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1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS With Only 238 Miles!

A while back we featured a pair of awesome Buick GNs that had been found in an old garage. We were blown away by the seller’s initial asking price of $200,000 for both. The new owner didn’t pay nearly that much, but it clearly shows that ’80s G-Body cars are becoming quite popular with values on the rise! This 1988 Monte Carlo SS has just 238 miles on it and looks to be an amazing survivor, but the seller set a BIN of $57,500 and bidding has already exceeded $38k! I get that low mileage survivors tend to fetch more than their higher mileage counterparts, but Hagerty rates a number one at just $20k. It will definitely be interesting to watch this auction play out. You can find it here on eBay in Findlay, Ohio.

I usually take book values with a grain of salt, but it really is shocking to see a car bid this much over book. With 29 bids from 7 different bidders, I doubt the seller is shill bidding, but I guess that’s a possibility. The seller does mention the pair we featured, but they seem to believe that the new owner paid $200k for the pair (we know that wasn’t actually the case) and that that somehow increases the value of their Monte Carlo. The GN and the Monte Carlo SS are very different cars from an engine standpoint. The GNs received the turbocharged Buick V6, while the Monte SS got the 305 V8. While it’s a good little V8, it produced less horsepower and lacked the tunability offered by a turbo. It is the high output version with 180 horsepower and 240 foot-pounds of torque though and I’m sure more power could be squeezed out of it.

While I truly believe these cars are on the rise, I think this seller might be dreaming a little with their asking price. If this were a GN or GNX, then maybe, but the Monte Carlo SS just isn’t as sought after. They built over 16k of these in ’88 alone. Being a low mileage survivor definitely helps, but I don’t see it going for $57k. But I’d love to hear what you guys think.

Comments

  1. Avatar doug6423

    I thought the GN’s had V6’s?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Neil

      They do and did, the article is incorrect.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Josh Staff

      Sorry, I meant V6 not V8.

      Like 0
    • Avatar ACZ

      Not all 1987 GNs were Turbo V6’s. If you look at a 1987 order form, the 5.0L (307 Olds V8) was also available in the GN. If you watch the cars for sale, you will occasionally find one. The engine code in the VIN for the 307 is a “Y”.

      Like 0
      • Avatar ACZ

        My error. I went back and looked after I felt something was wrong. I should have said the T-Type Regal, in 87, had the V8 available, not the GN.

        Like 0
  2. Avatar Dave

    GNs are turbo Buick V6 not V8. Probably just a typo. :) Regardless these Montes will never command the prices GNs pull. No comparison between the 2.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Rx7turboII

    You must REALLY love this body style to pay that kind of cash for a car with a 305 engine! To each his own…lol

    Like 0
    • Avatar billy

      Some ultra rich guy is just buying it because he can. Will never drive it, just put it in a shed as some sort of collection. The hobby as we know it is dying, and dying quickly. I mourn for it.

      Like 1
  4. Avatar Old car guy

    Whole lotta shilling going on….

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Simon Peters

    A guy a few doors down has a Chevy Monte Carlo Joe Gibbs Edition, how much would that be worth? I heard just under 1,000 were made.

    Like 0
    • Avatar rando

      There are a bunch of “editions” out there. A dealer needs to move a car and gets the local sign guy to whip up a stripe or two, a name decal, and Voila! they have a special edition. Make up a story and you have it. There was a bunch of Dale Earnhardt editions in my town. Luminas, Montes. Black. With a red and/or silver stripe.

      This car was the bees knees around here in it’s day. Tons of them roaming the streets. There were H/O Olds and the occasional GN, but the MCSS was king. Especially in this combination. $57K is drereaming money, but what the heck? If you can get it frorm someone in love with the car…. as it is, I don’t see anyway the seller loses money.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar glen

    Again, who buys a car and never uses it? I don’t understand.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Vegas Vic

    I had one, first new car I bought, mine was a 1986, great car, big trunk, comfy, decent power (for 1986 stock) ac, kick butt stereo, the graphics were super sweet, spring is here, would adore one , again, wouldn’t pay more than 20k thought, not even this one here… she sat for 28 or so years! I agree with the quote “rich guy bought it” , a shame, buy this beauty and enjoy her, great daily driver !

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Bill

    The $38,000 its currently at is about as much it’ll ever be worth.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar AMXSTEVE

    Cough, what? there are tons out there. why?

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Angrymike

    I gotta say, I bought a 86 Monte SS in 88, that car was one hell of a great car, not fast, but I took it all over the N/E US and it was an awesome all around car.
    If the floor didn’t get rusty I’d have kept it forever !
    I don’t know how collectable they are, but mine was an awesome car !

