Owner actually called me about Caprice!

Got a call this morning from a guy who said he found my note I left at the house asking about the Caprice. Wow, didn't expect to receive that call. I drove about 7 miles to once again check it out. A married couple in their early 60s and their son were busy giving the wagon a quickie wash job. Good thing because it made looking for flaws a lot easier.
Car has been unused for over a year. The man's brother owned it then died over a year ago , the current owner lives in upstate NY and only gets down here to the house and car when he can.
Car has 131,447 miles . 1994 LT1 .New battery. Started right up, smooth idle, no smoke. Took it for a brief 1/2 mile test drive. Did just fine.

I'm interested in the car, but I have some Chevy specific questions.
It looks to be a "base model". I don't remember seeing it read "Caprice Classic" on the tail gate, just "Caprice". No leather, no vanity mirrors on sun shades, no frills day/night inside mirror, center arm rest only (no storage or cup holders like my Roadie). Mechanical fan, no electric fan. I assume an open rear no tow package with 2:56 gears.

I asked the owner to take some photos of the code sticker but don't have that info yet.

Is there a "base" model of these?

White with wood/ blue cloth interior. Before I make him an offer, best to know more hence this thread.

Steve

mechanical fan is tow package, 2:93's

caprice wagons only got dealer installed leather,.

Caprice classic means nothing,.

caprice has less options overall than any roady,.

Here's the sticker info on that Caprice.

The sticker was , as you can see, quite dirty. Plus, didn't have my reading glasses with me and didn't notice the G80 tow package code. What about the other things I mentioned. Kind of a plain Jane interior.

Thats a Caprice, no frills like the Roady's.
The mechanical fan means its a tow pack 2.93 car and many of those had Posi's.

My Caprice always feels so ancient compared to my old Roadmaster Wagon because the Caprice has no options on it. Oh well, not a big deal to me!

i have a 94 with mech fan and only had 256 gears. it does say g80 on the sticker so its a posi

V92 is the HD suspension on the Buicks, G80 posi, but gears? GU3 is 2.93s.... I see GM9 I think. I don't know what those are. GM8 is 2.56.

All those codes are nice and all, but if it has some rust issues the codes mean nothing. Concentrate on how nice the car is. Clean body's, under sides, and insides is what's important. I'd rather have a rust free, or little rust 2.56 non tow pack car than a rusty loaded up pile any day of the week. Same thing for LT1's, and TBI's.... I'll take a clean TBI over a rusted LT1 car everyday.

That's GW9

G80 - POSI
GM8 - 2.56
GU2 - 2.73
GW9 - 2.93
GU4 - 3.08
GU5 - 3.23
GU6 - 3.42
V92 - Towing Package

I looked the car over quite well. Actually laid down on some provided clean plywood to check out the underside. I found no rot. Surface rust was what you'd expect from a 21 year old car, but less than the rust that was/is on my Roadie. Both cars are from this general area.
The car really needs a GOOD cleaning pretty much everywhere. Some body damage but nothing significant. I've been a pro. body man for 39 years and there is nothing present that I can't handle in my small 1 man shop. Worst dent was no larger in total size than a dollar bill which is very low on the right rear door next to the wheel opening.
Wasn't going to tell the owner I could easily fix any body flaws, makes for good bargaining chips. Car is ALL stock right down to the wire wheel covers.
Curious as to how much the asking price will be especially after I (once again) tell him all the imperfections I found. I even pulled the oil dip stick and oil looked pretty clean and at full level.
Saw no tears in the seats and the cargo area is a lot nice than my Buick.
Don't care for a woodie, but that'll be removed and that area will be painted Light Adriatic Blue to compliment the blue interior. All "wood" mldgs. surrounding the vinyl will be stripped and either painted or polished then clear coated. I feel it has a lot of potential if I get it for the right price.

Bring that puppy home!

(Then bring it to Wagonfest)


Dave

One heck of a lot easier and cheaper to get it to my shop (about 6 miles away), then to say hire a transport company and have a car shipped 3,000 miles. Owner even said I could leave it where it is if need be for weeks until it's time for me to get it home.
Think I'll run over there tomorrow for another look see. They will be back home in NY .Easier than when the owners are watching my every move.

The more you show up, the higher the price goes.... you are showing intrest and they will (if they know what they are doing) sell it to you by working on your emotions.

I actually went over there about an hour ago. No one was there. Found a few more "bargaining chips". I understand what your saying, but , I figure since they are about 3 hours away, they probably just want to get rid of it without any advertising or transporting it to NY.

