Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Buick Regal

1434446484967

Comments

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    My comment about X-Ones. Softer, I went from XH4s which lasted 115K on 93 LeSabre. Put X-ones on 98 LeSabre. Good grip for Middle Ohio snows. Not a digger type tread like XH4s, but rubber is stickier so does great in snow and packed snow and ice. The rubber stays supple at 10 degrees and below, while other tires become hard and noisier in cornering; Xs don't get that hardness, probably helping their grip in ice and packed snow at stop signs.
    Mine have worn about 2/32s in 40K. I am not a hot
    rodder.
    Only negative I've noticed is a tendency to slip from dead stop on wet pavement when turned, as in pulling out _quick_ at a stop sign to beat an oncoming car... When the tire's turned it tilts, less pressure must be on part of the tread.
    Tread is QUIET. Use lower air pressure and the ride is floating, but I run about 33 instead of 30 recommended.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • BushwackBushwack Member Posts: 258
    Last month I replaced the OEM Eagle LS tires on my GS with Yokohama Avid Touring (<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Avid+Touring&vehicleSearch=true&partnum=26SR6TOUR&fromCompare1=yes>).

    So far, I am truly please with how quiet these tires are. Good traction dry and wet. As for hard cornering, those teen-ager days are long gone. But when compared to Michelins & Bridgestones, the value on these tires were too good to pass on.

    Michelin's are good tires. But highly overpriced. There are better tires at there on a price vs performance ratio.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Yes, mine would come on it seemed only when the trunk had weight in it however it turned out to be a bad sensor located in the steering wheel bag itself which the dealer replaced under warranty.
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    My Mom just had to have the second pan gasket and third power window motor put on her 98 GS. She has now caught up with me and my 98 GS in terms of window motors but I am still a pan gasket ahead of her. Only her Gs only has 39k miles on it and mine has 86k. These two cars have been the worst for repairs. We both got extended warranties so the extended warranty companies have taken most of the beating. If you go back up the message list a ways you can find the laundry list of my repairs.

    I think I am buying a Honda next time.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    You need to read the Honda Accord Problems Part II and the Accord and Pilot topics here before you think a honda has some magic. It's all smoke and mirrors. They are real cars too.
    It comes down to the dealer and the service department.

    The accords have poor braking, grabbing, bad rotors, rattles, and auto trans problems. The pilot has strut and shock mount noises and other problems.

    Somebody just bragged that their I4 accord gets over 30 on the highway and 22 around town driving. My trip to Nashville in 03 LeSabre with 3800 at 75 + with air on gave 30.5 and 31.5 on return. Around town is 22. Returning from dealer Monday, the car gave 35 mpg on flat level road at 55mph.

    I'll take the comfort without the rough honda ride and snotty dealers, read the threads! They pay more, they have to have maintenance done at the dealer, and feel they've come out ahead.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    My wife finally got her '00 GSE back today. The dealer replaced the entire wiring harness for the passenger-side air bag sensor. The tech drove it home for 2 straight nights without a problem. They would NOT replace the ABS or the air bag modules. Said GM wants the simplest fix tried first, and if that doesn't work, they will replace the two modules. Anyhow, the air bag idiot light hasn't stayed on, and that's OK with my wife. If it starts to stay on again, she'll really be pissed.
  • BushwackBushwack Member Posts: 258
    <http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/spy_reports/2003/1/detroit_spy_report/>
     
