My brother and I routinely comment on how desirable we find cars like this 1988 Buick LeSabre T-Type, which was part of a performance-oriented lineup that Buick marketed in the 1980s. There were multiple models across the various GM brands that got similar treatments, like the Bonneville SSEI or the Cutlas 442. While not tremendously valuable today, they’re still sharp looking cars and hard to find in decent condition. Find this LeSabre here on eBay with an opening bid of $4K.
That’s a strong number, in my opinion, and underscores the challenge of a car like this. It is rare and does come with some nice equipment; however, values are fairly stagnant and it’d be hard to make your money back if you bought the nicest one you could find. It’s a niche market for sure, but from this angle, I feel it’s hard to deny the good looks this LeSabre brought to the table, especially with those T-Type specific alloys with the blacked-out centers.
The clamshell hood was about it for exotica, as the T-Type package didn’t deliver any added performance. The 3800 V6 will certainly provide reliable performance and make some decent noise, but that’s about as much as you can expect for aural pleasure. The engine bay looks quite clean but the seller doesn’t elaborate on any maintenance history; mileage is somewhat high at 188K.
The interior of this example appears quite clean, and the T-Type three-spoke steering wheel is a timeless look, in my opinion. The bucket seats certainly wouldn’t do much to hold you tightly in fast corners, but this is where the T-Type’s advertising fell a bit more. While they had performance looks and some tweaks to set them apart from the low-spec models, BMW’s 3-Series wasn’t exactly looking over its shoulder when these came to market.
Always loved these. Thought they looked cooler / more modern than the grand national
When these are all decked out black on black we thought of them as “baby GN’s”…not in any type of performance way of course but they did kinda look like a shrunken GN.
Good cars. My stepmom had one of these and dad had a Olds 98 Touring Sedan. They were very similar and rode and drive well while getting decent mpg. No added power though, thus the comment about any BMW’S looking over their shoulder. I concur.
A former co-worker had one of these in white that he drove long after they mostly disappeared from the roads. I’s Be curious to know if he still has it.
We had a few of these (Electras actually i think) & Olds Touring Sedans in the mid- to late-80’s in the family as GM company cars.
They drove great with good torque, snappy throttle response, sweet exhaust notes. Blackwall (!!) Eagle GT’s (!!!) on sharp wheels, tightened suspension & shifter in the console.
Comfy mile-burners that could take a corner without embarrassment. Big back seats for extra-curricular activities.
Pretty sure the last one was actually a Bonneville SE, the SSE being too flashy.
I managed to pilot one into a giant Maple tree at about 45mph one super-foggy Summer night, totalling it & nearly my body. Spent the first half of the first semester of sophomore year of college in the hospital instead of at class.
Regardless, I have fond memories of them & could see dropping the asking price if it had 100k less miles. No worry about the ubiquitous 3800 MFI holding up but i bet the rest of the car would feel pretty beat after 150k.
L67 transplant, some suspension & brake upgrades to match and it’s a perfect highway car
I have always liked those T Types. Another rare one is the 1986 Buick Century Gran Sport…….very few of those made, it was a one year special.
I bought and sold a lot of these back then, and I didn’t like how many had bad transmissions.
I tend to stay away from these cars now.
Mostly the vacuum modulator would stop working and the car would double as a crop duster. Easily fixed if caught early. I had four Buick/Olds variants over the years
188k for mileage? Junk. $150 worth of scrap metal imho no value here
Or not. I drove an 89 LeSabre coupe to 230k, ran fine before the beer truck hit it. Some people can destroy anything…
Friends parents bought him a silver one when he got his licence. His mom got a GNX at the same time which he totalled racing one night. Anywho, he drove the snot out of it and I bought it 3 yrs old. Still looked minty, just blew the tranny. One used pick a part tranny later, got to drive the summer with it and made a nice profit. To me the wide stance made the car handle like it was on rails. My first Buick, kinda wish tne GNX was the tranny car and the t-type was the dead racer. His parents owned a steel iron works. The dealer loved their money. Either way t-type was fast enough for what it was and was stylish at the time too
A “true” GNX and not a GN? Argh!!!
