Gazdatronik
Super Member
The Regal had the 3800 availableHmmm... seems the 2001 Buick Century has the 3.1 V6, not the 3800 like I thought.
Need some help finding a new work car...
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savatage1973
Addicted Member
Another good engine--my cousin had one in a Chevy Celibrity/Lumina and ran the wheels off of it with no problems other than an A/C coil at about 250K, but we live in the "salt belt", so everything corrodes eventually. Avoid the 3.3's though.
Been looking for those as well. Not too many in my current price range. Did find a 2000 Buick Regal LS right at the top of my max with 180K on the clock.
Car is an hour and a half away one way as well. Long distance to drive just to look at one with that many miles.
Still looking...
great driveline but the truck will rot into the ground around it.
The late 90s - mid 00's GM stuff is actually pretty good. The 3100 and the 3800 are both good motors as long as you don't neglect or abuse them horribly. They're also pretty comfortable. There was another V6 in the middle of that size range, maybe the 3.4, it had twin cams. Ran like a scalded cat but it was a real pain to work on and it wanted a lot of that.
Sardine cans
I thought you wanted comfort, and your getting older.
1998 and up Crown Vic, there is a reason these cars have been used so widely as service vehicles. Such a solidly built car that never needs much in the way of service. When they do it's cheap as hell because of parts availability.
My mom bought this one new in 98 fully loaded but as she got older it was used less and less. So I started to drive it on the weekend around 2009 to keep it running and not just sitting. I also used it to take her to her doctor appointments, and then more and more for work.
At first I thought of it as a little old lady car but that soon changed. I then knew it was more like a modern day adult muscle car. Kinda like the 66 Galaxy 7 Liter that was targeted at at adults wanting comfort, style and power.
The funny thing about this car it doesn't look old, as we've been seeing this body style on the road for 20+ years. I'v had/ have other cars and trucks that look old after 8-10 years. In the photos you can also see my Cop neighbor Vic's, he has two, one a PI and the other fully loaded.
I have had two myself but just have my moms now since she passed in 2011. The car needed nothing in the past 20 years other than tires batteries, brakes, wiper blades, alternator and smog pump. I left the car parked for two year unused out side and that was the main reason for most of those parts. It still only has 67,000 miles and I would dive cross country in it because I know how safe, dependable and comfortable it is.
Even though departments are changing to other vehicles the cops don't even want to give up these cars because they are so good. The market is flooded with these but you do want to maybe stay away from hard service cars, but if you want a Police Interceptor they are around. And then there is plenty of low milage little old lady from pasadena cars as well, all from $2500- $6000
Sardine cans
I thought you wanted comfort, and your getting older.
I had thought of one of those actually. Rear wheel drive is a bit of a problem in the winters here (grew up with rear wheel drive so no stranger to the concept... anyone remember studded snow tires?
)There is also an issue with needing a smaller car due to parking constraints. My garage parking stall at my work place is a "compact only" stall. We have a double driveway at the house but the 32' fifth wheel camper takes up one half and we have a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD pickup that takes a good portion of the other. Again, only leaves a "compact only" parking spot in the driveway. Could park in the street but there is a long story there that involves a-hole neighbors.
The above is partly why I'm staying away from the bigger Buicks with the 3800 like LeSabres as well.
I park in compact spots all the time and live and work in a big city with hard parking. Compact cars today are actually kind of big unless it's a Smart Car or something. The Vic might be a foot or less longer than the common 4 doors made today, I think it's 15'.I had thought of one of those actually. Rear wheel drive is a bit of a problem in the winters here (grew up with rear wheel drive so no stranger to the concept... anyone remember studded snow tires?
There is also an issue with needing a smaller car due to parking constraints. My garage parking stall at my work place is a "compact only" stall. We have a double driveway at the house but the 32' fifth wheel camper takes up one half and we have a 2009 Chevy Silverado 2500HD pickup that takes a good portion of the other. Again, only leaves a "compact only" parking spot in the driveway. Could park in the street but there is a long story there that involves a-hole neighbors.
The above is partly why I'm staying away from the bigger Buicks with the 3800 like LeSabres as well.
Gazdatronik
Super Member
The vic is nearly 18' but he should get one anyway. If Ford still made a vic wagon I'd have one of those instead of my B-Body.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
There are state and local governments that still use Vic's ( not necessarily police versions ) as well as many other vehicles of all types and they're sold to the public at surplus properties. In my state those cars can be bought at very low prices and some even have low miles. Sometimes they're auctioned off but they're also sold on straight sales like buying from a used car lot. They are generally well maintained and my brother-in-law buys most of the Vic's sold by the county. He spends nothing on them and clears a few hundred after selling them on CL.
funny your should say that...my kid is selling his 01 PT (2.5L, 5spd) with 94K on it as he wants my deville...he just did the timing belt and pump....
on a serious note tho, you should be able to find 97-05 buick lesas for under $2G with low miles always dealer serviced...with the 205hp series 3 and the 4T65E, they should go 100K extra easy.
that partic motor is good and is yet another aluminum cockroach, but it is not as durable as the 3.8Hmmm... seems the 2001 Buick Century has the 3.1 V6, not the 3800 like I thought.
cratz2
Addicted Member
I normally don't mind the bigger GMs with the 3800s but a guy I know that works at an automotive electrical specialty shop (as in when the actual dealer can't figure something out, they give these guys the business) and he said that other than British cars, some of the biggest headaches were Century type vehicles.
Basically if it had an engine available under the 3400, he'd probably avoid it. If a car only had an available 3400 or 3800, it was a fairly safe bet and the electrical issues were annoyances rather than anything critical.
And as mentioned, aftermarket wheels... usually a bad sign as are indicators that a nice stereo was ever installed. Not just the head unit, but major wiring indicators in the trunk or under the hood.
Basically if it had an engine available under the 3400, he'd probably avoid it. If a car only had an available 3400 or 3800, it was a fairly safe bet and the electrical issues were annoyances rather than anything critical.
And as mentioned, aftermarket wheels... usually a bad sign as are indicators that a nice stereo was ever installed. Not just the head unit, but major wiring indicators in the trunk or under the hood.
Gazdatronik
Super Member
The 3400 and 3100 are from the same engine family and I avoid them like the plague. The 3800 is really the only way to go.
The Lexus wasn't what I was looking for, ran okay, had a pump bearing noise of some sort. Salesman said that the noise quiets down after it warms up. Front seats were all ripped up. I think that I can do better. Same lot is supposed to be getting a 1995 Honda Accord with 150K on the clock. They just bought it from the auto auction so it isn't on their website yet. Supposed to look at that tonight. Came from a local large dealership, most of the larger dealerships don't mess with back row beauties, they just send them to the auction.
The longer we wait, the more money I save. Not having a second car is very taxing but not leaving us high and dry. Right now I can wait for the right car but need to keep looking...
The $2K mark leaves a lot to be desired where if I can get to the $3K mark, there is a lot more to choose from. Problem is I'm about six weeks away from that mark.
The longer we wait, the more money I save. Not having a second car is very taxing but not leaving us high and dry. Right now I can wait for the right car but need to keep looking...
The $2K mark leaves a lot to be desired where if I can get to the $3K mark, there is a lot more to choose from. Problem is I'm about six weeks away from that mark.
