We sometimes have to check ourselves as an editorial team to ensure we’re not overusing certain phrases or adjectives. One that comes up a lot is the term “survivor”, which we often associate with preserved cars that haven’t been modified and retain almost all of their original features and equipment. It can be a slippery slope wherein every stock car is a survivor, regardless of whether it has been looked after in recent years. In the case of this 1986 Buick Grand National, I feel comfortable labeling it as such because it really does appear to be a completely un-messed-with example of one of Buick’s most significant models. Find the Grand National here on craigslist for $40,000 in Colorado Springs.

There’s probably a pre-baked inclination to use the term survivor because we all love the idea of finding one. I used to be somewhat unmoved by the idea of a low-mileage car as I place a greater emphasis on mechanical records and other evidence of the owner investing time and money into keeping a car in peak form. However, I recently became the owner of a low-mileage truck that I rescued from a salvage yard before I even knew it has less than 60,000 miles on the clock. After spending a few weeks with it and realizing all of the parts were factory parts and every lid and panel still opened and closed like new, I became a convert and suddenly understood why low mileage, time-warp cars are so popular with collectors.

This Grand National shows a mere 36,000 miles on the clock. While that’s not as low as some of the truly mothballed Grand Nationals that have come up for sale in recent years, it’s still a very low number for a car that was sold new in 1986. It’s also a tempting purchase because of the fact that it isn’t a six-figure asking price because it has only 25 miles on the clock; this is not a cheap purchase but it’s likely a very smart one given how much the Grand National will continue to appreciate. As long as you keep it under 50,000 miles, I suspect the price will never go down. The interior looks to be incredibly nice for a car with some actual use under its tires, from the original floor mats to the door panels to the steering wheel that looks like it’s never been gripped.

Of course, when it comes to Grand Nationals, you mainly want to find one that hasn’t been modified. The temptation to turn up the boost and throw some bolt-on parts at a car like this is too great for some owners to resist, and we’ve even seen some time capsule examples with modified drivetrains which is a serious head-scratcher. The seller reports that his Grand National drives perfectly but will eventually need a new brake accumulator bowl, but aside from that, no other issues are mentioned. The full assortment of paperwork and documentation are also included and given there’s little reason to doubt the seller’s presentation, I suspect someone will jump at the chance to own a gorgeous Grand National like this one. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.