519 messages,
Last post on Sep 03, 2012 at 7:01 PM
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Buick Park Avenue Forum.
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Buick Park Avenue, Sedan
#63 of 519 long lasting ultra
by shamblin1
Aug 24, 2000 (10:16 pm)
My wife is in sales, which has her driving quite a lot. Her 1993 ultra has delivered her safely for 189,884 miles and still going. Had the transmission rebuilt at about 160000 miles. Have had to replace alternator three times.Which I suspect is just not heavy duty enough,for all the power options. Just recently replaced the water pump and radiator. The rest has been routine maintenance.Changed oil every 3000 miles because of the supercharger. However, to my disappointment two weeks ago she ordered a 2001 lincoln LS. she just has never liked the new bodystyle of the new park avenue. I hope she is not disappointed. P.S. The old buick is now mine ,and, I am going to run it until it is GONE.
#64 of 519 VIBRATION SOLUTIONS
by gusfershort
Oct 26, 2000 (10:45 pm)
i am just wondering how many of you have solved the vibration problems with the tires and what did you do to correct it.
#65 of 519 VIBRATION SOLUTION
by gusfershort
Oct 31, 2000 (12:13 am)
I also have a 99 Park Avenue that had tire vibration problems. I just replaced my old tires (Goodyears) with Michelins and the problem is now gone. I read some of these complaints and found (1) common denominator, "GOODYEAR" That name keeps coming up in all of the complaints that I have read. Some of you have replaced your problem with another set of Goodyears and still have the same problems. WAKEUP!!!
I also read HERE where some of you have found tire solutions. One name (and only one name) that comes up is "MICHELIN." wakeup!!!
The other solutions are a fancy/expensive tire balance. I guess if your tires are good enough to try a fancy balance then go for it. I see a few successful solutions with this method also.
I talked with a Service Manager at a GM Dealership, here in Forest Lake, MN and he also advised me to put on Michelins. That also has been his solution to most vibration problems that he has been faced with. (including Cadilacs) He told me that GM has been trying to make some of their cars ride softer and we are now faced with this tire vibration problem as a result. It seems that there are some tire brands out there that do not work well with some GM cars. Cadilac is also having some of the same problems. I guess it all has something to do with the newer designs of the frames and suspensions. (and some tires, for some unknown reason)
I would like to hear some feedback from some of you that have found some success with this problem and/or if it has come back to haunt you.
Other than that, I totally love the car. I just bought it and am glad to have found here on this site some solutions to this annoying problem. Thats what it is all about!!!
#66 of 519 Still not fixed??
by tnaugler
Nov 04, 2000 (1:46 pm)
I had the same vibration problem on my '98 Ultra, and the fix was to replace the Goodyears with Michelins and balance them on the car. Buick appears to have a fundamental suspension design problem with this platform such that the natural frequency of the front suspension results in a resonance at normal highway cruising speeds; i.e., an annoying vibration that requires heroic efforts to eliminate. This problem has been known for several years, and I am amazed that they have not fixed it yet.
That said, I like the rest of the car enough that I am willing to put up with the hassle of keeping it smooth.
Nov 04, 2000 (2:56 pm)
I agree with you about liking the car enough to put up with this hassle. I test drove and was going to buy a 98 Continental (from a different dealer) about 15 minutes after I drove this 99 Parke Avenue and the Buick was far better in the ride and in the smoothness. In fact I called the Dealership that had the Buick from the Lincoln test drive (during the drive on my cell phone) and told him to fill up the Buick with gas and I will be back to purchase it.
I really like this vehicle. I traded in a loaded 97 Yukon with 41000 miles on it for the Parke. I was tired of paying the extra money for gas every time I filled up at the pumps.
Nov 05, 2000 (11:48 am)
I THINK the NADA site. Natl Automobile Dealer's Assn.
#69 of 519 Headlamps Not So Bright
by 9948
Nov 10, 2000 (3:37 pm)
The headlamps on my new (4900 miles)2000 Park Avenue Ultra can't seem to match the illuminating brilliance and reach of my last car, a '91 Lexus LS400. Low beam and high beam lights have been dealer aligned but low beam visibility is still very poor. Headlamp switch is on. Lenses are clean. Standard 9005 and 9006 bulbs are installed. What did I overlook? Is there an aftermarket bulb replacement available that will provide a whiter, brighter headlamp beam?
#70 of 519 REGARDING POST #68
by gusfershort
Nov 14, 2000 (2:12 am)
It isn't only Buicks having this problem with this particular platform. $50,000+ Cadilac cars and some full size GMC 4WD pickups are also having this same problem. These All have different platforms.
I was told this from my service manager at a Buick/GMC Dealership whome also worked at a Cadilac Dealership for some years and has seen many of the same problems. He has also worked for many years at a Goodyear Dealership and he is very aware of the situation.
#71 of 519 Suspension noise
by dkgrant
Nov 18, 2000 (10:46 pm)
I bought a 2000 Park Avenue several weeks ago. When I back out of my driveway, which slopes down to the street, and go down the roll curb onto the street, the slight bounce I get causes the front suspension to creak. The dealer says that the noise is due to a strut bushing that gets stiff in cool weather, that all Park Avenues do this, and that nothing can be done to fix it. Does this make sense?
#72 of 519 2000Park Avenue
by swl625
Dec 03, 2000 (5:14 pm)
I have had my 2000 Park Avenue since June and it has been nearly flawless!
This is my third P.A. and is the best yet.
During my 60 years as a driver I have owned and driven hundreds of cars including foreign makes and have read countless reviews and road tests
In my experience the foreign cars were never as good as the reviews and the domestic products were almost always far better than the reviews.