1990 Buick Century review from North America
"A surprisingly reliable and comfortable rust bucket"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Replaced muffler.
Starter went 2 days ago; replaced yesterday.
Driver side power window sometimes struggles to close.
General comments?
This car was given to me 2 years ago while I was a full time college student and my previous car died on me. The Century has been seriously reliable, it handles great, and the interior is very comfortable.
The body looks horrible. It is faded yellow and covered with rust spots. You would never guess what a reliable car it is. It's funny, but I have seen a few other Centuries on the road and they have the same faded, yellow color. And almost the exact same rust spots on the body! Must have been a design flaw of the time.
I have noticed that the ride is not as smooth as it used to be. The shocks or struts are old and I feel the road much more than I did last year. It's not worth it to replace them, the KBB value is only $545.
Not very good gas mileage. I have not measured specifically, but I guess under 20 miles/gallon. It would cost me quite a bit if I had a long commute. But short commutes are fine.
Tire wear has been uneven. I had the alignment checked, but they could find no problems. So I just have my tires rotated each time I have the oil changed every 3K miles.
I expect to get a different car in the Spring or Summer and replace my rust bucket. But I have to say that this has been a great, reliable car based on my needs. Running strong at 19 years and 173,000 miles; who could complain?!?
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| A very reliable mid-performance comfortable car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1990 |
| Year of manufacture | 1990 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 154000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 173000 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge Colt |
| Date of Entry | 25th December, 2008 |