Yep. Mom was so happy her baby was alive after they got back into town. Even though he had a house party, trashed the house, drank all the booze, before taking said GNX and hitting a guard rail behind the right front bumper, taking the tire and all the sheet metal off the bottom until it hit the back axle 4 posts down the railing. Ahh to be young and invincible again
The 3.8 V-6 ? Look what Buick did with it in the Grand National. How very disappointing. GM still can’t get it right. That’s why Chrysler/Dodge is kicking their arse.
I had a 1989 LeSabre T-Type back in 2000-2001. Drove it 300 miles a day, 6 days a week. Never an issue. Bought it with 99k miles on it, sold it with over 150k on it. Mine was slightly different in that it has full leather black seats, but other than that looked exactly like the car here. Smooth, relatively powerful ride, comfortable, nice handling. You never see these (not that there were ever a lot of them around).
I always liked these. But looking at it now and with my many resentments towards GM, they should’ve made a two door Bonneville with SSEi options instead of dressing up a workaday Buick like a Pontiac. Maybe we’d still have Pontiac. Eh, probably not.
These look good and apparently are pretty tough. But they are devoid of any dynamic qualities and do not deserve even a glancing mention of “sport” or “sporty”.
Truly a moment to how far GM had fallen. I imagined they hoped to compete with BMWs and Mercedes with this car… Oh dear.
I had this exact car! The seats were not only fine in a corner but SO very comfortable that after a 12hr drive you weren’t a cripple. It cruised at 80, barely turning 1200rpm.
Damn well wish I had the cash on hand for this one.
This is a really nice ride! I don’t think that every sporty looking car needs to go fast! If I were closer I would go take a look! This is so clean and the seller did it right by cleaning it up before they advertised it!
Probably a fine automobile back then, I don’t really know anything about them as I quit paying attention to Buick once the vaunted GN’s and lower profile turbo T-TYPE’S disappeared from the line up. Then, around 1990 when I bought my ’86 5.0 Mustang GT I was actually kind of glad they had quit making those.
These were a really nice handling car. Great mileage, usually 30 mpg or better. These were SFI not MFI. They had crank triggered ignition and more. A lot of firsts. Trans needed improvements, but they got better. All around a nice driving car. Not a powerhouse but it wasn’t supposed to be. The end of the Lloyd Reuss era at Buick.
A co-worker had one of these – Rare with a capital R!
https://oldcarmemories.com/1986-buick-lesabre-grand-national-the-rarest-performance-buick-ever-produced/
I love this car. I have a saved search on eBay for similar LeSabres, hoping to find one closer to me and possibly with less miles. If anyone wants this one, it’s back up again for at least the third time. https://www.ebay.com/itm/173659411165
Yes, they are rare — my saved search has had only one or two other hits — but no one seems to like them. They were uncommon when they were new and there are probably very few people craving this. Exhibit A, this is the third time this exact one has been listed for credit card money but no takers. Buy it if you want it but don’t expect to get rich from it. Selling it at all is evidently quite difficult. :-(
But if you buy it, bring it to FL, and decide to sell it, get in touch. :-)
This car is being offered for the fifth or sixth time. I didn’t post here last time it was offered but the price has now been dropped to $3,500. (Buy-it-now price.)
I want this car so bad but a) I don’t have any particular need or use for it and b) these are evidently impossible to sell. It would appear that I’m the only person in the country who likes these. If I could see it in person I’d probably get it but I can’t bring myself to buy it sight-unseen, having never driven one, and pay for shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173776977255
Wow, it finally sold. Sixth time’s the charm!
I feel so bad for this guy. I guess the last buyer fell through. It’s now listed for the SEVENTH TIME. Back up to $3,900. I want this so bad but, among all my other reasons for not buying it, I recently bought something else, so I definitely don’t have room. I want this thing so bad… (And evidently I’m the only one.)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173823752515
Eighth time listed. Now $3,250.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173896718565
Your dream may come true. May be selling one very soon – bought from showroom floor, always garaged, low miles. Yes it’s a long way from you in FL but am always looking for a good reason to vacation. ~ Stacie F
DJ: What color? You can email me at this user name @gmail.com.