what is all the differences between a 87 grand national and a 87 turbo t (we4)? which one is worth more money in similar conditions? thanks
Mechanically, no differences. Differences are mainly in the trim and interior.
Some thing off the top of my head:
- GN interior specific to WE2 GN
- WE4 has all grey "Regal" interior
- WE4 has T wheels
- GN has steel Kelsey-Hayes wheels
- GN has "duck tail" spoiler
- WE4 has no spoiler
- Trim plate above glove box has "Grand National" in the GN
- WE trim plate has the T style
- Horn button on the GN has tri-shield
- Horn button on the WE4 has red T
- "T" badges on the WE4
- GN badges on the GN
GN is usually worth more (despite the WE4 being rarer ...) I think that's just because the GNs have a "mystique" and lots of misinformed people think the GNs are "badder"
Anyone got estimates of how many WE-4 are left running around these days, it's my understanding that there were only around 1500 made.
NADA show the T-TYPE Regal as only a few thousand less than a GN, and nobody shows a listing for the WE-4, so , my quess is a car is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I for one am hoping to keep it twards the high side.
Mine is running around "everyday":-). They are MUCH rarer than the 87' GN's which 30 something THOUSAND were made. Only 1500 or so WE-4's were produced, were a little "lighter"(according to Buick literature) than the GN's & therefore supposedly a little quicker. In my opinion worth more!!! But i also agree it's what "you" think it's worth & what others are willing to pay for a much rarer car! Take care, Jay.
The GN's are definitely always going to be worth more from 86-87, but I can always brag to my dad that my 87 Turbo T Limited is rarer than his GN! 1 of 1035 I believe.
I have an 87 we4 turbo-t myself and w/ a few mods i can smoke a GN! However it can be forsale for the right price,...Oh and there were 1,547 of them according to my book!
yeah but my dad can beatup your dad..
silly argument really. The GN will always be worth more because though not as rare, it is the more desired car overall. The public determines worth - not the production numbers. If nobody wanted a WE4, they'd be worth blue book. Same with the GN. supply/demand...as ken said - most people probably dont realize a Turbo T or TType or whatever is the same thing basically as a GN. But the GN owns the mystique, and as such it ends up being worth more to the overall public.
(and in my opinion looks 10 times badder to boot)
There was actually less than 22,000 GN's produced in 87. Less than 5500 in 86!
As far as the WE4 weighing less than the GN, my GN weighs 3550 with out me in it! It still depends on an lot of the options, every car is going to different.
To Mick Blankenship wanna race?
David N.
86GN
12.04 @ 114mph
Just plain B.S.
A 1987 Buick V6 Turbo is the same with the same modifications in performance, regardless, if is a t, gn or turbo t,
If you are guessing about the numbers look at www.gnttype.org for production numbers
GNX 547, 1 factory 1986 GNX prototype, all other buick GNX prototypes were destroyed or taken apart.
87 GN 20,193 -- NOT 30,000
87 WE4 -- 1547
and so on
The next time anyone says they have a WE4, do not use "Grand National" or "GN", when explaining what it is. Maybe that is why there is much confusion, because from the beginning of time (back in 1987) everyone said that they had a turbo t, what, WE4 you know, it's just a like a Grand National but rarer and faster. Even the service manager at the Buick Dealership back in 1988 referred to my GN as a T.
So when your asked what your vehicle is!
Tell the truth with no expanded novel story, keep it simple, stupid. And very short.
We live in a society where most people have A.D.D. or some form of it……
You would be surprised at how many people still haven't got a clue when they see a GN cruise by or see them at a car show or drag strip, some haven't even heard the word Grand National before, you know GN, much less, a Buick GNX or WE4 / Turbo T / T Type. But every one knows what a Buick Regal looked like for the most part before 1987.
In the same comparison, I could buy a 1987 GN for less than $20,000, spend less than $10,000 and have a much stronger, faster GN than a GNX for the same price. Cars were meant to be driven, some people just have more money and more options, then again some people do have lots of money and do drive them. It’s all about “Fast with Class”
GM made all the different kind of Buick Regals for one simple point to make money. They built a production vehicle for the family with performance to boot, more like a can of whup ass! Some were painted black, some were not!
Brett
GrdNatl87
http://www.gnregistry.org
Before I left Buick I ran some of the vin numbers on the proto types of the GNX. Seems they were sold to corporation employees. Ie;1G4GJ1179HP439256 sold to Jeremy Hopkins. Others were registered as demostrators. I also had a chance to buy all the left over ASC parts and two GNX proto types in 1989. One was white and the other red. They were testing different colors. I passed on it because of price. True some were crushed like the 1978 body that was used at first but the later ones made it passed the execution.The 547 number was the number that went to dealers.
The WE4 is is just a black turbo Regal. It was offered to dealers as the window sticker was less than a GN. The dealers used it as a "low ball" car to advertise a low price on. Once in the showroom the customer usually bought the GN instead. Another example is the Park Avenue versus the Electra 380. Same car with cheaper trim and less bells and whistles. This is a common practize with auto makers.