Hi everyone, I'm new here, and new to car ownership, so bare with me. I'm currently looking at a '71 Maverick. It is a v6, has 48k miles, with a pretty mint body. Interior needs a little work, but I estimated for my likeness it wouldn't be too much. The wheels currently on it aren't spaced right, but the guy has the stock wheels as well, so I could use them in the mean time if I don't get spacers. Other than a small radiator leak, mechanically it's well. The guys lowest offer he would take is 3.5k. So I ask, is it worth it? Here is a link to the craigslist post. http://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/4436444389.html
No pictures of the interior, but if it looks as good as the exterior, I would say YES! Beautiful car, for that kind of money. Engines are cheap, if the one in there takes a dive. But the paint and body are done, and that is the most expensive part of the project.
to the site, from New Brunswick (just up the coast)! That car has been on e-Bay a couple of times, IIRC. I would check the cowl area for leaks by pouring a bucket of water down the cowl vents in front of the windshield. Then look for any water infiltration under the dash and onto the floor boards. A "pretty mint body" can still have a "real sucky cowl"... ask me how I know If you plan on using this car as a daily driver, you may want to consider upgrading the brakes to discs with 5-lugs, which means the wheels won't be any good, even with spacers (I assume the car is 4-lug drum brakes all around now). And BTW, the engine is a "straight" six, not a V6.
If the cowl doesn't leak, then it's probably worth the $3500, but just plan on some upgrades in the future...especially if you are planing on driving it everyday.
It snows in Connecticut....so I would have to say that a Maverick, in my opinion, makes a lousy daily driver. For the same amount of money, you could find an Escort, Focus, Contour, etc. Parts are readily available for these types of cars, and the safety upgrades on these cars over a Maverick are too numerous to mention. Just my opinion.
I agree with Craig. A 43 year old car does not make a good daily driver. Unless you spend a lot of money on it. Parts will constantly be breaking and need replacing.
Pictures of the interior, under the hood, underside of the car and in the trunk would help to make a better guess on the car's value.
Plus, from the pictures it looks like it had a vinyl top. (or still has, can't tell from my phone) If it hasn't been stored, there may be a lot of rust in that top.
When I checked it out with my father(mechanic, previous owner of a '70 mach 1) the engine was in good shape, other than the radiator that had a small leak. I believe the trunk had some wear. We are going to test drive it next week. When we do that I'll do another walk around and check out the cowl ordeal Paul was talking about. And with it being a daily, I most likely won't be driving all the time, because I have a lot of stuff in walking distance.
Interior wise, front bench could be restored, but for my needs I could just get a cover. Dash padding is wore some, but I found dash covers for 75$, stearing wheel as well, which is a simple $40.
Did the seller have any information as to where the car spent most of its life? Being from the north east myself, I would be extra-critical if the car was a local car. Look at the DSO code if the data sticker in the door jamb is still legible, and that will tell you where the car was delivered when it was new. And the seats, dash pad, steering wheel, are all things that you should be taking money OFF your offer for, as they WILL cost you money to replace/fix. And these are the items you can see now. Good Luck with your test drive and let us know how it goes!!
Unless you have lots of tools, time, and money, a Maverick doesn't make a good daily driver. Buying a 40+ year old car...to drive everyday isn't the best use of your money. The seat belts are old and dried out, the headlights suck, the mirrors are small, the wipers are slow, the heaters are slow, there are no air bags, so when some crazy person hits you, it's gonna hurt. So many people have tried this before, and fought the suggestions, only to pack it in in the end. Old cars should be enjoyed as a hobby, not resented when they won't start when your suppose to be somewhere already.
