Buick LeSabre

woodybuick · December 2000

Do you have an aftermarket alarm system tied into your key fob from buick? Those will have the autolock feature. If not, then you have a problem with the system. Under no circumstances should the power locks automatically lock with the key in the ignition save two ways. 1) You manually hit the lock button, or 2) You have your foot on the brake and shift it into gear. If nothing sounds familiar, take it into buick.

Jeff

keyrow · January 2001

I am currently in the market for a new car and am considering a Le Sabre and an Infiniti I30. I prefer an AMERICAN car but think the Japanese DO have an advantage when it comes to reliability. I would appreciate any info from those who have chosen the LeSabre over the I30 as I definitely prefer to "Buy American" where possible. BTW my name is Nasuta, a Japanese heritage, so I have no aversion to Japanese cars. I think the I30 is a viable competitor.

Thanks for your opinions,
Jim

dimkaz · January 2001

I am looking to buy a 94 LeSabre which supposedly has 38,000 miles on it. What are the problems with that model that I should be on the lookout for? Is 5500 a good price for that car?

Thanks.

tigercat21 · January 2001

Doesn't sound like too bad a price for the low milage and all. See if u can find out if milage was short run city type driving. Short runs, where engine never really heats up are much worst than milage that was put on by driving on interstates and such.Be sure to check all electronic stuff (door locks, windows, control for heater air cond., etc. ) they r very expensive to fix.You sound suspicious of milage so trust your instincts and have car checked out throughly by your own mechanic, its well worth it. good luck

xnab · January 2001

My 2000 Lesaabre custom with 16 inch wheels has 2000 miles on it. At first the General tires were out of round but the dealer trued them and that fixed that. At around town speeds (up to 50)the car is super smooth. At 60 to 70 miles an hour there is a high frequency vibration throughout the car ,steering wheel inccluded, that is more of a buzz at about engine rpm frequency. Definitely not wheel speed frequency
The dealer checked the motor mounts and found no problems and sent me home, even though the mechanic said he could feel it. Has anyone else experienced this. Any help or suggestions?
By the way, I understand there is a bulletin out on a wind noise problem caused be the driver side mirror(gasket or something) causes a KAZOO noise
Other than this the car has been great.

xnab · January 2001

The I-30 is undoubtedly a good option and a good car. A little more expensive and rightly so. I'm a retired engineer so I "analyzed" and drove a number of Lesabre competitors. For American cars, the Lesabre has a good reliability record(good engine) but in the end I bought the one that I felt good about. More about gut desire than pure critical analysis, or maybe a little of both. Don't buy a car you don't want.

nomurammichael · January 2001

I own a 89 Lesabre from brand new time. It has 121,000 miles with very little trouble except for the electronic gagets that breakdown every two years. The seat belt module, alternator voltage regulator module, Air Conditioner control assembly, etc. just fail without warning.

jkvccrc · February 2001

Anyone know the specs for this system? (Power, freq response, performance?)

vtech83 · February 2001

Back in late December, I found myself in need of a new car. I was planning on purchasing a new car anyway, so I had already driven several models and pretty much narrowed my choices down to the Chrysler 300M and the Lincoln LS. But just for the heck of it, I drove a 2001 LeSabre just to see what it was like. One test drive and a glance at the brochure were all I needed. I took delivery of a 2001 medium red LeSabre with the taupe interior and every option available except the engine block heater. Needless to say, I think this is one of the best cars Buick has ever made.

In comparing the other cars I was looking at, the 300M fell short of a few features that I liked in the LeSabre, such as dual zone climate control, rain sensitive wipers, heads-up display, driver side power lumbar support, three additional power outlets, and of course, OnStar. The LS was by far the most fun car to drive, but it felt cramped and didn't even come close to the storage areas found in the LeSabre.

So why the LeSabre, especially when I was looking at other sport sedans? Well, first off, Buick has built a handsome car in the new LeSabre. There is no mistaking the Jag-type lines all around. The car is sleek and all body components are well integrated. The interior is outstanding -- plenty of room, plenty of storage, plenty of gadgets, comfortable seats, and once again, very well integrated.

