Faults:

Wow, this car really has been a handful!

Front brakes needed replacing; this required rotors/hubs, calipers, and pads. The only thing is, it STILL pulls to the right...

Emergency brake cable loosened up.

Horribly rotted, seems to be a problem in the newer third-generation Camaros.

Driver's door sticks and is hard to open.

Seat back locks don't; lock that is!

Electrical problems constantly, so many bad connections.

Cooling problems, always seems to run hot, no matter what I do!

Driver's seat is ripped on the bolster.

Speedometer is incorrect; it reads too slow.

Rear defrost only defrosts some of the rear window!

Really sucks down gasoline, $30 every week!

General Comments:

Well, I have had 3 third generation Camaro's; an 84, 87, and an 88. Seems like they all mostly have the same problems. I also have plenty of praise for this car too!

It is very easy to work on.

Parts are mostly cheap.

Many performance upgrades are available.

The handling is absolutely awesome!

Readily available cars, and cheap for the most part.

The 5.0 V8 TPI really cranks out the horses, 225hp in 88'!

The car just looks mean.

Faults:

Fuel pump died, $600 with labor.

Head gaskets at purchase.

New Convertible top.

Driver seat worn.

General Comments:

I had the car painted, new tires, new carpeting, new convertible top.. new fuel pump, head gaskets and a few other odds and ends.

Considering its age this car has been dependable, relatively cheap.. but horrible on gas. 13 miles a gallon TOPS! The convertible is so fun in the summer, and it looks GREAT with the top up too. The car has so much attitude of its own.. I can't being to explain how much attention I get in this car. I have an after-market exhaust and a 3" exhaust dump on it, making it run open headers and being EXTREMELY loud!

If you plan on buying one of these have a steady flow of cash ready though... around 100k these cars normally turn to crap and need some major restoration!

Faults:

The entire car needs some basic service. The brake pads need to be replaced, as well as the brake fluids. Some interior parts need to be replaced. The transmission filter and transmission pan gasket need to be replaced as well as the transmission fluid.

General Comments:

For my first car is was a good deal at $4200. So far I've spent $50 for a missing emblem and door arm rest which seem to be a constant problem with these after 1988. However they are cheap to replace entirely and with a couple of hours of work and some glue you can fix them instead for about $5.

The great up is that you can get seats for these older ones out of a newer 4th gen Camaro. For about $500 off Ebay you can get a complete front and rear leather set that will fit with just a couple hours of work and some basic tools.

Pick and pulls have an endless list of parts for these cars so if any part breaks or needs replacing cheap ones are readily available.

Performance parts are plentiful and cheap!!

This car is a convertible however. I regret getting that now. GM didn't make them for this generation, it seems they hired another company to do the conversions so there are many compatibility issues with parts for the tops and finding parts is out of the question. I don't want to know what the price for a frame is because a new cloth top itself is $350 and you have to measure and really guess which you have.

This engine will easily get another 100,000 miles. You can feel it. Gas is OK if you don't plan to use it as a serious commuter car. The car is not really designed to handle that it seems and I have read that the engine can't really hold up with major mileage. Expect rebuilds if you drive a lot.

Tires go by fast too, maybe I floor it too much, it will burnout without much trouble!

You can do the work to the entire car with a $10 repair guide. This is a great first car and will work great for people who like playing with their cars.