Tell me why I don't want a Caprice PPV

Here we are again. I'm looking at E36 M3 I have no business looking at. As my usual MO goes, I find an SUV, decide I really like the SUV. Do  a TON of research on the SUV. Figure out exactly what I want in the SUV. 

And then I veer wildly to the left and buy something different. The last time this happened I was going to purchase a Nissan Murano and somehow bought a MINI instead. Didn't really dodge much of a bullet there, as the MINI proved to be as much of a money pit as the Nissan CVT would have. 

This time, its a GMT900 Escalade. Checks all the right boxes. Always wanted a Cadillac, squishy guts, tows a house, etc. HORRIBLE gas mileage but we're looking at Lexus hybrids for swmbo so I don't care. 

Of course, time to be distracted. The usual suspects have crept in. Odd japanese stuff (there's an Evo4 in Ft. Lauderdale, a Stagea in Hollywood FL, various Miatae, etc etc) Then, in a rare moment of clarity, I remembered- the Caprice PPV. 

I realize I know next to nothing about these cars, but there are a few in FL under 100k mi (I know hours are a thing, but ????) around the 10k mark that interest me. 6.0 LS engine, RWD shenanigans, vomit proof interior, absolutely anonymous, GM parts bin.... what am I missing on these? 

A coworker has one. In conversation with him, it's given me the impression that while it's mostly GM parts bin, some of those parts bins are in Australia and belonged to a company that no longer exists. There are definitely year over year variations. Definitely worth gettng into one of the owner groups and learning.

Like the other Holden based chevy's of that era (GTO, G8) it can be difficult and expensive to find exterior things like lights, trim, body panels, etc.

I have a friend with a highly modified one. GTO/G8 parts are downright common compared to PPV. They are ridiculously hard to get parts for, both mechanical (suspension, body control) and cosmetic. 

Buy a running one, and a non runner. The non-runner will go cheap. Pilfer for parts. The reason it's cheap is missing/broken engine. Everyone wants the engine.

Appleseed said:

Buy a running one, and a non runner. The non-runner will go cheap. Pilfer for parts. The reason it's cheap is missing/broken engine. Everyone wants the engine.

This. I love these cars.... but then again I am a 9C1 fanboi from the 90's

I've noticed that these have a 5k towing capacity listed, is that actually reasonable? If so that'd be a neat way to pull my F600 to events lol

In reply to gixxeropa :

I have every reason to believe it. 

They share the basic chassis and body with the G8...but the wheelbase is a little longer, and there are many PPV specific bits and pieces that are going to be hard to find. The parts they share with the G8, you can find those pretty easy - and the G8 shared a lot of suspension parts with Camaros of roughly the same years.

Buy one in decent shape, drive it like a rental. When parts start cracking/fading/falling off, learn to glue/paint/weld them back on, or sell it.

I've owned my G8 GT (6.0 LS) for over 10 years and the odo is currently at 260,000 - and it still gets driven every day. Front lower control arms, strut top mounts, and various suspension bushings are wear items.    

bobzilla said:

Appleseed said:

Buy a running one, and a non runner. The non-runner will go cheap. Pilfer for parts. The reason it's cheap is missing/broken engine. Everyone wants the engine.

This. I love these cars.... but then again I am a 9C1 fanboi from the 90's

 

Owning a police car has been a legitimate dream of mine since my childhood. I realize that a p71 is the answer- but I kinda like this idea better

I started a thread on the Caprice V8 cop car and it mostly got shot down.  Good straight line acceleration but poor handling.  Plus everyone didn't like the idle hours. 

Budget an extra $1000 into a Caprice PPV for DoD delete because that will need to happen and you might as well do a cam, valvesprings and a tune at that point.

In reply to Mndsm :

The p71 is a slug compared to a Caprice despite what the fanboys believe. Engine problems, catastrophic aside, are very easy fixes on a PPV.

There is one near me for sale, but it's a V6 spec.  Still moves out pretty good, seriously considering it for the next work beater..

