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Buick LeSabre

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#716 of 1497 oregonaj by mlm4 Feb 19, 2003 (11:37 am)
I own a Bonneville, which is essentially the same platform as the LeSabre (although with a firmer, more sporty suspension). The LeSabre is a great all-around car, nothing terribly exciting but better than "basic transportation." The 3800 engine is reliable and proven, and gets decent gas mileage for a car this size.   The Driver Information Center is a gadget that is useful but not as sophisticated as some other cars'. Basic info like mileage, distance to empty and the Oil Life System. The Oil Life System only guesses as when the oil needs to be changed based on a number of factors like how long the engine is run between starts, temperature, speed, etc. It doesn't hurt to change the oil every 3000 miles, but a lot of research has shown that it is ususally not necessary to change the oil that often, depending on how the car is driven. The Tire Pressure Monitor can only detect if one tire is 10 lbs. or more lower than the others by comparing rotation speed. If all the tires are equally low, it won't know the difference. Some owners who have had slow leaks were pleased that the system alerted them to a problem before they noticed it, so it does work.   The traction control on my Bonneville seems to work on slick roads but is slow to kick in. Better than nothing, or you can turn it off.   My experience and those of some other owners is that the Concert Sound II system is substandard, even for the muted interiors of a Buick. I find that it is flat and has a limited range.   Rent one for the weekend and try it out. Good luck!
#717 of 1497 Average Trouble free Mileage expectation by jacobpz Feb 20, 2003 (10:10 am)
Hi All, Could you all let me know , how many trouble free mileage I can expect on a 97 LeSabre.   Or in Other words, what are the major maintenance history for your Le Sabre so , far.   Thanks in advance for all your responses. Regards, Jacob
#718 of 1497 oregonaj by danieltiger Feb 22, 2003 (2:34 pm)
We have a 2002 Le Sabre with 9000 miles on it and we really like it. I strongly suggest getting one with the Stabilitrak & eye-cue head up display as well as the Gran Touring package with 3.05 axle ratio & gran touring suspension. We test drove lots of Le Sabres and found that both of those features seemed to make the car handle better than the others. (love that display in the windshield) Our new one turns around in smaller spaces like parking lots very well compared to our 93 Le Sabre. We get 21.9 miles per gallon in the city; my commute is stop and go. I use mid-grade or high test gas.
#719 of 1497 danieltiger save your money by macarthur2 Feb 22, 2003 (7:27 pm)
Your new LeSabre DOES NOT require mid range or high test gasoline. You are wasting your money by paying 7-18 cents more per gallon than you need to. Read your owners manual, regular unleaded works just fine. I get 22 city and 31 straight highway on regular. Believe me if the car required anything other than regular it would be in the owners manual. Many people believe the old mechanics tale that premium gets better mileage, but it is not true. Fact is unless the engine is designed for premium it does not burn properly in it. Others will argue the point but Buick tells you what to put in the tank and they are the ones that issue the warranty on the engine. So fill up for two or three bucks less and don't worry about it.
#720 of 1497 Jacob--lifetime by imidazol97 Feb 23, 2003 (6:57 am)
93 LeSabre 150K going strong. New struts at 40K (couldn't stand the soft wallow of the Custom). New alternator at 70k. New metal replacement for the plastic tube (3 inch) that connected into the intake manifold to the waterpump at 100K. The old ones cracked from expansion/contraction. Replacement was metal. New brake pads front 3 times. Did them myself with Raybestos. Rear brakes -- original. Transmission shifted great. Fluid changed 4 times by self and filter changed 2 times by self. (Replacement gaskets are reusable.) Engine oil changed at 2500 to 3000 miles. When color looked darker and drops on paper towel left nearly a dime size blacker spot in middle, I changed it. In summer with longer trips (100mi) and less short driving, might have hit 3500 or 4000. Engine did not smoke at anytime. I wanted to keep car, wife wanted to trade. Wife/rebates won. Body has some minor dings (golf ball, road trash, etc.) Rust starting through in rocker panels in two places -- salt on roads in north.
#721 of 1497 oregonaj by imidazol97 Feb 23, 2003 (7:01 am)
I tested traction control on my 2003 since snow was still in a parking lot. It kicks in quickly I could't tell the wheel was slipping. The brake made the same ratchet-like sound the antilocks make. it sound more like the wheel getting traction making the clicking sound. I turned up the sound system. It's the CD player model with 8 speakers. I think it's more than adequate. The equalizer setup allowed reducing base or raising treble as much as I wanted. I don't see anything dull about this.
#722 of 1497 Engine Shut-Down While Driving by sincero Feb 23, 2003 (3:42 pm)
I have a '94 Buick LeSabre (87,000 miles)that I have been reasonably happy with until an experience suffered during highway driving late yesterday evening. All the warning lights came on and the engine basically shut down. I fortunately was able to coast the car to the outer right lane. The car would rev but would not start. Has anyone else faced a similar problem...any ideas before I take it to the dealer?
#723 of 1497 macarthur2 What's the deal? by danieltiger Feb 23, 2003 (4:59 pm)
How come all the mechanics on the radio tell us to use premium gas? They claim that cars will last longer and require fewer repairs. These are people who have worked on cars all their lives. Who should we believe, the manufacturer or the guys who work on cars every day? Who is telling the truth?
#724 of 1497 I am with Macarthur... by jimsxn Feb 23, 2003 (5:06 pm)
Unless enging electronics are set to burn high efficiency fuel, you are wasting your money - cause the engine is going to burn it anyways like it was 87-octane.
#725 of 1497 danieltiger by macarthur2 Feb 23, 2003 (5:32 pm)
Think a minute, are the mechanics guaranteeing your engine or is the manufacturer? You can bet your boots Buick would tell you if you needed premium fuel. But the maker of your car says use unleaded regular. If your car breaks down try taking it to your friendly neighborhood mechanic and have him honor the Buick warranty. A lot of these good old boy mechanics got their training back in the days of carburetors and ignition points and they have not kept up to date on modern computerized engine control systems. If you made a product and told me how to use it and I did not follow your directions who would be at fault? The manufacturer wrote the owers manual you would be wise to follow it. Do they know the car they MADE better than the local shade tree mechanic? YES

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