Buick Century

baluba · July 1999

Is there anybody who can tell me more about Buick
Century'99. Is it reliable? From different forums
I've got the impression that this is not fun to
drive, that is not sharp on the turns etc. At the
same time it got a loyalty award, i.e. people like
it.

diazodoktor2 · July 1999

RE: baluba

recentlytest drove a Century while shopping for a new car. They are good cars, reliable and seem very well assembled BUT sooooo boring to drive. If you enjoy driving and want a car that is FUN to drive and not just something to get you from point a to point b then the Century is not the one.

I finally bought a Mitsubishi Galant. A lot less money, fun to drive and I feel a whole lot better looking. Have you noticed that ALL the GM cars look alike? All GM cars are pretty boring in my opinion. Good luck in you quest.

merc1 · July 1999

The Buick Century is still one of the worst cars GM produces. GM has made great strides in recent years, but the Buick Century seems to have been left behind. I will admit that my opinion is biased, because I think all GM cars except the Corvette, Seville, Intrigue, and the new pick-ups are all JUNK. GM cars are so cheap and they rattle and squeak from day one. I was invited to attend Oldsmobiles 'Dream Drive' in 1995 and the (then new) Aurora was the worst car out the bunch. They had the nerve to compare the Aurora to the Mercedes S320 and the Lexus LS400. The Auroras on had rattled and were just junky feeling. However I know a couple of people with the new Seville and it still reacts to bumps in the road with that hard to explain cheapness, but the rest of the car is very correct and for the most part built right.

The Seville and the Intrigue are the best Sedans that GM currently builds. I don't what your budget is, but if you can take a look at the Intrigue if you must have a GM car.

M

bdreggors · July 1999

Baluba,
Have you tried a Buick Regal? Sure, it looks kinda like a Century, but it is SO much better (I know because I have one)! First, it has a 3600 Supercharged 240hp engine, so it isn't 'boring' to drive. Second, it only costs a little more than the Century, so it's affordable. And third, it is a great car overall. The old Regal (pre-'96) used to be Buick's 'lame-duck' but they have done much improvement since then. I would look into it.

Good luck!

P.S. By the way, although the Regal is the Century's twin, it is on-par with the Olds Intrigue and the Pontiac Grand Prix.

scape2 · July 1999

Buick has won awards for quality from JD powers along with long term reliability awards. Buick is known to be right next to Lexus for initial quality. see www.carpoint.msn.com for more on Buick quality/reliability. Also visit JD powers. The Century is no slacker either. Buick is slowly shedding the image of being the older generations car of choice. The Regal GS outperforms many imports in both acceleration/slalom for thousands less option for option. Its all about image though I guess.

phantom · July 1999

I'm currently renting a '99 Century Limited while my car has some bodywork done. It's a fairly plain vanilla-type car with some nice modern features. The 3.1 V6 has some get-up-and-go when you need it and has a good feel to it. The ride is comfortable. Gas mileage has actually been pretty good (I don't have actual numbers, but I put on about 300 miles in mixed city/highway and filled it with about 1/4 tank left). And that's with the a/c on most of the time.

Interior is decent. Nothing spectacular, but very functional. Controls are easy to find and reach. The Concert II sound system is actually pretty good. Build quality overall seems strong, as is typical for Buick.

Personally, I'm currently looking at Regals and Grand Prix's as a "family" type car with some guts, but this car would do fine for someone looking for a car with room to haul folks around it - and at a reasonable price.

How it would hold up in the long run I don't know. I definitely wouldn't say it's junk - just practical and plain.

baluba · August 1999

Thanks everybody for your comments. After test driving Buick Century and Regal, and then Nissan Maxima I bought the Maxima.

baluba

merc1 · August 1999

Baluba,

Out of the 3 cars you looked at you did the right thing. The maxima is clearly the best car out of the bunch. Did you get a 99' or 00' model?

M

baluba · August 1999

M,

Got Maxima'99 GXE AT for $18,3K which I think is a good deal.

baluba

bdreggors · August 1999

Congrats and Kudos to you, Baluba! (I sound like a car salesman) I've heared that the Maxima is a good car. Personally I would go with the Regal because...well...I have one! Maxima's a good car though, as long as it isn't a Camary!

Good Luck and Happy Driving!

BDreggors

merc1 · August 1999

That is a good deal for a Max, happy motoring.

