The concept of an ordinary car that remains in somewhat extraordinary condition is one that warms many of our hearts. How a vehicle that is usually thrown onto the scrap heap the second a minor mechanical malady rears its head instead is clearly loved and maintained for all of its life. The fourth generation of the Buick Regal was a fine car overall but very few have been treated with the kind of care that allows them to serve in the condition of this 1093 Regal listed here on craigslist. This example is for sale with a very cheap price of just $3,995 and a tick over 107,000 original miles. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Barney for the tip.

When Buick unveiled this era of the Regal, the preferences of consumers were changing rapidly. Safety and sophistication were on the menu, while power and size took a back seat. The platform shifted to front-wheel drive and began offering features like ABS and traction control, not to mention smooth styling and a generally softer appearance. Ride quality also improved and the platform relied exclusively on a 4-speed automatic transmission, which was becoming increasingly commonplace as consumer sentiments for manual gearboxes began to wane (this has been happening for a while, and is not a recent phenomenon.) The Regal shown here looks handsome in cranberry paint with clean alloy wheels. No obvious rust issues, either.

Inside, there was still plenty of luxury despite the downsizing occurring elsewhere. The leather seats are in fair shape for a car of this age and with over 100,000 miles, suggesting that it was looked after while still serving as a dutiful daily driver. The dashboard shows no cracks, but that generally wasn’t an issue with these 90s-era domestics; the Germans had far more issues keeping the dash pad from splitting into pieces. The Buick is loaded with all the power and convenience features you could ask for, but this one pre-dates the standard airbag. The carpets show some stains, but hopefully that can be remedied with some carpet cleaner. The fake wood on the dash and door panels still presents well.

In 1993, you had the option to step up to the 3800 series V6, which kicked out a respectable 170 horsepower. In later years, that number would rise to over 200, but this Regal Custom should still move out of its own way just fine. This era of GM products is one of my favorites, even if it represented a shift towards front-wheel drive and more anonymous styling. It was a competent lineup that still stands out in a crowd when you see a nicely maintained example rolling down the road. Will it ever be collectible? Unlikely, but if you just need a classic commuter that will be cheap to run, it’s hard to beat.