The seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Caprice boasts that it will garner “Thumbs up on the Highway, crowds in the parking lot.” Let’s see if its price tag proves to be just as popular.
The 1995 Honda Accord wagon we considered yesterday proved to be quite the conundrum, with the vote straddling the 50/50 line most of the morning. At stake was a rare five-speed manual-equipped wagon in very nice shape competing against a $7,500 asking price. In the end, the stick shift longroof couldn’t live up to that amount, eliciting a 56 percent No Dice loss.
Since yesterday’s compact old-school wagon only proved modestly appealing, let’s see what opinions arise for an extra roomy edition.
This 1992 Chevy Caprice is big in every way. It’s also an iconic reminder of what American cars once were like — large and in charge.
Being an American icon, naturally, it’s powered by a V8. And it’s not just any V8, it’s Chevy’s beloved 350 CID mill. The LO5 in this model makes 180 loping horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque; perhaps not enough to make this fat lady sing, but it should cruise all day without a problem. Backing up the 350 is a four-speed Turbo HydraMatic 700R4 with its shifter on the column, just as the gods intended.
That’s all bolted into a body-on-frame structure intended to provide quiet, muss-free cruising or, alternatively, family hauling duties. There are three rows of seats for the latter task, the first two forward-facing and plushly upholstered in opulent mouse fur, while the third provides hindsight and is covered in utilitarian vinyl. Both the middle and third rows fold flat offering a spacious load area (come to Papa, you incredibly expensive four by eight sheets of plywood) or just a platform suitable for sleeping if the need arises.
This wagon comes with a clean title and a modest 116,000 miles under its belt. It wears handsome two-tone blue and silver bodywork which shows well but does suffer some minor war wounds here and there. The five-slot 20-inch alloy wheels add a bit of panache.
Things are just as inviting in the cabin. The color-matched blue interior is a wonderful throwback and appears to be in great condition. The upholstery has no staining or tears, and the carpet seems free of any major fading. On the downside, the fuel gauge and power antenna are on the fritz. Considering iHeartMedia has turned the radio dial into the electronic equivalent of unflavored oatmeal, the antenna is probably low on the priority list. A working gas gauge, on the other hand, would be nice to have.
Those seem to be the car’s only flaws. The seller says it’s ready for anything, claiming it to be up for road trips to anywhere and able to “eat miles and float across the asphalt like nothing you have experienced before.”
The asking price is $12,500 and while that is considerably more than yesterday’s Honda wagon, there’s a lot more wagon to love here, including twice the cylinder count and that additional and very handy third-row seat. Could that all make this a deal?
What do you say, is this Caprice worth that $12,500 asking in cold, hard cash? Or, will that price tag definitely not elicit thumbs up from the crowds?
You decide!
Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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