By the time you read this, the auction for this Buick Roadmaster wagon will be over – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t warrant discussion. And that’s because these B-platform behemoths were white-hot not so long ago, and it appears this one will not meet its reserve in the listing here on eBay. While they have all the trappings of an appreciating classic, one must wonder: will they continue to appreciate or was the uptick in value a few years back just the result of other pandemic-driven frothiness? Time will tell if these V8-powered wagons fade to the background or become increasingly sought after.
Now, first of all – this auction is ending at a fairly awful time. Closing at 5 a.m. on a Sunday morning is not a great way to entice bidders to raise their paddles, in any time zone. The Roadmaster, along with its siblings the Chevy Caprice and Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, has always been a known quantity, but its charming features – the third row seat, the woodgrain trim, the torquey V8 under the hood – pushed it to the forefront of some enthusiasts’ minds over the last few years. Couple that with the demise of the wagon and the power of nostalgia and it’s of little surprise that a model like this has gone from boring family hauler to peak 90s cool.
If you look back a few years ago, prices were regularly approaching $20,000. If you are fortunate enough to find a later model with the more powerful 5.7L LT1 lifted from the C4 Corvette, you had a healthy 260 horsepower at your disposal, and the price goes even higher, reaching into the mids 20s and 30s for low-mileage examples. This being an earlier model doesn’t make as much power, but it’s also no slouch. The other benefit to this meaty drivetrain – regardless of production year – is that it’s dirt cheap to maintain and upgrades are plentiful, should you want to go that route.
So, is it just a blip that this model has stalled out a bit? The current bid price of this auction is $3,700 with a Buy-It-Now of just $7,000. That seems like a far cry from where these estate wagons were just a few years ago, but that’s the whipsaw effect of nostalgia: what’s popular today may become less so tomorrow, especially as the reality sets in of what classic car ownership can sometimes entail. The seller’s car is a New England vehicle but said not to be rusty (though some rust is visible in the lower extremities of the rockers), and photos seem to indicate that the interior remains in clean shape with some signs of wear. Will these increase in value, or has the star faded for these big body wagons?
Auction ended Reserve not met. Don’t understand how these work. When I checked the last bid was $3700. So the reserve was higher? Another thing, I didn’t see where the mileage was stated. Maybe you couldn’t carry sheets of drywall in it but for what most people buy an SUV for this would do the job just fine.
I was able to haul 4×8 sheets of drywall in mine, but the front seats had to be moved fully forward and my 4’11” wife had to drive. My 6′ frame was curled up in the passenger seat. LOL
I always thought that this series of full size RWD GM cars, across the Buick-Olds-Chevy-Caddy range, just were very awkward, and maybe not the ending that this series of vehicles deserved. If the price was right, I’d probably bite on one, but it would have to be very right.
The cars that they replaced were all very handsome, trim cars. These look bulbous and like they are trying too hard. It’s like seeing a rock band from the 60’s dressing up for MTV in the 1980’s. They are young enough to think that it will work, but too old to actually pull it off…
143,000 miles, Six owners, two documented accidents in the CarFax report. ’92 is not LT-1 equipped. PASS. Find a nicer one – there are dozens out there.
LS swap it
Love those Roadmaster wagons. I owned this car’s twin. It had 60K on the clock when I bought it, 213,000 when I sold it. One of the best vehicles I’ve ever owned. Later I bought a 94 with 50K on the clock, sold it at 176,000. I thought the LT1 would be a big improvement. Wrong. Replaced the optispark distributor and wires twice. Car was great, LT1, not so much. Note, Delco replacement parts were used both times. One more thing. Made money on the 92, broke even on the 94. Not bad.
I had a ’93. With the back seats folded down it will hold a 4×8 sheet.
Fabulous car, mine had 57K on it. Bought it non-op for a possible need: $1100. Replaced the fuel pump. The need didn’t pan out, and moved it on after a couple years. I fixed every little (plastic) thing that was broken & sold it before any more went.
Rode like a cloud. Nothing rides like a big Buick.
The 350 was a hell of a lot easier & cheaper to work on & maintain than the LT1. It’s a station wagon, it doesn’t need a de-tuned Vette engine.