Buick Park Avenue

L8_Apex · July 1999

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Avenue is and 2000 Park Avenue topics, please
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jaykay · August 1999

I recently leased a '99 Buick P.A. The Goodyear tires vibrated badly over 60 mph. The service tech said that the tires were "out of round" and 4 new tires were ordered for me. They were balanced and still vibrated, but not as much. The dealer finally sent the car to a Goodyear dealer and the tires were balanced on the car and that solved the problem. The service tech at Buick said that he has found 4 or 5 Park Ave. with tires that are out of round.

tony4z · August 1999

thanks Jaykay,
I just got my 99 Ultra and noticed vibration above 60 mph..
Tony

jchong · September 1999

I am thinking of getting a PA for my Mom/Dad. Have you enjoyed your experience with this car?

guymc · September 1999

I bought a used 98 Park Avenue and have put about four thousand miles on it, mostly highway driving at about 70 mph. I have not noticed a vibration.

The a/c, however, seems wimpy. In 95 degree weather, it does not properly cool on automatic. The service manager suggested putting it on max, and setting the a/c thermostat at 60 degrees. Is this typical of GM products?

Otherwise, I have greatly enjoyed the vehicle. I'd purchased a 98 Concorde Lxi, drove it for eight thousand miles, and decided I couldn't live with it. There was NOTHING wrong with it. I just couldn't get used to feeling cramped (compared to the 91 PA I had driven for seven years), not being able to see where my hood ended unless my head was an inch from the roof, and having to unlock the doors for my rear passengers manually every time I stopped. It is a wonderful highway cruiser and, unlike the Lincoln or Cadillac, is not too wide to fit in my garage.

rschwenk · September 1999

Also have a problem with vibration on just purchased 99 Park Avenue. Tires are Goodyear Eagle LS. Dealer can't seem to solve the problem. They have replace several 'out of round' tires, but the problem persists. Been working on it almost 2 months ...

comet1 · September 1999

I have a 98 P.A. and have noticed considerable vibration between 65 and 70 mph. Have had tires balanced twice but doesn't seem to make any difference. The tires are Goodyear conquest and have about 22,000 miles on them. I hate to buy new tires because the ride and handling is so smooth at other speeds. Any suggestions?

jkopec · September 1999

I have a new '99 PA which had vibration problem above 65 mph. My dealer re-balanced all 4 tires which improved but did not eliminate. Dealer did nothing upon 2nd visit saying they didn't notice.

I contacted Goodyear consumer relations off of their website. They had me take the car to a local GOODYEAR OWNED (not franchised) store. They replaced one of the Conquest tires which was out of round, however, vibration was still noticeable. The store manager then personally "matched" balanced all 4 wheels. That seems to have solved my problem. The roundness (or out-of-roundness) of the tire is matched to the roudness of the wheel for optimum balance.

This Goodyear owned store does not perform on-the-car wheel balancing and feels its not as accurate. I also have a friend who is an engineering manager at Goodyear's Tech. Center and they don't subscribe to on-the-wheel balancing. Goodyear says they're not aware of a nationwide problem with their tires on Buick PA's. Since there are many postings regarding this issue, everyone should notify Goodyear too.

bezantr · October 1999

Any car in the class and price range of a Buick Park Avenue should NOT have vibration problems. If the Japanese can do it right, why can't GM?

bprange66 · October 1999

I have a 97 Park avenue that ran smoothly for 23,000 miles. I rotated the tires every 7000 miles. At 23000 miles I took it to the dealer and he rotated and balanced the tires and my troubles began. The dealer balanced the tires 3 times with poor results, he then sent me to a local well regarded tire shop with poor results. I then had the tires balanced with strobe light equipment on my own. Again no luck. The dealer then sent me to a goodyear dealer who did better job but the vibration continued. I then had the tires moved back to their original positions and the car seem to do ok. I am going to wear the tires out with no more rotations. Then I will either buy new tires or trade the car. This problem became extremely agravating. A car this expensive should not have this kind of problem.

