The notion of owning a “daily driver” revolves around the hazards, perils and pitfalls inherent in day-to-day commutes that put too much risk – and too many miles – on vehicles that are simply “too nice to drive,” or “too low-mileage to drive.”
The Pick of the Day, a 1991 Pontiac Firebird Formula, fits into that category, showing only 13,164 miles on the odometer and listed for sale by a private seller on ClassicCars.com in Newark, Delaware, who says the mileage is accurate. This car has been driven fewer than 500 miles per year over its 30-year lifespan.
Considering the fact that sports cars are designed with a focus on driving enjoyment as opposed to people-moving or cargo utility, it can be surprising when a low-mileage original such as this Firebird comes out of the woodwork. Versions of the phrase, “How did that not get driven?” seem to be a recurring theme in comment sections when a showroom-fresh vintage example hits an online marketplace, such as Classic Cars.com.
“I bought it from the original owner five years ago,” the seller says in the ad. “Only put 1,000 miles on it since I had it.”
The Firebird is described as being as nice as one would expect for such a low-miler, although the headliner and some other parts of the interior have been replaced and a console was installed. A repaired AM/FM/cassette player provides period-correct audio.
The third-generation Firebird launched for 1982 and ran for about a decade, sharing the General Motors’ F-body platform with its Camaro sibling. A refresh in 1991 brought about a restyled front end, a fiberglass wrap-around wing, and different taillights for certain models. Body styles were available in two-door liftback and two-door convertible form, and some came outfitted with removable T-tops.
Power for this coupe comes from a mechanically sorted “Tuned Port Fuel Injection” 240-horsepower 5.7-liter V8 mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission, and the drivetrain recently received replacement fuel injectors, fuel filter and spark plugs to freshen things up since the Firebird has been used so rarely throughout its life.
In addition, the Firebird’s brake calipers, tires and coolant have also been gone through, according to the seller.
This Firebird’s seller does have right idea about how best to enjoy and preserve a car that is this “new.” The ad concludes with, “I have two and this one is just too perfect for me to drive. I’ll drive the one with chips and scratches.”
Therein lies the key. This Firebird might be best offered as a package deal with the scratched-up version so that one can be on display as a museum piece, while the other can be driven without reservation.
The seller is asking $21,000 for this fresh F-body Firebird.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
A beaut. Unless you drove this to your prom—-I don’t see it.
Agreed
OMG!!! i had a red 91 it wasnt a formula tho i used to race Mustangs and beat them🤣 used to make them FORD boys cry🤣 good pick.
So you didn’t have 1
My cousin had the same year Firebird. I never liked sitting in the passenger seat due to the “ hump” in the floorboard because of the catalytic converter. Nice looking on the outside but the interior is still cheap looking.
Are you the real Petey?
It is under priced . I have a 1972 Pontiac luxury Lemans that I would not take less than $25,000 for. It has 57,000 total miles
This Formula is no luxury 2 dr Lemans!
Very nice car! Looking at it invokes many fond memories of a simpler time!
There’s a big difference between 72 & 91, 19-years to be exact, and you actually think it’s underpriced.
Some people don’t know their “horseflesh”.
I’m totally with you I wish I still had my 72 LeMans to this day the best car I ever had. It was my sweet 16 car and I never had my dad put it in my name. So when he was offered a good price by a guy who wanted to restore it she was gone. He paid my dad a lot more than the 400$ my dad had paid for it used. I cried for a to month.
Well that 72 pontiac lemans is a real pontiac with real pontiac v8 in it ..that 91 firebird does not have a pontiac engine thats a chevy engine .so i definetly ratger have the pontiaclemans . ive owned 5 pontiac lemans a gto …1970 gto..1972 lemans..1968 lemans convertable .1969 pontiac tempest.i want me another
What happened to the 1976& 77 Pontiac Grand Prix best cars I ever owned. Great T Tops better than a convertible. Styling and lines way before there time.
Had the same exact firebird! Gave it to myDaughter for her 16th Birthday! I also didn’t like the hump in the passenger floor. It was gray thou. Enjoyed it!!!
My Mom has a 92 Z28. Looked great but demons abound. Living in the snow filled sections of PA even the non metal pieces rusted. The seats were less comfortable then a folding chair. This is a great never driver but certainly in rare shape.
Many don’t know, but more comfortable 4th gen seats bolt right in without any modifications to car or seats.
I love Firebirds, since my 1st car was a 70 Z/28, but I just don’t think this car is so special or rare that it can’t be driven on occasion, but certainly not a daily driver. 91 & 92 was the end of the GTA and the 3rd gen Firebird & Camaro. Let’s face it, the front bumper cover and rear spoiler on the 91 & 92 were UGLY, and was sure to hurt sales considerably. And it’s not like it was a rare 91 (only 64) 1-LE T/A’s or 92 (only 25) 1-LE T/A’s, or even a rare 92 GTA in which they built only 508.
SHUT UP🤦
Right!!!!
The radio is an AM/FM CD Player shown in the car not a cassette player.not.sure if they even offered it for that year so for period correctness u may need to find a different radio.beautiful car though.
thinking they did but not sure becouse i had a 6 CD changer in mine i had a 1000 watt amp with a 10 in kicker.
“A repaired AM/FM/cassette player provides period-correct audio.”
Yet, all I see in the accompanying picture is an aftermarket AM/FM/CD head unit.
The front bumper cover and rear spoiler re-design on the 91 & 92 Firebird and GTA was just so UGLY! And they only made 508 GTA’s in it’s last year, so that car is very rare today, but the 91 Formula in the article is nothing real special other than the low miles and condition, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t drive it on occasion. I have the lowest mileage 89 TTA known to exist, with just 78 original miles on the odometer, this is a car that isn’t driven at all, bought from Bobby Unser in 2005 or 2006. It was given to Bobby by the PMD that year for driving 1 of 3 actual pace cars in the 89 Indy 500 race, it also was used for parade & festival duty that year with Bobby at the wheel, all confirmed by documentation by Jim Mattison at PHS. I paid just a bit more for it 15-years ago, than what this guy wants for this Formula today. Sorry, it’s overpriced in my book!
Shut up or get ran over, your choice.
I had one, 91 blue I had a 5.7 high output block put in. Due to 5.0 cracked engine block. Paint peeled very bad and rear end sucked but this is the typical GM performance.
Corvette,Camaro,And the rest of the 90’s and 2000’s👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎
GO MOPAR!!!!!
Mopars were terrible in the 80’90 and early 2k’s
The worse car Pontiac ever made. I would only do it if you gave me $25,000. If you took somewhere to the prom in this. It probably turned into a pumpkin at 12:00.
ut oh someones 🧂 must be a FORD lover🤣
Made me remember my 68 firebird convertible I bought after I got back from Nam—- oh how my ex-wife hated that car”
No t-tops and an automatic transmission? Pass.
Very nice thats my type of car