Why I bought a 2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM

[@rw9978]

I have a ‘98 WS6 black Trans Am. The ram air hood is what made me love this car.

[@beardedreviews]

yea alot of people love that hood. Just not my personal taste :(

[@redslate]

The Ram-Air hood makes the car. Aesthetically beautiful and completely functional. A far cry from the fake scoops/vents on other cars.

[@beardedreviews]

@@redslate We can agree to disagree :)

[@fastdude2002]

Looks much cleaner without the pig nose hood.

[@natecross8754]

Heck yeah ive got a silver ws6 and i can say that the non ram air hood is cleaner and a little smother on the car but i really fw the aggressive stand out look of the the ram air hood

[@lazylion420]

these are the best cars ever made. I bought a mint 2002 WS6 with about 30k miles on it back in 2016 and we paid only $13,500. recently had it insured thru Hagerty for $35,000 and the value climbs every year. it's my all time favorite investment that I'll never cash in 🙃

[@williamhutchins479]

I was born too late man. 😭

[@RaudielC]

I love these cars so much. I have had a white 2000 WS6 since 2008. I won the car on an eBay auction for $7500 (The dealership messed up and there was no reserve!). One of the luckiest things to ever happen to me. Its my weekend car now and I basically just do upkeep on it and drive it occasionally. 96000 miles now and the funnest car I've ever owned and driven.

[@beardedreviews]

Gotta love those once in a lifetime kind of deals!

[@rockjay81]

The headlights are fine. Always loud going up and down lol.

[@beardedreviews]

figured but I wasn't sure. thankyou for reassuring me!

[@shaun9156]

The WS6 hood is way better looking. Also, if you want to improve the car by not going too crazy, do a full service on it, ALL fluids, filters, plugs, plug wires, Front O2's and brakes. Then, look into Bilstien shocks or a set of Koni SA shocks (if you want to lower or keep the stock height the Koni SA shocks are the best. Bilstien are 2nd best.) Headlights seem a little loud on stopping but probably just need a little lube on the hinges. Brass gears are inevitable the stock plastic ones will not last. If you want any tips or any questions answered, just let me know. I've owned my 2000 WS6 for almost 12 years, its got LTs/ory/S60rear/strano springs and alotta other stuff, I have done all the maintenance and work myself.

[@TheMannySebastian]

how much would a full service cost?

[@MrGameNfit]

Im looking at a 98 non ws6 with 48,000 miles. What would be a good offering price? Thanks

[@OhYeaMista]

Eh, I actually prefer the sleek look without the nostrils. Kind of a sleeper too, people assume it’s a V6. Both great cars though.

[@firefalken97real]

Yeah, the headlights are pretty loud, but it's normal. If you hear grinding sounds, then you have a problem. Nice ride! Enjoy!

[@jake86chev]

I just picked up a 98 TA, 6 speed LS1. Original owner had it until 2019. 81k miles. I'm keeping it stock just replacing worn parts with OEM ones. Such a fun car to drive. I love mine. I made a dream of mine from high school come true!

[@beardedreviews]

Sounds like exactly what I'm doing to mine!

[@dadams1947]

I have a 2001 Red WS6 T-Tops Trans Am with the door cracks. It has about 88,000 miles on it and I bought it new. I went on Amazon and found some thin leather products that are sticky on one side. I simply cut two strips about 1" wide and and the correct length to wrap from the top of the crack around to the bottom. Voila! The door trim cracks are hidden and it doesn't look bad at all. The leather come in many colors. I bought black and a light grey for for the seats in my '04 Avalanche.

[@OhYeaMista]

I just picked up a 99 Formula M6 without the WS6. I agree the regular hood looks awesome and they actually seem to be less common than the WS6. Nice ride, man.

[@beardedreviews]

Totally agree! And thankyou man! Congrats on your find!

[@OhYeaMista]

@@beardedreviews the love for the hood is nuts. My car with the ws6 would have probably sold for $10,000 more. The regular LS1 is a steal

[@JamieCouchman-w7r]

I just got an 02’ eighty thousand mile maple red metallic Trans Am convertible that I’m enjoying around here in Eufalua Oklahoma. She’s been a pleasure to run around here locally in . Every once in a while, I’ll take her for a trip over to McAllester out on hwy 69 and the traffic around here is always very light. It’s really been a fun car to drive around here in .I don’t really put many miles on here but I did drive her down to DFW once and I couldn’t believe how good of fuel mileage I got going there.

[@donaldcurtis9229]

I got a 97 Firebird Formula built to the hilt all the bells and whistles love that car got 84 Trans Am original owner 42,883 Mi on it fully loaded

[@firebird5288]

Awesome. Love these cars. Well maintained ones can be hard to find for a decent price. A lot of these cats, V6 and V8 were beat to crap. I searched for l years for a nice TA and couldn't find one that didn't have a ridiculous price attached to it. I kept running across well maintained, low mileage V6 birds and decided to switch my efforts and came across a loaded 98 Y87 Firebird. The guy who owned it before me kept it in a climate controlled garage for over 20 years, drove it only on nice summer days and only washed it once...the day I buoght it. Aside from a few chips on the front, the paint is a 9/10 and the leather interior is mint 10/10. No door or dash cracks, the interior still smells new and the chrome rims are near flawless. Whomever ordered this car ordered it loaded with 49 options when new. I didn't know V6 Firebirds came with a performance package, which is everything a TA comes with minus the V8. My V6 Firebird handles just as well as my 96 Trans Am. I should make a video on it...but then, being a V6 one usually only gets bashed. No matter how mint the car is.

[@beardedreviews]

you should definitely make a video on it. I think people are coming around to V6 engines, especially if it was the 3800 or one of the really cool ones

[@HTX_ROME]

Yes that’s normal for the headlights. Keep the leather and plastics conditioned and out of the sun and it’ll be a great car. Drivetrain wise the 4l60 trans will do good as long as you keep it stockish and don’t have a heavy foot.

[@beardedreviews]

Yea I was wondering about the good ol 4l60. I just drive regularly, I'm not a speed demon anymore. Hopefully the previous owner didn't have a cement foot either

[@solidtenpin]

I bought my Sebring Silver 2002 TA in 2004, and have daily driven it since. I'd never part with it. From what I've heard they made less base model Trans Am's in 2002 than WS-6's. I did swap my hood out with a Suncoast Raptor though, looks more like an aggressive Firehawk hood.

[@jackcarroll8709]

I have the same car but the WS6 version that you don't prefer - to each his own ! The headlights are the same too with the same sound level just like rockjay81 said. I had one door crack so I used a Coverlay overlay that fits perfectly on the Captain side and removed the staples on the drinker side before the crack appeared - no one has notice the difference! Both look as new. and no one can the difference. I hope you enjoyr you car. for years to come.

[@beardedreviews]

Ok yea I'll probably leave the lights alone until they break or something. They make panel overlays for our door panels??

[@bradleylovej]

@@beardedreviews Also, they will break! Lol. They sound fine now, so I wouldn't worry about them. But window motors and headlight motors always go out on these and have to be replaced every, idk, like 5-10 years. I've had two of these (currently a 2000 Ws6 black A4), and had to replace window and headlight motors on both. It's no big deal. Takes a couple hours and a new motor is like $100.

[@jarrisonmartin5196]

You should bring it to Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge. May30th-June 2nd. All proceeds go to St. Judes

[@patientmental875]

$16k is still high for that car but thats just how it is. Not that long ago thats an $8k-$10K car, insane how much the market is on even beaters now! Theres a 95 Trans Am with 190k miles for $14,995 with 8 owners on Edmunds right now lol

[@bradleylovej]

It is nuts. I remember the days when 12k was for the best ones in immaculate condition, decent ones were like 7-8k, and all kinds of 4-5k ones. But I think the market on these was going up before the pandemic hit. I know the prices of all cars have gone through the roof, but this is my generation's classic. As the people who were teenagers when these cars were new get into their mid 30s to 40s, the price on these T/As is only going to go up. People love these cars. And with good reason!

[@patientmental875]

@@bradleylovej I paid $1200 for a clean 76 T/A in 1995, times have certainly changed

[@wigletron2846]

A lot of those cars aren't actually selling for those prices though. People just ask high and see what happens.

[@blakechambers56]

I have a 97 2 99s and a 2000. I love them all

[@michaelm3381]

I love it! I've owned fourth gen Firebirds since 1999 and currently have 4. Headlights sound normal. I'm looking for more videos.

[@beardedreviews]

Nice!! Thanks for the reassurance. You have any idea about the max mileage on these if they're well taken care of?

