zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?
At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?-March 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:34

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

Today’s Trans Am may not turn you into either Burt Reynolds (R.I.P.) or Sally Field, but that doesn’t mean it won’t elicit fond memories of Smokey and the Bandit. Let’s see if this Firebird’s price is just as memorable.

I’ve always had a disconnect with Audi naming its TT model after the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race. That’s because whenever I envision the event, I picture two-wheel café racers and riders with lots of form-fitting leather. Mmm, leather.

There was no similar disconnect for most of you over last Friday’s and its aggressive $6,900 asking price. That, in fact, earned the car a solid 67 percent Nice Price win.

Naming cars after racetracks and racing series is a long tradition. Over the years we have seen cars named for the likes of Le Mans, Daytona and Monza, as well as IROCs and, of course, the Trans Am.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

The Trans Am was the hottest version of Pontiac’s edition of GM’s corporate pony car. And, while the Firebird was named for the Trans-American Championship road racing series, what the model is most likely remembered for is starring alongside Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason in ’70s good ol’ boy comedy, Smokey and the Bandit.

That was a black, T-topped second-generation coupe, and while today’s is both a different color and a convertible, it still rocks the model’s iconic screaming chicken decals, albeit in more subtle, modern form.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

This fourth (and last) generation car also rocks a 305 horsepower LS1 V8 and a six-speed stick making it far more of a rocket than the Bandit’s smog-strangled ’70s car.

The ad claims this Trans Am to be one of just 236 built. I don’t know where the seller is pulling that from since the only listing with that number that I can find in the is for the run of coupes in Bright Red.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

I think it’s sufficient just to acknowledge that they didn’t make a heck of a lot of Firebirds in the model’s waning years (apparently only 589 manual-equipped convertibles this model year). It’s also important to note that with both the model and the marque now having Xs on their eyes, there likely aren’t going to be any more of them ever again.

This one is claimed to come with a clear title, new old stock chromed alloy wheels and just 83,000 miles on the clock. The LS1 under the pointy prow is stock, although the ad notes that a Flowmaster exhaust has been added. It doesn’t go into detail as to how much pipe has, in fact, been laid.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

The bodywork appears clean and without major issues. Of course, you get a proper old-school sports car experience here via the pop-up headlights and convertible top. That top fits under an included flexible tonneau when dropped.

The cabin beneath that top also looks to be in decent shape, with no issues apparent other than the fact that these were not the best quality interiors GM could do back in the day. Still, you get most of the modern amenities, including a/c, airbags and power windows and locks. Mechanical pluses include traction control and ABS brakes, a feature that was apparently so notable that it was celebrated on the center cap of each wheel.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

Even if you’re not a fan of Smokey and the Bandit — and honestly, what’s up with that? — you still can appreciate the Trans Am as an important bit of American automotive history. The Firebird had played second fiddle to its Camaro platform-mate for years. That was until Burt Reynolds made it a cultural icon. Today it’s long gone, its Camaro cousin is almost an afterthought in the withering pony car class, and the Ford Mustang remains the car of choice for those wishing to exit their local Cars & Coffee in a dramatic and dangerous fashion.

Image for article titled At $14,999, Is This 1999 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am A Smokin' Good Deal?

Owning this Trans Am could upset that status quo. The question at hand, however, is whether it might be worth it is $14,999 asking price to do so. What’s your take: is this well-kitted Trans Am worth that much money? Or, does that price extinguish your interest in this Firebird?

You decide!

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, , or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Michael Beaty for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOND. Hit me up at and send me a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your Kinja handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $6,000, Could This Modded 1988 Nissan Pathfinder Show You The Way?
At $6,000, Could This Modded 1988 Nissan Pathfinder Show You The Way?
Over the course of its existence, Nissan’s Pathfinder has morphed from a body-on-frame SUV to a unibody soft-roader, twice! Today’s edition hails from the first, and by far the most robust, version. Let’s see if that, and its condition, makes its price a path you might want to follow....
Mar 21, 2026
My Old Kia Rondo Has Got To Go! What Car Should I Buy?
My Old Kia Rondo Has Got To Go! What Car Should I Buy?
Dominic has a 2008 Kia Rondo that has treated him well. But now it’s time for something a bit more recent, a car with some modern safety tech so that he can feelmore comfortable with his teenage daughter at the wheel. It also needs to be comfortable for taller...
Mar 21, 2026
When Will Used Car Inventory Return To Normal?
When Will Used Car Inventory Return To Normal?
As Jalopnik’s resident car-buying expert and a professional car shopper, I get emails. Lots of emails. I’ve picked a few of your questions and will try to help out. This week we are discussing when used-car inventory will return to normal and the best strategy for trading a Subaru...
Mar 21, 2026
At $9,000, Would You Set your Designs On This 2010 Volvo S40 T5 R-Design?
At $9,000, Would You Set your Designs On This 2010 Volvo S40 T5 R-Design?
With its S40 T5 R-Design, Volvo adapted the company’s established sport-sedan recipe to a smaller package. Let’s see if the price on today’s ’10 edition is just as successful. I was judging at the Dana Point Concours a couple of years back, and while there I struck up a...
Mar 21, 2026
At $19,900, Would You Let This 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra Sink Its Fangs Into Your Wallet?
At $19,900, Would You Let This 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra Sink Its Fangs Into Your Wallet?
With a claimed 598 horsepower, today’s Mustang Cobra certainly packs all the ponies you could want. Will that make its price palatable, or will it make you think its seller is lower than a snake’s belly? When you think about it, buying a car or truck that will let...
Mar 21, 2026
The Honda-Powered Ariel Atom 4 Road Weapon Is The Future You Need To Plan For
The Honda-Powered Ariel Atom 4 Road Weapon Is The Future You Need To Plan For
As cars are increasingly driven by computers, and the process of driving becomes further detached from human engagement, the class of pure enjoyment-focused track weapons is likely to see continued growth. And now the , the ultimate track toy and work-life balancing tool, has been updated to satisfy where other...
Mar 21, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved