Thinking of buying...

[NY Twin Turbo]

If it were me, just by looking at the engine pics, I'm certain I would be pulling the motor the next day and setting up a camping area under the car. Even if it ran tip-top.

I couldn't deal with the unknown hack-work. I would also buy a crap-load of dish soap and a whole spectrum of spray paints.

This isn't that big of a deal if you have the time, tools and ability to do this. However this work should be reflected in your purchase price offer.

If it ran perfectly wonderful and needed nothing mechanically or no major body work, I figure I could make it look like a $17,000 car with about $5,000 worth of time and materials. So I would offer about $10,000. That gives you a $2,000 buffer.

Forgive me. I try to find logic in everything I do.

 

[TurboDave]

I see two red flags, battery in the trunk (illegally wired BTW), and that funky looking dump tube.

 

[Jerryl]

If it were me,

If it ran perfectly wonderful and needed nothing mechanically or no major body work, I figure I could make it look like a $17,000 car with about $5,000 worth of time and materials. So I would offer about $10,000. That gives you a $2,000 buffer.

Forgive me. I try to find logic in everything I do.

Lol. I like the logic.

 

[GNTtypeKid]

All Great points^^^

These cars are rare but not rare enough to close on the first deal you see. Even 11k I feel would be too much, the neglect is apparent. Looks like someone got a little excited hacked it, maybe beat it and got bored, then tried dumping it on someone else.

 

[Jerryl]

All Great points^^^

These cars are rare but not rare enough to close on the first deal you see. Even 11k I feel would be too much, the neglect is apparent. Looks like someone got a little excited hacked it, maybe beat it and got bored, then tried dumping it on someone else.

I am not sure why this happens so much but there are many who were sold a bill of goods that turned out to be a bag of s***.
Knowing "it is", is one thing . . . Finding out later is another. Either way, always a sticky situation.

IMO, it's all about integrity of the seller. Granted, the majority of dealers do not understand these cars . . And take these cars in on trade . . So not really their fault.

My advice is. . . Buy from this board and go see the car you are interested in and meets the budget. Don't haggle on the price but expect to get what you pay for.

We see a lot of haggling on prices and really can't expect someone to lower the price xx% and still get the same car. It happens both ways . . . .

Just my $0.02.

 

[Phoneguy]

The members that have posted are steering you in the right direction. ...
Keep looking.
The obvious neglect , the pin - on hood that is not correct, the wrong exhaust, battery in trunk hack . Me personally, wouldn't even consider this car for 10k .

Good luck.

Bryan

 

[V6sleeper]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/1987-buick-grand-national-new-york.427407/
Ive seen this car in person and looked it over, very fair price if your serious .

 

[Jimbuick]

Cool, I appreciate all the help guys. I'll definitely keep looking elsewhere then. As far as the battery in the trunk, I took that picture hoping you guys would know what the deal with that was, because the engine still ran off of the one in the engine bay (battery was dead so they had to bring out the battery jumper)....

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/1987-buick-grand-national-new-york.427407/
Ive seen this car in person and looked it over, very fair price if your serious .

The pictures look good, and the price definitely seems fair; but that is a little outside of the traveling distance I can afford to make....

 

[626gn]

Whats your location?

 

[Jimbuick]

Whats your location?

Houston.

 

[626gn]

Well, definitely check out all the TR's you can in your area. If you can't find a good one either wait for one to come along or consider looking outside your area and have it transported to you. It will cost you a few hundred depending how far but in the big picture could be money well spent to land a good car vs settling for one just because its local..

Lucky you don't live on an island, like me, where the pickings are slim to none. Good luck in your search.

 

[charlief1]

We have several guys in the Houston area and I'm sure 1 of them could be talked into taking a look at a car if you ask nicely. If you want to see some TR's run on the track, then head to Temple next weekend for the 2nd annual Texas Buick Nationals. It's at little river academy drag strip and starts at noon. You might also page down on the main page for the Texas section and say hi.

 

[Jimbuick]

We have several guys in the Houston area and I'm sure 1 of them could be talked into taking a look at a car if you ask nicely. If you want to see some TR's run on the track, then head to Temple next weekend for the 2nd annual Texas Buick Nationals. It's at little river academy drag strip and starts at noon. You might also page down on the main page for the Texas section and say hi.

That actually sounds like a cool event. North of Austin, yeah? GPS is calling it ~3 hours to get out there, which isn't terrible.

I doubt I'll run (haven't run the GTO yet, and its stock anyway lol) but it would be cool to meet some of the owners in the area.

Actually went and looked at one today, was in much better shape for what seemed to be a much more fair price. Gave if a fairly thorough run through, and asked a lot of questions. Had some weird things done to it by a previous owner, but the current owner seemed like a pretty straight shooter and was able to answer a lot of my questions. Not committed to anything right now, as I haven't driven it yet, but it looked and sounded good.

Biggest issues I saw were an oil leak, a funky oil pressure gauge, and the ability to shift without pressing the button on the shifter.

 

[charlief1]

I doubt I'll run (haven't run the GTO yet, and its stock anyway lol) but it would be cool to meet some of the owners in the area.

Bring the goat and if you don't run it down the track you can enter the show.

Biggest issues I saw were an oil leak,

That's not an oil leak. It's marking it's territory.

 

[Jimbuick]

Bring the goat and if you don't run it down the track you can enter the show.


That's not an oil leak. It's marking it's territory.

Ha, she'll probably come out but she definitely isn't a show car ATM. Bought her used a few months back, and she's always been a driver not a toy (she's my DD too, actually)


I had a 96 Regal as my first car, and she dumped oil right before the end. Used to call it GMs anti-rust program lol.

 

[626gn]

That actually sounds like a cool event. North of Austin, yeah? GPS is calling it ~3 hours to get out there, which isn't terrible.

I doubt I'll run (haven't run the GTO yet, and its stock anyway lol) but it would be cool to meet some of the owners in the area.

Actually went and looked at one today, was in much better shape for what seemed to be a much more fair price. Gave if a fairly thorough run through, and asked a lot of questions. Had some weird things done to it by a previous owner, but the current owner seemed like a pretty straight shooter and was able to answer a lot of my questions. Not committed to anything right now, as I haven't driven it yet, but it looked and sounded good.

Biggest issues I saw were an oil leak, a funky oil pressure gauge, and the ability to shift without pressing the button on the shifter.

Shifter issue is probably due to a broken j-rod spring. Easy fix....

 

[Jimbuick]

Shifter issue is probably due to a broken j-rod spring. Easy fix....

That was my guess from some light reading on here, not too worried about that tbh. Looks like she was smoked in too, but I'm not sure if I care about that.

The oil leak worries me some, but I don't expect it to be too expensive to fix so if the car can be had for a good price I'm not too worried. Don't know if any of you have seen this before but the oil leak was mainly coming from right around the filter. Not like it was connected incorrectly, but from above the connection. Didn't see a crack, but the guy said he tried to seal it with some type of silicone foam or something and eventually just clamped it which slowed the leak substantially. Still a fairly steady drip, but not ridiculous. I figure worse case scenario, I'd take it to a shop my buddy owns and have him fix it if I am incapable of doing so.

 

[V6sleeper]

You will get use to the smell of burning oil..after a while you will start to smell it when your not even in the car..

 

[Phoneguy]

No oil leaks on mine. ...
It does take meticulous assembly to make them leak free though. Even the girdle is leak free.....

Bryan

 

[John Larkin]

There are a couple of o-rings on the oil filter housing. They probably need to be replaced. On a 28 year old car, lots of things will continually need to be replaced.