We all like to look back on the cars of our youth through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Roadmaster is the sort of car that many of us grew up on. Let’s see if this decently-maintained example warrants a closer look at its price.
If TikTok has taught us anything, it’s that everyone loves a glow-up. Along with political misinformation and dance-offs, makeup tutorials—usually by tweens (when did they take over?)—are extremely popular on the short-form video venue. One of the biggest glow-ups in the automotive world is that of the Land Rover Range Rover. Initially designed to be a fairly spartan, but capable off-roader, it evolved over the decades into what today could be considered a Bentley-level luxury ride.
The 2001 Range Rover we looked at yesterday had a fairly decent set of features and frills, but wasn’t as wildly equipped as a modern example would be. That’s a good thing considering its age and the remarkable 240K miles under its belt. Still, it was complicated enough, and carried the model’s reputation for fiddly mechanicals, that its $8,500 asking price couldn’t muster much enthusiasm from all of you. While the truck seemed to have been well-loved by its present and past owners, too few of you loved the idea of paying that much for it, earning the Range Rover a 76% No Dice loss.
The sovereign of suburbia
While perhaps not the one to have, yesterday’s Range Rover is in a class of cars that does appeal to the broadest cross-section of consumers, the SUV. Whether big and beefy, like a Land Rover or a Suburban, or compact and more garage-friendly, like a Honda CR-V, tall wagons are the most popular cars in the country.
That wasn’t always the case, though. Before the ascension of the SUV, sedans ruled the roost when it came to cars. Ford’s F-Series has long been the best-selling vehicle in America for decades, but that, of course, is a pick-up. Looking back half a century, it was the Buick Regal that took top sales honors, followed by Ford’s Taurus, and then the Toyota Camry, before the title was yielded to crossovers like the Tesla Model Y and Toyota RAV4.
Looking at the suburban landscape over this time, however, one might think the best-selling car in the country was the wood-paneled three-row station wagon, as, between manicured lawns and carefully-tended flower beds, nearly every driveway was populated by one. Today’s 1993 Buick Roadmaster may lack the faux wood down the sides, but it is otherwise one of those once ubiquitous suburban sights.
Taking an Electra-fying break
Buick introduced the Roadmaster nameplate in 1936, simultaneously adding other soon-to-be standards, such as the Century and Limited, to its roster. It would be almost two full decades before the Roadmaster name would be applied to a wagon, and shortly after that, in 1958, the nameplate was put on hiatus, succeeded by the Electra 225.
In 1991, the Roadmaster name was revived and applied to the B-body wagon, formerly known simply as the Buick Estate. That makes it not only the first Roadmaster in over three decades, but also the first wagon to carry that name since 1953. The Roadmaster offered seating for seven or eight, depending on the front seat setup, and a tailgate that both dropped and swung open for easy access.
Being a 1993 model, this Roadmaster sports a 5.7-liter Chevy LO5 V8 under the hood, as that was the standard mill. As equipped, it offers 180 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, and is mated to a column-shifted four-speed automatic driving a solid rear axle. According to the ad, this one has done 169,000 miles, and yet still “drives perfect!!!” It comes with a new starter, new radiator, new water pump, new tires, and new keys, but still its original owner’s manual, and original charm.
Looking back
Part of that charm is the capacious interior, which features wide seats and the joy of a rearward-facing third row in the very back. It all looks to be in really decent shape in the cabin, with only some staining on the carpet (made more noticeable by the contrast with the clean new mats) about which to complain. Other than that, it looks move-in ready and sized to take the whole family where they need to go.
Along with the new parts already noted, the wagon comes with a new fuel pump and window regulator for one of the doors. The ad is a bit over the top on some details, claiming, “This was at its day the most expensive US Passenger car,” and stating that it has “9 seating.” At the time, the top Cadillacs and Chevy’s Corvettes were pricier, and the max number of seat belts the car ever had was eight, so any additional passengers would need to be strapped to the roof. Regardless, the pictures tell the story, and this Roadmaster looks clean top to bottom, with a straight body and trim. It also comes with a clean title for easy transfer.
Buick bucks
To make that deal, prospective buyers would need to show up with $5,990 in their pocket. They should probably also have a plan for a place to park it. It is, after all, a big car. Is it a big deal, however? Being just shy of six grand puts it in a limited space, as not many (decent) cars ask that little these days.
What do you think? Is $5,990 a fair asking price for this big Buick that seems to still have plenty of life left and a lot of seats at the table? Or, like the big station wagons as a whole, is that price just out of date and out of touch?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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