What sold me, though, was driving the car. The 3.8 Series II is deceptively quick. This thing will hit 60 in a shade over seven seconds. Passing on the highway is effortless. The Gran Touring suspension is worth every cent. I can toss this car around and it responds. The LeSabre may not be a sport sedan, and really isn't marketed to be one, but it comes close. It's a shame the supercharged engine isn't available on the LeSabre. Add that, some bigger wheels and tires, and a rear stabilizer bar and you've got a sport sedan. Plain and simple. Nonetheless, this thing is a great highway cruiser -- can't wait for the first long trip.

Every car has its little nuances and the LeSabre is no exception. The huge center console is great, but the cup holders get in the way of the ashtray and the small storage tray above it. The seats are comfortable, but with the Y56 suspension, the lack of lateral support is glaring. The stereo is basically OK, but it doesn't seem to fill the car with sound very well.

But overall, the LeSabre is a great value. I'll also get one additional thing with the LeSabre that I wouldn't get with the 300M or the LS - reliability. When it comes to American cars, Buick is the best. Can't argue with that. I actually considered the Bonneville, too, but in the end, it was a little too loud for me. I think that once my warranty is up, I might beef up the LeSabre a little. The Bonneville and LeSabre are based on the same chassis, so hopefully I won't have many problems putting some of the Bonneville parts onto the Buick. Should be fun!

If anyone is considering a new car, give the 2001 LeSabre an honest look. Power, handling, smooth ride, comfortable interior, reliability. What more could you want.

Any replies would be great. This forum doesnt seem to get many responses. Ill do my part to keep it going.

- vtech83

tpken · February 2001

Best wishes for years and miles of safe and enjoyable driving.

I presume you have the Limited model based on your description above - yes it is truly a wonderful automobile and certainly one of GM's best success stories ever.

I have the '00 Bonneville SE model (see my pic on the Bonneville 2 forum and in the "Showcase Your Car" section of "News and Views". The bucket seats and console were items I really wanted this time around and the styling is a bit more assertive IMO - otherwise the LeSabre would have been on my list too.

If you have a digital camera or access to a scanner, put some pics up for us - I'd love to see that car. Keep us informed on your experiences It's good to see some activity here - the car is so darn reliable that there just aren't a lot of complaints that seem to drive the other forums.

Ken

vtech83 · February 2001

You are correct - I have the LeSabre Limited model. It literally has everything except the engine block heater. It also has one other nice little touch. I had the dealer swap the wheels and tires with a Park Avenue that had chrome wheels. What a difference! Chrome wheels on a dark red car. It looks stunning.

Actually, my LeSabre does have bucket seats, if you want to call them that. Technically, there are two separate seats with the huge console in the middle. It doesn't have a bench seat with the fold-away console. It would be nice if they were REAL bucket seats, though. They're a little flat and don't any lateral support, but they are firm and comfortable. Are you listening, Buick?

I'll get some photos up soon. Just got done putting some Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze and #26 High-Tech Yellow Wax on it. WOW!

Enjoy the Bonneville. I actually like the SE model the best; the other two just look too cheesy.

tpken · February 2001

I love the look of my Bonnie SE and agree that the SLE and SSEi are visually overdone. The SSEi boys over at Bonneville 2 will disagree - to each his own!

I'd forgotten about the individual seat option on the Limited - if they had only put in a nice console with shifter - perhaps like the Aurora (or better yet - an old Wildcat!) - man what a nice set up that would be!

Those chrome wheels must be gorgeous - can't wait to see your pics.

Ken

fordnightmare · February 2001

Vtech 83, If you don't mind, what kind of price did you pay for the LeSabre? Is the 3.8 still an iron block and head setup?

