Finally found myself a sixth generation Monte Carlo to call my own. Bought this 2004 SS on Facebook Marketplace from a 92 year old guy, not too far from where I live. I've been wanting one of my own for quite some time now, ever since my dad bought his new back in 2003. He actually still has it, with less than 1000 miles on the odometer, it still has that new car smell! The only issue with his is that it sat for a few years so it would need a lot of work done to get it back on the road. So as you can guess, I'm super excited to be part of the club. The big issue for me was that the previous owner had a dog, so taking care of some stains and the wet dog smell are at the top of my list. It also had some OBD codes that came back after I scanned it, I forget what off the top of my head, I'll most likely post that in another thread if I need some help there. Besides the usual service maintenance and a wash/wax what are some recommendations so that I can keep this car running strong for a long time? Thanks in advance!

 

Congrats on the beautiful Monte! Personally, with mileage that low, the first thing I would do is flush the dex cool coolant out of it and put plain old green in there. It's a pretty controversial subject here but I've had nothing but issues with Dex-Cool even after vigorous flushing... It turns to pudding after a day or two of driving.

 

How the heck do you get dog stains and smells in less than 1000 miles?

I'd take a close look for leaks as sitting that long is hard on seals. Id also go through and closely inspect all of the rubber parts - belts, hoses, suspension, etc.

And Id take the SS of the front bumper, but that's just me.

 

Hmmm I will have to look into this more, but I'll take your word for it.

 

Haha I guess the way I described the cars was a little confusing, my bad let me clarify. My dad bought his black on black 2003 Monte Carlo SS and only drove it a few times. Then it sat for a few years and hasn't been driven since. So his is practically a brand new car. Now for my white 2004 Monte Carlo SS the previous owner is the one who had the dog which caused the smell and I'm assuming the couple of stains in the back seat. The other day I actually removed the bottom portion of the rear seat and found about 20 biscuits that had been crammed down there. I also plan to deep clean the carpet to hopefully get the majority of the smell out lol.

My dad also has a lot of other cars, nearing 15 now, that he's going through and working on before his Monte, so eventually we'll get there. He just figures it'll be a lot of work to fix it up since it's been sitting so long.

I was wondering about the SS on the front bumper, since I didn't think that was a factory option. I also am planning on removing it, but I am nervous that there's going to be scratches or some paint issues underneath.

 

Welcome. Dog treats thing is kinda funny.. X2 on checking the DEX, gaskets and rubber parts. Badges are easy enough to remove. Heat gun (carefully cause the bumper is plastic) and just peel it off carefully. Ive used alcohol to remove the extra sticky stuff left.

 

this emblem could be covering a scar in the paint you may not like what you see after you remove it.

One piece of advise on the 6th Gen. Monte Carlo is ( all the stuff that gets updated in the car goes thru the radio Don't mess with it. It will Jinx the Car.
So many stories on here from 6th Gen drivers that have unsolved issues and it all because Chevy runs all programing thru the Radio and everyone has to have what they believe is bigger and better sound. If you do it will be a mistake.
Just so you know up front.
good luck nice ride.

 

Welcome aboard and congrats on your new ride! May it provide unlimited fun and unhampered travel across all terrains for as long as you two are together. Safe driving and happy modding!