    Apologies to all if this link has been previously posted. The link leads to a rendering of the upcoming 2005 Buick Regal coupe.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Anyone got some extra gum and paper clips I need to make some repairs to the interior of my Regal and want to use factory parts.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I think you must be mixing up the foreign cars, honda and toyo, with American brand cars. Check
    with your honda theads, accord problems PART 2 already cause they have some many problems.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    I have looked at the Honda Accord problems topics. I have talked to many people I know who own Hondas and most have nothing but good things to say including my parents who own an Odyssey. They bought an Odyssey because they were fed up with GM's poor quality. This 98 GS of mine has been by far the worst car I have ever owned. I am on a first name basis with everyone in the dealership's service area. Do a search on my username and look at all the issues I have had with this thing. My parents 98 GS hasn't been much better and the two Bonnevilles (93 & 96) and one Grand Prix (90) I owned before this weren't anything to brag about. Honda may not be perfect, no car is, but I would like to try something different to see if I can't stay out of the service area and spend a little more time actually driving the car. When GM can find a way to make it's power windows work and put oil seals in their cars that actually keep the oil in, maybe I will look at them again. Since Honda continually rates near the top of all the quality surveys I see, they must have something going for them. I do think they were probably better before they started building them in the U.S. So unless something drastic changes my mind I am going to buy a Honda or maybe an Infiniti the next time.
  • nels1nels1 Member Posts: 25
    I've had 3 Regals. A 94LS which I traded for a 99LS. The 99LS I traded for a 2000GS cause I wanted the SC. The 94 had 113000 on it. The 99 had 78000 and the 2000 currently has 52000. Had some brake chatter problems with the 94 but the other two have been trouble free. Mine will probably blow up tomorrow because of this posting.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    I have had few problems with 03, 98, 93 LeSabre 3800s, 89, 87 Centurys, 85 Skyhawk, 80 Skylark, 80, 77 Cutlass. I bought for less than comparable foreign car, had much less cost for maintenance than the required "dealer only regular service" to maintain warranty, and got good value on trades. 98 and 03 have shown great increase in attention to design and quality of assembly.

    I have had a good dealer for those cars. His service manager figures things out and gets them fixed. Sounds like KDAWG79 may need a different dealer.

    What I have noticed through 3 decades is that people who had hondas and toyotas never talked about their problems. But when questioned, they had had major problems on the cars. They just never want to lose the image that their car is the most wonder thing since sliced bread since it's imported from Japan or Europe. Often things were fixed by dealers while the car was in for the required high-priced service at regular intervals that were recall items and the customer never knew they were done (helps the image if you don't publicize the problems on your brand).

    My cost of owner ship has been less because I can take my car to any of 15 GM dealers in the greater area and who knows how many competent other shops. I'm not limited to 3 honda dealers who have me on price if I want competition to sell me the car or repair the problems they do have.

    If you like the rought ride of a honda or camry, power to you. I'll take the high gas mileage my 3800 gives with comfort and mass if in an accident. There are people on the accord forum asking when their mileage will increase to advertised; is it at 5 k or 10 k.
    My car has 1500 on it and I got 30 to and from Pigeon Forge TN, did better at 4 k on trip to Nashville, and shows 33.5 on short interstate trips around home. I recall honda running the ads sometime in 93 or around then of a honda driving past gas stations; truth was the Century in my garage got better gas mileage with a 6 and automatic and was a lot more comfortable, but advertising image had people believing only hondas got good mileage...

    The 03 accord I looked at has popping noises, brake rotor warping problems, hard starting on some engines. If you buy the 6 the car is nose heavy, if you buy the 4 it lacks power especially with air compressor load turned on. Don't have any of those on my Limited.
                                                                                      -- just my opinion.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Imidazol97 I have never seen a lower quality interior in any car with the exception of some late 70's and early 80's Camaro's and Trans AM's. The only thing it has more of than squeaks is rattles. The power window controls are loose in the doors. The rubber is wearing off on the peddles. The rubberized coating on some of the dash pieces is wearing off. The cup holder has broken 3 times and now the door to the storage bin is broken. The sound insulation under the dash keeps coming undone and falling on my feet. The glue or bubble gum they use on the door panels is not holding very well. The carpet keeps pulling out from under the door trim and is of the cheapest quality I have ever seen. That is just the interior, the mechanical list is longer. You can say its because its a 97 and a was new model but I noticed many of the same rattles and squeaks in a 2002 Century with about 200 miles on it that I rented. Oh I forgot the rear windows rattle when only half way down, the 2002 rental did the same thing. My 96 Ranger 4X4 is put together much better than the Regal as was the 87 Mustang I owned, and my truck is actually worth more now than the Regal. They both have around 67k on them. Pretty bad for one of GM's premium brands. The sooner this car is gone the better. I am glade some of you can look past these problems but I am not one of them. I would challenge any GM onwner to show me a car that does not rattle and or squeak. There may be some out there but I have yet to be in one.
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    Tell if this sounds like dealer issues or a crappy car:

    I have a 1998 GS with 86,000 miles on it and I have had to replace 3 power window motors(3 different windows), the climate control display/control unit has been replaced twice, the pan gasket three times, the oil pan and one valve cover gasket replaced due to oil leaks, driver's side seat heater, combination switch that directs power to turn signals, and the supercharger belt tensioner and the cup holder. Also had to spend $400 on the cooling system because the supposedly 150,000 mile Dexcool coolant gave up before 75,000 miles and left my cooling system corroded and full of junk. I complained to Buick and got $200 back on the cooling system issue. If I didn't have an extended warranty that I bought this junker would have been gone long ago. As it is I have spent about $1200 on the warranty and $500 on deductibles and the extended warranty company is out about $8000.

