1997 Buick LeSabre & Park Avenue | Retro Review 

Wish Buick never would've stopped making these.

These cars were so underrated. I’m 6’5” and loved my grandma’s Park Avenue with the column shift and front bench. Road like cloud.

My wife inherited a Park Avenue Ultra from her aunt. The car was located in Albuquerque NM and we lived in Milwaukee WI. The car was in pristine condition and although ten years old it had yet to turn 20k miles. We replaced the tires before heading back to Wisconsin and I was amazed how comfortable it was. I have owned German and Swedish vehicles exclusively and had never driven a American vehicle for any distance. Cruised at 85 mph for hours and was so quite you could hear the C/D changing tracks. We still have it and it hasn't turned 50k miles.

I wish they had a "legacy" car line for those of us who love these cars and want new ones.

I wish we still had cars like these today

0-60 in 7.6 for the Lesabre surprised me for its time. That's almost as fast as the Mercury Marauder which came out a few years later. Thanks for the retro upload Motor Week!

I like the way the scene change popped out of the trunk latch hole at the 3 minute mark! That's some imaginative editing .

I'm not sure what I love more-watching these old MW videos, or reading the comments below them.

The LeSabre and Park Avenue. For 20 years this was the poverty luxury sled. When you needed a reliable low mileage car for under $2,500, you usually ended up in the seat of one of these. They were easy to find with all power options, leather interiors, and electronic dual-zone climate control. They were anonymous but palatable. Since the pandemic though, too many people think they have something special in one of these and ask too much money, not realizing that what actually made them special was that they were abundant and cheap.

Both cars look great, especially the Park Avenue. Although they're still around thanks to the bulletproof 3800 V6, I wish some newer generations of both this engine and these cars were produced. People buying Crossovers just don't know what they're missing.

There are tons of them still running around where I live. Some still very clean

2:24 John: GAUGES ARE SMALL FOR A CAR AIMED AT DRIVERS ENTERING THEIR BIFOCAL YEARS! LOL

Thank you for posting this GM review. It is appreciated. Reliable durable transportation. It is a shame Buick is nothing but crossovers and suv's in 2023. You appreciate the 3800 V6 too. You miss these two along with the Riviera and the Oldsmobile( 98, 88, Toronado) and Pontiac( Bonneville) counterparts as well. Thank you again.

One of the best V6 engines ever💯

If I had to own any American car, it would be a Buick LeSabre or Park Avenue with that 3800. Excellent cars.

Owned a '94 Limited. An absolute tank.

i drove an older year of this car on a test drive, it was like driving a cloud just floating along the roadway. Ultra light steering wheel which i loved and good power.

Keeping my eye out for a 2004 or 2005 Park Avenue Ultra.

The Buicks of the past were far better than today's Buicks. I used to see them on the roads, when I was a kid in the 1990s to my teenage years in the 2000s.

I daily drive a 98 Buick Lesabre, looks identical to this one except my cluster looks different. Love it, best $1600 I've ever spent.

These cars had solid build quality and the bulletproof 3800. Still see these driving around pretty much everyday.

I am currently driving a 1993 Buick LeSabre with just under 78k miles. It has the 90th anniversary edition badges on it with a nice light blue color. I wish it had the series II 3600 but it has the series !. Still a solid and reliable motor.

The Buicks of the 90s were wonderful!! 😇

I like how they went in depth about the unique suspension and chassis differences on the Park Avenue vs. the LeSabre. Because to the untrained observer (myself admittedly), the two cars don't look all that different. I always wondered what the deal was with the Park Avenue, but now I see why it was Buick's flagship.

Those were great cars.

I had a 96 Regal with the new 3800, strong and reliable, it gives you 30mpg on hwy, and they are still running these days...why they stopped making these cars?

My father had one of these. Great vehicle. He put 236K on it with the only issue being the rear shocks that went around 190K. Rode like a cloud. I wish there were more cars that rode as well these days. The interior was a bit dated for car from the 90s. inside it was more like a car from the 70s- that said, still comfortable and surprisingly quick cars.

