Opinions on 1998 Buick LeSabre Limited

[Looking4new]

If your son is anything over 5'4" then the back seat wont be much good for him getting 'lucky', but the trunk will hold lots of blankets and beer.:laughing:
Now on the serious side, it should be a good car for him. 205 hp in a car the size and weight of a Buick, it certainly wont win any races. But it will be better than walking.

 

[bigtiller]

If your son is anything over 5'4" then the back seat wont be much good for him getting 'lucky', but the trunk will hold lots of blankets and beer.:laughing:
Now on the serious side, it should be a good car for him. 205 hp in a car the size and weight of a Buick, it certainly wont win any races. But it will be better than walking.

Ha, I knew a couple of lucky youngsters that found a comfortable place to lay down in a '65 Mustang that had 6 bags of groceries in the back seat. I'm thinking a big old Buick would seam to be sent from heaven to them.

 

[RollingsFarms]

back when i was a teenager in MD insurance on a pickup truck was much higher than a four door sedan/wagon. i drove a 240 volvo.

I'm not sure what the difference was between a car and a truck was. My dad insisted that I have a truck though, specifically a regular cab and a manual. He would help me buy that but he wouldn't even talk to me about anything else.:laughing: I found a CJ7 with a "built" 350 in it and man did I want that Jeep. My dad not only said "no" but "h-e-double hockey sticks no!" He ended up talking to a local farmer that had a '95 Toyota 4x4 with a 5-speed manual that he had bought and wanted to get rid of. Truck only had something like 13,000 miles on it. He and my dad struck a deal, my dad paid him in cash and I, ofcourse had to pay my dad back every last cent.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ha, I knew a couple of lucky youngsters that found a comfortable place to lay down in a '65 Mustang that had 6 bags of groceries in the back seat. I'm thinking a big old Buick would seam to be sent from heaven to them.

I always seem to find a way to make it work. Those baby car seats are the worst.

Chris

 

[QueBota]

Bought the car yesterday evening and brought it home.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Well settled on $3500, probably a little high but I would have spent many hours and
lot's of fuel looking at other vehicles. We are relatively rural, it's at least a 10 mile drive
to anywhere.

Was partial to the LeSabre due to it's reputation
for durability, safety and gas mileage.

Also, vehicle is very clean, inside and out, would never believe it's a 1998 model.
Received a large folder of all maintaince records going back to 1998, only thing missing
was the window sticker. PO is a licensed charter boat captain, evey thing around his place
looked 100%.

Was able to find the build sheet, car is fully optioned except for the Touring Package.

As stated above, insurance for this car is very low compared to a 4x4 pickup.

I am my own mechanic, my son and I gave it a pretty good inspection and several
lenghty test drives. Steering lacks road feel and suspension is soft, typical older Buick product.
It's like driving your couch down the road.

Appreciate all the tips regarding trouble spots, will go over those and address as needed this
weekend. Brake and fuel lines shouldn't be to bad, have spent the last year replacing those on
my fleet, have gotten pretty good at double and bubble flaring.

Will update after we give it a thorough going over. Like I said price is a little high but it seems
like a lot of car for the $$$$. I'll try to post a pic or three when I have a few moments.

Thanks again,
Q

 

[Redneck in training]

We had two Buick Regals with 3.8 V6. One lost hydraulic lifter at 247 000 and was junked. The second died at about 280000 due to issues unrelated to powertrain. The engine was still running good. Those were two most reliable cars we ever owned. Better than Honda Accord, Nissan Stanza or Subaru outback. None of those lived past 180000.

 

[the old grind]

My second job at GM was in the 3800 plant (also the 350 ci, back then) and I've since become quite familiar with the FWDs built at 'Buick City' thru' the '90s. I drove an '88 LeSabre for 9 yrs before giving it to my son, who traded it in still running fine. My '98 Camaro (last 11 yrs) and '03 Monte (bought last year) both have the 3800 Series II engine that was key to my buying them.

The upper intake is f-glass reinforced nylon and the lower intake is aluminum that is what corrodes and causes leaks at the interface. Leaks I've seen with 3800s and GM's 3400s could usually be blamed on an owner hoping the coolant would last as long as the engine, often a decade+ of otherwise trouble-free use. (see coolant threads elsewhere about aluminum issues)

Buicks are popular here in their birthplace, and most 3800s I've seen go to scrap were several-owner or hand-me-down cars whose bodywork, suspension, etc didn't survive neglect as long as the engines did. (200k mi is nothing with proper upkeep.)

QueBota, if the LeSabre's looks aren't 'all that' I'm sure your son will come to appreciate the LeSabre's ride, handling, & mileage over time, hopefully while he's still driving it. That 'turbo' and NA 3800s share the same pistons, rods, and other internals speaks to the durability of the latter. 'Would buy again'. tog

 

[Turbys_1700]

I have owned an 01 since 09...
Bought it with 105K 1 owner miles...
I have replaced two fuel injectors, two fuel level sensors, 1 rear door gasket seal, 1 water pump, 1 CV axle, and just recently a starter...
The car now has 191K miles, runs like a kitten, and gets 23 MPG driving back and forth to work and 28 to 30 on the interstate...
I will change the coolant at the next service interval...
Those repairs listed above do not include regular service intervals...
I paid 5K for it in 09...
I am fortunate to have a great local mechanic...
Repair parts and repair costs are inexpensive...
Used car prices are still high IMHO...
I just paid $3100 for a 98 Ford Contour 1 owner...
Used cars are still in high demand due to the government stimulus program that trashed lots of good used cars...
It will take 3 to 5 more years for the supply to get back to normal levels...
Local dealer that I bought my Contour from told me that the last sale he attended at Carmax had 98 buyers and 92 cars...
Not many to go around...

 

[terryknight]

OP - i hope the car came inspected

I'm not sure what the difference was between a car and a truck was. My dad insisted that I have a truck though, specifically a regular cab and a manual. He would help me buy that but he wouldn't even talk to me about anything else.:laughing: I found a CJ7 with a "built" 350 in it and man did I want that Jeep. My dad not only said "no" but "h-e-double hockey sticks no!" He ended up talking to a local farmer that had a '95 Toyota 4x4 with a 5-speed manual that he had bought and wanted to get rid of. Truck only had something like 13,000 miles on it. He and my dad struck a deal, my dad paid him in cash and I, ofcourse had to pay my dad back every last cent.

the insurance company considers them more expensive to replace or more dangerous for teenagers to drive? i don't know, but i don't understand how the insurance company's come up with there rules anyway

 

[QueBota]

Car is not currently state inspected but I have that covered. My mechanic will inspect the car and only fix safety related issues. In the People's Republik of Maryland a vechicle is only subject to mechanical inspection once in it's life, so if you don't know somebody they normally hit you pretty hard to pass since they only get one shot.

Insurance companies come up with their rules to provide maximum suction on your wallet.

My son likes the looks of the LeSabre Limited. It's fully loaded, it's like a mini limo.
He prefers the Buick over his buddies tuner cars, although I suspect he would
really like a Hemi RT Challenger (me too!).

Thanks for alll the input,
Q