- Heater core at 86,036 miles; $184.64.
- Right rear wheel ABS sensor at 86,776 miles; $131.40.
- Idler arm at 98413 miles; $112.54.
- 4 shocks at 105,630 miles; $331.42.
- Coil wire at 113,630 miles; $41.71.
- Radiator and Thermostat at 116,809 miles; $462.95.
- EGR solonoid at 123,308 miles; $71.87.
- Spark plugs/wires at 123,979 miles; $112.50.
- Front brakes/adjust rear brakes at 127,778 miles.
- Spark plugs/wires, ignition wires, distributor cap, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, throttle position at 129,990 miles; $1,628.96 (yeah, that's freakin' right!!!)
- R&R EGR valve, left front wheel ABS sensor at 136,441 miles; $273.30.
- Battery; $74.80.
- Alternator (140Amp on LT1 engine) at 130,234 miles; $112.80.
- Used sway bar and heavy duty stabilizer links at 142,300 miles; $93.00.
- Driver side window motor at 142,459 miles; $269.45.
- Doesn't have a lumbar support built into the seats. "Bench-like" seats that are not very comfortable and may cause lower back pains during long driving periods.
- Slow acceleration due to heaviness of car (around 4200lbs...yowzers!), weak horsepower (only 200 horsies...boo). Although if you fully step down on the gas pedal anytime before 35mph, it'll getup-and-go...but anytime after that, when you stomp on the accelerator, not much happens. I found the hard way that you need a large gap of roadway if you plan on passing a car on a two lane road.
- Has an "old man" gear ratio, which means the car does not haul when taking off from a red light nor at highway speeds... a lot of articles have been written on the poor transmission in the L99's. Although I disagree, because it's just about the only thing on my Caprice that hasn't been touched...lol.
- I noticed that one of the three brake lights in the rear goes on and off from time to time. I also noticed on other Caprices the same problem with rear brake lights going out.
- Had the bumper repaired twice in the same two weeks, due to people failing to stop at red lights behind me!!! Also had the passenger side repaired (new doors, molding, chrome strips) last week... took three weeks to get the damage replaced because it was almost impossible to find doors for a Caprice. Seems like parts for the Caprice (other than the engine) are becoming scarce... well at least here in Toledo that is. Not sure around the Texas area where they were built.
Just sounds like you've found the lemon in the bunch. I once owned a '95 Caprice. I loved that car! It started out as a NYC taxi, I got it at a little over 200K miles. I got it up to 285K before I traded it in (Yeah, traded it in, and got $2500 trade in for it!). I had to put almost no work into the car. It ran perfectly, started every time, and I truly enjoyed it. Sorry you had a bad one, don't let it ruin the Caprice experience for you!
Yeah,
Sounds like those are just basic fix-its with any car that gets around that many miles. Especially if you don't live in the California area. Also, it has a lot to do with who had it before you and how well they treated it...
Yes, sadly enough though the caprice was involved in an accident and hit a tree head on... no more car. I DO plan on buying a new one in the near future though. :)
I agree with the comment that says you got yourself a lemon. I had an 87 caprice as my first car and I ran it up to about 190,000 (i put on 90,000) miles before I sold it for $900. I then bought a 93 caprice with the ltz package. It runs excellent. I couldn't ask for a better car. And it HAULS I go up against other guys my age in their worked civics or eclipses or whatever, but I stay right with them and I'm running stock. Buy yourself another one dude it's worth it.
The caprice is a great car for anything. The 83 I have was sitting for six years and started right up when I got it. It only has 59000 miles on it though. This is a great car. You need to get another one. You can't go wrong twice.
Well I have a 91 Caprice with just 57,000 miles on it, and a 305 engine. This is my Opinion, I couldn't ask for a better car. When I'm at the red light and the light turns green All I have to do is touch the pedal and it Jumps up with no problem, when going around a car all I have to do is slightly get on the pedal and the gear changes and Before you know it, your in front. I think you just bought a Mistreated car because I'm proud of my Caprice, Good luck, Get another one.
It sounds to me like those are just basic fix-its found on any car. From my experience though, that's higher than average for a Caprice. Also, if you want more power, look at a Caprice with an LT1 5.7L engine or an Impala SS.
I have a 1991 with the 305 and 220,000km seeing canadian winters and it has never let me down. I've only had to replace the rad, wires and the timing sprocket. If this one ever dies I'll try to pick up a 1996, I think that was the last year they made them. Too bad Chevy got rid of a good reliable car.
Just a suggestion to the gentleman looking for the '96 Caprice: I would get a '95 instead. In '96, automakers switched over to the second generation on board diagnostic (0BDII) computer system. It is a lot more complicated to troubleshoot, costly to fix, and temperamental. It was supposed to be a pollution control measure, but it does not do anything to help emissions if you get right down to it and measure it on an exhaust gas analyzer. It does have more protocols to tell you when there is an emissions control problem though, but those mechanisms are highly problematic, and end up failing themselves. The result is check engine lights that are on all the time, and an automatic failure for emissions inspection, even though the car is running perfectly clean. Another fine example of too many useless government regulations, too fast...a governmental abomination of the highest degree. '96 was a particularly bad year, for all auto manufacturers, because it was the first year for OBDII. I would strongly suggest getting a '95 as opposed to a '96; that goes for any make/model car. This is what happens when we elect liberals.
Re the above comment: so what you are advising is to buy nothing made after 1995, seeing as how ALL cars from 1996 onward have OBD-II? You kind of remind me of those old guys of a generation ago who said they wouldn't buy anything made after 1974 cause the cars made after that had those new-fangled electronic ignitions and catalytic converters, and they didn't want those things, dadgummit.
The ObD-II was systems were to uniform the computer systems of all makes. Reducing the need for different scanners.I'm not sure if that's what really happened in the end.I'm kinda still in the dagummite crowd.
The person complaining about OBD2 is not complaining about ALL OBD2 cars.
Just the 96s it was thier first year so the systems were NOWHERE NEAR as refined as systems built 2 years later. they had to work out the kinks.
Hes also very right about the damn liberals or more accurateley SOCIALISTS.
By the way I love the technology of new cars so the anti "new fangled electronics" argument is moot.
That's what you get for not getting 9c1 Caprice Classic.
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