    Like 0
  11. Avatar JW

    Friend of ours had a white Monte Carlo SS with the 305 high output v8, was a sweet ride. Sold it in mint condition in 1993 for 8K.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Dave

    The Seller’s dreaming “a little?” Regardless of the 238 miles and the fact that ’80s Montes were good but slow cars, the bids this car is getting now is just like the insanity that went on with the Lambrecht auction.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Coventrycat

    Sounds like someone mussed his mullet. For that money I’d buy something with a lot more head turning power than that.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Car Guy

    Curently at $38,100. Lots of very nice earlier muscle cars you can buy for that kind of money. Never owned one of these, but part on one lives on in one of my cars.These came with the 200 R4 automatic transmission. I got one out of an 88 Monte SS to install in place of the powerglide in my 68 327 El Camino. Super easy bolt in swap compared to the 700 R4 with it’s much longer case. The 200 also has a lower first gear, more even gear spacing, and a taller overdriver than the 700. Very nice trans for a driver.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar CJay

    It’s the last year produced as the rear drive.
    But it’s not the last one produced that one is Silver produced December of 1987 as a 1988.
    I might understand almost 40k for that one.
    Congratulations to the owner for wanting to double his money on this. I hope it is a successful retirement strategy.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar RoselandPete

    I don’t put much faith in those price guides. I consider them only to compare relative values of cars.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Ron Jellum Member

    Gotta drive them, I have a friend that has a 2006 Ford GT with over 130,000 miles on it. I most of all of them built. (4400 units).

    Like 0
  18. Avatar AMCFAN

    No to low miles. Not all that rare (or desirable in my opinion) I know of several guys who bought new Monte SS’s and planned their retirements around owning them by squirreling them away.

    Sad because they could have drove the wheels off the car and enjoyed it. With a simple money manager a Roth or IRA account would have done a better job at producing dividends even with wishey washy investments then carefully putting away a brand new car and maintaining it all those years. About a good idea as collector plates!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar John C Cargill

    Too much money. It is no match to a GN

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Kevin

    it’s nice. but I can’t afford it

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Steve H

    $38K for one of these? Even with so few miles I don’t get it. Not a desirable model… Could never figure out why they gave these the SS name. Certainly don’t deserve it. SMH

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Mike

    took my drivers test in a 135 horsepower turd just like this in 1986
    my moms 85 Omni wasn’t that bad really….

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Squanto

    I’d spend $38k on three IROC-Zs. But, as a wise man once said- “Difference of opinion is what makes horse racing possible”

    Like 1
  24. Avatar lawrence

    Maybe the bidder thinks Dale was a hero.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Keith C.

    Insane. I wouldn’t touch that with an eleven-foot pole.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Marshall Barfield

      I Have 2 Just Like This In My Shop 1 Flap Back Window Like New Inside And Out Has 5862 Miles On It Black With Cranberry Int. Has Every Options On It Available Hard Top 1988SS Monte Carlo
      Setting Beside It Is My 1987SS Monte Carlo Aerocoupe Black With Cranberry Int. Just Like The 1988 It Has 29000 Miles Like New Inside And Out Both Goes Together They Live Together Goes Together $60.000 For Them Both My Name Is Marshall Barfield

      Like 0
  26. Avatar spgg

    well he has a 88 monte and wants big money for it well i have a 1985 monte ss with 20.000 miles on it so do this means i can get $57.000 out of mine to?

    Like 0
  27. Avatar Dave

    Knock a zero off the price that’s what it’s worth

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Nova Scotian

    Nice clean rig. Would super suck to take it out into traffic and get it smashed. Try don’t make these anymore…so yes, for mint models, prices do rise, no matter how lowly the vehicle is looked upon.
    If it were me, when I bought it, I’d have driven the wheels off it like most. It probably would have lived on recycled as Mercedes Benz out of Europe…lol

    Like 0
  29. Avatar PER.

    Mine is not slow, 383 small block and I drive it like I stole it.
    I was thinking about selling it for 10K but might need to evaluate the price if people are throwing that kind of money at them! Its a T-Top car also.

    Like 0
  30. Avatar MossBack

    There is an identical Monte Carlo on eBay with just 12 miles on the odometer and is $500 less on its Buy-It-Now price. Bidding is currently at $20K.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/132177948724

    Like 0
  31. Avatar cudaman

    My 50k mile SS a few years ago……sold it for $8200.00. All original, bought from original owner……

    Like 1
  32. Avatar Miguel

    Maybe he thinks that because it is an ’88 model, it is worth more. They didn’t make very many before then ended production in December.

    Like 0
  33. Avatar Iggy from NW Ontario

    It had to have been shill bidding or this owner is lost in the clouds. Never in a million years did I think I would see this 1988 Monte Carlo SS (one of my most personal favourites – my dad had one was I was young) climb to $38,000. I would pay over book value for one of these cars personally, but NOT THAT MUCH! If I had the chance, I would sell it for that price in heartbeat!

    Like 0
  34. Avatar HB

    Not Worth It. Now If Chevrolet had just installed corvette 350 tpi motors for the final production year model………..

    Like 1
  35. Avatar George Mattar

    Ridiculous. I sold a 30,000 mile 88 SS for $9,300 in 1993. Never in bad weather and every option. Claret over Claret buckets. Wish I still had it.

    Like 0

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