2002 Buick Century Custom 3.1 Litre from North America

Summary:

The Buick Century is one of the best cars ever made. I love it!

Faults:

Needed a front wheel bearing at 73,000 miles.

That's it.

General Comments:

This is my third Century and they've gotten better as the years went by.

Great ride, roomy, comfortable, economical, reliable.

I keep up with the regular maintenance (oil changes, tire rotations, transmission fluid flushed and filled every 20,000 miles, coolant flushed and filled once a year.) My Century has only been worked on by the Buick dealer where I bought it, and which sold the car new originally.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th August, 2009

1st May 2011, 21:28

Here's a follow up on my Buick Century as I am the original poster of this review.

Currently, my Century has 112,089 miles on it. Since the writing of the original comment, the car received a new water pump at 91,000 miles and I needed tie rod ends when I took it in for an oil change last week.

I have to say that it was stricken with the "intake manifold virus" in December 2009. But I had it repaired, getting a complete tune-up in the process.

I would say that's pretty good for a car with 112,000 miles on it. It runs terrific, still getting 30+ miles on the highway, and is just extremely reliable.

I still have it serviced only at the Buick dealer where I bought it and I think that's part of the reason why it has remained so reliable. I am still very happy with this car and plan to keep it for at least another year.

2002 Buick Century from North America

Summary:

Has been fine other than ridiculous prices to fix insignificant things

Faults:

Replaced the brakes at 65,000 miles.

Replaced the wheel bearings on the front wheels at 72,000 miles.

3 out of 4 windows have gone bad. The regulator cables which function the two back windows and the driver side front window have gone bad, which means the windows won't stay up. To have these things fixed would have cost a bit over $2000. That's right! I said $2000 for windows!

I went to several junkyards to try and find the part to replace the broken parts. None had it. GM charges over $500 for a part that functions the window. Add on a couple hundred for labor for each window and you get over $700 per window. Ridiculous. Without saying, I didn't have the windows fixed. Windows should not match the cost of a new transmission! I have placed bolts in the track so the window won't fall down, so I am now unable to use all but the passenger side front window. My mom's Buick Skylark had the same problem with two of its windows.

General Comments:

Have not had any serious mechanical issues with the car.

Car rides smoothly.

Don't think I can buy Buick again or from GM on principle because of the ridiculous price to have the windows fixed. I understand things go wrong with cars, but for it to be that expensive for such an insignificant thing is beyond discrediting.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 6th January, 2009

18th Apr 2009, 17:14

My 2002 Buick Century has the exact same problems as yours (exact 3 windows), thanks for the heads up on the bolts, I've been using various methods to hold them up. This is BS! The windshield wiper also likes to fall out of alignment, even thought I have tightened it as much as I can. Not fun during a heavy wet snow.

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2002 Buick Century Custom 3.1L V6 from North America

Summary:

Very comfortable, dependable, well-made car that really needs to delete the BRONZE color as a choice

Faults:

Engine hard to start at times: turns over and no start, sputtering but no start, backfired with pops several times and then started but ran roughly for first few miles. Randomly the Service Engine Soon light comes on for no apparent reason. Occasionally the cruise control dash-light will not be lit when engaged. Rushed and rude dealer found nothing.

Good gas mileage interstate/highway driving, terrible gas hog stop-and-go city driving.

At travel speeds 70-75 mph with windows up, there is annoying wind whistling sound off both right and left rear-view mirrors. Reverse problem, excellent Concert II surround sound system but music from speakers in forward doors (and all windows up) can actually be heard quite a distance away from the car as if all windows were down. (annoying to me).

The auto door lock feature has engaged LOCK by itself after getting out of car, and I did not lock doors; very annoying. I always make sure I have my keys when I get out or else leave a window down.

General Comments:

Above complaints are fairly minor. Overall the car is comfortable like a glove, feels like a solidly built automobile with subtle notes of high quality, and no major problems to date. Easy to drive, smooth ride, solid performance, and lots of hidden features one must discover by reading owner's manual in the car and practicing each feature then and there.

The car IMO seats 2 large adults comfortably in front, and 2 stacked on top of each other in back (giggle). There is not much room for adults in back seat, no leg room. Six-way adjustable driver seat is great and split bench in front really not large enough for 3 people unless middle person is petite.

I've had the car for 3 years; it was a gift to me from my Dad and his wife (my step mom). They bought it for my step mom in 2002, a loaded dealer demo with 6000 miles on it. Step mom added 3000 miles over next 3 years. They gave it to me as a gift in 2005, having only 9000 miles on it and basically still like new, although stepmom no longer new or able to drive at age 90.

I don't drive it much either since then and currently the car has 27000+ miles total. My 16 year old son says the bronze-colored Buick looks like a "granny car" and since I've added a sheepskin steering wheel cover, it really looks like a granny car now.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st August, 2008

24th Oct 2008, 10:19

I bought my Buick century with 50,000 miles and it is a 2002. I now have 130,000 miles on the car and it is costing a fortune to maintain. The brakes have been replace twice, a need head gasket, the alternator 3 times, the transmission is now having problems shifting, general tune ups, fuel injectors need to be replaced, it is never ending with this car!