It’s redundant to refer to a Buick Estate as a Buick Estate wagon since the name Estate is what Buick named their full-size top wagons in this era. Did any of that make sense? This “all original” 1988 Buick Estate can be found posted here on craigslist east of Sarasota, Florida and the seller is asking $9,500. Here is the original listing and thanks to Pat L. for sending in this tip!
Just after high school as I was trying to avoid going to college or doing anything really worthwhile with my life, I worked in a heated parking garage in a big medical building, parking and washing cars. It may still be my favorite job of all time as doctors and dentists typically had a lot of money to spend on vehicles. There were more than a few of these big GM wagons there and I got to wash a couple of them every week, and if you can learn how to navigate one of these eighteen-foot-long wagons through a ramp and back them into parking spots, you’re set for life – at least parking-wise.
If you look at the craigslist ad and scan through the photos, which we always hope that our readers do, you’ll see what looks like several areas under the woodgrain that are bubbling, or it looks like bubbling under there. Vehicles can and do rust in Florida from the salt air more so than from road salt as a lot of us have lived with up in the Northeast and upper-Midwest states.
The seller doesn’t mention rust at all but they do say that this Buick Estate is all original and is ready to go – everything works as it should. It looks a little worn on the interior in spots but hopefully the next owner can sort out a few possible body issues and clean up the interior in spots. I’d get a new driver’s side sill asap, that one appears to be so corroded that pieces of it are missing. I’m not sure why that hasn’t been replaced yet. This would be a huge family hauler with room for seven humans inside in the front seat, back seat, and the far back seating areas.
The engine should be an Oldsmobile 307 cubic-inch V8 which would have had 140 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque, according to Automobile-Catalog.com. NADA lists an average retail value of $3,525 and given the possible rust issues, I’m not sure about their $9,500 asking price. Any thoughts on this one?
That one red heater hose is disappointing.
& back in the day, heavy duty. & less likely to spring a leak than a stock hose. Not sure if that’s true today – have not even seen any red ones lately in auto parts stores. Light blue ones may even be better.
Most likely, one would get the red ones, when a stock hose leaked & put you on the side of the road – u just have to be there. lol
That does seem a little high and the interior looks well worn, the speedometer does say 68,000 but I wonder if it really is 168,000? Just too many unanswered questions from the Craigslist description maybe $4500-$5000 tops
I think that door sill isn’t corroded, just some rug coming up around it. Need to pull it up and drop it back down on the carpet after pulling the carpet tight. From what I know about these interiors, it’s an honest 68k. When i was detailing them, cloth interiors by GM of that vintage weren’t very robust, it would be torn and frayed at 168k. I like this, I’m not bothered by the price if that’s the CL starting price and it’s not firm. It’s what you want. Buy the best one of that vintage instead of a 2k rat. I’m not in the market for a wagon now but this is what I would like. Fairly modern, lots of spare parts and like the one my buddy’s dad used to use when he dropped us off at HS in the am.
Odd to see it on RWL tires. Needs whitewalls.
Jim in FL, that’s what I initially thought but the more I looked at that sill, it looks like the rear portion of it is starting to go and the front portion is gone?
You could be right for sure. I guess we need to drive over and have a look! You made me look at the ad and I got mesmerized by the third row seat. I remember being incredibly nauseous all the time in these in Jersey Shore traffic in the late 70s.
When i was in college in 1988, dad had a Parisienne wagon as a demo and we balled it from Philly to Florida straight. We took turns driving while the other three slept. Only one who was excused from driving was mom.
These were known as either the LeSabre Estate Wagon or Electra Estate Wagon in this time period, depending on the level of trim you chose. In 1990 they simplified it to just Estate Wagon for its final year. It says it on the side of the car. I’m not sure it was ever referred to as just “Estate”.
Brings back memories.
When my kids now in their early forties were small, I was a hold out in buying a four cylinder mini van. Mainly due to our weekends, and vacation travels often pulling a boat.
We had three different estate wagons. All with the big blocks, I believe 403 cu in. We loved these cruisers, as they were safe, and reliable.
Only issues were rear bumpers had poor design and supports so a class 2 or 3 trailer hitch was highly recommended. Also on one of them, we had a bad cam lobe. So being a car guy, a higher lift cam, new pushrods, and valve springs were installed. Turned the air cleaner cover upside down and laughed at all the looks and thumbs up from motor heads. Drove that thing for years, using is as a weekend hauler. Sold it to an old timer, and he drove it to 300k.
68,000 miles but the odometer pick reads 07339.8 so its rolled at least once
Look again at that picture. The speedometer is in Kilometers (the car likely originated in Canada), but the seller has obviously converted those to miles. 107,340 Km is about 66,671 miles, so they’ve apparently used the car some since taking that photo.
I sold Buicks and drove Buicks long enough to raise six kids. The Estate Wagon was no stranger to my driveway. Great cars when equipped with a 350, not so much afterwards. It’s a $4500 automobile.
crazy to think these were available in ‘88 but then GM released the W bodies (Grand Prix etc) that looked down right futuristic compared to these lol
These were the end of an era. Classic body on frame, GM interior best in class for the times, and float down the road ride. Sure beats the generic SUV in every parking stall you see today.
I have never been in a “modern” SUV, let alone a “luxury” one – aren’t they just as comfy a ride with those huge low profile tires? & what about the seats – are they nice & cushy too like in this classic station wagon?