Below is a guide to find out most everything you want to know about you're car, and it's all free. You can learn where you're car was made, all the options it came with, even what it's worth today.
VIN# Decode:
First, to learn broad facts about you're car, such as engine, body style and year, you can use the VIN#. It's located, of course, on the driver's side dash, and can be veiwed from outside through the windshield. Here are a couple important things to remember:
1: Although you're VIN will tell you that you have a Firebird, you must remember that the Formula is an upgrade, and option package, on the base Firebird.
2: The 10th digit is the year of the car,
A = 1980
B = 1981
And so forth. (after Z, then 1)
You will find this will come in very handy, especially when buying a car.
RPO codes, or Regular Production Order, is a master list of all options ordered for your car. The list is always in your car in the form of a decal on the underside of the lid to the center console. This list can be compared to a master list to tell you everything from Transaxle final drive ratio to your seat belt color.
Or, you can use an automated RPO lookup located here.
Blue Book Value:
The "Blue Book", which is actually yellow, contains information on prices and breif descriptions of cars, and is mainly used by dealers to determine selling and buying prices. It is available for about $15 at most book stores, and is updated every 2 months.
Use this link to find the value of your car. Simply enter in what it tells you and it tells to the penny what your car is worth.
Recall and Technical Service Bulletins:
This is a great site that tells you the recalls, TSB's, and common inherent problems. Here is the link:
Edmunds Automobile Buying Guide:
Here is their webpage:
Technical Info:
For your more detailed and specific questions, especially opinion and experience questions, a message board is the best place to go. Here are just a few, but there are several out there.
