1988 Camaro Questions

[Canuck5056]

I recently called about a 1988 Camaro, 305 TBI, T-tops, and it sounds pretty good. Its listed as 2900 Canadian.

The info I've gathered so far is...

It's not an Iroc or a Z28, so I'm guessing it's the regular Coupe. It suposedly runs great and looks real good. No rims or CD player, it's standard, and the clutch was just replaced.

That's what I've gathered so far. I'm calling back in an hour (I talked to the owners son, so he didn't know everything I wanted to know). The things I'm going to ask about are mileage, rust, condition of interior, exterior, and mechanically, accidents, any other replacements, and if this is the first time the clutch has been replaced.

I think I somebody told me Camaro stock clutches usually blow out somewhere in the 100,000-200,000 range, I can't remember the exact number, think it was like 125k. Is this true? I'm hoping it is, because 125k km, roughly, would be a pretty good amount.

So I have a couple 88 305 standard specific questions:

1) How is it on gas? Obviously it's going to be pure crap if I'm a lead foot, but otherwise...
2) How is it reliability wise?
3) How powerful/fast is it?
4) How's the handling?
5) What are some problems that typically go wrong with it?
6) What other questions should I ask?

I'm sure there's other stuff I've forgotten. Just any info you can give me on the 88 would be great.

[tacoma man.]

it should be a RS (rallysport), the 305 tbi is great on gas, mine was, i have a 90 that had a 305 tbi,
was excellent on gas, it also has pretty good power
mine had a 5 speed too that helps, handlings good too, but it all depends on the persons that had her last, if they took care of the car, check it out before you buy it, make sure the oil is good and clean, my car was owned by an older couple that got the car new so i lucked out. but im pretty sure that the car should be a RS coupe.

[Canuck5056]

Thanks for your reply. Good on gas period, or good on gas in relation to other Camaros/powerful cars? My dad says his 79 Cutlass is a 305 and its horrible on gas, so I'm guessing the TBI has something to do with that. I didn't quite catch what he said but it sounded like throttle by fuel injection...I'm guessing he actually said/meant throttle body injection.

Guys still not home, I'll probably have to talk to him tommorow, hopefully.

BTW, does anyone know of a good car review site with specific years? I've been using carsurvey.org but it only has one 1988 review of a non-Iroc.

[tacoma man.]

well 79 cutlass probally a 4 barrel carburator, 88 camaro 305 throttle body fuel injection. the only way this car is going to have bad gas mileage is if its wore out. mine did use gas there for a while but after i changed the oxygen sensors, i figured it up and i was getting 24 miles to the gallon, my 4 cylinder tacoma gets 27 mpg, so whats that tell ya.

[Canuck5056]

Guy called back and it doesn't look to good. The car sounds like its in fairly good shape, but its got 200k km on it, which is just asking for trouble. He also said there is some surface rust and it would need to be painted in the next few years.

Kind of a dissapoinment, it sounded like it might turn out good. Camaros are so damn hard to find around here.

[lone wolf]

so what its got 200km on it thats like what 145 in usa if its cheap than buy it and fix it up a bit but. thats just me

[Canuck5056]

I would but I really know virtually nothing about cars so I wouldn't be able to fix it up unless I got someone to do it for me, which would be pricy and time-consuming.

[lone wolf]

true i did not know that can't work on cars sorry

[Dober89]

Bah 200k is nothing mines got almost 280k on it and still doesnt burn oil and the drivetrain has never been opened up yet.