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

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 a used example, how much maintenance will cost each year, how much running costs are, common problems, and how much one will cost to purchase.

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 these cars; 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 inexpensive in comparison, and a reasonably affordable 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 cost reports are both an indication of how rare ’71 Chevelles are on the road and a tribute to how well-built they are.