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Used 1988 Buick LeSabre Used Wagon 305cu V8L Gasoline Automatic


Condition:Used
Year:1988
Mileage:141676
Body Type:Wagon
Manufacturer:Buick
Warranty:Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
Model:LeSabre
Vehicle Title:Clear
Engine:305cu V8
Options:Cassette Player
Drive Type:RWD
Power Options:Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
Fuel Type:Gasoline
Exterior Color:Wine
Interior Color:Wine
Disability Equipped:No
Number of Cylinders:8
Drive Side:Right-hand drive
Transmission:Automatic
:GREAT vehicle for restoration, investment, or many other uses. See Item Description for Detailed Explanation of Condition.
Item status:In archive   SEE NEW ADS >>>>>   

Seller Description


RARE 1988 Buick LeSabre Estate Station Wagon
NOTE: This is a "Best Offer" Listing
ONLY ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON REPLACEMENT JASPER
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
What an Awesome Gift
You may never see another one like thisA Rare Surviving 1988 Buick LESABRE ESTATE Station Wagon(This is not an Estate Wagon - it's a Lesabre Estate Wagon
Note: The pictures don't show a hood ornament. The ornament has been
re-installed and does come with the car
UPDATE: I will be updating this listing as any new information comes in about the car. I will post the latest date here in the beginning of this listing. Be sure to check often. The latest update was done on March 4th. Details are in the paragraph below the "IMPORTANT NOTE" section near the end of the listing.
A compression test was done on the vehicle, see the positive results belowThe valve cover leak may be resolved - see belowThe stalling problem may be resolved - see belowThe smoking problem is resolved
A Valuable car for anyone who:
Needs to save money on their
transportation
Needs lots of room for the family
Needs lots of room for the sports team
and gear
Needs lots of room for camping,
fishing, or outdoor activities
Needs lots of room for transporting
a lot of anything (fits a 4'X8’ sheet of plywood in the back) !!!
Wants a car that doesn't have all
the complex electronics
Wants to do an easy restoration
Wants to make some money
Wants to learn how to work on cars,
but not start with the overly complex newer cars
with
the engine compartment packed so tight with “stuff” that the smallest item
takes hours (or more) to get to and
or replace.
Wants to use the car in a demolition
derby. Wagons are popular for this use,
but this car has much more potential/value
- it’s not a hopeless “junker.”
Wants to have a low cost, safe (very
heavy construction), reliable car for many years to come
Wants to make their car repairs
easier and less expensive
Wants a "spare" car for
emergencies
Wants to own an American Icon car
Wants to make a show car
Wants a car to convert into a Hot
Rod
Wants to travel more comfortably,
especially on longer trips
Wants to put a car away as an
investment
I have many more pictures available that I couldn't list here. Send me an Ebay message if you want to see more. If you are seriously interested, I ask that you request additional pictures, especially of areas of wear/damage, etc. Also, please be sure to read the entire listing. It is long, but contains valuable extensive details of the car's condition and history.
Car has never been in/under water, no accidents (1 minor 2 mph "scrape"), clean title, 2 owner.
Great car for: Everyday
driving, Tailgating Parties, Carrying extra groceries, Deliveries, Work
vehicle, Farmers, Sports coaches, Campers, People who like to go Fishing,
Hunters, Larger families, Long travel trips, Contractors, Ski trips, Surfers,
Scuba divers, Drive-Ins, Picnics, People with large pets, Moving to college and
new homes, Flea markets, Transporting inventory, People who don't want a truck
or already have one, People who are tired of renting trucks because they lacked
just a little bit of room in their vehicle to get a job done.
Up for sale for the first time in 14
years is this great American Icon style car – a full sized station wagon.
