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73 Mile 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville Convertible!

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73 miles! The seller tells us this example of the last big Pontiac convertible has been driven only 73 miles from new and is in like new condition. The large boat of a car is appropriately located in Marine City, Michigan, and is up for sale somewhat surprisingly here on craigslist for $60,000 or near offer.

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While there’s nothing wrong with the pictures that are included in the ad, I would have expected a lot more detail and presentation to ask that kind of price. Nonetheless, we can see that the black finish, if indeed original, is exceptionally shiny along with what looks to be perfect chrome. It’s pretty obvious that if the low use claim is true that the car has been stored indoors and exceptionally well. The building behind the car in this shot looks like a dealership; maybe it was stored in a showroom? Are any readers familiar with this car?

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I can’t quite make out the license plate frame, but considering it’s black plastic, it’s certainly not the original. I’m struck again in this picture by how shiny the black paint is. It may be expensive, but I’ll bet it’s fun to be seen in. Which leads to the common problem with a car with this kind of low odometer reading–if you want to retain it’s value, you can’t drive it, which of course is the main purpose of a car in the first place!

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The ad states that all documentation including the original window sticker, order form and delivery paperwork are included. I guess a car of this provenance belongs in a museum, but I can’t help feeling that someone would be missing out on a unique (in 2015) driving experience. This convertible has been driven an average of less than two miles per year since it was new! Would you put more miles on it, or keep it as-is for posterity?

Comments

  1. Avatar Ceezy

    Love the color combo would be the perfect car for me if the mileage wasn’t so low. Would be a great car to hit the highway in next summer.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar KO

    Maybe if a guy could get it for $40-$45k you could drive it and not care too much about putting miles on it.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar DENIS

    If you are going to spend that kind of $, it needs to go right into storage and be kept in a time capsule for the future. Beautiful car, but would be easier to sell with some miles on and less pesos.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Mike H

    Is it just me or have we seen a whole lot of these near zero mile car popping up? Super low mile Corvettes and this morning it was a <50k mile Buick Skyhawk. . . I'm wondering who the heck is preserving these things, and what their criteria is for preservation? Why not keep and store something cool; while this is interesting as one of the very last GM convertibles produced before they went away for a decade, why not preserve something that isn't an emission choked barge? It doesn't seem as though many old GTO's and Firebirds are coming out of the woodwork with delivery mileage, although hindsight probably tells us all that a few well purchased Porsche's over the years would have been a wiser retirement investment than the stock market.

    I just wonder how it is that these cars are suddenly appearing, and what kind of people are intentionally preserving these cars.

    Like 0
    • Avatar randy

      That was my question the other day as well. This land yacht will NEVER bring this kind of money. Lot’s of folks stepping up to the “batters box”, but very few hit homeruns! This one is a dribbler to first base.

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      • Avatar Mike H

        Right? It’s cool at $15k as a novelty, but at $60k the current owner will have to keep preserving it indefinitely.

        My old friend from high-school used to always say “There’s an ass for every seat.” He’d always say that when we were building a beater to re-sell for “huge” money (usually a $150-$200 profit) and I’d give him crap that nobody would ever be interested in whatever because it’s just not interesting. However, for every weird fetish out there the internet will produce a handful of other whack-jobs who like the same thing.

        Like 1
    • Avatar RayT

      You are probably right in thinking this is one of those “oh no, no more convertibles EVER!” cars that someone stashed away thinking it would bring Big Money in the future. And $60K, while not exactly a fortune, is a nice return on the original price.

      The seller likely tired of waiting to hit the jackpot. Probably a wise choice.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Mike H

    When I was a teenager I knew a gentlemen (friend of a family member) who had a delivery mileage 1973 Mustang Convertible. He’d ordered (2) of them in mid-1973 when he’d heard that Ford was no longer going to be producing a convertible model of that car. Ford was only able to deliver one of the two he’d ordered as it was too late in the production cycle for the second one to be built. In the whole time of his ownership of the car he’d only put the top down once. When I last saw the car in the summer of 1990 the car had approximately 5000 miles. It was parked on a sealed floor in a fully heated structure. It was not covered but taken out and driven gently 3-4 times per year and kept immaculately clean.

