The daughter just drove off in her "new" car. We have looked at every sub $2500 car in the state, but they were all too ugly (Taurus), two boring (Camery), or too small (Miata and every other econo-box). 
After two months of searching and putting it off she finally found the car she wanted. I told her she could pick it as long as it wasn't a Chrysler made in the last 20 years or anything made in Europe. (sorry guys no project BMWs for her 
) Her final choice was a 95 Camaro for $1500 with a 3.4L and a 5 speed in forest green. I never figured her for a Camaro fan, but she loves it. It has no power options so none of the annoying little things are broken. Even the A/C will freeze you out.
I spent yesterday afternoon teaching her how to drive a manual. That was frustrating for both of us, but she finally got it and the clutch even survived.
We bought it in Myrtle Beach so I got to drive it the two hours back home. I was pleasantly surprised. The engine has plenty of power for a college kid. With the cruise set at 65 the engine is loping along at 2000 rpm and will actually accelerate from there. It also pulls reasonably well from 1500 turns all the way to the 5500 redline. It handles and rides better than I figured it would for having 140K miles on it. The engine was replaced 50K ago. Hopefully it will survive the next four years.
The other thing that surprised me was the insurance was substantially cheaper than I thought it would be. When she first suggested a Camaro I told her there was no way I could afford the insurance. With the 6cyl and 5 speed insurance isn't any worse than insuring a Civic. Go figure.
This weekend she gets to help me give it a tune up. I think I'll let her change the back plugs. 
Next Friday she is off to her freshman year in college. And then there were two. 
How can something be so great and so sucky at the same time.
We had a V6 Camaro at a test back in the mid '90s, and it was a surprisingly capable car.
My brother had a '95 Camaro 3.4 w/ 5-speed. That car was quick for a sixer. I think GM could have gotten more out of that engine.
TJ
SuperDork
8/6/10 9:03 p.m.
HappyJack wrote:
Now I want one.
A camaro or a college-aged daughter?
Morbid
Reader
8/6/10 9:07 p.m.
I am still in denial that my toddler and pre-schooler will ever be adults.
Back to the car, a good friend of mine had a '95 V6 Camaro in high school and it wasn't too bad of a car.
mtn
SuperDork
8/6/10 9:57 p.m.
Cool! That will be a pretty good college car. My RA had one last year with a V8, and he loved it because he never had to be the DD--not enough people could fit!
HappyJack wrote:
Now I want one.
I know the feeling. I have been cruising craigslist ever since.
I just want the engine to build a Brunton Stalker around. But then I get to thinking I have to have the superchraged 3.8 instead...
Josh
Dork
8/6/10 10:18 p.m.
Toyman01 wrote:
HappyJack wrote:
Now I want one.
I know the feeling. I have been cruising craigslist ever since.
Are you still talking about college-aged girls?
Josh wrote:
Toyman01 wrote:
HappyJack wrote:
Now I want one.
I know the feeling. I have been cruising craigslist ever since.
Are you still talking about college-aged girls?
I don't want a college aged girl. They can't buy their own beer.
Kia_racer wrote:
I don't want a college aged girl. They can't buy their own beer.
You're right, they EARN their beer thumbsup here
So are you going to snare the Falken Azenis off the RX7/Thunder Terd so she can run it at the next AX?
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:
My brother had a '95 Camaro 3.4 w/ 5-speed. That car was quick for a sixer. I think GM could have gotten more out of that engine.
they replaced the 3.4 with the 3.8 in the 96 model year- which made the base Camaro with a 5 speed as fast as a Mustang GT, and the 3.8 even got better mileage than the 3.4 it replaced-and the Mustang GT it just beat..
mtn wrote:
Cool! That will be a pretty good college car. My RA had one last year with a V8, and he loved it because he never had to be the DD--not enough people could fit!
one of the best reasons to send your son or daughter off to school in something like that. You know they are not going to be driving all their friends all over the world in their car.
The bad reason.. they are going to be riding in somebody else's car all over the damn place