I recently bought a new Hundai Sonata GLS V-6. My wife and I were surprised at how smooth and quiet this car is and it cost about 12 or 13 grand less then the Park Avenue.

crabtree · October 1999

Hi,

I am giving serious consideration to the '00 PA and like most everything about it, but I have one very big concern: The design of the seatbelts.

I am very skeptical about having my 250lb frame dependent on the seatback frame for keeping me in position in an accident. This new design seems as dopey as having the seat belt upper attachment mounted to the door frame like several previous GM designs, "St. Peter: Oh, I'm sorry, you were killed when your door popped open and you flew out. Opps". To me the "B" pillar has to be one of the strongest support members in the entire chassis and I'd rather have my belt firmly attached there than on the seat. I have looked through NHTSA and IFHS and Consumer Reports and there is no data available about crash worthiness on the PA. Anybody have any info about this type of seatbelt mounting?

Thanks

crabtree · October 1999

Hello,

I have a theory about manufactured goods which I call the "Peas in a pod syndrome" The theory goes that anything made in a series will exhibit the same problems throughout the series. I tested a 00' PA this afternoon and was amazed that this brand new Ultra with only 30 miles had the same 65mph vibration that has been talked about in this string. I asked the salesman about this and he admitted that they have had some problems with vibrations on PA's. Other than that my overall impression of the car was good. It was very quiet and pretty potent. It's definitely one of the roomiest cars we have seen. It's huge. I still don't like those seat belts #11 above. The PA is on our short list of possibilities.

JC

bob31 · October 1999

I have 98 park ave ultra with gran-touring suspension. I have 17000 miles on it now and have had the tires rotated twice but not rebalanced because I have never had a vibration problem. I have had 3 other ultras 92 94 & 96. They all had vibration at high speeds but not severe. The 98 is the first one that never vibrated and the only one that I have not rebalanced the wheels on. On the 96 the vibration went away after the first rotation but came back on the second.

bob31 · October 1999

I ran out of space on the above post. I started getting a vibration when braking at high speeds on my 98 ultra. The dealer took it in and replaced the front rotors in 30 minutes and said there has been aproblem with the rotors.Hope this information is helpful.

neckhardt · October 1999

Just to talk about the quality of the old PAs, I own a 1993 PA Ultra. It has 158K miles on it, and I expect it to go 250K. I have had very little maintenance on it, just replaced the rear breaks last month, NEVER replaced any exhaust components (which is saying something up here in salt land). We also own a 99 Catera but prefer to drive the old PA on long trips. I change the oil when the computer says to (about every 5k+ miles, and the engine burns 1/2 qt of oil between changes. I can't ask for more than than.

gk3 · October 1999

I am experiencing excessive road noise (more so at higher speeds) and rough ride on a '99 Buick Park Ave Ultra w/ Gran Touring Package, just purchased new. So far, the wheel alignment has been checked and tires have been balanced. Any similar experiences? Suggestions? Thanks...

daprof · October 1999

Last month, I traded in my '87 PA on a '99 Ultra. The '87 was a joy to drive. The '99 fights me all the way. I've had it back to the dealer twice for front end alignment and adjustment. I think it still steers too hard, but at least they eliminated the pull. I hear there is a "power steering gain control" and I think the dealer has to turn it up a bit to match the handling on my old car.

bob31 · October 1999

To daprof.The power steering on new ultras are dealer programmable magnetic variable-effort. I don't know exactly how they do this or if they charge for this but you should ask your dealer. As I have mentioned before I am driving my fourth supercharged ultra and this 98 is just great on the road. Last year I went on a 5000 mile trip thru the southwest from Chicago and this car was just great.

afeeney · October 1999

I have put Goodyear Aquatreads on my 87 and my 93 PA (93 was an Ultra) and I have had no tire problems. The car while not a cornering monster handle pretty well and rides like a charm. Take the car to a Goodyear Dealer and have some good tires put on it. I think you will be amazed. I also had these kind of tires on my 87 PA and they too made a whale of a difference. I originally purchased my 93 used, noticed the tires being out-of-round and took it to Goodyear. It was a good decision. No road vibration.

tatwan · October 1999

How many of you folks have pop your trunk lit open and wind up banging your head into it when loading?

