Wondering if anyone else has a story behind how they got their monte. I wrote this up for my cardomain page. figured i share it with ya guys.

Well here goes. As said on the first page my Dad purchased it July 23rd,1998. Here's the story of how the Monte became mine. A week after it was purchased my dad installed a ground effects kit (some of you will know what it looks like) and replaced the stock spoiler with the one you have seen.

The second weekend we had the car my dad let me take it out with my friends for the weekend to go camping.(i was 16) But i didn't tell him i was taking a forest service road up a mountain to get there.
After a wrong turn and a horrible job at reversing i slid right into a ditch. Both front wheels were off the ground and a couple friends with jeeps were able to pull me out.
I did a total of $3000 in damage. The rear fascia was broken in several places, i bent the dual exhaust about 20 degrees towards the drivers side, and folded the corner of the gas tank into the shape of a C. Both side skirts were also cracked. I ended up paying the deductable to get it all fixed, and didn't get to drive the car again until i was 17 unless he was with me.
I wasn't the only person to ditch it though. My dad hit a patch of ice and slid into a ditch in november of 2004. He also did close to $4500 in damage from breaking a tie rod end and scraping a barbwire fence with the passenger side of the car. At least he missed the fencepost.
My dad had sold his car to a friend of his in 2005 when he was living in lethbridge alberta. I moved there shortly after and ended up seeing it a few times around town. I missed it.
We talked to the guy about buying it back from him in early 2006 after he had blown the original motor. he wanted 8000 for it with no motor and the car had around 190000KM at that point. We declined.
But he came around in march and sold it back to my dad for $8000 with a used motor from another Z/34 dropped in it. The new motor only had 135000KM on it. He was excited to have his baby back.
He drove it until late part of April 07 until he fell in love with an 07 Trailblazer SS. He ended up buying it and then the question came up. Did i want the monte carlo?
I didn't think twice. I sold my 2003 Saturn Ion and bought it. The first brand new car i got to drive and now it's mine.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

Well, I'll add my story up here. My '99 Z34
I am the third owner of this car, but basically the second. It was a dealership demo car for 4,000 miles until someone bought it. They had it until it had 25,000 miles on the car and then traded it in. A family friend then bought it for his daughter and they had it until it had 139,000 miles on it. My wife and I bought it before we were married in June of '07 for a mere $2800. The body is in immaculate shape, but the motor and interior needed some work. We were going to sell it because we thought we could get by with one car, but we decided against it. This is when we decided to fix it up a little. Since buying the car, we've put a Mass Air Flow sensor, uppper/lower intake gaskets, thermostat, water pump, pads/rotors/tires on all 4 corners, and I think we'll be getting the paint touched up. Like I've said in other posts, I'm reliving my adolescent days and I finally have a car I can customize. ) I love the car and she runs like a dream. I have some tranny noise, so I am taking it to the shop and if it needs to be fixed, I'll just have them rebuild an HD tranny. I'm also looking at (because i'm a fire fighter) interior LED bars front rear and small LED's mounted in the rear side windows (MI law requires 360* viewable lights) and my remote siren. We'll see though.

 

 

I had been looking for a car for nearly 2 months. None seemed right. My dad told me about a week before I found this Monte Carlo to be patient, when we found the right car we would both just "know it". We had test driven Monte Carlo's and decided thats what I wanted. So all of a sudden we found this one in the Raleigh classifieds (online), an '03 with 81,000 miles for $11,500. That was a little more than we wanted to pay, but I decided to call him anyway. Noone answered. About an hour later, a very surprised voice called me back. Without even trying, he said "Well I'll take $9500 for it, it's been for sale for about 9 months and nobody has bought it yet." That was a Wednesday I believe. We went down Saturday, March 17, 2007 and checked the car out (I've had it one year ago this past Saturday). We took it on a test drive, everything was right. We checked the car over. It turns out the guy really wanted to keep the car, but him and his wife are looking into children and the Monte Carlo was just a little impractical. They ahd even put a child seat in when they babysitted a friends baby for a weekend and decided it was just impractical (his wife thought it would be good because the kids can't really get out of the back seat). They bought it with 30,000 miles on it in '05 and had all dealer records up to that point. From that point to the point I bought it, he had all oil change/transmission flush/tire rotation records on hand from various shops. My dad and I both knew that was the one. We tried to talk him a little lower, but he established that he knew what the car was worth (so did we) and that it was worth more than he was asking, so he just couldn't take any less. We signed the bil of sale that afternoon for $9500.

