From what I have found in my research, running 87 octane is asking for hassles. It is $.20 a gallon more for premium and that hits a little, but basically, you get better mileage with the right gas. The computer is pulling timing and adjusting other things to make it function on the 87 octane, so you may be saving $4 on a tank but costing your the same in lost gas mileage.

Flush the coolant out. Flush it all, even what is in the block. Many recommend getting rid of the Dexcool orange stuff and going back to real green coolant. If you keep with the orange, you need to flush that regularly.

Don't go buying the WS6 because you fell in love. The worse way to buy a car is to let it seduce you. This one is your first lesson on that. If you keep it, figure your mileage and how far you have to drive each week. You might be able to buy a 35 mpg beater cheap and be ahead with the gas you save, depending on how far you drive. This also helps in that it can be your primary vehicle on insurance, the Z becomes a pleasure only car, and your rates go the more favorable route on cars. Also, you can get a multi-car discount.

The '69 Chevelle is NOT going to be cheap. If you buy one for less than $10,000, you have to figure the trunk and rear quarters are rust and replacing them is not cheap. And it won't get anywhere near the mileage. Figure 14 as tops, and probably around 10 the way most old Chevelles get set up.

My '98 Z is getting over 23 so far, so you need to figure what you have done and what needs to be done. Cutting it loose and SLOWLY looking for its replacement may be the best bet.

 

Damn, the Dr. has a point. Ok so i stopped running 87 and went to 89. My engine sounds alil more even (not considering the ticking that comes from never nook and cranny). I havent had any problems since like September when i got a flat tire, before that it was just a p/s pulley bracket replacement i had done.

As far as learning lessons, BOY HAVE I! Im bringing my mechanic to every friggin car i look at in the future.. if he has even the slightest doubts im out of there. I wanna buy a 98-02 T/A because their newer, less likely to have been beaten on, look nice, have more power and alot more potential.

Right now I have narrowed it down to two things. Sell the Z and save like a crazy SOB for a more reliable Z or T/A down the road (thats been mechanic approved of course) OR take insurance off the Z, hitch a ride to school until i start to get the 250/moi put into the Z in gas and insurance back, buy a Geo Metro (3cyls ftw... but just an example) and use it for temporary transportation. Get the cheapest insruance rate, run the cheapest gas.. you get the picture... and mod/fix upthe camaro until summer comes and its in top shape, sell the beater for w/e i can get for it, and live happily ever after with the Z.

 

DUDE RUN PREMIUM-91 or 93!!Still cutting corners? Some people never learn lol.......I reallythink the best bet is to sell this one and get one that is -MECHANIC approved-as you say. Bringing along someone with a level head and superior automotive knowledge is the best thing you could everdo for yourself when shopping for the next car. Not only will it give you someone who can check the car out thoroughly; they will not be inclined to let you fall in love and buy a piece of **** out of emotion instead of logic. It sounds like you could have really used thatsomeone to slow you down last time- if I were therewe wouldve laughed all the way home about the dumbass that took you out on a test drive and proceded to drive his car like he stole the damn thing.....bottom line is you may dump many more thousands into that car fixing the problems it has, and still have a car that isn't nearly as nice at it should be. If he did that to his car on a TESTDRIVE imagine what he did to the poor thingbefore you were there.This car doesnt sound like a good starting point for anything- find one that has been cared for and you will love these cars again.

 

Sell the car and buy a more reliable butless fun car. Its probably what you really want or just plain need simply because it will get you from a tob better than thez.Older cars will have just as many problems as new ones, and parts arnt always as easy to find for older cars.

 

Yeah, ive been craiglisting and i found a nice 1990 4cyl Mustang Notchback (just about the only foxes i like) Its a "sporty" car but its 800 bucks. Im thinkin about what i should do from here. As far as learning lessons go ive learned many, luckily i havent had ANY problems since i had my p/s bracket replaced. (heres a link to the mustang, now remember its a cheap A to B car and VERY temporary http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/car/485678161.htmli will bring my mechanic along if i decide to sell the Z garage it w/e.) As for gas, just got a full tank of Shell V power Premium! kinda proud of my self lol.

Edit: If i took insurance off my Z now and garaged it in two months i would have enough to buy the Mustang (if its still for sale)

 

well you have to also figure that if you buy an 800 $ notchback, geo or w/e your more than likely going to have to put a few hundred if not more into it, still pay for insurance, and again will most likely have problems with it being sorta old and worn out. parts don't last foreverya kno?The way i see it you have 2 options, 1) sell your Z, save for one in better condition (even if its still an 93-97 lt1 style) 2) keepurZget'er running perfect with the money you would spend on the notchback (and the cost in parts it would undoubtedly need) and realize whatever you do is going to cost you in the end....



~ Pro

 

or just sell the z, buy a 3.8 camaro, gut the cats and pay a whole heck of a lot less on gas, with a faster car

 

Yeah.. i dunno a whole lot about the whole gutted cat joke kuz i wasnt around for that.. a 3.8 Camaro would get like what 20 mpg... id save like 10 bucks over something that gets 27-30.

Like i said i wouldnt be buying a car for more than 1000, id have it until school is over in June, then id sell it and take the camaro out again. I would of course have my mechanic check all the spots that could cause a problem and if he has any doubts i wouldnt get it.. because i dont want to buy something cheap and have it turn into something expensive. As for insurance, id get the lowest rate i can get here in washington, id run the cheapest gas.. w/e saves me money. When June/July rolls around ill sell it pull the camaro out and with some extra money i saved up i will start to make it better again, or even mod it.

However i could even save myself the trouble, sell the Z buy a cheapmechanicapproved gas savercar let my money pool and then june/july see how much i have, because i can find some nice 98-02 Trans Ams for between 10,000-20,000, not only that but they are more likely to have less miles and not have been beaten.

 

If you get the LS1, make sure you take your mechenic because being newer has nothing to do with the car being beaten on, and the cars will still "look" like eye candy. Maybe it's been beaten on for a shorter period of time if we're talking purchase dates, but take your mechanic.

 

oh yeah, most definatly. but Im not sure what i want to do any more, I want a T/AVERY badly,but i might be taking an automotive engineering class at a local technical collegenext semester that allows you to work on your own car so i might have the opportunity to do alil work. however i have until this friday to sign up for the class.