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Comments
Anyone know a solution for this?
I have a 99 Olds Intrigue that has had the same intermitent problem before, but it hasn't happened for at least a 3-4 months.
know the PAST value of her 1998 Buick Century 4 door custom sedan (condition is clean) with 33,000
miles, back on the date of November 6, 2000.
I would appreciate any help at all.
thank you
If you are not familiar with them, it is a small golden booklet that comes out monthly and is also regional. It is the "blue book", for lack of a better term, that every bank I've ever dealt with has used to determine the value of an auto. NADA is also online, at http://www2.nadaguides.com/ ,you might see if you can get any information from them.
Good luck!
The problem with bump-steer is that it is tremendously fatiguing. It requires much more effort, concentration and work to keep the car between the white lines. The higher the speed, the more effort. On long trips, it will wear you down and make you much less effective and safe driver. On my 140-mile trip I found myself exhausted with all the effort I had to use to keep the car on track at 75mph. If you have never driven a car without bump steer, then this all seems normal, but believe me, there is a much better driving experience out there folks. All American cars used to exhibit some amount of bump-steer, but as auto makers improved the stiffness of car bodies, many of today’s American cars are much better in this regard. When you hear a manufacturer say something like “greater rigidity” or “greater frame integrity”, they are referring to the bump-steer problem. So it came as a great surprise to drive the Buick Century which exhibited the most bump-steer I have ever encountered. Even the large cars of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s didn’t have this much bump-steer, maybe because they were made with full steel frame.
To test your car for bump-steer, just try holding the steering wheel perfectly steady on a straight road when encountering dips or mild bumps and see if it maintains the original track before and after the dip. Of course if the crown or grade of the road changes, the car will tend to follow the new “fall line”, requiring a new hold on the steering wheel, but modern cars should not change direction when encountering mild bumps.
This bump-steer phenomena is so pervasive that most drivers are unaware of it. As they drive down the road, they are constantly making small steering wheel adjustments to maintain track with out thinking about it. When put into a car with very low or no bump-steer, they continue with this steering wheel adjustment each time they feel the car dip. This starts rocking their passengers back and forth unnecessarily and can even cause carsickness. They are totally unaware they are doing it. It took me a year to break my wife of the habit when we started owning well-engineered cars that exhibited no bump-steer. Our driving conversations would go something like this; “Why did you just move the steering wheel honey? Okay, now at this next bump, try holding the steering wheel perfectly steady and see what happens. There see, the car is still going straight, so you don’t need to move the wheel each time you feel a bump.” That was the nice approach. After a while it would sometimes go like this; “Would you please stop rocking the G.D. steering wheel or let me drive, your making me sick!” Once you have some miles in a car with out the bump-steer, and learn not to rock that steering wheel, you will suddenly find that you can drive much further with out feeling tired. You will never again accept a car with any bump-steer. If you have never experienced it, then you simply don’t know any better and GM can continue to dump flawed cars on an unsophisticated public.
Anyone considering a new Buick Century or one of its similar cousins should seriously think again if they plan to use it for long trips. You will not be happy unless you rarely drive more than 45mph. It’s unbelievable to me that General Motors would be producing new cars with this much bump-steer. But, most of the customers don’t know any better, they are use to it, and have never driven a car without excessive bump-steer. You see them every day weaving back and forth and drifting out of their lanes when slightly distracted. I hope that by making a few of you aware of the problem it will start to bug you enough not spend your hard-earned money on this junk put out by GM. Quality in design and engineering does not have to equal higher prices for production and sale.
Well, I own a 2001 Chevy Impala LS (W-Body cousing to the Regal/Century) and the car is an absolute pleasure to drive in the highway, even at 110MPH...just point and shoot, plus at high speeds it feels like it is on rails.
I think it is a blanket statement to say that all GM midsize cars do have a built in problem of Bumper Steer based on a test drive of a RENTED Buick Century. I think the problem you encountered with that car was on that car alone (Perhaps it has frame damage or some other related suspension/front end damage), but I can assure you that in my W-body experiences, I have never encountered the Bumper Steer condition you are referring to.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but GM midsize sedans do not exhibit this condition contrary to what you claim. I will suggest for you to test drive a new GM Midsize sedan, whether it is Impala, Grand Prix, Regal or Intrigue and you won't experience the Bumper Steer condition on those cars, at all.
Finally if you are implying that GM buyers/owners are a bunch of retarded, unrefined people that don't know any better, again you are wrong. I think you are trying way too hard to prove your points while pushing your agenda of "Look how sophisticated I am, I only drive Mercedes Benz while you lowly idiots drive GMs). So spare your insulting, deceiving and ellitist comments with your MB buddies. While your explanation of what Bumper steer is appreciated, your side, flamming comments are not.
I remember this condition with old cars I used to drive, but don't seem to notice it in my recent cars. I have driven a century on long trips and thought it to be an exceptional car. Unlike my German co-workers, I prefer a large car ride for long trips. To me, soft and quiet is the definition of luxury. To boot, the century has good power and great fuel economy.
