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Comments
Jeff
Thanks for your opinions,
Jim
Thanks.
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.
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 doesn’t seem to get many responses. I’ll do my part to keep it going.
- vtech83
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
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.
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
Thanks..
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 $500 or so. Oh well.
The 3.8 is pretty much the same pushrod, cast-iron engine they've had for decades now. Pushrods may be living a short life span, but they still work and GM has been making this engine better and more reliable as the years go by.
Here's a link to the 3.8 specs from gmpowertrain.com.
Good luck.
- vtech83
http://www.gmpowertrain.com/engines_cartruck/other/38l36_main.htm
I bought a 1994 LeSable Ltd last month for two reasons; it has one of the best reliability records (period) and I could get one for C$ 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.
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
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.
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.
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
Nope. They don't have them. Kind of a pain, but no car is perfect.
- vtech83
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
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.
Thanks for your informative postings.
Ken
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
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
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.
Thanks.
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
"hot weather" noise. The only problem is we won't
know until June or July whether it was effective.
Thanks.
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
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
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
Unfortunately, I only have a dynaride..not a Y56. But I will try to make up for it..somehow.
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.
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
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
Thanks,
Jim