In The Market for a Caprice Wagon, I would like some opinions and guidance..

They aren't just "similar", they are IDENTICAL from the firewall back for 1977-1990 model years. All of the sheet metal interchanges. The chassis and suspension is actually identical on all the B-body wagons from 1977-1996. This was the period when GM wasn't trying very hard and really embraced the term "badge engineering".

 

Thanks again for all the great information so far, you have helped me a great deal already, silverfox, krash kadillack, Jaunty...etc...thanks!

I have more questions now, there seems to be quite a few options at the moment, though most are 4 to 6 hours from me so I'm having trouble deciding where to go first.

What about this one:

http://nh.craigslist.org/cto/1844033699.html

1984 Oldsmobile Wagon
Low miles
Florida car
Runs good

V8 307 4-barrel carb

$1600



^The man says the only problems are the very back rear facing window doesn't go up when rolled down, therefore the very back can only be opened to the side not flat (until some switch is replaced).

-He had the brake and gas lines replaced (brake lines with metal lines) But the gas line he said they put in some rubber tubing or something along those lines, said it's not the original metal type line but works fine, and those are the only things he said are not quite right with the car other then a few nicks and scratches with a little surface rust (no real rust underneath).

-He says he bought it at 37,000 miles in Florida and now it has about 50,000 and he drives it every day... seems a little low for an `84 but I guess some people only drive around town.


I guess I'll drive to check it out, maybe take some more pictures, this ones only 1 and 1/2 hours from me... what do you guys think?

 

I also have been lookin at the 91-92 models (buick roadmaster and caprice) I was wondering, are the 94 interior's the same (space wise) as the 91's and 92's?

And doesn't it look here like the Box wagons provide a bit more width in the back section?

`88 Caprice Wagon





94 Buick Roadmaster:










Width in the back is important to me as well, just wondering if the box wagons actually have slightly more width in the back do to the inner sides not being quite as thick as the 91+ ?

 

I think you should go take a look!

It's funny that you would say that 50,000 miles would be a "little low" for an '84. Heck, it would be a little low for a 2004. It's HUGELY low for an '84! The average car is driven about 12,000 miles annually in the U.S. After 26 years, this car should have 312,000 miles on it. Yes, it's low!

This car has not been driven at all, relatively speaking. Did the current owner say WHEN he bought it with 37,000 miles on it? He's put 13,000 miles on it since getting it, which is about a year's worth of regular driving. If he bought it a year ago or thereabouts, he's been putting miles on it at a rate reasonable for a daily driver. If he bought it five years ago, he hasn't been.

The $1,600 asking price seems very reasonable to me. By going to take a look at this car, you'll educate yourself a bit, and that'll be valuable even if you don't end up buying it.

 

It's really hard to tell the condition from that photo. $1600 is on the high end of what these cars go for. The rear window problem is not a switch, it's a corroded connector in the tailgate wiring. When the weatherstrip at the base of the window goes bad (and they all do) water gets inside and corrodes the contacts. The motor requires a lot more current to go down than to go up, so that's why it becomes a "one way" window. About every six months this same thing happens on my 84. I have to take the upholstery panel off the tailgate, disconnect the connector, spray it with contact cleaner, and reassemble. Sometimes I need to remove the contacts from the connector body and clean them with a wire brush.

 

Don't know about the whale-body wagons, but the 77-90 wagons will accept a piece of plywood flat in the load area. I suspect the inner panels on the 91-up cars are wider to accommodate the wider body. I bet the inside space is the same.

 

I would bet that that space is the same, too. I Have a 96 Caprice now but I don't know the width. However, I also had an 87 Olds CC and an 88 Buick Electra Estate. I hauled Plywood in the Olds and Buick. The length is shorter than my 96 Caprice for sure. I could not close the gate in the earlier models but I could in the 96. As for width....when I loaded the earlier models I had about 1/2" on the side of the plywood sheet. Since I know that plywood sheets fit in the 96...it is either just as wide or wider.

 

Thanks alot guys seems like the width difference is negligible if anything but the 91's on up have a bit more length, good to know.

just found a pontiac safari close to me (needs a little work) wish I had went to some type of automative trade school instead of 2 years of core "liberal arts" courses lol at college which I never finished... I don't have as much confidence as I would like be able to do minor repairs

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/pts/1915124042.html





Also, here's another one, I really want this one but a bit out of my price range and far to check it out but I talked to the guy a couple days ago, seems like everything's on the level... haven't tried to talk him down because of all the work put into it

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/1852282233.html


^apparently it has 176,000 miles but new engine (307 4-barrel) at 150,000 miles... new brake lines, exhaust etc... the guy says "NO RUST" nice, it might be gone by now actually, is this a fair price ($2500) considering it's been maintained or do you think I should try to offer a bit less? I don't want to offend the guy he was really nice.

 

thanks, sounds like you know the deal! I appeciate the information, how long does this procedure take you ? you say it lasts about 6 months each time? is this just on the 84's or the same thing usually occurs on all the boxes?

 

Hey Man, your first link dos'nt even have a picture AND is discribed as....it needs work.

A WELL-RUNNING, FULL-SIZE PONTIAC SAFARI WAGON; 307 V8; 9 PASSENGER, LOADED. NEEDS PAINT, WINDSHIELD, AND SOME OTHER, NON-INTENSIVE WORK. 106K MILES; MAROON WITH SIMULATED WOOD - A REAL HEAD TURNER AND PERFECT SURF/SKI/PARTY WAGON. PARTS ALONE WORTH FAR MORE THAT I WILL ACCEPT FOR THIS CLASSIC. BEST REASONABLE OFFER.

No pics, described as "needs paint, glass, some WTF is NON_INTENSIVE WORK? OH, and the seller will only take offers because bla, bla, blaaaaa........you need look no further,,,,NEXT WAGON, NO SALE!!

Your other 4-sale has promice, pics, a asking price, fairly well described, "does" sound like a honest car,, this type of car is worth looking at

 

yeah the 2nd add looks better, though you can never tell, but the pontiacs are more rare, though I guess for that year they didn't have the nice front fenders as someone else mentioned.


well, looks like I'm headed down to south jersey (8 hours away uhh) to check out this 92 Custom Cruiser:

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/1919174134.html


^this one looks nice right?


If anyone has an opinion on which they like better, that olds cruiser or this one:

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/1852282233.html

I'd like to get all the opinions I can.

I'll be checking out both when I go down, thanks.

 

If you are actively looking for a wagon....get a month's unlimited searches from Carfax. It will cost you 40 bucks and be worth it. Before you go and look at any car...get the VIN from the seller and run a Carfax search on it. You may not want to go after reviewing it and if you do go you will know if the guy is BSing you or not.

 

Thanks... any opinion on which one you would rather have the olds or the chebby? or wouldn't it matter to you.

 

They both look alright....drive 'em and see which one you like...if either. Or both. Check for rust...they are northern cars. Bring a tape measure to satisfy your curiosity about the cargo area size. Do yourself a favor....DO get the Carfax 30 day unlimited deal.

 

yeah, haha I will bring a tape measure.. I just went to the carfax site and only pricing I found was the one car for $34.99 or 5 cars for $44.99 deal, is that what you mean? I'm goin back now to have a further look.