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Buick Electra 5.0 liter V8 1988

General description : Is there anything more quintessentially American than the wood-sided station wagon? Generations of car enthusiasts have only pleasant memories of seeing the countryside from inside one of these land yachts, and wagons engender warm feelings from all of us. Family, good memories, and a sense of adventure are all part of the package. Sadly, the modern minivan/SUV doesn’t seem to capture that same excitement when undertaking a journey, which is why cars like this 1988 Buick Electra are special. It comes standard with all the things that made the station wagon great: wood paneling, lots of luxury, a V8 under the hood, rear-wheel drive, and a rear-facing third row seat that makes long trips fun for the kids. Best of all, it’s essentially a modern car with all the modern conveniences and the ability to swallow hundreds of miles of highway at a time, so it’s just begging for a road trip. And honestly, at this price, isn’t it time you did something fun with your family?

Showing just 71,173 original miles, this Electra wagon has lived an easy life. Sold new in Ames, Iowa, it ahs certainly traveled the country, with service records from Maine, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania. The mileage is legit, so it shows extremely well and even though some of those states have severe weather, we don’t see any evidence that it has suffered through a cold, slushy, salty winter (check out how clean the door bottoms are!). It’s quite clean throughout. We believe the white paint is original GM enamel and it’s holding up quite well, with a soft period shine that’s just about right for what GM was doing in the late ‘80s. The wood appliques on its flanks appear to be newer and are in excellent shape, with crisp details that show quite well. There is no evidence of rust repair or accident damage (the car has a clean CarFAX report) and it shows rather well with nice chrome and stainless, good glass, and no notable issues. If we are picking nits, it does have some cracking in the urethane bumper filler under the tailgate (a common issue and completely invisible with the tailgate closed), and it appears that the right front bumper area was dinged, necessitating a replacement parking light assembly. But beyond those little details, this is a really nicely preserved wagon.

This was Buick’s top-of-the-line model and it really shows inside, where plush ‘80s luxury includes seats that feel like living room sofas. Everything was standard on the big Electra, including automatic climate control, power windows, locks, and seat (passenger side has power recline, too!), cruise control, tilt steering column, and even a power rear window for the tailgate. Everything works properly except the power antenna, which is a common issue on GM cars of this period. You’ll also note that there’s an upgraded Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo head unit neatly installed in the dash, a great upgrade for a car built for long road trips. The burgundy velour upholstery is in remarkable condition showing almost zero wear, and you don’t so much sit on these seats as sink into them. Luxury! Big, round gauges monitor only speed and fuel level, but the dash layout is quite attractive and the faux wood paneling is attractive it not very convincing. The back seat looks almost unused and it does have the folding third row seat, which is upholstered in more durable vinyl for obvious reasons. With the seats all folded, it will also swallow 4x8 sheets of plywood, just like a pickup so it’s a useful car as well as an attractive one.

The only engine available in full-sized Buicks in 1988 was the venerable 307 cubic inch Oldsmobile V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor. Horsepower was hard to find in the ‘80s, but this engine makes up for it with buttery-smooth torque and bulletproof durability. This one has been expertly serviced its entire life and the condition of the engine bay bears out the idea that someone loved this car. There are quite a few new components, including a recent alternator and A/C system components, as well as a fresh tune-up. It starts easily with a nice burble from the tailpipe and idles smoothly. There’s a lot of car to move, so it’s not exactly fast, but where it excels is on the highway where it just cruises along effortlessly at 75 MPH in virtual silence, and as I said, these are very reliable machines. With the low mileage, it feels tight and quiet inside and with everything on it being 100% stock, there are no issues with questionable repairs in the past. Even the cold air hose is still connected to the air cleaner housing. It’s still a modern car in every way, so you can get in, turn the key, and go and this would be an amusing daily driver if you’re inclined.

Underneath you can find more evidence that the car hasn’t lived through harsh winters—there’s a light dusting of undercoating but nothing is hidden and it remains extremely clean. The 200-4R 4-speed automatic transmission is the same one fitted to the Buick Grand National, so it’s plenty durable, and with a deep overdrive gear this big wagon just loafs along on the highway and pulls down decent, if not amazing, fuel mileage. 2.93 gears out back also help. You’ll note a newer exhaust system with upgraded catalytic converter and muffler that give it a nice V8 sound that never gets annoying, plus a set of newer shocks, including helper springs out back to keep it level with people in back. The floors, rockers, and trunk extensions are in excellent condition and even the spare tire well shows no rust or rot, which is fairly amazing on a car of this vintage. It sits on recent 225/75/15 blackwall radials that look beefy, and those wire wheel covers are a period-perfect touch.

Everyone has a fond memory of a car similar to this. My high school girlfriend’s mother had one exactly like this, and that kind of fond memory is what drives the entire hobby. And when your hobby car is also practical and ready to enjoy, it gets even better. Road trips will never be the same, but with this Buick you can relive the memories and give new ones to another generation. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections on any car in our inventory prior to purchase.

http://www.harwoodmotors.com/vehicles/inventory_details.php?id=1186

1988 Buick Electra 5.0 liter V8 is listed sold on ClassicDigest in Macedonia by for $14900.

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