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So anyone that follows the blog knows that I have been talking about getting a new 5th generation Camaro since late 2008 – early 2009.  Initially I potentially targeted a 2010 model Camaro, a 1SS model.

Well that wasn’t a realistic goal as long as the we had the car payment on the Camry going on so I patiently back burnered my hopes for a Camaro until that payment went away which happened last year after we got our tax return back.

However by that time my desired vehicle changed with the passing model years.  The 2011 model year introduced the convertible which then became my ideal ride.  I also had decided I needed the additional tech features the 2SS model offers, including a HUD (heads up display).  Of course both of these changes meant the dollar figure I would be laying out would be going up considerably.

Well then the 2012 model year changes were announced which included some more tech goodies like a rear back up camera and improved smart device integration. Also I was hoping an additional model year would help smooth out some of the fit and finish problems I read about with 2011 Camaro convertibles.  Well they also raised the price on 2012 models, pushing that potential price tag even higher.

Since that latest intention I have been on a holding pattern with the understanding that to make this work a large chunk of money would need to be put down to make the monthly egg in the same ballpark as what we paid for the Camry.  The budget column formerly used for the Camry has been slowly accumulating money that instead could be used for a down payment.

Well other than that budget column, there hasn’t been much change in our spending habits to help our savings grow more rapidly otherwise.  When I look at our financial overview in Quicken it doesn’t make me feel nearly comfortable enough to move forward with dropping the kind of money a 2012 drop top Camaro would require.

So yesterday I did a little snooping around Auto Trader.  Specifically looking at 4th generation Firebirds/Camaros convertibles that were in nice shape.  It didn’t take long to find a number that were pretty damn sharp.

The 1997 Firebird Formula pictured appealed to me in many ways.  It was somewhat close, located over in the Fort Lauderdale area.  It was a two owner car with a ridiculously low 24,000 miles on the odometer.  It has the 5.7 liter Corvette motor and is a 6 speed. I always was a fan of of the 4th gen cars, I had an 87 Firebird for a period of time way back when.

Going the used route has a number of perks.  A cherry 10-13 year old vehicle is actually more unique than a brand new convertible Camaro.  I always like being less of a “me too” kind of guy.  For what I would have to put down on a new Camaro I could completely pay for a nice 4th gen car and skip the 5-6 years of car payments.  The financial hit would be massively different.

On the downside it would be a compromise from my initial, Gran Torino type vision where I would buy the car from the factory and have it be a part of my existence until the day I died.  Plus obviously a used vehicle a decade old is going to have many more possible repair needs than a brand new vehicle, no matter how cherry that used vehicle is.

Well I was interested enough in this 97 to contact the seller.  The one thing I noticed right away after a quick check of Kelley Blue Book and NADA that he appeared to have the car pretty dramatically overpriced at $17,900.  NADA pegged a car in excellent condition with that mileage in the 8’s and the highest number I got out of KBB was $11,800.  The guy was asking for a “WTF are you talking about” premium.

So I left a message and the seller called me back who was also a used car dealer.  He gave me some background on the car.  He was the original owner, sold it to some dude from Germany a few years back with 12,000 miles on the odometer and then bought the car back later.  I could tell from the pictures that the car was in real nice shape but he further confirmed how nice it was.

So then I asked him about flexibility in his price.  I explained that I looked online at various resources and the absolute highest number I saw was in the 11’s.  The guy said he wasn’t very flexible and reiterated just how nice the vehicle was.  Well yea, I know it’s nice but that book price I quoted was for a car that was in EXCELLENT condition with 24,000 miles.  Somehow this guy thought I instead should trust the book in his head that magically sets the bar 50% higher.

The only thing the seller said was he wouldn’t really be able to say how flexible he was until he heard a number, whatever that means.  Well I certainly wasn’t willing to throw any numbers around over the phone.  I followed up and asked him how long he has had the car for sale.  I was surprised when he said 6 months.  He said he has storage space available so it isn’t like holding on to the car waiting for the right sucker to come along (my interpretation) is a big deal. Once I heard that I knew there was no point in continuing the inquiry since I wasn’t looking to be that sucker.

I did do more digging around and found quite a few very nice convertible 4th gen F bodies.  If I had a choice I would take a Firebird over the Camaro 4th gen.  I think they look nicer and it would tie back to my original love, my Hugger Orange 69 Firebird.

When Ali saw I was considering settling for a used vehicle instead of the new Camaro I have talked about for 3 years she did not react favorably.  She thinks I will have regrets about not buying exactly what I want.  Well it isn’t like there is only ONE vehicle in the world that I desire.  Anything with a V-8, a clutch pedal and an angry exhaust note will help soothe the soul.

The ultimate decision of course will be mine.  The massive savings in opting for a used vehicle in the big picture might make me sleep better at night than extending myself financially both up front and a half decade down the road.