Paulie's "Edmunds" Review

[Paolino]

Paulie's "Edmunds" Review: 1992 Buick Century When most people think of a family sedan, they think of the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Elantra, or even a Ford Aspire, but many fail to consider Buick's Century (because we tell them not to). The Century, part of an aging design on a decrepit body, using GM's tried-and-true, super-old crappy, err, I mean OHV, 3300 engine, is just one of the offered engines in the lineup. Families trying to save a penny here or there can stick with the anemic standard 4-banger (and boy does it bang!), 110-hp engine, but most will opt for the 6. The 3300 delivers 160 mediocre horses, and 185ft/lbs of torque, which by today's standards is just downright pathetic. The Accord V6 offers 240hp and the Elantra's offers 235hp. But, we're here to do a review, and even if this is an American car, we still have to treat it fairly and review it. Upon approaching the Century, we notice Buick's signature waterfall grille, boldly giving the Century a much-needed aggressive look. Turning the corner and you will find that Buick chose to keep white-walled tires at this day and age, when 99% of all non-GM manufacturer's have decided to abandon the idea, which means GM is wrong in keeping them. Take that GM. Entering the car and you will feel a solid door. I mean, solid. The thing weighs so much. Some call it safety, but we here at Edmunds call it a crappy job done on balancing the door on its hinges, which shows us immediately the car is subpar in quality. Seat yourself in the Century's standard split bench (yeah, they're still around, can you believe it?) seat, and you will find little support whatsoever. Moving on, starting the car reveals the 3300's lack in quiet and poise, as a loud exhaust note comes from the engine compartment. Looking around the cabin, and you will see a variety in cheap plastics so hard, my wife complained several times she hurt her ankles resting them on the dash. If she didn't rest her ankles there, we wouldn't have complained, because honestly, how many times do you feel a dash? Except if it's a Japanese car--those plastic dashes are so smooth and soft, I could talk about them for hours. And I do, in my following article: Honda Element: Honda Wows Us Again With Another Phenomenal Vehicle. The ride in the Century is rather soft. Some may say it absorbs a lot of bumps, but we in the car found it nauseating. Thank God my wife brought her barf-bag that she always carries when we test a GM vehicle. I am not going to continue about the ride, because my mother always told me, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. When comparing the Base V6 Century to other cars in its class, like the fully-equipped, $38,000.00 Toyota Avalon, with Toyota's brand-new 3.5L V6, that Toyota now claims has 595hp (and we believe them cause it's Toyota), the Century feels more like a vehicle from last century.

[Cory Wolfe]

:lol:

[Mike The Canadian]

LMAO! Thats amazing! Thats exactly how edmunds would perform a review!

[Cory Wolfe]

Harley, that's the wrong Century. 1992...

[Paolino]

HarleyEarl, I loved the Century--I wished they kept it and updated it appropriately. I like mine now, although granted it's getting up in years and I'm starting to crave little things like cupholders, a CD player, airbags and abs, even a low fuel light LOL, but it still runs well and does its job :)

[Paolino]

There we go. Picture mine in faded gray with different wheelcovers.

[HarleyEarl]

Harley, that's the wrong Century. 1992...

[post="6333"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I don't know what you are talking about....

[Cory Wolfe]

You deleted your post... :rolleyes: :D

[HarleyEarl]

:blink:

[Variance]

My sister has that. It's...decent. Clean exterior, not the best interior.

[Satty]

I had a 96 and the dash was very soft, I'm pretty sure it was just foam covered in vinyl. It did indeed bounce like a strippers boobs and the 3100 I had was about as refined as a riding lawn mower engine. But I never got pulled over in it.

[!!!TED!!!]

Those cars have awesome horns too. They sound like freight trains. :P And you gotta love the 20 bulb tail lamps. :blink: Nice write up Paulie.

[ToniCipriani]

Great review... :lol: My ma's old Ciera was a great car. That's all I can say.

[Paolino]

Those cars have awesome horns too. They sound like freight trains. :P And you gotta love the 20 bulb tail lamps. :blink: 
Nice write up Paulie.

