Is this a good car?

Question

He says it's a 1994 or 1995 (he's leaning more towards 1995) buick lesabre. The motor has 70,000 miles on it and the car has 140,000 miles on it. He is a mechanic. He says it is a good clean car. He is asking $1,250 for it. I have a fiance and a year old son and a 6 year old daughter both in carseats. Would this be a good car for us? We need a good dependable, yet attractive car that will last a while.

Answer 1

Buick Lesabres are generally a very reliable car. I had a 1997 with 130,000 miles on it, and it was running very smoothly. I ended up trading it in for a newer car, but I was having very few problems with it. That car will be a nice inexpensive choice and still has a few good years left. One of the things I liked most about the Buick is that it is extremely cheap to insure.

As far as cons, if you're looking at a 1994/5, it obviously is a 12 or 13 year old car, and you can't expect it to run forever. It won't be the best on gas mileage, especially if it's a V-6 like mine was. It'll be in the upper-teens mpg range in the city, and low to mid 20s on the highway.

I'd try to get that $1250 figure down a bit, but even if it doesn't come down, it's still a definite consideration. Kelley Blue Book will tell you it's worth $3500, but they're always overestimating. Check the CARFAX report to make sure you're getting a good deal.

All Buick Lesabre's have high reliability ratings, and the 1994 and 1995 models were both rated 4 out of 5. For more information, check out this webpage: http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=1995&make=Buick&model=LeSabre&trimid=-1

I hope that is helpful to you, and I wish you success in your search for a good vehicle.

Answer 2

The Buick LeSabres have a GM 3.8 balance shaft engine. They are very reliable but for one nagging problem -- the intake manifold is prone to leaking coolant into the engine causing overheating and eventual death. The Buick probably does not have a temp gauge but rather a 'too late it's already broken' idiot lamp which accounts for many engine failures. Any used car is a roll of the dice but for $1,250.00 it would be hard to go wrong. Just keep a watchfull eye on the coolant level and oil. Carfax is a waste of money 99% of the time as it only lists what is reported through participating dealers and/or collision losses.

Answer 3

He's a mechanic and doesn't know what year it is? My friend has a 1995 Buick La Sabre, he's had it for over a year. He's had to replace the water pump and the a/c is not working but I think that's normal wear and tear especially for a used car 11 years old. It's a good size for a family car though.

Answer 4

you can tell the year of a car by the vin number. a 1995 car will have an s as the 10th digit. a 1996 car will have an r as the 10th digit. you should get a carfax on any used car you purchase so you can know the vehicles history. i would take the car to a mechanic you trust and let them drive and check the vehicle out before you purchase it. good luck.

Answer 5

Mid-90' domestics are not known for reliability and if the original engine was replaced at 70k and the new one now has 70k, logic dictates that if the new engine is the same or rebuilt version of the old one it probably is about to go out.

Of course, if you're looking at a car in the 1200 range, you're not going to find much in the way of reliability.

Answer 6

With a car that old, it would be best to have a mechanic, one besides the selller check it out, once you buy it and if it has a major problem like transmission or something you'll be screwed since it is usually buyer beware when you purchase an old car. Spending 40 or something dollars to have it looked at is the smartest investment to make.

Answer 7

Any car could be a good or bad car, depending on how it was treated over the years, whether its had regular oil changes and maintenance. Before you buy a car, always have an independent mechanic check it out, hopefully someone you know and trust. The seller will always tell you its a good car, since he wants to sell it. Check it out for yourself first.

Answer 8

well...buicks tend to has troubles with them. My uncle is a macanic and I know cars pretty darn well for a littl girl..and in the past few weeks that it has been cold at least 15 buicks have came into our shop. All with engin problems and the starter. I would go for a 97-98 malibu...attrictive and run great.

Answer 9

you should stay away from a car that had the engine replaced at 70K. Go buy a new Corrola or hell even a Kia. They have great warrenties and just about anyone can buy one.

Answer 10

i would have to ask myself why the engine was replaced at 70k miles. Probably due to lack of maintenance, no reason to think he maintained it after that. PASS