My original plan was to have the car restored and keep it indefinitely, but due
to personal circumstances, I am reluctantly letting it go. I am only the
second owner (that says a lot about the car) and maintained the car with the
eventual goal of full restoration. From my time spent looking at the car and talking to the previous owner, I can say he was a person that took care of the car very well. It wasn't neglected. I can't say enough good about this
car. I purchased it used in 2005. I'm hoping that whoever buys this
car will have it restored.It may be one of the only few remaining
survivors in decent condition in the USA. To the right person, this car
is an amazing find of great value. The last time I could find one for
sale (I looked fairly often over the last 2-3 years in many places) was about 6
months ago. About a year ago, I saw another one - beautiful, (was in like new condition
cosmetically, may have been restored) was for sale for $17,500. I don't
know how much it sold for, but in my opinion, it could easily be worth that
price. Here is why:
New 2019 Chevy Suburban:
$50,000 - $70,000
Tahoe
$48,000 - $65,000
Yukon
$49,000 - $72,000 (Prices as seen advertised on
the internet and East Coast)
Older Wagon will have a lower insurance cost:
$500 - 1500 or More per year X 10 years of ownership for the Suburban = $5,000 - $15,000 or more for the Suburban
Wagon lower repair/maintenance costs
after restoration: saving thousands of $$$$ more over a 10 year
period Maybe $4,000 or more?
Plus, 10 years from now, it is
possible (if inflation remains as it has) that the car would increase
in value both due to inflation and collector value. In other
words, probable good resale and appreciation value. So, while other vehicles would be
decreasing dramatically in price, the value of this car should be
increasing! What would that 10- year-old
Suburban be worth?
Here's a sample of used Suburban
prices, searching randomly:
2009 168K
miles $13K
110K
17K
19K
29.5K
2015
10 samples: miles from 35K to
105K
prices $28K to 33K
WOW…Comparing what a new one
would cost vs the resale value of a 10-year-old Suburban, the 2009 Suburban
with 168K miles on it would have lost 74%-81% of its value in 10 years! That’s a
$37,000-$57,000 loss !
For the 2009 Suburban with 110K
miles on it , the price dropped approximately a 66%-76% in 10 years
- That's a loss of $33,000-
$53,000 !
The 19K mile car lost 41%-58%, or a loss of $20.5K-$40.5K !
What about the financing? How much interest would be paid to borrow
the money to buy the Suburban vs the wagon?
Even with low interest car loan incentives (4%, 3 years, with $25,000
trade-in or down payment), it may mean
another $1500 to $2500 over 3 years. It could even be much
higher if you don’t have the down payment or if interest rates go higher.
Almost
bottom line:
Loss on Suburban depreciation: Average
-$20.5K to - 57K
Loss on repair cost difference: Approx. -$
4,000
Loss on insurance cost difference: Approx. -$
5,000 to -15K
Loss on loan interest difference: Approx. -$
1,500 to -2K
Total Increase in cost to purchase
the Suburban: $31,000 - $74,000 (10 years)
AND, at the same time, the Buick Lesabre Wagon should be appreciating:
Estimated station wagon appreciation with just moderate repairs/restoration Approx +$ 8,000 to + $12,000
Or - Estimated Station Wagon appreciation fully restored Approx. +$ 12,000 to ?
Of course, I can't guarantee these financial numbers, but from previous history and current trends, they are what I consider a reasonable estimate. These wagons have been disappearing fast in recent years, and the numbers could even be substantially higher. From what I've seen, this may be especially true for the next 10 years because I have been seeing fewer and fewer wagons on the road in the last 5 years. In addition, I've noticed that the mileage on the ones that have been for sale have been increasing. As an example, 5 years ago, a "typical" used wagon had about an average of about 100,000 miles on it. Now it looks like about 125,000 or more. Also, I've noticed many more being sold for parts, were in terrible condition, had major body damage, or had in excess of 175,000 miles on them. So, if things continue as they have been going, in 10 years, or less, any good ones may essentially disappear - and that usually means a large price increase for the survivors. Just some food for thought. There was a total of 145,701 LeSabre's produced in 1988 for all model types. Of those, there were only 9,961 wagons made. That's only 6.63% of total production.
