Guest MNBuick Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I have a 1980 Buick Skylark, 8,460 original miles, original parts and tires, 4 cylinder, am radio, (no A/C), 2 door, cloth interior. Excellent condition. I am wondering what this car would be worth when I sell it. Does anyone have any idea? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 New Car Prices, Used Car Values, New Car Reviews & Car Buying Guides - NADAguides.com Official Site shows that car, not considering the low mileage, to go from "Low Retail" of about $900.00 to "Average Retail" of about $1900.00, keyed to the DFW area.The ultra-low miles and "all intact" can increase the potential value, BUT as we're now in 2011 with flaky gasolines, that would also mean that all fuel system rubber items would need to be replaced to be compatible with modern gasolines. In many cases, the rubber would be subject to dry rot and might soon fail when exposed to ethanol-laced fuels. Although they might not be in that same category, the radiator hoses, drive belts, and tires would also need replacement, I suspect, for similar age-related issues.No doubt, when the vehicle was upgraded in that manner, it would make somebody a nice daily-driver car which might also be unique enough to win some cruise-in trophies OR possible awards at an AACA or Buick Club of America national-level show event. Unfortunately, the car was produced in a non-whiz-bang era for GM. Much of the downsizing and electronics are crude by modern standards, but were also pretty reliable back then. The current and future value of the vehicle would play into its originality and related condition, uniqueness, and operational economies for current/future times.Main issue would be the lack of factory a/c, which could make the vehicle a more regional vehicle, but would also make it easier to work on the engine.Just some thoughts,NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostymosty Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 GM's X-car stigma is a strong factor against finding any buyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 GM's X-car stigma is a strong factor against finding any buyer.X2. Sorry, but this sounds like a low-option example of a car that's unpopular to start with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Maine Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 I would pay $3500 or so for it. It would make a nice antique daily driver - and not too bad on gas. The Skylark was one of the better X cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob McDonald Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 MNBUICK, I had a 1980 Olds Omega that was a clone of your Skylark. Mine was a plain Jane too but it did have a V6 engine.The car was ten years old when I bought it from the original owner for $800. It didn't smell so good when the weather was hot but it was solid and dependable. When you jumped on the brakes, they'd try to throw you into a spin but I learned to live with that. This junior Olds provided me excellent transportation for another four years, with almost no repairs and minimal maintenance costs.I eventually gave this car to a young couple who needed a break. They drove it for another two years before the transmission finally gave out. A low mileage example like yours would make a fine daily driver for an enthusiast who prefers to put his/her transportation dollars into an antique project, instead of loan payments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I rented a V6 1980 Skylark for one week right after they came out. It was an O.K. car, except that it got all of 15 mpg city or highway. Even then that was horrible. The week after i turned it in I found out it was one of the cars that had a spare tire that wouldn't bolt to the front hub. I'd been using it to drive all over NYC and New Jersey.My 2009 value guide lists a top value for a base coupe 4 cylinder car of roughly $6200.00. This is for a #1 condition car, that is almost impossibly mint. Any car that shows road wear of any kind (#2 condition) is listed at $4300.00. A reasonably nice driver (#3 condition, which is probably the condition this car is in unless it's had major restoration work) is listed at $2800.00. (At this age condition is a much more important factor than mileage.)I'd consider every one of those values to be about 30% optimistic. This car is a great curiosity and should be preserved. It's just not going to make anybody rich any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I echo most of your thoughts, except that with 8000 miles, it would be hard to believe its condition is less than #2. Unless it was stored outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I echo most of your thoughts, except that with 8000 miles, it would be hard to believe its condition is less than #2. Unless it was stored outside.Stored outside or in, there will be substantial surface rust underneath a car like this. This was just about the nadir of rust protection and metal corrosion resistance. Also, unless it was in a windowless room (or under a tarp which would make the rust worse), the plastics and (especially) the fabrics in these cars are highly susceptible to UV breakdown and (for this car) nearly impossible to replace. I bought my 1960 Falcon in 1980 with 18,200 miles on it. Because of how it was stored (in a parking garage) it was at best a #3 car when I got it. He describes this car as "excellent condition", which is a relative term. For a driver my Falcon was "excellent", and I was thrilled to get a car so nice for the money I had at the time. But it was no show car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 ...He describes this car as "excellent condition", which is a relative term...I have yet to find a seller (particularly a non-enthusiast seller) who DIDN'T think his/her car was in excellent condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 We may never know. Unless MNBuick comes back on and posts some photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTX5467 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 In the car hobby, there are MANY "point of reference" situations, especially when each of us has some ideas of what is what. Not unlike in the 1980s . . . when "I'm going to restore it" could mean "new paint/polished paint, new upholstery, new tires, and a tune-up" or it could have meant a full disassembly, full documentation of all inspection marks/paint daubs/paint gloss levels, and then putting it all back to "end of the assembly line" condition.A significant issue could be that it really as, all things considered (especially the low miles) in "excellent condition" when it was parked or the last time the seller looked at it . . . with all due respect. Things might look "excellent", but if the vehicle is put into daily use, things can deteriorate pretty quickly . . . by observation. But if the vehicle was cleaned and immediately put into a museum (with off-road non-ethanol fuel to run it a little bit), then it might last for a much longer time.As noted, these were not the "most loved" cars of that era. They were good cars when new, but their current value tends to reflect how things now are, without regard to the super-low miles on the vehicle.A local DFW area person has a similar car, but the nicer model with a V-6. Similar miles, too! It was a family member's car, before she passed away. In the same family since new. Maintained by their mechanic since new, too. Otherwise, similar condition orientations. He's been trying to sell it for quite some time. I'm not sure if it was the "too high" price he started out at a few years ago or if that nobody really yearns for such a car. As I mentioned, it would make a good car, but not without some work first.Dave's comments about interior "aging" is accurate. In that general time frame, GM plastics (on a door panel, for example, where there would be several pieces with touched each other) tended to have aging issues. If the plastics were exposed to UV light, regularly, each one of them could "fade" to a different shade of the original color. Beiges became pink, in varying degrees, for example.Respectfully,NTX5467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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