[@michaelm3381]

@@beardedreviews my 1999 TA has 145,000 miles and runs fine. I've heard the LS1 engine can go 300,000 miles. The national Corvette museum in Kentucky has a C5 Corvette on display with 700,000 miles. Routine maintenance is a good idea.

[@beardedreviews]

@@michaelm3381 Man it would be kinda cool to get like half a million miles out of one. But you just never know how good the previous owner maintained it :(

[@michaelm3381]

@@beardedreviews I'd be afraid of all the rock chips i would get. At the rate you put miles on a vehicle, it should last for years.

[@silver8tundra]

I have had several Birds and they are great. Currently have a 99 WS6 and yea loud headlights are normal. If starts growing your motor gear is going bad. Factory ones are plastic

[@stephenmazak7028]

The WS6 hood remains me of the second generation Formula Firebird not an T/A , I been a Pontiac driver since 73 first 67 GTO and about 16 cars later 79 Formula . I been thinking about getting a 99 / 02 with that hood and cut in a snorkel as of the old T/As . 😊

[@FoolsAmongUs]

I have a '98 Firebird...opening and closing those Headlights are a bit louder than mine, but that is not surprising.

[@beardedreviews]

Yea I think eventually I will need to refresh them

[@wob6776]

Real nice car. Smart choice going the middle route, low enough that even if it was beat on it's probably in pretty solid shape but not so low it's a museum piece. I have the same car, silver non-WS6 and all except it's a 98 and has C5 wheels. 156k but it's been fine so far. I gotta agree it looks way better without the ram air hood, even if we're in the minority. And yes, the headlights are about that loud. At least the clunks at the top and bottom of its movement, if you hear something in the middle that might be a bad sign.

[@bradleylovej]

Funny story about the hood: as a teenager I didn't really care about it at all. I just wanted the LS1 in a sexy black T/A. I could take or leave the hood. Fast forward 18 years and I bought a 2000 black Ws6, and as I was showing it off to my dad he walked around the car like three times and said, "Mm, mm, mm, that hood really makes that car. Man, what a good-looking car!" I about fell over, hahaha.

[@jackcarroll8709]

Search for Coverlay 18-72-BLK - Door Panel Inserts Like I said the rest of the panel was perfect so this matches the black plastic and it's perfect. You don't have to remove the original door car if you don't want to.

[@beardedreviews]

Nice!! Thanks man, I will look into those!

[@cyclonekevin6199]

Those 4th gen Transam’s are cool

[@unexpectedbros9072]

140k-170k miles TA or going for 8-12k, and WS6 with those miles are going for 10-14k! the prices are high on these bad boys

[@beardedreviews]

I would look around on marketplace and try sites like autotempest and cargurus. You should be able to find much less expensive ones

[@unexpectedbros9072]

cheapest 1999-02 TA with nationwide search on autotempest is 11k with 126k miles.... lol unfortunately they are not cheap anymore@@beardedreviews

[@AMF96]

I’m currently selling my Rebuilt Title 02 TA WS6 with 89k original miles and auto trans. I’m asking $7,500 and open to reasonable offers. I’ve had a bunch of low ballers and people telling me I’m asking way too much. But heck I’ve seen LS1 engines and transmissions selling for $5,000-$7,000 just for the engine and transmission alone.

[@bambers1313]

198000 miles original owner 2000 black TransAm. LS1 forever!!!

[@beardedreviews]

gotta love it!!

[@elongnutz2531]

First 9 seconds answered the question

[@elvisfreshly5571]

That's a cool machine. Nice buy man

[@beardedreviews]

It's the best!! :)

[@bradleylovej]

@@beardedreviews They really, really are

[@EvansWS6]

LOL! i have a 05 ESV platnium edition and came across your video with the fog light mod and then off to the side after i subscribed to you i seen this video lmaooo. i also have a trans am, but mines a WS6 but still. Seems we have similar taste in cars lol Glad i subbed. Mine just hit 69k miles, 01.

[@beardedreviews]

I always wondered what the platinum editions came with that's different from the regular models? And yea, I think we got good taste, bud :)

[@cityking8951]

Nice! I have a 99 model. Do u think those Halo headlights u put on the Camaro will fit these vehicles ? Oh yeah , my headlights not that loud when closing

[@MrThatguywatchingyou]

That’s crazy we own the same cars around the same time had my third gen Camaro first and then got a trans am too

[@beardedreviews]

You got great taste!

[@krisi.2011]

I love the manuals ws6 or 1997 camaro ss my dream as a kid.