How many of the 9,661 originally produced are remaining today - 31
years later - and in this condition or better? Most people don't keep a
car for more than 3-5 years.
So,
it is possible to buy this car, completely restore it or not, drive it for 10
years, or less, and either make money when you sell it, or essentially drive it for free
for 10 years, or longer, compared to buying a new Suburban or similar vehicle now. Of course, it could also be restored or even partially restored now and sold at a nice profit immediately.
There is too much good left on this
car, and it would make an easy(ier) restoration due to the condition of a vast
majority of the car. By easy restoration, I mean that many of the small
annoying things that would need to be done would be unnecessary on this
car. It could become very time consuming, and costly, to find a large
amount of smaller cosmetic items. Also,
many of the bigger jobs would be easier or not needed. There are some
things that need to be done, but overall, it should be a quick restore (not a
year or years). It could, and probably should, be turned into a show car.
The original engine and transmission
were replaced with a Jasper v8 305cu engine and Jasper transmission by the
first owner at approx. 70,000 miles and now there is 141,676 on the car.
HERE IS THE DETAILS
ON THE CONDITION OF THE CAR
Interior - Positives
В·
Front
seats very good with partial fading that can easily be redyed
В·
Original
carpet in very good condition, except driver front (near where driver might rest their foot) some wear (dye it?) and
the original floor mat on drivers side has some holes (see pics)
В·
Dash is in
excellent condition, except top piece has a few cracks – should be easy
to disassemble/replace as it only has 7 easily accessible Phillips screws
(unknown if more under panel). Could
also be repaired or covered.
o
Front
– main section that faces driver and passenger side is in excellent condition
with only minor plastic chrome covering off in the following areas: minor on
driver side and moderate on passenger side (some chrome color paint missing on
sides of center the 2” wide x 12” high trim area of center protruding dash
area)
- This is a very simple, quick, and
inexpensive restoration by repainting with silver/chrome colored paint or by
using chrome colored tape
В·
Headliner
is in good condition
В·
All
3 dash courtesy lights work
В·
2
back seat, 1 front, and 1 rear storage area original ash trays present and in
good condition
В·
6 way steering wheel tilt position works
В·
All
manual door lock knobs work
В·
All
inside door handles work
В·
All
dash vent grates intact (no broken slots)
В·
4
individual on/off levers for hot and cold air (3 working?)
o
Very
Unusual Feature – there are 8 heat/ac vents in the front; 4 are mounted
mid-dash with up/down right/left adjustments and separate on/off wheel control
that allows user to adjust air flow to any desired quantity; 2 up/down
right/left vents under dash at knee height (very unusual); 2 floor vents as
typical near fire wall; 1 vent possibly not fully functioning
В·
Overhead
cabin interior light works but needs a
bulb and cover
В·
2
front floor courtesy lights both working
В·
2
cabin interior map lights work (next to overhead cabin light that have
individual on/off switches)
В·
All
seat belts present and functional
В·
Odometer
and trip meter working
В·
Kenwood
KRC 235 High Power 40W x 4 Cassette and CD/MD Stereo am/fm ec^2 working
В·
Interior
3rd seat area inside roof courtesy light and switch working, cover
intact
В·
Original
center cloth arm rest working and in excellent condition
В·
Both
original sun visors present and working (driver side in excellent condition and
passenger side slightly faded – easy fix – dye, replace or keep as-is
(presentable)
В·
Glove
box lock working but occasionally “finicky” (easy, inexpensive to replace or
may just need lubrication)
В·
Inside
turn signal indicator working
В·
4
dash courtesy lights under top of dash panel working and dimmable
В·
Dimmer
switch working for dash lights
В·
Speedometer
light working
В·
Fuel
gauge light working
В·
New
cigarette lighter and socket working
В·
8
position driver power seat working but finicky, probably needs lube
В·
Rear
backseat carpet all good
В·
Carpet
in passenger and both second seats area are in excellent condition
В·
All
interior imitation wood trim in good conditionBack/Cargo door opens down or sideways - down is a nice place to sit or use as a table - great for tail gating!