You got a complete set of analog gauges, rare in a car in this class, and John complains they're too small.

Official pace car of the AARP.

god bless GM and that sweet 3800 v6 ,, ❤

I'm a big fan of the exterior styling of the last 2 generations of the LeSabre and Park Avenue. They were big improvements from the downsized FWD 1980s models. I still see a few of them around. Their sleek, streamlined design has a nice contemporary and European luxury look, and don't look as old as they really are. The 3.8 V6 would have to be Buick's best engine of all-time, even though the 455 was a mean machine.

My dad used to have a Park Avenue, a '96, that he found in a pristine condition with very low miles sold from an old woman, the original owner, who didn't drive anymore. Very comfy car with a super smooth ride. He had it for 10 years, then recently sold it to a neighbor. The car is still doing well.

I owned a buick park ave super charged with 22 inch rims loved it great car. I now own a 2004 buick lesabre drives like a beast with more than 200,000 miles parts are cheap if need to change anything love people cant believe its a 2004 the original paint is still beautiful and can dive anywhere

Aww the days that they used to make Premium Luxury Vehicles that were as comfortable as your Living Room or Bed Mattress 😁

Clouds on the roads. In the best way possible. Special cars.

I had a 97 LeSabre Custom with wire wheel hubcaps and white wall tires in the same green as the testcar. Loved that car. My grampa had many Bonnevilles from the 80s and Lesabres from the 90s

‘90s normcore hardcore 🎉

It amazes me that old cars are just a time capsule you can travel in.... My Grandpa and Grandma had this car back in the day... It reminds me of them and the days where my problems were less....

I will say it again,I love my LeSabre Custom,I bought it off the original owner,who bought it from Royal Buick.I bought it a year and half ago with 42,000 original miles,replaced the rear shocks (struts), routinely changed the oil,just a beautiful driving car,The car is old man white,which is great cause ironically I'm an old man,has the blue interior with cloth seats,the drivers 6 way power.I gave up ever trying to find a clean LeSabre,or a Park Ave, couldn't be happier with this car, best 2000.00 I ever spent.I call it my mini Roadmaster.

Would rent the large GM cars for trips and preferred the Bonneville. The LeSabre while nice would constantly bottom out because of the soft suspension.

Just bought a used 99 lesabre for $1800 with 100k miles. Love everything about the car with my only complaint being the seats, I wish they had more side bolstering and were taller. This car is surprisingly quick and fun to drive and roll around corners 😂. Instant power from the V6 and the low revs/high mpg on the highway make this the best vehicle I've owned with previous vehicles being a 99 Subaru Legacy and 2011 Ford Flex.

The official car of retired Iowa farmers, circa late-1990’s! Sell the farm, move into town, and go buy yourself a new LeSabre……..😂

I still have my Dad’s 1998 Park Ave standard model. It’s a cruise night attraction.

I've always love these cars another great car of this time was the Ford Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis. These cars last forever.

My grandparents once owned a silver 1997 LeSabre Custom.

I had a beautiful 57 Buick Roadmaster back in 1967.

my 1991 Park Ave already had the 3800 in it so 95 wasnt the first year for it Great car put over 300k on it and still didnt burn or leak anything ran like a top got 26-32MPG with it just sold it for something newer

I miss the Buick cars. Any GM cars in general. Yeah sure, Cadillac still makes cars, and Chevy does too, but it's limited to what they make nowadays.

Those Park Avenues still look great, an elegant and attractive design.

7.6 seconds 0 to 60? I never knew! That was seriously fast in 1997, especially for a luxury sedan.

Vladimir Kershkin: A big Buick in every garage would be nice 😂

Got one for $1500 with bad ac, fixed the ac for $800. Did tons of deliveries with it, sometimes I ran it 12 hrs non-stop. Always synthetic 10W30 every 4k miles. Pretty good car.

My grandfather had several LeSabre's over the years. I remember taking so many road trips with him. I have been thinking about getting a 2000-2005 model with low miles. A lof of them have been coming up for sale as one owners and no rust with low miles for less than $6k depending on the options and miles. Great cars and would make an excellent second vehicle.

