NEW! Award 65: 1973 Buick Gran Sport 455 4-Speed – Sold?

December 5, 2021 Update – While the private seller just deleted their listing, given the seller’s past history we suspect may not actually be sold yet.  For now, we’re labeling this ride “Sold?” However, we will keep an eye out for an updated listing. In the interim, please reach out either by email or call Rudy directly if you’d like to be informed when we come across something similar.

November 13, 2021 – The insanity continues.  One of our anonymous loyal website visitors gave us the heads up Rodney is still trying to sell this rare but over-valued Buick.  After a brief but likely frustrating stint trying to sell his car on Facebook Marketplace, Rodney moved back to the tried-and-true Craigslist site. In his latest ad, the seller reduced his asking price to $10,000 firm.

October 28, 2021 Update – Oh Rodney, what are you doing now?  After offering this ’73 Buick Gran Sport we’ve been tracking since February for $10K after months of remaining firm at $12,500, Rodney, the salty seller (read the comments of people who have called him), just increased his price back up to $12,500. Enjoy keeping the snow off your car another winter Rodney as your non-numbers matching car that burns oil and has visible rust is simply not worth that much.

October 16, 2021 Update – Several GwR readers commented at the bottom of this thread that this Buick has been listed on Facebook Marketplace for several weeks at $10,000 cash firm. The seller, Rodney, continues to be hard to deal with. After eight months of no sale, he’s probably tired of dealing with all calls and no one making a firm hard offer in person.   Unfortunately, that’s what happens when you expect too much money that is not commensurate with a car’s condition.

September 20, 2021 Update – Seven months in and the third month at a still too optimistic price of $12,500 makes it no surprise no one has jumped to by this rare ’73 Buick Gran Sport.

August 27, 2021 Update – Achieving the six-month mark of no sale, we just spotted a fresh listing for this ’73 Buick Gran Sport we’ve been tracking since February.  After months of stubbornly rationalizing $15,000 for a driver-quality, a non-original motor that smokes, the seller lowered their asking price to $12,500 firm, an ask that will likely provide the seller the opportunity to store the car another winter if it’s not sold by the end of October.

July 4, 2021 Update – The seller quoted as saying “I’d rather let it rot than sell it for less than $15,000.” One week before lowering their price to $12,500 just deleted their latest listing.  Given the seller’s past history we suspect may not actually be sold yet.  For now, we’re labeling this ride “Sold?” However, we will keep an eye out for an updated listing.

June 22, 2021 Update – Shortly after telling one of our readers who inquired about the car, “I’d rather watch it rot than sell it for less.” the seller has held firm on a ridiculous asking price of $15,000 since February just lowered their ask by $2,500 to $12,500.  The seller also revealed to our reader not only is the 455 cubic inch V8 not original to the car, but it’s also “smoking.” That knowledge reaffirms our position this rare Buick in its current condition is worth less than $10,000.

June 20, 2021 Update – while this “Classifind” expired recently, given the seller’s past history we suspect may not actually be sold yet.  For now, we’re labeling this ride “Sold?” However, we will keep an eye out for an updated listing.

May 19, 2021 Update – The private seller of this ’73 Buick Gran Sport we first featured in February proactively posted a new ad before their last one expired.  Unfortunately, the seller remains adamant about their firm $15,000 despite that being incredibly optimistic for the car’s condition.

April 27, 2021 Update – After nearly a one-month hiatus following the expiration of their last ad, the private seller of this ’73 Buick Gran Sport we first featured in February posted a new ad. Unfortunately, the seller remains adamant on their firm $15,000 despite that being incredibly optimistic for the car’s condition.

April 11, 2021 Update – while the seller just deleted their latest “Classifind” expired recently, given the seller’s firmness on the price, we have a feeling they may have decided to keep it for another summer.  For now, we’re labeling this ride “Sold?” However, we will keep an eye out for an updated listing.

April 1, 2021 Update – With their identical listing in as many months, the private seller of this ’73 Grand Sport is quickly proving he likes his $15,000 firm price just continues to prove an over-optimistic price combined with an inflexible attitude will let your collector car continue to sit in your driveway.

March 10, 2021 Update – We discovered a fresh listing for this ’73 Buick Grand Sport we first featured in early February 2021.  The private seller remains firm on the $15,000 asking price.

By far, the most successful of Bill Mitchell’s new-for-1973 Colonnade Hardtops was the Oldsmobile Cutlass family.  At the other end of the production spectrum, for roughly every four Cutlasses produced that year, GM made one Buick Century. The rarest of the Century line was the Gran Sport with only 6,637 produced.  Of these, only 979 non-Stage I 455 cubic inch V8 equipped versions such as this driver-quality example currently originally listed in February 2021 and in Seneca Falls, New York left Buick dealerships that year.  This is at best a fair condition with visible rust spots needing immediate attention.  While showing 28K miles, the seller cannot document whether that represents the original mileage or if it’s really 128K. Unfortunately, as much as we like this rare Gran Sport, we find the seller’s currently firm price of $10,000 (the original ask was $15,000) is very optimistic.  For perspective, the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms the private seller has their Gran Sport priced between this guide’s #3 “Good” appraisal of $9,400 and its #2 “Excellent” estimate of $12,300.  Similarly, the  Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the asking price falls between this guide’s #3 “Good” estimate of $9,200 and its #2 “Very Good” appraisal of $13,400 before factoring adjustments for the 455 cubic inch V8 and factory air conditioning being offset by the standard bench seat.  Consequently, the optimistic-for-Fair-condition pricing combined with the seller’s “I really don’t want to sell, so u (sic) better like it better than ur (sic) money.” attitude has us giving him our latest NEW! (short for “No Effin Way!”) Award for an asking price that is not aligned with the condition of their car.

In addition to the Hagerty Insurance overview of these cars below, Hemmings Motor News provides this 73-74 Buick Gran Sport Buyer’s Guide:

If you can somehow convince the seller to part with the car for an amount more in line with the car’s condition, you’ll have a very rare Buick that represents one of the last true Buick Muscle Cars.  Our advice if you’re serious about buying this Gran Sport: show up with a car trailer in tow and cash in your pocket and only then you can try to start the negotiations and be willing to drive away.

Here’s the seller’s description:

“ULTRA RARE 1973 BUICK GRAN SPORT 2DR. Factory U code 455V8-Bench seat 4Spd car [ 1 of 57] made, [1 of 41] with a/c, 3.08 posi rear. clean, clear NYS title, odometer reads 28k. can’t tell if it’s correct or rolled over. check out hemmings report on these cars before calling. silver cloud metallic ext. with all orig. black interior and half vinyl top. no rust or bubbling under top. 1 repaint, and paint is peeling on hood, 1 bad spot on roof to 1/4 panel meet, factory filler lifting not a bondo bucket ! undercarriage super clean ,car really hasn’t been on road last 12yrs, needs rear brake cyls. replaced master cyl. gas tank is clean. i drove car a short distance before winter storage, and car drove smooth and tight ! this would be a great car to restore !! or drive as-is. I really don’t want to sell , so u better like it better than ur money, price is firm @ $15000. NO TEXT OR EMAILS, CALLS ONLY. [3ONE5-5SIX8-ONE336] THX Rod !“

Restore or Drive As-Is: what would you do with this fair condition Gran Sport?  Comment below and let us know!