I have a 2002 Buick Park Avenue, not an Ultra, with a 3800 engine, not super charged. It has 214,000 miles on it and still running great. At 70 years old, this may be the last car I ever need.
Would you recommend a Park Avenue or 90s Riviera? I know they both use the 3800 series engine but if they also use the same drivetrain then I would imagine those would be just as reliable.
@@JungSooLeeecertain runs of those engines had serious problems - specifically the L36 has a polymer upper intake manifold and it WILL eventually fail (did fail on my Bonneville). The supercharged L67 is the one to get, as it has all metal internals, and will last longer. I’ve heard the transmissions have a shelf life also; no firsthand experience with this.
65 next month Canada have a 2007 grand prix last model year... 110,000 miles... built in my home of oshawa on... grey high gloss original paint... bought it from a fearri tech who did all the work mod replaced headlamps and bluetooth radio, tinted windows, blacked out original mags, complete rebuilt tranny 100,000m...3 years ago for $4,000.00...3800 engine purrs good to go...
Bought a 2000 PA Ultra back in April. Old man owned, underground parking, service records out the yin yang, zero rust (Krown sprayed every year), 128,xxx kms on it. Paid $2000CDN for it. I'll be driving this thing for the next 10 years.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
Great cars! I recommend any of the "grandpa" cars to anyone wanting a comfortable, reliable car. The reason is that they were often bought by guys when they retired, they've always been serviced, always been garage kept and always been taken care of. Best place to find them is estate sale auctions.
I do personal financial planning seminars and ALWAYS recommend that people buy "grandma" cars. I have owned 6 3.8 GMs and 5 Ford Panthers in last 40 years....that is why I could retire early!
Agree, a friend of mine just got bought his uncle's 96 Deville and it looks like he just picked it up the dealer. After he detailed it, it just popped.
I encouraged my son years ago to buy a 1996 Lesabre from an old man down the road. He was resistant to the idea and told me those cars were for “ old men” I told him “why do you think old men buy them “ ?Theyre good cars. He reluctantly bought the car because he really needed a vehicle. He had the car a couple years and moved on to something else. He is 35 now and still compares subsequent vehicles to the old Buick. He says NOTHING he’s had compares to the ride and comfort of it. Dad was right.
Well the 60° V6 had a lot of problems over the years but the 3.6 was not a bad engine either it just was not nearly as robust as the 3.8 but by the time they got to that version of the engine pretty much about as good as they got they still had typical intake gasket issues but aftermarket replacement gasket solves that problem easily enough. I just thought it was laughable that the 3.6 actually had more power than the 3800 from the factory @adotintheshark4848
I've owned a few cars that made me smile every day I drove them. Top of the list were my Olds 98, Buick LeSabre and Buick Century. Comfortable, reliable and extremely economic repair bills for putting on a lot of miles as a salesman.
Got a LeSabre after the "best engine ever video." I fixed all the coolant leaks myself in one afternoon. Haven't had an issue with the car since. Thanks wizard.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
A 2002 Grand Prix with the 3800 V6 is my daily driver. I have owned it since 2007. Over the years I have been able to perform all repairs myself, and I'm not a mechanic.
Ive done those elbows on my 02 lesabre easy job. Ive also done an intake manifold replacement on my moms 01 grand marquis, a slightly more involved job but not extreme. I wish the manufacturer had dont it right from the start
These were great cars from a bygone era. Mechanically they were better than the Japanese cars of the era. They got the same mpg as a 4 cylinder Accord on the road. The 3800 was silky smooth and powerful.
@user-tb7rn1il3q japanese cars were BETTER then than.they are now... Lexus LS400, toyota camry, Honda/acura legend... even nissan back then was very reliable (altima & maxima)
@@1DEADBEEF1 They’re better now. They had head gasket problems, stripped head bolts, oil burning, engine sludge, transmission issues, and rust issues. People have short memories. The modern CVTs are very reliable.
Its too bad that G.M.(General Motors), discontinued the 3.8 litre v-6,in my opinion,and three of my certified auto mechanics have stated they quit producing those 3.8 because they were very reliable,and unless it was neglected,it would run forever assuming you kept up with oil changes and basic maintenance. Thank you for the video and thumbs up...👍🇺🇲🙏✝️💯♥️
The 3.8 was produced for 50years - GM needed a direct injected engine with variable camshaft timing to be competetive - the 3800 made about 200 NA HP in 2005.. The engine that replaced it had 307hp from 3.6 liters NA. GM or any carmakers for that matter dont care about long term durability past 100k miles - they need to sell new cars and thats what they focus on
I owned a 2000 LeSabre and currently own a 2000 Park Avenue. Phenomenal cars both of them. I impress people with new model year cars when I talk about the options a Park Avenue has.
My grandparents had a 2005 a Buick LeSabre.Just like how seniors love cars like that because it is super low to the ground and as Wizard said it is super reliable. My grandfather kept until 2021 when sadly my grandmother died and had Toyota Camry. He wanted to keep one car so he decided to sell the Buick. It still did everything well just it went to another person.
100% agree. I bought a ‘94 Park Ave at auction, with 23K miles on it, for $2300. I drove it until about 75K miles and sold it for $3800. With just the minimum of care and maintenance these cars are, truly, bulletproof. The newest of these cars are approaching 20 years old and there are many, many of them out there. I’d drive another in a heartbeat.
I have a 2003 Park Avenue Ultra and it is nothing but problems. Every month there is a new problem. The engine is perfect, but the body keeps breaking apart. It’s only at 85K Miles as well.
The ultra is a wonderful car. But don't forget the Lincoln town car. Rear wheel drive, low stress V8 and body on frame construction. And only slightly less fuel efficient than buick.
My 05 Park Avenue Ultra has 1316 original miles. Touring model, fully loaded. Sits in my climate controlled barn. Start is up and handle maintenance for my fleet, including my 76 Pontiac GP SJ with T-tops. My daily driver is an Avalon and a 231k mile Ultra that runs as if it is brand new. Change the fluids as needed.
Having worked in a Buick dealership I can say first hand these are well made and reliable cars. Besides what the Wizard has mentioned, the other thing to look out for is a blown head gasket. I can't tell you how many came in on trade, apparently running well, but had a blown head gasket. Not a cheap fix, either.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
@@zeus8928With the complexity of modern cars, fixing older (20 years or younger) cars is SO worth it. There are so many electronic do-dads that require CAN-BUS connectivity that they make cars easy theft targets (see Toyota RAV4 CAN-BUS hacks) and make for super expensive repairs (see the recent Ford F-150 tail light debacle with a multi-thousand dollar repair because of a water leak)
@@breakbend7707 It's not about the car's value, it's about bang for the buck. One of these with a refurb transmission will easily last 15 to 20 years more
I knew we were getting another video w/ a car that had the 3800 engine. I will add this to my list of cars to look at. I love this channel. Thanks, Wizard!
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
We have a 1999 Chevy Lumina LTZ 3800 series two. It has the leather interior with steering wheel radio controls. We purchased the LTZ in 2003 w/70,000 miles. Currently at 155600 miles. It was and is a non smoking car. It is a strong runner. Quick on the hiway. It has been well maintained and garaged.
I have the 2001 Ultra with the sport package. Bought it 11 years ago for $1,700. Put $1,500 worth of parts in it. I did the labor. Best car I ever owned. I did the maf replacement, the elbows, and the rear shocks. Also replaced the front engine mount twice. Still rides and runs like new. However, it is a northeast vehicle with a lot of rust now. All fuel and brake lines rusted out and were replaced. Driver's side door is half rusted away. The one in your video is a beauty! No rust! Wish it was mine. Somebody mentioned door windows sticking. Hose the channels down with silicone spray and lub the scissor lifter with Slick 50. If that plastic hose on the air shock gets rusted into the shock, expect to spend hours getting it out without damaging the plastic hose. New seals on that hose can be purchased at a hardware store. It takes 2. It needs 2. If you smell electrical burning at night, it is the electronic board burning up behind the climate controls. Turn the dash lights down and it will go away. The fix is to replace the board traces with real wires. You may also need to replace the bulbs there as well. Want to trade? 😏
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
20 years ago, give or take, many people retiring then bought a car like this, or a Lincoln Town Car, Crown Victoria, other Buicks, etc. Now, 20 years later, after barely driving these things and housing them in nothing but a garage and always taking it in for regular checkups and maintenance, those retiree's have now passed on, leaving their pristine cars behind, and by the many.
Nice feature. I had a company furnished Gran Prix with that supercharged 3800. It ran great. Torque-steered, but not excessively. I miss those machines.
Had a gtp that the previous owner had upgraded the ignition system (distributor? , wires plugs etc) and a few other things; bumping the power up to close to 300...torque steer was definitely noticable in that one 🤣 I miss that car..
I have the 2005 Buick Lacrosse with the 3800 that has metal valve covers & cast iron plenum. I have owned the care for 10 years. I am the 2nd owner and I paid $7500 and it had 97,000 miles when I got it. Now it has 198,900 and and still gets 21 mpg Hwy & city combined & 25 to 31 mpg Hwy depending on what road and weather conditions are etc. The intake manifold gasket started leaking 8000 miles ago. I too had to replace the little coolant tubes and I did get the metal ones also. Also replaced the front McPherson struts not too long ago. I don't travel as much as I use to now, so it might last me the rest of my life. Thank You Neighbor (beings I live in Mo.) for sharing your knowledge.
Yes, the MAF sensors from China don't last I got 3-4 month's out of the last one of those that I will ever purchase. Found a vender on E-bay that had OEM AC-Delco (Made in Japan) and it's still going strong now for several years.
