Sadly, the end is in sight.

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Yes. I am very logical, I know the car is just metal, glass, rubber and leather, it has NO feelings. Still, I can't help but have all the memories I do with it. I am attached to it, because my kids were raised in it. Kind of neat it will get them all through high school.
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Yes. I am very logical, I know the car is just metal, glass, rubber and leather, it has NO feelings. Still, I can't help but have all the memories I do with it. I am attached to it, because my kids were raised in it. Kind of neat it will get them all through high school.

Trust me, I understand what you mean. I remember mom's 1985 Nissan Maxima, even though timing belt failure caused so much engine damage that it far exceeded the value of the car. In many ways, it wasn't even a good car, just a good engine and transmission bolted to a bunch of junk.
 
Since what you described aren't really the deal breaker, and it is a loaded model and you have lots of emotion to it, I'd fix it up and drive it later.

Just make sure you check the local junkyard listing regularly and see if you can find good condition parts (especially the interior), and you have all the time in the world to fix it while driving it.

My only concern would be fuel economy for a 4.3 V8.
 
$50 paint job in your sons school colors and his jersey number on the doors NASCAR style...

And bolt a fan to the dash like used to have in school buses for the drivers!
 
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
$50 paint job in your sons school colors and his jersey number on the doors NASCAR style...


Man I like it! Paint my jet black car green & gold, emblazoned with #81 on the doors.

Maybe get some decals that say:

#81, BAD A$$ LINEBACKER!
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(I am in Texas after all, and High school football is nothing short of a religion here, LOL).
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
1995 Chevy Caprice. 4.3L V8. Bought new, loaded out. Family car, raised my three kids in the back seat of it.

Then in 2007, oldest daughter turned 16 and she drove it through her high school years and half of her college. Middle daughter took over and drove it until now, she is getting my truck to go off to college in. Son turns 16 very soon, he will have 2.5 years in it.

Its mechanically sound, but beat to death. My eldest wrecked it badly, but we fixed it up and rolled on. Used for extreme short tripping, just 5 blocks, but across busy highway (so no option to walk). A/C broke, cruise broke, interior torn, numerous parking lot dings. Way too much to fix on a 200,000 mile car.

How would you guys maintain this? I am thinking just oil changes, nothing more. Any automotive end-of-life strategies I should consider? I am really going to miss this ole' car. Tons of memories in it...
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A/C is usually very expensive to fix unless it's something minor -- close to or more than $1,000 -- so, probably not worth fixing unless you really want to keep the car.

There are still some good old upholstery shops -- at least in LA -- where you can have your interior renewed for a couple of hundred bucks, and this could be well worth if there is such a place where you live.

Other than that, if there are obvious repairs you can do easily and cheaply, do them, and change and top off your fluid regularly -- especially the oil. For a car in this condition (leaks, oil burning, etc.), whatever 10W-30 or 10W-40 dino on sale (less oil consumption with the latter) will suffice as far as oil is concerned.
 
You could get another few yrs out of it, just keeping up with the basics. Compared to what modern drive lines cost, this car wouldn't be too expensive to have rebuilt. In your shoes, with the family connection to it, I would retire it to good local talent to refresh it toward its heyday. Expect to pay what it cost you at the git go. Stuff to look at first would be the brake lines and the front suspension. Start with the mechanicals and fix the seats too. Keep it numbers matching, rebuild, don't replace.
 
Both my kids came home in my Jetta. It's been daddy's car for as long as they have been around. Kinda hard to let that go.

Speaking of paint, my daughter is a bit of an artist (what 7 year old isn't?). I've been tempted to buy some new fenders to replace the rotted ones, let her have at them, then shoot it with some clearcoat. What a riot it would be if she went off to college in this car, complete with painted fenders!
 
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