Rather than drag this out, I intend to e mail them with the entire list of negatives. If they think it's a "gold mine" and expect to sell it for about $3000 or more I may pass on it. I'll counter with perhaps $2250 and see what happens.

I once picked up a nice little car for my daughter under similar circumstances. The owner had died, the mechanic who had looked after the car made the executor a lowball offer. I got a call from the executor asking if one of my kids might have any interest in the car. He offered the car to me for the same price as the mechanic had offered, saying "damned if that chiseller is going to get it now at any price".

They are obviously not what you would call "motivated sellers". It's wasn't advertised, they're not in a hurry to get it out of there, etc. Do your research and come up with a fair offer for the condition and area it is in. If you start lowballing they may well just say to hell with you and sell it to someone else out of spite.

I'm actually not sure what it's worth. Needs tires ( 3 different brands, only one looks non hardened, others show dry rot), mufflers (soon), an antenna,1 wheel opening mldg., new right door mirror, stainless trim mldg. above right front door glass dented, missing 1 wheel cover, about a dozen various size dents on hood, doors, fender, right 1/4 panel , etc. Spare tire well has been pushed up about 2 inches, both rear wheel wells have started to show some rot areas, vinyl perimeter metal moldings are shedding their "wood grain" vinyl covering, the chrome plastic trim along the bottom moldings are shedding the chrome. And, it's quite dirty from sitting under trees for over a year.

The good.....new battery
starts right up and runs fine
seats are a little bit dirty but otherwise in very good cond.
radio works
cargo area shows little use
has tow package with 2:93 posi.
top of dash looks fine
both adjustable roof rack ribs in place
grille in above average cond

Brother of deceased and his son are both GM lovers. The father has a '95 Caprice wagon but has a rotted section of frame not worth fixing so he says. Said he has another factory wire wheel cover and a replacement door mirror he'd provide for free.
Car was originally bought new by his father.

White 1994 woodie with light blue cloth interior. 131,447 miles

so what's it worth?
Based on my info

Think I'll pass on this one. Shame it needs so much work and even though I can handle what it needs, I'm not really interested in doing a project this extensive or costly. Only 7 miles away too, rats.
There is a very nice low mileage Custom Cruiser on ebay right now . I owner less than 60K miles on it. No way I could downgrade to a 305 with what, about 170hp. when I used to an LT1. Guess I'll keep looking.

Talked yourself outta that one,huh?

Yeah, I contacted the owners and told them I'm gonna pass on it, but thanks for their time. Easy to convince yourself about a possible vehicle purchase with the old " the mileage is more than I wanted but it's in good shape" , or "wasn't looking for a woodie but that can be removed no big deal", or it's in need of ,,,,,,,,,,,(fill in the blank) but I can handle that no problem", etc. So it's two Caprice wagons dismissed so far.The search goes on..........

Steve Smith wrote:

Yeah, I contacted the owners and told them I'm gonna pass on it, but thanks for their time. Easy to convince yourself about a possible vehicle purchase with the old  " the mileage is more than I wanted but it's in good shape" , or "wasn't looking for a woodie but that can be removed no big deal", or it's in need of ,,,,,,,,,,,(fill in the blank) but I can handle that no problem", etc. So it's two Caprice wagons dismissed so far.The search goes on..........

cars are like women,. they all have flaws,. if we didn't compromise,. i,m sure we'd all be bachelors,.
and the girls would all be single,..


Maybe your search for the perfect wagon,. might just be a never ending story,..

If you pick up a nice low mileage somewhat rare wagon will you want to mod it? I bought one with the intention to mod it and paint so the pimples didn't matter. Jeff

I've had my '96 Roadie wagon since 2008. Done everything with it from a variety of towing my open 4x8 utility trailer with scrap metal, motorcycles, etc, a car dolly towing home a '99 Grand Prix over 600 miles, drag racing it at Atco Dragway in NJ, humiliating all sorts of punks and their "ricers" on the streets, daily driver, etc.
Bought it off of ebay from a used car dealership in South Jersey with approx. 69K miles on it. Hasn't been the most trouble free used car I ever owned. The list of parts I've replaced has been extensive including most recently the transmission and entire rear.
Guess they were the final straw and I'd decided that when she was back on the road I'd look for a Caprice wagon this time and sell my Buick.
Kind of on the fence about the whole sell the Buick and buy a Chevy situation. I have learned a lot about the differences between the two styles of wagons most recently. The Chevys are quite the "plain Jane" cousin compared to the Roadmasters.
I don't know, maybe I'm just ready for something a bit different but similar enough to interest me.