RacetruckRon said:

Budget an extra $1000 into a Caprice PPV for DoD delete because that will need to happen and you might as well do a cam, valvesprings and a tune at that point.

As if that's all i'm going to do to it right away. This thing is already (theoretically) anywhere between 5-15k cheaper than the aforementioned escalade, depending on what that was going to look like and how froggy I was feeling. This is by no means a done deal or anything, but they're a LOT cheaper than i'd have anticipated they'd be given the market for similar. 

Datsun310Guy said:

I started a thread on the Caprice V8 cop car and it mostly got shot down.  Good straight line acceleration but poor handling.  Plus everyone didn't like the idle hours. 

the common theme I'm seeing is lack of parts availability. I don't drive much. I don't really consider hard to find parts a major issue. I don't really care if it handles well. My next contender was a goddamn escalade. Really, this was just one of the weirder ideas i'vce had. 

Man this is a car most people completely forgot.  An employee at work has one (Caprice, not an SS) and its kind of cool to see but thats it.  Between the lack of parts and the meh looks, total snoozefest.  

I have a g8, and i'd rock a caprice too, same engine but with e85

Years ago when I worked patrol, I spent a lot of time in the Caprice. I also spent quite a bit of time in the Crown Vic and older Chargers. I left the road around the time they started phasing in SUV's. 
 

The Caprice is the only one I would actually spend my own money on. I preferred everything about the Caprice: the power, seating position, steering/handling, transmission, etc. I always thought they were the best cop cars ever made. With a set of snow tires, they even did pretty good in the snow.
 

We didn't seem to have many problems with them (other than some problems related to installing switches to keep them running without keys in the ignition- which wasn't the cars fault). Unlike the Chargers which seemed to perpetually be in the shop. 
 

Unless you're a bigger guy (which, I'm 6'2" 215 lbs), I didn't see the appeal of the Crown Vic by comparison... although my old partner loved the Vic and bought one for himself, so to each their own. If I found a cheap Caprice locally, I would pick one up. 

caprice PPV with G8 front clip would be cool.  i've seen a few around and man that G8front end is so much better.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

caprice PPV with G8 front clip would be cool.  i've seen a few around and man that G8front end is so much better.

See, I'd keep the chevy front clip just to keep it weird. 

roninsoldier83 said:

Years ago when I worked patrol, I spent a lot of time in the Caprice. I also spent quite a bit of time in the Crown Vic and older Chargers. I left the road around the time they started phasing in SUV's. 
 

The Caprice is the only one I would actually spend my own money on. I preferred everything about the Caprice: the power, seating position, steering/handling, transmission, etc. I always thought they were the best cop cars ever made. With a set of snow tires, they even did pretty good in the snow.
 

We didn't seem to have many problems with them (other than some problems related to installing switches to keep them running without keys in the ignition- which wasn't the cars fault). Unlike the Chargers which seemed to perpetually be in the shop. 
 

Unless you're a bigger guy (which, I'm 6'2" 215 lbs), I didn't see the appeal of the Crown Vic by comparison... although my old partner loved the Vic and bought one for himself, so to each their own. If I found a cheap Caprice locally, I would pick one up. 

I like this information. I am a bigger human, attempting to be a less big human. But it is nice to have someone that's spent some time with one. 

93gsxturbo said:

Man this is a car most people completely forgot.  An employee at work has one (Caprice, not an SS) and its kind of cool to see but thats it.  Between the lack of parts and the meh looks, total snoozefest.  

That's what's fun! Totally sleeper town until you hit the loud pedal. 

Parts availability is the only thing that would scare me away from one.  I've looked at them on govdeals occasionally, and if a good deal had come up at the right time, I would have jumped.  Most near me were V6 models, though.

Regarding parts, I seem to recall a Florida youtuber had one as a burnout/drift car and did a wall tap hard enough to bust the rear window.  I think they just left it that way, because it would be cheaper to reshell than to properly fix the body damage and replace the rear glass.

I'd stick a Malibu badge on one. No one would suspect. It's the perfect sleeper.