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Comments
I think it may have something to do with the brakes. It only seems to appear while or just after breaking and never while accelerating.
I'm taking it back in next week and will let you know if I learn anything.
1992 Park Ave Ultra with 63000 miles. for around 8995, or a 1993 Buick LeSabre with 68700 for around 6995.
All the sites I look at tell me whate current model year prices are or what a used vehicle is worth now.
The electric windows in front wail in pain when rolled up...but that's the way they sounded a year after purchase so the car has trained me to ignore its protest. I painted the vehicle its original color at the 8 yr. mark.
Original price of 17.4K has made this car a very attractive 12 yr. ownership. The reason that I'm seriously looking at the Lincoln LS is to change that which has been a similar interior package over the years with little if any real substantive change.
In closing I can honestly say that this Buick's record will be very difficult to beat in trouble free service and reliability in "Body By Fisher" comfort.
Switching to Ford? Hopefully not a mistake.
Mike M.
My wife's 95 Park Avenue (58K mi.) recently noted a "fan-like" whirring sound every time it's started. The noise continues for about 5 min. & then shuts off. Had the oil changed this morning and discovered the noise is coming from what looks like a small compressor directly behind the driver's side headlights. Every start, it comes on and runs fo 5 min. or so. The grease-monkeys at the oil change place said they thought it was the pump for the suspension but that it shouldn't run that long...Any ideas would be appreciated.
I also read HERE where some of you have found tire solutions. One name (and only one name) that comes up is "MICHELIN." wakeup!!!
The other solutions are a fancy/expensive tire balance. I guess if your tires are good enough to try a fancy balance then go for it. I see a few successful solutions with this method also.
I talked with a Service Manager at a GM Dealership, here in Forest Lake, MN and he also advised me to put on Michelins. That also has been his solution to most vibration problems that he has been faced with. (including Cadilacs) He told me that GM has been trying to make some of their cars ride softer and we are now faced with this tire vibration problem as a result. It seems that there are some tire brands out there that do not work well with some GM cars. Cadilac is also having some of the same problems. I guess it all has something to do with the newer designs of the frames and suspensions. (and some tires, for some unknown reason)
I would like to hear some feedback from some of you that have found some success with this problem and/or if it has come back to haunt you.
Other than that, I totally love the car. I just bought it and am glad to have found here on this site some solutions to this annoying problem. Thats what it is all about!!!
That said, I like the rest of the car enough that I am willing to put up with the hassle of keeping it smooth.
I really like this vehicle. I traded in a loaded 97 Yukon with 41000 miles on it for the Parke. I was tired of paying the extra money for gas every time I filled up at the pumps.
I was told this from my service manager at a Buick/GMC Dealership whome also worked at a Cadilac Dealership for some years and has seen many of the same problems. He has also worked for many years at a Goodyear Dealership and he is very aware of the situation.
This is my third P.A. and is the best yet.
During my 60 years as a driver I have owned and driven hundreds of cars including foreign makes and have read countless reviews and road tests
In my experience the foreign cars were never as good as the reviews and the domestic products were almost always far better than the reviews.
Friday night (12/08) I was at the movies with a friend of mine. Moments after starting the car to leave it was determined that my car is on fire! It burnt most of the upper rear portion of the engine block area; the rear half of the intake manifold (or engine) shroud burnt away also. I’m afraid a great deal of that plastic/chemical smell is now entrenched in my interior. One of the firemen had told me, with a qualification he was not trying to be bias in any way, “they” will try to tell me anything but two things would be for sure. He said the car in all probability would never be the same electrically (something about heat traveling along wires) and the smell would always be there.
The reason I’m on here with this story is that I’m looking for someone that has had a similar incidence as mine and could give me some feedback as to the details of their experience.
Thanks in advance for any help.
P.S. I’m am posting this in a number of sedan areas to try and get as much response/help with this as I can, I apologize for any inconvenience it may cause.
Also, I was told by dealer that I have to lock the car by the particular remote #1 or #2 so the car "knows" that that particular driver is finished using car before the other driver presses unlock on the other remote. (Sounds crazy to me.) Any thoughts, advice, solutions or similar experiences??
Is there a way to disable the auto-lock feature when the automatic transmission is shifted into "Drive"? I drive a Ford pickup, and I know there's a way to do it for those.
Sorry if this topic has been answered previously.
1) If vehicle has memory seats, make sure you use his key fob to unlock the door
2) Press and hold "ENG MET" button for approx 5 seconds. There should be a message that says "Welcome to Buick Personalized features menu"..or something similiar
3) Keep hitting RESET button until there is a choice that says door locks in gear..press ENG MET to change the setting.