Thanks..

perr35 · February 2001

HAS ANYONE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CAR BOTTOMING OUT IN FRONT END ON CITY STREETS. MY CAR DOES OFTEN ON CHICAGO STREETS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TWICE THEY SAY THE STRUTS ARE WORKING PER DESIGN, NO PROBLEMS OR LEAKS. I AM UNHAPPY WITH THIS AN I'M LOOKING TO REPLACE THE FRONTS. THE PROBLEM IS I CAN NOT FIND AFTERMARKET STRUTS FOR THIS CAR. I TALKED TO THE PATRS DEPT. AND THEY CHECKED OTHER APPLICATIONS TO SEE I THEY WERE COMMON WITH EARLIER LESBRE'S AND THEY ARE ONLY FOR 00-01 LESABRE, BONNEVILLE,AROURA&DEVILLE. IT ALSO APEARRS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE STRUT # FOR ALL THESE APPLICATION,LOOKS LIKE ALL THEY DO IS CHANGE SPRING RATES & SWAYBARS FOR DIFFERENT SUSPENSIONS. THE ZONE ALSO TELLS ME THEY GO BY WHAT THEIR DEALERS SAY & AND STATE THEY HAVN'T HEARD OF COMPLAINTS. ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL. I AM HAPPY WITH 99% OF THE CAR AND HOPE I CAN RESOLVE THIS ALSO. I HAVE 26'500 MILE UP TO NOW AND VERY FEW PROBLEMS.

vtech83 · February 2001

Hey Fordnightmare:

Basically, I paid cost for the car, about $30,000. I knew the guys at the dealership, so there was no haggling over price or anything. They actually had to get the car from another dealership with the color and options I wanted; otherwise I might have saved another $500 or so. Oh well.

The 3.8 is pretty much the same pushrod, cast-iron engine they've had for decades now. Pushrods may be living a short life span, but they still work and GM has been making this engine better and more reliable as the years go by.

Here's a link to the 3.8 specs from gmpowertrain.com.

Good luck.

- vtech83

http://www.gmpowertrain.com/engines_cartruck/other/38l36_main.htm

jimsxn · February 2001

I am 36 and my other car is a Honda Civic which too I love.
I bought a 1994 LeSable Ltd last month for two reasons; it has one of the best reliability records (period) and I could get one for C$ 7,300 (taxes included).
Now that I have been driving it for about a month, my admiration for the car has actually grown. It's one tough car..with a very strong chassis and a responsive engine. I drive it like I drive my civic and the car responds. Ofcourse, the turning radius is long and the V6 just gulps the gas. By the way, my LeSabre is giving me 16 litres to a hundred km..is it too high? I drive fifty km both ways in traffic.
This car is absolutely comfortable and is fun to drive (I guess I am the only one making that claim). Also, it is much more stable in the snow than my Civic.
Any suggestion on making it even more fun? I can't afford to add a super charger mainly because then it will need premium.

vtech83 · February 2001

Jimsxn:

Supercharger would be the best way to boost performance, but it will run you probably over $5000 to get the unit and have it installed. And you're right, you'll probably need the good stuff to keep the engine from knocking.

Some other things you could do: switch to a K&N air filter, install a 180 degree thermostat, and look at some type of performance exhaust system. One little catch with all of this, especially the exhaust. It could screw up your computer. Cars don't seem to be very much fun to work on anymore.

I don't know if your LeSabre has the Gran Touring package or not, but adding additional suspension components can make curves alot more fun. Check out the Bonneville forum; LeSabre and Bonneville have pretty much been based on the same chassis for decades now. I'm certain that some of the Bonneville parts should fit on the LeSabre. Spring for some bigger wheels and tires, too. You can't imagine how better your car will handle with the right set of lower-profile rubber.

Good luck.

- vtech83

rbadan · February 2001

I sat in a friend's new 2001 LeSabre and noticed that the seatbelts were different than those in my cars (Mercury Sable and Honda Odyssey).

The LeSabre's belts are 2 separate belts tied into the buckle tongue with 2 retractors. The lap belt was too tight for me to buckle comfortably.

I don't have this probblem in my cars which have the seatbelts with 1 retractor on the door pillar and a continuous loop for the seatbelt.

Two questions:
1) Do all recent GM cars have the type of belts used on the LeSabre
2) Does anyone know if Buick sells seat belt extenders and how long they are?

Thanks for the info.

jimsxn · February 2001

Appreciate your advice.
One more issue I would like to seek advice on is the cloud of white smoke given out by my '94 LeSabre in the morning. As the car heats up, it comes back to normal. It has automatic climate control (is the engine working extra hard to bring the car up to the required temperature?). I bought this car emission tested from a dealer.

vtech83 · February 2001

I remember in going through the LeSabre owners manual that there are seat belt extenders available, I believe for free.

