??k: Will Slab-o-Woody Lightning Strike Twice?: 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
While not the sportiest of rides we’ve ever posted, our previously covered ’96 Roadmaster Estate Wagon, shocked several skeptics when the bidding soared from $6,100 to $16,115 in its closing day. Therefore, its fair to ask the question if that was an anomaly or an accurate reflection of the scarcity of these low mileage barges.
The answer to that question may rest in this nearly identical 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, currently available on Ebay, with only 69,000 miles and bidding at a less than stratospheric $3,150, with 2 days left to go.
We previously commented that the real money doesn’t show up on these wagons until the closing minutes.
So, the only things left to wonder about on this one are: Will lightning strike twice? Is the dealer who owns it a DT reader?
We post these, not because they’re sporty (like say a Renault Alliance Ragtop), but because they represent an opportunity for an open-minded DT’er to snag one on the cheap, flip it on Ebay, then parlay that sweet fundage into that highly coveted ’88 Shelby CSX-T Thrifty-mobile, ’75 Granada or ’72 Pinto Wagon.
For the record… This body style Roadmaster is 91-96, with only the 94-96 having the 5.7 liter LT1. The Estate is really something special, the lines looks great from every angle, especially if you can find a "wood" delete and sparkly light color – gold, blue, silver.
Tire choices are oddly limited, but there's a Firestone Firehawk a lot of guys go for – the raised white letters confuse the youngsters. Ultra-wide stance handles pretty well, and most Caprice police and Impala SS upgrades fit these. Unfortunately, manual transmission retrofit seems to be mostly out of the question, although it has been done.
Give me one of these paired with an E28 M5 and I think I'd be pretty good to go carwise.
Call me a pessimist, but I'm still not convinced that last auction result was real. Private auction + unbelievable result = big time skepticism.
Like kaibezzy, I could make this work. Despite the disappointingly beige-tastic color combo, it's still a one (elderly) owner wagon with a clean history and an LT1 underhood.
Besides, if I eventually got tired of piloting this massive barge around, apparently I could always flip it for sixteen large, right?
These get used a lot in Demolition Derbys… just sayin'
The last of the GM woodys?
I've had two of over the last ten years….awesome cheao
barges
Sold for $4750. Might see it again soon.
I wouldn't bet against it.