2 Buick Storage Auction finds!!!!

Good day everyone! I am looking for some help with two Buicks I purchased at a storage unit auction! First one is a Buick Regal with just over 6,000 original miles!!! and a second is a Buick Century Wagon rare green color with just over 7,000 miles!! I have been told they didnt make to many green ones!

I am looking to try and find a value of these two, they both run like brand new and do not leak a drop of anything!! they must have been garage kept from 1980!

I would like these to go to a great home and maybe someone who will take them to shows! Looking for buyers/offers and or someone to appraise them for me!

Wow, nice find. I hope you get some info on them. Mud

Yeah Mud! The great thing was they were covered during the auction and didn't know anything about what was under the cover!

I moved this to the General forum for discussion of value. Once value is determined please post in the Buick Buy/Sell forum

That little wagon is really nice. The 4.3 is an oversized 3.8. Supposed to be a good engine, and in a wagon it may be quite responsive, if it has the Turbo 350 trans and not the overdrive unit.

Both very nice, but they are both VERY basic which will hinder their value considerably I believe.

In addition to Keith's comment, the wagon is green and not as sporty (I'm being nice here) as the Regal.

Even though I would admittedly walk by both at a car show, the Regal really intrigues me.

Good luck with the sale. Make sure you price them above demo derby prices.

I think I am wrong about that 4.3 cause a close look at the engine pic shows the spark plug wires going to the back of the engine. In both cases here, put a set of the rally wheels on either of these two and the vehicles will be transformed to sporty looking cars.

I had some of those as company cars. Base cars with the wagon having an aftermarket Panasonic radio. That said, VERY NICE acquisition. They were good running cars with decent mileage. I really liked the size of those wagons.

Ultra-low mileage cars like yours often have asking

prices well above book value. The seller may not get

such high prices, but I believe many people these days

appreciate the low mileage.

Noted author Tim Howley wrote an editorial for the

Lincoln and Continental Owners Club, since there are

many, many low-mileage Lincolns. He cautioned that

cars with very low mileage may look and smell new, but

may have many hidden issues--belts, hoses, air conditioning,

brake lines, transmission, etc.--from long inactivity.

Regardless of price, I think your find is great, and that the cars were preserved!

Thanks for the replies! I thought the same thing with the Wagon as not being to much of a collector piece, however I recently found out just 30 min from me that the Hershey antique auto museum are looking for Wagons for a display in May! http://www.aacamuseum.org/family-affair-station-wagons/ and it seem I have actually had more interest in the wagon then the Regal.

I do think both cars would look better with some sporty rims on them but I hate to change what these cars have been blessed with by keeping it in original condition! I also have the Carlisle Auto show 15min from me so I am lucky to have these outlets close but hate to wait to put them there as I am paying to keep them in another storage facility to maintain there condition.

Once I get the titles back I will be trying to locate a local garage to go over them in detail to see if what John s in penna stated is true as I have heard the same thing I do know the guy would come every other month and run them and look over them and as far as I can see the engine belts hose are so clean and look new and do not feel as if they are old and brittle etc. .. as well as I have a small trailer full of original parts that he has been stocking up for what ever reason..

I know its difficult to get an estimate on value with out seeing in person but just what I have seen others selling ones with 30k in millage and not original condition they are asking $8900 and we are thinking we could get 10K to 15K for them. also the under body has just not rust and looks brand new it really just amazing to me!

Thanks for any and all input!

Mr. Want2sellU1, don't worrry that a car isn't "sporty" or desirable."

Those are just opinions--and likely to change over the decades.

Many wagons were long seen as ordinary and uncollectible--and now

most of them are gone. Try to find another Buick Century wagon

like that in excellent condition.

Going back several decades, Classics such as Marmons and Duesenbergs

languished as out-of-date gas hogs on back car lots.

I'd keep your car exactly as it was ordered from the factory--

don't let a daily-driver buyer get it--and appreciate it as a survivor!

By the way, don't judge by other people's ASKING prices:

Often they are so optimistic that they are irrelevant.

That's even more likely the case if a seller is a dealer.

Everyone likes realistic asking prices; I pass right by the optimists.

