96 Chevrolet Celebrity. Opinions?

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My son totaled his 2007 Buick Lucern. He needs cheap basic transportation until he finds a full time job. Looking at a 1996 Chevrolet Celebrity with 109k for $1500. Owner says it has a CEL on that pertains to the catalytic converter. 3100 V6 engine. Is this a good model year and a good engine ?
 
Does it have to pass emissions? I'd still want to pull codes and make sure that the light isn't on for something else too.

How long does it have to last? $1,500 for say a year of running, before moving on... these days, that's not bad math any more.

Looks like BITOG thinks the 3.1L is ok: link. I scanned it and one poster said no problems with lower intake manifold gaskets, but a link to some other website warned of it... but perhaps they were confusing engine families for all I know.
 
If emissions doesn't matter and it looks like it'll pass safety without much cost and when you test drive it hard it doesn't seem to have any real issue I think I'd bite.
 
The last year for the Celebrity was 1990. Pre-OBDII systems like that do not monitor cat performance thus CEL for cat problem is not a thing. When the CEL comes on in the early systems it is almost always something serious enough that it's also apparent the car does not run properly.
 
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The last year for the Celebrity was 1990. Pre-OBDII systems like that do not monitor cat performance thus CEL for cat problem is not a thing.
I don't think they offered a Celebrity in 1996
If it is truly a 1996 model, it is probably a Chevrolet Lumina or Corsica sedan. I know the 3.1 liter V-6 was a common engine in that Lumina/Corsica and it is OBD II compliant. It is a solid vehicle for basic transportation and pretty comfortable to boot.

FYI, the Celebrity came with the 2.8 liter V-6, not the 3.1 liter. The 3.1 V-6 was only offered in the Celebrity station wagon in 1990.
 
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All I know is Dad had a Oldsmobile Cutlass, w/3.1L, that ended w/200k on the odometer when he gave it away. I remember replacing the alternator & that was it. It's a good engine. 109k for a 1996 tells me it was a town cruiser & it probably has plugged cat OR a bad O2 sensor. I'd try replacing the sensors first.
 
I think for 1500 if it runs and drives with no apparent issues, go for it. Know knows it might run for 10 years. I would plan on it being very temporary though.
 
Got a '96 we bought new, now at 215K. Original intake manifold gaskets are the biggest known problem. I've put 2 heater cores in ours as well. The rear trailing arms can rust and come loose from the body where they are run on salted roads.

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You said no emissions but does your State have inspection? Even $1300.00 -- I would like to get the closest to a year out of it I could. I know a buddy of mine did a heater core on his Corsica 3.1L back in the late 90s. Engine was reliable but alitte on the thirsty side if remembered correctly.
 
All I know is Dad had a Oldsmobile Cutlass, w/3.1L, that ended w/200k on the odometer when he gave it away. I remember replacing the alternator & that was it. It's a good engine. 109k for a 1996 tells me it was a town cruiser & it probably has plugged cat OR a bad O2 sensor. I'd try replacing the sensors first.
I owned a 96 cutlass supreme 2 door with a 3.1. Was an awesome car. Alternators failed all the time. I kept one in the trunk. It was a 5 minute job. The ABS light would come on, as soon as the battery dropped below about 12.4 V, so you knew your alternator was out LOL.

I sold it to someone in 2008. I was moving out of state and didn’t want to take four vehicles. Still ran fine then. 200K and change IIRC
 
I owned a 96 cutlass supreme 2 door with a 3.1. Was an awesome car. Alternators failed all the time. I kept one in the trunk. It was a 5 minute job. The ABS light would come on, as soon as the battery dropped below about 12.4 V, so you knew your alternator was out LOL.

I sold it to someone in 2008. I was moving out of state and didn’t want to take four vehicles. Still ran fine then. 200K and change IIRC
We are on alternator number 3. Number 2 from O'Reillys didn't last very long.
 
These A body Century and Cieras were great cars, 30 years later and they're still a common sight on the road. I think for 96 they ditched that terrible CS alternator (I think 1995 was the last year GM wide, iirc) and the newer ones were much, much better.
My 96 Cutlass Supreme had the 1 termination alternator - 100A - if that was what the CS was. However 1996 was the last year for that model - so it very well could have been a holdover from 1995.

I will be honest - if I ever drove by that model Cutlass Supreme for sale I am 99.9% sure I would likely buy it.
 
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