I know that most, if not all, GM full size cars now use this same type of seat belt. It's nice in that the seat belt stays in the same position when you move or recline the seat, but I've had problems too in finding complete comfort with these belts. My problem is that the seat belt rides too low over my left shoulder; it would be nice if you could adjust the height. I believe that the Park Avenue has this feature, but not the LeSabre.

- vtech83

jimsxn · February 2001

vtech83 - my '94 LeSabre has belt height adjuster..I am sure your's would have one too.

vtech83 · February 2001

jimsxn:

Nope. They don't have them. Kind of a pain, but no car is perfect.

- vtech83

woodybuick · February 2001

the 2000 and 2001 LeSabres do NOT have seat belt adjusters for height and the free extension will not change the comfort level on your shoulder. When buick went to the "All belts-to-seat" design on the LeSabre in 00, I believe it was a mistake not having adjusters on it. I only sell them, I don't build them though. The reason your 94 had them was because the seatbelts were tied into the car, not the seat. Having them tied to the seat is actually safer. The seat is designed to shift a small amount in a front end collision to help absorb some of the force. If the seat belt was tied to the car, you would be strangled by it. They also came with the "Catchers Mitt" seat. This is designed to have the side bolsters come in (kind of like a hug) during an accident to help hold you in the seat and protect you from the air bag. Because of this design, there was no room to put the motor in the seat for the seat belt adjuster. And now you have the rest of the story...good day! (I always wanted to do that!)

vtech83 · February 2001

Hey Woodybuick:

I was wondering what, if any, kind of latitude we have in modifying our cars and not void the warranty. I've been considering some suspension modifications and some larger wheels and tires. The LeSabre I have right now handles great with the Gran Touring Package, but a few tweaks here and there would really make a difference. I've been considering a larger and stiffer front stabilizer bar and one for the rear as well since it doesn't seem to have one.

Also, I was wondering about the stereo. I have copies of the service manual and I was looking through the stereo section, but I saw no mention of a seperate amplifier. It doesn't seem to show up anywhere in the wiring diagrams. I'm assuming that there is an amplifier in this thing somewhere; I didn't think that the actual head unit on the dash contained an amp at all. The stereo in the LeSabre is marginal at best; it could use some improvements too.

Let me know. Thanks.

- vtech83

chandler995 · February 2001

I'm the original owner of a '97 LeSabre Limited purchased in June 1997 (fully loaded w/Gran Touring, etc.) Car ran fine for almost 2 years. Then, just after the 3/36k warranty expired (around 39k miles), the tranny would slip at 55-60 mph and then bottom out. Buick dealer said it needed a new valve body and/or torque converter (at least $1200). Escalated to GM Regional rep to see if they would cover under a TSB or "secret warranty." Not helpful at all! GM offered only to pay for the part ($200) and nothing more. Needless to say, I took it elsewhere and had my friends (master mechanics)try to figure it out. We sequentially replaced torque converter,valve body,entire tranny, changed sparks and wire harnesses (which were fried at 39k miles!), computer control module, etc. After a few weeks the problem came back and continues to this day.
I obviously bought a lemon, and GM didn't care about customer goodwill. I usually keep my cars for 120+k miles or 7-10 years, mostly highway miles, and often get good $$ when I sell them. I'm a stickler for good maintenance and service intervals. But there's no hope for this car. It's a shame, as it's an attractive and comfortable sedan. However, this persistant tranny defect is unbearable. Now it's basically a manual transmisson, for lack of a better description. We will soon rid ourselves of this jinxed LeSabre. Has anyone had a similar problem with Buicks or other GM sedans with the 3800 engine??? Anyone seen the new Hyundai XG-300L (loaded "luxury" sedan from Korea)? I hear it's very well-received by former Camry and LeSabre owners.

tpken · February 2001

Thank-you for the info on that "Catcher's Mit" seat design. I have the '00 Bonneville SE which also has that seat per the brochure and I've wondered how it works. I understand that there is also a rear end collision function to the seat - I wonder if it's the same "hug" feature or something additional.

Thanks for your informative postings.

