1987 Buick Regal Grand National Long-Term Road Test - New Updates

agentorange

I don't suppose there was any danger of you driving with all that tech turned OFF? Stuff still has OFF switches, despite popular rumour. I wonder what is up with your multi-charger that it took down a 20A fuse. As for ruining the battery, I don't buy it, but why were you driving with the headlights on? Was it raining?

cuselancer17

By far the most interesting car to follow on Edmunds/Insideline. This car was in the best shape you could hope for, and its still falling apart by todays standards. Much more informative/entertaining than the caddy ATS posts, for sure.

hybris

This is why I still don't see the reason for auto headlights or DRL's for that matter they just teach bad habits and waste.

faler

So, are you guys going to ruin the engine by driving thousands of miles with no oil cooler, or will you arrange to get the parts sent to a dealership or independent specialist for installation at an extended layover stop? I hope you're still adding zinc additive every oil change. Nothing like letting folks who don't know what's going on ruin a car out of ignorance - it isn't like GM didn't cut too many corners during this period on build quality, so neglect isn't an option.

eriches

@ faler: Of course, we're using a zinc additive. If you follow the thread, you'll see that I put some in when we had an oil/filter change done two weeks ago in New Mexico.

fordson1

The other issue with the cooler removed (other than the cooling ability directly affected) is the oil capacity is now reduced by the amount of oil it takes to fill the cooler, hoses and radiator loop, which indirectly reduces cooling ability, too. All you can do is just take it easy for the rest of the drive. Mark T. is now tweeting about the long, straight stretches of road on the way to NOLA where you can "get it up to speed" while he's blasting the A/C. I don't think I would be doing that. Just MHO.

yellowmiata

I agree with many of the posters here - the new format is terrible. Please go back to what worked. Sunk cost be dammed. Man-up, admit the mistake and give your readers what they want or risk becoming irrelevant (which is happening in real-time).
Kevin

83turboguy

It was very nice meeting you Erin as well as being able to help you out on your drive. Hope Scott was ok on the power tour and didn't need anything else done to the car. It was a surprise that you had to get parts from my bud Brian Weaver at G body parts but glad he came through for you. I was planning on meeting Scott at the beginning of the power tour but didn't have the time. If either of you need anything as far as advise or help of some sort please feel free to contact me. If you haven't figured it out, this is Charlie in Hillsboro. BTW, do I really look that bad. LOL It would also be easier to read this in descending order rather than ascending order. One other thing, that plate surround was sold by Dennis Kirban at Kirbans Performance and I believe he still has them in stock.

I almost forgot, it was 1.25 hours @ $45 and hour which was $56.25 and the filter was $18.75. Couldn't believe someone had that filter on so tight I had to crush it to get it off though.

jkt3

650 rw hp with 15 lbs of boost on 93 octane LOL !

agentorange

All please note that on 17 June Scott Oldham actually admitted he put something other than 87 octane in a car. Scott, I hope your head did not explode, mate.

fordson1

Car needs some Rain-x on the glass.

bthayer23

What's the deal with putting your hazards on when it rains? I don't like it when people do that because I can't tell if they're using their turn signals or not.

agentorange

Are you running oversize tyres? 10% error on a speedo is unacceptable on today's cars, but maybe it was not unusual back in the day.

ultimgrocgettr

Any updates about the Power Tour itself? It seems the focus is on driving the car to Texas and back to CA. I was hoping for more updates about the Power Tour is like.

ponchoindian

I brought this up when you guys put the new tires on it. You need to re-calculate all of your mileage numbers too and figure out what you are really getting out of a gallon of gas. I bet it is quite a bit better than what you have listed.

You might want to retest the acceleration numbers with the correct size tires 215/65/15. I'll bet it will be a little quicker and might even handle better than your first test.

They make reproduction eagle gt's now for that car. would be a pretty cool throwback to put the factory tires back on it.

mfennell

Sorry, but your biggest expense has got to be the depreciation of putting 10,000 miles on the car. The ultra-low-mile premium is disappearing.

noburgers

@yellowmiata it is just the Grand National's blog that is still screwed up in the "old" unfriendly format. Things got a lot better over the year--something that should have been straightened out BEFORE they got rid of IL. And, you can sort the

s197gt

after 7 years of ownership i finally did a couple clutch-drop burnouts in my mustang gt. it was unapologetically immature and i loved it. was not nearly as smokey as your power brake burnout but i still had a lot of fun. i wish you would of had more video from the very beginning.

fordson1

That car looks just like a big ol' hog. But it shore has a purty mouth...

noburgers

Sign should have been welcome to Louisiana.....purty boy

hybris

Part of me is glad to see this car go because it removes one of the last blatant sores of this new site design IE the combined comments. As for the car itself I can't say that I liked this car but again for me personally it was built in the dark age of car building (1970-1993\95) so I am a bit bias in that respect. BTW WALL OF TEXT SUCKS!

noburgers

You may as well sell it, you don't drive it or report much anymore--200 miles in 5 weeks is lame. But I hope you get a good price for it, it is pretty much sorted out and the paint is great too.

noburgers

you are saving the best posts for just before you get rid of it. Great story. I'm surprised he didn't offer to buy it. Or did he?

hybris

Sell the car to him or if push comes to shove give the man the car, you know that he can actually afford to take of the car and finish patching up its flaws. Not to mention it would by the sound of it make him just ecstatic.

fordson1

Another Scott Oldham rich-buddy name-dropping exercise. Sigh...

nukedetroit

Reuss should still be flush with all the taxpayer cash his decrepit company received from King Barry to stay in business. Make him write you a check for the damn thing.

bankerdanny

That's the downside of driving a super low mileage classic. Every mile you added reduced the value. I suspect that once you net auction fees you won't do much better than you would have done taking the Ebay high bid.

s197gt

Gonna be a reserve for the Mecum auction?

subytrojan_2

What were the smog test numbers, Ron? I'm sure some of us would like to know. Maybe you could post a photo of the printout?

noburgers

I tuned in late to the auction, what happened? Mecum website does not have a status for the car. Interested in seeing if the 7% commission made the auction worse than your laqst offer

fordson1

Considering the owner demographic is maybe 3 degrees different than that for an '87 IROC-Z, my wardrobe choice is a dirty sweatshirt with the sleeves torn off and a baseball cap to cover the bald spot in the mullet.

bankerdanny

You wouldn't have to appologize if you had just typed a simple update that the car was sold, more details to come.

noburgers

Well, now we know. Took long enough, though, and multiple searches of Mecum's web site to no avail. Now please do a proper wrap up. And maybe consider wrapping up several other MIA wrap ups.

shatner

Too bad the Buick beat toasted by a V6 Accord manual in a race, and god forbid a corner comes into play.

shatner

The Dbag a couple houses down has a similar Cheveel, this man is 60 and wears gold chains and nugget jewelry. He also has a new Camaro under a cover and inisists it will be worth a fortune someday because it has a Hemi....