4) ENG MET makes a change. RESET goes to next option.
Hope that helps
I am planning to replace my '90 Grand Marquis this year and could consider a preowned recent Park Ave (not Ultra for premium gas reasons). Other alternatives are the recent Bonneville, LeSabre, Impala (this has been my favorite to date) and possibly Aurora.
Having reviewed the prior postings here and elsewhere it is interesting that this board is not very active - may mean few complaints here or simply less interest in the Edmunds forum in this car category.
Other than the tire vibration issue, are there other common problems to look for? I see LeSabres have battery/alt and windshield seal problems. Impalas have suspension issues, etc. How is the road noise with this car? Is the std suspension a typical Buick "Float" or has the new model been tightened up as the LeSabre is reported to be?
Comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Ken
Good luck and try the SYMMERTYS'
What has been your experience with 94's over 170,000 miles?
66000 miles on it.
Thanks.
PS: Please, please visit my Homepage (www.buickparkavenue.de.vu) and sign the Guestbook (only in German).
I have a some questions and I hope someone might be willing to take the time to address one or all:
1) I've read with interest about the vibration issue. I'm going to test drive both vehicles tomorrow and am grateful for the heads-up from this board on that issue. I will be very sensitive to it, I'm sure. The Ultra has the G'year LS tires and the PA the Conquests. The PA's tires look like they need to be replaced soon but I don't know what the "wear mileage" on the LSs and Conquests are - any ideas? Also, I like to run winter tires up here (Wisconsin) and I'm wondering whether anyone out there has run Michelin Artic Alpins (or a similar tires like Blizzaks or Hakapalitas) on a PA or Ultra? If so, what were your impressions, especially with respect to the vibration issues? Finally, are the Michelin Symetries a particularly quiet tire? Why might they be recommended over MX4Vs, for example?
2) I currently own a 97 Tahoe LT, which I do love in snow, especially with its Goodyear Wrangler AT/S tires (at a cost, though - four for 750 bucks - and that was a steal because I knew the guy at the Goodyear store - amazing tires in heavy rain, too). There also another one key difference b/w the Ultra and the PA I'm considering - traction control. I've also owned a 1992 Pontiac Bonneville SE since 1996 and haven't sensed the need for TC on that car (but maybe I just drive sensibly in the snow/ice/slush/rain). Any impressions, positive or negative about the TC on the Ultra/PA?
3) Does the Ultra run about as well using regular unleaded rather than premium? Part of the reason I want to dump the Tahoe is that I travel about 3k/month (2.5k highway miles) and 32 mpg/hwy sounds a lot better than the 15-17 I get now, but if want the Ultra, ultimately, I think the trade-off in reg v. premium costs will wipe out much of the difference in mpg. I have read that the Ultra will knock some if using regular. Any other issues?
4) Anyone ever have water leakage problems with a factory install Buick moonroof? I talked with the prior owner of the PA and he said the moonroof was installed at a local very reputable place. However, you can discern a difference between the factory and after market moonroofs because the factory one is absolutely flush with the roofline and the after market is not (I imagine that since the after-market roof is not flush it probably creates some more wind noise, too). I'm checking to see whether the after market moonroof comes with a lifetime no-leak warranty.
5) What's the reliability reputation for the auto climate control system? If any issues, do they tend to be inherently expensive to resolve?
6) Has anyone tried to obtain a sheepskin other kind of cloth-like seat cover for the leather BUCKET seats in an Ultra? If so, where did you find them and what kind of cost am I looking at? I don't particularly like leather seats because I tend to stick to them in the summer months, but I think I can deal with it if I have something to cover at least the driver's seat. My impression is that Buick leather is not very breathable.
7) What would be a fair price for the Ultra and/or the PA?
If you're kind enough to respond, thanks very much in advance for taking the time to do so. I've learned a great deal about the LeSabre/Ultra/PA models on this board and I sincerely appreciate people taking the time to contribute. I hope to do so in the future, too. FYI, I had been considering an Avalon but I'm just not willing to pay a premium price for a smaller car that's "up-spec'd" off the Camry chassis.
And, I agree with those who have posted on here saying that perhaps Japanese cars are not quite what CU and others want us to believe. Although I had to replace the tranny and brain box on the 1992 Bonne at about 145k, the per mile maintenance costs over the course of the 130k I've owned it so far are probably half that of the 1987 Mazda 626LX's comparable mileage which I eventually rode to 233k before I traded for the Bonne. The 3.8 V6 is just about bulletproof and you cannot argue with 32 mpg highway for such a roomy and comfortable vehicle. Compare that to the 31/hwy the Ford Focus is rated for and tell me which vehicle appeals to you more if you have to drive 25k highway miles per year?