Chevrolet might have ceased manufacturing of the long-running Monte Carlo in 2007, however as right this moment’s Good Worth or No Cube 5.3-liter SS proves, it went out with a bang. Let’s discover out if its value is simply as explosive.
The $2,000 asking value on yesterday’s 1999 Ford Explorer XLT had lots of you approaching the truck the best way just a little child approaches an unfamiliar vegetable on their dinner plate — warily.
A few of you puzzled what undisclosed evils the truck would possibly ultimately manifest. Just a few others merely felt it was a canine whose searching days have been lengthy over. Ultimately, none of that appeared to matter a whit because the Ford took house a 90 % Good Worth win. That was one of the vital decisive victories we’ve seen this 12 months.
The Explorer is arguably one in every of Ford’s most iconic fashions. One other nameplate that’s held close to and expensive inside the hallowed halls of FoMoCo is Thunderbird. Within the Fifties, the T-bird was the automotive that outlined the non-public luxurious coupe class — after which outlined it as soon as once more when the automotive shifted from a pure two-seater to a 2+2.
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Chevrolet has lengthy been Ford’s greatest rival within the North American market, and at any time when one carmaker hits a very wealthy vein of automotive mannequin gold, you may make sure that the opposite will likely be there briefly order to faucet that very same mine.
Within the case of the Thunderbird, it took Chevy a full decade and a half to get its reply on the street. Chevy’s reply was the 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo, a automotive that was smaller than the modern T-bird and featured cleaner, extra European strains. This was befitting of the Monte Carlo’s title, the Monégasque metropolis made well-known in automotive circles for the System 1 race that has so many instances roared by its tony streets.
Through the years, Chevrolet had an on-again/off-again love affair with the Monte Carlo. The mannequin’s heyday within the Seventies and early ’80s was a time when it went by each an upsizing and a downsizing. The mannequin skipped the primary half of the ’90s after which was resurrected halfmeans by the last decade as little greater than a rebadged Lumina coupe. Sheesh!
The Monte Carlo’s last iteration to this point arrived in 2000 and tried to recapture the mannequin’s swinging-singles glory days. Chevy’s main goal with the automotive gave the impression to be to provide the corporate one thing to run in NASCAR, however even that wasn’t sufficient to maintain the coupe from changing into a corpse.
Chevy cited slumping gross sales because the official purpose for the mannequin’s exit in 2007. That was possible purpose sufficient, however there was additionally the corporate’s foresight that the getting old Monte Carlo would combat the quickly to be resurrected Camaro for gross sales and rental automotive lot area in a simply couple of years’ time.
This 2007 Monte Carlo SS is from that last mannequin 12 months and, with its 5.3 liter LS4 V8 engine and spiffy coloration scheme, it’s one of the vital extroverted of the bunch.
That engine sits sideways and places its 303 horsepower by a four-speed automated to the automotive’s entrance wheels. On this implementation, the V8 options an aluminum block and heads, so whereas it’s comparatively large and highly effective, it possible received’t make you are feeling just like the automotive’s swinging a ship anchor forward of you at each nook.
There’s a modest 108,000 miles on this Monte’s clock, and the automotive presents in fabulous form for its age and that distance. The Laser Blue Metallic over Silverstone paint holds up with an as-new shine and the automotive carries all its applicable badging. The easy five-spoke alloy wheels additionally look freed from any marring and put on tires that seem to have loads of tread left. Aftermarket additions to the automotive embody an enormous and certain non-functional hood scoop and Corvette-style flags on the nostril.
Inside it’s extra of the identical. The advert claims the automotive to be “absolutely loaded” and except for lacking a big display screen infotainment system, all of it appears to be comparatively fashionable and cozy. The beneathhood presentation is likewise clear, and the aftermarket “SS” oil fill cap is a pleasant contact.
The Monte Carlo died from lack of curiosity. The non-public coupe market has lengthy been a distinct segment class, and for a quantity vendor like Chevy, a distinct segment must serve a goal. The Corvette is a distinct segment mannequin, however it additionally serves as Chevy’s halo automotive. In Chevy’s lineup, the Monte Carlo was extra of a “Hey-you. What was your title once more?”
That doesn’t imply such vehicles lack followers, and there’s possible somebody on the market for whom this SS can be the proper experience. Let’s determine if it comes with the proper value to match. The asking value is $9,800, and that will get you a clear title and a seemingly problem-free automotive.
Does that appear like an equitable commerce? What do you say, is that this Monte Carlo price that $9,800 asking? Or, does that value make this a private coupe that you just’d keep away from getting up shut and private with?
You determine!
Los Angeles Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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