I purchased car off ebay which I don't recommend. The people selling the car lied and said it needed nothing, but when I got it home it initially needed 1300 dollars in repairs to make it road worthy. Well I then decided to restore her, and 14000 dollars later she is gorgeous. I put a new engine (a 403 V-8) and a new jasper tranny, new paint (original color), had woodgrain replaced where needed, new bumpers front and back from dealer, new chrome everything. All the door handles, 3rd brake light, tail light bezels, rear door handle and roof rack supports rechromed. Get the idea? I love this car, it's so dependable and I think it is the most beautiful wagon to come out of detroit!! It stands heads above the later model 91 -96 (pregnant tick), it has classic lines and people stop me everywhere I go and say wow!! that makes it all worth it! It was a huge labor of love to spend that kind of money! I even had the original am/fm/cassette overhauled. She cleans up really nice and is really fast now with the new engine, the 307 was a dog. It was severly underpowered and started to eat oil: a quart every 140 miles. It was replaced at 104k. The new engine was badly needed for my ailing caprice, I'm so glad I did it! Worth all the money so my advise is save the caprice wagons
there isn't many left on the road! If you do see one its usually beat up pretty bad!
Save the wagons!!!
Hard to believe this reviewer spent $14K+ to restore an '88 Caprice wagon. You could buy 3, maybe 4 mint originals for that much money. Also don't believe that an '88 Caprice, even a restored one, would arouse much interest from most people.
Good thing he really likes it, though, cause he is going to have drive it a long time to get his money's worth out of it.
If you did your homework you would know you can't buy a mint wagon or let alone 3 of them for the money I've invested I find your comments insulting and if you knew anything about the caprice wagons of those years you would know they had their share of problems- all of them have tranny issues to start with!! and I didn't restore it for anyone else, but MYSELF!!! I don't need to explain or desire anyones approval of how much money I've invested!!its none of your business especially when its my money not yours - money is no object to me!sounds like it is to you.
Money is no object to you, and THAT'S why you bragged in your review about spending $14K restoring this thing, eh?
The Caprice wagon from 1991-1996 (which you put down as a "pregnant tick" wth that is) is the one that is being customized and seen at car shows. NObody bothers with the old one which is boxy and clunky looking.
Is it me, or is this review one, big run-on sentence. I'm not trying to insult the reviewer, but a period ever now and then would make it easier to read.
14k is not that bad to customize an old luxury wagon like an 88 Caprice. I've seen people easily dump 10 grand or more alone in a show-worthy paint job on lesser cars, like some newer Honda Civics. Engines can be just as pricey, along with much more to customize any car. This guy at least has something that he enjoys, not to mention is nice to see something better than the plastic junk that clutters our roadways today once in a while.
In my opinion, older cars are misunderstood, well the reliable, well-made ones are at least. Which is why I'm also customizing an older box-style car (87 2door Mercury Grand Marquis) also. By the way, I own newer cars also (99 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, 99 Jeep Cherokee Sport).
Good choice on the engine, just what I had in mind for mine! I think you went a bit over board on the restoration, but it is a very useful vehicle in terms of capacity and the comfort can't be beat. You can't buy the combination anymore for that amount of money spent on a new vehicle. Congratulations on the successful project!
Chrome bumpers will rule forever.
I just bought an 87 caprice estate wagon today!...for 100 dollars. I plan on putting... zero dollars into it. its my new band-mobile for gigs and a parts car for my caprice sedan. I can see the ground from inside it and its prolly the ugliest thing I have ever seen.
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