    This list doesn't include all the rattles and squeaks that I share with pinnetted.

    Now tell me how great these cars are. Maybe Honda and Toyota aren't perfect but they can't be any worse. I use to be a big defender of GM cars too but with this car and my Mom's 98 GS, I have come to know everyone in the service department by the first name including the guy who takes you to work after you drop off the car and the guy who sweeps the floors. I am sick of that and determined to try and find something else.

    By the way, my neighbor is still waiting for his 2002 LeSabre to start getting the gas mileage it is supposed to get.

    Have a nice day.
  • BushwackBushwack Member Posts: 258
    I'm also waiting for my gas mileage to improve after 30,000 miles. Specifically, my '00 GS gets 14.5 MPG in the city (Los Angeles). Though I didn't truly expect 18 MPG, 16 would have been nice. No complaints with highway mileage. I get a consistant 27 MPG going 75 MPG with the a/c on during long trips.

    Love the engine, ergonomics are terrific, trunk space is good...but otherwise, I'll be looking at Lexus or Acura for my next car.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    I have the 00 GSE and consistently get 30-32 mpg at 65-70 sustained highway speeds. Not sure if due to SC, synthetic oil, 93 octane or what but great mileage
  • klee594klee594 Member Posts: 3
    I am addressing this to those who are thinking about buying a regal, new or used. I do not own one but I have done a considerable research and have driven a few.

    I am a retired Special Agent US Army Military Intelligence and a Private Investigator: research is my life and my game. Trying to eliminate emotions as much as possible, I have reached the following conclusions:

    1. Buying a new Regal is a bad option. You spend about $23,000 and after 12 months, the vehicle is worth about $9000 less on a good day.
    2. The Regal drivetrain (engine and tran) is superb and about as bullet proof as GM can make.
    3. However, the ancillary systems (power windows, oil pans, seals and gaskets, interior buttons and knobs are tacky/unreliable and may blow out at anytime.
    4. The GS is the only Regal to buy. It's throttle response is instant and it is the cheapest power thrill on the market (IF YOU BUY IT USED).
    5. The LS is an ordinary car offered in better versions by many manufacturers. Buying an LS is buying a non-special car with problems and shamefully poor resale value.
    6. The Regal interior is a mixed bag: seats are great, even Winston Churchill would be comfortable in those fat seats. The Gauge cluster is nice, but the radio knobs and other knobs are shockingly cheap and silly. The lettering on the window controls are painted on and will wear off in short order. And this on a 27,000 dollar MSRP car!!!
    7. The exterior design is understated and okay. But it's like a pretty woman who very likely will cheat on you.
    8. A used GS is the only way to go: buy one with low miles, 2 or 3 yrs old, buy a solid all-systems warranty, dont pay more than $10,000.
    9. Do not heed the praises of anyone who bought one new and has had it for 2 or 3 months. Every new car 2 or 3 months old thrills its owner. This goes for any car.
    10. Remember that the GS uses Premium fuel, you will pay 20 cents more for every gallon.
  • klee594klee594 Member Posts: 3
    Driving impressions, REGAL GS 1999 and 2000: throttle response is instant and powerful, however because the steering and suspension feel like you're on Novacaine (i.e. numb and dumb), your feedback is muted and not so thrilling. All that very expensive Premium fuel supercharged power is partially offset by the non-crisp suspension system. I have driven Honda Accord 4 cylinders with manual shifters that FEEL more speedy and responsive (they were much slower than the REGAL but FELT faster, odd isn't it.)
  • klee594klee594 Member Posts: 3
    A poster here known as kdawg79 from the great state of Oklahoma has outlined the problems with his 98 regal gs: oil pan and gasket leaks, power window failures, heater/a-c display, etc etc. And he has stated his case in a calm manner without spite. He is telling you 'my car is a dog and I made a mistake in buying it.'

