Chevrolet Camaro or Pontiac Firebird

Model years: 19822002,These cars refusal to die is not necessarily a function of inherent reliability. Its the sheer bullheadness of their owners, aging children of the ?60s and ?70s, who still want to drive a twodoor American sport coupe with a V8 and rearwheeldrive and no way is it going be a Mustang (because that would be a Ford.) They cant afford a new Camaro (or other new, hot sportcoupe offerings, such as the Dodge Charger R/T). And they cant afford pony cars from the actual musclecar era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which are now only for wellheeled collectors. So that leaves the FBody cars, in conditions ranging from impeccably polished to primer gray. Theyre an aspirational ride of sorts, says Bob Merlis, creator of the blog Feral Cars, which tracks old and interesting (but not showquality) vehicles. People always preserve them. Theyre the ?Im going to get around to [fixing] it kind of car. They dont get crushed. Another factor in their favor: Used parts are abundant, given how many of these were put into a ditch early in their lives due to youthful indiscretions.