1987 Pontiac Safari

Claimed 9600 original miles.

http://www.greatvehicles.com/cars/for_sale.cgi/Pontiac/Safari/Virginia/21921921

 

$13500???? Description seems fishy..."never seen rain", yet in that picture the whole area is wet. "Custom paint and custom wheels"...looks pretty standard to me. And why are the floorboards covered with a blanket, and a random piece of newspaper in the back area???

Nice looking car though.

 

There's a hose and melting snow, both can make things wet, blanket to protect carpeting, the newspaper is an old moisture absorption trick for interiors of stored vehicles. The car is beauteous.

 

Where is the "lift kit"?

 

Why is there snow in the photos at all? It's almost July. Either this car has been for sale since there was snow on the ground, and at a 13.5 asking price, that wouldn't surprise me, or he can't be bothered to take current photos.

 

Why are all these nice cars so far away???

 

I get that there is snow...but why would the seller feel the need to state that it's never seen rain when he has it out in the snow in a picture? And who cares if it's seen rain? Oh nevermind...my thoughts don't really matter, if someone wants to buy it they will. I probably would if it was much lower in price.

 

I agree..................all cars that age has been in the rain. Who cares>>>>>>>

 

Also states, "Custom wheels" and "Custom Paint"
Dealer needs to talk to his internet ad guy......most likely a 20-something kid who's never seen one of these before.

 

I was never fond of the Parisienne. When they quit making the full size Pontiacs and realized they made a mistake, GM did the old let just put stickers on a Caprice. I realized they always shared the body and components, but they didn't even make an attempt at making it look like something other than what it was.

 

I disagree. I loved our old '86 Parisienne. Probably one of the best cars we ever owned. I do agree for a few years in the early 80's when the Pontiac had the flat tail light panel similar to the Caprice, but they brought the Pontiac tail lights back before the end of the run. I remember one time my dad brought a similar year Caprice home from the motor pool and thinking how much plainer and uncool the Caprice was compared to the Pontiac.

 

My '81 is the last year for the full-size RWD Bonneville. When Pontiac brought back the full-size B body platform (after complaints from Pontiac customers) in '83, they had already 'given away' the 'Bonneville' name to the G-body, so the B-body cars took the name used in Canada - Parisienne. Only thing is, they did not use some of the 'Pontiac-specific' parts like mine has. The Caprice instrument panel was used. The Caprice front header panel was used, with a different 'Pontiac-ish' grill. So the Parisienne wagon (Safari) ends up looking more like a Caprice than a true Pontiac.

The sedan version of the Parisienne, after using the Caprice quarter panels and rear tail lamp panel for a couple of years, went back to using the Pontiac-specific rear end the Bonneville used in '80/'81. It still had the Caprice-based nose and instrument panel, though.

 

I can't speak for all years. I know our '86 had different/nicer looking gauges than the Caprice. I also liked the Pontiac tri-spoke steering wheel as opposed to the two spoke wheel used in the Caprice. The whole IP, HVAC, and radio controls looked nicer. There was some separation between them on the Pontiac. On the Caprice it looked like they just stuffed a radio and HVAC control into a solid block of wood and called it a day.

 

'86 Caprice instrument panel:


'86 Parisienne instrument panel:


It's the same basic instrument panel in both cars, just has different bezels, trim pieces, etc.
Notice the radio / gauges / HVAC controls re all in the same place on both panels.

 

I understand the layout is the same. I never cared for the Caprice round gauge in a square bezel look and the gauges always looked cheaper to me. The Pontiac gauges look nicer to me. I also don't like the Caprice radio look. They tried to make everything the same color so it looks like one big block of stuff. The woodgrain version looks even worse.



The Pontiac had the woodgrain surround, but the radio contrasts that with a black face. Same thing on the HVAC controls. The Caprice looks like an AMC woodgrain speedometer from the 70's.