People say “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” and in the case of today’s Tahoe, that’s a spot-on assertion. Let’s see what such old-school cool might reasonably be worth.
When I was vacationing in Greece a few years back, I was amazed to discover that pretty much everyone I met was incredibly good-looking and impeccably dressed. It sure made me feel like a schlub. Being good-looking and dressing the part is almost always a plus. The we looked at yesterday, unfortunately, wasn’t good-looking. A fading clear coat, a fender dent, and some chipping paint were all flaws that detracted from the car’s overall appearance. On the plus side, it seemed to have decently-sorted mechanicals and a manual gearbox. It also had a $3,999 price tag, which looked good enough to earn the Bimmer a solid 65 percent Nice Price win.
Sometimes a bit of a ruffled look can be a good thing. It implies a strong and capable work ethic and hence can allow certain flaws to be overlooked. Take this as an example. It suffers from the same fading clear coat and other age-related wear as yesterday’s BMW, but on the Chevy, it likely doesn’t significantly detract from the truck’s appeal.
According to the ad, this Tahoe has, to date, done a substantial240,178. Those have been made possible by a drivetrain comprised of a 200-horsepower LO5 5.7-liter V8 and a five-speed manual gearbox driving a two-speed, part-time 4WD system. All of that is bolted to a ladder frame derived from the Silverado and topped with a two-door body that, while showing its age, still looks pretty serviceable. The Emerald Green paint is ok in most places, with the hood showing most of the weathering and moderate peppering on the nose. The factory alloys also look a little scruffy but aren’t too bad.
Inside, it’s much the same news. The beige cloth upholstery has held up amazingly well, as have most all of the plastics. This being a 1995 model, it sports a driver’s side airbag but lets the passenger make do with just a belt. Factory HVAC and stereo populate the dash as does an aftermarket satellite radio receiver. In the back-back, there’s a full-sized spare taking up space. Below the rear gate, the truck sports a trailer hitch with a full-sized receiver.
This is a dealer-offered truck and in true deal fashion, the ad claims that this Tahoe “is one that you really need to take out for a test drive to appreciate.” It comes with a clean title and is said to be a “classic vehicle.” The asking price for this near-beauty is $9,000. Add to that any taxes and license fees the dealer might be desirous of throwing in for good measure.
Considering all that, does this Tahoe present as a deal at that $9,000 asking? It has lots of miles and looks the part. On the other hand, these are fairly stout trucks, andwith its two doors and stick shift, this one is reasonably rare.
What do you say, is it worth its asking? Or, is the dealer dreaming?
You decide!
Hudson Valley, New York, , or go if the ad disappears.
H/T to Matthew Murphy for the hookup!
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