He told me that 3 people had bought it up until I came along. None could get the loan to buy the car though... since we were paying cash from money I had saved up plus some my dad was helping me with, we were able to buy the car. I picked it up on April 1st I believe.

 

I had been looking at a red '07, trying to get the dealer to get the payments where I wanted them. Tried one more time on that when hubby walked in with a newspaper ad for a.....?Malibu? Don't think so, told him it's a Monte or nothing, I'd fix my old truck. Was disgusted and flipped the paper over and there it was. I thought maybe he was messing with me and had seen it on the other side, he said he had not seen it. So I'm thinking, ok, IF they still have it, it must be junk. But we went to look anyway. Seen it before we got into the lot - didn't look like junk, didn't run like junk. What's the catch, why is it still here? One owner car, owned by a lady that took emaculate care of it. According to the saleslady, it was the mileage. She said a lot of people had looked and wanted it but their credit wasn't strong enough to get it because of the mileage. They ran our credit and we were approved - no problem there.

Took it out to my ex-step-father (he's a *ord man, worked there since he was 16), had him check it over. He didn't think the price was bad even with the miles, said the 3800 was bulletproof. He thought it was a fair deal - even if it was a Chevy, LOL. On the way back to the dealership, we stoppedby the house for a quick look on the net for bluebook prices, their asking price was on target withone and a little lower on the other. Of course when I went back I told them he thought the price was a bit high for the miles and they knocked off another $500 - not much but it helps .

Needless to say, it came home with me that day and as far as I'm concerned this will be it's last home. I had drooled over this exact model in '02 when we had to buy a new truck, so I never thought I'd really get it. Maybe it was meant to be.

 

Well I was fresh out of college three months at a new Job and my college beater a 93 Sable started to shut off while driving it.HAd to waita few minutes then it will start back up but I ran late a couple of time to work. So my bank holds car sales with Enterprise every few months so I decide to get a"new" car.
Went to the Lot the night before to see what they had and under the only light pole there it was, sitting in its glory the soon to be mine White 2005 LS with a sunroof, XM radio, Race soiler, CD/MP3 player. It had 19000miles on it. they were asking $14900 this was in 05.
I didn't even look at any other cars. I was at the lot first thing next morning. I test drove it talked about the price, price was fair they wouldn't bulge but gave me $250 in gas cards. I said I'll take it. Man as I was sitting waiting for all the paper work a lot of people were looking at it sitting in it. And I was so nervous man is someone going to "Steal it" from me. How long is this paperwork going to take I was so nervous, my wife was laughing at me too. She said I was acting very funny that day, but I wanted it damn it.

Second Monte:
In Late 06 I had moved up in the company and the Monte was past 50 000 miles and started having tranny issues and throwing codes. I decided it was time for it to go. So I started looking for another monte found an used 05 LTZ with low miles went to look at it and the dealer made me look at the 06's they were trying to move out the lot cuz the 07's were coming in. well he brought the price down so much on an 06 LT Demo car with 7000 miles that it was the same price as the 05 LTZ and that is when I got my Silver 06 LT aka Monte number 2. BUT I was in love I had test driven an 06 SS that day and even though I loved my new car I couldn't stop thinking about that V8 SS.

Third Monte
Well 2007 came and the sad news came with it. Monte Carlos are getting axed. Man that was the day I knew I was gonna get that SS.
The 06 LT was paid in full and a week later I found an SSon the Internet in a dealer 2 miles from my work brand new black 07 SS. With a price way under MSRP. Mid week I went there on my lunch brake and Bought the damn thing. And that is it. This one is stayng with me.

