Much like this picture, the typical Buick Regal of this vintage looks at home in the suburban parking lots of schools and churches and other places families frequent. However the “GS” versions, like this 1998 Buick Regal GS in Columbus, Ohio were billed by Buick as “The Car for the Supercharged Family,” and each one featured an Eaton M90 blower on top of the beefed-up L67 3.8L (231 cid) transverse-mounted V6. Up for auction here on eBay, this GS may not be collectible, but it represents an effective sedan-shaped weapon on par with more modern machinery. Even if you’re not in the market, check out the well-written and amusing listing done in “My Autobiography” style from the car’s point of view.
While the Regal shared most parts with the same vintage Century, wider rockers, two-tone paint, front bucket seats with console, and other differences set a sportier tone for the Regal. My 2002 Regal GS gave our family 10 years and 200,000 miles. With a Stage 2 kit it made about 12 lb of boost vs the stock 8.x and 292 HP vs the stock 240. Despite traction control it easily overpowered the front tires and embarrassed a long list of faster-looking cars (insert evil snicker here). Though the factory DIC (Digital Information Center) was always about 1.5 MPG optimistic, I could lay down a legitimate 30 MPG on the highway with no passengers, and 27.x MPG on a trip running 78 MPH with AC blowing, four passengers, and luggage. No BMW of this vintage has a trunk as large as the Regal’s. Further modifications can get 400 HP from the L67 engine for some real fun, considering it’s practically invisible to the Police. Sleepers are great! You can pick your battles, and you don’t have every amped-up poser with a Folgers exhaust system trying to put a burr under your saddle.
Most years the GS came well-equipped with power everything, sun-roof, and leather interior. Kudos to the seller for showing the front seat wear on this one. In comparison to these 99,000 mile seats, mine looked almost new after 286,000 miles. Perhaps the driver often forgot to remove the steak knives from his or her back pockets before sliding behind the wheel. All joking aside, this looks like a clean ride that could be lots of fun for its second owners. That’s right; this is a one-owner car as described in the eBay “Autobiography.”
Car spotters may look for the “SUPERCHARGED” script normally on the right side of the trunk lid. As with this car, I removed that badge with fishing line the second day I owned mine, leaving only the subdued “GS” in the reflector bar to identify this as having the L67. The black port in the center of the lower bumper facia may be an aftermarket backup camera or possibly the aperture of a James Bond-style oil slick system. Are you ready to supercharge your family?
Ha! Folgers exhaust system! That seat is a quick bickety-bam at my fav-o-rite upholstery shop and I have to admit that I have never really noticed these cars, until now. Nice write-up and nice modern collectible!
If I’d had a big warehouse I’d have saved my Regal GS for sure. Instead I chose to remain married.
Prime example of the thousand reasons I will always be single. No woman could push me to get rid of a favorite car.
I like Buick’s in general. This vintage Regal never got a second glance from me, I was more on the look out for Rivi’s from this era. This would make a nice grocery getter..
Invisible to the popo my ***! I got got pulled over all the damn time in a silver 02. More than any other car I’ve had by far, and pretty much always for nothing. Was an awesome car though. Tinworm got it at 232k miles on it’s original tranny! Spanked an rx-8 with it from a dead stop onto a very curvy stretch of road. Dude was stunned. For what the are these things move.
Hi @Capriest. Funny – mine was silver too and seemed to be protected by a cloaking device. My favorite unlikely surprise was leaving a Subaru WRX STI with a giant wing wondering WTH. He or she ran up my tailpipe then I dropped the hammer on a twisty two-lane and he slowly lost ground despite tossing it all over the place. Had a similar experience vs. an Audi A4, a Lincoln MKZ, one C4 Corvette, and more Mustangs and chainsaw-sounding econoboxes than I can count. Only the Corvette and a Genesis 3.8 came back for a second whipping. The Genesis ended up behind me at a light after he’d changed lanes to “really try” and took the second beating. He shook his head, smiled, and gave me the thumbs up. lol
Ha, I kid you not, I just bought a 2000 model last week, with 108k original miles, that other than the drivers seat, hasn’t been abused. I’ve wanted one of these little sleepers for a long time and finally found and bought one. The old lady made a lot of fun of me for wanting a “Paw Paw” car, until her first ride, now she wants one, lol. Great find guys!!
Oh come on. One of you can’t bid this poor loyal thing up past $855? Seriously?
Nearing the end of the auction, is nearly double at this point.
Cool. I see it brought in a whopping 1,700. Better than 855 I suppose!
I had a new 2000 in silver. One of my favorite cars ever.
I’ve had 2 supercharged Buicks, a 97 Riviera and a 01 GS. I loved both of these cars. They both had around 200k on them when I sold them never having to do anything to them but service them. I am a firm believer that the GM 3800 is one of the best gas engines ever built! Since then we have had an 04 Rainer and bought a new Enclave in 16.
What a good looking car. Still.
Especially compared to a new Altima.
My wife had a 1998 GS. She absolutely loved that car. The only thing I noticed was the tire wear. And that wasn’t the cars fault.
Oooooh, did you know there was a Joseph Abboud designer GS? Here is a cheap one!
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/t-Used-Buick-Regal-GS-Sedan-AWD-t52676#listing=237053644
I can see the custom design of the driver’s seat.