1971 Chevrolet Chevelle: A Comprehensive Guide To Maintenance Costs, Reliability, And Average Prices

Summary

• Checking for rust is crucial when buying a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle to avoid hidden repairs and damage underneath the surface.
• The choice of engine affects both the performance and value of the classic muscle car, with big-block V-8s prized for power.
• Owning a 1971 Chevelle offers an exciting piece of automotive history with retro style, high speed, and potential for upgrades.

The Chevrolet Chevelle is a legendary American muscle car that has captured the hearts of generations of car lovers for decades. As the penultimate model year of the second generation of the Chevelle (1968-1972), it features the classic low and wide stance, plenty of original Chevrolet extras, a good choice of powertrains, multiple trims, the typical long hood, and the model year even includes the highly coveted Super Sport trim.

If you are thinking about buying a classic 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle and want to spend time driving one instead of repairing one, check out our guide on what to look out for when buying one, how much maintenance will cost each year, how much running costs are, common problems, and how much one will cost to purchase.

This guide provides comprehensive information provided by the manufacturer. Top Speed sourced additional data for maintenance costs (CarEdge, RepairPal, and Classic Parts USA), reliability (Carsurvey.org and NHTSA), and average prices (Hagerty Valuation Tool, Classic.com).

Maintenance And Repairs

With owning most classic cars, you’re going to find that there will be some extra maintenance costs involved. It is just the nature of them; they are old, and unless you buy an exceptional example of a 1971 Chevelle, there may be some things you need to pay attention to.

CarEdge, unfortunately, doesn’t hold any information on this specific model but does say that the average cost of owning a Chevrolet over ten years is $9,625, so a few thousand dollars over the average. YourMechanic states though, that the yearly average maintenance for a 1971 Chevelle is only $289. So very cheap in comparison, and a reasonably cheap classic car to look after.

Most Common 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Problems Reported

• Wheel bearing replacement
• Oil pump replacement
• Car door lock actuator replacement
• Control arm assembly replacement
• Brake calipers replacement

Throughout its network, YourMechanic has over one thousand shops. Out of all of them, only 297 repairs on the 1971 Chevelle have been reported, and only eight of them have reported engine repairs. All the common problems listed could also be due to wear and tear, like with any car.

Though not the rarest classic car, Classic.com has only 21 examples reported for sale at the moment. Other websites do have them listed as well though. The low repair reports are both an indication of how rare ’71 Chevelles are on the road and a tribute to how well-built they are.

Repairs And Pricing Info

(Information gathered from YourMechanic and Classic Parts USA)

For parts that are likely to break, the 1971 Chevelle is a relatively cheap car to repair, especially if you carry out the work yourself. As so many of the second-generation Chevelles were made by General Motors between 1968 and 1972, parts are readily available and will not cost a fortune. Obviously, if you want to upgrade the brakes to a custom big-brake kit, it will cost a fair amount. But, if you want to keep the Chevelle as original as possible, it will not require a second mortgage.

Recalls And Safety Investigations

(Information gathered from NHTSA)

There was a recall for several General Motors-built cars between 1970 and 1971, including the 1971 Buick Skylark, 1971 Chevrolet Camaro, and the 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle, because of a throttle retaining clip on the carburetor that could hold the throttle wide open. The designated fix was to replace the clip with an upgraded one or change the position of the clip on the carburetor.

Reliability, Running Costs, And Expected Mileage

There aren’t any ratings for classic cars as old as the ’71 Chevelle on J.D. Power or CarEdge, but there are a couple of reviews from owners on CarSurvey.org. Owners generally said that the typical things that go wrong with classic cars go wrong with their Chevelles and that it is usually an easy fix. What may interest you more though, is that, according to owners, it is a very quick car and will pull past rivals like the Ford Mustang.

Reliability Rating: 9/10

Two 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle owners provided reliability scores on Carsurvey.org, totaling the average reliability to 9 out of 10:

There are only three owner reviews on CarSurvey.org, but all of them had positive experiences and positive things to say about owning the 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle. One owner commented that “This car is dangerously fast, [and] beat every single Mustang out on the roadways”, whilst another commented about faults and mentioned how the cam on their model had failed and resulted in the car breaking down. Maybe the all-encompassing comment about the ’71 Chevelle though comes from one owner who said “Old Chevys never die… they just go faster”.

