First off, I recognize the fact that there are low mileage cars out there. I have seen them, and their documentation. However do you think that more than half of the 36 year old cars I look at, are actual mileage less than 50,000 miles, as advertised? I think not.

I have been looking for another Chevelle recently, and I am amazed,at how many Chevelle owners are trying to convince buyers of their low mileage. Some of the best replies I get are, "it states it on the title, it has to be actual" "With a body this good, it has to be original miles" Do you have documentation? "Yeah the title"

The real kicker is when the numbers on the odometer dont even line up, the dash has been changed, the car has been repainted multiple times,and the motor looks like its been under water, but it still has 42,000 original miles.

Those are tibute miles........ not original, but protrayed as such.

Everyone of them do have 40,000 original miles. They also have 200,000 more original miles that aren't quite as nice so they don't brag about those miles as much;)

Jeff

i'm with ya dude. this goes along with the rusted, clapped out "all original". did the car come with 3' holes in the floor boards originally? or how about 90% restored? or how about "easy fix" body work. or "all the hard work done"? or original ss, no motor or trans, or how about "true survivor"......i'm so frustrated with the car hobby right now, i can't stand it. as much as i love hemmings muscle, they along with barret jackson and the likes have taken this hobby into the dumps.

i think the market has finally cooled. watching e-bay lately, the real rare cars are still bringing $, but the other stuff is not selling. i've seen literally hundreds of cars not meet reserve, or just pulled when the bidding doesn't reach the astronomical $ people are asking.

i know there are still a few deals to be had, but they are far a few between, and a lot of them are overstated. i've started to hate going to car shows to see the idiot in the rusted out 63 nova asking $10,900, the falcon for $13,000, because it has a tired 289 in it, and i'm sorry, but camaro's are just getting ridiculas, 18-20 for absolute crap. yeah, they ain't getting any easier to find, but i think we've all just about had it.

if something comes my way, i'll take a look, but spending my weekends listening to some idiot tell me why his barret jackson reject, is worth the ridiculas asking price has quickly lost it's appeal.

there are some important differences between the various types of miles:

mile = 5280 feet
nautical mile = 6000 feet
actual mile = 4997.2 feet
original mile = 5280 feet, but still retains its shine and new mile smell.

The thing that really bugs me is when people say "all original" or "100% original" regarding a car they are selling, then they go on to talk about the recent paint job and new interior, and the rebuilt engine with 20,000 miles on it.

Or when they say "fully restored" and you get an eyefull of rust flakes when you look underneath.

Or they say "no rust" when they really mean "no rust through"

one of my favorites is "the paint is show condition except for some small bubbles behind the front wheel" :clonk:

My 69 has 59,000 actual and easily verifiable miles.

Only had 53,000 when I bought it 5 years ago.

I met and talked to the original owner...and I bought it from the then 90 year old lady that the original owner sold the car to in 1972.

But yeah, I'm sure some of them have a lot more miles than it's said they have.

heres what most stuff around here looks like. it's not a bad car, but the 10k buy in..... maybe i'm just stuck in the 80's.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/369859161.html

heres what most stuff around here looks like. it's not a bad car, but the 10k buy in..... maybe i'm just stuck in the 80's.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/369859161.html

wow! :eek:

I don't care if it's 2 years old, or 40 years old... mileage DOES NOT MATTER.

I buy a car based on its merits (condition, maintenance, etc...) NOT its mileage.

how about this jewel......

http://ventura.craigslist.org/car/347945026.html

I have a 70 malibu that I assumed had 111,000 on it because we did not ask. Turns out its 11,000 miles. Got it from the original owner who lived on a dirt road and kept it in a dirt floor garage. All the Assembly line stickers are on the engine, coil springs and other parts. The spare tire has never touched the ground. But the frame was green from moss growing on it and the fenders have rust in the usual spots due to the dirt road.

