149k miles, would you??

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Suzook
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:16 am

149k miles, would you??

Post by Suzook »

Got a lead on one with $149k miles. Just wondering if it's worth taking a chance??? Seems like a shiton of miles.
GammaFlat
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Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by GammaFlat »

Lots of things need to be taken into consideration but... your most likely semi-immediate issue is the DOD failure. Wear and tear of 149k is one thing but idle miles is another. If you catch before you have a DOD failure, there are strategies to prevent it ever becoming a problem. Price is everything because problems = money. If it's cheap, you can afford problems.
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
Suzook
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:16 am

Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by Suzook »

Well it's a g8, so idle hours should be normal. I've been looking for a caprice because they are cheap, but stumbled upon a g8 with 150k miles for around $13k. Body is mint, interior very clean, but 2 front seats could use new leather. I'm tempted, but worried about the mileage.
bstoner
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Joined: Wed May 05, 2021 2:12 pm

Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by bstoner »

My Caprice has almost 200k. I did heads/cam at 195k. Cam bearings looked fine. Cylinders looked fine. Compression good. Timing chain, tensioner, and oil pump looked fine but I still replaced. Cam had one lobe with a scuff on it on a non-DOD lifter. Lifter still worked and wasn't rotated in the bore. My guess the roller got hung up at some point and skidded across it. Didn't wipe the cam through. DOD still worked when I did heads/cam. No rocker arms lost their trunion bearings but I still upgraded. Still on original trans. Rear-end I swapped from a Camaro but it was fine. I would not worry about 150k personally. Especially if you are handy. Probably think about upgraded trunion bearings and replacing valve springs.
2014 Caprice PPV, 6.0L, BTR Stage 2 Cam, 3.45, 3" exhaust, Rotofab intake, Chris Henry tuned, future LSA....
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elc32955
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Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by elc32955 »

Welcome!

Well, consider the G8 has a few years more age on it and it was not built to the same toughness standards as the Caprice was for police work. There's a PDF of a presentation from GM's sales arm in the file section which illustrates the body toughness and some of the special materials used during construction for the 2014's & up. It does have nice seating (which people move from the G8 to the Caprice) and an option for the 6.2l if you get the right version, but a lot of parts are now NLA - even worse than the Caprice is. But it's pretty much a judgement call as far as your preference. And... if it matters the G8's are all short wheelbase cars - same as the SS is. We got the extended wheelbase = more interior room.

Oh, and "cheap" is such a bad word.... Good value for the money, more economical, cost-efficient... :) On the miles issue, I ran my old B-Body 1995 Chevrolet Caprice to 216,000 miles with no major failures, and that was after 112,000 miles of K-9 patrol use by the Virginia State Police. Don't let the odometer be the sole deciding factor in how your car purchase goes. If a car's been well taken care of, it'll last a long time. If it's been rode hard, well.....

Good luck on your search, whatever you decide!
Eric
System Manager and your tour guide for the day. 2015 Caprice w/LFX, former NC DPS staff car. Partial hybrid G8/SS/Camaro SS interior mods, SS MyLink radio upgrade, 2016 Camaro V6 rims, GMPP Malibu chrome exhaust tips, otherwise bone stock for now.
Suzook
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Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:16 am

Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by Suzook »

Yes, I am handy, but would prefer to just get in and drive...lol. I guess for the condition of the vehicle, it's probably worth the $. Will try and haggle. They have had the car for 4 mos. Unfortunately it's a no name used dealer, so I'll have to see what happens. Appreciate your advice.
CrashTestDummy
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Location: Pearland, Texas

Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by CrashTestDummy »

Hmmm, no name used car dealer?? Sometimes those guys are used as a dumping ground for 'nice-looking cars'. I'd ask if there are any codes set, or any codes cleared, and hence 'monitor not ready' sensors waiting for you when you try to take it in for the title transfer inspection. I've had that one bite me before. We finally got the sensors back on line and no new codes, but it was a long wait, wondering if things actually did get fixed, or would set a CEL again when they got back to ready state.
Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas
2012 Caprice 9C1
1992 B4C 1LE Camaro
2018 Tahoe PPV (her car)
1995 DGGM Impala SS
1985 Firebird - 310 LS1 C Prepared autocross car.
1980 Bluebird Wanderlodge
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Sanford
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Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: 149k miles, would you??

Post by Sanford »

Gene’s post made me think that if I were to buy a used car I would take a decent scan tool and look at codes on all of the modules. Some cars will show the last time or how many miles ago the codes were cleared. If you have a base model scanner, take a look to see if all of the drive cycles have been completed. Evap system is the one that takes time for it complete the test.
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