Interior - Could Use Improvement/Repair
В·
Headliner
light lens missing and 1 bulb, but light functions
В·
Dash
top needs repair or replace (has 5 cracks, 1 minor)
В·
Driver
side carpet has two areas that are worn where
the left foot would touch the side carpet, and the floor mat has a few holes (see pics)
В·
Front
seat driver side has (7) 1/8” to 1/10”
inch holes, only noticeable upon close examination (easy fix)
В·
Steering
wheel good, but some cracking, mostly in two areas (still very presentable)
В·
Gear
shift and steering wheel tilt levers have some surface rust
В·
In
extended heavy rain, driver side windshield top small leak (probably needs to
be caulked)
В·
Dash
gear position light not working (needs bulb?)
В·
Back
seat fold-down needs minor repair (bolt?) but can still fold up/down easily
В·
Rear
storage fold down panel lock missing (available for $10, fast/easy to install)
В·
Top
rear cargo area storage carpets are good/still presentable but coming up /
slightly damaged in panel folds
В·
Driver
and passenger front door inside panels not perfect, but repairable or
presentable as-is. Top of panels below
window slightly faded (dye), minor buckling on bottom of (2) front doors. All the rest of the panels/panel areas are very good.
Driver side front window appears to be "off track" (repair part is
under $5) or possibly the window gasket/guide could be the problem.



В·
All
Electric door lock switches working but (2) are finicky. Requires 2-3 toggles to get lock knob to fully pop up - more use, CRC, or some lubricant should easily fix this. Some chrome colored finish off
in a few areas (easy,inexpensive fix)Rear tailgate is stiff when opening in the "down" position. Probably needs some lube and to be used a few times.
Exterior – PositivesVery, very, little and few rusted areas on the main body (they are described in other areas of this listing and pics). Underneath of the car has either very little surface rust, or none at all from what I can reasonably see. The frame has no rust in some areas, or just minimal surface rust in others. There are probably some isolated areas that I can't see where there may be rust. There are other areas where I can't get a picture, but from what I can see, there is nothing serious. The top of the roof near the rack and front has a few surface rust areas that just started to show surface rust in the last 3 weeks. The bottoms of some doors have some minor surface rust that has started recently. We had a very unusually large amount of rain for the last 3 months and some of the pics are from before that time, so the pics may not be an exact representation, but are close. This has been very difficult to describe as there are so many areas, nooks and crannies, etc. If I had to take a guess at overall condition, I would say the both the main body and underneath are a 9 out of 10. Of course, even this is subjective. A perfectionist may say 7 of 10, an average+ person 9/10, and a don't really care much person might say its a 15 out of 10. If any of this concerns you, please ask for additional pictures or more details.
Remarkably, I can see NO dings/dents on the main body, except the scrape and 1 pencil eraser-sized ding on the side window trim mentioned below in the exterior "could use improvement section."
t No bent frame / out of balance body
В·
Clear
coat is mostly off so it will be cheaper and easier to paintI
В·
No
leaks under car
В·
All
known body emblems intact
В·
Original
outside rear-view mirrors are in good condition and intact
В·
Has
roof rack
В·
Rear
roof rack has an air foil
В·
All
exterior lenses and bulbs good
В·
2
original hub caps, I may have a third one - will update if found
В·
Replaced
front passenger tire with Uniroyal on 11/10/17 (it was the wrong size)
В·
3
other tires in very good condition with lots of tread left
В·
Rear
bumper rubber trim all intact and good
В·
Front
bumper rubber trim all intact and good
В·
Roof
rack in very good to excellent condition with only minor wear
В·
All
window door trim intact and in good condition
В·
All
upper door trim intact and in good condition
В·
3
of 4 wheel wells no rust and in excellent condition, 4th only has one small rusted spot.