[post="6444"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

If I ever get a new car, I'm taking the horn with me! :lol:

You have no idea what it's like to be able to tap that thing behind some obnoxious woman in her little Corolla and scare the SH!T out of her LOL

And yes, unfortunately, when 1 bulb goes out, they're all going to go out. And kudos to GM for not making the plastic lens separate from the entire electrical unit--crack it, and you have to replace the whole thing, at about 600 bucks (unless you go to a junk yard)

[Mike The Canadian]

Damn, freight train eh? Lol maybe that can be my next mod :lol:

[Cory Wolfe]

I don't even have a horn anymore... Mine stopped working. Stupid shitty GA. <_< :P

[mjdecker]

Amazing review Paulie.. I needed a good laugh after today...

I don't even have a horn anymore... Mine stopped working. Stupid shitty GA. <_< :P

[post="6545"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I've had the same problem since I got my car..
And yet. it works 1 time every year.. Inspection :rolleyes:

[Paolino]

Thanks guys... was going to do a serious review, but I don't have the time.. this I whipped up quickly for a laugh. I'm proud of it LOL

[razoredge]

I bought the 90 Cierra Cruiser my wife is driving last Sept for $575. Its been great but it is a bomber. I replaced the rear shocks front struts and springs and it still handles worse than any car I have ever driven including my Grandfathers 58 Brookwood wagon, at least that had a solid feel as it was laid over around the corners. The 90 Cruiser was well worth the money and has been reliable but at 180,000 miles theres issues with interior panels, dried out and cracked window strips, peeling clear coat, and some exhaust work. I put a set of the wider 14" wheels off a mid 80's Buick Century T-type with 225/60/14's and it sure looks sharp, just doesnt handle like it looks. Its a very handy vehical and she does like it, she especially likes not having to park at the back of the parking lot like we do with our more special cars like the LSS and former "88" 50th anniversary car. The 3300 is strong as can be but it does vibrate away pretty good at idle compared to its balance shaft 3800 counterpart, its actually pretty quick and has a nice note. It is a quicker car than my 90 3800 powered Regency, I figure its geared lower being a wagon and all. Its also lighter than a C body. However the difference in feel, ride, handling, confidence, and quality is day and night between the A bodies and the W and H/C bodies. The A does feel like a penny pinching car where the W and all the H & C bodies I have owned have felt like quality cars. Hey I just bought it for a winter car and she has now drove it for 11 months and 15,000 miles. At a total investment of 1000 its currently at less than 100 per month + gas/oil, and still going strong. Glad your happy with your car Paulie ! We are. ;-)

[Cory Wolfe]

Decka, I just got it inspected too and it worked. Jeesh.. :rolleyes: Stupid horn!

[Paolino]

Razor, The 3300 is VERY rough compared to other sixes I've driven. It has a nice note and some really great power down low. I mean, it's nothing powerful, but I don't have to hit the gas at all to get the car moving. The float is really a bit much though, and squeeling on an exit ramp on the LIE going 20-25 is just sad (as everyone gets thrown to one side of the car) lol, but the car is great. The back speakers give incredible bass, but the fronts have none--so, the back seat passengers usually complain for me to turn it down when it's already really low, while in the front, the speakers are on top of the dash and the sound gets lost. One thing that's odd... and it's been like this since I got the car too, when braking, just before I come to a complete stop, there's a rough vibration in the car. You really don't feel it too much as a passenger, but as a driver, you feel it in the pedal. It's kinda like the car's downshifting into first, and it just feels rough. I have hated it since I first got the car and it still irks me to this day. A few things I miss that I had in the Tracer are a low fuel light, cupholders, and a trunk release. I find it incredibly annoying to have to take the keys out of the ignition to pop the trunk (and no, I don't want to pull the key off the ring everytime I need to open the trunk--it's just easier to pull the ignition key out and hand the keys to someone) The radio doesn't really receive stations too well, and my parents had the same problem with their 1992 LeSabre Limited. It's just like any movement whatsoever causes some static in the signal, and it's not like that in any other cars I drive. The trunk is enormous. I'm not a small guy and I've gotten inside of it with ease and shut the lid (not to lock, but just shut)... wish it had fold down seats int he rear. The power windows are slow... I could crank them faster, and the rear driver window decides on occassion it's just going to stop an inch before the top. The instrument cluster isn't backlit, and it's a horizontal gauge cluster (which I have hated since I'm a little boy), so at night, it's not exactly the clearest thing in the world. The needle for the tranny gauge doesn't line up with the gear you're in, but big whoop on that. All of these complaints are relatively trivial... the car runs great and has been very reliable, and that's essentially the point of it. I wouldn't complain to slightly better fuel economy, especially with these prices, but it's a nice car, comfortable, and my knees don't touch the dash like in my friends' Toyota's lol