After watching THIS video I looked seriously at 3800 Park Avenues. I couldn’t find a supercharged Ultra but I did find a nice example of a 2003. Original paperwork. This car has never been north of the Mason Dixon. No rust! No leaks! Originally sold for $38,000. 150,000 miles later I bought it for $3800. I bought it in Virginia and a few days later, drove it to Austin, Texas, averaging 31 mpg. I drove it around Austin for a few days and back home to North Carolina. I did remove the perfectly functional CD/cassette deck and installed an Android powered Bluetooth head unit and a pair of rear speakers. One was bad. I love this beige grandpa car! Thanks for your channel!
The naturally aspirated series II has a plastic plenum in which the EGR stove pipe goes through. Also the gaskets for the plastic plenum and the lower intake gaskets are made of inferior material. That is also a necessary upgrade. The series I and series III do not have this problem. But the series III still have those plastic elbow. You could say these elbows are the Achille's Heel.
Ah, you mentioned something he left out: even the supercharged engines (at least thru Series II) had plastic intake-to-head gaskets that shrank & leaked coolant into the motor, and should be replaced with aluminum just like the coolant elbows...
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
I stand by the Panther platform but I will be picking one of these up one of these days. Or at least one of these Buick’s with a 3800 super charger or not. Wont matter to me. Reliability is my biggest requirement for vehicles.
A very long time ago we had a Pontiac TransPort 3800 SE people carrier. Huge thing, 7 seater. Typical interior 80's GM build quality but that engine is a gem. Oil changes, filters and plugs every year and nothing ever went wrong with it. The TransPort had a all plastic "Enduraflex" body like the Fiero, so no rust, it also made it quite light. So for a big people carrier it Hauled !. Would surprise many a car off the lights LOL.
I have a 2004 LeSabre thanks to all these Wizard 3800 vids. I paid extra for a garaged specimen from the desert with 37k miles, up to 65k now and rides like a dream. Soon I’ll be doing a big service on it for the gaskets, elbows, fluids, etc., I’m actually looking forward to the job. At my yearly mileage use I’m planning to have this for decades. Thanks wizard, keep the vids coming!
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
Thanks for this video. I always get asked how my older cars keep running like new cars usually when those same people have gone through 2-3 cars since I owned mine. My response is that as long as you put in QUALITY fluids, fuel and parts when due, your vehicle will pay dividends by not breaking down or having other major issues. I still have a 2007 9-7x(Trailblazer) with 173k miles and it still has power and never let me down. Since owned, I always used quality everything. I don't even cheapen out on tires. I love Hitachi parts...
2008 impala 3.5 because the 3.9 had cylinder deactivation and I keep may cars for a very long time. I have done all repairs and maintenance myself and have 340k on her. Engine still runs happily up to redline and I can set my cruise at 80mph with the AC on and cruse all daylong with no issues. It still has the original coolent hoses because I change the fluid and wash the oil/grime off the engine and hoses 2x a year. The oil and grime are what eats the hoses.
The Kentucky Colonel is an honorary title. Example: Colonel Harlan Sanders was an honorary Colonel. Rob O’Neill, the US Navy SEAL ST6 that shot bin Laden was given this title also. I can verify the Mercury GM & Buick 3800 SC cars and GNx cars are bulletproof in stock form.
My 97 Park Ave has been really good bought it in 2007 still have it with 307k on the odometer got 33.59 mpg between Miles City MT and West Fargo 614 miles if I recall the only downside is it seems to have a healthy appetite for venison I think it's on #9 maybe 10 deer now the last one a few weeks ago took out the radiator but got her up and going again.
My version of this car is a 2005-2006 Toyota Camry 3.0 V6. I'm on my 3rd one. (1st one sold to a family member, 2nd totaled by a school bus). It's sneaky quick, 0 to 60 in mid to low 7 seconds. Soft suspension and steering, simple electronics , easy to work on and ultra reliable. Stress free driving.
I was about to embark on a 600+ mile road trip when I learned about the elbows. Sure enough - my Lucerne's were plastic. Luckily my mechanic wasn't too busy and he was able to replace them with metal the day before I left. I also had it retrofitted with coil springs to get rid of the air ride (cheaper than air shocks and rides better).
There are aftermarket struts for the rear of all these GM full-sized. The air suspension on these 20+ year old cars is never working right, especially in the rust belt. Struts are the answer, and disconnect the air pump connector, good to go.
@@elmarko9051 mine is 16 years old (2007), but I've seen too many Car Wizard air ride suspension repair horror stories to want to keep it. Add in that the retrofit kit (parts & labor) was about HALF of what new air shocks cost and the decision became really easy.
@@muziklvr7776 I don't notice a difference. Air ride is helpful with leveling the car with passengers and luggage. But the car is still level when I checked with people in the back seat. I've also traded air shocks for heavy duty rear shocks in GM minivans.
@@muziklvr7776 the air ride when I bought it was worn out - hitting broken pavement at highway speeds caused the back end to bounce up so high the back wheels almost went airborne making driving on the interstate dangerous. I know new air shocks would likely bounce less but they're also $1000+ for a pair while coil springs were (if I recall correctly) $560, parts & labor. The coil springs stop the excessive bouncing on the interstate and I don't have to worry about air leaks and/or compressor failure.
I bought two 3800s based solely on Car Wizards advice. A Chevy Impala and a Pontiac Grand Prix for reasonable $$. They are not great at any one thing but just an overall decent value. Thank you Mr. CAR WIZARD.
The supercharged 3800’s do have another known issue. At least all the ones I’ve encountered have sealed bearings on the supercharger as well as a teflon coating on the impellers. Usually around 150kms either the bearings would fail or on older ones the teflon coating starts to fall off and grenades the top end of the motor
As an Australian I see that roofline and immediately see the link to our Holden Commodore, the VX model. We had three Commodores with the 3800 V6 in it, a ‘96 VS model, and 2001 VX, and the engine in both was magnificently reliable. What a car.
Being a Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor to be bestowed upon someone for the state of Kentucky, you have to do something above and beyond for the people of Kentucky, both my grandparents were Kentucky Colonels and I have no idea what they did.
My former boss received a proclamation making her a Kentucky Colonel upon becoming president of a national organization that happened to have its annual convention in Louisville that year. Although it was cool beans, we presumed it was similar to someone receiving "the keys to the city."
Dave Thomas of Wendy's fame, and who got started as a KFC franchisee, said that anyone could become a Kentucky Colonel. He himself was a Kentucky Colonel just like Colonel Sanders.
Wish these were still readily available. I've had a 2004 impala ss with the supercharged 3800. Still respectable power and very minimal issues over 125k miles.
I had a '03 park Ave. Bought it with 200,000 miles on it. Got it all to 325,000 miles and never burned a drop of oil. It was the most comfortable car. That engine was bulletproof. Unfortunately you couldn't see the corrosion on the frame. That was the reason I got rid of it. Great car
I had an '02 LeSabre and that thing was a champ! I bought it with 223,000 miles and the transmission locked up @ 348,000 miles and I got $400 for it after paying $1,200 + $80 for plugs and wires and putting almost 130k on it. 😁
@Prepare2Survive I changed all the fluids when I bought it. Including the wiper fluid because I bought it in January and the previous owner didn't have de-icer fluid in it.
@@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi "All the fluids" meaning the transmission fluid and filter too? Lots of people seem to neglect changing transmission fluid for some reason.
@Prepare2Survive No, I didn't "neglect changing the transmission fluid for some reason". I changed the coolant, oil (and filter), transmission fluid, wiper fluid and I didn't do the brake fluid, but he had just had the brakes done before he died. I was friends with an older couple and after he died, I bought it from her and when I told her what happened she said, it was probably because when he would be reversing, he'd shift into drive while it was still reversing (a habit from when he used to do drive stick shift cars). She said she'd always holler at him about it, but it was a force of habit he couldn't break after decades of doing it.
Thank you for another great informative video. You are right about the 3800 V6. I have two Oldsmobiles with them( 1996 Ninety Eight and 1992 Toronmado). You did not mention Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and Eighty Eight/LSS/Regency. The Pontiac Bonneville also used the 3800 V6 as well. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Lumina offered it as well as all the other W Bodies except Cutlass Supreme. The early Oldsmobile Intrigues did as well. The Holden Commodore, Calais, Statesman offered them as well. The Firebird and Camaro did as well. You should do a video on GM and the 3800 again and all the cars that offered the engine from far back as 1988. There was the 3300 V6 that was derived from the 3800 that was reliable as well. Thank you.
The composite intake manifolds on the non-suspercharged 3800 powered vehicles from the early '90s up through around 2006 were a big problem. Like Wizard indicated, the composite deteriorated near the EGR valve and in many cases allowed coolant to leak into the crankcase. From the various articles I have read, if not caught right away, the coolant in the oil had a high probability of taking out the crank and rod bearings of not completely ruin the engine.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
I bought a supercharged 2000 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with 66k on the clock. It had a little over 366k miles when the WI winters finally to it down. When I got rid of it, it still had the original (and not rebuilt) engine, transmission, and supercharger. It called for Premium Gas only and 99% of my miles on it was plano regular gas. The heater was still blowing hot and the original a/c compressor was still blowing cold. However, the actuators were no longer opening or closing the doors to route the heater and a/c between the floor, dash and defroster the last couple years I drove it.
@@josephklimchock5412 2005 was the final year for the Park Avenue. For the final 3000 models ever made, Buick produced a Final 3000 Series in two-tone silver and black paint with special New York City badges. These cars are some of my all-time favorite Buicks.