    When the gentleman who owned it passed away in the mid-nineties his widow parted company with the car almost immediately, and while I recall it fetching a fair price (it was offered to me at that time but it wasn’t something I could afford or take care of at that point in my life) it certainly wasn’t the sort of money it would be able to bring today.

    My point is that – in this case – the owner saw that this was going to be the last of an interesting car and he bought one to use occasionally but mostly to preserve it. He had an eye on the future and it wasn’t at all a bad choice (okay, a 1973 Mustang Grande ragtop with a 302, automatic, and brown metallic with white vinyl isn’t necessarily THAT cool, but it’s better than a 1975 Pontiac Barge, isn’t it?) of cars to try and preserve. I wish that I had the eye to look at what’s produced today and select something worth preserving, but there isn’t anything produced today worth the effort as far as I can tell.

    Like 1
    • Avatar randy

      Not by the “big three” for sure, I bet there is a lot of stuff we are unable to import that will go up in value. I’m not talking about high dollar cars either. We are severely limited by our “freedom”.

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Donnie

    60 grand is nuts maby30 years from today

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  7. Avatar Tom Member

    Looks like it is at a “car place” of some sort. 73 miles. Maybe. why no pictures of the engine bay or undercarriage? Call me a skeptic but I have restored cars to “better than new” levels. Under the hood, the jams and the undercarriage will prove 73 actual miles or 73 miles since an elaborate resto OR 73 miles on the ODO but not the car. Sorry, I’m not buying it. to the seller, you are asking 60K for a car that has NEVER brought that money. Get some (many) photos out there that prove its worth it and that it is real OR maybe the photos will expose the facts. Sorry, again, sellers who piss me off and think everybody is an idiot. Well, they only need to find one idiot to part with 60K and it wont be me.

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  8. Avatar Jason Houston

    Sellers who suddenly show up with unbelievable, undocumented cars like this are usually dealers, and they’ve usually been faked. I have never seen a vintage car dealer who’s moral integrity wasn’t flimsier than soaking wet shredded wheat. He’s probably owned the car all of two weeks, he probably paid $1,500 for it, then gave the odometer a nice haircut. And you better take his word for it, because he’ll have zero documentation. And look at the body style, a black convertible. It would have a lot more believability if it were a spinach green 4-door sedan. Sorry to be so negative, but I’ve just seen way too many of these “Can you believe that?” cars.

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  9. Avatar don

    calling B/S on the mileage, BUT these are great Pontiacs! I have a 75 Grandville convert triple white, better than a dime a dozen caddy any day! but 60k? come on now! one in showroom condition are only bringing about 20k.

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  10. Avatar Michael Jacobs

    Why are people thinking the seller is lying..plenty of cars around like this…though he is nuts at that price..just being greedy..car is 30 tops…but a super rare ragtop in that state…you just do not see this model in those colours around in a number #1 shape…

    Like 1
    • Avatar Jason Houston

      “…you just do not see this model in those colors…” Exactly my point. Just because he says it’s rare doesn’t make it original or authentic! And how many people do you know who are both honest and greedy at the same time?

      Like 0
  11. HoA Howard A Member

    I agree with Michael^^, I don’t know why people think cars like this don’t exist. Obviously, they do. The fact that there’s very little to go on, and people are naturally skeptical ( been going on since the car was created), this is a classic dealer ploy, show the buyer just a little, and if interested, they will come and look. ( or maybe buy something else, on the lot, like that ’69 Buick agin the wall, probably claimed low mileage as well, and could very well be) One look in person, would tell me in 10 seconds if this original or not. This Poncho is a very nice car, but would be a lot better in any color but black (or silver) They had such nice colors back then, and very few were painted black, so IDK. Keeping in mind, buying a 40 year old car with no miles, it will have issues. Still, I’d love to know the story on this car.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Tom Member

      Howard and Michael, don’t get me wrong, I am very much in agreement with your statements but I also believe that if you really have a extremely low mileage car like this, asking 60K, you should have many, and close up, photos of the areas we all know will prove or disprove it.

