Imagine that Car Jeopardy! was a game show and you entered “Final Jeopardy” in a dead heat with your two competitors. The clue was this: This car, sold by a manufacturer based in Flint, Michigan, wore three separate nameplates in four model years, and begat a T-Type version that sold 3,558 units in 1986. The question (of course) is “What is the Buick Somerset?” Between its 1985 introduction and 1988 rebranding, this car was sold as the Somerset Regal, the Somerset, and the Skylark. Just when you thought that the ladies and gentlemen behind the Tri-Shield had it all together, huh? This one is about as clean as you’ll find these days (when have you seen another?), and it’s for sale on eBay with a current high bid of $1,625.

All, however, is not raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, as Rodgers and Hammerstein might say. In one of the more unintentionally funny turns of phrase, the ad lists some mechanical and cosmetic gremlins before finishing with “the car needs nothing.” Perhaps the most unnerving is the fact that the transaxle was rebuilt to cure an intermittent vibration under acceleration. It didn’t, and the seller has made it clear that no more money will be spent trying to figure it out. At the very least, you get a rebuilt transaxle out of the deal, which is a good thing when considering a GM front-wheel-drive car (in my experience).

I wonder how bad the vibration is, because the seller claims that the car can be driven as-is. Shimmies can be extremely hard to diagnose, and when you’re spending money with a mechanic who is having a tough go of it, I can understand the frustration; perhaps a new pair of eyes on the problem will get it solved. Regardless, under the hood is Buick’s little 3.0-liter V6 with 125 horsepower. The air conditioning doesn’t work, but everything else does.

The interior is like-new except for the standard-equipment sagging headliner that has been “tacked up nicely.” I know that a lot of people loathe digital gauges, but I’d prefer for my ’80s survivor to have them, thank you. This one does.

Also endemic to 1980s GM products (I swear I’m not intending to bash them – I’m a GM booster) is peeling paint. Unfortunately, this Somerset’s fenders have suffered, but the rest of the original paint is still holding up. I imagine that some touch-ups on the fenders are doable for a skilled paint matcher.

This looks like a really nice car with a few flaws that probably aren’t as bad as they sound; nevertheless, they sound bad enough that they will probably hold the price down. (Kudos to the seller for being forthcoming; too many aren’t.) That may be good if you are willing to do your own work and are looking for a solid example of a car that may be one of a handful to survive. It has not met the reserve yet, so let us know if you’re willing to take on the challenge. (Seriously, I’m invested now. I want to know what’s causing the vibration.)