Ken

tpken · February 2001

That was such a great car in the 60's - all the power of the old 454 4 bbl coupled with a smooth automatic and fitted into a big chrome adorned highway cruiser. My favorite was a '68 silver coupe with black buckets and black vinyl top - a gorgeous chrome covered console really made the interior and those flashy road wheels (were they chrome too?) perfected the exterior styling. I can see that car today - brand new in the dealers showroom - remember opening the enormous door and settling into that comfortable power seat and looking out over the enormous hood past the Buick hood ornament - man what a day that was - and I was 12 yrs old and in love for the very first time (how appropriate for Valentine's Day).

Now wouldn't it be great if Buick brought that idea back on a specially optioned LeSabre - the performance package, the buckets and console, the supercharged 3800, special paint ( my choice would be the Royal Blue that Maxima offers on the 20th anniv edition). I tell you - I'd be ordering one of those babies in a NY minute.

What do you think?

Ken

vtech83 · February 2001

If you want to order one, you'll have to wait behind me first! I'll take mine in medium or dark red. If only GM would listen to their customers.

Someone asked me the other day if my LeSabre was a Jaguar. No kidding. He couldn't believe it was a Buick. Told me it looked like a big Jag S-type.

Pictures coming up soon.

- vtech83

teo · February 2001

Are the American Jaguar...really nice styling...enjoy your rides.

woodybuick · February 2001

Vtech, the only amp is in the head unit. No aux amp anywhere that I am aware of. And I know that there is 53 pounds of paint on the car! (I happen to know all the useless knowledge also)

tpken, you are very welcome. Yes, the catcher's mitt design helps out in rear end collisions.

Any other product knowledge questions, fire away. As far as service goes, can't help ya there..as I said before, I can sell 'em, not build 'em.

jimsxn · February 2001

What does it mean..it is on my 94 LeSabre.
Thanks.

vtech83 · February 2001

Well, that explains the subpar audio. Time to do some research about this. I need better tunes.

Fifty-three pounds of paint, huh??? With all the polish and wax I've added, I've probably got 70 pounds by now. I've been pretty lucky with the weather as far as washing my car goes. I always seem to find time to wash it at least once a week. I'll be glad when spring gets here, though.

- vtech83

woodybuick · February 2001

Dynaride is a phrase coined by Buick when they came out with their suspension system many many years ago. Basically, the struts have a separate valve in them that lets the plunger go into the strut housing a little further than most. This gives it a much softer feel compared to most other brands.

rwilcox · February 2001

GM issued bulletin 00-08-48-002 in Jan. 2001 telling the dealers how to correct this annoying
"hot weather" noise. The only problem is we won't
know until June or July whether it was effective.

jimsxn · February 2001

Appreciate your response. Tell me one more thing...How can I find out if my LeSabre (94 Ltd) has Y56 suspension. I bought it from a dealer who bought it as a trade in. Are these cars marked in some way?
Thanks.

