Jump to content

1995 vert with 202 original miles. To drive or not to drive?


MemphisMan

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 75
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • MemphisMan

    19

  • IRONDOG442

    7

  • Twenty

    4

  • 94 olds vert

    4

I agree as well. Drive it every so often and be DAMN proud of it when you do. If I had this, I'd do the same thing. Nobody can know for sure what cars will be valuable in 20 years. Just because it's not high performance or high dollar doesn't always mean it won't be valuable one day. Ultimately, it's your car that you paid your money for. If you think hoarding it would be the best route go for it. If you think driving it would be a better way to enjoy it then Hell, do that. But if you decide you wanna drive it around, just be nice to it and take care of it.

Edited by virtuetovice
Link to comment
Share on other sites

but if theres a handful these would be in that hand. i seen a turbo gp sell on mecum for 2500 , it was in great shape but being 20 years old and whatnot it didnt sell for a whole lot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sticker price on this car is $27,906, so 1/3 of that is $9302. I don't think anyone in the world would think they got screwed if they paid $9303 for this car. I wanted a modern 5 seater convertible and would've considered buying something new if anyone made a new 5 seat convertible besides Jeep...they make a Wrangler Unlimited, but it's way more expensive than what I paid for the Cutlass, and the jeep just really isn't my style.

I used to go to the Olds dealer back when these things were new on the showroom floor and sit in them wishing I could afford one. I was in my mid-20's at the time and didn't have a pot to piss in. Times are different now, I've have my pot to piss in for a while now, and I look at this whole thing as getting a second chance to own a car I dreamed of having back in the day...just like it was on the showroom floor. It's like getting in a time machine with a handful of today's dollars, going back to 1995, buying the car at a price that would've been a steal in 1995, and bringing the car back to 2010. I drive an MG right now which can't hold my 3 sons, wife, and me, so now we can all enjoy top down motoring together. I remember going for rides with my 2 brothers, mom and dad in his 72 Impala convertible when I was a kid...some of the best memories of my childhood. You can't put a price on that IMHO.

As you can see, I really am leaning towards driving it. After all, I never sat in these cars back in 1995 and thought "Wow, I really would like to buy one of these but never drive it". I think keeping the miles low, but not stressing over how many miles I put on it, and taking care of it will allow me to enjoy it for many years. If the time ever comes that I want to sell it, it'll still have low miles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am comparing 1/3 of sticker price to what the GM heritage collection vehicles sold for at Palm beach barrett jackson and Scottsdale Arz barrett jackson auctions BRAND NEW ZERO mile show cars and prototypes with no miles at all sold for around 10k so yeah if you paid 10k for the car (a production vehicle with low miles) IN THIS MARKET you did get screwed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not worried about the market. I'm better off financially now than I was in 1995 AND I paid less for the car than I would've in 1995, but the car is in the same condition as it was in 1995. Getting screwed would've been trying to buy this car new in 1995 when I couldn't afford it and struggling to make the payments...actually, I probably wouldn't have driven it back then because I wouldn't have been able to afford gas for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jimmy an L-88 stingray is more desirable in 1967, now and as many years in the future as youd like to go.

 

Its a 427 aluminum headed stingray, enough said.

 

 

I was agreeing with you on this, but I see the wording makes it confusing.

 

 

And who cares what he paid and if in someone elses opinion he got screwed. If he is happy with the purchase, and is OK with the price, that's great. It's not like these cars with this low of mileage pop up all the time. His original question is does he drive it or not. I believe he's looking for answers to that, and not commentary on the purchase price.

 

That being said, I will re-iterate that I think you should keep it as a fair weather, weekend/ special occasion cruiser, and just keep the miles low.

 

Also, make sure you document everything on the car for insurance purposes, in case (god forbid) something happens to it and you need to show the condition and come up with a value of the car.

Edited by jimmyfloyd
Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO a prospective buyer won't start complaining about miles until it turns 10K. So if you put a 500-1000 on each year, driving it one day a week for pleasure, it's really no big deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drive it.

 

I'll tell you a short story. In 1982, I bought a '64 Galaxie500XL. 39,000 miles, 1-owner. The guy was 86 years old, hadn't driven it in 15 years.

