Talk me out of buying another 'fun' car!!!

[Dawg52]

First car I bought out of college was a brand new 1976 Monte Carlo. Cost just under $6,000. Wish I still had it. It was a sweet one in it's day.

 

[bow-tie]

First car I bought out of college was a brand new 1976 Monte Carlo. Cost just under $6,000. Wish I still had it. It was a sweet one in it's day.

Hoooey... she was a big'un. 20 acres of hood on those things, and I think the doors themselves wieghed more than some new cars. My older brother drove a '73. She was sweet in her day. Had a sunroof and the swivel front seat. His boy wants to restore it.

 

[chinaco]

If it is your hobby or something you really want to do.... why not. As long as you keep expenses in line (which is probably the case), that is why you earned the money in the first place.

To me a car is just transportation (hopefully reliable).

 

[Andre1969]

I say go for it, especially if that's a car you've always liked. I had an '86 Monte Carlo back in 1998, but it was just a base sport coupe with the regular 150 hp 305-4bbl. SSes had a 180 hp 4-bbl. My mom bought it new and gave it to me with around 179,000 miles on it. I delivered pizzas in the evenings back then, and had it up to about 192,000 in three short months, when a kid ran a stop sign one summer evening, and T-boned me.

I still miss that car sometimes. It was nice. Seemed almost a perfect blend of size, interior room, performance, and fuel economy. It wasn't a rocket, not by a long shot, but it was fast enough.

I have seen these things, along with Malibus and El Caminos of that same platform, with 454's, but I dunno how much work it is to get one in there. I've heard it's a tight squeeze. And you can count on any big-block shredding the THM200R4 tranny that's in there, so plan on a new transmission too.

My dream car back in high school was a Grand National, but I figured a more realistic goal was a Monte SS. Never did get one, though.

 

[martyb]

In 1977,, right after basic training and tech school, just as I was heading to my first permanent station, I bought a brand new, off the showroom floor '77 Monte Carlo from the Chevy dealer in my hometown. Had to have my dad's help as in co-signing for the loan since I didn't have enough credit established yet for such a "big" purchase. I paid $5700 & change, if I remember right, and it seems like my payements were around $160 a month. I was single & living in the barracks, and it still seemed like a lot of money. I think my military paycheck at the time was in around $374 per month. Nope, just looked it up and it was $433.20! Still, with no other debts, I had gas money and could eat out once in awhile...what else could I ask for? Alas, two years down the road, I was out for an "excursion" on a dirt road with my girlfriend, when I went too wide in a curve, slid off the road & down an embankment, and rolled the car over. Total loss, no injuries. Except to my wallet and my feelings. That MC was black inside & out and was pretty much a basic model, with the 305 engine. Of course, my favorite muscle cars are from the mid-late 60s to the very early 70's, with my Monte Carlo really not fitting into that category from a horsepower standpoint, but it was still a nice car. Today, I'd rather have a nice restored 68-69 Camaro SS or Z-28, or a Chevelle, Nova, Mustang etc. That's on my to-do list after I retire in 5 yrs.

 

[DRiP Guy]