rocketman71 · February 2001

I recently purchased a 97 Olds 88 LSS with the same 3800 engine and 4T60E transmission as you have. I no sooner drove it a couple of days when I noticed the surging under light throttle application just after the transmission went into lockup. Needless to say I was quite annoyed and didn't know what it was. I pulled it out of O/D and problem went away and noticed it didn't happen at heavier throttle or higher speeds. (mostly at 80-90 Km) 45-55 MPH.
I decided to talk to a very friendly and informative technician at the local Chev-Olds dealer and he new exactly what I was talking about. He then printed off the GM Service Bulletin #87-71-75 which describes my problem to a tee. It affects only 97 Buick Lesabre, Pontiac Bonneville and Olds 88 with the 3800 engine VIN K RPO L36 and Hydra-matic 4T60-E RPO M13. To fix the problem the valve body must be replaced with part #24212569 or 24212571 depending on specific model of your transmission. The part is $380 retail US or $580 Cdn. with $50/75 back for your core. The labour is very high due to the left front end you have to dismantle to get at it. By the way this was the last year for this version of the transmission as they later brought out the updated 4T65-E. What is actually happening is the bore for the valve that pressurizes the transmission fluid to lock up the converter was machined too large and as the miles get on the tranny the fluid bypasses the valve in the bore and causes the converter to come out of lockup. Immediately, the signal goes back to the valve to lockup and it is a continuous cycle of locking up and unlocking. Perhaps,I'm not sure, but at higher revs there must be more pressure to keep the valve pressurized. It is not unlike the inside a brake master cylinder where the brake fluid slips by the brake rubbers and your foot goes to the floor. In my car I can see the tach moving back and forth about 200 or 300 RPM indicating the change in revs and therefore the surging feeling. You can see the bulletin titles for your car on ALLDATA.com, which will indicate this surging condition. I also contacted GM and because there was no history of this condition by the previous owner while it was under warranty they "couldn't" do anything for me. They offered to set up a case to document my problem. - wasn't that big of them. It is an actual defect but they won't pay to fix. The technician told me it doesn't show up until approx 40,000 miles or so. They tried everything on a gentleman's car and nothing fixed it until they replaced the valvebody. The dealership here has had to do 4 of them.
I noticed this same problem on the Pontiac Bonneville forum. (#89 jm200),(#13) and one other (dated March 9,2000, I didn't keep the number)
I hope this gives you some useful info. I had just sold my 89 Park Ave for this 97 LSS which was an excellent car - kind of disheartening to to buy a newer vehicle and run into an expensive quirk like this. I am undecided at this point as to what I'll do but I like the car otherwise. This is a GM Hydramatic problem and not a Buick problem as such.
Rocketman71

vtech83 · February 2001

Time for the first oil change, so I thought I'd pass along an update on the LeSabre. The only real issue right now is a vibration right at 65mph; happens everytime. I did have a fight with a pothole about a month ago, so I'll have the alignment checked during the oil change.

And I'm sad to report my first body ding. I noticed a scratch on my driver's side mirror casing and upon further inspection, it's actually a crack. Goes all the way through the casing. It's a small crack right now, but it will probably grow over time. Had to have been someone in an SUV swinging their door open; a passenger car could not have hit the mirror like that.

What a great ride, though. I can't believe the punch this thing has, and without a supercharger no less. The 3800 really hits it's stride around 4000rpm and just keeps pulling. I did an impromptu 0-60 run the other night - just a hair over seven seconds. This thing is alot faster than advertised. When the warrenty runs out, I might have to see what this sucker is really capable of.

- vtech83

jimsxn · March 2001

This thing is a gas hog! I am getting 16 mpg on a 17 mile commute.

vtech83 · March 2001

Might need a tune up. How many miles are on it???

I'm getting about 20mpg on my commute; about half highway and half stop-and-go. That will probably get worse over the years, though.

Good luck.

- vtech83

woodybuick · March 2001

under the cover for the spare tire in the trunk is a list of all the options on the car. Or, if it has 16" tires, you got the gran touring. 15" tires is the dynaride suspension.

jimsxn · March 2001

Yes, I think that the engine requires tune up but I will have it checked out. Lot of white smoke in the morning could also be a symptom. The car has 85k miles on the odo.

Unfortunately, I only have a dynaride..not a Y56. But I will try to make up for it..somehow.

ezrapon · March 2001

good luck on changing anything on the radio. GM made it all but impossible to change any components. aLL CAR FUNCTIONS are tied up and go through the radio... it can not be replaced. On the new Bonneville, it does have a remote amp in the trunk and it operates on a 1 ohm system which means you can not add on speakers or amp... this sucks. If you find any solutions, please post them!

macarthur2 · March 2001

Does that apply to the 2000 model as well? I have the 16" tires and nice alloys but there was no mention on the window sticker of Grand touring suspension.

woodybuick · March 2001

Unfortunately, my formula doesn't apply on the 2000 or 2001 models. They had an option for 16" tires without the Y56. You will have to look under the spare tire cover for the option code. Or, another question I could ask is, do you have the aluminum lace wheel? They have a real nice wheel pattern with black paint on the inside of the "spokes". If you have these wheels, I doubt you have the Gran Touring. If you have brushed aluminum wheel, then you definitely have the Y56 suspension.