 

I had the idea in the back of my head that it would be valuable one day, especially in original condition....at first, I hardly drove it at all.

 

Then one day, I realized that it was pointless to have something that was different, fun to drive, but I couldn't really enjoy it, only look at it.

 

I started driving it at least several times a week, and over the next 18 years, put over 200,000 miles on it. Had a blast. That Galaxie was hands down the best car I've ever owned, and I've been driving over 30 years.

 

Finally, I sold it, for well more than I paid for it, and got my first convertible. BTW, as nice as it was, and relatively rare, that Galaxie has never had nearly the collector value that Mustangs, and other Fords of that vintage have enjoyed. I'd have missed YEARS of enjoyment in the hope it would be valuable one day, and would have come up short on the deal.

 

Drive it on nice days, in parades, to car shows...enjoy what you've got. You'll put some miles on it, but the odds that you can know for certain what it will be worth in the future are almost nil.

 

Personally, I love my '95 LQ1 Cutlass convertible, but I seriously doubt there will be huge collector interest in the cars. That will keep values low.

 

Enjoy what you HAVE, not what you hope to GET.

Edited by Galaxie500XL
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I woudn't drive it in the snow or anything, but you better be DAMN certain I'd be driving this car on every nice weekend I've got.

 

It's not rare, it's not even particularly desirable. DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE, just don't beat it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this car ever sees snow, it'll be from the comfort of it's garage. I won't take it out in the rain, but I'm sure I'll get rained on at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing I would do, though...while it has such low miles, I'd get out my camera and document EVERYTHING about the car, even the underside. Those pictures might come in handy at some point, and besides, how often do you get to take detailed shots of a "new" 15-year-old car?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing I would do, though...while it has such low miles, I'd get out my camera and document EVERYTHING about the car, even the underside. Those pictures might come in handy at some point, and besides, how often do you get to take detailed shots of a "new" 15-year-old car?

 

Exactly. Get as much reference as possible about absolutely everything. Fill up a memory card or two, and file

it away with any relevant notes about materials, labels, markings, the finish of chassis components, even any factory overspray. Should someone ever try to restore one of these later on, such information would be priceless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sticker price on this car is $27,906, so 1/3 of that is $9302. I don't think anyone in the world would think they got screwed if they paid $9303 for this car.

 

I would. They just arent worth much man. Its a very nice car. Drive it nicely!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will be sure to take LOTS of pictures. I have a buddy with a lift in his garage so I'll be able to get good shots underneath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn that's sweet. I found a extremely low mileage 99 z34 when I was looking to buy my new car, and I was definitely going to drive it. Not saying anything about the desirability of 95-99 monte carlos, but I just knew I enjoyed the car, and would enjoy driving another one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to do what I've wanted to all along, and that is to drive it! Thanks to everybody for the advice and for giving me different viewpoints on which to consider my decision. I will baby the hell out of this thing though.

 

I'm now focusing on getting the car ready to drive. My first job is to replace all of the fluids. It has all of the original fluids (oil, coolant, brake, transmission) It even has some of the original fuel, although the car has been started regularly and has had fuel preservative added. My local GM dealership is recommending that I change the spark plugs and wires too. Do the plugs and wires need to be changed? Sure they're 15 years old, but they have 200 miles on them and the wires seem very pliable. Overall it's a relatively small cost to replace them, but I'm just wondering if it's needed. Also is the fuel tank steel or plastic on these cars? I'm wondering if a complete fuel system flush is required, to include flushing the tank?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think you need to change the spark plugs . Possibly the wires, but you said they are "pliable" so they are probably still good.

 

The fuel tank is steel. 15 year old gasoline that is scary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gasoline was a concern of mine, but the previous owner ran it regularly and it has always started right up. Would the tank need attention if the engine runs smoothly? The condition of the tank is my biggest unknown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The gasoline was a concern of mine, but the previous owner ran it regularly and it has always started right up. Would the tank need attention if the engine runs smoothly? The condition of the tank is my biggest unknown.

 

The tank is probably fine since the car runs smooth. I'm sure after you get some miles on it and fill it up a couple times you won't have to worry about the tank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...