It's time to park the family truckster and slip behind the wheel of a true American road trip icon, for less than the cost of a Nissan Versa. Oh, and it'll also give you wood.

The early ‘90s Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon was a derivation of the Chevy Caprice/Olds Custom Cruiser wagons, sharing the 116-inch wheelbase and 218 inch overall length of these Farragut class destroyers.

The 170HP 5.7 liter engine kept things from getting interesting, and the steering, brakes and shift motions were more theoretical than actual in practice.

So, not a car that speaks to your inner gymkhana, but still a good candidate for a family trip to see this America all the cool kids are talking about. And today, we have a Nice Price or Crack Pipe candidate that brings a little something extra to the nuclear-family's driveway- lightly donked wheels, Pep Boy's floor mats, and more faux hardwood than an entire Ikea.

Now, normally the woodgrain on a wagon is constrained to the flanks, never broaching the pillars or mirror region. But not on this Buick; the old-growth goes all the way up, almost touching the tinted Vista Cruiser panel in the roof, and lending a curious "ya' didn't know when to stop, didja?" quality to the car. Make sure to check out the peg-and-groove side-view mirrors and the rear bumper step. Sublime they are not. However, the juxtaposition of the painted-on oak siding, and the burled walnut photo-finish on the plastic dash is a bold artistic statement.

This Buick is very clean for a 16 year old car, and twelve grand isn't a lot of cheddar. And those 20" wheels have got to be worth at least 10% of that price, don't they? The seller does warn prospective buyers that if driving this car, ". . .be ready to draw a crowd!" They do not mention if that crowd would be carrying torches and pitchforks, however. They also don't say why a 2-owner Florida car needs heated mirrors, but that's a detail that just adds to the Buick's mystery.

So at $12,900 what'll it be, Nice Price for a woodie that's a goody, or Crack Pipe for a wagon that wouldn't interest a dragon?

You decide!

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or go if the ad falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it. Thanks to NurseRatched for the tip.

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