1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Summary:

Best value, but beware of first-year GM products

Faults:

It seems as soon as the 3/36 warranty period was up, the car started to break down on a regular basis.

Warped rotors at 37,000 miles.

Failed water pump at 38,000 miles.

Failed serpentine belt at 42,000 miles.

General Comments:

Great bang for the buck, but it's a very "gripping" experience driving in rainy/wet condition.

Looks fast even standing still. Terrific exhaust burble, but could be loud inside at open throttle.

Soft tires wear very quickly (20,000 miles), even when I wasn't doing donuts in empty parking lots ;)

Backseats are afterthoughts -- I would've rather have it be incorporated into the trunk space.

A/C seems weak.

Terrible city gas mileage (14-15 mpg?), but cruises on the highway (25mpg).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 30th April, 2012

1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 5.7

Summary:

Good performance machine, but money pit

Faults:

35k fuel injector got clogged, and the car was still under the factory warranty for less than 1000 miles. I replaced all of them with bigger aftermarket injectors later that year.

Alternator - 51k. never had an original alternator go this early it was very dissapointing.

I upgraded the whole exhaust at 65k.

Ball joints - 77k.

Water pump around 84-85k.

Throttle position sensor at like 92k.

O2 sensors a few thousand later.

Fuel pump a little bit after 100k. it didn't leave me stranded. it was bad for a while, and would no longer prime when firing. idled erratically. one day it kept cutting off, and I kept having to hit it with a hammer. did it about 4 times in 20 minutes before finally getting it into my driveway.

Transmission at 106k. I was fuming at this one. this was my first automatic. I changed the fluid filter, and flushed every 30k give or take. always came to a complete stop before shifting. I did shift it manually, but I have never had that problem with other automatics. no fluid loss. it just started slipping, and leaving rubber one day. one day I was at a light behind a cop in the other lane. it started slipping and leaving lots of rubber. cop got behind me, and pulled me over. I explained I was having transmission problems, and was fixing it soon he let me go. one day it stopped moving on the side of the road. friend had to come to pull us back. when we tore it down the synchros were damaged. I was so frustrated I replaced it with one of a junkyard that was in a chevy pickup. only time it ever left me on the side of the road.

Replaced shocks, and struts at 110k. every single spring as well.

Brake master cylinder a few thousand later. replaced that with some junkyard stuff.

All tie rods at 120k or so.

Distributor - 123k or something. another junkyard fix.

Thermostat about a week later. another junkyard.

Oil pump at about 126k. it didn't quit all at once so it didn't seize the motor luckily. another junkyard fix.

Power steering pump 130k.

Heater core 130k.

Starter 132k.

Kept the car until just above 135, and traded it in for a 93 5.0 mustang I still own to this day.

Besides that I did maintenance to it. brake pads, shoes, never had to do rotors they were good. brake hoses, belt, hoses, tune up, oil change, coolant/trans flush, fuel filters.

General Comments:

I bought this car when it was a year old in 1994. it wasn't so bad power wise. it actually put out more stock than my 5.0 mustang I got after this did. all I did was a k&n air intake, exhaust, 4;11 gears, and 24 lb injectors, and radials, and the fastest I ever times was 12.8 1/4 mile. it was just always fixing it every week it seemed. I think that was all I did that I named off. though this was 14/8 years ago. I was only 22 when I bought it. only left me on the side of the road once, but left me frustrated enough by fixing things to replace the stuff with used junkyard parts. this was probably the first year the camaro redeemed itself after an almost 20 year streak of mediocrities.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 2nd April, 2008