Once a car is restored, mileage does not really matter. However, if you have an Original Car that has never been repainted, rusted, damaged in any way, shape or form, then I feel the low mileage adds value to the car. here is an example:
http://www.chevelles.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=14005&cat=10
Tory

heres what most stuff around here looks like. it's not a bad car, but the 10k buy in..... maybe i'm just stuck in the 80's.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/369859161.html

Personally compared to the rusted POS cars we have around here, that car for $10,000 doesn't seem too bad to me. I would try to get him down some, but if I had the change right now, I would be considering that car. I want a 64 or 65 bad, and a rust free car that seems fairly complete for $10,000 isn't that far out of line for me. Although I haven't really priced those cars yet so maybe that is high as compared to an older restoration.

By comparision, Wisconsins largest carshow/swapeet is going on right now. I spent all day yesterday there. I came across a 68 malibu that was rotted from top to bottom, no driveline and half the interior was gone for $4500 and a 69 chevelle non SS car, rotted out, floors were crap, it did have what they said is a new interior in the trunk, but it looked to me like it has been in there for some time and some of it junk by now. They were asking $7000 for that car.

Another one I came across was a 70 chevelle non SS car. The paint had pretty much been removed and a complete coat of minor surface rust covering the car. Very easy to clean up and the body looked fairly straight. Nice solid floors, and the interior was very nice, minor detailing needed. Wasn't a bad car at all, thay wanted $7000 for that car as well.

Jeff

I have a 70 malibu that I assumed had 111,000 on it because we did not ask. Turns out its 11,000 miles. Got it from the original owner who lived on a dirt road and kept it in a dirt floor garage. All the Assembly line stickers are on the engine, coil springs and other parts. The spare tire has never touched the ground. But the frame was green from moss growing on it and the fenders have rust in the usual spots due to the dirt road.
Well mine has less than 500 miles, or possibly 100,500. It's debatable.:cool:

I have a friend that will give you buy the 100,500 mile one.

Just went and looked at my SS I've had since 1985. The odometer reads 970 miles. Yes, ORIGINAL 970 miles. Odometer never messed with. I just wonder what kind of really hard miles that car got since I had to replace the qtrs, one fender, trunk floor and lid. The clear NC title shows I believe 63,000 miles at my purchase (locked in a little safe inside my big safe and the wife has the key for the little one). I am sticking to my guns.......970 original miles. Dang, people are crazy to listen to that crap about 35,000 original mile car for sale with new paint, NOM, new interior, new chrome and trim, etc. Was the car in a hurricane? tornado?
LOL Let's see....the car was bought by me in late '85. 18 years old at the time. Could have been 63,000 miles, maybe. Doubt it. It was a driver car. 63,000 miles / 18 years would be 3,500 miles per year. I know people drive more now than in the past for a daily driver but that is lowwww. Ok, now I have had the car 22 years. Evidently, I drove it about 38,000 miles or about 1725 miles per year on average....even lower...BUT I have not drove the car since around 1991 which comes out to 6,333 miles per year for the 6 years that I did drive it regularly.
Hmmm, maybe the 63,000 was original after all. Who knows.
Herbie

OneBlackHarley, You have summed up my exact sediment with looking to by a classic car, in the current market. I talked to a guy the other day who informed me his Chevelle was a Malibu Super Sport,and that there were a few made, he had looked into it, and besides it said Malibu Super Sport on the Title, and the original window sticker,so it must be so;)

Recently looked at a Nova, needed restored,faily solid car. The seller claims that the car can be painted for $2,000.00 and I would have a nice car. Maybe if I took it to Earl Sheib. Two thousand dollars might have bought me a quality paint job in 1987, not in 2007.:noway:

What type of mile isn't a mile?

Sounds like this is as bad as when they say "rust free" yet it has surface rust all over it.....or even better....the rust is covered with layers of bondo. :clonk:

Sounds like this is as bad as when they say "rust free" yet it has surface rust all over it.....or even better....the rust is covered with layers of bondo. :clonk:
You misunderstood, "rust free" means no extra charge for the rust. It's not an option, comes standard.

