Description
On offer is a highly original 1988 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon. This is a very solid car, showing just over 75, 000 miles (120, 000km). While I cannot verify the mileage, the overall condition of the car, especially the interior, indicates that the mileage is accurate.
The original dealer emblem attached to the tailgate indicates this Buick was purchased from Spitzer Auto Group, which has locations in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Given the complete absence of rust on the car, it looks very much like it was originally from Florida. I purchased it from a gentleman in Toronto, Canada, who indicated he had travelled to North Carolina to get it, which supports the notion that this is a southern-U. S. car.
Immediately after purchasing “Moby”, I installed four new tires and embarked on a 1, 700km (approx. 1, 100 mile) road trip to bring the car home, and it performed very well. During that trip, I familiarized myself with all the items needing attention (none of which were surprising given its age), which I have attended to in the time since.
At the time of writing, the air conditioning does not blow cold, although it did for a short time. I am still working on tracing the cause. Additionally, the AM/ FM radio is functional through only one speaker, which I suspect is the fault of the speakers themselves given their age. The power windows and locks are all functional.
The paint is very good, although it does show a few blemishes consistent with the age of the car. The hood (engine bonnet) does show some dings consistent with hail damage, although they are hard to see unless the light is at the right angle. The hood also has a slight bend along one edge, which I assume was caused by someone closing the hood on something underneath (see photos). The vinyl wood-grain decals are in near-perfect condition. The chrome bumpers and stainless steel accents are all excellent. Note that the bumper filler pieces were replaced at one point and were poorly fitted and left in primer. Replacements are available, although this has not been a priority for me.
The glass is in overall excellent condition; the windshield has a couple scratches from worn-out wipers at some point in its life, and the rear window has a small chip out of its top edge – it is barely noticeable and does not affect its operation. The rear window weatherstrip is cracked, but all other door and window rubber is in excellent condition.
The dash is crack-free, and the other interior plastics are in excellent condition with no sun-fading or other deterioration. The carpets are also excellent and stain-free, and the original floor mats are in place. The only fault with the carpets is wear from the driver’s heel on the driver’s side mat; the carpet underneath is unharmed. The seats and door panels are velour material (very 80’s) and also in very good to excellent condition. The rear cargo area shows very little wear, as does the flip-up rear seat (allowing for a total seating capacity of eight).
Underneath, the car is very original and completely rust free (save for some minor surface corrosion). There are no rust holes and all body seams are as they left the factory.
The drivetrain is a 307 cu. in. (5 litre) V8 connected to a 200R4 automatic overdrive transmission. I connected an oil pressure gauge and it runs at 40psi hot cruising and 18psi at idle, both well within spec. Compression is 150psi in 6 cylinders, 145 and 155 in the other two. Full disclosure: the engine does burn some oil, and also has several leaks. Neither of these issues were of major concern to me, although if I intended to drive the car thousands of miles per year I would swap in an LS-based engine and 4L60 transmission mainly for reasons of power and fuel economy. If you are considering this, I can source and install an LS powertrain for the cost of the materials and my time (which we can negotiate). LS-based engines are inexpensive and plentiful here in North America, so this proposition may be attractive to you. I live 20 minutes from the Port of Halifax on the east coast of Canada, with access to roll-on / roll-off transport to many destinations in Europe. I can arrange shipping, or you can arrange and I will deliver the car to the port at the time of your choosing.
I know all too well that purchasing a car sight-unseen can be a risky proposition. My intent is to be completely transparent and ensure the car goes to a suitable caretaker who is well-informed and appreciates the role cars like this played in North American automotive history. Please contact me with any questions and I will ensure a prompt reply, along with any additional photos/ videos that you wish to see. I can also provide a full summary of work I have completed since acquiring the car. I grew up in the '70s and '80s when station wagons like this ruled the road. To this day, I much prefer them to the SUVs that have proliferated on North American roads. I am an enthusiast and former professional automotive restorer who loves interesting old cars, and this one definitely qualifies! The only reason I am selling the Buick is to fund work on my “forever” car, a classic Porsche.
Whenever I drive my Buick wagon, I get thumbs-up from other drivers and many recollections from people who stop to chat in parking lots. People may choose to buy SUVs now, but they love to talk about old wagons.