It is really ashamed to have a luxury car like the Ultra and not have a trunk lit that will stays up after you pop it open. I would hope that GM would recall this vehicle to install a mechanical system that will keep the trunk lit up for safety purposes.

koalo · October 1999

am planning on buying pa ultra.would like any comments on2000

daprof · October 1999

I took advice of bob31 and had dealer adjust power steering sensitivity. Car handles fine now. But it took three trips to dealer to get front end problems cleared up. Buick should QA their cars better before delivery, I think.

gk3 · November 1999

I would personally advise against such purchase. I own a '99 PA Ultra; also have ridden in a 2000 PA Ultra...essentially the same car. Vibration, road noise, would not negotiate turns well and a number of other problems I have experienced with the car. One would expect much more from that type of car, in that price range. I am sure you'll find much better built cars for that amount of money or even less money...always in my opinion.

bob31 · November 1999

I would absolutely advise getting a 2000 park ave ultra, with gran touring suspension. The 2000 also has stabiltrack.I own a98 ultra with gran touring and it makes a big difference in how.. the car handles. This is my fourth ultra. My first did not have grantouring and I know what gk3means. There is a big difference in a regular park ave and the ultra.Make sure you take it for a test drive at 70mph.I have not had a vibration but the gran touring picks up more road feel than the standard suspension. The only problem I have had with this car is the drivers window switch spring broke. The highway gas mileage has been very good on long drives. I am ready for another one this spring. good luck.

bob31 · November 1999

I forgot: I have had one other problem. When braking at about 70mph I felt a vibration in my steering wheel but not at speeds below. Buick replaced the front rotors under warranty. They warped and nobody could tell me why.

gk3 · November 1999

Re: Msg # 21 & # 23 (koalo)
***************************

Supplemental info...My '99 PA Ultra does have the Gran Touring package and so did the 2000 PA Ultra, as options in both. The Stabilitrak is included as standard equipment in the 2000 model only (but has nothing to do with the vibration or road noise, or lack thereof).

koalo, you might find it helpful to browse back and see what others also had to say on the subject, before you decide. You might find it rather disappointing, that the input and comments offerred are for the most part of negative nature...

bigbuick · November 1999

I recently bought a 99 Ultra. I had to look through 10 cars, both Y2K and 99 models before I could find one where the hood lined up with the fenders (the hood sat 1/8" lower than the fendors). Interesting enough, the dealer said the hoods are not adjustable, and that just had a "bad batch" of these cars. Has anyone else noticed these body defects?

erin19 · November 1999

I'm planning on buying a new 99 sentra but I'm not sure how much I should pay for it. A dealership here in Hawaii said that I could have a 99 sentra GXE (automatic) for 13,500. Is this good? How much should I be able to get a GXE for... and also an SE-L ?? I'm not quite sure which one I want. Thanks! : )

kruse4 · November 1999

I have changed tires already on my car and still have a problem with vibration, after I changed my tires the new good years seemed okay, until I had them rotated and balanced and then, I was back where I started I had only 16000 miles when good year tires cupped now I have regatta's and after rotaion and balance guess what problems again at high speed. Help is appreciated I also have a problem with the trans shifting hard at 45 and 65 it sorta jerks they cant find a problem Help

harleybill · November 1999

Has anyone had any problems with the supercharger on the PA. Will lt go high miles without expensive repairs?