 

OK- here's mine:

my wife and I were having problems in our marriage. She decided she wanted a new car, and I thought, well, maybe that'll make her happy (yeah, right!) so I told her go find one you like. This was in 01, right after the 02's came out. A few days later she called me at work and asked me to meet her at the chevy dealer. She had picked out a stripped down 02 Camero, V-6.I said no, if she wanted a Camero, we'd get a Z-28 or SS, especially since 02 was the last year for the Camero. Of course this gave her the opening for a fight, so I just left. That night she said she really wanted the Camero, and I said, ok, we'll look again tomorrow, but it would be a V-8, loaded andshe could pick the color. At the dealer the next day we looked at a black Z-28, but I asked if she had sat in the back seat to see how much room it had. So, she did, and said, oh, no, this won't do. Parked next to the Z-28 was a black 02 MC SS. I suggested she try it and she fell in love with it. I told her I had a black car before and it was hard to keep clean and the saleman said "We have a red one on the showroom floor." She was instantly in love with it.The dealer gave us a price, which was too much and I said, look, call me at work with your best numbers.I left, and 2 hours later, he called me and said "Your wife stayed and this is the deal we made: sticker price is a little over $26,000, you can drive it out for $24,500." I said, write it up.

Iprobably only drove the car once or twice for the first year.The we finally got divorced, or as I like to say, I was let off on parole early for good behavior.We had already decided on the divorce settlement, except for who got the MC. I wasn't going to let some other guy drive such a nice car that I had paid for, so I wanted it, with plans on selling it. I paid her for her half of the car and it was mine.

I drove it a few times and discoverd two things: it was a very nice, fun to drive car, and the ladies loved it.I was hooked. I took it down and had Eibach springs and KYB struts installed, along with 8.5 x 17 rims and255-45 z rated tires. I installed crossdrilled rotors and ceramic pads, along with stainless brake lines and did that myself. Later, I had SLP swaybars put on.

Needless to say, I love the car, it has 80,000 miles now, and is still extremely fun to drive. And now, I'm giving it to my 18 year old son to drive.

I've only thought about selling it one time, and that was when my son, who has been heavily into martial arts for 10 years, got an opportunity to open his own studio.I was going to sell the car to help him out, but in the end I couldn't do it. I loaned him the money, and now he has the studio AND the car. Lucky kid!!! I just hope he'll still let the old man drive it now and then.

 

My Monte sat with a For Sale Sign on it for a couple of months in the driveway of the lady who bought it new. They didn't get much traffic past their house because we are off the Main Drag a good ways. When my Buick finally crapped the bed; I was left with no car and needed something to drive. We took the Monte for a test ride and it seemed OK but lacked power and I thought it was something to do with tuning. Either way, it was "Clean" and started good so we negotiated with the woman who brought the selling price down to a point where we couldn't refuse.

It needed all the recommended maintenance. The poor running was the result of an absolutely clogged Air Filter that took me several hours to replace. Thats when I started paying my dues doing maintenance on a Monte. First the air cleaner. Then, the cabin air filter. On and on, until I addressed the Spark Plugs and wires. Every step of the way the MCF Family gave me the right info and encouragement to get the job done.

Today it on the edge of fine tuning for a stock Monte. Breathing right and sparking strong with a long check-list of everything I did to bring it up to snuff for a 70,000 mile car.
I still have tires and a transmission filter to do and have been waiting for good weather to tackle those jobs out of doors.

I love the way this car runs now. It starts right up and cruises with the best of them. It's got power; too. I've had it above 100 twice ... and that's "Lose your License" speed in my State.
So, I adopted a unique looking Vinyl topped and no spoiler car that needed Fog Lights and a couple of weekends of T-L-C which I gave it and then some. We're in love, now. I have become a "Chevy Guy" for sure. And, it's sure a lot more fun having this Forum to talk about it and learn what to do for Mod's and such.

 

We went down Saturday, March 17, 2007 and checked the car out (I've had it one year ago this past Saturday).

Duane, you should have done a one year anniversary post for us to read over with a few pics.
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I've always like the Monte Carlos. Ever since they were new in 1970. Never really thought about owning one. Then in about 1985 I saw a '75 or '76 painted the same color as the car I had at the time and even had a white landau roof like my car did. The owner was trying to sell the car for $1,500 and I gave serious thought to buying the car. But my g/f at the time plus my mother both said, "You don't need another car." so I forgot about this Monte.
(but I showed them both cause I bought more then just one car at add to my collection)

Whenthe '80s SS Montes came out I really liked them and my father even told me to buy one. I think he was hoping i'd see just how poorly Chevy was building their cars and come running back to Mopar? But I declined his advice and good thing too cause I got fired from my job after 8.5years. I ruined my right hand at work one day.