@@josephklimchock5412 - I think the latest was in the Buick Lacrosse CX or CXL to 2009. There were few of the CXS with newer 3600 that Wizard and I hate so avoid those. But the vast majority were CX or CXL with 3800. Pontiac Grand Prix had 3800 standard until 2008. Chevy Impala like Wizard said had 3800 as option until 2005. Most of them if not all were the LS model.
Im a mechanic and no telling how many head jobs ive had to do on these cars bc of head gasket failures. At least 2 a year now but back in the day probably 1 every other month. Less of them r on the road bc people just scrap them now.
The HID was actually very common on the Grand Prix in particularly the GTP model, although this and the Riviera are still some of my favorite cars for the 3800 series supercharged
This is a really intriguing car. I know I liked them for the comfort, but I didn’t realize they were so strong for maintenance, mileage and reliability. I don’t know why Hoovie whined in his video about people ignoring his video (probably click bait) but I really like this car! I wish I had access to a great mechanic that would help me like you do for Hoovie. This looks like a solid buy and great owner satisfaction. How much is Hoovie selling it for? He will want to gouge me for calling him a whiner, lol. Thanks for another great and informative video!
I love these Buicks. Buick had 2 different Park Avenue models; one that was supercharged and one that was not. I would like to own the baby Park Avenue without the Supercharger. Great car.
1997-2005 Park Ave do have a mysterious parasitic battery drain problem. This is usually caused by the long de-commissioned analog OnStar system. The frequencies used by this system were reallocated to new users in 2008. Transmissions by the new users of this frequency band can turn on the OnStar system in a constant state and drain the battery. A quick way to pull the power on the onstar system is to remove the PH/CD fuse in the fusebox under the rear seat. This also disconnects power to the 12CD changer in the trunk, if equipped. If you want the CD changer, you will have to remove the rear seat back and front cover on the trunk to get at the Onstar unit and disconnect the connectors.
I had an 04 Impala SS with the 3800 Supercharged engine. I found out the hard way about getting an OEM MAF sensor. I tried 3 sensors from the parts store and none of them worked. I also had to replace those coolant elbows.
I had a '05 LeSabre Custom a couple years ago. Bought off my grandfather. hat 90k on it. Other than wheel bearings(which seemed never ending and I could replace in less than an hour), rock solid. Did use a little oil, but not enough to worry about. Just check every so often. I would still be driving it, but the leather seats had manual back adjust and I could never get comfortable. It was either too far forward or too far back. The A/C compressor died and it was my excuse to sell it.
I've got a 94 LeSabre 3800 and while I put a starter alternator, water pump and normal wear items on, I'm extremely happy with it and I'm looking for another one. Newer
I've got a 1999 Park Ave non ultra with 407,000kms on it and it still ruins and drives like new. It started it's life out of Mora Minn, then found it's way to Arizona and finally to Alberta Canada. Whoever owned this car prior to me clearly loved it as it is in like new condition...no rust. 😮 And i love it too 😊
As the owner of two Mercury Grand Marquis, a 2006 with 381,000 miles on it, and a recently purchased 2007 with 36,000 miles on it, I would definitely say that the Ford Panther cars come out on top. I've been driving them for over 30 years. That Buick may be a decent car for what it is (they did get the dash right, with no "center stack" and touch screen) but I'm just not into front wheel drive, V6 engines, or superchargers or turbochargers on street driven cars. That 3800 would definitely last a lot longer without the supercharger. I also like solid rear axles and body on frame construction. Being a recently retired fleet mechanic with 37 years experience, I have worked on a lot of GM vehicles in that age range. Mostly base model Chevys. Starting in 1996, GM started using an engine destroyer called DEXKILL. Yes, they call it Dexcool, but I don't think they are fooling anyone anymore. I have found dozens of GM engines completely ruined by that stuff. It goes in as an orange or red liquid, then solidifies. I have seen a lot of engines with the coolant passages completely plugged up with the stuff, and there doesn't seem to be any way to remove it. We started flushing it out of brand new engines and replacing it with Ford Motorcraft Gold. Never had any problems with that. I wonder what is in that Buick? The MAF sensor is also a common failure on the 4.6L 2 valve engines used in the Ford Panther cars. They have no rear springs, just air bags. And they also tend to fail over time. But they can be replaced with coil springs, and that solves the problem permanently. SAVE THE PLANET!!!!!! CRUSH A TESLA!!!!!
I had a 2002 Cadillac STS, and I can see ALOT of "GM PARTS BIN!!!" here! Lol! To the random stalling I had that randomly when I would come to a stop at traffic lights and such. But my car would fire right back up when I turned the key. Turns out there are 2 crankshaft position sensors, and the OEM parts were manufactured in Mexico and prone to failure. The replacement parts (OEM replacement) are made in Japan and are PERFECT (of course), and I never had the issue again. These were great, COMFORTABLE and POWERFUL cars before all the "infotainment" BS started coming in, though I prefer the mechanical simplicity of American Muscle from back in the day.
I've owned a l67 since 1997. They are great engines. Easy to mod, take a lot of abuse, and yet are still reliable. Easily will go over 200k miles without touching the engine. I retried my 1997 and purchased a rust free 2000 GTP from Florida over a decade ago. It's been a great car.
I had a 2000 LeSabre for about 10 years and it was a good car. I found the main weaknesses were the shocks as you have shown but the power windows were a problem think they all went out at some point.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker. Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
That Buick 3800 has been around since the late 1960's that I know of. As a teenager I worked in my father's auto parts store in the 80's. Back then it was often referred to as the Buick 231 cubic inch V6 & by the mid 80's in the Buick Grand National it was thr 3.8 liter. Yes, GM even badge engineers their engines. It was known as a great engine even back then.
There are 3 of those in the neighborhood where I work, all in Champagne Tan, or whatever it's called. Nice old cars. My son in law had a previous gen. Buick Le Sabre that was a great car, 3800 engine , smooth ride for him, but the rusted unibody was rotted out around half of the bolts holding the engine & transmission bracket to the unibody, so he had to let ot go
I did actually firsthand see some reliability problems with a Buick with the 3800. It was a '95 LeSabre. The intake manifold gasket failed and coolant was getting sucked into some of the intake ports. This caused a rough/stumbling problem both at idle and under power. We ended up practicing fixing it on a Regal with the same engine that was in a junkyard before doing it on the friend's car. Later the air conditioning compressor rather violently failed. I figured out that the 3300 and 3800 that year had the same pulley arrangement, and the 3300 had a non-AC model with a shorter belt. He couldn't afford to fix the air conditioner so we used that shorter belt to bypass the compressor. That was fun in Arizona in the summer in a black car. Finally his transmission gave out, it lost low. Not sure why. At that point he junked it.
I was taken home from the hospital in a Buick and I learned how to drive with my Dads Park Avenue Ultra he had three or four and only the ultras. These cars hold a special place in my heart even though I’m a BMW guy.
You never mention the Grand prixs with the 3800 when talking about these cars. I think those arey favorite of the platform; slightly "cooler" styling with the same reliability. Loved my '02GTP with the sunroof, dual climate control wirh dual heated seats; HUD, Full package. Black on black with the rear window tinted. Hardly felt like i was driving an "old mans sedan"
I have a Buick Lacrosse 07, black on black on black. 3800 Series III, black aftermarket Helo wheels. Would love it if it had the SC, but both the Lacrosse and Lucerne gave you a V8 if you wanted more (LS or N*). Seen a lot of dressed up Maxima's and other more recent sedans that seems like they took styling notes from my Lacrosse.
Around 2012 I had a 1996 Buick Park Avenue Ultra. That thing was awesome! Had over 100,000 miles but ran like brand new and rode like you were driving sitting in a Lazy Boy. That thing would squall the tires like you wouldn't believe. From going 65 mph it would lift the front end when floored. I absolutely loved that car but unfortunately got rid of it because the AC compressor was going out and it had many electrical issues. It also did not use any oil between oil changes. 3800's were awesome engines!
I recently inherited a 96 Regal Gran Sport coupe with the 3800 from my mother. 130,000 miles, very clean car. It is such a pleasure to drive, extremely comfortable. I did have to replace the lower intake gasket, which was real easy to do. The only other issue is the cruise control isn't working. Any thoughts on the repair of it? i am looking forward to many years of driving this comfortable car.
Check for a vacuum leak to the servo. I'm uncertain if a 96 still uses vacuum to operate cruise, but my 1990 Olds with the 3800 does and that was my issue with it not engaging. Just thought I would share.
Lucerne 3800 Lacrosse 3800 Regal 3800 up til 2008. 3900 starting in 2009. Then 3.6 v6 if you have it change the oil every 4000 mikes😊 Supercharger models are fast but coupler breaks and PITA to change. SC charger oil needs to be changed too...premium gas with SC version. Skip the SC version😊
I was shopping Park Aves for a bit but ended up going for a Bonneville. It's definitely not as well equipped as the Buick but I decided I preferred the sportier profile and styling. It's gonna need some minor work but it's been relatively flawless for the couple weeks I've had it.
i had a 04 bonne loaded sunroof leather the works for 9yrs the only thing that was a issue was the around the gas cap area it started to rust out other then the misfire codes that at the time trigger me to change spark plugs wires coils crank and cam sensors only to find out it was the ignition control module was no good.
3800 is one of the reliable engines of all time, seen many with 350k+ miles. You have to do a couple repairs to make it bulletproof, but after that smooth sailing. The Park Avenue is a nice platform vs a Pontiac or a Cadillac if you wanted to get one of these cars.