Prices realized on Ebay are a good measure. For most cars,

I perceive that it's really a buyer's market; and overpriced cars

languish unsold for months and years. When your cars are

all "sorted out" and operating well, $8900 might be a realistic

SELLING price for each, and since your cars have low mileage,

asking near that should bring a fair amount of attention.

I would caution against changing ANYTHING mechanically (including tires, belts, hoses, clamps etc) or cosmetically about either of these two cars. You would not be increasing the value and in fact could devalue them by doing so. The market for either of these cars will likely be someone who collects documented low mileage cars with provenance such as these two should carry with them. If the next owner wants to add rally wheels and change out belts hoses etc, let him have the fun of doing so if that floats his boat but my advice to you is don't touch them.

Values of original condition cars such as these can be discussed here for days, but when it comes down to it they will be worth what some low mile original car aficionado is willing to pay. I would suggest putting them both on eBay along with the story of their history at a high reserve and seeing what kind of $interest$ they bring.

That Regal is a beauty and you would be surprised what some wagon owners would give for that wagon. http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/

P'raps I missed it. but what year are these anyway?

edit) yea, What John_S said (typing at the same time) but in more eloquent terms,

Both cars are very nicely preserved originals, and a great find. Original cars with low mileage and in excellent condition are gaining in popularity over restored cars these days. I would not change the wheels, keep them in the original configuration that they have always been. I hope they go to good homes and are preserved.

I am surprised the poster did not identify the years..... probably does not know the years and that also indicates there may be no titles with them.... the title would have that info.

The wagon is the 80-81 style, using a 6 month old Old Cars value guide a #1 1981 Century wagon with V8 is $3900

I am not that good on Regals, but it is in the 1980-1982 range and the price guide in #1 condition with a V8 is $7000

The Buick Regal is a 1980: that was the only

year of that body style that had quadruple headlights.

The next year, the body style changed somewhat.

I wondered the same thing, but I took for granted they both from 1980 when I read "they must have been garage kept from 1980!"

The wagon has a 4.9 litre (301 CID) V8 manufactured by Pontiac . The Chevy 4.3 V6 was not available in this body style at the time. The 4th spark plug wire is behind the valve cover and not grouped with the others on top. Also, someone painted it Chevy orange (you can see the original light blue on the back of the valve cover next to the transmission dipstick). Hagerty does not have a price on this wagon but NADA values the car at $4427.00. Probably a fair price for both buyer & seller.

Thanks everyone for the input.. they are both 1980 cars.. sorry I missed that! I will have title in hand in two weeks or so as just completed the Penn Dot paper work today with them!!

I plan on keeping them original as many have suggested..

We do have all the owners manual jacks original spare tire and If someone knows what the two what I am calling "plastic things are" for I have one for each car that match the color.. Photo is below one the blue one.

I do plan to put them both on Ebay once title is in hand.. basically as others have stated the value is only truly known when the hammer hits the block! As I well know when purchasing and reselling all the time!

Brad, the NADA we looked up also but it doesn't take into consideration the mileage or condition of the car that we could see? its so difficult to compare this car with any other "like" ones as it is so original and amazing. I did see the orange paint also not sure why that would have been done..

my wife says they are light not sure I could weigh them I take it the weight will determine if they are original or not?

I would caution against changing ANYTHING mechanically (including tires, belts, hoses, clamps etc) or cosmetically about either of these two cars. You would not be increasing the value and in fact could devalue them by doing so. The market for either of these cars will likely be someone who collects documented low mileage cars with provenance such as these two should carry with them. If the next owner wants to add rally wheels and change out belts hoses etc, let him have the fun of doing so if that floats his boat but my advice to you is don't touch them.

Values of original condition cars such as these can be discussed here for days, but when it comes down to it they will be worth what some low mile original car aficionado is willing to pay. I would suggest putting them both on eBay along with the story of their history at a high reserve and seeing what kind of $interest$ they bring.

Excellent advice!

Brad, the NADA we looked up also but it doesn't take into consideration the mileage or condition of the car that we could see? its so difficult to compare this car with any other "like" ones as it is so original and amazing. I did see the orange paint also not sure why that would have been done..

You can't assume because the car is low mileage and original that it has much more value than the guides suggest. I will say again I think that the very basic option list on these cars including vinyl interior will really really hurt these cars in value. If the regal was a fully optioned example, it would actually be very desirable and these babies could be decked out to be opulent and that's what people will want. People may be a little more forgiving on the option list with the wagon though.

