1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 173 V6 from North America

Summary:

A nice muscle car with great looks

Faults:

Drivers side seat is ripped.

Needs bodywork, and a new floor.

T-tops leak like crazy!

Needs a paint job.

Needs an exhaust, from the cat back.

Needs a headliner.

General Comments:

Pretty gutsy for a V-6.

Runs great for a car with almost 200,000 KM on it!

Interior was in great shape.

Great dashboard, with really original red lights instead of the usual green.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd May, 2003

3rd Aug 2004, 01:13

Trans Am only came with a V6 in 1989, never was a V6 model in 1984. You have been duped...

20th Dec 2004, 11:17

That's not good but it could have been worse. Indeed, the line up began with a four cylinder (?!) 2.5 liter effort with throttle body injection, next up was the V6. This is what you have old chap. It's a 2.8 litre V6 and if you say it's gutsy, it could be the 135hp injected model (did that exist in 84?)

If so that's ten horses down from the base Trans Am anyway, it was only 145!

10th Apr 2008, 23:35

Re-guarding the T-TOPS on these fbodies leaking, if the rubbers are OK then you must make sure the two ends of the black strip down the middle on the out side of the roof are 100% sealed, not even a pin hole.

If the rubbers are good then that's the only place it can leak from.

1984 Pontiac Firebird 350 from North America

Summary:

Firebird's Are The Best!

Faults:

Well, I just bought the car and I knew it needed a bit of work, come on its 19 years old! anyway, the body is in near perfect condition, one fender has a bump. The interior is perfect except for the labels on the auto Shifter.

The Tranny has a leak which is nothing major, can easily be fixed.

Needs basic tune up.

Missing air filter when I got it.

General Comments:

Oh God! My last car was a piece of junk v4 Mercury from 1988... This Firebird has a 350 v8 (was originally a v6) and a new Tranny. If you are looking at these reviews to see if you should buy a firebird, BUY IT! My god, This thing has got so much power I can't go 5 minutes without thinking about my car. The ONLY Problem with this beautiful, high power, excellent handling machine is that it's a hog :P Very bad on gas, but what can you expect from a 350 from an older car? No one buys a firebird for fuel economy! haha, oh well... Anyway, this car gets an 11/10!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th May, 2003

1984 Pontiac Firebird 2.8 V-6 from North America

Summary:

I like the way it feels, looks and handles

Faults:

Fuel pump failed at 85000 miles and again at 245000 miles.

Replaced the radiator at 200000 miles.

Water pump failed at 210000 miles.

Replaced the brake rotors at 240000 miles.

Installed a new starter at 190000 miles.

I have replaced the alternator three times since I have owned the car.

The clutch has been replaced twice, once at 120000 and again at 210000 miles.

Power steering pump went out at 210000 miles.

Oil sending unit failed at 170000 miles.

General Comments:

The car handles so well that it has gotten me out of trouble several times.

Since I drive 50 miles round trip to work every day, the 28 miles per gallon I get out of the 2.8 is a great benefit.

This is the best car that I have ever owned and can't believe the service that I have gotten out of it.

It has been very economical to maintain and drive.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th December, 2001

1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SE 305 High Output 4BBL from North America

Summary:

It's a dog

Faults:

Rear end replaced at 65,000 miles.

Brakes (disc all-around), replaced numerous times. Cost: approx.$1,700.00

Transmission replaced at 120,000. Cost $1,859.00.

Clutch replaced at 120,000. Cost $680.00.

Replaced the radiator 3 times. Cost $260.00+ (each time).

Electrical system faults. Never completely identified or fixed, resulting in power window problems, door lock, and radio problems.

Steering gear box replaced at 135,000 miles. Cost $675.00.

Power steering unit replaced twice.

Fan on the radiator replaced twice. Electric fan.

Extensive body rot began at 6 years after manufacture, even though the car was in Florida.

Headlights were often "stuck" in the down position.

The glass "T" top leaked.

Left window was "dragging" itself to the "up" position, leaving rubber "drag" marks on the glass.

Most mechanics had trouble trying to "fix" the braking system.

The emergency brake was useless, not stopping the car within a reasonably safe distance.

I had trouble finding brake parts such as rotors and calipers.

The engine was not burning oil, but was leaking it onto the exhaust system.

These were internal gasket leaks.