    Folks, this admission takes honesty and courage and kindness. There are no excuses, he is trying to save you from pain. And today I can confirm in part his TESTIMONY:

    Today I test drove a 1999 REGAL GS, 43,000 miles, Green color, one owner trade-in from Elgin (Illinois) Mazda. Here is what happened.

    1. The young salesman pulled the GS to the front door, turned on the Air and opened all windows and sunroof. It was very hot outside.
    2. I got in, closed the sunroof and the windows. Except the DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE SWITCH OR THE MOTOR WAS SHOT!!!
    3. The front panel A/C and heater display was blank and would not turn on.
    4. Think about it folks, really think about it.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    The Hondas feel faster because their OHC engine architecture makes for a more willing and freer revving engine. They do not seem strained and always energetic.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Maybe not, but it is a hell of lot more fun to drive than an Accord or Camry...You buy them when you have given up on fun and excitement...If you buy a car looking ahead just for "resale", you are no enthusiast...Klee594, head over to the Honda boards and try to get excited...
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Sure, there are better cars out there. Various Lexuses [Lexi?], Nissans, Caddies, Jags, etc. But, new or used, they cost a lot more. New Regals are always discounted a lot around NY. The typical Regal, LS or GS, is fantastic value for the money - well built [usually - I've owned a '99 and an '02 with no big problems], extremely competent drivers, full of standard goodies, and good on gas, to boot. The premium fuel needs of the GS constitute a major design flaw, IMHO, but, if you think the extra punch is worth it, go for it. You do get a HD motor and transmission there. For me, the LS has all the punch I ever need. I think you're onto something in buying superclean used; a lot of Buick owners trade them in that way. Just my 2 cents.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    I needed a bigger car and the Regal was rated as dependable, that just shows how much you can depend on JD Powers or any publications. The performance and feature content won me over. Now I will be buying a used Mustang Bullitt or Cobra, that will take car of the performance, and the Regal will be sold for whatever we can get and replaced by a Ford Expedition (for the wife and kids), I am a car guy. GM may have evan passed Chrylser for selling junk in my opinion.
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    According to Consumer Reports'Annual Issue, the Regal is the only Buick vehicle with a score of "Better than average reliability". Buick has been for ages GM's most reliable brand. Maybe Oldsmobile too. For CR to give any credence to a domestic car maker, it has to be real good.

    I keep my Mercury Sable for a little while longer but I developed the mind set about a trade in the near future. I'll take all the opinions I read here into consideration.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Enjoy your Cobra...But to compare a Mustang or Cobra to a RegalGS for performance...No wait..Several of the Regal guys I know regulary blow off the Mustangs...Me too...A couple minor mods...Anyway, enjoy the Expedition too...You can commiserate over on the Ford Forum?...
  • from_ontariofrom_ontario Member Posts: 2
    I bought a 2003Regal LS 2 weeks ago. Everything is pretty good but today I feel one thing is unsure:

    It was raining when I sit inside the car. I noticed the there is no rubber seal at the bottom of the door window frame. I mean the rubber is close tightly to the window glass. It is not just on one window. All four windows are the same. The rain water flowed down into the sponge between the window glass and rubber. I guess the water evatually flows inside the doors. If it is the case the door frame and other parts inside the doors will get rusted soon and fail.
    Is the door window supposed to be lke that or a problem. I will go back to the dearship to find out but if any expert have the answer please advise.

    Thanks.
  • e_net_ridere_net_rider Member Posts: 1,380
    Intermittent SES. What does it take to read the codes from the computer on this vehicle. It certainly isn't like the previous where you grounded pin 2 or shorted 1&2. Or the OBD II as I stopped by Autozone and the connector is different.
  • e_net_ridere_net_rider Member Posts: 1,380
    I've seen a number of complaints concerning quality of interiors and all-over. This seems to be becoming an industry problem with cars. I suspect a lot of it is due to trying to meet CAFE numbers in their fleet. That is to meet the designated average they continue to make cars lighter and of more cheap plastic to improve MPG so they can continue to make more killing machines (trucks, SUV's, Vans)without having to pay higher fines. In short, we will not see real improvements in cars until those are banned from everyday use.
  • from_ontariofrom_ontario Member Posts: 2
    Forgive me for re posting the same question. I feel the problem was not described well in my previous posting.