      I painted one car black 30 years ago and have not had another one since, however, black is a highly desired color to many. the seller’s 60K is saying, “show me another one in this condition with miniscule mileage for significantly less and I will lower my price”. like I said above, it only takes one buyer and there are enough people out there that 60K is “fun money”.

      Like 2
      • HoA Howard A Member

        Hi Tom, I agree. Now let’s not be too harsh on sales people. That’s what they do, sell stuff, by any means possible. Why, I’ve met salesmen that could sell air conditioners to the Eskimos.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Jason Houston

        Yes, all well and good… assuming the seller really has what he claims he has. But without documentation, who knows?

        Like 1
  12. Avatar Hans

    A 75 Trans Am with seventy three miles might be worth that kind of money if it was stored correctly. Anybody buys that for what their asking and you’ll have to wait until the year 2050 to make any money on it. Maybe some banana republic dictator is looking for a parade car, something that could take a hit and keep moving.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar George

    Definitely a dealership. None of the cars in the parking lot have plates.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Chebby

    I had a 1973 Delta 88 version. You can find these big GM ‘verts in decent to great shape for $8k-16k all day long, and actually enjoy them as intended. 22k should buy the best there is.

    The mileage premium isn’t worth anywhere near $45k…seller is smoking crack.

    71-73 are the best years to get. 1975 will be a smog pig. Also the scissor-top mechanism in these cars is a poor design. Fun reliable cars, but a long way from investment status.

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  15. Avatar Jason Houston

    Like most sellers, this guy has no serious investment in the car. If he did, and he was genuinely committed to selling it, he’d price it to sell. This guy’s just playing with himself and showing off to whoever will look… another reason I can’t stand car dealers.

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  16. Avatar Jim G.

    I find it dubious too. I have a 75 GVille Convertible that I bought for $11k, that had 63k miles. It has a lot of options. There are too few pictures. I saw one sell in Florida that was primo for $24k that sold. That is close to the top, though I also saw one for $27k. Not sure if it sold.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar jaymes

    ashame the listing expired

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  18. Avatar George

    The Grand Ville was never one of my favorites, but I could certainly tolerate one so nice due to be virtually unused–$60K is a dream. There are some very nice older cads for that kind of money, and they have more people wanting one. $15K would be tops for me.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mikey26

      this Convertible is worth more than 15K you should know that cmon. A Grandville in good condition yes $15-18 but agree that this car won’t sell @60K

      Like 0
  19. Avatar William Muller

    I traded a 57 Buick 2 dr hard top , nice clean no rust black and silver repaint ,for a honduras red 73 Grandville conv. I had bought a house in Ft Laud and I was selling my house in New Windsor, NY31 years ago. the pontiac had air conditioning and the Buick had a heater, so I swapped , and had a buddy drive it in my small convoy, I drove the hell out of that thing, 4 or 5 years ,couple of oil changes, a set of tires and finally gave to my son, drove it back to NY and it never missed a beat. 455 a burnout champ and reliable, Hell I might buy another one

    Like 2
  20. Avatar Tom R.

    Amen.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Walter

    Some examination of the plastic license frame yields Terhune Buick Pontiac GMC from Marine City. Looks like the owner called it quits in 2005. May be from a dealer collection. Friend and neighbor is a noted dealer and has many such vehicles in a warehouse. Despite many critics here, this one deserves a closer look as the real deal. I do agree however, the $60K seems outlandish.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar ClassicP

    Remember 60K is the asking price only. If the seller isn’t completely delusional or greedy $40-45K should get it. Most would think mid-thirties is more like it but you’d never buy it for that. Must say this year of Bonnie convertible is a real pleasure to drive.

    Like 0
    • Avatar ClassicP

      Correction:Grandville not Bonnie

      Like 0

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