1995 Buick Century Station Wagon Low Miles Clean

https://portland.craigslist.org/grg/cto/d/1995-buick-century-station-wagon-low/6801578079.html

Seems like a buy!

 

That is a very well maintained 145,000 mile car! and for $695.00 it would seem like a steal. Rarely seen model when new. and it even has a 3rd seat!

I don't understand the sellers comment of (like Subaru) other than GM owning 49% of Subaru at the time this car was made. It is nothing like a Subaru.

 

“and car has always made a rumbling sound (in front wheel drive?) when first exhilarating from a full stop but the sound stops once moving.”

I wonder what this exhilarating sound is?! I’m not a fan of the front wheel drive especially with 6 cylinders. Most things fwd bigger than 4 cylinders is no fun to work on. That being said. I’d buy this thing, drive it for a little bit and resell it for $1000.

 

I can only assume that since he is in the PNW and everyone there drives Lesbaru Outback station wagons that he assumes that they invented the station wagon and Buick followed suit with this nifty design.

 

I spent a week in Portland in 1989 and drove Hwy 14 (on the Washington side) between Portland and The Dalles for three nights in a row with a Volvo rental car, it was such a fantastic drive. No traffic, twisty roads. Great fun. My colleagues wondered why the car was so dusty when we returned the car to the airport to fly home (I was the DD).

I came back to Portland years later and drove the same route and it wasn't at all the same. Slow transport trucks, traffic. Such a big disappointment.

Sorry. I went totally off topic. Car seems like a bargain with only 147k miles. But the noise in the front end needs looking into.

 

I've driven on 84 (same road, just on the Oregon side of the Columbia.....) a few times, and it's nothing to write home about, except........ for Multnomah Falls. Not to be missed.........

You don't even have to go 'off the beaten path' to see it. The parking area for it is literally between the east and west-bound lanes of 84........

 

Agreed, Hwy 84 is not that spectacular. It's on the same level as the Columbia River, if I recall correctly, and 4 lanes wide? I could be wrong. Borrow your daughter's RX-8 (if she still has it) and take it out on Hwy 14 sometime, Marshall. You might get lucky and have the road all to yourself (as I did, three nights in a row )

 

Sounds like a great drive. We could do that and be back home the same day....
Most of 84 in that area is 2 lanes each way.

Daughter #2 may be coming up here from So Cal in April or so......don't think she's driving the RX-8 though. I don't think she trusts it anymore. Has been talking about getting a new car now she's making a decent income. Daddy ain't footin' the bill for any more cars though.

We've been talking about taking a mini-vacation some time in the next few weeks - maybe Astoria. If we do that, we could easily hit 14 for a slight detour coming home.

Right now though, we're in the middle of replacing the carpet in the whole house with a combination of laminate in the living areas and carpet in the bedrooms. I'm doing a lot of the tear-out labor to save some money. Laminate's getting installed Wednesday, and I still have to remove all the baseboards, disconnect and remove the dishwasher, shop-vac the whole place, and empty out the remaining furniture. It's like moving, but not going anywhere.

 

I wonder what it is too!

That is definitely a stereotype of the PNW and therefore I can understand someone making that connection. But it's hardly the truth. Outside of the I-5 corridor you're not likely to meet many folks that match the standard "Pacific Northwest" stereotype.

I agree that Multnomah Falls is spectacular. My wife and I got engaged there.
But I have to disagree about the rest of I-84 not being anything special. I think it's a beautiful drive. There are many great things to enjoy just off the road besides Multnomah. It is after all referred to as "The Columbia Gorge National Scenic area"

The interstate does stay down about level with the river though, so for an even more scenic drive, take the old two lane which puts you up higher, and affords much more spectacular views.

 

Check out the rubber boots on the front drive. Had an 86 Pontiac 6000 sedan years ago that the boots deteriorated and let moisture into the front drive universal joints. Bearing noise was as you describe. Noise at low speed that seems to go away. It doesn't go away, it is drowned out by other road/mechanical sounds. My mechanic told me bearing seizing on a front wheel drive could be dangerous. Strongly suggest you get it looked at ASAP.

 

I didn't even know there was another road to take..... will have to check that out....

 

Yep. It's pretty awesome. One of the numerous points of interest on the old road is the Vista House on crown point (which is shown in the photo I posted above)
https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=108
It will take you longer to get to your destination going on the old road as opposed to sailing down the interstate at 70mph, but it's definitely worth it.