What do you think the pros and cons of a 9c1 caprice are?

[konak9c1]

I know there are some good things and some bad things about the caprice. what do you think?

[BobM46128]

I actually like the 9C1 better than the Impala SS. I think the ride on the 94-96 SS is a little softer than the 9C1. That is probably a trade off for luxury.
Of course you want to make sure that you get a 5.7 9C1. The 4.3 just isn't the same. Of course the interior of the 9C1 is a LOT less comfortable than the SS. But that can be remedied with a couple of trips to the junkyard.
When I got my '91 they were still new and in use by all the major police depts. I believe the numbers were that 3 of 4 police cars were 9C1s. That was a MAJOR perk, since I was NEVER pulled over for anything. But now that they are almost nonexistent as police cars, that is not a plus.
Of course you have to contend with those who think you got the car to look like a policeman. Mine was an undercover car from Mich with two spotlights.
But if you like cruising down the freeway at high speed, there is no better car IMHO.

[HLandin]

9C1 Caprices are geared towards performance as opposed to luxury (Impala). Interior is fairly sparse/simple but under the hood its a monster. While not the fastest thing on the road, its got a big engine (5.7L or 5.0L) that will put some wanabe hotrods to shame. I do not know of too many 9C1 with 4.3L, atleast in the early 90's, probably found mostly in civilian Caprice.

[Delta Dart]

The LT1 powered 9C1 gives Impala SS performance at a fraction of the cost. A definite pro.

In my opinion the #1 con would be the poor reliability of the 94-96 models.

[HLandin]

What reliability problems do the 94-96 models have? I heard it might having something to do with the distributor/waterpump location???

I wish Chevy would re-release the 1990 model 9C1. The newer, aerodynamic models look nice, but they are not the same. The boxy just screems "police." But any Caprice, espically a 9C1, is a magnificant vehicle.

[Delta Dart]

Distributor/waterpump location is a problem. Other low mileage, high failure rate items:
transmission
G80 diff carrier
axles and bearings
steering system components
a/c components
cooling system components
cooler lines(oil,trans,steering)

Poor quality control resulted in grossly misaligned door/body panels, incorrect wheel alignment, incorrect or missing gaskets, electrical gremlins and lots of other gripes.

I base my opinion on my experience(94 lt1 9c1) my neighbors(96 SS) and reading everything I can get my hands on about these cars. Check the many automotive forums online and I think you will agree that reliability is poor for these cars.

One last comment. I love these cars! Bet you didn't expect me to say that.

[HLandin]

In reference to the statement about poor quality, are you referring to just the '94 to 96' model, or all Caprices?

[Delta Dart]

HLandin,

My research and experience is limited to the 1994 - 1996 models. Do not know about previous models.

[konak9c1]

i know of many 9c1 caprices going well over 200,000 miles without being much of a headache. I think thats reliable.

[Delta Dart]

I know of many 94-96 b bodies that did not make it to 100k without needing major repairs. I think that is unacceptable.

[konak9c1]

Dodges are real pieces of shits if you ask me.

[Delta Dart]

Originally Posted by konak9c1

Dodges are real pieces of shits if you ask me.

What do you base this on?

[HLandin]

I think everyone needs to be a bit more specific when making posts. General statements like "I think Dodges are a piece of shit" are too vague. What information/experience is that statement based or is it just pure speculation?

[konak9c1]

LOL. Lighten up guys. I wasn't myself at the time. Put today's dodges have poor quality.

[Delta Dart]

Originally Posted by konak9c1

LOL. Lighten up guys. I wasn't myself at the time. Put today's dodges have poor quality.

You will notice that I did not disagree with you, I just wanted more info.