Those are the sort of car we just don't have in the UK. It's a great shame. As someone who prefers larger cars, but who doesn't want to run Jaguars, Mercs or similar unreliable, expensive prestige makes, I'd love a solid, no frills, comfortable vehicle like that. Yes, they're a little more thirsty than the average car over here because of the larger engine and weight, but factor in the solid build, reliability and ease of maintenance and I'd bet the cost wouldn't be much greater than running some of the smaller cars we have here. They can be imported, but that is expensive and left hand drive is tricky on our small and often narrow roads.
I have a 1996 Buick Riviera with this drivetrain. It gets 19 or 20 mi to the gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon at 75 mph on the highway absolutely incredible for a 4000 + lb car.
I (UK based) had a 2004 Volvo S80 with the 2.4 5cyl petrol for years (until fairly recently) that gave me no trouble. Granted I did get it pretty well sorted when I bought it. Never saw another man under 80 driving one. In the UK we also have several large (by European standards) Honda and Toyota cars. Even some very reliable lexus (RX350 for example). We salt the roads so most things rust. We also have very expensive fuel. These two things are a huge impediment. Oh, we had the Vauxhall Omega for ages... how reliable were they?
@@leighonigarI've got a 2006 Volvo S60 2.0T Automatic, it's a close to these barges we will get. Maybe Accord 2.4 or Honda Legend V6, but we really don't have much choice
I think the Rover 75 was very much a British equivalent to these older Buicks, plush interior, understated design, focus on comfort over performance, etc. Too bad they didn't use the Rover V8 anymore, that would have made them even more Buick-like (the 3800 V6 in this one is a Rover/Buick V8 with two cylinders cut off and cast in cast iron instead of aluminum, the very early ones in the 1960s were even cast in aluminum before switching to iron)
I learned to drive in a 1989 park Ave. took my drivers test in a 1994 park Ave. Last car my dad ever bought before he died was a 2003 park Avenue (first and only brand new car he ever bought…). He drove it twice, then passed a few months later. My mom had the same car for 19 trouble free years. Zero engine and transmission problems. Only reason she parted ways with the car was due to rust from the Maine roads. If I find a good condition park Ave, lesabre, or other 3800 series 2 vehicle I would absolutely snatch it up.
My 1998 Buick Regal LS had 330k miles on the original engine and transmission, when I gave it to my nephew. I'd still be driving it if I didn't buy my 2004 Buick Park Avenue. I've put 30k miles on it since May of 2022! Such a great car. These 3800V6 GM powered cars are amazing! My Park Avenue has the HUD option too, and I love it!
kentucky colonel is a honorary/charitable organization here in kentucky. colonel sanders of KFC fame got his title from being a member. my father owned a non-supercharged (non-ULTRA) version of this car for many years. it was a fine ride.
Here in Australia we had these 3800 Ecotec V6's in our full-sized GM vehicles (Holden Commodore) since the late '80s until they were replaced by the GM Alloytec 3.6L motor in 2004. The 3800's have such a legendary reputation for being bulletproof that on the used car market these vehicles often fetch higher prices than the model that immediately replaced them with the new 3.6L Alloytec (which is known to be a problematic powerplant with timing chain & bottom-end issues).
We even got the supercharged version for a little bit too, though I think they had to get a little more creative with the intake plumbing on account of the Holdens having a longitudinal arrangement for RWD.
Currently own a 2002 PAU, drive it every day, the legroom,the sofa style seat, the ride, the sound proving, the HUD, love love love, previous rides, Subaru WRX, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Sierra with the Duramax.
My son-in-law had one when he was courting my daughter. He bought it from his grampa. I used it one weekend & what a fantastic ride, rock solid. The Ultra carried on the tradition as the "Doctor's car".
Hoovie also said in his video, before arriving at the Wizards, that the supercharger wasn't working. So is there something wrong with the supercharger or was it the air flow sensor?
I have an 06 Pontiac GP with the SC 3800. It would be strange for it not to work. There's guys with 300k miles that have never changed the SC oil in them and they still work. Sometimes the pulley bearings in the snout fail and can be replaced. Other times it still works but makes a tapping sound,, all that is a small donut shaped rubber coupler you can replace the part its like 10 bucks. It basically attached to the end of the SC veins and when re-attaching the snout, the other end of the rubber attached to the pulley coupling the two sides, when it wears out there's slack that causes a tapping noise. The overwhelming majority of shops just say your supercharger is shot and the entire unit needs to be replaced. They don't take apart superchargers will find a rebuilt unit and send the one you have back as a core.
Not the Car Wizard, but I would say the Series III. The plenum cover (intake manifold) was plastic and prone to leaking on older ones, but the Series III has a metal plenum cover and doesn't suffer from that (I had a 1998 Lumina with the Series II and replacing the plenum gasket was a $400+ repair in 2004).
I have a 2003 park ave ultra, with 312K on it in very good condition, bought it sight unseen on marketplace 4 years ago it had 259 thousand on it documentation showed me it has been a prior salvage, on it's third transmission, its been a trouble free absolutely dependable car, other then regular maintenance, we love it, it has the upgraded elbows and it has lots of power, have drove it all over the Midwest, and is our daily driver
Looks just like mom's car except that it wasn't an Ultra or had a backup camera. Instead of a backup camera, it had backup sensors that would beep in the car letting you know that your getting close to something. The instrument cluster was the older one being it was a 2002 before they took most of the buttons on the side out. The color was noted as Cabornet Red.
i have a 2004 buick Century. with a 3100. 70000 kms. all white, just like new. Everything work fine, no lights, no rust. bought for 2500$. Such i deal i got. I have a lifter tick. I am planning of replacing the 3100 by a 3800 serie 3 with a super charger. Will keep that car until i die when i do.
I heard a saying once, "all mechanics end up retiring in a 3800." Lo and behold, just before i quit and left the industry, i end up buying a 04 impala ss. The headgaskets were already done including the elbows. I originally bought it as a backup car. Has been my daily driver as i turned my previous daily into a project.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
I have a 2002 Buick Park Avenue, not an Ultra, with a 3800 engine, not super charged. It has 214,000 miles on it and still running great. At 70 years old, this may be the last car I ever need.
I have 2 different coworkers who have a Park Avenue. They've been driving them daily for over a decade. They seem like great cars.
Would you recommend a Park Avenue or 90s Riviera? I know they both use the 3800 series engine but if they also use the same drivetrain then I would imagine those would be just as reliable.
@@JungSooLeeecertain runs of those engines had serious problems - specifically the L36 has a polymer upper intake manifold and it WILL eventually fail (did fail on my Bonneville). The supercharged L67 is the one to get, as it has all metal internals, and will last longer.
I’ve heard the transmissions have a shelf life also; no firsthand experience with this.
I'm fifty two and feel same, if mine dies ill definitely fix it or buy another one just like it
65 next month Canada have a 2007 grand prix last model year... 110,000 miles... built in my home of oshawa on... grey high gloss original paint... bought it from a fearri tech who did all the work mod replaced headlamps and bluetooth radio, tinted windows, blacked out original mags, complete rebuilt tranny 100,000m...3 years ago for $4,000.00...3800 engine purrs good to go...
When I was younger I saw these and the Grand Marquis as old men cars ....Now I'm older and I want one 😂😂
Bought a 2000 PA Ultra back in April. Old man owned, underground parking, service records out the yin yang, zero rust (Krown sprayed every year), 128,xxx kms on it. Paid $2000CDN for it. I'll be driving this thing for the next 10 years.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
Great cars! I recommend any of the "grandpa" cars to anyone wanting a comfortable, reliable car. The reason is that they were often bought by guys when they retired, they've always been serviced, always been garage kept and always been taken care of. Best place to find them is estate sale auctions.
!ove my 05 "grandpa" town car.
I do personal financial planning seminars and ALWAYS recommend that people buy "grandma" cars. I have owned 6 3.8 GMs and 5 Ford Panthers in last 40 years....that is why I could retire early!
It's the last stand Buick attempt at the Cadillac creature comforts and option packages,
Agree, a friend of mine just got bought his uncle's 96 Deville and it looks like he just picked it up the dealer. After he detailed it, it just popped.
I encouraged my son years ago to buy a 1996 Lesabre from an old man down the road. He was resistant to the idea and told me those cars were for “ old men” I told him “why do you think old men buy them “ ?Theyre good cars. He reluctantly bought the car because he really needed a vehicle. He had the car a couple years and moved on to something else. He is 35 now and still compares subsequent vehicles to the old Buick. He says NOTHING he’s had compares to the ride and comfort of it. Dad was right.
These 3800 are simply excellent new age rigs...it's the powertrain 🎉 man. Loaded reliability and dependably affordable
So damned good. Gm couldn't afford to duplicate it anymore 😂
I wish buick would build gas sedans again. My lucerne with 3.8l is so comfortable I smile every time I drive it. I've been getting 26 mpg!
when GM dumped the 3.8 and started putting the 3.6 into most of their cars, that was the end.
22 mpg regal 00 gs with spirited driving.
Owned a1992 Buick regal 3.8 non turbo ,beautiful simple car 30 mpg highway 225 k miles
Well the 60° V6 had a lot of problems over the years but the 3.6 was not a bad engine either it just was not nearly as robust as the 3.8 but by the time they got to that version of the engine pretty much about as good as they got they still had typical intake gasket issues but aftermarket replacement gasket solves that problem easily enough. I just thought it was laughable that the 3.6 actually had more power than the 3800 from the factory @adotintheshark4848
No kidding, 3.8 is wild.
I've owned a Buick Electra and a Park Ave Ultra, 0 complaints. Excellent cars.
