In the second half of the 20th Century, when buyers were looking for big, luxurious automobiles, the Buick Electra had to be at the top of the shopping list. Over multiple generations from 1959 to 1990, the Electra (aka 225) was the flagship of the Buick portfolio. This 1984 coupe is from the last year the car was built with rear-wheel-drive and it looks to be in super condition. A tip from Dennis House, this big Buick is in Riverside, New Jersey, and available here on Facebook Marketplace for $9.450.
Along with its other GM contemporaries, the Electra went through downsizing in 1977, which took nearly a foot off the length of the product and shed more than 800 pounds in bulk. All done without compromising the space allocated to passengers and their stuff. Make no mistake, the Electra was still a big auto, especially by today’s standards. The cars received a mid-gen styling refresh in 1980 which would carry the line through the mid-decade. Engine choices included a 5.0-liter V8 which the seller confirms is in this auto.
The seller’s coupe is one of 4.075 produced in 1984 and was the lowest for any of the generation’s model years. It’s said to have had two owners which we assume includes the seller. At 63,000 miles, it looks to have been meticulously maintained and the body and rose paint come across as being in fine shape. Open the doors and the spacious interior looks ready to swallow you up in velour. We’re told everything works on this vehicle as it should.
When this car changes hands, the buyer will have already been treated to a new set of tires on the sporty Buick rally wheels. No mention is made of any outstanding work, so we assume this purchase will net the buyer a turnkey classic. BTW, Buick is planning to revive the Electra name after nearly 35 years by applying it to an electric vehicle slated to come out in 2024.
I see chrome exhaust tips are making a comeback. Nice cars, you know, I have a trip coming up in Aug. back to Wisconsin, and looks like another rental car deal, and being a cheapskate, will take the cheapest roller skate they have, but it would be a sweet trip with this car. From a time when we could say we were proud of our cars.
Get your groceries in style. A night at the opera? With this vehicle it’s a cinch. Best wishes to whomever lands this Buick.
… if you can find a parkin spot big enuf these days – forget congested areas.
those tips don’t look good on that car, it’s a luxury car. The tips are a cool come back
I’ve looked at this car for 2 weeks. When I saw those exhaust tips ewww! They should’ve run them to the corners of the bumper, and curved them to the ground without the stupid tips. Still there but out of sight.
Talked to the owner and he said they looked like fence posts! Lol!
Those darker colors tended to start checking and fading away. Most of the time the answer is a strip and redo.
Very interestingly optioned car being a Limited rather than a Park Avenue.
Too bad I’m half the country away in Mn.
You could tuck ’em a lot closer to the bumper, though.
You — and everybody you know — will cuss a deep blue fit walking too close behind the car and gashing shins on those sharp-edge trunk blockers. And you’ll love it when you back up and hit something with those tips and have to replace half the exhaust system because said exhaust tips hit before the bumper did.
Please don’t ask me how I know.
If you hit those tips backing up, You can’t drive. If you walk into them and cut your self your walking to close to the car.
Sorry, no offense, but proud of what? Poor build quality, cheap materials terrible gas mileage and unsafe? So many suffer from the Good Old Days syndrome.
Where do you see poor build quality in this car? You pay attention to BS propaganda too much. There’s a family in my hometown became millionaires working on foreign cars specializing in Mercedes.
You’re only showing your ignorance.
Thank God we live in a country where someone can say that insulting comment, and not get hauled off to a urine soaked heck hole jail. You say “Good old days” syndrome, like that’s a bad thing. We did suffer later trying to keep up with the imports, but this car right here, was the culmination of 75 years of building cars, we knew what we were doing. A 1984 Toyota was a mere shred of what this car is, and if you can’t tell the difference, that’s a darned shame.
unsafe, poor build. Go hide in your ultra safe, anti lock, self steering, automatic braking, techno laden, government mandated jellybean. I still drive one daily now in its 25th year with me. nice and comfortable, 260 thousand miles of nothing but reliable service in any weather condition and well if you don’t drive it like you stole it while playing on some phone, you will be fine. My Japanese missile is unsafe also but that hasn’t slowed me down in beltway traffic either. stay scared and safe my good man…
🎯 comfortable, enjoyable vehicles to cruise in.
“The seller’s coupe is one of 4.075 produced in 1984 and was the lowest for any of the generation’s model years.”
Holy cow! They only built FOUR that year???!?! And what happened to the .075 car!?!
You’re always dialed in right and tight Russ so given the opportunity..😆👍🏻
Seriously-Nice example, and kind of unique in that there were only four thousand made. Maybe that’s the reason it was the last of its kind-and no, an electric Electra doesn’t sound appealing.
Right on the money, Howard-this’d be a lot more fun to cruise the interstate in this than a, say, Buick Enclave!
Right on!
You don’t even have a clue what you’re talking about, please sit down.