    On my new Regal LS, the door windows are not rubber sealed at the bottom. By rubber seal I mean the rubber rim of the window is not against the glass tightly. In fact the rubber rim is about 5 millimeters from the glass and the sponge-type material can be seen easily. The sponge material is pretty rigid. I think it is used for protecting the glass from vibration.

    When it is raining, the rain water flows down along the glass to the sponge and goes inside the doors (not inside the car). I think it is a bad design if the water is allowed to flow inside the door. When I went through the postings in this group I saw a few of complains about the window motor failures. I checked another Regal in our parking lot and saw it is the same as my car. So I am sure the window is purposely designed this way. On my 2000 Camry V6 the windows are completely rubber sealed when the glasses are rolled up. There is no chance for water going inside the door.

    My question for those who own a Regal: Do you see this as a potential problem? Did you have a bad experience in this?

    Thanks.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    You can mod any car to beat any other car in its class or other classes for that matter. There is NO Regal GS that is not heavily modified that will give the current 2001-2003 stock Cobra a run for its money, unless they other guy doesn't know he is racing, which I suspect is the case in your encounters. I own a GS and I know what they are and are not capable of doing, and I was not comparing anything I was just stating what I was going to buy for my next performance car.
    Sounds to me like some of the issues I have mentioned hit home with you JackA.. I mean Jack44. I am sure your Regal regularly beats Corvette's and Viper's and Porsche's yeah it will pass everything but the repair shop.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    I don't think Jack claimed to dust off 'vettes or even the '03 Cobra. But a lightly modded GS could definitely take a Mustang GT, and possibly the NA Cobras... The fact that you own a GS doesn't make you the de-facto expert on what they can do...
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Jack44 did not claim to beat those cars as I did not compair Mustang and GS performance. Nor was I talking about regular Mustang GT's. Nor did I say I was an expert on the Regal GS. Now go bust Jack44's chops for posting irrelevent information.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    From Full Test: 2001 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra
    By John DiPietro
    Date posted: 08-28-2001

    From Edmunds site

    Our test Cobra ran these events in best times of 5.5 and 14.0 seconds, respectively. We expected slightly quicker times, but our test driver noted that our test car was wearing Goodyear Eagles (which are fitted to the GT models), not the stickier BFGoodrich Comp T/As the Cobra is supposed to come with. Our acceleration figures were, however, close to Ford's claims of 5.4 seconds for the 0-to-60-mph run and 13.8 seconds for the quarter-mile blast.

    Some times of comperably equipted Regal GS's I know...1/4 mile in 11.852 @ 114.88... 12.874 @ 111.99...and 12.892 @ 107.93...Just a couple...Mine about stock, 14.283 at 97.89...
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    You are compairing moded cars to stock. There is a Lingenfelter Cadilac EXT that goes 0-60 in 4 seconds and through the 1/4 mile in 12.7 seconds. Wow! Oh yeah and its only slightly modified. Why don't you tell me how many problems you have had with your Regal, then we can actually be talking about the same thing.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    $35,000...For a Cobra...Which is a "modified" Mustang...So, with that $35,000 and a Modified RegalGS...Well...

    Regular Mustangs turning in low 15's high 14's...Watch them at track all the time and keep thinking, 'they should be turning better times.'

    Problems...Car only 8 months old...Zero...
  • under40ownerunder40owner Member Posts: 1
    I have owned my black GSE for almost 3 years now. The only problem I have encountered is the bottom molding coming loose on one side. It was replaced with no further problem. My car is fully loaded and I have had no problems with all the little extra features; heated seats, sunroof, etc. Like I have stated before in my posts, the SC engine is quiet, smooth, and powerful. The seats are made for old people, they need more lateral support. The rear of the car could be styled better, but other than that the car is pretty damn good for $24,000. I know resale sucks, but I'd rather drive my Regal any day over the bland, boring Accords, Camrys and the like. I must admit a friend recently bought a 2003 Acura that is a very nice car.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Thats great that you have not had any problems, but you have to admit if you had the problems I and many other Regal owners have had you would not be so up on your Regal either.
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    While my car has been a dog, I really wish it hadn't been. This car has lots of potential with a little better steering response, better seats, a little better brakes and better reliability it could be a great car. I like the power and I am okay with the understated looks but I can't stand the horrible quality I have experienced. If it was a better built car, I would have probably gone and taken advantage of the rebates and special financing and bought an 03 but as it is I will have a hard time ever buying another general motors automobile.

