My 2000 Chevrolet Impala has been retired. It was one of the best and most reliable cars I've ever owned. The 3.8 litre V-6 is one hell of an engine and considered one of the best ever built...
However it is 13 years old and last week a fuel line broke... I did get the fuel line repaired by a local radiator shop..
I was hoping on holding off until next spring with either another GM W body (Chevy Impala, Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Allure), Ford Fusion, Honda CRX, Honda Accord... However I came across a deal I just could not turn down...
So I bought this Buick today. It's a 2008 Allure with the 3.8 V-6 with only 68,000kms... Yeah, I know...it's an old man's car but I ain't no spring chicken....
It's super quiet and a little more peppy then the Impala...
In some ways I'm kinda of sad as this is the first car I ever purchased that Mom will not be one of the first to have a ride in...
The dealer said I could take my Impala home and remove the snow tires as the wheel size on the Allure is the same. So I took the Impala home & removed the snow tires and mounted the all season tires and rims... The dealer told me the Impala would end up at an auction...
Pfft, don't listen to them. The Allure is a fine automobile, a vehicle for someone who has lived a fulfilled life and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.
Don't feel bad. I had a 1970 Buick LeSabre Custom 4-dr. Hardtop, V8 with 12 mpg and a ride as comfortable as your favourite sofa. It replaced my 63 Volvo B18 544.
Don't feel bad. I had a 1970 Buick LeSabre Custom 4-dr. Hardtop, V8 with 12 mpg and a ride as comfortable as your favourite sofa. It replaced my 63 Volvo B18 544.
Both of those are nice cars, especially the Volvos of that era... They kind of looked like a mini 47 Ford....
congrats...nothing wrong with a Buick, they are good cars (among the best of GM)...besides, if you ever need to prove something to someone, take the Vette out.
Pfft, don't listen to them. The Allure is a fine automobile, a vehicle for someone who has lived a fulfilled life and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.
It's comforting when you hit that age, when you buy a car because you like how it feels, like how comfortable it is, like how dependable it's rated... and care less about how it looks if you were at Starbucks sipping your dopa mocha faggaccino.
Me, I'm just happy to have power windows and excellent gas mileage.
Yeah...there's too many good cars today to really be loyal to any particular brand... The competition is too fierce to have the blinders on when car shopping...
I'd be lying if I didn't say I have a weakness in my heart for GM and Chevy's in particular... One of my earliest recollections is driving to town in my Dad's 1953 Chevrolet Biscayne...
If I had the money I'd love to have a fully restored '53 in my garage. Matter of fact my Corvette and all first generation Corvettes (1953-62) use the same front end (king pins, steering, etc) as the 1949-54 Chevy passenger cars and trucks. In 1955 Chevy switched to ball pin front ends which were not used in Corvettes until the Sting Ray (generation 2 Corvette 1963-67)...
My Dad thinks his next vehicle maybe a Honda CRV. I know a few at work who drive Honda Civics and CRVs. they speak quite well of their reliability...
Aside from being an old man's car by default (it IS a Buick!) it is not bad looking. GM has done better in the past half decade. For a while it was like they asked grade 1 students to design their cars.
The CRV is good. I had one of the first generation. My only complaint was it was under powered, but they have fixed that since then. I had no major problems with the CRV for repairs.
Honda has always had a good reputation when it comes to engines. It seems like when it comes to small engines (lie compressors, electric generators) they are giving Briggs & Stratton some real competition...
The old Buick Grand National and GNX where bad ass performance cars...
Aside from being an old man's car by default (it IS a Buick!)
Buick is GM's top brand in China or something like that. In contrast with the Europeans, Asians like big boatmobiles that float like a pillow over the roadway.
Got a 1997 Buick LeSabre myself that I've had for the last 7 years, my great uncle owned it for 9 years before that. Best 5 G's I ever spent. It's an old man car alright but other than doing regular and some preventive maintenance the thing is bulletproof, and of course it helps that my uncle took care of it too. It has 280 000 km on it and other than a little rust at the rocker panel (mostly drivers side), the V6 3.8 has been absolutely troublefree and the tranny is still shifting like new. All good things must come to an end though and in a couple years I'll be picking up something else, perhaps a 3.6L Cadillac.
That would be the Cadillac CTS rear wheel drive? There awesome. I was considering one a few months ago. It had the 2.6 litre though. I believe it was a 2006...
the CTS gets ok reviews, but the new ATS gets very good reviews...it's only issue is it can get pretty pricey when optioned up...being a GM, it might actually be a great buy in 2-3 years since it won't have the retained value many of its foreign counterparts will have, enabling a very good car for a pretty decent price.
GM 3800 is a solid motor. my folks had a '92 Regal GS with a 3800 Series 1 and it ran for over 500K with no major issues. And it didn't leak or knock either!
ive always had pontiacs (except for a 6 month stint with a chevy cavalier) but now with the demise of pontiac buicks are looking better and better to me. I find chevy's just too bland, that said that is a gorgeous car, i love my 3.8's had 3 of em myself!
That would be the Cadillac CTS rear wheel drive? There awesome. I was considering one a few months ago. It had the 2.6 litre though. I believe it was a 2006...
Yep. I would buy used, something around 5 years old or so. Don't want the dime a dozen 2.8 though, a little underpowered IMO, so the rarer 3.6 would suffice. My great uncle that I bought the Buick from has the 2.8, I wouldn't hesitate in buying a car from him again but like I said I'm just not interested in the 2.8
quote:GM 3800 is a solid motor. my folks had a '92 Regal GS with a 3800 Series 1 and it ran for over 500K with no major issues. And it didn't leak or knock either.
Yup, awesome motors. The LeSabre that I have has the 3.8 Series II and I've been told by people in the know that if you take care of them they'll go forever.
I noticed the engine bay is much larger in the Buick then it was in the Impala. I can change the rear bank spark plugs (near firewall) without rotating the engine towards the radiator as I had to do on the Impala...
Apparently the engine bay is larger for a reason... The 5.3 litre V8 300hp was an option as well as the 3.6 litre. Actually the 3.6 makes more horsepower then the 3.8 240hp vs 200hp... But the 200hp is more then enough for me...
I sent an e-mail along with my VIN to GM Canada and they informed me I still have a warranty on the Buick... Something I never considered when I purchased the car but my kid brother suggested I contact GM...
quote:Thank you for your recent email.
The remaining warranty on your 2008 Buick Allure CX is as follows,
Powertrain Limited Warranty expires on 05/28/2013 or 160,010 KM which ever comes first.
Corrosion Limited Warranty expires on 05/28/2014 or Unlimited KMS which ever comes first.
Emission Select Component Ltd Wty expires on 05/28/2016 or at 130,010 KM which ever comes first.
Apparently the engine bay is larger for a reason... The 5.3 litre V8 300hp was an option as well as the 3.6 litre. Actually the 3.6 makes more horsepower then the 3.8 240hp vs 200hp... But the 200hp is more then enough for me...
the 3.8L only has 200hp??...what are they doing to neuter that engine??...the 3.8L V6 engine Hyundai uses in the Genesis has 348hp (for the coupe, 333hp for the sedan)...i realize the Hyundai unit is DI, but that is usually more about efficiency that actual output...that 3.8L in the Buick should be putting out more than 200hp.
