Year / Model Reviewed: 1992 Lesabre Custom Gran Touring
Summary: The car had about 222,000 miles when I bought it in 2003, and it now has 242,622 miles today, October 2, 2006.
It continues to surprise me how well this car performs for its age and its mileage. It runs very smooth, and pulls off the line beautifully due to its 225 ft.-lbs. of torque. It chirps the tires for about a second, hooks up and takes off, goes 0-60 in about 8 seconds at around 80 mph. Pretty respectable considering it's weight and age. However, it gets really piggish on the highways when you have a lot of cargo or a full load of passengers. This car is very temperamental about it’s weight.
The automatic transmission is great. No other word for it. If you want to go faster, it listens and shifts down. It almost instantly downshifts from third to second gear between 25 and 35 miles per hour, but it will only shift down to first from second at about 17 miles per hour if you apply full throttle. Even then, you shouldn’t need to, because the torque will push the car to the high RPMs rather quickly anyways. My problem with it is it shifts from fourth into overdrive too quickly, especially on the highway. The real only way to get it to shift out of overdrive is to let off the throttle and press the throttle again, or floor it, in which case it makes really weird noises for about 2 seconds, then violently shifts down to a gear that you don’t want anyway. It still does this even if I take the gear selector out of OD and put it in D, which is aggravating.
It’s a pretty good sleeper to beat punks in small cars (because most people see the Lesabre as a “granny car”). Its stability is great on the highways, where it shows its outstanding handling capabilities supplied from the factory's optional Gran Touring suspension package. Stiffer shocks, springs, and struts call for a half-inch lower ride height, low body roll which is good for high speed cornering, and excellent stability in straight-line. The optional factory 17" alloy wheels call for lower-profile tires, which aides in the control as well. I've had the priviledge to test my car with the Gran Touring suspension, and a '94 Lesabre with Dynaride suspension comparatively. The difference is completely noticeable. The Dynaride gives a much smoother, bouncier ride, giving the Lesabre it's well known "grandma car" quality. The Gran Touring is much sportier, giving the car a more sporty aspect of its look and feel. Obviously, It's never going to live up to the handling qualities of a high performance four door sedan, such as a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, But with the Gran Touring package, it's one of the better, handling cars in its class from that couple of years.
The interior is pleasing tan color, which has held up will after the years and mileage. However, there are many noticeable stains on the seats and floor. Armor All interior protectant wipes worked magic on the interior surfaces. The dashboard, door panels, everything shines as if it were fresh out of the factory. My only dissatisfaction is that the gauge cluster has only a speedometer and fuel gauge. Everything else is indicated by dummy lights.
The paint is still intact, which is great, because 1992 was just a few years before the paint/primer problems GM had in 1994 and 1995. Maybe you’ve noticed Chevy Luminas, Chevy Corsicas, Buick Lesabres, all riddled with giant patches of gray. This is because in those model years, GM’s mid-size cars were sprayed with a paint that did not want to stick to the primer. However, it’s not to say the finish on my car is good. The hood has countless fine scratches running horizontally across the hood, and it almost seems to me as if someone who previously owned the car slid across the hood like Bo Duke. The hood also has chips in it, due mainly to bugs, rocks, and other projectiles hitting it at high speeds, and because of the number of paint chips, it tells me that this was a car that was probably used to travel cross country regularly, like from here, in New Hampshire, to Florida every winter, or as an everyday highway commuter.
So, in conclusion, very great car, despite its reliability issues because of its age and mileage. I’m definitely a fan of Buick.
Weaknesses: Steering knock, front end suspension parts replaced, around 225,000 mi.
Check Engine light = malfunctioning oxygen sensor caused frequent stalling and trouble starting, especially in traffic when engine is hot. Replaced around 230,000 mi.
Faulty climate control console, replaced around 232,000 mi.
Heavy hammering when brakes applied (warped rotor from extreme braking conditions) replaced around 233,000 mi.
Rust hole in undercarriage of body allows moisture to leak into interior, causing right rear seatbelt spring retract mechanism to rust and become virtually useless. Started having this problem around 237,000 miles, not fixed yet.
Car sits for a year and a half... Rotted seals and oil pan causes oil leakage onto manifolds and surface under car, causing smoke to come from manifolds and the possibility of engine fire. Also, spark plugs go bad, causing car to not start in wet weather. All this was replaced at about 238,000 miles.
Left rear power window didn't work from when the car was parked until about 500 miles after it started to be driven regularly. No idea why yet.
Water hose from water pump to cylinder head rots and leaks, replaced around 239,400 mi.
Water pump failure, replaced around 240,600 mi.
Small exhaust leak where the front of the catalytic converter attaches to the exhaust coming off the engine. Started around 239,000 miles, fixed with gas leak (see below)
Broken right directional signal (right front bulb), popped bulb around 239,000 miles, replaced around 239,500.
