LaCrosse

Make
Buick
Segment
Sedan

With the recent discontinuation of the LaCrosse and Regal - and the Verano a couple of years prior - Buick's lineup is now solely dedicated to crossovers. Sedans, coupes, and convertibles are now part of Buick's past. But there's another segment where Buick once competed and which holds fond memories for many people. Buick's station wagons date back to 1947 and the Roadmaster variant.

The last time the Roadmaster was in the lineup was 1996 when the eighth-generation was retired. The sedan was not a great loss. Although it rode on GM's already dated rear-wheel-drive B platform, GM made the best use of this with the 1994-96 Chevy Impala SS, a large muscle sedan that has rightly earned a place in automotive history.

The Roadmaster sedan, by contrast, was nothing more than an old man's car, a guy who couldn't quite afford a Cadillac but was satisfied driving a rebadged Chevy. But the wagon was special. Under its hood was a 5.0-liter Chevy small-block V8 that was quickly replaced with a 5.7-liter engine delivering a whopping 180 horsepower.

A few years later, it was swapped out again for a modified version with a sequential point fuel-injection system, boosting output to a more acceptable 260 hp. This was actually the same LT1 V8 that debuted in the 1992 Corvette but was slightly detuned. Regardless of which V8 was under the hood, all Roadmasters came with a four-speed automatic transmission.

While the Roadmaster sedan and wagon were nothing special in the powertrain department, GM made an interesting option available starting in 1994: a towing package. When equipped with the wagon, it could tow up to 7,000 pounds. To compare, a new Ford Ranger has a 7,500-pound maximum tow rating.

The package added a limited-slip differential, heavy-duty cooling system, and a self-leveling rear suspension. Inside, the Roadmaster Wagon had leather seats, an optional third-row rearward-facing seat allowing for up to eight occupants, and an early panoramic roof GM called the Vista Roof. The exterior had tacky but kind of cool fake woodgrain sides and white wall tires.

Those who want to relive a part of their childhood family vacations can now buy this 1993 Buick Roadmaster Wagon from Frankman Motor Company in South Dakota. This one-owner example has just 62,974 miles and an asking price of $13,106.