1996 Buick Regal Gran Sport 3.8 review from North America
"A Powerful Stylish Family Vehicle"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Shortly after purchase, we replaced both the battery and coolant pump. I have also had to replace the rear calipers with an improved design. I honestly believe GM should have paid for the calipers. It has been an issue since the first W-body arrived in 1988. The rear calipers on our Pontiac 6000 S/E never had a problem The "largish" 225/60-16 tires are expensive, (no matter which brand you choose) and only good for about 30,000 miles since they are performance oriented.
General comments?
Very comfortable domestically (Canada-NOT U.S.A.) vehicle. Leather seats need heaters (cold in winter) but all of the gadgets work very well. It has been a very good car, I can recommend to anyone looking for affordable family transportation, with some style. Regular maintenance is inexpensive-ie: oil, coolant, trans oil, and filter changes are about it. Still has original suspension bits, but I suppose a strut/shock replacement will be due around 90-100,000 miles.
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| R.I.P. My Buick |
|
| Really badly designed car around an surprisingly decent drive train |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 Series II Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 34000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 83000 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac 6000 |
| Date of Entry | 16th April, 2004 |