В·
Original
antenna in good condition, intact, and working
В·
All
main chrome trim intact and in very good condition, except one back passenger
piece
В·
Solid
body, very minimal rust, no major body work needed
В·
Outside
mirror adjustable lever on drive side works (there isn’t a level on the
passenger side)
В·
Grill
in good shape (presentable)
В· 4
way hazard lights working
В·
Headlights
(high and low beam) work
В·
Brake
lights working
В·
Turn
signals working
В·
Parking
lights working
Exterior – Could Use Improvement
В·
Front
and rear bumper fender plastic pieces missing
В·
Needs
new paint - any body rust area(s) should be easily repaired during paint prep as part of the paint job.
В·
Passenger
side rear door handle outside loose on one end but functions
В·
Small
area in one wheel well has minor rust.
В·
Rear
tailgate power window operating slowly (gasket may need to be replaced and/or
internals lubed)
В·
2
hubcaps missing, may have third hubcap will update if found
В·
Scratch
on roof roughly 2 and a half feet long and 1/16 inch wide, not down to bare
metal (would/should come out with repaint or touchup)
В· Passenger
front chrome bumper some minor surface rust in one area (roughly 4 in. x 8 in.)
В· Rear
tailgate door has (1) 4 inch piece of trim missing (easy, inexpensive fix)
В·
Front
passenger tire replaced recently and is not a match (different size, because
matching tire was not available locally at the time)
В·
Passenger
rear molding strip missing (easy fix). High probability that new same or
similar 3 ft x ВЅ in plastic/rubberized black trim is probably readily available
В·
Approx.
1’X1” “scrape”/small dent body damage near front bumper and a pencil eraser-sized ding on a window trim.Both wheel wells inside the engine compartment have noticeable surface rust on (3) of the bolts and extending approx. 3-5" beyond that connect the inside wheel well "cover" to the main body panel. There is a 2" hole in two of them. The other wheel well has the same, but with no holes. This is a fairly easy fix if you aren't getting the car completely restored - a small piece of sheet metal riveted over the holes and some spray-on undercoating will work fine as an inexpensive fix.
Systems – Positives
В·
New
Jasper 305 cu Engine with approx. 70k miles on it
В·
New
200R4 Transmission with roughly 70k
miles on it
В·
New
Distributor Cap and Rotor 11/10/17
В·
New
Radiator
В·
New
Fuel Pump
В·
New
Fuel Pump Hoses at Pump
В·
New
Fuel Filter
В·
New
Thermostat
В·
New
Spark Plugs 11/11/17
В·
New
fuel tank hoses – replaced roughly 4 years ago
В·
New
brakes – replaced roughly 5 years ago (about 8K miles on them)
В·
New
PCV valve replaced 11/16/17
В·
All
new vacuum hoses – replaced about 2 years ago
В·
New
Fuel Cap replaced 11/16/17
В·
New Exhaust System – replaced, no holes
В·
New
windshield washer assembly – replaced roughly 5 years ago
В·
Great heater
В·
4
Barrel Carburetor
В·
All
gauges working
В·
Dash
tailgate window switch working
В·
Intermittent
wiper and washer working
В·
Speed
and Fuel lights work
В·
Has
cruise control (not working can get online at Rock Auto for $32 or $53)
В·
Power
Steering working
В·
New
air filter – replaced roughly 1 yr ago
В·
Alternator
working
В·
Battery
working
В·
Transmission
shifts smoothly
В·
Front
and Rear shocks seem good
В·
Brakes
working and firm
В·
New
V. Belt replaced 8/19/16, good condition
В·
Upgraded
and replaced air inlet duct
В·
Wiper
Blades replaced recently – ok
В·
All
power window switches work. All
dash warning lights working (2 are untested – check engine and windshield
washer fluid level low)
В·
Horn
works
System – Could Use Improvements· Due for an oil change (last done at 137,000 miles, about 4,000 miles ago), but oil is still clean
В·
A/C
hole in line, I bought the car this way and never used A/C, possible to just replace the line and refill system
В·
Heat
riser noise, been this way since I owned car, typical problem.
