27th Jan 2006, 18:56
Wow, a Buick GS455, sounds super cool! 1971 really was one of the last years for the big, comfortable, super-cars, of all brands. Doubly cool because Buick didn't have as many entries into the muscle car race as some other models, so the cars like this are even more special. Until just about this year, the auto manufacturers just haven't offered anything as cool since about 1974. Too bad the usual "old car haters" had to chime in, but they just will never get it.
12th Jan 2008, 06:37
I inherited my parents' 1973 Centurion when the Buick dealer offered them only $ 500 for it in the early '80's. It carried six people comfortably, and there was no discernable difference between driving 85 mph and 40: many was the time I was cruising down the interstate not paying attention, and looked down at the speedo to see I was 20 mph over the speed limit.
On the other hand, it averaged between 9 and 12 mpg (at reasonable speeds, not 85!), the windows never met properly when raised, and the doors were so heavy that children and the elderly had trouble getting them open or closed. As a mechanic once said, "they make a whole car out of one of those doors now." My 4-banger Camry is just as comfortable, a whole lot safer, more reliable, and gets three times the gas mileage. So much for the "good old days."
13th Jan 2008, 10:15
"Hmph. A 1971 ANYTHING would get looks on the freeway just by virtue of its age. "
Sure, that's the point. It's no different than somebody who drives a lowered Cadillac Escalade or a Honda Civic with a giant wing and neon light ground effects. They like it, and they like that it gets looks.
Regarding the assumption that old cars must get bad gas mileage: bunk. My 1973 Dodge gets 24 mpg on the highway, and that's with a stock, carbureted V-8.
I love seeing old vehicles on the road. It brightens up the day to see something different than the usual "bubble cars."
17th Jul 2008, 17:45
I had a 71 455 special Buick LeSabre Convertible. I had it for 22 years and now I am trying to find another one. Yes, it had no gas mileage, but no one ever passed me. I loved that car.
12th Oct 2009, 21:00
I'm about to get a 71 LeSabre with a 455. I don't know what the gas is gonna be. I'm kinda scared because it's going to be a daily driver. I think they make cams that help with the low end torque though :)
13th Jan 2013, 11:28
No way a newer Camry is just as comfortable as a 1971 Buick. And while the Camry will get infinitely better gas mileage, that's really the only thing the Toyota has on the Buick.
18th Dec 2018, 14:45
Better gas mileage is "the only thing"?
Hardly. Try better handling, easier parking, greater reliability, more creature comforts, better rustproofing, more safety equipment, etc. True, the Camry does not have the ponderous ride of the Buick, if that is what you are after.
Now: cue the "new cars are plastic junk, the old cars were better cos they don't have all those electronic thingies and had more metal and stuff" commenters.
18th Dec 2018, 23:07
Replying to a comment that is nearly 6 years old, one would think that you are trying to reignite the good ol'e old vs. new topic. Is it worth it? It may be fun for you, but does get old and boring for the "cue commenters". Whatever that means.
Sure modern vehicles have their perks if that's what you are after, but if you feel that after a few years and around 140,000 (sometimes less than that) miles that it's logical to sink thousands of dollars or more than what the car is worth to repair "those electronic thingies" or to consult your owners manual to try to figure out how to operate things that were once simple, be my guest.
18th Dec 2018, 23:22
We currently own a modern Buick LaCrosse. Amazingly it’s being dropped. However... The interior quality, leather quality, heads up display instrumentation, molded curved dash, blue LED interior lighting lane avoidance, and sound system in my opinion are just as nice as a late model Jag. Seating is more comfortable than the Audi Q5. 28 MPG average. Only pointing it out as it’s displayed. Fuel economy wasn’t ever an issue with us anyway; it’s more the comfort with nice handling. If you want to do a time warp, I thought the early 70s Buick 455 boat tail Riviera had exceptional comfort as well when new. Far exceeding the established interstate national speed limits at the time. Another was a new Grand Prix SJ, as long as you are comparing that era. Rode like a dream. No comparison to Toyota. At the time you needed very deep pockets to afford these GMs new. But worth it for comfort and performance. They were easily ticket prone as they really excelled on the open highways. The Centurion I personally never cared for.
20th Dec 2018, 14:50
Interesting that you chose this comment to remark about the age when there are dozens of other responses to years (or even decades-old) comments that you don't seem to have a problem about?
Then again, maybe that's all you can come up with?
20th Dec 2018, 22:37
Yep, old cars did have some reliability issues. Transmission, blown head gasket, air conditioning and whatever else you wanna say was a nuisance.
Now for modern car reliability issues. Everything I mentioned above including computers, sensors, ECM, and so on, which are all responsible for the way a modern car starts, runs, shifts, and stops.
Older cars like the Buick on review have none of that. Therefore there is less that can go wrong.
Makes sense... Right?
21st Dec 2018, 03:34
So, "more metal" is a bad thing, eh?
Yeah I can see to that. Especially those plastic intake manifolds used these days. Definitely much stronger and will outlast cast iron or aluminum.
21st Dec 2018, 17:25
Actually not too long ago, I pointed the same thing out on a Daewoo thread that was replied years later. I'm pretty sure you called them out on it too.
21st Dec 2018, 17:32
Even more interesting, you keep beating the dead horse with the old vs new debate.
Maybe that's all you can come up with?
21st Dec 2018, 21:35
OK, it's looking pretty likely this is going in an unhelpful direction.
Please resist the urge to get personal or rerun a conversation that has been had many times before, with entirely predicable results.
steven@carsurvey.org (site moderator)
22nd Dec 2018, 12:16
How many of this make and model year still even exist? I suspect many have never seen one. I saw only one in the past decade or so. If you watch Kojak, TV reruns will be one of the very few times other than in pics. It didn’t have the appeal of a Riviera (another rare sighting any more). You will still see mid level examples like a LeSabre or Electra over the recent years. And many Buick GS or Grabd Nationals worth saving vs going to the scrap yards. One memorable part I recall was the massive hood on this specific car. Absolutely huge.
27th Jan 2006, 14:54
The Centurian WAS the sporty versionof thew Lasabre. I had a 73 LaSabre 4 door, and I remember spending a lot of time trying to score some Centurian rims to make my "old man's" car look like a four door sports coupe. There used to be at least two people in my town with convertible Centurians...
They don't make 'em like that anymore. Pretty soon we'll all be driving around in egg shaped cars that sound like they have no mufflers on them.