I would change out the Panasonic radio that is an aftermarket radio and put in an original Delco radio. This would add to the value of the car. Panasonic was never in the car from the factory.

The front bumper guards on the Regal are way oversized.

What Keith said above. I've been in the wagon market for some time now and think the NADA guide is close to the actual value. Wagons are becoming more and more popular, but mainly full size examples. You need to find just the right buyer and present the vehicles strengths (originality, low mileage, etc) to get the most out of the sale. Please post the link on eBay when you list it. I would like to follow the sale.

I would change out the Panasonic radio that is an aftermarket radio and put in an original Delco radio. This would add to the value of the car. Panasonic was never in the car from the factory.

Also note the aftermarket antenna on the right front fender. I am sure the vehicle was ordered without a radio and an aftermarket stereo was installed when new, a common practice in that day and age. Note the correct knobs on the radio. Back in the day, you could get matching knobs in the aftermarket. Original knobs would not fit as there are different retention systems used between Delco and the aftermarket. The antenna hole will be hard to repair without going down the slippery slope of bodywork, paint (where do you stop painting? Complete car? Just the fender? Blend into the hood? The door?).

If this were mine, I'd just enjoy it for what it is and not try to redo work done when new.

The front bumper guards on the Regal are way oversized.

...and aftermarket to be sure. Good catch, Barney.

I believe those plastic-grid seat cushions

are after-market items. I have never seen

any car manufacturer offer them.

They're for those hot summer days, to sit on

so air circulates behind you and you don't stick to the vinyl seats.

They may be nice to have (at least when the cars

were daily drivers), but at this point they are

irrelevant to your sale. They're sort of like a

flashlight in the glove compartment or a box of

Kleenex on the seat!

Thanks everyone for the input.. they are both 1980 cars.. sorry I missed that! I will have title in hand in two weeks or so as just completed the Penn Dot paper work today with them!!

I plan on keeping them original as many have suggested..

We do have all the owners manual jacks original spare tire and If someone knows what the two what I am calling "plastic things are" for I have one for each car that match the color.. Photo is below one the blue one.

I do plan to put them both on Ebay once title is in hand.. basically as others have stated the value is only truly known when the hammer hits the block! As I well know when purchasing and reselling all the time!

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The two "plastic things" are to be placed on the seat to give you some ventilation so you do not stick on the vinyl seat. Kind of like seat covers.

Also note the aftermarket antenna on the right front fender. I am sure the vehicle was ordered without a radio and an aftermarket stereo was installed when new, a common practice in that day and age. Note the correct knobs on the radio. Back in the day, you could get matching knobs in the aftermarket. Original knobs would not fit as there are different retention systems used between Delco and the aftermarket. The antenna hole will be hard to repair without going down the slippery slope of bodywork, paint (where do you stop painting? Complete car? Just the fender? Blend into the hood? The door?).

If this were mine, I'd just enjoy it for what it is and not try to redo work done when new.

I dont know how you guys know all this stuff!! its amazing to me to be able to point these things out!! I am defently not going to do anything to the cars at all! I would leave it up to the buy to do what they want as others have suggested!

That's best!!

The front bumper guards on the Regal are way oversized.

As is the wagon.

Being halfway across the continent pretty much eliminates any temptation for me. If they were nearby I'd be in trouble.

I think both cars are super cool. I wouldn't know which one I would rather bring home. One thing I do know is

that it would take me about 30 minutes to get those awful aftermarket guards off either one. Good luck with

the sale and let us know when that will be.

Would not be hard for me to decide. My Aunt had a Regal about that vintage. She and my Cousins called it the Regal Beagle. Thanks for the Memories. Dandy Dave!

Got the wagon on ebay.. wife wants to keep the Regal... but I think it will be up for sale next we will see how this one goes..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Century-Station-Wagon-/231509718582?ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Thanks for the heads up. This will be educational to watch. ebay has its faults but it is the equalizer for conversations over value!

Good Luck with the sell

Thanks for the heads up. This will be educational to watch. ebay has its faults but it is the equalizer for conversations over value!

Good Luck with the sell

With a starting price of $12,500, not sure there is going to be much to watch......