В·
Possible
mixed up (improper install) vacuum hose(s)
В·
Cruise
control not working (unit costs approx. $50 and is available online)* see below
В·
Driver
side power window goes off track, or possibly getting stuck on gasket?
В·
1
on/off lever for hot/cold air isn’t fully working
В· All
moving window gaskets not leaking, but are showing wearВ·
1
valve cover leaking (set of 2 available for $10)* see below - (probably resolved)
В·
Exhaust
started smoking about 100 miles ago (3 months?)* - (resolved, - carburetor may still need adjustment and/or check timing)
В·
Car
occasionally stalls while driving only (does not stall while idling –
carburetor float?) *see below - probably resolved, has not reoccurred during recent short testing trips.
Underhood light disconnected. I have the socket/mount and will include it with the carThe tailgate stop light socket bracket needs to be repaired/replaced. The bulb and socket are present and working, but have temporary wiring and not mounted to a bracket.
Overall – Positives
В·
No
Leaks
В·
Clean
Title
В·
Never
in an Accident (No collisions, but 1 minor “scrape” on pole while parking)
В·
Great
American Car
В·
Rare
Survivor
В·
Only
the second owner in 31 years
В·
Great
car for contractors (4 x 8 sheets)
В·
Save
thousands of dollars compared to buying a truck or SUV
В·
Fun
car that people stop and talk to us about all the time – “The Chevy Chase
Wagon!”
В·
Get
compliments on the wagon all the time
В·
Was
getting 26 mpg on the highway (changed now)
В·
Never
in water/flood
В·
Never
damaged by a storm
В·
Very
smooth ride and drives straight
В·
These
wagons do not come up for sale often, hard to find
В·
This
is a classic car – 30 years old
В·
Approx. 70,000 miles on new engine and 65,000 on new transmission. Total
mileage is 141,676
В·
Sleeps
2 adults comfortably in cargo area when the back seat is folded down. Also 1 small child on front
seat (bench). Can also possibly sleep 1 child in back with two adults. Tailgate door opens down or sideways. LOTS of storage area and even more with a rooftop carrier.
В·
Original
manualВ·
Better
Radio
В·
Original
Maintenance Schedule Manual
В·
Original
Buick Motor Store Brochure
В·
Many
parts are still available and inexpensive
В·
Sleeper
investment? I see some wagons around,
but extremely rarely this model and especially in this condition.
Many other repairs/maintenance were done in the earlier years by the first owner and myself that I don't have the records for and can't remember specifically. I do remember routine (every approximately 3,000 miles) oil changes, batteries, brakes, air filters, tune-ups, etc. Also, at some point, I had the brakes completely rebuilt.Of course, there is some (what I would consider less than typical) general wear/aging as would be expected from a 31 year old vehicle. Minor scuffing, some surface gloss fading/ed, etc that is impossible to describe for every inch of the car. There are some areas underneath, and at various places, where there is some heavier rust on metals that are not painted and are made of metal that is expected to normally rust heavily. By this I mean possibly some bolt heads, heavy metal pieces that are under the car (example: muffler clamps?), some engine/engine compartment areas, etc. and maybe some inaccessible/hidden area(s). From what I see, there is nothing "eaten through" or threatening. I guess it could be generalized as primarily some items made of cast iron.
This isn't meant to conceal or mislead anyone. I am trying to give a full and honest disclosure, not sugar coated or hide anything, but inevitably, something may have been unseen or overlooked. I spent over 10 hours going over all the areas of the car to create this listing. I'm hoping that your purchase of this car will be the best, or at least one of the best, most honest, and pleasurable car buying experiences you have ever had. Please ask for any additional information, details that concern you.
Many of the "finicky" items mentioned (door locks, power seat, etc) are most likely due to not being used often. I've had similar experiences with other cars, and some spray lubricant (CRC, Blaster, etc) always got things running smooth again.
