Photo: Classic Autotrader anonymous seller
For all the six and seven-figure hypercars we fixate around here, we try to look out for the little guy every once in a while. We understand that most working-class folks can't even afford the most basic new vehicles, let alone an electric one. Suppose you're still mad that the CEO of the Kellogg Company recently told his customers to eat cereal for dinner. In that case, we can probably tell what bargain basement used family car to avoid if you desperately need four wheels to get the kiddos to school.
That would be this 1982 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Wagon with a 5.7-liter Oldsmobile diesel engine that most people associate with the death of diesel passenger cars in North America. How true that sentiment is is a little up in the air, but you can't argue the Olds Diesel V8 was nothing short of a PR nightmare for General Motors. Little do some people know, Oldsmobile made an effort to distribute its flagship diesel V8 engine across the broader range of GM vehicles after its deployment to service in 1978.
Famous GM brands like Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Pontiac, and, of course, Chevrolet all employed the Oldsmobile diesel small block in their lineup in one form or another. At the time, these engines were at least appreciated for their class-leading fuel economy, all at a time when fuel prices were starting to stabilize for the first time since the oil crisis of the previous decade. You could go way past 400 miles on one tank of diesel if you were cautious with your foot with one of these engines. If only the people who owned General Motors vehicles with this engine had the slightest clue how to keep up with maintenance on diesel engines.
In truth, this lapse in communication between General Motors and its customers about the importance of regular maintenance on these engines killed them so quickly, rather than inherent flaws in the engine itself. In any case, this crusty Chevy Caprice diesel wagon is likely among the last of its breed still running and driving. That said, we use that term very loosely. Just look at the state of the rest of this wagon. From the worn-out paint and rust patches to the grimy state of the rear seats, there's a sense that while this Caprice was maintained well enough not to fall apart, you're going to get what you pay for buying a late 80s GM product in 2024.
So to say, this is a vehicle that could turn into a ticking time bomb sooner rather than later. Is it worth spending $2,199 on that gamble? In our minds, only if you're absolutely desperate in every sense of the word. Seriously, just get a Grand Caravan and save the hassle.
Famous GM brands like Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Pontiac, and, of course, Chevrolet all employed the Oldsmobile diesel small block in their lineup in one form or another. At the time, these engines were at least appreciated for their class-leading fuel economy, all at a time when fuel prices were starting to stabilize for the first time since the oil crisis of the previous decade. You could go way past 400 miles on one tank of diesel if you were cautious with your foot with one of these engines. If only the people who owned General Motors vehicles with this engine had the slightest clue how to keep up with maintenance on diesel engines.
In truth, this lapse in communication between General Motors and its customers about the importance of regular maintenance on these engines killed them so quickly, rather than inherent flaws in the engine itself. In any case, this crusty Chevy Caprice diesel wagon is likely among the last of its breed still running and driving. That said, we use that term very loosely. Just look at the state of the rest of this wagon. From the worn-out paint and rust patches to the grimy state of the rear seats, there's a sense that while this Caprice was maintained well enough not to fall apart, you're going to get what you pay for buying a late 80s GM product in 2024.
So to say, this is a vehicle that could turn into a ticking time bomb sooner rather than later. Is it worth spending $2,199 on that gamble? In our minds, only if you're absolutely desperate in every sense of the word. Seriously, just get a Grand Caravan and save the hassle.
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