Selling an old or junk Buick Skylark

An old Skylark that no longer runs can still be sold. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.

Which Skylark this page covers

The name goes back much further than the data. Wikipedia says the Skylark was made in six production runs over 46 years, and the car in the photo is a 1953 convertible. The federal data on this page starts in 1984. EPA files those cars as the Skylark, the Somerset Regal and the Somerset/Skylark.

Wikipedia splits those Skylark years into three generations. The fifth Skylark (1980-1985) came out of North Tarrytown, New York and Willow Run in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and it put a sideways engine up front driving the front wheels. Then came the sixth (1985-1991) and the seventh (1992-1998).

Problems by generation

1984-1985: recalls more than complaints

Only 14 complaints exist for these two years, but there are four recalls on the 1984 and 1985. Recall 85V034 covered 121,095 vehicles whose throttle body fuel feed pipe could leak, with the risk of an underhood fire. Others covered seat back locks, rear control arm bracket bolts and a throttle linkage that could bind.

1986-1991: the fuel hose years

These years have 83 complaints, and no data row exists for 1987. Recalls are the bigger story:

• 88V014 (1986): the headlamp switch could build up heat. Dealers fitted a modified switch, in a campaign of 179,390 vehicles.
• 88V032 (1987): on 5-speed Skylarks, the shift lever might wear against the fuel hoses.
• 90V042 and 92V150 (1988-1989): on these Skylarks the front fuel feed hose might crack or pull loose where it meets the engine. The second campaign alone covered 108,836 vehicles.
• 90V119 (1990): Skylark fuel hose joints along the body rail might work loose and drip.

The 1991 has 38 complaints, led by engine and cooling (10).

1992-1998: where most complaints sit

The seventh generation's model years hold 419 of the 516 complaints. Electrical, brakes and air bags lead:

• The 1995 has 85 complaints, 25 naming the electrical system and 17 the hydraulic brakes.
• The 1996 also has 85, and air bags lead with 18. Recall 96V211 covers a passenger air bag that could snag inside the dash and deploy the wrong way.
• The 1997 has 79, led by brakes (14) and air bags (12).

Three ignition recalls ran across these years: 00V287 (1994-1995), 02V070 (1996-1997) and 04V036 (1998). Each addresses heat that builds in the ignition switch if the key is held in start, and each adds a relay kit. Those campaigns covered 699,617, 1,589,948 and 1,415,231 vehicles, so they reach many GM cars besides the Skylark.

Complaints and recalls by year

These Skylark numbers are from NHTSA's records on October 10, 2026. When a recall covers two Skylark years, both rows list it. A short life on the road usually keeps a final model year's count low, but even a 1998 Skylark is now decades old.

Worth restoring?

For most 1984-1998 Skylarks, the honest test is simple: will someone pay more for it running than the repair costs? A few things to weigh:

• Brakes are one of the most-named components in the complaint data. See bad or seized brakes, and car sitting for years if it has been parked.
• Recall work may never have been done on a car this old. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
• A half-finished project? Our old project car guide covers selling one as it is.

Selling it whole

1. Copy the VIN from the dashboard plate, and note the mileage if the odometer still works.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us where it sits and if the tires hold air. A car in a barn or a tight garage is fine; just say so. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Have the title ready. Lost it long ago? Start with selling with no title. Inherited it? See inherited car.

Other older Buicks: the Skyhawk and Century, the later Verano, or every Buick.