Buick Roadmaster - 1991 vs 1995

Greetings folks,

I am looking for opinions and advice.

I have found two Roadmaster wagons; a 1991 and a 1995. There is probably 10,000 miles difference in the mileage. Both have been one owner cars. Both are the same price as well as the same colors inside and out. The 1991 is a little cleaner and has not been "used" quite as much as the 1995. Don't get me wrong, the 1995 is clean, but the 1991 is extra clean.

Based on the years, which is the better car in the long run?

Thanks in advance.

 

95 has LT-1 motor, better performance and mileage, and a little more $$ in repairs, with OBD II.
91 has a computer carb, same as my 'burban - can you say GAS HOG!!

 

Not a B-body owner, Professor, but based on our members experiences, the newer one is the one to get - especially if they're the same price. Starting in '94, they came with the GM LT-1 engine, which offered quite a bit more punch on the pedal, with at least as good (if not better) gas mileage. Because of the that, the earlier versions should not be worth the same money as a '94-'96. I would venture to say that the '91 might be a bit over-priced, the '95 could be under-priced, or a bit of both.

 

Just as long as you're asking for opinions, I'll play. There's not much difference in the two except for the engines. That's the biggest difference...IMOP. The 91 has a 350 TBI and the 95 has the LT1 350. Big hp advantage, but they both can get you a ticket.
Anyway, the 91 is WAY easier to work on than the 95. The 95 on the other hand, has more after market parts available, but we're talking engine parts. The 91 seems to get better gas mileage, and is cheaper to maintain. Interior is almost the same also. Both cars can interchange parts from the Impala SS, but with the 95 having the same engine as the Impala. My opinion? You can't go wrong with either car:2_thumbs_up_-_anima. I myself would go with the cleaner, lower mileage car. Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

... I also think the instrument panel/gauges were revised staring in '94, but personally I like the instrument cluster in the '91-'93 models better. I think the '94 removed the tachometer from the cluster.

I have a '93 Cadillac Fleetwood with the 350 engine (non-LT1), but the car is no slouch and my Caddy weighs around the same as the wagons.

 

Don't know where you got your MPG figures, but having driven both - you're real wrong!
91 was on that 'clunkers' list - less than 15mpg! 'Burban gets 10! Same motor!
95 averages 20 - per a friend that owns one!!

 

Not true about mileage. The '94-'96 were rated for 25 mpg highway, and that's what you can expect if you drive 65 mph or less. This past weekend, my '95 averaged 22.6 mpg for a 400 mile trip usually driving 75 mph or faster on the freeway. I also have a '93, which gets 21-23 on the highway. Definitly not gas hogs--none of the Roadmasters from '91-96. FWIW, the '91 used a 305, not a 350.

 

I've owned both a 92 Olds CC and a 92 Roadie and in both I got 18-20 mpg in a combination city/highway driving.

 

With all other things being equal, I'd go with the '95 myself, the '91 is at a big disadvantage with the 305ci, the 350ci was not available in the '91s. The 350 LT1 has much more power, and gas mileage will be at least as good as the under powered '91. The '91 will be a bit easier to work on though. The '95 is OBD1 still, that didn't change until 1996. My tow pack 1994 Roadmaster just got 24 mpg with the cruise set at 72 mph this weekend driving up to Niagara Falls, which was about 280 miles round trip. On average I get about 17mpg to and from work, but I tend to drive hard.

Mike

 

Just to chime in here, I've owned both a gorgeous LT1 '96 Roady wagon and my current car, a very clean '92 Custom Cruiser with the TBI 350 in it. Now I love my Cruiser, but the Roady was hands-down the better car.

The 350 in my Cruiser is a strong engine, but the LT1 was both stronger and smoother, and it got better mileage to boot. The 95-96 Roadies also got a better stereo system, and had a lot of revisions throughout the car in general over the earlier TBI cars. Weather sealing on the newer cars was better, and wind and road noise was less in the Roady than the Olds.

If the TBI car you were looking at had a 350 in it, choice would be harder, but being a 91, it would have a 305. A 305 is reliable, but in a car as big and heavy as these, you really want all the engine you can get.

Now full disclosure, there are a few things I like better about the older cars. The door panels on the 94-96 Roadies are not as stout as the older panels. They are prone to cracks, especially in front of the window switches on the front doors. DO NOT slam the doors on a 94-96 Roady.

Also, the Optispark distributor down low on the front of the motor makes tune-ups quite an ordeal...and if you get a water pump leak, fix it FAST or you'll be doing an Opti at the same time....not cheap!

The steering wheel on the 94-96 Roady was half leather and half painted rubber, and the paint wears off over time and looks terrible. You CAN re-dye these...but the older cars had full leather wheels.

As for the dash, the TBI cars got full gauges with a tach, and the LT1 cars only got a speedo, fuel and temp gauges, BUT a popular upgrade is adding an LT1 Z28 gauge cluster to the Roadies. I put one in mine, and it was a HUGE improvement!

 

Some of that wind noise on the 91-94's is from those cool racing mirrors.
Don't the LT1 cars have firewall insulation on the engine side too?

I agree that the '95 would be the better choice in the long run.

 

Oh yeah I forgot that the 95-96 cars got MUCH larger and BETTER folding door mirrors. A huge improvement over the 91-94 mirrors, which are tiny.

 

Oh darn....forgot about dreaded 305. I will 2up everything that 81X11 says though.

 

But they don't look like F1 racing mirrors?
I have some useless info, I read an article on B-body drag coefficients and the drag went up when the 95-96 mirrors were removed, it even surprised the test guys, so they do have an aerodynamic function too. Take off the 91-94 mirrors and it has the opposite effect, no surprise there.
I've also found that if you have the window down the 91-94 mirrors will sometimes deflect bugs right into your face when you hit the unfortunate insects at speed.

 

there are only a few reason why I would ever buy another 91 roadmaster wagon. if it's low mile, rust free, all original and was one of the firsts off the assembly line with a low vin number.

Having owned two, I can tell you that the tbi 305 isn't a slug when compared to the carbed 305's or the common 307 that came in wagons prior to 91. It will keep up with modern traffic. I've used mine to tow cars back from florida, virgina, kansas, indianna and michigan with out any issues. Yea it could use more power, but it was quite capable and towed well. Fuel economy wasn't bad either and well in line with what others here have said.

I prefer the interiors in the 91-93's for a variety of reasons. I find that the interiors of the 94-96's to be kind of delicate and fragile when compared to the 91-93's

as for wind/road noise the 91's had no engine compartment fire wall insulation, that did not come till the 93 model year.
the LT1 wagons also got a piece of weather stripping between the doors at the B pillars, that can be added.

after all that has been said, there is no reason for any 91 305 tbi wagon to be worth the same or more than an equally nice 94-96.

I will also note that my first 91 rmw can now run with if not outrun most 94-96 wagons. nothing has been done to the stock tbi 305 other than true dual exhaust. I just increased the power to weight ratio and lowered it's center of gravity....