    A note for those of you who have fairly new ones: I would recommend that you keep a close eye on your cooling systems for the coolant jelling problem. In fact I would probably disregard the recommended fluid change intervals for the cooling system and transmission and get them done about every 30,000 miles or so. Hopefully that will allow you to at least avoid the $400 cooling system repair I had to have that is not covered under warranty.

    I am going to try an V6 Accord or something like it next time. As far as performance goes the 4 door is pretty close to the GS while the 2 door is a bit faster than the GS and it burns regular gas and the EPA rates the gas mileage a bit better. I am ready to try to find a car with quality. That is the most important performance factor I am looking for right now.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Isn't that true of anything you buy...You want it to be perfect...Or I should say you expect it to be perfect...It's just that a car is a hell of a lot more money...

    As I'd mentioned before...Told my wife, if I ever mentioned I was thinking of getting an Accord or Camry, she has my permission to take meoutside and shoot me...

    Good banter Dan...
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    For those of you looking at the new J.D. Powers survey of long term relaibility, you should be aware that they only surveyed 55,000 of the more than 15 million people who bought new cars in 1999 which amounts to .36% of the new cars sold that year. How they feel they can draw any useful conclusions from that a sample that includes less than 1% of the target group is beyond me.
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    What made me consider a Regal lately CR's "Better that average reliability". What made me think of getting a different car is the fact that I continue to have mechanical trouble with my Merc. Sable.

    As for Camry of Accord being bland or boring, is all subjective. Neither model excites me. However, Honda and Toyota have consistently been making a profit, at times hefty, and have also been gaining market share. That says something. They don't offer rebates but domestic manufacturers give enticing cash back amounts.

    I don't want to go back to getting a Camry. But my 91 lasted me for 7 years without a mechanical glitch. My 2000 Sable has visited, for the past 3 years 3 months, the shop so many times that it practically drives itself to it. My hope is that Buicks don't waste their owners' time with constant repairs. The mixed comments I gather about them make me doubt getting one.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    but I couldn't help responding to this:

    "Thats great that you have not had any problems, but you have to admit if you had the problems I and many other Regal owners have had you would not be so up on your Regal either."

    Can you name for me a car whose owners would say "yeah, I'd love this car even if it were a total lemon". I mean, way to point out the obvious. If someone's car was a piece of crap, they probably wouldn't like it as much... Wow...

    It's a shame that you have had problems and are not happy with your car, but it doesn't make the car line bad. You are trying to use your one bad experience to impugn the Regal, GM, and even JD Powers. That's just absurd...
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Good to get some discussion...Nobody over at the Oldsmobile Forum, Robert?...Glad to have you here...
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    Just had an ASC sunroof installed. It's made a big difference, because I don't feel as claustrophobic. The extra light, and the feeling of openness, makes me calmer when I'm driving. It's the next best thing to owning a convertible. Inexpensive too. I highly recommend getting one.
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    All I have tried to do is objectively relate the problems I have had with my 98 GS and that my Mother has had with her 98 GS so that anyone researching the car for a possible purchase could see the flip side of CR and J.D. Powers reports.

    The facts are these cars have been lemons and that several other owners here have related similar types and amounts of problems. GM's reputation is impugned by the building of low quality automobiles not by me relating the facts of my experience. Up until now 8 of the 9 cars I have owned have been GM products and the other one (my first car) was a VW. I would love to have a great experience to report with this car but I don't. The fact is the last 3 GM cars I have owned, all of which I bought new, have had sub par quality. I wish it weren't so because I prefer the size, price and power of GM cars but the quality is driving me to try to find something better.

    You can tell me about your great ownership experience with your GM car and I will respect and envy that but when I have to do the opposite don't accuse me of trying to impugn Regal's, Buick and GM. I don't have to because the facts speak for themselves.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    It is not just my car, look at the Impala and Intrigue boards and you will see lots of stories of people having the same problems or any number of other issues. As I stated in past posts this is not a case of initial quality being bad for the first year of a model either. I rented a 2002 LS with under 1k on it and it exibited many of the same defects and sqeaks and rattles as my 97. Two of my co-workers have Impala's and both have had problems. Another co-worker has a 2002 Avalanche and it already rattles and sqeaks. My neighbor was a tried and true GM man until his last pickup, he said the build quality just was to poor. He currently owns 2 Expeditions, a Z06, a Lexus and a Harley VRod. So he gets around cars and bikes.
    Its obvious that I am partial to Fords because they have treated me better. My current 96 Ranger is screwed together much better than the Regal. Has it been perfect no. Has it been more reliable than the Regal, yes.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Just go over to the Accord and Camry boards...Not much different...Lot of problems with them too...

