Thinking about buying an old chevrolet

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Worst_Driver

Worst_Driver

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I just saw a third generation Chevy Caprice (don't know the exact year but it is between 1986 and 1990) for sale and I'm really interested. The guy sells it for 3000 bucks, but I'm ready to put 2000 dollars on the table. Only problem is that it has over 200 000 (214 000 to be exact) kilometers (about 125 000 miles):scared:

I just want this car to cruise around, not looking for a daily driver, I can easily walk to college and take my bike to work, I'm just being worried about the winter because I don't have anywhere to store the car and I don't feel safe to drive it in the winter considering that it was only driven during the summer.:nervous:

Any advices ?

Thank you. :)

EDIT: Fuel mileage is the last of my worries. :sly:
 
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It's an awesome car, no doubt about it, when it works and looks good of course. Both my father and brother have one, a 1987 (carbureted) and 1989 (injected).

By the way, my brother sells his 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Brougham LS, and he's asking $2000. It's in really good shape, very little rust on pillars A and B. It is grey on grey. The odometer reads 100,000 miles (160,000 km), but the engine has been rebuilt two years ago. Since it is carbureted, you'll probably need to tune it (it has a Rochester Quadrajet 4EME, 4BBL).

So, if you're interested or need more information about the car, PM me.
 
125k is nothing on a carbed chevy 305/350, don't worry about it
 
NickysLuckies
It's an awesome car, no doubt about it, when it works and looks good of course. Both my father and brother have one, a 1987 (carbureted) and 1989 (injected).

By the way, my brother sells his 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Brougham LS, and he's asking $2000. It's in really good shape, very little rust on pillars A and B. It is grey on grey. The odometer reads 100,000 miles (160,000 km), but the engine has been rebuilt two years ago. Since it is carbureted, you'll probably need to tune it (it has a Rochester Quadrajet 4EME, 4BBL).

So, if you're interested or need more information about the car, PM me.
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Thanks for the offer but I'm looking for cars in my local town and since I live 800 kilometers away from Montreal....:sly:

What about fuel injected 305 V8 ?
 
2000 dollars for a 21 y/o Chevy? Are you insane?

When you posted the seller was asking 3000, I thought you accidentally added an extra zero...turns out I was wrong.

There's absolutely nothing charming with that POS nor does it have 1 good redeeming quality. That car is a hoopty and is normally seen on the side of the road with its owner in handcuffs or wallowing around on large chrome rims with subwoofers rattling the bondo off.

A Rochester Q-junk sitting on top of a smog-choked 305 is a pitiful sight.

If you're going to buy an old Chevy sedan; the newest you should look at is a 1972 model Malibu. From 1974 and until the early 2000's, I wouldn't buy a GM sedan.

Want an old box w/a V8 that isn't a complete turd? Search for an old Ford on the Fox platform. While they're by no means a nice car, that chassis was at least somewhat good at the time and many Mustang bits will swap over after the old bits fall off.

Man...1980's American cars are not exactly the 1st thing I'd plunk a few thousand on. Imports are a different story...
 
$3000 is a lot to ask for a car like that. For 3000 it had better be the cleanest, straightest, best running, most perfect Caprice in existence, in other words. At least, that's true here in the south, anyway. Cars like that tend to go for $800 around here if they're running, maybe $1200 if the body's still good. And if it's only got 125k on the odometer, you'd better check to make sure the cable hasn't been broken for the last 80k miles before you make an offer.

I've driven large cars like that (several town cars, grand marquis, etc.) and I have to agree they have their own charm that's not readily apparent unless you've spent some time in one without preconceptions coloring the experience. There's just something good about looking out over that huge (by modern standards) expanse of hood, not to mention a V8 powering the rear wheels in a big car.

They are certainly drivable in the winter, though cars of that type tend to let go and whip around in the ice so you can see where you've just been faster than you can blink, if you don't know how to drive them. Or hit an extra slick spot. Or try to turn going downhill in slick conditions. Still, as long as the seats and air conditioning are good that style of car is great for road trips.

Plus, when you get tired of it you can sell it to some guy looking to make a lowrider ; p
 
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at least it's easy to fix...there's actually room to get in there and work, even with a small block in it.

2000 dollars for a 21 y/o Chevy? Are you insane?
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2 grand is peanut junker money nowadays. anything under a grand is ready for the junkyard. at least Canadians TAKE CARE of the cars. a vintage Caprice down here (especially in MY state) would be sold only to steal the small block out of.
besides, I've had 300k km cars before that only needed exhaust parts. heck, i think I've hit 500k km with my toyota before junking it.

bruther: have you looked at car prices lately? 80-90k miles are selling for 10 g's!

jet1991: this is Americans we're talking about. todays generations, mine included, just DRIVE, they don't really do maintenance (that's for old guys with experience, and on cars that are still worth some money as collectors pieces)
 
My father's '81 Chevrolet Caprice went over 200,000 miles, had it's engine replaced, and proceeded to do another 120,000 before we sold it. Arguably, the old B-Body cars were some of the best to ever roll out of a GM factory. The good news is that engines and transmissions are damn-near-indestructible, and ultimately as long as you can do the work yourself... It should run forever.
 
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