The third-generation Pontiac Firebird and its corporate sibling, the Camaro, showed signs of trending upwards in price over the last few cycles. However, prices seem to have stabilized for cars that haven’t been sitting in the garage under a cover with delivery miles only, so you can get into a clean, driver-quality example with the right equipment for reasonable money. This 1990 Pontiac Firebird Formula 5-speed listed here on eBay is how I’d try to get into one if I was in the market, as it’s the purest – and most affordable – example of a 3rd-gen model. A 5.0L V8 and a stick? Yes, please.
Bidding is currently at $5,500 with the reserve unmet. While I’m sure we’re only halfway or so to the reserve, anything under $20,000 feels like a fair deal to me. Recent sales of note show a general range of $10,000 – $15,000 for clean examples, which is still incredibly reasonable in today’s market. When the 3rd-generation models first emerged, there was obviously some disappointment in the malaise-era performance. GM engineers worked to continuously improve the engine lineup, with some truly collectible models emerging like the turbocharged Trans Am. However, don’t sleep on models like this one that didn’t grab the headlines. The seller notes this clean Firebird with the rare and desirable 5-speed manual has only 25,850 miles.
By the time the Formula arrived in 1990, the 305 V8 produced 170 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s a shame the horsepower figure wasn’t a touch higher, but it’s still decent for the era. The engine compartment is clean and shows no signs of modifications, but if you wanted to bump that performance figure up, plenty of aftermarket parts exist to help improve acceleration without making it into an over-the-top hot rod. Headers, exhaust, and an intake system would all be subtle upgrades that could be easily reversed in the future; I would also throw on some Bilstein or Koni shocks to firm up handling.
The 16-inch Hi-Tech Turbo wheels are still some of the best-looking alloys Pontiac has put on a car, and they fill out the wheel arches perfectly. It’s always nice to see a Firebird or Camaro in a color that isn’t red or black, and the white paint appears to be in fine shape. The Formula graphics still look crisp as well. The seller notes it recently passed the stringent California smog test and that the A/C and heat still work as intended. This is a car I doubt you’ll ever lose money on, especially if it stays mostly stock. Do you think the third generation Camaro/Firebird is still a bargain in the enthusiast car marketplace?
The driver’s seat shows much wear for less than 26k miles.
Carpet shows the same wear. Dirty
Very nice example but I’m with A.G. on this one. What happened to the drivers seat? Not into the white with very light cloth interior color. Single exhaust didn’t help either. Desirable 5 speed is a plus. White paint just isn’t aggressive enough for me.
Lavery I recall GM having a hotter 5.0 offering than this before 90′. Was it the port injection 305 ? It was up over 200hp but my memory is foggy. Always loved the Formula model, and the 5sp in them was a real bonus.
Yes, it was TPI, those are by far, the more desirable engines in the later 1980’s and early-1990’s. That’s where the interest will be directed in the future.
Steve R
interesting the bell housing is orange. neat piece for sure. definitely buyers for these for sure
GM used terribly cheap seat covers on these cars. They faded thanks to sun blasting through the t tops. Getting in and out wore them thin. A fact of life. The undercarriage is very clean, something we don’t see here in northern PA, the land of salt covered roads
Love the 3rd gen. of these. Never cared for the ones after that too much.
Looks really clean and the 5spd is definitely a plus. As others mentioned, the driver’s seat wear for a car with this low a mileage is concerning but it could be due to just the quality of the fabrics GM was using at the time. I would hope that the seller has documentation to prove the mileage he’s stating.
I agree the seat looks more like 120k. Looking at the frame rails and pinch welds the bottom looks abused. The way that lift is set he’s lucky the whole car didn’t make a sudden slide to the floor! Over all though, it seems like a nice car and the third pedal is a plus.
They suck to work on , especially fuel pump, anybody out there ever replaced one…
yes, i have done several on my 43-yr tour of duty in the repair field. i don’t want to do another nor would i buy 1 of these just for that reason
A few things look off on it. It should have a stripe between the body color and the black lower part. That air cleaner lid is not original and is from an ’83-84 car. It has that weird orange bell housing as somebody pointed out. It has a Flomaster muffler. All of this is a little bit strange for a car with this low mileage. I know a lot of these got modified on Day 2, but most people inclined for speed back in those days would have sprung for one of the TP.I engines, not the base TBI L03 as this one has.
Ordered a Firebird Formula in Maui Blue 1990, GM would give you $110 off if you requested car in single color rather then 2 tone black on bottom. I’d guess at least 1/3 these came w/o pinstripe and Black on bottom. I did same with 80-90’s Pickups and Blazers, I always had them built one solid color
Back in 1989, I bought a Formula Firebird that looked almost identical to this one. My car was a stick, too. The difference between mine and this one, besides the one year difference, was mine was a TPI! Yep. I walked into the dealership and said I wanted either a Formula 350 or a 305 TPI 5 speed. He said, “We’ve got two TPI 5 speeds on the lot”. They had a blue one and the white one, both with the lower striping. I took the white one. Ran a best of 14.95 bone stock in the quarter. Not fast by today’s standards, but fit right in back in ’89. I looooooved that car! Unfortunately, I was 18 and was paying more monthly for my insurance than I was for the car, so I ended up selling it. Never saw it again. I’d love to find another, but finding an ’89 TPI 5 speed is no easy feat, I’m sure. Looking back, I really would’ve liked having a 5.0/5 speed mustang notchback, too. I probably could’ve afforded that! :)