Which year makes the most sense?

General topics relative to the Caprice and associated vehicles. For items not fitting into other sub-sections in addition to general chat.
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Kilomph
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 2:23 pm
Location: USA

Which year makes the most sense?

Post by Kilomph »

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Last edited by Kilomph on Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
cal30_sniper
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Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: Which year makes the most sense?

Post by cal30_sniper »

If you can find a 9C3 of any year in good shape, your decision will be made for you. 9C3s are too rare to be picky over what year you buy.

I looked for several months for a nice, low miles 9C3. I ended up deciding it made a lot more sense to buy a super-low miles 9C1 and convert it to my liking. I pulled the spotlight, installed a G8 console, and voila, 9C3. I thought at first that I wanted to replace the vinyl seat and rubber floor mats, but I've decided to keep them. They're super easy to clean for a daily driver.

2011 only came with the V8, so if you see one of those, you know what you're looking at. 2012-13 came with the V6 as an option, and a lot of the ones you see out there for sale are V6 cars. 2011 also has a stiffer suspension than the later ones. I just finished putting 2012-13 struts up front with SS sedan springs, and it made a huge improvement on ride harshness. I'm doing the rear tomorrow. 2011 also came with rear door speakers, and I believe 2012 did as well. I think it is 2013 that the rear door speakers start becoming hit or miss. On the 2011, TCS does not completely disengage with the button. Reportedly this can be tuned out, but I'm still working on that.
-2011 Caprice 9C3: Mirage Glow Metallic, 63k miles
-2011 Caprice 9C1 (Gone)
-1973 Firebird Formula, restoration in progress
-1986 K30 Suburban 8.1L/NV4500, the toy hauler and wheeler
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kevink
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Re: Which year makes the most sense?

Post by kevink »

cal30_sniper wrote:TCS does not completely disengage with the button. Reportedly this can be tuned out, but I'm still working on that.
I thought it was Stabilitrak that couldn't be turned completely off in the 2011s, not TCS.
2011 9C3: 11.48 @118.
Kilomph
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Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 2:23 pm
Location: USA

Re: Which year makes the most sense?

Post by Kilomph »

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Last edited by Kilomph on Wed Jul 18, 2018 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
xcidmigs
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Location: SE PA

Re: Which year makes the most sense?

Post by xcidmigs »

kevink wrote:I thought it was Stabilitrak that couldn't be turned completely off in the 2011s, not TCS.
This is whats in the GM literature...They had holden tune the suspension on original test cars and felt like they were able to go out of control with all the PR testing that would go on with them and didn't want one to get crashed. The fleet magazine I have had several people claiming they were faster than a production 2010 camaro SS on a closed track. This also explained the brake pad compound that was used on the front of 2011, again anything they could do to make the performance highest was used since they knew the testing was coming.

This is the type of testing that is done and you can see how its clearly way over what is done by Road and track etc, its much more scietific method as far as the repeating and averaging etc. Look at the swap on the Caprice to just E85 for example.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/msp/ ... 1027_7.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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