Performance, Looks, Interior layout, reliability for a sports car, Price tag, surprising gas mileage(21-23mpg city).

High insurance rates :)

This car is absolutely the biggest bang for the buck on the market today and is only meant for the true automotive enthusiast. Its biggest competition, performance wise, are cars which cost twice as much. As for reliability, I have not heard of any major problems with the 2000+ model years. The 98 and 99 model years, for both the Vette and F-bodys, were difficult because GM was still working out the kinks with the LS1. The engine is race proven and reliable now. I do not feel sad when I hear about the Firebirds demise. However, I do feel sad that there are more commuters, which lead to its low sales numbers.

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1989 Firebird

Very fast, fun to drive, reliable, reasonable mileage (18 mpg in the city, 24 on the highway), gorgeous styling, practical enough (holds 4 people, runs OK in all weather), TONS of aftermarket equipment available for LT-1 engine.

Car makes you feel a bit conspicuous in traffic. Makes the urge to drive too fast virtually impossible to resist.

Bought car used in Dec 99 from a buddy. Only 30K miles. Best car I''ve ever owned (I''m 48 years old). Incredibly fun to drive, yet practical. Will hold 4 people plus luggage/packages, yet is faster than 98% of all other cars on the road. Car is now over 7 years old, and no mechanical problems. Still have complete original exhaust--yet car is driven in the winter, with salt on the streets. Can''t believe 2002 is last model year. No other car could possibly give you as much fun-to-drive, versus dollars spent (except Z-28 Camaro, which is virtually the same car.)

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Nothing I''ve ever driven comes close.

Looks.

everything is cheaply built. Money was the issue with this vehicle.

Still the same piece of crap i reported on before. Still the same problems at 15,750 miles as it had at 9800 miles. 2nd transmission, 2nd engine, both vibrate the car at 50 mph in 3rd. gutless with an automatic. problems with the air conditioner, console, horns, tires, front end. no help from the GM Resource center or the Better Business Bureau. It really is true. When buying a new car, let the buyer beware!!!! I will never ever buy another GM product. God help our military personnel overseas if GM is making products for them. The $ is the only thing important in their world.

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Mustang

Power Everything!!! Window rolling by just a click of a button. Great sound system. Leather interior. Adjustable lumbar and side supports. SIX SPEED!!!!

I haven''t noticed any.

Having this car for a little over a year, I don''t have any negatives for the car. I have been so happy with the performance of this car, I feel I can beat Night Rider and the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. Having the air induction system with the vehicle, I can feel the extra horsepower from the engine. To me, Pontiac rules!!!!

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I''ve used the 89 Firebird and driven an IROC Camaro.

With over 215,000 miles on the engine and not a rebuild yet, I guess ou could say that old chevy knows how to build ''em.Godd mechanically sound car.

Way too heavy of a car.Not enough power to take a pony car and ,face it , thats why we bought the damn thing.

Firebirds......hmmmm......Well Id like to say that I paid 500 bucks for this beast and it has over 215,000 miles on her.still runs strong with the 305 in it , did some cam , intake and exhaust work on it.The interior is cheap plasticy stuff , GOT TO GO!!Dont mess with a 5.0 in this car.I like the looks of the car(86) and cant complain much about anything except the guy who owned it before me.

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first gm product.

Handeling, styling, dependablity

Only a 2.8l, cancer due to the winter use of salt around Kentuckey.

Very dependable car. When i first bought it it was suffering from lack of maintanance. I installed a performance suspension from PST, and now the car sticks to the road like glue. Haven't yet expirienced over/under steer. Has that nice tight feeling to the handeling and ride. I absoluetly love the T-tops, don't have the body flex of a convertable, and yet can let it all hang out.

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1991 Mustang: Firebird looks much better and are more rare, giving it a greater WOW factor.

Looks great. People who are not car enthusiasts think it's a GT350 or a Lambourgini. Quick/Fast. Corners well compared to older muscle cars. Sixth gear is great on the highway. 90 MPH at 1700. Can be driven agressively with good mud/snow tires in the winter. My Mustang was all over the road. Good torque. In winter on ice, I can come off the line in third gear with no tire spin. Makes me smile every time I look at it and every time I drive it. Paint has held up. Looks brand new after six years. Chick's love it. Driving it makes this 46 year old feel like 18 every day of the week. Especially when blowing away BMW's.

Dealers can't fix this car. Breaks a lot when driven hard frequently. Parts are expensive. In one year I replaced the following: Distributor cap ($600.00), wires, plugs, distributor, fuel pump, fuel sending unit, water pump, air injection pump, transmission main bearings, clutch plates, turning signal assembly and rear end servicing. $10,000.00 + and at least a month in the shop due to GM's poor parts distribution channel.

Still, there is no car like it as far as bang for the buck goes. 1

In so many of the reviews, the owners call this car a sports car. Sorry folks it's an American muscle car. And for those who bought v6's, sorry that is not a firebird, it's a prairie chicken. When my 89 Mustang GT was payed for I didn't have to do much analysis before buying my Formula. 220 HP vs 275? No brainer! Kicks Mustang's butts. Looks better than most cars. Kick's most foreign cars butt's except the 200 grand plus ones. Of course those people don't know how to drive so I kick their butt's too! Decided to keep my 94 forever cause the 2000 + Firebirds look too greasy with the big hood scoop. Possibly a bad decision as I have spent $10,000 on the car in the last year. You play, you pay. I suggest that after the warranty is finished, drop the dealer. Get a specialist. GM does not know how to service this vehicle. I love the smell of burnt rubber in the morning!

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1989 Mustand GT. Looks better. Handles better. Faster. From a pure performce perspective the Mustang is more fun because it's harder to drive in a civialized manner. But the Formula is easy to transform into a Mustang killer. Just get the RPM's up and eat that Ford for breakfast!
1983 Z28. No comparison. The old muscle car's just are not close to the F body cars.
BMW's of any model. Never owned one, just kick their butt's anytime someone is stupid enough to challenge me.

FAST,Handles very well,Brakes very well,very solidly built chassis/body,great engine. OUTSTANDING styling.

Small interior as with ANY sports car I have ever seen.

Fast,Fun,Great styling,Great handling,Great brakes, I do not understand some earlier reviews of this car that complain about fit/finish or interior plastic, any car in the Firebirds price range is not going to have real wood or expensive interior appointments. I have owned THREE Firebirds the other two were V6 (3400 and 3800) and NEVER have had fit/finish problems with any of them. This car may be the most well made of any in the Pontiac line. By the way no TA owner can complain about the very nice leather ajustable bucket seats that are available for TA's.

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Have driven Ford Mustang, which is not in same league and Camaro/Firebird. o have driven

Incredible looks that get serious attention. Just knowing that you own a great legend of the road that not everybody has (hinting at that wimpy mustang).

Weakness and firebird cannot be used in the same sentence

If GM gets rid of this car, it will be the worst thing they could do. Ford would go crying all the way to the bank. My V6 packs a good punch, but I cannot wait until I can upgrade to the RAM AIR. It might be a little while, so you have to wait on me Pontiac. It racks my soul with inexpressible horror to think of putting this car in the barn yard. Oh wait GM, I have a good idea. If you advertise like you do all of those SUVs (what is that dumb Aztek, why do you advertise that instead of the firebird) maybe you would see your sales increase. I hope the person who throws this car in the trash, will burn in hell and suffer the pains of a damned soul.

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first car

Fast. Loud, get a nice muffler. comfortable interrior, good leg room.

steering, is hard on sharp corners, can be annoying.

Nice curves on front hood, and the flip up lights look cool. I really like the side views of this model. It is one of the nicest models I have seen of a firebird, especially, with a burgandy, paint, and very dark tinted windows has a good effect. It has a V6, 2.8L, 173 engine... It came with this special muffler that makes it sound like a V8... you couldnt tell... if it was a V6, without looking under the hood. Has 110,000 miles, and is 19 years old and is still a very good running car, with the original sparkling paint, was lucky to buy from someone who took good care of it. The only money I have put in to this car is for an oil change, air filter and gas. Runs very nice, and fast.

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first sports car.. don't know..