I've owned a few cars that made me smile every day I drove them. Top of the list were my Olds 98, Buick LeSabre and Buick Century. Comfortable, reliable and extremely economic repair bills for putting on a lot of miles as a salesman.
Must have been old models. Pre 2005
Ok
Got a LeSabre after the "best engine ever video." I fixed all the coolant leaks myself in one afternoon. Haven't had an issue with the car since. Thanks wizard.
Just get a Toyota
3800 Buick is superior.@@wmurphy62
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
A 2002 Grand Prix with the 3800 V6 is my daily driver. I have owned it since 2007. Over the years I have been able to perform all repairs myself, and I'm not a mechanic.
I have a 2002 GTP bought new. I also have a very reliable and sympathetic mechanic. I have done some small repairs myself.
When I think where Buick has come from and where did it end up today which is a cheap, unreliable, mainly Chinese market crap it makes me very sad.
Col Kentucky kfc? 😅
Ive done those elbows on my 02 lesabre easy job. Ive also done an intake manifold replacement on my moms 01 grand marquis, a slightly more involved job but not extreme. I wish the manufacturer had dont it right from the start
What repairs have you had to do?
These were great cars from a bygone era. Mechanically they were better than the Japanese cars of the era. They got the same mpg as a 4 cylinder Accord on the road. The 3800 was silky smooth and powerful.
The most comfortable ride, like sitting on cushy leather heated seats which are far superior to ones in our jeep liberty
Better than a Japanese car?….🤣😂…maybe a few under-maintenance Japanese cars…..
@@jpnphom5470 The Japanese cars from that era weren’t as good as they are now.
@user-tb7rn1il3q japanese cars were BETTER then than.they are now... Lexus LS400, toyota camry, Honda/acura legend... even nissan back then was very reliable (altima & maxima)
@@1DEADBEEF1 They’re better now. They had head gasket problems, stripped head bolts, oil burning, engine sludge, transmission issues, and rust issues. People have short memories. The modern CVTs are very reliable.
Its too bad that G.M.(General Motors), discontinued the 3.8 litre v-6,in my opinion,and three of my certified auto mechanics have stated they quit producing those 3.8 because they were very reliable,and unless it was neglected,it would run forever assuming you kept up with oil changes and basic maintenance.
Thank you for the video and thumbs up...👍🇺🇲🙏✝️💯♥️
The 3.8 was produced for 50years - GM needed a direct injected engine with variable camshaft timing to be competetive - the 3800 made about 200 NA HP in 2005..
The engine that replaced it had 307hp from 3.6 liters NA.
GM or any carmakers for that matter dont care about long term durability past 100k miles - they need to sell new cars and thats what they focus on
I owned a 2000 LeSabre and currently own a 2000 Park Avenue. Phenomenal cars both of them. I impress people with new model year cars when I talk about the options a Park Avenue has.
My grandparents had a 2005 a Buick LeSabre.Just like how seniors love cars like that because it is super low to the ground and as Wizard said it is super reliable. My grandfather kept until 2021 when sadly my grandmother died and had Toyota Camry. He wanted to keep one car so he decided to sell the Buick. It still did everything well just it went to another person.
100% agree. I bought a ‘94 Park Ave at auction, with 23K miles on it, for $2300. I drove it until about 75K miles and sold it for $3800. With just the minimum of care and maintenance these cars are, truly, bulletproof. The newest of these cars are approaching 20 years old and there are many, many of them out there. I’d drive another in a heartbeat.
I have the last yearof the 3800 08 Lucerne.
I have a 2003 Park Avenue Ultra and it is nothing but problems. Every month there is a new problem. The engine is perfect, but the body keeps breaking apart. It’s only at 85K Miles as well.
The ultra is a wonderful car. But don't forget the Lincoln town car. Rear wheel drive, low stress V8 and body on frame construction. And only slightly less fuel efficient than buick.
You have to turn the front wheels to get the oil filter off lol
@@AaronHendu Same thing with my 97 Thunderbird with the 4.6L V8. Was a minor annoyance.
My 05 Park Avenue Ultra has 1316 original miles. Touring model, fully loaded. Sits in my climate controlled barn. Start is up and handle maintenance for my fleet, including my 76 Pontiac GP SJ with T-tops. My daily driver is an Avalon and a 231k mile Ultra that runs as if it is brand new. Change the fluids as needed.
Having worked in a Buick dealership I can say first hand these are well made and reliable cars. Besides what the Wizard has mentioned, the other thing to look out for is a blown head gasket. I can't tell you how many came in on trade, apparently running well, but had a blown head gasket. Not a cheap fix, either.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
As long as the transmission shifts well and without much issues, it's a solid vehicle
Even if the transmission was bad, if the rest of the car was in good enough shape it might be worth fixing.
@@philbrutsche8928100% worth fixing that things a tank..
@@zeus8928With the complexity of modern cars, fixing older (20 years or younger) cars is SO worth it. There are so many electronic do-dads that require CAN-BUS connectivity that they make cars easy theft targets (see Toyota RAV4 CAN-BUS hacks) and make for super expensive repairs (see the recent Ford F-150 tail light debacle with a multi-thousand dollar repair because of a water leak)
@@philbrutsche8928absolutely not worth fixing. Even a cheap rebuild is more than what these are worth. Unsurprisingly, they don't hold their value.
@@breakbend7707 It's not about the car's value, it's about bang for the buck. One of these with a refurb transmission will easily last 15 to 20 years more
I knew we were getting another video w/ a car that had the 3800 engine. I will add this to my list of cars to look at. I love this channel.
Thanks, Wizard!
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
We have a 1999 Chevy Lumina LTZ 3800 series two. It has the leather interior with steering wheel radio controls.
We purchased the LTZ in 2003 w/70,000 miles. Currently at 155600 miles.
It was and is a non smoking car. It is a strong runner. Quick on the hiway. It has been well maintained and garaged.
I have the 2001 Ultra with the sport package. Bought it 11 years ago for $1,700. Put $1,500 worth of parts in it. I did the labor. Best car I ever owned. I did the maf replacement, the elbows, and the rear shocks. Also replaced the front engine mount twice. Still rides and runs like new. However, it is a northeast vehicle with a lot of rust now. All fuel and brake lines rusted out and were replaced. Driver's side door is half rusted away.
The one in your video is a beauty! No rust! Wish it was mine.
Somebody mentioned door windows sticking. Hose the channels down with silicone spray and lub the scissor lifter with Slick 50.
If that plastic hose on the air shock gets rusted into the shock, expect to spend hours getting it out without damaging the plastic hose. New seals on that hose can be purchased at a hardware store. It takes 2. It needs 2.
If you smell electrical burning at night, it is the electronic board burning up behind the climate controls. Turn the dash lights down and it will go away. The fix is to replace the board traces with real wires. You may also need to replace the bulbs there as well.
Want to trade? 😏
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
Don't they have air ride system?
20 years ago, give or take, many people retiring then bought a car like this, or a Lincoln Town Car, Crown Victoria, other Buicks, etc. Now, 20 years later, after barely driving these things and housing them in nothing but a garage and always taking it in for regular checkups and maintenance, those retiree's have now passed on, leaving their pristine cars behind, and by the many.
Nice feature. I had a company furnished Gran Prix with that supercharged 3800. It ran great. Torque-steered, but not excessively. I miss those machines.
Had a gtp that the previous owner had upgraded the ignition system (distributor? , wires plugs etc) and a few other things; bumping the power up to close to 300...torque steer was definitely noticable in that one 🤣
I miss that car..
I have the 2005 Buick Lacrosse with the 3800 that has metal valve covers & cast iron plenum. I have owned the care for 10 years. I am the 2nd owner and I paid $7500 and it had 97,000 miles when I got it. Now it has 198,900 and and still gets 21 mpg Hwy & city combined & 25 to 31 mpg Hwy depending on what road and weather conditions are etc. The intake manifold gasket started leaking 8000 miles ago. I too had to replace the little coolant tubes and I did get the metal ones also. Also replaced the front McPherson struts not too long ago. I don't travel as much as I use to now, so it might last me the rest of my life. Thank You Neighbor (beings I live in Mo.) for sharing your knowledge.
Yes, the MAF sensors from China don't last I got 3-4 month's out of the last one of those that I will ever purchase. Found a vender on E-bay that had OEM AC-Delco (Made in Japan) and it's still going strong now for several years.
After watching THIS video I looked seriously at 3800 Park Avenues. I couldn’t find a supercharged Ultra but I did find a nice example of a 2003. Original paperwork. This car has never been north of the Mason Dixon. No rust! No leaks! Originally sold for $38,000. 150,000 miles later I bought it for $3800. I bought it in Virginia and a few days later, drove it to Austin, Texas, averaging 31 mpg. I drove it around Austin for a few days and back home to North Carolina. I did remove the perfectly functional CD/cassette deck and installed an Android powered Bluetooth head unit and a pair of rear speakers. One was bad.
I love this beige grandpa car! Thanks for your channel!
The naturally aspirated series II has a plastic plenum in which the EGR stove pipe goes through. Also the gaskets for the plastic plenum and the lower intake gaskets are made of inferior material. That is also a necessary upgrade. The series I and series III do not have this problem. But the series III still have those plastic elbow. You could say these elbows are the Achille's Heel.
Ah, you mentioned something he left out: even the supercharged engines (at least thru Series II) had plastic intake-to-head gaskets that shrank & leaked coolant into the motor, and should be replaced with aluminum just like the coolant elbows...
