Bad Idea or Not?!?

"Long_Voyager94" (yourenotavalidusername) 02/26/2020 at 12:50 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with Long-Voyager, Bad Ideas

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Came across this little 1988 Ciera by chance today.

It’s a 1988 with the 3.8 with 80k on the clock. Rust free, clean inside.

Owner says it dies at stop lights and slips going into 3rd/4th under load.

He also has a spare drivetrain with 127k and another spare trans with 60k he’ll send with it.

He’s asking $500 obo for the whole package. I’m having a really hard time not leaving work now to go get it.

fintail > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 12:56

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Not rotten at all ? Do it. You’re handy and can handle the issues. Anachronistic wheels don’t even look bad, although some kind of snowflake or basketweave design would suit it more.

3.8 was the top spec in one of these IIRC, should have a lot of grunt until 50 or so. When I was a new driver, a family member had one of these (3.1 IIRC) and I drove it a few times. Amusingly touchy throttle made it feel like a rocket.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 12:56

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That price, those parts and your experience? That sounds like a great combination. If you were hoping for someone to talk you out of it I apologize - I won’t be that person.

Chariotoflove > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 12:56

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Why are you sitting here talking to us?  Go get it!

WilliamsSW > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 12:59

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Sounds to me like you can make money on this easily if you don’t want to keep it.

Are the lower panels dirty or something ? Looks weird behind the front wheel wells and almost like paint doesn’t match - but could be bad lighting?

These are decent cars really, albeit boring and with about 2/3 of the weight over the front wheels.  I think you could disconnect the rear drums and probably not notice it (my mom had one with the Duke).

Nom De Plume > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:00

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It’s no Calais with a bombproo f Quad 4 that hasn’t been tastefully modded to produce the power of a small star yet.

What are your plans here?

shop-teacher > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:01

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Seems like the perfect car for you.

promoted by the color red > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:01

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Why are you asking us? It should be in your driveway by now.

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 13:02

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That makes it perfect in winter for its target audience.  People can say what they want about latter day Oldsmobiles, but they knew how to do this kind of car.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:03

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You’ve done the equivalent of asking a bunch of alcoholics if you should have another drink.

We’re obviously going to say yes. You could so flip this and make a few hundred.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:16

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Do it!!!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:24

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Do you really want to own a non-mopar product?

mazda616 > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:24

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Do it and join Malaise Motors and Classic GM FWD Society on Facebook. :-)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:26

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for that price with the spare parts, jump on it if you have the room.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 13:28

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I was going to say that’s a horrible idea right up until you said the price. And the spare drive train. Plus another trans. That’s a great deal. And if anyone can fix it, it’s you.

punkgoose17 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/26/2020 at 14:00

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hahaha

punkgoose17 > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:00

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You are the only person I know who would complete this project; therefore, it sounds like a good idea.

MoCamino > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:01

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No rust, not many miles, (especially for the 3.8), and it comes with the spare parts to fix it’s issues all for $500? Sounds like a perfect recipe for either making a few bucks or for adding a great don’t-care winter beater to the fleet.

I had a Cavalier that played the same “dies at a stop light” game. The l ockup torque converter solenoid was bad - easy fix. But you probably already knew that. :)

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 02/26/2020 at 14:01

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It's not an exciting car, but it is a Good Car.

Nibby > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:02

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stop looking at memes and go buy it

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 14:04

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Precisely.

Fun story, when my mom went to replace her Chevette, we thought for sure she would gat a Ciera. It was so her, and she was heavily favoring it.

We found out it wasn’t as “her” as we thought when she came home one day announcing she had bought a red FC RX-7. Fabulous car.

fhrblig > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:07

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I had a Celebrity with the 2.8 V6 that everyone hated, and it was one of the best cars I've ever owned. An A-body with the 3800 for $500? I'd be on that immediately.

someassemblyrequired > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:18

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3.8?  Yep, do it.  Great cars.

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 02/26/2020 at 14:19

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Ha that’s great!  The FCs are neat - back a million years ago, I dated a woman who had one - also red (were they all red?) and manual.  Sadly I never got to drive it.  

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 14:21

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I got to drive it to prom. I remember what my dad told me as he gave me the keys, “the most important feature of this car is that it does not go over 55 mph.”

My dad is my hero, but it turns out he was mistaken about that one.

Wacko > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 14:24

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Its not your usual mopar, but with a spare drivetrain and  trans for 500 $ you got the the skills to make it work forever.  

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 02/26/2020 at 14:44

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That’s just challenging you to prove him wrong- big mistake.

Was it a manual? I’ve heard that Wankels aren’t great with automatics.

Fun fact about the Ciera - even with the Iron Duke, it was possible to truly “bury” the speedometer needle.

Or so I’ve heard.  

Chariotoflove > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 14:47

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I’ll take your word for it. ;)

No, my mom didn’t do manual, but the auto was plenty fun for a teenager like me. Mash the peddle, and the car would gather itself for a fraction of a second and launch itself into warp speed.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 15:01

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$500? What am I missing? What are you waiting for?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 15:04

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If it isn’t rusty underneath and given you’re very handy, I would give it a Nice Price.

The late 1980s to early 1990s GM A-Body cars are generally pretty solid.

And since tons were made, it should be easy to get parts for cheap.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 15:11

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My grandma bought one of those new. When she died in 2000 it passed to my Aunt who still had it when she died last fall. 

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 15:32

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I here LeMons calling 

Derpwagon > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 15:39

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500 bucks is fuckit money. Go for it. 

Long_Voyager94 > MoCamino 02/26/2020 at 16:02

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Actually betting it’s from the vacuum leak at the intake manifold, he said the gasket needs replacing.

Long_Voyager94 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 02/26/2020 at 16:02

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It wouldn’t be the first. Besides, I’ve always loved this era Century/Ciera.

Long_Voyager94 > Nom De Plume 02/26/2020 at 16:03

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Fix it up and replace the Acclaim with it. Basically just a driver.

Long_Voyager94 > mazda616 02/26/2020 at 16:04

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Ha, I stumbled on it cruising Classic GM FWD Society!

WilliamsSW > Chariotoflove 02/26/2020 at 16:11

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That definitely sounds like fun - especially for a teenager haha  

MoCamino > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 16:20

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That would do it too.  I think it’s a great idea.  Then again, the comment elsewhere about asking a group of alcoholics if you should have another drink is pretty accurate here.  :)

Long_Voyager94 > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 16:57

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Can confirm.

1987 Buick Century with the Iron Duke. Took a 5 mile stretch of open interstate and nerves of steel, but it did bury the needle.........at a whopping 85 mph.......

Long_Voyager94 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/26/2020 at 16:58

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Prices these are bringing lately and the condition/miles, I could easily sort it and make a grand+.

WilliamsSW > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 17:00

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Ha yeah - 85 mph speedo, but you had to get a ways past that before the entire  needle completely went back into the dashboard.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 17:26

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That makes this seem like a great plan

Long_Voyager94 > WilliamsSW 02/26/2020 at 17:30

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Ours started shaking violently around 73 mph, by 85 mph I could no longer read the speedo everything was shaking so violently.

mazda616 > Long_Voyager94 02/26/2020 at 21:06

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Jolene the Sunbird and I frequent both groups!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Long_Voyager94 02/27/2020 at 03:08

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buy it