Faults:

2 MAF sensors failed in one year, MAF burnout relay, alternator and power steering bracket randomly failed on start-up one morning, smashing the alternator. Needed to track down a new one from a junkyard. PROM failed. Needed custom one burned since it wasn't carried anymore. Trunk and headlight motors stopped working.

General Comments:

Not sure what to say. I've owned 13 different cars or trucks of various makes, this has to be the worst car I've ever owned.

I bought this car with all service records from the previous one owner, who kept it in a garage. This car was in good shape. It ran and sounded great as well.

I got it with the intention of building it and tightening up a few areas. I never got a chance.

I spent all my time and a lot of money just keeping the thing on the road. I even bought a second vehicle with the anticipation of it breaking down (it did a week later). Mind you, I didn't drive the car hard at all. I've gassed it now and then, but nothing out of the ordinary for a car like this. No burnouts or redline shifts.

Maintenance was meticulous. The Tuned Port is a poor design. While I understand this car is older with older technology, it's still very bad and expensive to get anything out of.

I don't like Mustangs, but a Fox body would be a better bet than a 3rd gen as far as potential. Handling was fairly good and better than expected. The transmission never gave issues as well. If you want to buy one of these cars, do it with the expectation that the quality will be typical of a GM older car and immediately yank that boat anchor of a Tuned Port engine. Heck, take the wiring harness and ECU while you're at it.

I eventually threw in the towel and bought a 1995 Lexus SC300 with a 2JZGTE Supra swap. I now have a reliable and much more powerful car with 205k on the chassis and interior that still holds together and looks great, while the Firebird falls to pieces at 70k.

While I still love American muscle in some regards, this car certainly pushed me further to the other team. The 3rd gen F body is born for the junkyard and it becomes very clear when you visit your local wrecker. Often times you will see complete cars. I couldn't get more than 3500 for my Firebird so I did the next best thing: I parted it out. A complete car with a clear title. Sold just about every part off the car and made about 3900 total. When there was just a shell, I cut that up with a torch and saw and sold the scrap.

All in all, the styling is decent for the era, but if you buy a 3rd gen, buy it with the intention that it won't be a powerful or reliable daily driver with the Tuned Port. Convert it to Carb or yank it and put something more worthwhile in it.

Faults:

MAF was bad when I bought it.

Hood struts needed replacement.

Headlight motors needed replacement.

Factory CD player needed replacing.

General Comments:

I had owned several rear drive V8 cars in the past. I had sold them and gotten a Honda Prelude as a daily driver for work and school. I wasn't really looking for another car, but I had money in case something caught my eye.

I came across a black Firebird Formula that had just been put up for sale. It has the WS6 package, Borg Warner 5 speed and 9 bolt rear, 4 wheel disc brakes, Tuned Port Injection. The car was all original down to the factory CD player. I knew it was a steal at the price and mileage, so I jumped on it. I now remember why I loved American Muscle.

To my surprise, the Firebird outhandled my 2001 Prelude with the large front and rear swaybars, tight suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. This may not be true with regular 3rd gens without the WS6 package.

The 5 speed manual is notchy with a heavier clutch, which took some getting used to with 300 ft/lbs of torque. It's not the fastest car on the road, but quick enough with its rather subdued appearance compared to the Trans Am GTA to surprise a few unwary fox bodies and similar performing cars.

Gas mileage is decent with fuel injection and gets low 20s on the highway. However, around town driving drops it into the teens. While it's comfortable to drive, and I have no doubts about reliability, it's not a car I prefer to drive every day of the week everywhere. It's not a quiet car, and it takes more attention to drive than some others. All in all, it's a great weekend car, and has plenty of room to carry luggage.

Parts are cheap and plentiful and it's easier to work on compared to a 4th or 5th gen. The only disappointments I have is that after 4500rpm it seems to hit a 'brick wall' in performance. This is mostly due to the TPI intake design. The factory clear coat is peeling, and the pop up headlights are a hassle. The hatch lock mechanism is also an inconvenience and I wish it was just a regular latch that you could just slam shut. It also has no cup holders!