considering buying a TR (LT1 owner)

[Weazel]

I don't daily drive my car, so I can't really give you useful commentary on the daily reliability. I know my starter's going, so every now and again (when it's warm) you've gotta give her a minute to get ready. Not something I'd want to deal with running late to work (or school). But this is a 17 year old car...
One thing I do know is that the thing's deadly in the rain. I shudder to imagine it in the snow (having spun out my share of older RWD Buick Torque-Monsters). I just don't have the discipline to stay out of the gas enough to not spin the tires.

That being said, the TR is probably the awesomest car I will ever own. 95% of the time it's perfect. Roomy, smooth ride, and power to lay waste to almost anything. But I wouldn't wanna drive it daily to work ALL the time. I like the suggestion put forth about getting a second car. If you have room for two cars, and about $7k to spend, you can get a very cool TR for $6k and pick up an old S-10 or something for bad weather/daily grind stuff.

Good luck and welcome aboard! My friend would agree with you, he's got an LT-1 Camaro. It's been more trouble than my GN for sure. And needless to say I'm the faster one Good luck, we hope to welcome you to THE DARK SIDE!

 

[suprbuick7]

Where in PA do you live? I saw a decent GN in Bucks County for sale yesterday. I have his phone #. I think he wanted $9000.00 for it. T-top car 80,000 miles

 

[Vendor Defendor]

my '87 GN is used as a daily driver, and its great, it gets ~17mpg... it may need a little more attention than a regular car, but remember, it is also 16 years old... the car some times cocks an attitude, and it makes a lot of creaks and rattles as it drives along, but hey, i love it, my Girl friend loves it and most people that i know love it.

i think it is a great daily driver if you can handle just doing a little more maintance on it....

just once you start modding it, have some one who can give you rides places, because when you start modding it, it will start out like a simple job, but something unexpected always happen and might extend your down time...

take my word of it, the car is a great daily driver... at least mine is, and i know a bunch of other people who use their TR's as daily drivers, and we all love it...

my opinion though...

-Neil

 

[Adrian87]

I've owned a modded 95 6 speed Trans Am and a modded 98 6 speed Z28 and now I have this 87 GN.

Here's the deal:

Don't do it if you want something reliable and a good daily driver. Man I don't care what anyone says but these cars DO feel slow unless you are pretty well into boost, and that takes a minute on the street. (with a relatively stock car like you would probably get) People with 3500 stalls and ball bearing turbo's don't respond to this lol. By the time you are into boost and it starts to feel good, you are at the speed limit.

Yes I agree with most of the points that these guys have made about the TR's, but if you're not a serious gearhead ready to deal with a new unusual problem about every 2-4 weeks, I don't recommend it. Don't get me wrong, I love my GN and trying to figure out how to make this thing run, but as a 'jump in and go' daily driver, I wouldn't recommend it. I'm saying this because, like you, I've owned Fbodies before and know exactly what you are talking about.

On the other hand, email me about your 93 and I can try to help you out with its problems, pretty easy cars to diagnose their problems. Thats the only year with speed density, shouldnt be too tough.

PS the Gn has been my dream car since I was 14 and I am happy as hell to have this beast sitting in my garage!!!

 

[2quiktocare]

Well, the turbo cars are full of maintenance also, but once you go to the dark side, you will never go back

 

[8UWITH6]

I do just fine with my daily driver. 86 Ttype with 143K miles still going strong. Minimal mods such as fuel system, blue tops, 2 3/4" DP with ported elbow, and DIY alcohol injection. I drive it every day, rain or shine, with cold AC, and not so warm heat. Its the best daily driver I could ever ask for. Fun, reliable for the most-part, and easy to work on. Dont get me wrong, it throws its curves at me, but it has never stranded me. HTH, and good luck.

 

[phancom]

wow, thanks again for all the input.

the main reason i would even consider getting this as a daily driver is that it would be my second hobby. i wouldnt mind at all to work on it.

this is a tough decision.

 

[Sleeper-6]

I must say these cars are a whole new world. There's nothing quite like them. Where else are you going to find a useful vehicle that will take four people out to the movies in realtive comfort yet still lay 2 sweet black stripes down from a 35 mph roll .
As great as they are though. They have a nasty habit of acting up at the worst possable time. I vote for buying a decent TR and picking up a cheap beater to cruise to work everyday.

 

[phancom]

i was actually gonna consider a beater.

anyone recommend one for 1k or so?

 

[Sleeper-6]

My beater is prob worth more than $1000 but not much more. It's a 94 toyota corolla. Prob the most boring car in the world, But it made it the last 150,000 miles with no problems, should go another 150,000 more. Just about anything by Toyota or Honda is good to 200+ thousand as long as you change the oil. Tough little cars. boring, but reliable

 

[SilverSleeper]

There was a whole thread on good "beater" cars awhile back. Do a search for it.
My votes, my dad had a 87 Stanza bought new, went to 330,000 before it seized. If he actually took care of it, it probably woulda gone to 500 easy.
I know a lot of people around here who have pre-91 full size B Bodies (caprice, impalla) and they work really well. They are probably one of the most reliable cars GM ever built. They are tanks!
I actually vote for an Astro or Safari. Since I bought my 96, I noticed a whole lot of em running around with 200k+ miles. They are pretty tough machines, and there is a lot you can do with them.

 

[87 Pete]

I've driven one for the past 3 years or so as a daily driver during the non-winter months, and it has been very dependable, and has about 90k miles on it. Obviously, a 16 yr. old car requires more attention and preventative maintenance than a 5 year old car, but that comes with the territory.

The only bad thing is that being in Chicago, I can't say that it would be smart to drive a turbo regal in the winter. Aside from traction issues, your car will likely rust badly fast, especially since it's already pretty old. This obviously makes your car worth less, and more of a PITA to work on.

I recently got a new regal gs, and there's no lag, but the old turbo cars have way more torque, and are way more fun to drive, IMO.

Good luck, whatever you decide...


Pete

 

[scottyb]

With the exception of snow duty, I don't understand how some of you guys can drive a beater and leave your TR behind. Before Buick, I'd always drive the wife's car or anything else available. Now its opposite, I always drive the T. In fact I'm having DT's right now because it's been in the shop for 2 days for new front suspension. (also the first time I've had someone else work on it)I'll have the jitters by lunch.