rwilcox · March 2001

Just rolled over 12000 miles on current trip to the Cheapeake Bay near Solomon Island MD. I've had two other Lesabres ( '86,92 ) and they have all been very good automobiles. The only problem with the current one has been some wind related noise which GM took care of. Gasoline mileage on this 375 mile trip was 27 thou the mountains increasing to an overall average 29 by the end of the trip. Mileage is 25/gal for my everyday use.
Consumer Report should rate this car much higher than what it does. It has too be a much better value than the Avalon which is $6000 higher in price.

kcwolfpack59 · March 2001

I am extremely satisfied with my 2000 Limited. Several posts ago I complained about some minor bugs which were fixed. The only bug which did not get fixed was the battery run down. this has not happened since Oct. I suspect my mom was leaving the key in the accessory position on, which is very easy to do in this model. I also disconnected the trunk light in case it was coming on with the lid closed. Has anyone else had this happen? The more I drive this car, the more I like it. I even compared it to a relative's new Town Car. The buick drives much better and is better engineered than the T/C. It is also way ahead of the 2001 top of the line Concorde which I recently drove. Those other cars may be more stylish, but I prefer the more conservatively styled Buick. It's a great car for long trips and a real pleasure to drive.

vtech83 · March 2001

Not many posts in this forum; that isn't surprising since alot of the other forums are folks complaining about their cars. Not much to complain about in the LeSabre!

The 3000 mile check went OK. Had a vibration above 65mph; turns out that one of the wheels was defective. Dealer replaced wheel and rebalanced all four tires just to make sure. No problems now.

The dealer also gave me a 97 LeSabre to drive while they worked on my car. It was a nice car, but truthfully, if that model style was still in production, I doubt I would have bought it. Buick's mission with the new 2000 LeSabre was to retain their customer base and bring in a new group of buyers. I believe that they have hit that objective right on the button. I guess I would consider myself a new group of buyer.

I have to admit that I'm sick of reading some of the editorial reviews about the LeSabre's interior. The common complaint is the "cheap, plasticky" interior. Give me a break! Most of the interior pieces in the LeSabre are covered with padded vinyl. The pieces that are plastic at least have the same texture as the padded ones, so the look is consistent.

Then of course, there is the "fake wood" complaint. Wood trim in any car, be it real or fake, is supposed to add a touch of class. In the LeSabre, I believe it works very well, especially with the Taupe interior. Who cares if it is real or not!

These people are always comparing every car on the market to Lexus, Mercedes, or BMW. If you want to drop $50,000 - $70,000 on a car that has real wood trim and perfect fit and finish everywhere, be my guest. I think the LeSabre, and the other G-body cars, are some of the best values on the market.

Happy driving everyone!

- vtech83

tpken · March 2001

Sounds like your enjoying your new LeSabre as much as I'm enjoying my Bonneville - 2 months now. I echo your sentiment of these cars being a terrific value. I've had a few minor things to fix on my car - in fact it goes in tomorrow for a new rear window to solve the defroster/radio problems. I'm driving to PA this Sunday - first lengthy road trip and can't I wait! The car rides like a dream on the highway - and I notice it is not buffeted in the wind anywhere near like my old flying brick Grand Marquis ( to say nothing of the flying cinder block 95 Suburban ). The interior is quiet ( no windshield kazoo noises in Bonneville ). The 3.8 is responsive and relatively thrifty - we'll see how the 400 mile trip down goes for gas mileage.

Great cars - these LeSabres and Bonnevilles. BTW - how is head room in yours with sunroof? Don't have one in mine but I can tell it would be a bit close.

Ken

oldsafficionad · March 2001

vtech 83, I am considering buying a 97 or 98 LeSabre. I noticed you mentioned in your above post you would not buy one if you had the chance. I am 19 and am wondering what your opinions are on this model. I need a car that will be reliable for me. MY dad's '96 Skylark has 90K miles without even a hiccup. Penny for your thoughts....

Thanks,

Jim

rmnixon · March 2001

I wanted to ask people's opinion on the LeSabre for my wife, son, and one on the way. The car gets great crash scores. The custom seems to comw with everything my wife "has to have". I have found a dealer that will sell me a used (2000) LeSabre for @ 17,500 with about 14K on the clock. He actually has several in different colors and they are all customs. I can't afford a minivan, but the Buick seemed liked a good choice. Thoughts?

Buick LeSabre

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