, at an incline, in traffic, with impatient people behind you honking their horns. lol

 

305 or 2.8? The early 2.8's had some issues. Rear main seals where very common in the first 36,000 miles. I have done a lot 2.8 rear main seals under warranty back in the day. Also if this is a 4 speed automatic early 200 4r where very prone to failure. Age can be as hard on seals in a automatic as miles. If it is a t-top car assume they leak until proven otherwise. Funny how garage kept never driven in the rain cars tend to not have t-top leaking issues.

Since this is not a Z28 the value will drop very quickly. If it is worth $7500 it is because of the miles. As soon as it cross the 20k miles line it will drop in value and the value will drop off a huge amount once it passes 50K.

Do you do your own work? Things will fail quickly after an older car becomes a daily driver. I knew this before I bought my 2000 Z28 with 45k on it. In the first 5000 miles. I have replaced the water pump all the belts. There is something going on with the brakes in the rain (I think it is just 15 year old brake pads). I also plan on replacing the entire exhaust due to internal rust. Exhaust looks OK from the outside but since I started driving it has a rattling from inside. Cost can add up real quick if you are paying a shop.

I owned a 82 Camaro 2.8 and it was a decent car but $7500 could buy you a low miles 4th gen. If you really want 3rd gen you should look to a 91-92 Z28 with a L98 350. These where the fastest of the 3rd gens but they also tended to be work horse. The 350 are much stronger and more reliable then any of the other engines that came in those cars. By that time GM had all the bugs worked out of the 700 R4 transmission and the trans behind the 350 was beefed up. If you could find a well kept decent miles one it could be dependable.

Remember this is a Camaro fan site. No one is going to trash talk the reliability of a Camaro. I was a GM tech for 6 years in the 80's, the GM engineers where the first to say the cars where design to last 8-10 years. You are talking about a car over 3 times its estimated service life. IMO this car should go to someone that had one in high school and wants one in his garage and he drives to golf on Sundays.