Had an 80 Park Ave. 2dr. I loved it. Was a 252 cid Buick v6 car someone put a 307 into and locked it up by running it out of oil.Bought a wrecked 78 Delta 88 and put the 350 into the PA.Bought that car from WIX auto on Cicero ave in Chicago out of their repossession lot for 500.Southern car it was.This car is sweet.Worth every penny imo, love the color too.These are great driving comfy cars.Sharp looking imo too.Sold my Buick to help pay for the wedding reception to my first wife in 1990…sigh, wish I had the car back not her though.
My boss bought one where someone filled the crankcase with tranny fluid.Didnt blow it but the white smoke pouring out of that Buick was enormous filling the whole back lot with a huge white cloud.effin hilarious.Still ran like a bat out of hell.And maybe she wished she never seen your face lol.
Nice. I’m hoping not to have to replace my daily any time soon. But if that time comes; I’ll be buying something like this and not the outrageously expensive new vehicles on the market today. Be driving to the bank in style too. GLWTS.
Beautiful car. Has been one of my favorites for years. Still have my 1978 Electra Limited and would not get rid of it for anything.
That’s a very handsome car. I don’t know how receptive to upgrades that motor is, but 250-300 hp would be nice.
Not very receptive. It would take cam, heads, intake, carb, etc. a lot easier to swap in a 350 Olds motor or an LS. At least with the LS you get a significant fuel economy boost.
Can confirm. I have a ’79 Delta 88 with a 4-speed auto, 3.89 gears, and supercharged 370-inch LS making 560 horsepower that pulls 18.5 mpg cruising with air conditioning on at 65 mph; with highway gears and a more reasonable motor it’d pull at least 25 mpg.
Very clean and very comfortable car, but will be lacking in power. I don’t see anyone paying that much for it. I do hope it finds a good home. That is how a luxury car should be, with nice, soft seats and a smooth ride.
I’m really failing to understand why would someone want big, powerful engine in a smooth , soft, luxury car. If you have such an engine, then GM would have to beef up the suspension, bigger, beefier, tyres. Jeez. Its a soft riding luxury car. Forget more power. Who cares?
In the days of cheap gas, in ’72 i would rather have a 455 pontiac v8 in a gigantic ’72 Catalina than a pont 350 v8 -espec in a mountainous area – both engines weighed the same! Not sure tho about Buick v8s in ’72.
Ken, let me put it this way. Ed Mertz, who was a past General Manager of Buick Motor Division, once put it this way. A Buick is Substantial, Distinctive, Powerful, and Mature. I can’t think of a better description (unfortunately, people, today, don’t think that way).
I had the 1984 Lesabre Limited and it was every bit as luxurious as the Electra. Too bad someone wanted it more than me and helped themselves.
Why dual exhaust on a luxury car???? These cars rode and drove great. Had plenty of room and easy to access the seating. Sure low on power but are your running the Daytona 500? Tilt the seat back, get the Detroit lean and cruise that sucker all day…..
Duals on this car is a waste of money. The cam and heads keep it from breathing.
Looks like a Delta 88.
No, more like a 98. The Electra and the 98 are both “C” bodies. The 88 is a “B” body.
Why did Buick make only 4,000 of these cars in 1984?
I’m always torn between the Electra and the Olds 98. Both are basically the same car. I have always leaned towards Olds because Buick is always an old person’s car. Not that the Olds is any different. I do think the Electra looks a bit better than the 98. If I was a buyer in 1984 I would lean towards the Buick. I would definitely stay away from the Cadillac Deville and it’s horrible engines. The Buick can be options just like the Deville but would cost less and have a much more reliable engine.
Yup, that 4100 was an unmitigated disaster, no doubt. Much rather have the 307, even though it’s underpowered, but good enough for me.
I’m not a big fan of GM cars, but I like this car. It’s big, luxurious and in real nice shape. I agree that the 307 Olds engine leaves much to be desired. I’ve known several people who had a vehicle powered by that engine. Not a one of them was happy with it. About 2/3rds of them had catastrophic failures. However, if it runs good, drive it and enjoy. Should the 307 fail, replace it with an Olds 350 or an LS if that’s your preference and enjoy the car some more. The Olds 350 would be an easier swap, and should you wish for more performance, parts are available on the aftermarket to make that happen. The 307 was strictly a smog motor so that’s what you get. Could have been a V6 or worse yet, a Diesel.
We had one in 1999 just like that one in the pic but black with red interior. Had a blown 307 & swapped it with an olds 350. Bought the car dirt cheap. Drove that car all over the place. Put over 100,000 miles on the 2nd engine. No problems only did routine maintenance Sold it in 2010. Enjoyed that Buick. Pic brings back good memories.
Beautiful cars, I had a new 83 Riviera, that Oldsmobile 307 motor is an anchor, so terribly underpowered, no reason for dual exhaust hear, probably made it slower without it’s back pressure