1971 Buick Centurion Sport Coupe from North America - Comments

We bought the car with an crated GS455 installed and approx 5K miles on it. The transmission was rebuilt, hoses and belts swapped. Been trouble free and FUN car. It took 3rd place in an LA Area auto show in the post WWII category.

This looks likes granny's car, but it has unbelievable reserve power even at highway speeds. Terrific cruiser that gets more than a few looks as we pass others on the freeway.

And unbelievable fuel economy!

Hmph. A 1971 ANYTHING would get looks on the freeway just by virtue of its age. You must spend a fortune on gas for this boat.

"You must spend a fortune on gas for this boat."

- And also love living in the past!!!

I sure wish that they made cars the way they did in 1971, that was the golden era of the automotive industry I can tell you that much, you don't see a lot of the Centurioun's around I can tell you that much, wasn't the Centurioun the sporty version of the Buick Le Sabre?

The Centurian WAS the sporty versionof thew Lasabre. I had a 73 LaSabre 4 door, and I remember spending a lot of time trying to score some Centurian rims to make my "old man's" car look like a four door sports coupe. There used to be at least two people in my town with convertible Centurians...

They don't make 'em like that anymore. Pretty soon we'll all be driving around in egg shaped cars that sound like they have no mufflers on them.

Wow, a Buick GS455, sounds super cool! 1971 really was one of the last years for the big, comfortable, super-cars, of all brands. Doubly cool because Buick didn't have as many entries into the muscle car race as some other models, so the cars like this are even more special. Until just about this year, the auto manufacturers just haven't offered anything as cool since about 1974. Too bad the usual "old car haters" had to chime in, but they just will never get it.

I inherited my parents' 1973 Centurion when the Buick dealer offered them only $ 500 for it in the early '80's. It carried six people comfortably, and there was no discernable difference between driving 85 mph and 40: many was the time I was cruising down the interstate not paying attention, and looked down at the speedo to see I was 20 mph over the speed limit.

On the other hand, it averaged between 9 and 12 mpg (at reasonable speeds, not 85!), the windows never met properly when raised, and the doors were so heavy that children and the elderly had trouble getting them open or closed. As a mechanic once said, "they make a whole car out of one of those doors now." My 4-banger Camry is just as comfortable, a whole lot safer, more reliable, and gets three times the gas mileage. So much for the "good old days."

"Hmph. A 1971 ANYTHING would get looks on the freeway just by virtue of its age. "

Sure, that's the point. It's no different than somebody who drives a lowered Cadillac Escalade or a Honda Civic with a giant wing and neon light ground effects. They like it, and they like that it gets looks.

Regarding the assumption that old cars must get bad gas mileage: bunk. My 1973 Dodge gets 24 mpg on the highway, and that's with a stock, carbureted V-8.

I love seeing old vehicles on the road. It brightens up the day to see something different than the usual "bubble cars."

I want to say that I have a 1972 Buick Centurion Convertible that I bought in 1994 from the original owner. I had a 1972 Buick LeSabre coupe that my grandfather gave me in high school which I managed to drive through three additional years of college (owned it 5 years all togther). Let me tell you that I've spent the last 14 years restoring my Centurion and I wouldn't sell it or trade it - no matter what! I love this car and I look forward to driving it every time I get in it. It has the 455 V8 with factory dual exhausts. It cruises nicely and it really isn't too bad on gas (12City/15Hwy). Don't let anyone put you down about the car you love. The LeSabre/Centurion are awesome cars!

I had a 71 455 special Buick LeSabre Convertible. I had it for 22 years and now I am trying to find another one. Yes, it had no gas mileage, but no one ever passed me. I loved that car.