The elbows can be replaced with metal in about one hour and 10 dollars.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
I stand by the Panther platform but I will be picking one of these up one of these days. Or at least one of these Buick’s with a 3800 super charger or not. Wont matter to me. Reliability is my biggest requirement for vehicles.
the Panther was a car that America built best-rear wheel drive V8 cars.
Yeah...actually, the supercharged version only ups the hp by 35...170-205. Hardly a big jump in power, and the standard 3800 is OK anyway. I have one.
We have Buicks 98 97 both suffered from blown heads they lock up on you I drive Lincoln Town car 96
A very long time ago we had a Pontiac TransPort 3800 SE people carrier. Huge thing, 7 seater. Typical interior 80's GM build quality but that engine is a gem. Oil changes, filters and plugs every year and nothing ever went wrong with it. The TransPort had a all plastic "Enduraflex" body like the Fiero, so no rust, it also made it quite light. So for a big people carrier it Hauled !. Would surprise many a car off the lights LOL.
I have a 2004 LeSabre thanks to all these Wizard 3800 vids. I paid extra for a garaged specimen from the desert with 37k miles, up to 65k now and rides like a dream. Soon I’ll be doing a big service on it for the gaskets, elbows, fluids, etc., I’m actually looking forward to the job. At my yearly mileage use I’m planning to have this for decades. Thanks wizard, keep the vids coming!
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
Same here 2004 Le sabre
Thanks for this video. I always get asked how my older cars keep running like new cars usually when those same people have gone through 2-3 cars since I owned mine. My response is that as long as you put in QUALITY fluids, fuel and parts when due, your vehicle will pay dividends by not breaking down or having other major issues. I still have a 2007 9-7x(Trailblazer) with 173k miles and it still has power and never let me down. Since owned, I always used quality everything. I don't even cheapen out on tires. I love Hitachi parts...
2008 impala 3.5 because the 3.9 had cylinder deactivation and I keep may cars for a very long time. I have done all repairs and maintenance myself and have 340k on her. Engine still runs happily up to redline and I can set my cruise at 80mph with the AC on and cruse all daylong with no issues. It still has the original coolent hoses because I change the fluid and wash the oil/grime off the engine and hoses 2x a year. The oil and grime are what eats the hoses.
@ohioplayer-bl9em like the saying goes,"any man can go and buy a car but only real men keep the old ones running"...
The Kentucky Colonel is an honorary title. Example: Colonel Harlan Sanders was an honorary Colonel. Rob O’Neill, the US Navy SEAL ST6 that shot bin Laden was given this title also.
I can verify the Mercury GM & Buick 3800 SC cars and GNx cars are bulletproof in stock form.
My 97 Park Ave has been really good bought it in 2007 still have it with 307k on the odometer got 33.59 mpg between Miles City MT and West Fargo 614 miles if I recall the only downside is it seems to have a healthy appetite for venison I think it's on #9 maybe 10 deer now the last one a few weeks ago took out the radiator but got her up and going again.
My version of this car is a 2005-2006 Toyota Camry 3.0 V6. I'm on my 3rd one. (1st one sold to a family member, 2nd totaled by a school bus). It's sneaky quick, 0 to 60 in mid to low 7 seconds. Soft suspension and steering, simple electronics , easy to work on and ultra reliable. Stress free driving.
I was about to embark on a 600+ mile road trip when I learned about the elbows. Sure enough - my Lucerne's were plastic. Luckily my mechanic wasn't too busy and he was able to replace them with metal the day before I left. I also had it retrofitted with coil springs to get rid of the air ride (cheaper than air shocks and rides better).
There are aftermarket struts for the rear of all these GM full-sized. The air suspension on these 20+ year old cars is never working right, especially in the rust belt. Struts are the answer, and disconnect the air pump connector, good to go.
@@elmarko9051 mine is 16 years old (2007), but I've seen too many Car Wizard air ride suspension repair horror stories to want to keep it. Add in that the retrofit kit (parts & labor) was about HALF of what new air shocks cost and the decision became really easy.
Coil springs give a smoother ride over the factory air suspension?
@@muziklvr7776 I don't notice a difference. Air ride is helpful with leveling the car with passengers and luggage. But the car is still level when I checked with people in the back seat. I've also traded air shocks for heavy duty rear shocks in GM minivans.
@@muziklvr7776 the air ride when I bought it was worn out - hitting broken pavement at highway speeds caused the back end to bounce up so high the back wheels almost went airborne making driving on the interstate dangerous. I know new air shocks would likely bounce less but they're also $1000+ for a pair while coil springs were (if I recall correctly) $560, parts & labor. The coil springs stop the excessive bouncing on the interstate and I don't have to worry about air leaks and/or compressor failure.
I bought two 3800s based solely on Car Wizards advice. A Chevy Impala and a Pontiac Grand Prix for reasonable $$. They are not great at any one thing but just an overall decent value. Thank you Mr. CAR WIZARD.
The metal elbows are a must -- it only takes one plastic piece breaking off into the intake before you wish you had just spent the extra $5
These cars ride better then most new cars today 2023,the ride comfort is like a cloud,so so smooth,quite
The supercharged 3800’s do have another known issue. At least all the ones I’ve encountered have sealed bearings on the supercharger as well as a teflon coating on the impellers. Usually around 150kms either the bearings would fail or on older ones the teflon coating starts to fall off and grenades the top end of the motor
As an Australian I see that roofline and immediately see the link to our Holden Commodore, the VX model. We had three Commodores with the 3800 V6 in it, a ‘96 VS model, and 2001 VX, and the engine in both was magnificently reliable. What a car.
Love the Buick! Get her mechanically squared up, detail the heck out of it and enjoy the ride!
Being a Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor to be bestowed upon someone for the state of Kentucky, you have to do something above and beyond for the people of Kentucky, both my grandparents were Kentucky Colonels and I have no idea what they did.
maybe they fried chicken?
My former boss received a proclamation making her a Kentucky Colonel upon becoming president of a national organization that happened to have its annual convention in Louisville that year. Although it was cool beans, we presumed it was similar to someone receiving "the keys to the city."
@@GarrettWorcester my grandmother was leading a women's rights organization in the 60s, and my grandpa always hung out at the Playboy mansion.
Dave Thomas of Wendy's fame, and who got started as a KFC franchisee, said that anyone could become a Kentucky Colonel. He himself was a Kentucky Colonel just like Colonel Sanders.
Just a matter of who you know. I am a certified Kentucky Colonel since I was a in grade school. My father acquired it for me. I am 67 now...
Wish these were still readily available. I've had a 2004 impala ss with the supercharged 3800. Still respectable power and very minimal issues over 125k miles.
I had a '03 park Ave. Bought it with 200,000 miles on it. Got it all to 325,000 miles and never burned a drop of oil. It was the most comfortable car. That engine was bulletproof. Unfortunately you couldn't see the corrosion on the frame. That was the reason I got rid of it. Great car
I had an '02 LeSabre and that thing was a champ! I bought it with 223,000 miles and the transmission locked up @ 348,000 miles and I got $400 for it after paying $1,200 + $80 for plugs and wires and putting almost 130k on it. 😁
If you changed the transmission fluid when you bought it maybe it would have lasted a lot longer than 348k
@Prepare2Survive I changed all the fluids when I bought it. Including the wiper fluid because I bought it in January and the previous owner didn't have de-icer fluid in it.
@@BradleyBellwether-oy2qi "All the fluids" meaning the transmission fluid and filter too? Lots of people seem to neglect changing transmission fluid for some reason.
@Prepare2Survive No, I didn't "neglect changing the transmission fluid for some reason". I changed the coolant, oil (and filter), transmission fluid, wiper fluid and I didn't do the brake fluid, but he had just had the brakes done before he died.
I was friends with an older couple and after he died, I bought it from her and when I told her what happened she said, it was probably because when he would be reversing, he'd shift into drive while it was still reversing (a habit from when he used to do drive stick shift cars). She said she'd always holler at him about it, but it was a force of habit he couldn't break after decades of doing it.
Thank you for another great informative video. You are right about the 3800 V6. I have two Oldsmobiles with them( 1996 Ninety Eight and 1992 Toronmado). You did not mention Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and Eighty Eight/LSS/Regency. The Pontiac Bonneville also used the 3800 V6 as well. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Lumina offered it as well as all the other W Bodies except Cutlass Supreme. The early Oldsmobile Intrigues did as well. The Holden Commodore, Calais, Statesman offered them as well. The Firebird and Camaro did as well. You should do a video on GM and the 3800 again and all the cars that offered the engine from far back as 1988. There was the 3300 V6 that was derived from the 3800 that was reliable as well. Thank you.
Bonneville are beautiful cars. Especially the last version.
@@AaronHendu I liked the last generation too. I liked it in SSE and SLE trim.
As well...
The composite intake manifolds on the non-suspercharged 3800 powered vehicles from the early '90s up through around 2006 were a big problem. Like Wizard indicated, the composite deteriorated near the EGR valve and in many cases allowed coolant to leak into the crankcase. From the various articles I have read, if not caught right away, the coolant in the oil had a high probability of taking out the crank and rod bearings of not completely ruin the engine.
Not that had to replace....
Not that big a problem. Easy to change out and pretty low failure rate.
Easy enough to replace if caught early and the aftermarket gaskets are far Superior anyway.. Revised gasket from Mahle pretty much solves the problem.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
I bought a supercharged 2000 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with 66k on the clock. It had a little over 366k miles when the WI winters finally to it down. When I got rid of it, it still had the original (and not rebuilt) engine, transmission, and supercharger. It called for Premium Gas only and 99% of my miles on it was plano regular gas. The heater was still blowing hot and the original a/c compressor was still blowing cold. However, the actuators were no longer opening or closing the doors to route the heater and a/c between the floor, dash and defroster the last couple years I drove it.