seven9 · November 1999

I often transport up to 4 people with developmental disabilities. I have a 94 Toyota Corolla Wgn. and would like a car with auto trans., heated seats and as many goodies as I can get for the money. A nice solid car sounds good to me about now. I am looking at a 97 Park Ave. "loaded with almost every option available at the time," just under 44,000 miles, returned lease car asking $19,999, I think I can get it for less. Of course I would have a mechanic look at it first and get an extended warranty (the one thru Edmunds sounds good). But another dealer has a "new" year end Regal GS with the GS pkg. (sunroof,leather,heated seats) salesman says I can get it at "cost"; of course I know retail but but would this be a good deal, since so many posts in the conference talk about getting 00 at a hundred or two about retail and I would be looking at a year old car, (full warranty sounds good to me tho,) , forgot to mention the 1,500 rebate or low financing available on the Regal. I haven't bought a car since buying my Toyota new so I am not sure of all the pros and cons of this deal; any information, input, or advice would be greatly appreciated. I liked the solid bigness of the Park Ave. but noticed a lot of you owners don't seem happy with your cars. Thanks!

rbart · December 1999

I'm in the market for a replacement vehicle and have been looking at a 1999 PA that is listed as a "GM Company Buick". According to the info I have, the car is supposed to have less than 700 miles on it (but I haven't verified that) and is loaded with goodies such as a electric moon roof, traction control, the GT Package, Prestige Option, concert sound speakers, heads-up display, radio/cassette/CD, full leather, etc. MSRP with destination charges is listed at $36,983. Asking price on this vehicle is listed at $26,995. Comments? Good? Bad? Would appreciate replies ASAP

joseph30 · December 1999

I bought my 94 PA brand new at the tender age of 32. My friends all made fun of me for buying an old man car. That car was the best money spent. I currently have 111,000 miles on it. I replaced my brakes at 81,000 and my tires lasted until 75,000. My battery just went out last winter and I've gone thru two alternators. I have the Grand Touring/SE package. I love this style both inside and out. This is one great car. Unfortunately, the new models inside and outside don't do nothing for me. I'm hoping that this lasts me until Buick comes out with something appealing again. I'm a third generation PA owner (actually older models were the Buick 225 & 225 Limited). I'd hate to break tradition and buy something else. Buick can you hear me?

ogreeson · December 1999

I have a 98 Ultra with 22,000 miles which came with the OEM Goodyear tires and had a very annoying vibration in the 60 to 70 mph range. Balanced tires, rotated and even replaced the Goodyears with very little improvement if any.

Finally replaced all 4 tires with Michelin "All Season Rain Force" MX4 P225/60 R16 and all vibrations disappeared. It would appear the problems originated with the Goodyear tires. Even though I had almost 17,000 miles on the Goodyear tires I only paid the difference and Buick paid the rest.

Obviously I am now a true believer in Michelin!!

boat4 · January 2000

THIS IS SORT OF LATE, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF YOU PURCHASED THE '99 PROGRAM CAR AS MENTIONED IN YOUR POSTING #33. I'VE DRIVEN BUICKS SINCE '72 AND IF I COULD FIND A DEAL AS YOU SAY, I WOULD JUMP ON IT WITH ALL FOURS AS FAST AS I COULD!!!!(SIGHT UNSEEN). I HAVE A 2000 ORDERED AS I POST THIS STREAM NOW. (LOADED). HAD SERIOUSLY BEEN LOOKING AT THE NEW 2000 LIMITED LaSABRE, BUT INCENTIVES ETC, ETC. YOU CAN PURCHASE THE PA JUST ABOUT AS CHEAP. I HAVE A '97 PA WITH 43000 MILES AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL TRIPS BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ROTOR REPLACMENTS AND TURNINGS. NOW ON 4th SET OF ROTORS ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AND ROTATED AS NEEDED BUT HAVE GOTTEN PRETTY GOOD WEAR OUT OF THE GOODYEAR CONQUEST TIRES. I'M STILL A YOUNG GUY, BUT I STILL LIKE THE BIG BUICKS. HAVE A '65 ROADMASTER SITTING IN THE GARAGE WHICH I CALL MY SUNDAY DRIVER!!!!!(FROM MY DAD) WHO WAS ALSO A BUICK MAN.