Made several longer trips from my home in South-Central Connecticut, including:
- To Rochester and Niagara Falls, NY, about 400-450 miles each way. Three days trip: Friday evening to Rochester, Saturday in Niagara Falls, Sunday back to home.
- To White Mountains in NH. Pleasure trips, optimized for sightseeing, not the shortest distance. First day I-91 through CT, MA, VT, than rural NH roads through Dartmouth College, route 118 across the Western White Mountains, and I-93 to North. One day driving around White Mountains, including Mount Washington, and return by route 112 and I-93 to North. The last day by I-93 across White Mountains to South, than across the Lake Region of NH to the border of Maine, by NH state highways along the border to the South, by I-95 across the NH shoreline to MA, I-495 to I-90, I-90, I-84, I-91 to home.
- A one-day trip to Cape Cod, MA - to a sand beach somewhere after Truro. This is about 250 miles each way through Newport, RI. Returned the same evening, get home deep in night.
I do not know, if my car does not manifest the "bump steering", or if its comfortable seats and smouth ride are compensating the problem, but I was not tired substantially by driving the distances.
If you like the Buicks, take a look at the Buick Regal GS with the 240HP Supercharged 3800 V6 engine. It is the ultimate ARRP mobile that can take a few MB's and BMW's by surprise at the stoplights..
I do not drive a Century but have driven them as rentals and was a very smooth and pleasant ride in all cases.
Needless to say I have experienced no such bump steer issues in my Regal GS after a pleasurable 16,500 miles. If I have one issue with my car, its that I can punch the throttle half way as I sneak into traffic and still get mild tire spin with traction control turned on. Talk about gobbles of torque!!
If any body knows what the noise is I would appreciat some advice. Here is the description:
Noise: A high pitched whine.
Where: Emanates from the entire body of the car. From outside the vehicle, you have to put your ear on the body to hear it. From inside it can be heard throughout the interior, coming from no particular direction. It does not appear to be coming from the engine compartment.
When: This part is tricky. It has nothing to do with the engine speed, you can accelerate and not notice any difference. It only occurs when the vehicle has stopped moving, like when stopped for a red light. However, when you first start the engine and listen before the vehicle has gone anywhere, the sound is not there. You must travel a few yards, and then stop, before the noise starts. Also, after the noise has started (after stopping the vehicle), you can turn off the engine, and then restart it and the noise will be gone - until you move forward and come to a stop again.
I would appreciate any help. I don't think the service people can help me unless I can tell them where it is coming from.
I am probably 20 feet in the ditch !!! but since there is no noise when you start the car(booster empty)brake not activated, and that you have noise when the booster is operational and in use...
The booster is bolted to the firewall, so this is maybe why you can hear the noise through the body and inside the car...
Good luck...
Are your belts torqued correctly? Does the noise occur when the a/c is on...off?
I don't know much about the Air Filtration. Both cars have great reliability and performance. I love the way the century doors have that solid feel when you shut them. Century will be gone soon, if that matters to you.
We bought a 95 Lumina LS in 1995 with pretty much the same chassis, motor etc. and it was a good car and have heard the Century is even better and has 15 more hp. The Lumina had the filtration system and to tell the truth we didn't notice that it did much filtering but then we have the windows down quite a bit.
One other thing I just remembered. The Impala has some reliability issues with brakes, engine cradle and steering shaft that also played a part in us choosing the Century over the Impala.
Good luck whichever you choose.
Art
Art
Art
My opinion is that the Century should stay and the Regal should go. Let Pontiac have GM's sporty mid sized car with the Grand Prix, and let Buick have the conservative mid sized car with the Century. However, all of the information I have read says that Century will be dropped.
Some people like the century, not just because is costs a bit less than the regal, but for it's different styling. (softer suspension, more chrome, etc.)
However, maybe the restyled Regal will be more appealing.
Hardly anybody can distinguish these cars from 100 yards under less than perfect lighting, e.g. when it snow / rain, not to mention in night time. 90% of people cannot tell one from another from 10 feet. "Another retiromobil", think them, and are trying to pass GS uphill...
In the Pontiac Grand Prix line, the low trim SE is practically the same car as Century, while the GT and GTP are more like Regal. Different trims of Chevy Impala have as different suspensions as Century and Regal, and also have different seats (bench for base, and bucket for LS).
well, not all people have the same income, even after retirement. Depending on trim and options, Le Sabre probably costs $2000 to $5000 more than Century.
I am 50, and my wife, who is mostly using our Regal, is 40. Our son is 11. Not exactly "old people". However, we like the soft seats of the car and the comfortable ride as much as its fast acceleration.
It is hard to forecast what GM will do; however I'd expect them to offer 3 trims of the future Regal, not two. They can easily fold the current 2 trims of Century plus 2 trims of Regal into the three trims with options. As they are doing currently with Pontiac Gran Prix.