Running Costs: 4/10

The table shows how owners on CarSurvey.org rated the running costs of their 1971 Chevrolet Chevelles:

Maybe not a surprise for a high-performance muscle car that features a V-8, but the running cost ratings are fairly low. One owner said, “Gas hog – no duh! Anything with high performance will be. We just have to grin and bear it”.

Built-in a time that didn’t have to restrict economic emission rules and before the detuning of engines, the ’71 Chevelle is a gas-guzzler that was allowed to fulfill its beastly potential as a quick and powerful car. Not one owner complained about it though, they just commented on what it is like to own a classic muscle car.

Highest Miles Reported: 160,000 Miles

Three owners on CarSurvey.org reported their mileage, which totals a combined average of 79,394 miles driven:

The owners that have reported their mileage give an impression that a lot of 1971 Chevelles do not have high mileage. What is certain, though, is that all the owners have enjoyed their time driving them. One owner said, “I see many more fun years with this car! They sure don’t build them like this anymore. Too bad”. We think that says it all about what people should expect from owning a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle, years of fun driving.

Pricing And Values

Valuation Highlights

(Source: Hagerty)

Classic.com provides the most insightful look at prices, reporting that the 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle has an average used price of $53,840. Whilst there are twenty-one currently for sale that range in price from $34,000 to $125,000, the most recent sale was for $53,000. According to Classic.com, the highest-selling 1971 Chevelle was sold for $125,000.

What To Look For Before Buying

After reading that, if you still want to buy a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle, there are a few things that you should look out for aside from the usual things you should look for when buying a classic car. When shopping around, think about the condition of the car, if you want to make it into a project, if you are happy with the originality of it, and if the work on it as a resto-mod has been done well.

Watch Out For Rust

Rust. It is a car that has been around since 1971 and will have seen its fair share of abuse from the weather and potential repairs. The main areas to look for rust include

• Rocker panels
• Frame rails
• Sills
• Quarter panels
• Fenders

Check to see if all the sections fit together well and there is no evidence of a bad repair job along the seams. Also, look for the covering of rust and repair jobs with fresher paint. If there are areas with newer paint on certain parts, it could be covering up a Bondo-bodge-job.

The Chosen Engine Affects Values

If you are looking to own a classic muscle car, then the engine size will probably matter to you. The 1971 Chevelle was originally released with a choice from a 4.1-liter inline-six, a 5.8-liter V-8, a 6.6-liter 402 cubic-inch LS3 big-block engine, or a 7.4-liter 454 cubic-inch LS5 big-block engine.

Depending on what kind of driving you are looking to do in a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle, you will want to choose the right engine as it has a direct impact on not just the power, but also valuations. The inline-six will perform well at high speeds, but if you are looking for a drag monster, you can’t go wrong with a big-block V-8.

Authenticity And Originality

If you are looking for an original classic, then you need to look out for aftermarket parts. If you aren’t up to speed with what should or shouldn’t be included, then it is always worth finding an original build-spec online.

A lot of classic muscle cars have been dropped, fitted with aftermarket extras, or had engines replaced. If you are looking for stock only, look out for the little signs that the car has been modified before buying it. Remember, ask as many questions as you want when looking at the car, you want to make sure it is right!

Is It Worth Buying A 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle?

No doubt owning a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle means that you are owning a part of automotive history one of the best American muscle cars to ever grace our streets and a car from the last great year of muscle cars. It also means you’ll own a very quick classic car that oozes retro style, depending on what engine version you buy, an awesome powertrain, and bags of potential if you want to upgrade it. So we say, yes!

Taking into consideration how much you pay for one in the first place will determine if you are going to make a project for yourself if you are going to enjoy it at the drag as it is, or if you are going to let it sit in the garage as a collector’s item. Higher purchase prices won’t budge too much and, of course, the coveted ’71 Chevelle SS demands a higher price, but if you are looking to invest money into a project and then sell it, you could see a potential return.