It was virtually impossible to find a replacement exhaust system for the 1984 model year, in 1995. I was told I would have to go an have a customized system made up at 3 times the cost of a stock system!

In 1998 both the engine and transmission were making loud 'banging' noises.

Most mechanics failed to tune up the car properly, and I often drove it away not much better than when I drove it in to be repaired.

Even though the car did "did out" fairly quick, it was a lot of fun driving the car when it had low miles on it. The power and acceleration were scary to someone not used to driving such a powerful car. Even when the car had the transmission fixed at 120,000 miles, the head mechanic told me the car had "one fine engine in it"! I agreed.

Also, the leather seat on the driver's side fell apart at 85,000 miles, due to extensive cracks in it. They were Recaro Bucket seats. The seats were very comfortable and reassuring when cornering at high speeds.

General Comments:

The Trans Am is the most powerful American sports car in my book, although Corvette owners would disagree. The thing with the Trans Am is, unlike the Corvette, the Trans Am transmission and rear end are properly geared for quick, powerful accelerations. 'Vette owners rarely "jump-on-it", simply due to the fact their inherent defects in the transmission and rear end have never been dealt with! Powerful engines are nothing without properly geared transmissions and rear ends. Perhaps this is why the Pontiac transmissions fail so often, due to the fact it's too irrestible "not" to jam on the acceletator! But playing with the car means paying for the thrill, and it doesn't come at a cheap cost, either.

No Corvette ever beat my Trans Am, except 2 other newer Trans Ams. A cpuple of new Ford Mustangs held onto my tail pretty good, but couldn't get up that little extra oomph to pass me on a open road. The Trans Am was excellent on climbing hills in mountainous regions.

People always seemed to take it personal when my Trans Am beat them.

After all it's just a car, and now that I'm older and wiser I'd never own one of the things again, especially with the gas prices and insurance costs.

Somebody told me in an auto parts store I might be able to get my Trans Am to run if I bought 2 other ones for spare parts. I reluctantly agree with that! These cars are going the way of the dinosaurs, and thank goodness for that. Highways aren't places to play games when 50,000 a year lose their lives on them. Today I happy with my little fuel efficient 4 cylinder car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd September, 2001

27th Jan 2002, 00:43

I tend to thoroughly disagree with the review written. I own an '84 Trans Am very similar to the one in the review with all the same options. I currently have 185,000 on my car and the only thing that has gone bad on my car is the alternator and starter (typical items). It sounds to me that the person who had originally purchased the car before you had abused this car to a great deal, this is the only way I can see there being such a huge difference between the two cars. Of the few people that I know that own a Trans Am within a few years of 1984, they have also only had very minor occurrences of their Trans Am's breaking, usually the obvious stuff (new brakes, burnt headlight, starter, etc.)

1984 Pontiac Firebird 2.8 Litre V6 from North America

Summary:

A great car! No doubt about it!

Faults:

I have had to re-adjust the choke and clean the carborator, just some things that come with age! The car has been very, very well taken care of before I bought it, and it shows!

General Comments:

An amazing car! It moves very quick, it's got some power in this little 2.8 Litre, and it is very comfortable!

There is nothing better than driving on a hot summer day with the T-tops open!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th July, 2001

17th Oct 2002, 16:08

Hey I am impressed that your fire-bird does good... but I wish that mine had the results that yours has. I have an '84 bird and it has the power of an old moped...

1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 5.0 HO 305 cubic inch from North America

Summary:

A chick magnet

Faults:

The warst thing that happened was I blew a power steering hose.

General Comments:

It has a hard 2nd gear scratch.

The top speed I've hit is 130mph.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 23rd May, 2001

18th Jun 2001, 20:20

I am 17 years old and just changed over the ownership as of today although I'm not putting mine on the road till xz year. Your rating of this car is exactly as I would have put it, the reason I'm not putting it on the road is because of insurance, and it needs work that I can't afford. Glad I stumbled on your page.

24th Aug 2014, 20:09

I have a 1984 that runs great. I'm in Trenton Ontario. Rock on.

1984 Pontiac Firebird 350 from North America

Summary:

All self built and runs low 10s on the track

Faults:

Nothing other than normal (brakes, brake lines, just little things like that).

General Comments:

Started out with a 2.8 liter which had some steam, but not enough, traded it for a beefed up 350 from a 69 Vette.

With the right motor and a set of 3 inch side pipes, it is one bad ride.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th March, 2001