THE BOTTOM LINE AND
SOME IDEAS/PLANS
I don’t know
what your needs or plans are for the car, but I was planning on a full
restoration, but left room for a lesser or minimal restoration if my needs
changed.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Approx. 6 months ago, several
repairs/upgrades were done. All new
vacuum hoses (this one was maybe a year or two ago?), new mechanical fuel pump, new
radiator, new plugs/wires/distributor cap/rotor, PCV valve, fuel filter,
etc. Prior to those repairs, the car ran
well and I was getting 26mpg hwy, maybe 18-20 town. About 2 weeks after the repairs, the engine
began to stall as described above and it started to smoke. I didn’t get time to find out why. It didn’t matter to me at the time as I
planned on beginning restoration including replacing the engine anyway.
It’s possible that the carburetor float is sticking, or some other repair-related
problem happened. Maybe the timing needs
to be adjusted, failed plug(s)/wire(s)/distributor cap/rotor, fuel pump,
etc. So, it may just be some simple and
inexpensive repair, or it may be a bad ring(s) or some other internal engine malfunction.
Sorry I can’t give a definitive cause of the smoke and stalling
issues. Regardless, even in the worst
case scenario, this car is a great value at this price and may even be home run
for some people. I priced it to sell,
not to squeeze the last dime out of the sale.
I don’t mind giving someone else a bargain. What goes around comes around they say. Please read the "UPDATE" paragraph (next) for new information concerning this "IMPORTANT NOTE" section
UPDATE: A compression test was done on 2/15/19. The test was a "dry" test (no oil or lube injected into the cylinder, repeated 5 times for each cylinder. The results are (in PSI): passenger side firewall to front - 150, 160, 150, 150. Driver side: 145, 150,150,150. These are GREAT numbers. Spark plugs were inspected - all are clean, no damage, no oil residue, gap is correct, all good. These results imply that there is no engine damage, no failing rings.Passenger side valve cover bolts were tightened. They were very loose which may be the cause of the oil leak at the valve cover area. I need to monitor it for a while to see if this corrects the problem or if the valve cover gasket needs to be replaced ($10 for gaskets)The stalling problem has either been resolved, or mostly. The carburetor idle speed was set very low and a fuel (TPS) connector was off. A short test was was done, and there was no stalling, but I still need to repeat the test a few times and run the car for a while before I can say for sure. The smoking has decreased dramatically (almost no smoke now). Update 3/4/19: The car no longer smokes. I believe it still needs to have the carb adjusted more and check the timing for a piece of mind. The fast idle seems to stay on too long, but comes off if throttled.
The cruise control unit has a factory recall, I was told I could bring it to any dealer and it would be fixed/replaced for free, but I did not yet verify this information at a local dealer. So, it's possible that there would be no cost to have the cruise repaired. I will update this information if I get a chance before the car is sold.
IT IS NOW MY OPINION THAT AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS NOT NECESSARY. THE ENGINE IS RUNNING STRONG AND THE COMPRESSION READINGS ARE GREAT. NO GUARANTEE, BUT ALL INFORMATION THAT I HAVE INDICATES THE ENGINE IS FINE. Of course, if you want to go with a new engine for your personal reasons, that would out fine (resale, hot rod, start new, etc).
Here's Some
CHOICES (But many others exist):
1 - Get just the minimum done to be able to drive and use the car quickly:
Caulk
windshield ($1), fix driver
window ($3-$50). Fix A/C (if desired) - $50
line and fill? May be more if additional A/C parts are needed. Replace 1 tire $35(used) to $85
Total Cost $89 (replace A/C line and fill, caulk, window, with $35 tire) to $139 (with $85 tire). This is doing the work myself. More if done by a shop, or if additional A/C parts are needed.
2 - Do nothing and put the car away as a collectible/investment
- Total extra cost is
NOTHING.
3 - Partial restoration / good-looking reliable everyday driving car
If you go with
an engine replacement, there are many options. A used compatible engine can cost as low as
$300, or about $2000 for a new typical rebuilt crate engine delivered. The cost also depends on who does the
installing. A nice paint job done at a
shop would cost about $1000. Replace the
A/C ($50 to - $1200), caulk window ($1), fix window ($3 - $50), replace one tire
($35 to 85), and miscellaneous small items from the “could use improvement list” ($300).