[@beardedreviews]

they're great cars

[@LIVEMUSICJUNKIE916]

If you can track one down, the Firehawk hood is perfect

[@beardedreviews]

I'll have to check out what those hoods look like!

[@tylerdirden3416]

Can't believe you DIDN'T get a WS.6, and then can't believe you sold a LC500 for a 02 TA. But i do love my 01 WS.6 NBM M6 (65K miles), due to it being the last real fbody "musclecar" GM produced,. I say that due to like you said the rawness of a LS1 w/ a straight axle and not a lot of electronics, but the car does ride like a go kart imo due to not having IRS but I'm on stock suspension for the time being. Its a good reliable car, but the headlights are just loud and you'll know when you need new gears. Window motors suck, as well as the BCM module( needs soldering with time), & the sail panel bubbles but overall these cars are bulletproof imo with routine maintenance. Why or what did you not like about your LC500?

[@beardedreviews]

I really just don't like the snorkel hood on the WS6 cars, and I'm not corner carving or anything. I just use my cars for daily errands and stuff. The LC was amazing, and I ended up getting 3 cars and a 4 post lift from what I made on my LC when selling it. The LC is amazing and so reliable, but insurance on it is bonkers and I needed a break from having to stop and talk to people wherever I went about the car.

[@autogeek23]

you might be one of the few people that does not like the WS6 hood. i do feel like my superhawk hood makes the car lop sided. was kee audio worth it? i still have the stock system. Clean ta!!

[@danhealyeverythingoutdoors7105]

Very nice ! Where's the best place to shop for one ?

[@316Speedshop]

When u going to let me get some wrench time in with u bro... Got to let me repay you for doing that free video for me back in the day. I'm a beast with cars bro that was my true love way before music.

[@beardedreviews]

dude whenever you want. You still have my number or IG?

[@BOOT]

Was just looking at a 96 TA Lt1 car. That was suppose to be low mileage and a good price But the mileage was not legit, so i had to pass.

[@MrGameNfit]

What seals are you referring to? Im looking at one right now with 48,000 miles. Guy has owned it for 15 yrs and in the last 2 yrs hasnt driven it more than 600 miles so i have concerns about that type of stuff. Any tips would be helpful thanks!

[@beardedreviews]

rear main, axle bearings, oil pan, stuff like that. Rubber seals that turn brittle and crack when they don't have fluids pumping around them to keep them "hydrated"

[@camarosilverado7416]

My corvette headlights were LOUD too

[@beardedreviews]

These old GM plastic gears for everything lol

[@camarosilverado7416]

Oh ya! But man they look cool!

[@TehGoldd]

Hows peoples reactions to this car compared to the lc now that youve owned it for longer

[@beardedreviews]

I don't drive it as much as I did the LC. I get reactions, but only from car people. The LC used to get attention from everybody

[@LIVEMUSICJUNKIE916]

Yes they are that loud

[@beardedreviews]

thankyou!

[@alh5470]

the ram air in the rearview mirror.. that thing is about to eat you.

[@raycadbury]

Good advice until the hood commentary. Anti WS6 hood thoughts are not permitted on youtube

[@beardedreviews]

Lol well too bad. I also would rather drive an automatic. How's it feel being wrong? :)

[@blakechambers56]

Put you a cam in it and stall. Tune and have some fun

[@beardedreviews]

I'm just going to keep it original in the motor dept. It's plenty fast for me, I just use it for running errands

[@elongnutz2531]

Buy a 94-97 for like 1500-4500 and swap lq4 in it

[@GaryKing-o1t]

Should have held out for a manual transmission ws6

[@beardedreviews]

I don't like the WS6 hood, and I'm not a huge manual fan either. I like them more in trucks than cars honestly

[@GaryKing-o1t]

I had a muscle car in high school so I had to go that route

[@stanleyroberts6669]

I Don't Understand," Everyone Knows or Should Know that When You Buy a Car these days & back 10 or 15 yrs ago. If You Have an OBD2 Scanner, You'll be able to check Mostly every a Car Does. nuff-said 😮

[@beardedreviews]

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here

[@IBleedMercuryOfficial]

Is this the pewter finish?

[@oldv1288]

To drive the price up.

[@beardedreviews]

of...?

[@jondoh3471]

Eh nice car. Btw, can you loan me $500 for school?

[@beardedreviews]

lol nice try