M

ISUclone · August 1999

I'd just like to say that I love my Century. I drove my '83 into the ground before buying a '97. It may not be as sporty as some people would like, but I drive it because it's reliable and comfortable to drive. And by the way, I'm 26 years old, so it's not only for grannies. Even my mother has bought a Century after seeing what luck I've had with it. Loyalty is key here.

scape2 · August 1999

Just a visitor here, but I have to say I am seeing quite a few new Centuries on the road lately. And all are not being driven by the over 50 crowd. The car seems like one heck of a value for what you get.

judithd1 · September 1999

We need to get the Century for the roomy front, although we know that the hp isn't like the Regal. To negotiate, if I take the dealer's invoice, add 3% for a fair price, add the destination charge, and tax, I think that should do it, butttttttttt there's a 3% holdback and who knows what else. How do I know it's a decent deal? Help...Soon..Got to do this. Thanks for any help.

ddoc · September 1999

Last week, bought a '99 century custom. Offered invoice price at two different dealers and both accepted without any problem . The cars available on the two lots had more options than I was looking for and I told them, so, maybe that helped a little. Watch out for the whitewall tire option ($150-sticker). After some persuasion, Buick (1-800#) admitted they were the same tires as the blackwalls which come standard, just $150 more! I guess I can respect them, though, for admitting it. Then, it wasn't easy, but my dealer offered to switch the whitewalls with another century's blackwalls and deduct the price off my bill which may have been generous because, I think it screwed up their paperwork. There was just no way,though, I was going to pay for those whitewalls. Anyway, that was my deal Judy. ----I have a question about the sound system. Mine came with Concert Sound II but, according to carpoint.msn.com if you get a Century Custom with CD and cassette and get the 1SC Custom Premium Package it also requires Concert Sound III - in other words, it doesn't come any other way. My dealer was very vague on this and said he thought it only came on the Limited. Does any one know about this and does any one have a '99 Custom with Concert Sound III ?

gouldn · September 1999

I am currently renting a Century Custom (1999) while my car is in for some major repairs.

I fully expected to hate it -- I drive an older Audi 90 -- and this car seemed to be in a different league.

It's embarassing, but I really like the car. It's great on my commute (20 miles with moderate to severe traffic). The 3.1 has enough power to merge onto freeways, and is fine at 75 (when traffic permits).

The car is assembled fine, and this rental has about 12K miles, with not rattle or squeek.

My biggest complaint is the soft handling. If they had a slightly firmer suspension, this would be a great car (especially for a rental).

Maybe I'm getting old....

wallis · September 1999

The Concert Sound III is standard on both the Custom and the Limited. The II is on the 98 cars

wallis · September 1999

Woops, my mistake. The Concert III is actually an option on the 99. Sorry about that.

wallis · September 1999

Actually, if you get the Concert III speakers, you need the UP0 radio/cassette/CD. The speakers require the radio, not the other way around.

driver26 · September 1999

Eveyone seems to complain that the Century is "boring" - well, the price isn't boring ! I got a great deal on a 99 custom - I think that for the money you are going to be hard pressed to find anything comparable to this car. Mine is a grey metallic and it is sharp. Yes, it may not be as spectacular as other cars but to me it rides and looks good. My only complaint would be that the engine could possibly use a 3.3 or better, although the 3.1 is sufficient.

bdreggors · September 1999

I agree that the engine could be larger. If you load up a Century, the engine's performace is sacrificed. Maybe they'll make a 3.3 optional after 2000.

spera · September 1999

I rented a Century last month and was pleasantly surprised. Lots of room, adequate power, nice ride (it is a Buick after all) and a great drivers power seat. Dislikes was less than crisp handling, and no "feel power steering".

scape2 · September 1999

I saw a Century today that really surprised me. It was a Century Limited. It had a Landau top with gold accents. This made the car look great. I know when people think of a Landau top, they immediatly think seventies, ugh!. This one was done very tastefuly and matched the color of the car nicely. I am 35 and I thought the car looked very luxurious and expensive. The color and wheels along with gold accents were a very nice combination. A professionally dressed woman of about 40ish was driving it. Has anyone else seen one of these?

george5 · September 1999

I saw a magnificent white Century parked near me today as I was eating lunch inside a small cafe. The car was absolutely beautiful! It had a gray leather interior. Does anyone know if they will ever make a wagon version of this car?

bdreggors · September 1999

I don't know if they will, but it would be a great idea indeed. There is definetly a market for them, seeing how you see older Century and Cutlass Ciera wagons EVERYWHERE!