The Regal has always been a better looking car
Well, it depends on personal taste only. Better not discussing it. No hard data to prove one point or another, and very easy to offend somebody.
I don't like it, and supposedly Lutz has sent it back for styling changes. I have seen this picture in other magazines and web sites, so I am sure it is accurate.
I will say that a lot of information on this web site is inaccurate. That is not a picture of the 2004 Grand Prix, and there is no indication that Lincoln will develop a V-12 despite the Continental concept car.
That statement makes sense as a purpose, but for what goal? To sell cars? That's where it doesn't make sense. The Century vastly outsells the Regal, so why eliminate it. In addition, the market the Century succeeds with is the fastest growing segment. The Century sells for about $4,000 less than a comparably equipped Lesabre.
There is nothing wrong with targeting a younger market, which the Regal does, albeit with lackluster sales. What they need to do is reinvent the Regal to make it sell more and leave the Century alone.
Current Century and Regal are very close in design, but the Regal body is couple inch longer. Would they share the same body, the manufacturing costs would be lower (the single set of sheet metal presses, etc.). And the extra sheet metal itself costs next to nothing, probably $20 or so...
To the best of my understanding, only the name will be dropped, if dropped at all. Practically the same car as the current Century will be available, and for practically the same price, subject the once in 6-7 years model update and inflation.
Who would object, if the car will bear more prestigeous name "Regal"? Probably some buyers of the more expensive trims could snob, but the buyers of the base model?
Anyway, while I was not in the market for a car, (we have three already) I find I like the Century. It sure has pick-up! While it is a small six, the 3.1 feels strong. I have to watch myself driving it, I go too fast.
My only complaint is that it doesn't look like there is a lot of back seat leg room, but heck, I won't be sitting back there anyway!
Anything important for me to know about this car from you all? I have been putting regular gas in it, 87 octane. Is that okay? I will be catching up on this string as time goes by, and listening to everyone's advice.
87 octane is fine. The same engine as in my Malibu.
Some of these engines develop a coolant leak from the intake manifold gasket. Something like 10% or so. A small leak, but not good, especially if the coolant gets inside the engine. Watch for the coolant level: if you need to top it up with every oil change, probably there is a leak.
Also, ask for a pressure test of the coolant system toward to the end of manufacturer waranty. The test costs about $20, while changing the gasket cost about $550. So it is better not to miss the end of the 36/36 warranty. By the way, GM recommends, in the car manual, to perform the test as often as yearly.
Is this something the dealers know about and can handle easily under warranty, or is it a pain in the oilpah?
What kind of mileage do you get? I got about 22 mpg's on the first three tanks.
I will tell you what, I like the engine, I had it up to 100 briefly today, in a safe spot, just to see what it would do. The rpm's weren't all that high.
If I remember it right, the engine itself and the intake manifold are made from different metals, steel and an aluminum alloy. Different thermal expansion stresses the gasket and gradually makes it to leak.
It happens not with all engines, nor with every second, but not so seldom. I believe, 10-15% are developing the leak sooner or later. The 2.8l V-6 engine widely used by GM in 80-ths had the same basic design, and the new 3.4l engine, and all of them were / are prone to the leak. All auto mechanics must know it rather well.
As to mileage, well, my Malibu is smaller and lighter than your Century.
In my experience, something like up to 31 mph on highway in near ideal driving conditions.
However, much less in city. I never measured, because do not like the results I am expecting. Probably between 10 and 15 mph. I am spending about twice more gas than my wife on commuting (we work together). I have a lead foot, plus I am accelerating hard from light to light - just for pleasure...
I asked all of the owners I could find and not one had a problem (one lady had a service light on, but didn't know why) I prefer to buy new...to me used cars are another world. I like knowing how the car was cared for, plus the factory warranty for insurance, since I keep my cars for awhile.
That century ride really pampers you...good luck picking one!
Art
The GM V-6 engines are some of the best: very good low-end torque (pushrod design), reliable, and proven: in one form or another they are in production for tens years. Most of bugs were eliminated years ago. The engine uses the chain, not a belt, and chains do not need the expensive service every 60k miles or so.
On a flip side, a fair share of the engines may develop the leak. But at least it is a well known problem. Every mechanic worth his salt will diagnose it easy and fix reasonable fast. You also will know what to look for. Furthermore, this leak is not a kind of catastrophic failure: if it developing, it is developing slow, and you have months, even years to fix it when it is more convenient.
Yes, a buyer of Century and other cars sharing the 3.1l engine and its 3.4l sister (Malibu, some trims of Alero, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Impala, Monte Carlo, the new Actek / Randevoux, and several minivans) have a chance to spend $550 on the leak repair after warranty will expire. I'd say, 10-15% chance. So what?
Car repairs is the way of life. All cars have one problem or another. Plus the specific problem is only mildly important. Not something like head gasket blowing up. You definitely will pay several times more for gas, oil, insurance, property taxes. Add to this brake service, new tires, transmission service, coolant service...
Art
Art
Art