fjv4333 · January 2000

I also have same with goodyear conquest tires. In my opinion these tires have a annoying whine which changes pitch according to the speed. Do you experience a floating and soft ride? I do and wonder if replacing the tires with Michelin or another tire would help stiffen up the ride

boat4 · January 2000

I also had the same problem and I just quit worring about it, at least they didn't shake me to pieces like some other tires will do. All the Parks have a musshy ride without the Gran Touring Package (which I do not have), but the next one will have it. I think if you were to put Michelin's on the car you would have a better ride, but I don't think they will stiffen the ride any. You probably would have to change to a heavier(stiffer shock) on all four corners for that to happen.(use the ULTRA shocks). Best of luck! ! ! !

bob31 · January 2000

Has anyone noticed that on the Buick web site the prices for park avenues went up recently.

manteo · February 2000

To bigbuick, Just joined this party and saw your post. The hood IS adjustable. The front is adjusted by the stops and the rear at the hinges.I have a 99 PA that I got used and have no complants, well maybe the payments.

macarthur2 · February 2000

A Buick dealer recently told me that they are not selling as many Park Avenues since the new LeSabre came out. He said the main difference is 5 inches of length which is mostly in the trunk. He says you can get a very decked out LeSabre Limited for under 30k. Same engine, transmission and almost all the options are the same. It's something worth looking at.

whoppie · March 2000

I was interested in buying a pre-owned 1997 or 1998 PA, until i read all the postings about this car. I'm really disappointed right now! I kind of fell in love with this car, and i'm just tried of driving 4x4's! To add on to that,i looked at all the info about the PA on the NHTSA website! Still, i feel the PA(ultra)is for me. So check this out, if i have a mechanic inspect the car, and buy an extended warranty(not necessarily from the dealer)would the PA be a smart buy? I live in milw,wi and i'm noticing a quite few PA's sitting on the Buick Dealers lots. Of course i would shopping around for the best price, and i would show them the research i've done on this car(not that they care,cuz salesmen don't!) Or just be honest with me, should i just bypass this car? Could you please help a brotha out! Any positive or negative responses in regards to this posting is welcomed. Oh yeah, all the PA's i've looked at have less than 30,000 miles of the odometer. I'll check back later. Thanks!

Ps. Edmunds or whoever, thank you for this EXCELLENT website!!!

whoppie · March 2000

I was interested in buying a pre-owned 1997 or 1998 PA, until i read all the postings about this car. I'm really disappointed right now! I kind of fell in love with this car, and i'm just tried of driving 4x4's! To add on to that,i looked at all the info about the PA on the NHTSA website!(Whoa!) Still, i feel the PA(ultra)is for me. So check this out, if i have a mechanic inspect the car, and buy an extended warranty(not necessarily from the dealer)would the PA be a smart buy? I live in milw,wi and i'm noticing a quite few PA's sitting on the Buick Dealers lots. Of course i would shopping around for the best price, and i would show them the research i've done on this car(not that they care,cuz salesmen don't!) Or just be honest with me, should i just bypass this car? Could you please help a brotha out! Any positive or negative responses in regards to this posting is welcomed. Oh yeah, all the PA's i've looked at have less than 30,000 miles of the odometer. I'll check back later. Thanks!

Ps. Edmunds or whoever, thank you for this EXCELLENT website!!!

trenham · March 2000

Whoppie,

I bought a 1998 Park Avenue Ultra factory program car with 4000 miles on it, and currently have 28,000 miles on the car. It has been as reliable as the VW Jetta that the Park Avenue replaced. All cars will have some problems, I have had none of the problems listed above in the posts. I notice that in reading posts about the various cars and trucks on this site and in use groups, that very rarely will people take time to post something good about a car, but they will post problems they have. Kind of like the old treat a customer well and they will tell one other person, treat them bad and they will tell ten other people (and probably exaggerate as well).
I have thoroughly enjoyed my Park Avenue Ultra, it rides great, accelerates like a banshee, is quiet and comfortable, has room for friends, family and customers and still gets an average of 24.5 MPG in mixed driving. Is it a boy racer? No, but you wouldn't expect it to be.