In the fall of 1996 my g/f Deb needed a car to replace her rusting '76 Olds Cutlass. There was a white Monte setting infront of a local Wal-Mart for sale. I went to look at the car and contacted the seller. He wanted $1,200 and produced many receipts for recentwork done. I test drove the car, learned some of it's history. Like how this guy's dad bought the car new 1981. I thanked him and left, told him I'd think it over and call him.A few days went by. My g/f & I talked about buying the car over but coming up with the $1200 wasn't easy cause I wasn't working steady at the time. One day I go to have lunch with Debbie and when I get home there's a message on the answering machine, "Hey RJ, this is Rick. The guy with the '81 Monte. Say I need money and if you want the car you can have it for $500. Let me know?"
I called Deb at work and told her. Then I called Rick back, no one was home. I was thinking "ZHIT... I hope he isn't selling the car to someone else.

Well I finally got ahold of Rick and we agreed to meet at Wal-Mart. I gave him the $500 for the car and he followed me to our house in it, then I drive him home. He said to drive the car on his plates till we got the titled transfered which was nice of him considering I could have robbed a bank and they'd have come looking for him.
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So now I'd just bought a Monte Carlo but I still didn't have one.
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I was working part-time at a place and one morning Debbie came over to see me on break. She said, "There's a white Monte Carlo down the street for sale." So when I left work I looked for the car, to look it over but couldn't find it. A few days later Deb tells me again, "That white Monte is setting down the street again." This time I spotted the car. Got the phone number and called the owner. We talked and I made arrangements to look the car over and test drive it if I liked it. I thought the car was an SS but not until my money was gone did I realize it wasn't an SS. Too late then!!

But I've been happy with my '86 LS since I got it.

In 2006 we rented a 2006 Monte to attend the '06 Monte Nats in Nashville, TN. We really liked the car and I didn't want to give it back. But they consider that stealing so it went back. We talked about the car for a couple months and one day I see where UPS employees can get discounts on GM cars/trucks. My dad again tells me to see what the local Chevy dealer will do for me so I called and made an appoinment to test drive an '06 one saturday. We tried a 3LT and SS and I fell in love with the SS but the $30k asking price was more then I could afford. The saleslady tells me they can find me a slightly used car for less if I'm interested? It took them about a month to find a car they thought I'd like bu

 

Here's my 76 Monte's history.

Purchased used in 1978 by my grandfather with 27,000 miles on it. He almost didn't buy it because the dealership wouldn't take his first offer. Two weeks later, he came back and made the same offer and drove it home that day. It was always garaged when not in use, however it did see bad weather at times whenever he and my grandmother went out or drove to Las Vegas or Reno. In 1987 he had the vinyl top repalced, rust repaired and the car repainted. He also bought a set of 15x7 chrome American Racing wire-basket wheels for the car, replacing the factory Turbine II wheels. In May, 2000, he purchased a 2000 Monte Carlo LS and on my graduation day, June 7, 2000, he handed over the keys to me. The car has been daily driven ever since. I wrecked her in June, 2001, but quickly repaired the damage and got her painted. In February, 2003 I had a cat-back dual exhaust system installed. In April, 2003 I had the front and rear seats recovered. From May, 2003 to June, 2003 I did an engine swap and replaced the stock 350 with a performance 350 crate engine and had the transmission rebuilt. I did other misc. things after the engine swap. After the engine was broken in, I took it to the track and my best 1/4 mile pass was 16.072 seconds. Disappointed, I stayed away from the track for a couple years until I joined my local car club, PDXCGP. In January, 2005 during a 2-day ice storm, I slid into a curb and bent one of the wire-basket wheels. Unfortunately there are no shops around town that could repair the wheel to my satisfaction, so I purchased a new set of 15x7 silver painted Chevy Rally wheels and BF Goodrich tires. In April, 2005 I installed headers and a new exhaust system soon followed by 3.73 gears and an Eaton posi. Soon after, I began frequenting the track with he club to bring the times down and participate in the club bracket races. In April 2007, I pulled out the engine and installed a higher lift cam, replaced the broken flex plate with an SFI approved one, installed a Hughs 2500-stall converter and repainted the engine. I also installed a new steering box. About the same time, I rippped off the vinyl top and began her slow restoration, which is difficult when she's a daily driver. Today, she currently has all but the front seat and door panels out so I can still drive the car and I am prepairing to do the exhaust system again for the final time. That's about it for now. Future plans are in the works for body work, paint and a new vinyl top as well as getting the floor boards and trunk Line-Xed for added insullation and rust prevention.