These newer Buick Park Avenue's, between the mid-1990's and the mid-2000's are the best vehicles in the world.
Ok, what year to go up to in the 2000's ????? Did Buick stop making these engines?????
@@josephklimchock54122005 was the last year of the park avenue
The 3.8V6. is the Best motor. These were in Indy cars. Gotta 2001 Park Avenue. Drive it every day. Looking for another one. Adios
@@josephklimchock5412 2005 was the final year for the Park Avenue. For the final 3000 models ever made, Buick produced a Final 3000 Series in two-tone silver and black paint with special New York City badges. These cars are some of my all-time favorite Buicks.
@@josephklimchock5412 - I think the latest was in the Buick Lacrosse CX or CXL to 2009. There were few of the CXS with newer 3600 that Wizard and I hate so avoid those. But the vast majority were CX or CXL with 3800. Pontiac Grand Prix had 3800 standard until 2008. Chevy Impala like Wizard said had 3800 as option until 2005. Most of them if not all were the LS model.
Im a mechanic and no telling how many head jobs ive had to do on these cars bc of head gasket failures. At least 2 a year now but back in the day probably 1 every other month. Less of them r on the road bc people just scrap them now.
The HID was actually very common on the Grand Prix in particularly the GTP model, although this and the Riviera are still some of my favorite cars for the 3800 series supercharged
This is a really intriguing car. I know I liked them for the comfort, but I didn’t realize they were so strong for maintenance, mileage and reliability. I don’t know why Hoovie whined in his video about people ignoring his video (probably click bait) but I really like this car! I wish I had access to a great mechanic that would help me like you do for Hoovie. This looks like a solid buy and great owner satisfaction. How much is Hoovie selling it for? He will want to gouge me for calling him a whiner, lol. Thanks for another great and informative video!
I love these Buicks. Buick had 2 different Park Avenue models; one that was supercharged and one that was not. I would like to own the baby Park Avenue without the Supercharger. Great car.
1997-2005 Park Ave do have a mysterious parasitic battery drain problem. This is usually caused by the long de-commissioned analog OnStar system. The frequencies used by this system were reallocated to new users in 2008. Transmissions by the new users of this frequency band can turn on the OnStar system in a constant state and drain the battery. A quick way to pull the power on the onstar system is to remove the PH/CD fuse in the fusebox under the rear seat. This also disconnects power to the 12CD changer in the trunk, if equipped. If you want the CD changer, you will have to remove the rear seat back and front cover on the trunk to get at the Onstar unit and disconnect the connectors.
I had an 04 Impala SS with the 3800 Supercharged engine. I found out the hard way about getting an OEM MAF sensor. I tried 3 sensors from the parts store and none of them worked. I also had to replace those coolant elbows.
I had a '05 LeSabre Custom a couple years ago. Bought off my grandfather. hat 90k on it. Other than wheel bearings(which seemed never ending and I could replace in less than an hour), rock solid. Did use a little oil, but not enough to worry about. Just check every so often. I would still be driving it, but the leather seats had manual back adjust and I could never get comfortable. It was either too far forward or too far back. The A/C compressor died and it was my excuse to sell it.
I've got a 94 LeSabre 3800 and while I put a starter alternator, water pump and normal wear items on, I'm extremely happy with it and I'm looking for another one. Newer
I've got a 1999 Park Ave non ultra with 407,000kms on it and it still ruins and drives like new. It started it's life out of Mora Minn, then found it's way to Arizona and finally to Alberta Canada. Whoever owned this car prior to me clearly loved it as it is in like new condition...no rust. 😮
And i love it too 😊
My mom had the Regal with this engine (Grand Sport) which was also a very solid car but with a smaller body, it was surprisingly quick sleeper.
As the owner of two Mercury Grand Marquis, a 2006 with 381,000 miles on it, and a recently purchased 2007 with 36,000 miles on it, I would definitely say that the Ford Panther cars come out on top. I've been driving them for over 30 years. That Buick may be a decent car for what it is (they did get the dash right, with no "center stack" and touch screen) but I'm just not into front wheel drive, V6 engines, or superchargers or turbochargers on street driven cars. That 3800 would definitely last a lot longer without the supercharger. I also like solid rear axles and body on frame construction. Being a recently retired fleet mechanic with 37 years experience, I have worked on a lot of GM vehicles in that age range. Mostly base model Chevys. Starting in 1996, GM started using an engine destroyer called DEXKILL. Yes, they call it Dexcool, but I don't think they are fooling anyone anymore. I have found dozens of GM engines completely ruined by that stuff. It goes in as an orange or red liquid, then solidifies. I have seen a lot of engines with the coolant passages completely plugged up with the stuff, and there doesn't seem to be any way to remove it. We started flushing it out of brand new engines and replacing it with Ford Motorcraft Gold. Never had any problems with that. I wonder what is in that Buick? The MAF sensor is also a common failure on the 4.6L 2 valve engines used in the Ford Panther cars. They have no rear springs, just air bags. And they also tend to fail over time. But they can be replaced with coil springs, and that solves the problem permanently. SAVE THE PLANET!!!!!! CRUSH A TESLA!!!!!
I had a 2002 Cadillac STS, and I can see ALOT of "GM PARTS BIN!!!" here! Lol!
To the random stalling I had that randomly when I would come to a stop at traffic lights and such. But my car would fire right back up when I turned the key.
Turns out there are 2 crankshaft position sensors, and the OEM parts were manufactured in Mexico and prone to failure. The replacement parts (OEM replacement) are made in Japan and are PERFECT (of course), and I never had the issue again.
These were great, COMFORTABLE and POWERFUL cars before all the "infotainment" BS started coming in, though I prefer the mechanical simplicity of American Muscle from back in the day.
I've owned a l67 since 1997. They are great engines. Easy to mod, take a lot of abuse, and yet are still reliable. Easily will go over 200k miles without touching the engine. I retried my 1997 and purchased a rust free 2000 GTP from Florida over a decade ago. It's been a great car.
I had a 2000 LeSabre for about 10 years and it was a good car. I found the main weaknesses were the shocks as you have shown but the power windows were a problem think they all went out at some point.
What were wrong with the shocks ??
Inherited a 6cyl Lucerne that had all the shocks needing replacement. Otherwise a great car the cost was very expensive. Sold it.
To anyone on here considering a Buick 3800 equipped car, specifically an N/A one: MAKE SURE IT HAS AN UPDATED FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. My father's '01 Bonneville suffered a fiery explosion earlier this year due to a faulty fuel pressure regulator that GM claimed was improved for the 2001 model year. Turns out that was a lie. The car was totaled. Upon researching the issue, there are thousands of cases, and even a recall, which DID NOT cover cars after the 2000 model year, even though it obviously wasn't fixed on the newer cars. Even a famous video of a 3800 impala blowing up in the exact same way at a shop after an oil change. So if you've got a N/A 3800 car from 2000 or earlier, make sure its had the recall done. If you have a 2001 or later, you'll have to do the job yourself or somehow verify its already been done without a recall sticker.
Secondly, the 4T65E transmission is notoriously weak. Excessive clutch wear is pretty much guaranteed unless shift kit is installed. Signs of this issue are hard shifts aı eventually slipping/shuddering during acceleration.
That Buick 3800 has been around since the late 1960's that I know of. As a teenager I worked in my father's auto parts store in the 80's. Back then it was often referred to as the Buick 231 cubic inch V6 & by the mid 80's in the Buick Grand National it was thr 3.8 liter. Yes, GM even badge engineers their engines. It was known as a great engine even back then.
There are 3 of those in the neighborhood where I work, all in Champagne Tan, or whatever it's called.
Nice old cars.
My son in law had a previous gen. Buick Le Sabre that was a great car, 3800 engine , smooth ride for him, but the rusted unibody was rotted out around half of the bolts holding the engine & transmission bracket to the unibody, so he had to let ot go
I did actually firsthand see some reliability problems with a Buick with the 3800. It was a '95 LeSabre. The intake manifold gasket failed and coolant was getting sucked into some of the intake ports. This caused a rough/stumbling problem both at idle and under power. We ended up practicing fixing it on a Regal with the same engine that was in a junkyard before doing it on the friend's car.
Later the air conditioning compressor rather violently failed. I figured out that the 3300 and 3800 that year had the same pulley arrangement, and the 3300 had a non-AC model with a shorter belt. He couldn't afford to fix the air conditioner so we used that shorter belt to bypass the compressor. That was fun in Arizona in the summer in a black car.
Finally his transmission gave out, it lost low. Not sure why. At that point he junked it.
Really looked hard at these when they were new. The only things that were disappointing were the seats and leather.
Upboat for the Killer Instinct reference
Wizard great video but you called it a 3800 super charged V-8 I’m sure you know it’s a V-6
I was taken home from the hospital in a Buick and I learned how to drive with my Dads Park Avenue Ultra he had three or four and only the ultras. These cars hold a special place in my heart even though I’m a BMW guy.
You never mention the Grand prixs with the 3800 when talking about these cars. I think those arey favorite of the platform; slightly "cooler" styling with the same reliability.
Loved my '02GTP with the sunroof, dual climate control wirh dual heated seats; HUD,
Full package. Black on black with the rear window tinted. Hardly felt like i was driving an "old mans sedan"
I have a Buick Lacrosse 07, black on black on black. 3800 Series III, black aftermarket Helo wheels. Would love it if it had the SC, but both the Lacrosse and Lucerne gave you a V8 if you wanted more (LS or N*). Seen a lot of dressed up Maxima's and other more recent sedans that seems like they took styling notes from my Lacrosse.
