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1989 Chevy caprice

8K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  ponchoman49 
#1 ·
Hi i am looking at this 1989 chevy caprice with 140,000 miles on it. its been maintained fairly well and has no rust. I was wondering if these cars make good daily driver since i am hoping to use it to commute back and forth from school.
http://images.craigslist.org/5N85G75Jc3Ge3L53Mdc5c36035879ff9313e6.jpg

theres a photo. i would appreciate some feed back. Yes im a noob please hold the jokes i am serious. :D
 
#3 ·
I'm pretty sure they're good reliable cars. If you know a thing or two about cars, you can fix most problems yourself. If you don't, I'd suggest learning. But the thing is going to be a gas guzzler.
 
#4 ·
Mechanically they're reliable and definitely comfortable cars. I would worry about fuel economy though along with traction in snow if you live in such a region.
 
#5 ·
That vehicle is either a former police model (9C1) or a former taxi (9C6). It will have either a fuel injected 305 (L03) or a fuel injected 350 (L05) with either a 200R4 or 700R4 transmission. Rear axle will be a 3.08 (GU4). Fuel economy will be 19 or 17 mpg depending on engine. They are basically indestructable cars and are easy to repair. It is common for them to break front springs at that age. The break typically occurs at the first twist of the lower coils. If you're only commuting a few miles a day you'll enjoy it. Any more and you'll find that it is too expensive to fill the 25 gallon tank.
 
#8 ·
:spit:

Ya, I'd say. It's hard to tell from the one pic, but I'd guess maybe $1,500 at the most. And that's safetied and e-tested, or whatever is required in your state. THe best way to see what it's worth is Kelly Blue Book and do a search for similar models for sale. That might be hard in this case.
 
#9 · (Edited)
$2000.00 all day, you can do what you need to do, get where you need to go, they are great cars, and you can always sell it to a young guy when its time to get rid of it for the $2000.00 you paid for it....I had a 1986 Caprice as one of my first cars, never had a problem outta it....GREAT car, to bad GM does not make them like that anymore.
 
#10 ·
It's a very old car, so condition is the most important part of it. If it is in good shape, including the engine and transmission, it could last a few more years. I would question if the mileage is correct. If you have a trusted mechanic, have him look it over. Spending fifty bucks to determine condition could be the best money you could spend on it.
The Caprice had a reputation for being very reliable as new cars, good space, replacement parts readily available, fuel economy around 15-18 mpg, a sound car could well be worth the asking price. But there is always a risk in buying an old used car. Good luck.
 
#12 ·
My Grandmother had a 1984 Caprice with 34,000 miles on it, the body looked beautiful, but the engine was trashed because she rarely drove the car more than a mile or two at a time. Such a car could be a good choice if you put a new engine in it.
Low mileage in itself isn't good, especially if the mechanicals are neglected.
 
#13 ·
That also could be a base Caprice sedan with the TBI 305 with 170 HP 255 torque. The transmission will either be 200 R-4 or 700 R-4 either of which should be pretty reliable but with 140K I would check the shift quality, check reverse and look for any delays and also make sure TCC solenoid is engaging smoothly into 3rd and 4th gear like it should. I would expect around 17 in town, 20 combined and maybe 23-24 on a highway trip. This of course is with an engine in proper tune. A vin code "E" is a TBI 305. If it is a 350 it will have been a former inspector car or for taxi use as stated. Check the frame very closely to make sure it's not soft/rusted. Have the front end looked at paying attention to the pit man arm, tie rod ends and control arm bushings. You can usually tell if these items are worn by twirling the wheel quickly from side to side listening for any clunks or looseness and checking the tires for abnormal wear. This looks like a base model so it may not have much in the way of power items so most things could be manually operated. The wiper motors are notorious for failing so check full operation and make sure the window squirt function works. These are simple reliable cars with pretty good part availability. I have seen many 305 engines with over 300K that still run good. $2000 is a good deal if there is truly no rust and the motor/tranny check out good. I would expect some repairs along the way such as shocks/brakes and some of the above items.
 
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