8 Days with a Buick Lucerne

[hyperv6]

I just got done with a rental Lucerne. Here is what I had and what I noted.

The car was brand new and only had 3,000 miles.

Though a base model it was nicely optioned and if stickered at $26K or 27K would have been a good car for an older driver.

Road manners while not sporting was very managable and comfortable. It handeled Southern Californias caynon roads and highways just fine. I even noted with the 80-90 MPH speeds on the high way it still managed 24 MPG.

The one major complaint I would have is the 3800 Series III should have never been used in this car. The rest of the car is just more refined even in base form for a engine of this nature. I like the 3800 and own one but if Buick want to sell this car to import buyers it should have never used the old engine. I even could mange with the 4 spped auto as it was seemless and you never really noted shifts because they were all smooth.

Interior and truck were very roomy and good materials even for a base car.

The biggest thing I noted on this car was the lack of anything other than the MP3 plug in the radio to entice a youg person to this car.

I even came out of a Dennys and watched as 3 people in their 70's marveled at my car. I also noted they drove away in a Regal.

If Buick wants to draw in a younger crowed they had better hope the Supers and the new products offer what the younger people want. As of now I don't many people trading their BMW's or Audis for a Buick.

I really like this car and see it is a good car but it is like Mercury a car with little hook for the younger buyers.

[ponchoman49]

The 3800/4 speed automatic and ultra lazy 2.86:1 gears are the biggest achilles heel to this otherwise nice sedan. It comes to the party with no birthday card and $10.00 short of a 20 dollar bill. The worst part is that Buick did better with the previous LeSabre. It's 3800 had 7 more HP, slighly more torque, optional 3.05:1 gears and several hundred pounds less curbweight which made it feel more sprightly. The LeSabre also had more soft touch dash trim as opposed to the Lucernes all hard plastic dash, finer richer grains and a slightly wider and roomier feel. The Lucerne trumps the LeSabre in rear seat legroom and includes a rear seat srmrest and map pockets which the base LeSabre lacked and the rear air vents of course. Buick needs to liven this model up a bit with the 3.6/6 speed automatic and a few more luxury items should be made standard equipment like lighted visor mirrors, telescoping leather wheel with controls, MP3 player and a more firm base suspension.

[hyperv6]

The 3800/4 speed automatic and ultra lazy 2.86:1 gears are the biggest achilles heel to this otherwise nice sedan. It comes to the party with no birthday card and $10.00 short of a 20 dollar bill. The worst part is that Buick did better with the previous LeSabre. It's 3800 had 7 more HP, slighly more torque, optional 3.05:1 gears and several hundred pounds less curbweight which made it feel more sprightly. The LeSabre also had more soft touch dash trim as opposed to the Lucernes all hard plastic dash, finer richer grains and a slightly wider and roomier feel. The Lucerne trumps the LeSabre in rear seat legroom and includes a rear seat srmrest and map pockets which the base LeSabre lacked and the rear air vents of course. Buick needs to liven this model up a bit with the 3.6/6 speed automatic and a few more luxury items should be made standard equipment like lighted visor mirrors, telescoping leather wheel with controls, MP3 player and a more firm base suspension.

I have no issue with the performance of the 3800 as being a base engine. But I do have a problem as it is noisey and ruff compared to other base engines in the competitors cars at that price. I could excuse it in a lower priced car.

It ran fine and I had no issue running with 5 people at 80-95 MPH on interstate 5 from San Deigo to Anahiem in just over an hour.

My mother has a fully loaded Le sabre with the grand touring suspension and the Lucern even in base form perfromed near as well. I just missed the leather seats from here car. The new cars dash was much better too. I did not like the wheel controls at first as they differ from my Pontiac but once I knew what was what they were fine.

But I agree good car but could and should be a little better in that market.

[Flybrian]

Using the 3800 as the base V6 in the CX would be far more acceptable if the 3.6l were standard fare in the CXL.