Use the Edmund's site, shop diligently, and then enjoy your Park Avenue!

manteo · March 2000

Yes, Whoppie, there is a Santa and he drives a Park Avenue! I found a 99 PA for 20 grand last Dec. I have really enjoyed this car. I didn't want a ultra because it needs premium fuel and the PA don't. But if you don't mind high gas prices, go for the ultra. Since you live up north you might want traction control. By the way, on a trip I average around 32 mpg highway. Beat that with some Japmobile.

fwideman · April 2000

Have 85,000 miles. No problem other than replacing front breaks and tires. Also had a leaking water pump that had to have replaced. This seems to be a common problem. I love this car but it is leased and have to pay $3000 penalty. Would just as soon buy for residual price of $17,500 and drive for another 85,000 miles. Any advice on how many miles I can expect before I start having major problems?

bentwrench · April 2000

'97 Park Avenue- Recently experienced engine failure. Dealer found a cracked intake plenum, which allowed coolant to enter cylinders, causing valve damage. Required valve job and new plenum. Fortunately I have a 75000 mi extended warranty and had 73000 mi at time of failure. Dealers maintenance staff were quite vague when I asked if this failure is common or if I might expect other problems caused by this. ( I believe the plenum is not metal but a kind of plastic) Anyone know if this failure is common? Could other damage have been done which I will have to face after the warranty expires? I am debating whether to sell the car and what to buy.

edvosburgh · April 2000

I just bought a 1991 Park Avenue from a neighbor who had driven it 94K miles. Mechanically it seems perfect. The finish looks like one of those "acid rain" cars, and the clear coat was deteriorated in an area about 2 square feet. The fabric beside the back window has rotted, but otherwise the interior shows almost no wear and tear.

I like the quiet ride, but maybe it'll need new front struts before long. The engine is like new!
The car has Michelin X tires, and I expect if past experience is any guide I'll probably never have to replace them as long as I own the car.

I paid near retail which was probably a bit much, but the satisfaction of owning a really luxurious car that is all paid for is comforting.

chinckley · April 2000

I am considering purchasing a Park Avenue Ultra. I like the power of this engine but am hesitant about the cost of using premium gasoline recommended by Buick. Is it really necessary to use premium? What are the consequences of using a lower grade gasoline?

macarthur2 · April 2000

Yes, the engine has a supercharger and this makes it require premium.

bikerken · April 2000

I've had my '94 Ultra for over 4 years now, and have never run premium grade. The only consequence that I am able to detect is maybe some knocking, but that doesn't happen very often. The supercharger seems to function great whenever I need it. It had 33K when I brought it, and now has over 91K, and runs like a top.

desertrat5 · May 2000

We just traded our 99 Park for a 2000 Ultra. Other than the obvious differences, the Ultra seems quieter and more like a bank vault than the Park. I hope someone from Buick is reading this because I have a hard time understanding such a good car with
1. A huge cover/door for a miniature glove box - the owners manual won't even fit
2. A huge cover/door for the front ash try which is full after three sticks of gum.

Other than those minor gripes, we love the car. I wish they would offer a selectable suspension - even with the Grand Touring, the car is too softly damped if one takes advantage of the engine on some of Arizona's more windy and undulating roads.

If the mileage on the highway is as good as the Park, it will be outstanding. I was able to get 28-30 mpg on I10 between LA and Phx with the Park and that was with air and moving with the traffic.

We are experiencing a groaning sound from the front when turning hard to the right at low speed. Doesn't happen when turning to the left. Has anyone else experienced this?

Bob in Glendale, AZ

Buick Park Avenue

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