Total cost $1389 to $6636 (new engine$4000 + All new A/C $1200 + all other higher numbers from list)
4 – Hot Rod
Total Cost - comparably low cost to the sky is the limit
5 – Full Restoration
I would
estimate that a good quality full restoration including replacing the engine
AND transmission would be about $10,000. This also would include a completely new A/C system, all new window gaskets, the tire, all the "need improvement" items, paint, and extra left over for unexpected or additional frills. I added a transmission to the list just because it would make the car a "no major issue possible" car and like new. It also lowers the cost in the long run as the transmission could be replaced more easily when the engine is out of the car. Right now, it doesn't need a transmission, but I've also heard that it is good to match and replace both at the same time. Some people call this type of restoration a "it's a new car" restoration. It would also be a respectable show quality
car. I am not an expert at this, but I'm also not a novice.
I cannot guarantee these prices, because there
are too many variables such as: what area you live in, who is going to do the work,
what level of quality you want, etc., but I have checked prices and have some experience with repairs. A main point here is that for $15,000, (or much less), (worst case: cost of car purchase at full price plus all restoration costs is $15,000) you could have $30,000-70,000 worth of vehicle, drive it for many years and maybe get all your money back if you kept it in reasonable shape, and maybe even make money when you sell it. Also, you don't have to do all the repairs/restoration immediately - it could be spread out over a longer period of time, even years, to ease the financial aspect.
So as you
can see, there is a lot of value here and as stated above you could likely
drive this car for no cost over a 10 year period. There are many more options for this car - these are just a few examples/ideas. In any event, you can get a great car that is
multipurpose and costs far less than a new, or even recently used SUV, and many
other vehicles. You can do an engine replacement and get a paint job in 2 weeks
or less. A full home restoration with
maybe some things (engine/paint) done by a shop and all or most of the other
items by the new owner could be done by spring if it is worked on part
time. If you were aggressive (work on it a few hours a day), it could be done in a month or less. Don’t be afraid to put in a reasonable offer.
Shipping is
the responsibility of the buyer. Vehicle
is sold as is. No returns. I have spent a considerable amount of time to
provide an extremely detailed report of the car’s current condition. However,
there are too many items on a vehicle to give a lengthy description of each
and every item, or to even be able to access, assess and describe every item. However, it should be
apparent that I have given a description that is much, much more detailed than
most if not all others who are selling cars. I have given a full, complete,
truthful, disclosure of everything that I know about the vehicle or could think
of at this time. There will be no
intentional negative surprises with this car, no tricks, no cover-ups, no temporary "stop leak" additive tricks or any other deceptive practices.
I want the buyer to be thrilled when they receive the vehicle. Obviously, due to the age of the vehicle, and the nature of mechanical/electrical devices that could unexpectedly fail at any time, I can't offer any guarantees.
Please
message me here on Ebay with any questions you may have before bidding. I will be happy to answer any more questions
you may have. However, my current
situation warrants that I will not be able to do any, or very little, further troubleshooting on
the wagon. If my situation changes before the car is sold, I may be able to address a few issues.
$500
non-refundable deposit will be required within 3 days of the purchase. Full
payment must be made within 7 days. Any sales taxes, tags, title, notary, legal or other fees required to transfer the title (ownership), license, or insure the vehicle are the responsibility of the buyer. I do not charge any document fees or other fees. Your cost to me will only be the final agreed upon sales price.
Buyer is responsible for shipping cost and scheduling the pickup up of the vehicle.
.

Price Dinamics


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Item Information


Item ID: 113716
Car location: Newark, Delaware, United States
For sale by: Private Seller
Last update: 2.04.2019
Views: 84
Found on eBay.com
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1988 Buick LeSabre Used Wagon 305cu V8L Gasoline Automatic
Current customer rating: 4/5 based on 2919 customer reviews

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