Around 2012 I had a 1996 Buick Park Avenue Ultra. That thing was awesome! Had over 100,000 miles but ran like brand new and rode like you were driving sitting in a Lazy Boy. That thing would squall the tires like you wouldn't believe. From going 65 mph it would lift the front end when floored. I absolutely loved that car but unfortunately got rid of it because the AC compressor was going out and it had many electrical issues. It also did not use any oil between oil changes. 3800's were awesome engines!
I recently inherited a 96 Regal Gran Sport coupe with the 3800 from my mother. 130,000 miles, very clean car. It is such a pleasure to drive, extremely comfortable. I did have to replace the lower intake gasket, which was real easy to do. The only other issue is the cruise control isn't working. Any thoughts on the repair of it? i am looking forward to many years of driving this comfortable car.
Check for a vacuum leak to the servo. I'm uncertain if a 96 still uses vacuum to operate cruise, but my 1990 Olds with the 3800 does and that was my issue with it not engaging. Just thought I would share.
Lucerne 3800 Lacrosse 3800 Regal 3800 up til 2008. 3900 starting in 2009. Then 3.6 v6 if you have it change the oil every 4000 mikes😊 Supercharger models are fast but coupler breaks and PITA to change. SC charger oil needs to be changed too...premium gas with SC version. Skip the SC version😊
I was shopping Park Aves for a bit but ended up going for a Bonneville. It's definitely not as well equipped as the Buick but I decided I preferred the sportier profile and styling. It's gonna need some minor work but it's been relatively flawless for the couple weeks I've had it.
i had a 04 bonne loaded sunroof leather the works for 9yrs the only thing that was a issue was the around the gas cap area it started to rust out other then the misfire codes that at the time trigger me to change spark plugs wires coils crank and cam sensors only to find out it was the ignition control module was no good.
3800 is one of the reliable engines of all time, seen many with 350k+ miles. You have to do a couple repairs to make it bulletproof, but after that smooth sailing. The Park Avenue is a nice platform vs a Pontiac or a Cadillac if you wanted to get one of these cars.
Those are the sort of car we just don't have in the UK. It's a great shame. As someone who prefers larger cars, but who doesn't want to run Jaguars, Mercs or similar unreliable, expensive prestige makes, I'd love a solid, no frills, comfortable vehicle like that. Yes, they're a little more thirsty than the average car over here because of the larger engine and weight, but factor in the solid build, reliability and ease of maintenance and I'd bet the cost wouldn't be much greater than running some of the smaller cars we have here. They can be imported, but that is expensive and left hand drive is tricky on our small and often narrow roads.
They get close to 30 MPG highway so it is actually really good for a v6.
I have a 1996 Buick Riviera with this drivetrain. It gets 19 or 20 mi to the gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon at 75 mph on the highway absolutely incredible for a 4000 + lb car.
I (UK based) had a 2004 Volvo S80 with the 2.4 5cyl petrol for years (until fairly recently) that gave me no trouble. Granted I did get it pretty well sorted when I bought it. Never saw another man under 80 driving one. In the UK we also have several large (by European standards) Honda and Toyota cars. Even some very reliable lexus (RX350 for example). We salt the roads so most things rust. We also have very expensive fuel. These two things are a huge impediment. Oh, we had the Vauxhall Omega for ages... how reliable were they?
@@leighonigarI've got a 2006 Volvo S60 2.0T Automatic, it's a close to these barges we will get. Maybe Accord 2.4 or Honda Legend V6, but we really don't have much choice
I think the Rover 75 was very much a British equivalent to these older Buicks, plush interior, understated design, focus on comfort over performance, etc. Too bad they didn't use the Rover V8 anymore, that would have made them even more Buick-like (the 3800 V6 in this one is a Rover/Buick V8 with two cylinders cut off and cast in cast iron instead of aluminum, the very early ones in the 1960s were even cast in aluminum before switching to iron)
I learned to drive in a 1989 park Ave. took my drivers test in a 1994 park Ave. Last car my dad ever bought before he died was a 2003 park Avenue (first and only brand new car he ever bought…). He drove it twice, then passed a few months later. My mom had the same car for 19 trouble free years. Zero engine and transmission problems. Only reason she parted ways with the car was due to rust from the Maine roads.
If I find a good condition park Ave, lesabre, or other 3800 series 2 vehicle I would absolutely snatch it up.
I love the more detailed videos of you actually taking stuff apart. I would like to see what happened to the citron
My 1998 Buick Regal LS had 330k miles on the original engine and transmission, when I gave it to my nephew. I'd still be driving it if I didn't buy my 2004 Buick Park Avenue. I've put 30k miles on it since May of 2022! Such a great car. These 3800V6 GM powered cars are amazing! My Park Avenue has the HUD option too, and I love it!
kentucky colonel is a honorary/charitable organization here in kentucky. colonel sanders of KFC fame got his title from being a member.
my father owned a non-supercharged (non-ULTRA) version of this car for many years. it was a fine ride.
Very cool info! 😎
Here in Australia we had these 3800 Ecotec V6's in our full-sized GM vehicles (Holden Commodore) since the late '80s until they were replaced by the GM Alloytec 3.6L motor in 2004. The 3800's have such a legendary reputation for being bulletproof that on the used car market these vehicles often fetch higher prices than the model that immediately replaced them with the new 3.6L Alloytec (which is known to be a problematic powerplant with timing chain & bottom-end issues).
We even got the supercharged version for a little bit too, though I think they had to get a little more creative with the intake plumbing on account of the Holdens having a longitudinal arrangement for RWD.
🎶 We're gonna rock down to Park Avenue annnnnd then we'll take it higher! 🎶 😂
Lol, a great jam!!
Currently own a 2002 PAU, drive it every day, the legroom,the sofa style seat, the ride, the sound proving, the HUD, love love love, previous rides, Subaru WRX, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Sierra with the Duramax.
Great drivetrain there. Great car
My son-in-law had one when he was courting my daughter. He bought it from his grampa. I used it one weekend & what a fantastic ride, rock solid. The Ultra carried on the tradition as the "Doctor's car".
Hoovie also said in his video, before arriving at the Wizards, that the supercharger wasn't working. So is there something wrong with the supercharger or was it the air flow sensor?
I have an 06 Pontiac GP with the SC 3800. It would be strange for it not to work. There's guys with 300k miles that have never changed the SC oil in them and they still work. Sometimes the pulley bearings in the snout fail and can be replaced. Other times it still works but makes a tapping sound,, all that is a small donut shaped rubber coupler you can replace the part its like 10 bucks. It basically attached to the end of the SC veins and when re-attaching the snout, the other end of the rubber attached to the pulley coupling the two sides, when it wears out there's slack that causes a tapping noise.
The overwhelming majority of shops just say your supercharger is shot and the entire unit needs to be replaced. They don't take apart superchargers will find a rebuilt unit and send the one you have back as a core.
Was 20 years in the car business. This has been my choice for best car ever.
Hey Car Wizard what would you say is the 'best' (your choice of criteria) 3800 engine vehicle in your opinion?
Not the Car Wizard, but I would say the Series III. The plenum cover (intake manifold) was plastic and prone to leaking on older ones, but the Series III has a metal plenum cover and doesn't suffer from that (I had a 1998 Lumina with the Series II and replacing the plenum gasket was a $400+ repair in 2004).
I have a 2003 park ave ultra, with 312K on it in very good condition, bought it sight unseen on marketplace 4 years ago it had 259 thousand on it documentation showed me it has been a prior salvage, on it's third transmission, its been a trouble free absolutely dependable car, other then regular maintenance, we love it, it has the upgraded elbows and it has lots of power, have drove it all over the Midwest, and is our daily driver
I had 2 buicks, and i loved them
Very underrated brand
Looks just like mom's car except that it wasn't an Ultra or had a backup camera. Instead of a backup camera, it had backup sensors that would beep in the car letting you know that your getting close to something. The instrument cluster was the older one being it was a 2002 before they took most of the buttons on the side out. The color was noted as Cabornet Red.
This is when GM built good stuff.
Some good stuff, they still made some junk then too.
i have a 2004 buick Century. with a 3100. 70000 kms. all white, just like new. Everything work fine, no lights, no rust. bought for 2500$. Such i deal i got. I have a lifter tick. I am planning of replacing the 3100 by a 3800 serie 3 with a super charger. Will keep that car until i die when i do.
This looks very nice, im surprised buick used plastic on the sensitive areas. I hope valve covers come in metal
zzp sells nice metal ones but I've never heard of the stock plastic ones causing issues
@josuepaz9446 thanks for the tip. Yeah, plastic on engine parts, is not such a great idea😕
Buick century 2000. Other than intake manifold coolant leak (gaskets replaced) nice reliable car
Fantastic car! And get Mrs. Wizard her own channel!
She does have her own channel
It's called Mrs wizzards ways
Mrs. Wizard already has her own channel - "Mrs Wizard Ways"
@@NomadicCratic Great! Then why is she here?
I heard a saying once, "all mechanics end up retiring in a 3800." Lo and behold, just before i quit and left the industry, i end up buying a 04 impala ss. The headgaskets were already done including the elbows. I originally bought it as a backup car. Has been my daily driver as i turned my previous daily into a project.
Tyler seems to be a nice guy. But his tastes in cars is "eclectic"...
Great video!
I had a Lesabre that had the heads up display. I loved it. I miss that car.