Vince8: What color was the Landau top? I saw a Century once with a beige top on a bright red car. Very cheesy. It would have looked nice if they matched the color, however.

scape2 · September 1999

The color was sort of a light brownish, metalic color, the top was the same shade. This car was very stylish and very well done. In fact I thought it was some sort of import at first. Yuck, red with beige top?? I would have laughed too.

bdreggors · September 1999

Yeah. If the top is the same color as the car, it doesn't look so obtrusive and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. I just loathe seeing those 95 Town Cars and the like with the "putting green" top on them. All it needs is a little flag with '18' on it!

scape2 · September 1999

LOL,
I like the looks of the Buick Century. I am glad they did away with all the chrome. The car has a much smoother finished look now. I have seen commercials of Buick comparing it to Accord/Camary/Taurus. I guess it comes standard with more safety features than the last three mentioned. Buick is slowly shedding its reputation of being an older crowd vehicle. I see quite a few younger families in the Regals, LeSabres, and Centuries these days. The Regal GS is a monster sleeper as far as performance goes. It outdoes quite a few imports for thousands less.

bdreggors · September 1999

Your right. I see a whole bunch of Buicks where I live (Clearwater, Florida) with younger drivers. I see nearly as many LeSabres as Camarys and sometimes more! Well, I also see hundreds of Grand Marquis this being Florida, after all!

Also, I drive a Regal GS and it is AWESOME! The supecharger is excellent and I can beat almost any car off the line. The only car that they rate as being even COMPARABLE to the Regal is the 2000 Maxima, and if you look at the grill, you can see that they even stole THAT off the Regal!

burdawg · September 1999

I am currently shopping for a new car to replace my aging Taurus, and I've been impressed with the Century. They did away with the fake chrome that only lasts a few years. I've not found a fully equipped car for such a reasonable price anywhere else. The 2000 model has a 15hp boost with increased torque due to intake improvements, the old tech 3.1L V6 is still used. Not a high tech engine, but reliable and competent. I prefer the Custom trim level over the Limited because I don't think you get that much more for the money, but it's personal choice. My only competitor is the 2000 Pontiac Grand AM with the 5sp. 4 cyl, but I havn't tried it out yet. I'm stuck between the comfy Century (much like my Taurus) or the sporty Grand AM.

violynn · September 1999

If you're offering invoice for the Century, do you also then get the rebate?

rfair · September 1999

We are looking for a new Century and wanted to see what people thought of the choices. I wondered if the Custom was sufficient, because we do want leather seats and a few features like a sun roof. I am not sure whether these are available on the Custom Century.

avs007 · September 1999

The 3.1 now makes 175 HP..... If you so desire a 3.3 in the century, when loaded up, you might as well get the Regal LS, which is not really that much more, and you get the wonderfull 3800 Series-II V6...

mminerbi · October 1999

The horsepower boost and the addition of a fold down rear seat in the 2000 Century are excellent enhancements. The only things missing, for my taste, is a touring suspension option and more responsive steering, as Buick offers in the LeSabre and the Regal LS. The advantage of the Century over the Regal is that it's got six passenger seating, and its dimensions are trimmer than the LeSabre's.

scape2 · October 1999

The Century is one heck of a value. Now Buick needs to keep up the adds on TV and radio showing the comparisons to Taurus/Camry/Accord. The 175hp will make a nice advantage over cars in this class normally coming with 4cyl engines and about 150hp.

bdreggors · October 1999

I think that out of anything, the engine is what'll sell Centurys until more traditional import buyers switch over. True the Camarya nd Accord cost less in the base model, but they have 4cyls. personally, I wouldn't want a midsize car that runs on only 4. The Taurus has had its own share of problems, too (brakes, egg-like design, numerous class-action lawsuits).

By the way, I like the Century commercials; charming yet just a touch of humor. Now, if they could only get more ads for the Regal...

hoser1 · October 1999

I have a 99 Century. It has one problem, a vibrating noise when you roll down a rear window.

xfrost · October 1999

My husband & I test drove a Century today along w/ an Accord & Tauras (2000 model). Was most impressed w/ the Century. I have two ? for current owners: 1. Does the ride become uncomfortable on long trips? 2. I hate to ask this one, but my husband is 36 & I am 30 - kids in the next 1-2 years. What are the current ages of the drivers? I feel "young" for a Century, but we did not like the popular cars.

Thanks for your help!

poindexter2 · November 1999

I have also test driven the Century, and have found the leather seats to be more comfortable than the cloth. I'm 52, so I'm not worried about being too young for the Century. Don't worry about what people think about you. Drive what you like.

poindexter2 · November 1999

I agree with you on the engine. The previous engine was underpowered. The 175 horse will help it compete against the Taurus and the Accord V6. Plus the Century is cheaper than the above.

3904 · November 1999

I have a '97 Buick Century and, over the years, have been pleased with it. Lately I've been noticing a clicking noise in the automatic transmission when it shifts from second to third gear. Anyone else noticing this problem? It seems more obvious during the colder months before the engine/transmission has a chance to warm up.

Question #2, ever since I purchased my Century I've wondered why the designers would locate one air duct directly behind the transmission shifter(column mounted shifter)?? Doesn't this interfere with the air flow??