Well my 66 has 152.000 ACTUAL miles on it, how do I know? I put everyone on it myself. At cars shows numerous people look inside and ask me, oh only 52.000 miles on your car, I am right proud to answer no it has 152.000 and not all easy ones. It spent two Winters at Grand Forks AFB N.D. with not even a car port to help protect it. I also took it to Europe (while in the USAF) and toured numerous countries with it. So what's my point here, I am not and will not try to hide my miles. That also goes along with it still being a true Malibu (136) with a 66 396 installed in the past three years. No clone here, if you like it stop and look and I will be glad to share its history.

Jesse

Well my 66 has 152.000 ACTUAL miles on it, how do I know? I put everyone on it myself. At cars shows numerous people look inside and ask me, oh only 52.000 miles on your car, I am right proud to answer no it has 152.000 and not all easy ones. It spent two Winters at Grand Forks AFB N.D. with not even a car port to help protect it. I also took it to Europe (while in the USAF) and toured numerous countries with it. So what's my point here, I am not and will not try to hide my miles. That also goes along with it still being a true Malibu (136) with a 66 396 installed in the past three years. No clone here, if you like it stop and look and I will be glad to share its history.

Jesse

wow that is really a nice car. I like the color combo. I take it those are custome seat covers?

Just remember the bottom line is..."there's NO truth in advertising."

Anytime I see an old car with a 5 digit odometer I assume the odometer has flipped over at least once.

You misunderstood, "rust free" means no extra charge for the rust. It's not an option, comes standard.

You're right, didn't realize that.

...when they say "rust free" yet it has surface rust all over it...If it's just surface rust, then they are being completely reasonable. If I can take it off with a D/A sander and 180 grit sandpaper, that rust does not matter. If I need to cut it out and weld in new metal, then it's a problem, and would be considered "rusty".

It's much easier to remove a light layer of surface rust than 7 layers of laquer. :yes:

If it's just surface rust, then they are being completely reasonable. If I can take it off with a D/A sander and 180 grit sandpaper, that rust does not matter. If I need to cut it out and weld in new metal, then it's a problem, and would be considered "rusty".

It's much easier to remove a light layer of surface rust than 7 layers of laquer. :yes:

us MN folks have a different definition for the phrase "rust free" than people that live in warmer climates that don't have road salt. what we consider "mint", even the most dedicated car freak in cali will pass over for being "too far gone".

as for actual mileage- a true low mileage car will look way different than even a well maintained high mileage car. everything will just look "better", and bolts will tend to come out easier. my Regal had 58,000 miles on it when i got it, and i could tell it wasn't 158,000 miles. everything is just "nicer"- from the condition of interior parts like gas and brake pedals (not just the rubber pads) and carpet and the complete lack of squeaks and rattles to the way every nut and bolt comes apart nice and easy underneath the car to the lack of scaly rust on everything under the car. hell, i could even tell that the 81 Ford F250 that i got for free with a bent up and rusted out body only had 45,000 miles on it by how nice things came apart when i took the original body off- i didn't strip a single nut or break a single bolt. the doors were factory fresh looking,but the cow crap that it spent it's like slogging thru really did a number on the body.
a nice original car is way different and better than even a "perfect" restoration.

us MN folks have a different definition for the phrase "rust free" than people that live in warmer climates that don't have road salt. what we consider "mint", even the most dedicated car freak in cali will pass over for being "too far gone".

Like I said earlier, that first car 1BLACKHARLEY put up is a rather nice car for these parts. I have sen cars that I think the Cali guys would just send to the crusher go for pretty good money.

Jeff

I think my 1st Gen. Camaro car's mileage that I bought new back in Oct. '66 is like 90,000+ now, but my car hasn't been driven since '87 and also sat for 3 to 4 years before I bought her back in the early '80's b/c he was in the Navy out at sea most of the time!!

