Would a 95/95 caprice make a good daily driver?

[minimalist]

Originally Posted by SlingshotYellow

IF you can afford the gas on these gas guzzlers..

GO FOR IT

I'll take the mileage penalty over the cramped and very difficult to work on front wheel drive alternatives. I even admire the dodge dart with a slant 6 for it's utter simplicity.

My 96 4.3 caprice was bought 7.5 years ago and has been a daily driver off an on since. I sold my WRX wagon years ago and the caprice became the go to car. Loved the WRX but the insurance went up drastically. That pissed me off so I sold it ($100/month wrx, $13/month caprice). I have a 99 3/4 ton suburban for hauling and a 86 M1009 cucv for fun or icy/snowy days. The sub eats fuel at the tune of 11mpg and the cucv has no a/c and marginal heat. It's really a 2 season car unless you like being inside of an icebox or microwave the other parts of the year.

In the time I've owned it, repairs and maintenance have been around 2.4K and the purchase price was $6995. It had 14K on it when I bought it and now has 131K. I've done all my own work other than the dealer to diagnose a miss that I couldn't find. Been through 2 water pumps and 2 opti's with the first replacement at 102K and the second at 120K. Crap parts are a real problem so I'd stick to delco or other reputable stuff. I just rebuilt the entire front suspension (didn't really need it) but wanted to stiffen if up. I used Pro forged components and got some pro forged springs when they were being closed out.

The wife won't ride in it but my kids don't seem to mind yet as they are younger. I think it's comfortable and gets me where I need to go. Sure would like some cloth roadmaster seats in grey, maybe someday. I had a 92 roadmaster and that car was like driving while seated in your living room. Finances are not so hot right now, otherwise I'd be on the prowl for a 96 roadmaster wagon with the wood delete.

[Narc 9c1]

Mine was a great daily driver....sort of. Just the normal things started to go wrong with it: Water Pump, Starter (went through three of them), Fuel Pump, Blower motor, then finally the transmission.

The great thing is that all the little things that tend to go wrong with the car can be fixed generally pretty quick and easy with the help of a few searches on this forum. The video tutorial for the water pump made my life so much better the day I had to replace it.

Since the transmission lost 3rd and 4th when I was at Bodega Bay and had to make the 100 mile trip in second gear at 40mph, I decided to make it a fun car. I still drive it almost daily but I don't commute in it.

[k gee]

No, I don't think a Caprice makes a good daily driver. You could do worse, but you can do a lot better.

But, if you only have $3000 to spend on a car, and it sounds like it may be $3000 including registration and other fees, than you don't have many options.

I would by no means buy a 9C1 if I did not have an extra $2k min. to drop into it within 6 months after the purchase (safety net).

[Stratman66]

i agree with some of thispost.i bought mine for 1000$ with 89,000 miles on it.she was CLEAN.and,it set me in the seat enough that i had to have it.6 months later,i had spent another 3 grand in repairs.2 years later,shes been reliable as can be.in fact,when i bought it,it was our only family car.still is.just dont buy a car thats been sitting ,and ,think the low miles are good.mine had been sitting for a year and a half.i found out from the guy that did all the work for the prvious owner.

Originally Posted by k gee

.

But, if you only have $3000 to spend on a car, and it sounds like it may be $3000 including registration and other fees, than you don't have many options.

I would by no means buy a 9C1 if I did not have an extra $2k min. to drop into it within 6 months after the purchase (safety net).

[jayoldschool]

I have daily driven LT1 B bodies exclusively for 15 years.

[RMSwe]

I use my Roady as a daily driver/commuting car. The other guys in my carpool loves it, they drive VW Golf, Saab 9-3 (what a piece of junk...) and Toyota Auris. They want a car with low fuel consumption, I want one that I will survive a crash with a moose or a red deer or a drunk driver...

[Fred Kiehl]

Originally Posted by RMSwe

I use my Roady as a daily driver/commuting car. The other guys in my carpool loves it, they drive VW Golf, Saab 9-3 (what a piece of junk...) and Toyota Auris. They want a car with low fuel consumption, I want one that I will survive a crash with a moose or a red deer or a drunk driver...

...in one of the tiny pieces of junk.

[turbochris]

we have 3 of these. Mine has 270k on it. I just did the rear and steering box, the engine and trans are next but the present engine/trans seem ok. It's fairly well maintained and I would drive it anywhere. I put about 40-50k a year on it. I could afford a new car but I've put my hands on every part of this car and I know it well. It lets me know when it needs help, when I ignore the early signs I get stuck somewhere. it limps and crawls sometimes but it always gets me home.

[Anchorman]

Hi All,
I just purchased a '96, 4.3L in December, runs great, sucks fuel. Nothing like driving something with throw-weight. Like driving my parents cars from growing up in the 70's. Has a broken antenna motor, and a Camaro instrument cluster that I'm considering r&r w/ the original instrument cluster in the trunk.

[Marky Dissod]

Originally Posted by kennygotgame

I want a caprice but i just need to make sure the LT1 can hold up to being driven daily/ hours long trips.

If anyone can give me some info on what i'd be dealing with i'd appreciate it.

Been daily-driving the car in my sig since 2002. 3 previous Caprices 9C1-LT1 & a Fleetwood since 1998.

1st: without the ImpalaSS Forum, the Caprice is not a good daily driver, at least for me it wouldn't be. Knowledge I've learned here has regularly corrected GM dealers, AllData, and other 'trusted' info sources.
Those three Caprices 9C1-LT1 & the Fleetwood didn't last long without the forum to help me out.

2nd: even with a bone stock vehicle, having your PCM reprogrammed
a. keeps things cooler under the bonnet, which means plastic and rubber that GM has stopped replacing, will last longer before you have to replace it
b. will help your transmission last longer between rebuilds
c. makes it more enjoyable to drive

3rd: If you need to replace the Opti-Spark, don't forget to replace the Opti-Snorkel aka the Vent & Vacuum Harness, or at least take it apart and clean out those blue things so that you can blow air thru in at least one direction.

4th: An electric waterpump costs more up front, but pays for itself by removing unreliable waterpump housing quality control and waterpump drive gear wear from the equation.

5th: check for leaks, check for leaks, check for leaks …