This 1985 Buick Grand National is what’s known as a “hot air” car, which is to say it’s a GN that wasn’t intercooled by the factory. It’s an interesting topic among Buick enthusiasts, as some owners enjoy the challenge of making the earlier Grand National as fast as a later, intercooled model, while others claim the cheapest way to real speed is to buy a later model. Regardless, this example has 162,000 miles with the engine rebuilt at 100,000. The presentation is quite nice for the high miles, and the car was repainted previous. Some transmission work may be needed, and it’s listed here on craigslist for $11,000.

The asking price surprised me a bit with the disclosure about possibly needing a transmission rebuild. I was on board all the way given the exterior condition and engine rebuild, but the need for further drivetrain work is disappointing. Regardless, some of the typical trouble spots like the bumper fillers remain intact, and the respray looks decent from this side of the monitor. The big question for me is whether one of these is worth the potential cost savings versus purchasing a later Grand National? A few years ago, the hot air GNs were far cheaper, but the cost of the intercooled Buicks has certainly raised the prices of other turbo Buicks.

The engine bay is quite clean, albeit with signs of aftermarket enhancements by way of an open-element air filter. However, the seller claims the only other mechanical modification is a Flowmaster exhaust, which is certainly far less than you might typically expect in a mod-friendly car like a turbocharged Buick. The engine rebuild isn’t fresh by any means, but it should still provide the next owner with some reliable miles of use before needing to be overhauled again. Of course, the bigger concern is getting some daylight around why the seller feels like the automatic transmission may be in need of replacement – especially since the listing says the car “…shifts great.”

Going back to the asking price, you’re not getting a mint condition interior for that ask. Both front seats will need upholstery work, and you can see splits in the rear seat cushion. That’s not entirely surprising for a car with this kind of mileage, but it is unexpected for the asking price. The steering wheel is quite worn as well, as you can just barely notice in the upper left corner of the picture. Given this car is in Arizona, it seems likely to have spent some time outdoors in the unrelenting sun. A good project for sure, but perhaps one that needs a few more questions aswered before making a fair offer.