And, yes, there is some bubbling of the paint with passage of time now that I've looked her over REAL good!! And she's been garaged since '87!!!

pdq67

I started "trying" to buy a '65 Chevelle that had been put in storage in 1978, in '78. It was a little old ladies car and she was having health issues. It took until 2001 to make a deal with the heirs. It was still parked in the same spot, all good t3s lamps, oil change sticker from '78 still afixed to the door, original bias ply tires, spare never down and matching the other tires. It wasn't perfect as some mice had been in it through the years and it was a bit odiferous when we pulled it out of the barn. <9,000 miles.

So what is one to do to differentiate from those showing similar mileage but having been restored.

What kind of mileage would YOU call it?

just clean it up, get rid of the rodents, and drive it.
there is no real way to duplicate what the original paint looks like- and that holds true for the underside of the car just as much as the shiny pretty side everyone looks at. metal is only new once- and when that new steel is painted on an assembly line, it looks much different than what you will see on a restoration that had sandpaper touch every surface to make it smooth.
park that 9000 mile unrestored Chevelle next to a $100k restoration at a show, and i bet your survivor gets more looks. and i bet the owner of the restored car won't like that one bit, unless he's a true "car guy" that respects it for what it is, and not an investment hot rodder that thinks everything has to be pretty and perfect to be good.

Thanks Andy 69 for the nice comments about my 66. The seat covers are PUI from Year One, correct trim code 712 two tone fawn, a right rare interior color for a Chevelle for sure. Take care.

Jesse Robertson

Come on guys. Help me out here. What do you call the "miles" on a documented low mileage car to differenciate it from the "13,000 miles on a frame off"? They aren't original miles, the car is original. They aren't pure miles, not OEM miles, maybe "13,000 little ol' lady miles"?

they are "real miles".

I too don't care about how many miles are on it. Considering my car was in a body shop for 8 years, sitting, and not being driven. The odometer read 71K and once I put a new engine and trans in the car, it didn't matter what the odometer said after that.

But, I can see that the guys buying the 40K-1.2 Million dollar cars would care if the miles were original or not.

what I've never understood, if all those miles are original miles, where are the un-original miles?

car salesman: "....only 82,000 original miles!"

me: "what other kind of miles are there?"

I started "trying" to buy a '65 Chevelle that had been put in storage in 1978, in '78. It was a little old ladies car and she was having health issues. It took until 2001 to make a deal with the heirs. It was still parked in the same spot, all good t3s lamps, oil change sticker from '78 still afixed to the door, original bias ply tires, spare never down and matching the other tires. It wasn't perfect as some mice had been in it through the years and it was a bit odiferous when we pulled it out of the barn. <9,000 miles.

So what is one to do to differentiate from those showing similar mileage but having been restored.

What kind of mileage would YOU call it?

Those miles are called "Old Lady Barn Find Miles" :D

"Mileage may vary depending on specific part on car" will be my tag line.

To me, mileage matters on a 5 year old used car. On a 40 year old used car, who cares? it's probably got to be rebuilt anyway!

To me, mileage matters on a 5 year old used car. On a 40 year old used car, who cares? it's probably got to be rebuilt anyway!

I didn't read all these answers, but, this is what I was going to say too.
If you are going to restore it, or it already has been restored, what difference
does it make?
Now if it has never been restored and the selling point is low mileage, then its fraud.

I have a 1972 chevelle with 97k original miles. When I bought it, it was sitting in a barn from 1984 till I bought it in 2003, bought from original owner and last registered in 1984. I also have a log dated of work done on the car up to 1984.

I didn't read all these answers, but, this is what I was going to say too.
If you are going to restore it, or it already has been restored, what difference
does it make?
Now if it has never been restored and the selling point is low mileage, then its fraud.

I guess I don't understand. Are you saying that because my car is 40 years old, has never been restored, engine not rebuilt, wins at car shows, and I mention that it has only 13,000 miles while selling it, it's fraud?