Question #3, if cold air is heavier than warm air and more difficult to move, why did the designers locate the air ducts so low in the dash?? I'm not keen on having cold AC'd air blast me in the face but I do enjoy having the cooler air up near my face/neck area -- it will drop to the floor area soon enough. I've found that you can never direct the air flow up high enough to counteract much of the hot air that collects near the top of the cabin compartment.

Needless to say, no one at the dealership has ever been able to answer these questions.

stehtf · December 1999

At least you don't have all of the problems with your car at the same time of the year.
Because I am not a dealer I can tell you that not everybody likes a stiff neck.

lrauch · December 1999

Has anyone seen a STERLING SILVER Century SE 2000? A dealer told me Buick is not supplying them yet. Is this true? I want that color loaded all options.

tomodell · January 2000

I went to the L.A. Auto Show last week. I went to compare "family" sedans. I looked at all the larger Japanese cars, the Ford Taurus, the new Chevy Impala and others. I decided that my favorite one was the Buick Century. It was one of the few cars that didn't have a center console. I don't like center consoles because they take up valuable space. The split bench of the Century was confortable and roomy. There was also plenty of room in the back seat. I was very disappointed in the Japanese cars. Apparently, there is not a single Japanese car sold in the U.S. that doesn't have a console. What's more, every Japanese car I sat in was exactly the same inside. A complete lack of innovation.
One thing nice about the Buick Century is, because they are very popular for rental companies, you can buy one used from Hertz or others for a very good price. A new Century Custom goes for about $20,000, but a one year old model from Hertz with about 28,000 miles on it goes for about $12,500.

stanor · February 2000

I purchased a 1998 Custom first and drove it 15k miles. I didn't like the engine performance and the exhaust noise. Also, had a squeek next to the right door hinge and dash which could not be found. So, I traded for a 1999 Custom and am very excited with the performance and mileage. I asked an owner who parked next to me at the mall why did the by a Century? Lady said she checked all of the cars out and got the most bang for the buck with the Century.
The only minor problem to this point is a ticking in the heater fan when the weather is hot outside. Motor must expand from the heat and the armature must hit the fixed magnets. Hope it goes away. The recall for the antilock brakes took about 20 minutes to fix. I tried loosing control on an icy bridge and could not with antilock and traction control. I really appreciate the system when I hydroplaned on a large freeway water lake at 70 mph. Killed my speed instantly to keep control. Its great.
I did own a 1987 Century for 10 years and had many problems and almost did not get another one.

stanor · February 2000

See my response number 3084.

arhhhh · February 2000

Hi Everyone! I'm new here and need some help if you don't mind. We are purchasing a Buick Century Custom with almost all options and we want the moonroof but they can't locate a car with all the options and color we want. The only thing missing is the moonroof so the dealer told us they have someone they deal with that has been in business for over 30 yrs and installs the same moonroofs that the manufacture does and will give the same garantee 3yrs/30000 miles on the moonroof just like Buick does. I've heard horror stories of ordering a car from Buick and if we do decide to order the dealership says they can't gurantee the 60 month 4.9 financing that Buick is offering right now. So my question is what would you do? Should I trust the quality of the work from a outside source for the moonroof or should I try another dealership that is willing to give me the financing while I order the car? Any help is appreciated and fast.

Thanks....you can e-mail me personally or post here.

Rose ARHHHH@aol.com

bdreggors · February 2000

IF you can find another dealer that can provide the specific car with the moonroof you want with the financing you want, go for it. If not, I would trust them with the outsourcing.

The reason I say that you should go with another dealer if possible is because there might be some issues with cutting a hole in the roof of a regualr hardtop car. However, if this is a place that the dealership has dealt with for 30-some years, I'd have no problems going in that direction.

Hope this helps and good luck!

arhhhh · February 2000

We have decided only to order the car as I just don't trust another source putting in the sunroof..have a friend going through that nightmare right now with his Park Avenue..but the dealership will not gurantee the financing and I can't take the chance so we are not getting a Century. Thanks for your advice bdreggors.

sean258 · February 2000

I have owned a 1987 Century that has been in the family since new. It is one of the most reliable cars that I have ever seen. It presently has over 116,000 miles on it and is running strong. The car has survived 2 accidents and almost being stolen. I hope the new series of Buick Centurys are as reliable as mine has been.

cjarry · February 2000

Under 200 horsepower is a problem? I don't buy a car to race down the highway I buy a car to get me to work and back in confort,to take my family out safely and in the case of the Buick Century,in luxury I can afford.With proper maintenance most cars will give you good service and the Buick is no exception. Why compare this car to a Camry or any other car? If you want a Camry go buy one. They're good cars,but not for me. I also don't care if this car is attractive to the 20 somethings or not, I don't buy anything to impress anyone else but myself. When I come home after a long day I want to relax. I enjoy my Buick Century.

Buick Century

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