2002 Buick Park Avenue Base 3800 V6 (non-turbo) from North America

Summary:

Cheap, comfortable transportation

Faults:

Rear air suspension. Replaced with regular Monroe struts. The car will not sag in the rear even with a trunk full of luggage and people in the back. $70 in parts (did this job myself).

Transmission pressure control solenoid. The car shifted hard after it warmed up. $750 fix.

The intake manifold was leaking from the time I bought it, causing coolant to seep out of the top of the engine. Also made the car stall from time to time. Also replaced the spark plugs as preventable maintenance with this job. $750.

Tie rods were loose, and ball joints. Replaced for $400.

Front wheel bearing went out. Replaced both in the front as preventable maintenance. $180 parts (did this job myself).

All of these issues are peanuts compared to buying a new comparable car and making $600-800 a month car payments...

General Comments:

The things I've had fixed on this car are general components that do wear out over 100,000 miles for any type of car and age. I would buy another Park Avenue because I haven't ridden in any newer car that rides as nice! Four of us took it on a 2500 mile round trip to Colorado this past summer, and for the whole trip we averaged 29 miles per gallon. I kept track of every tank. The lowest MPG we had on the trip was the tank we used driving around Colorado Springs and up Pikes Peak (14,000 ft). That tank we averaged 19 MPG.

I love the heads-up display on the windshield!

The car doesn't burn any oil. The Park Avenue is slightly underpowered for my fancy, but it gets the job done! I do tow a pop-up camper with the vehicle in the summertime.

My favorite feature with this car is how comfortable it rides! Nobody fights over who gets the front seat of this car because there is ample leg room in the back. It's as comfortable as a 1970's luxury car with the fuel economy of modern days.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 31st December, 2014

6th Jan 2015, 23:24

I traded my 2005 Park Avenue back in 2011 and have regretted it ever since. I wish GM had kept this model at least for another generation, like it did the Cadillac DTS. The Lucerne just never fit the bill in my opinion. The LaCrosse isn't even in the same ball park. Too bad GM stopped building real American cars. One day there won't be any left.