Fuel sending unit and fuel lines from the back of the fuel tank became rotted and cause a somewhat major fuel leak. Only leaks when car is parked just after driving for about 15 minutes or sitting in traffic, and leaks more severely when fuel tank is full. Started leaking about 242,600 miles, fixed immediately. In order to access the fuel system, the exhaust needed to be removed. Mechanic suggested new exhaust system due to major rusting, so that was also replaced as well.
Oh, an
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Summary: I have had nothing but numerous, expensive repairs on this car. Many of the parts that went bad were plastic (intake manifold, radiator). Now it needs a new engine due to the intake manifold going bad. I have owned this car since 1999.
Strengths: Comfortable ride. Plenty of room for me (I'm tall) I like the power seat and windows. It has a great sound system.
Weaknesses: Shortly after I got the car (at 38,700 miles) the valve body assembly went bad and cost me about $650. At 52,841 miles, the alternator went, costing me almost $300. At 62,755 miles, the water pump went, costing me over $200. At 82,566 miles, the plastic radiator blew a hole in it and it had to be towed, again costing me almost $300. At 91,064 miles, on a trip to New York, the plastic intake manifold blew, costing me almost $700. and ultimately ruining my engine. At 92,786 my air conditioning went, costing me almost $400. I had the AC fixed, only now to be faced with the purchase of a new engine at over $3,000!!!
Similar Products Used: None
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Summary: We bought the 2000 LeSabre before it had been widely distributed to dealers, and liked it so much that we just traded it for a 2005. I have tried the competition and have found that the LeSabre is the BEST full-size car value on the market. It is exceptionally comfortable, trouble free - no sign of the reputed plenum trouble in 1990, 1997, and 2000 models. The power is more than adequate. Friends, who don't know about Buicks are astounded at the comfort when we go on the highway.
So it has an old fashioned push rod 6 and a 4 speed transmission. I can't use its power and pep and still obey the law, so who cares? 25 milliion pushrod V6's have been sold, for crying out loud. Experts, get off of this old saw which is utterly meaningless to the car buying public.
It is far and away the best looking full-size sedan on the market, with just enough curves to look sporty, yet not unsofisticated.
I have never found anything disappointing in any of our LeSabres, and certainly not the 2000. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a large sedan.
We have driven 250,000 trouble free, comfortable miles in our LeSabres, including 77,000 in the 2000 model. What a car! I have to chuckle at my Cadillac owning friends who have paid 10,000-15,000 more and didn't get anything nicer or better to drive.
Strengths: Comfort, styling, power, interior, spaciousness, dependability, fuel economy are all outstanding. The price is also very reasonable.
Weaknesses: None noted
Similar Products Used: 1990, 1997, and 2005 LeSabres owned. Ford 500 - test drove, Chrysler 300 - test drove, Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis - occassionally drove. None compared with the LeSabre in any way.
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Year / Model Reviewed: 1999 Chrysler Town & Country LXI
Summary: I bought this minivan in December 1998 to replace my previous 1988 Grand Voyager. This one is MUCH better than the older model. I had an XM radio adaptor installed and can enjoy XM broadcasts thru the Infinity 10 speaker stereo. It has traction control which was VERY helpful this rough winter on the icy hills.
Strengths: Reliable engine, reasonable gas mileage, good styling, nice stereo. On hot days, I get better results by putting the AC on recirculate mode and the rear AC/heater really helps cool/warm the cabin.
Weaknesses: Steering column was replaced under warranty and works fine now. The dealership twice tried to re-align the sliding doors, but to no avail - they rattle and make LOTS of noise. That is my BIGGEST complaint about this vehicle - what seems to be shoddy workmanship. Transmission sensor computer was also replaced.
Similar Products Used: 1988 Plymouth Grand Voyager - had a bad Mitsubishi engine - had to trade it in at 63,000 miles.
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Summary: I traded in my 1990 LeSabre Limited for this one in July 2003. The 1990 was an excellent car and this one is even better. Nothing has been replaced and nothing has malfunctioned and I am VERY pleased with it.
Strengths: good acceleration, reasonable gas mileage, excellent stereo/XM radio, cold AC, heated leather seats, large trunk, QUIET, good handling, good value for the money.
Weaknesses: Hood release is clumsy to reach - there are some sharp areas under the hood and it is easy to scrape/cut yourself to get the hood open. Exterior adn interior are monochromatic - no crome and no contrasting colors. The outside is totally white and the inside is totally gray = BORING. The sill you have to step over to get in car seems unusually high.
Similar Products Used: 1990 Buick LeSabre Ltd - white exterior, red cloth velour interior, black exterior moldings - SHARP!
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