1988 Buick Skylark Custom from North America - Comments

The gauge cluster was sent back to GM to be rebuilt at approximately 74000 miles (because the speedometer stopped working properly).

The fuel pump was replaced at approximately 77000 miles.

The rack will be replaced within a week or two of writing this at approximately 82000 miles.

This car is still in overall excellent condition despite being 15 years old (by model year).

The Quad 4 engine has loads of low end torque and can get this light weight little car moving very quickly. It can outperform many accepted sporty cars, and with a few minor modifications, it could embarrass V-8 cars like Mustangs and Camaro's. I still manage 25-30mpg with the relatively wide tires I put on the car and the fair amount of stop and go city driving I do.

This car handles extremely well, due mostly to its light weight. Note: My car has the optional alloy wheels and I replaced the original tires with 215/60/R14 Cooper Cobra Radial GT's when I purchased the car.

This car is quite unique, featuring blackout trim (traditionally an option on sporty Buicks) and a Grand National style leather steering wheel. It also has bucket seats.

The leather steering wheel is a very nice touch and adds to the sporty theme my car was built/optioned with.

I bought this car as a fun little sports car, and it has served me very well. You really stand out from the crowd in a Buick.

The only complaints I have deal with long standing GM problems:

1) Poor paint quality-while my car is not rusting to pieces, the paint could be better.

2) Instrument Panel Durability-my speedometer broke once, and my trip odometer has never worked, not even after the whole gauge cluster was rebuilt by GM. Also, the fuel gauge does not accurately depict the true fuel level.

That said, I would recommend Skylark 2 doors to anyone who wants a fun little car with plenty of room, plenty of power, and a little touch of luxury. Like their old advertisements used to say, "Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?"

Sporty? Are you kidding? These things handle like floating boats. I've had the V6 version and they are very front end heavy. The 80's to early 90s compact Buick sucks in reliability. The brakes are also very dangerous. They never did stop well.

I once had a 1988 Skylark as well. It sounds like the reviewer and myself had similar cars. Mine was "Ruby Red" (official factory designation) in color, black out trim and grille, and aero rockers, and a little luggage rack type thing on the trunk (also blacked out), making for a very sporty looking car.

That Quad4 engine was a blast to drive and as the reviewer said, could trounce a lot of cars off the line. The GranTouring suspension, Grand National style steering wheel, and alloys made the car a great handling one, a great looking one, and as I said, great fun to drive. I miss my Buick. Contrary to what the first commenter stated, this car DID NOT handle like a boat. I'd go so far as to say that it handled pretty near as well as my 2000 Saturn LS2 does with its Germanesque suspension.

I never had the speedometer fail on me, but the trip odomoter broke on mine as well. I never bothered to have it fixed.

Of course your 3.0 v6 front heavy 125hp skylark handled like a boat it didn't have a light highpowered 4 cylinder. and there is a big difference between a 160 hp quad 4 and the weak v6.

The very best car ever!! I have a 1988 Skylark with the V6 option. I call her Sparkles. She's my first car, being left to me by my grandfather in 1999. She only had 15,200 miles on her then. Now, as of 9-17-04, at the age of 16, she is a little over 41,000. I have no complaints none whatsoever. I have the small 13inch tires on it, and it has the smoothest ride I have ever encountered. The V6 gives it plenty of power (especially after I added the premium Bosch Platinum spark plugs). Both acceleration, and handling are superb. She glides wherever she goes. She makes driving more of a pleasure, not a chore. I just love her to death. It's by far the most comfortable, and best riding car I've ever been in. However, my trip computer does not work from time to time after I reset it, but once pushing the button in a certain way, it's right back on track. The only little minor thing I would change about it would be the speedometer; it must go past 85mph without the needle disappearing from the screen! I plan on keeping her for years, and years to come. She'll more than likely be preserved as a classic and will be placed on display with my 86 Chrysler Fifth Avenue when she turns 20 (or whenever I get a new car!)

I think its funny that everyone seems to have the same problems with this car. I have an 88 Skylark Custom 2-Door also, and my speedometer has broken and won't go past 63, and my odometer also broke at 76,928 miles. My paint job also is extremely faded (Especially the hood) and the valve cover gasket leaks all the time so my engine is dirty and disgusting and the exhaust pollutes my town. I like the luxury interior though, how it doesn't have the shifter on the steering wheel and the seats are really comfy! The sound system also produces a nice amount of power depended on your speakers. The car does have a rather large front end, but that doesn't take long to get used too. This car is my first car and is my baby, I want a new car, but I might just keep the Skylark in a garage because I can't seem to make myself give the thing up!

I have got a 1989 Skylark with a Quad 4. Having problems running replaced throttle body, fuel regulator valve,water coolant sensor. Still running extremely rough.

I bought a 1988 skylark back in 1998 as my first car. I was a "custom", maroon with maroon interior, alloys, buckets, sunroof, auto on the floor, trunk rack an the awesome quad 4 engine. Being a guy driving this grocery getter I got made fun of. I loved this car though! I loved stomping people at red lights... this granny mobile was a screamer! Needless to say my close friends liked this car to. I miss it, is was reliable and I drove the crap out of it.. it had over 150k when I finally sold it.

Sorry to intrude, but the 2.5 liter four cylinder in these cars is not the 'Quad Four' which was made in the early 1990s and I believe was an 'overhead cam' engine of 2.3 litres displacement. These have the 'Tech Four', a much better pushrod design - not as powerful as the Quad Four, but much more reliable as a result of being more 'low tech'.

I used to drive a taxi in a small town, and one of our cars was a 1984 Buick Century, also with this Tech Four, and it went well over 200,000 miles under heavy abuse.

I am a G.M. employee and own a 1988 Buick ruby red skylark. The car now has 170,000 miles on it. With the tech 4 engine that sounds like a diesel truck it still runs great. The body is really starting to rust out, and water is leaking in on the passenger side of car. I'm going to drive the car till it dies or I go first. I'm going to miss her.

I bought my 88 skylark back in may. it only has 49000 miles on it, but the moter has been rebuilt, only because the first owner never changed the oil. Athough its not a sports car like the other comments say, it is a very dependable, solid built car. I honestly think you could run it though a house and it wouldn't faze it.

I own a 1988 Buick skylark "costume" It's a baby blue, with dark blue interior. My dad gave it to me in August of 2006, when I turned 16. it had 119,000 miles on it. I loved the little sport car, It looked more sporty than my granny's mustang. it has a v6 engine, I did have to replace the speedometor, and radio...duh...but, that is it... it is right now 12-3-07, my little car has 139,000 miles on it, and I have had no problems with it. due to the amount that a 17 yr old makes, I gonna drive it til it dies...

I got a 1988 Buick Skylark for my first car, and it is amazing. It is maroon 2 door with a tech 4 engine. Everything seems to still work except the trip, which has never worked. My friends love it, and oh did I mention I have a sweet system in it with a 12in sub. Ha ha I get that car thumping!

An 88 Skylark "costume"?

Must be great for Halloween parties...