    I guess all the folks that don't have problems are out driving around...

    And if you are having problems and need help there are other RegalGS sites that you can go to to find help...
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Basically any car line where an owner has a problem must be a line of lemons? You say that because your car had problems, and a few others here do (you think maybe people with problems are more likely to track down a forum for help than people with no problems?) then all the cars are lemons. My dad has a '97 GS with 100k and all that has gone wrong is the climate control display. It must just be a trouble-free lemon...

    As I said, I am sorry that some of you have problems, and I know it sucks to have a car that breaks a lot. However, this is possible with any car line. Pinetted, you said to look at the Intrigue and Impala boards. Maybe you should look at the Honda, Acura, Lexus, or Toyota boards. You will find plenty of people with problems. In fact, if you read the Intrigue board, you must have read about that one guy's continuing problems with the tranny in his Type-S Acura. Acura's final solution? Reprogram his PCM to limit the engine's power to save the tranny. Yeah, it's too bad Buick isn't more proactive like that...

    Speaking of proactive, Kdawg, you alluded to cooling and tranny problems (I'm not searching back for them) and suggested people change them more regularly to avoid your problems. I have to wonder if you checked these regularly then. Nowhere in the service schedule does it say not to bother to check anything until you finally hit the change date. Those are recommended intervals, and the service schedule explicitly includes checks of those systems. If the coolant started to look bad or the tranny fluid looked bad/low, one should have that corrected and not just wait the 5 years or the 100,000 miles...

    You also said "the facts speak for themselves" and the facts about your car problems do. You have had problems, and that is a fact. It's a shame you have had them, and you shouldn't have problems like that with a car. However, every car maker has those types of problems and that is also a fact. You say "The facts are these cars have been lemons". I'm afraid that is not a fact... That is your opinion (which you are entitled to, but being entitled to it and being right are not the same thing). Posting your unfortunate experience is fine, but trying to stretch that experience to encompass every Regal, or every car GM makes, or quality surveys, is to redefine the word "elastic" (ok, I stole that line...)

    Hey Jack, there is still a good group of people over on the Aurora board, but I'm always looking around Edmunds... I think the Aurora board will stick around for a while in spite of Olds' demise because it is pretty much Aurora-philes and it never was a lot of new people saying "I'm looking at an Aurora and a Lexus/Infinit/whatever". Once people discover Aurora, there's really nothing left to ask... ;)
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Does your sunroof have the cool backlit buttons and the self-closing? ASC makes some nice stuff. Definitely worth the extra cost over some other aftermarket sunroofs.

    My Dad ordered his '97 fairly early on when the model came out, and he had ordered a sunroof. It arrived without one (dealers fault, or they intentionally did it because they do business with some sunroof place?) Anyway, he had them take it to ASC and install one and it is much nicer than the factory one was at the time. You can set it to close automatically when you turn the car off, and it has soft backlighting to the buttons. I think it's pretty neat.

    Heh, I know what some of you will say "See Buick dealers suck too". Well, it turned out that dealership did sort of suck, but they folded some time back. And Buick isn't the only one to have some crappy dealerships. I remember reading AutoWeek (or was it Motor Trend?) when they took delivery of their long-term Mini Cooper. They ordered a car specifically, waited a few months, and when the car showed up it was a different color, had the hard-riding sports package that they didn't want, and was substantially more expensive. They were told to take it or leave it, and this was an auto magazine! Imagine how you or I would have faired! They tried to rationalize it like that's sort of what they wanted anyway, but I think they just didn't want to admit they got screwed... ;)
  • jpstaxjpstax Member Posts: 250
    Yes. It's a Model 840. It has three buttons for open, close, & vent, and a fourth one for autoclose. It glows green when you want to activate autoclose, and red when you want to deactivate it.

    Here is a link to the ASC site:

    http://www.americansunroofcompany.com/moonroof.html

    Click the Model 840 button to view information on it.
Sign In or Register to comment.