1994 Buick Skylark Custom 3.1 V6 from North America

Summary:

Reliable for 65,000 and then costly to repair

Faults:

My valve cover and head gaskets failed around 65,000 miles.

My driver and rear right passenger window motors failed around 50,000 miles.

My right front passenger door lock failed around 40,000 miles.

Plastic components (under the hood and in the car) have been cracking since 60,000 miles.

My A/C required re-charging around 45,000 miles.

Engine light came on around 65,000 miles. Root cause was the EGR valve. The dealership conducted a diagnostic test and said that the system was plugged up with carbon.

General Comments:

The car has been reliable for seven years since it was purchased new in late 1994.

The car has always performed well in the following categories:

Acceleration.

Ride.

Gas mileage.

The assembly of the car does not easily allow for repairs by the owner (under the hood or in the car). A tune-up or changing of a valve cover gasket requires dis-assembling an unreasonable amount of the engine. This is due more to the orientation of the engine under the hood. Therefore, the owners of this car have little choice, when repairs are needed, but to go to a dealership and pay for auto parts marked up 100% above what can be purchased on the web along with a mechanic cost of $65/hr. I wonder if the cost/ (man hour) GM used for the design of this auto was even this much.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st May, 2001

1994 Buick Skylark Custom from North America

Summary:

OK for general transportation

Faults:

I am having trouble with the transmission. I understand that it will cost $1,000 to fix it. Does anyone else seem to have this problem?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st April, 2001

16th Oct 2001, 23:23

What's the transmission trouble? My 94 Limited had a bit of trouble, but it had to do with the transmission axle pan.

10th May 2003, 20:46

Yo, my 92 Skylark had a similar problem, and the dealer fixed it, turned out to be the transmission lock-up solenoid... it took the OBD-1 reader to find the problem.. it was rather costly at around 400 bucks...

2nd Jun 2004, 10:38

My 95 skylark was given to me by my grandpa as a graduation present. I haven't even graduated yet and something like the transmission is going wrong. My temp. light came on and the service soon came on as well. It is in the shop as we speak. I will not know what is wrong with it until later and I am dying. I talked to a few people and everyone is saying different things.

5th May 2006, 05:43

(Old Thread I Know)

I had a 1994 Skylark Custom too. It was a decent little car. However, the tranny was slipping at 170K miles. I had the shop put some "NoSlip" goop in it and that helped it some. I sold the car at 207K...the guy that bought it ran it until it was up to 260K and loaned it to a friend that killed the tranny once and for all.

All in All... the Buick Skylark was a good little Buick. I miss that car...

25th Aug 2009, 21:32

Does anyone know where I could get a new ECM for my 94 Skylark Custom? It's a 4 speed automatic 2.3 liter, and my electrical system is more or less fried.