We owned two LeSabre’s and three Park Avenue. These were all excellent cars

1 😃F DA BEST CARS I EVER HAD...1998 BUICK LESABRE... BULLETPROOF 💯💯💯

Yes, wonderful cars. We drove a black 1997 Buick LeSabre with chrome accents and door handles when I was a kid. Everyone in town did a double take as it looked like a fancy, more luxurious brand.

Really miss this Park Avenue😢

The ‘90s and early 2000s were so much better than today's cars. Smoother and more comfortable. Today's cars are all about gadgets.

IF only my 2017 Buick Envision had the 3800 Series 2 Supercharged V6 under the hood.

The end credits remain the loudest phenomena upon the interweb.

I love these cars. Even as a kid I was interested in them.

I love the "Broken Wings" knockoff song that John started using in the 90's

I owned a park ave ultra. It was like driving a sofa with a rocket attached . Great engine but the trans went out at 150k on the nose. Too bad too.

Quiet predator,❤❤❤❤❤ my Buicks.

Fantastic highway cruisers. Comfortable ride over bumps. Torque of the engine made for smooth linear acceleration rates and easy passing of slower traffic.

The Lesabre was a great car. The 3800 v6 will run forever

If only GM made these RWD.

My brother has a Lesbra Wildcat... with 260,000 miles lol

Buick sure has changed a lot now a days...even if they sell overseas it's amazing it's even lasted this long.

I have seen one with 90k original miles for 3,000 pretty mint body and interior for age and ad says it runs fine.. would you suggest it??

I would love to see a comparison video between the 97 lesabre platform mates, the Pontiac Bonneville and Oldsmobile 88/LSS

Park ave is such a beauty its hard to come across them especially the ultra

I love how the 99' lesabre looks but I love my 00' model as well, more big body, but the other is just slim and way lighter, I kind of want both.

I've had about four or five of these over the last couple years, all 1995-1996 I haven't had an ultra model yet though. Great cars but they still feel underpowered when pulling off from a stop.

Last group of Buick sedans worth buying IMO

My 98 lesabre has 282xxx on her. Will no get rid of it even when tranny goes. And they may be ghetto cars in some areas. But out in the country they are just good transportation for honest people. Still see them alot well loved and cared for. Mine is

plush ride comfortable cruiser

Movin’ on up

It seems ridiculous that CAFE regs will let people drive around in full size pickups, but not allow people to drive around in full size American sedans. Who’s making the rules around here. Series II powered Buicks will make better fuel economy than any truck.

3800 series 2 v6 were in other GMs as well!

Greatest car i’ve ever owned.

2:27 who was responsible for that amazing transition!?

Buick: fast, but never driven fast.

Apparently the series 2 3800 was the grail of these engines

I forgot the LeSabre had that front.

Great cars

I like my 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan better. Last of the V8 rear wheel drive beauties. That being said. The 3800 V6 is the best V6 ever built

Awesome cars 👍

My brother had a Park Avenue in 2004. It was comfortable and spacious. He ended up having to junk it because of poor maintenance.

I heard those engines were bulletproof

I would have the supercharger version.

I drove a few 1981 Olds Cutlass with the 3.8L engine. Very gutless. 110 hp. However it was very reliable.

what the song name at the end at 4:23

Great when new, fall apart quickly with age, especially the interior.

I miss my 1994 LeSabre Limited. If you notice the Dash was 'Straight Across' the whole front. Meaning there was No Hump over the Driver's Side. It made it easier for my wife to see over the dashboard. The Analog Gauges worked wonderfully. And the Seats were very comfortable. The 3800 Series #1 engine was one of the best engines I have ever owned. What 'Killed' my 1994 LeSabre Limited was RUST. The rear wheel wells in the truck rusted out completely. A very good mechanic and I used Rubbermaid Tops to their trash cans to Seal the rear wheel wells. That little trick work pretty good but the writing was on the wall so I sold it with 207K miles on it. We did end up purchasing a 2000 Park Avenue with the 3800 Series #2 engine. That car ran until around 260k miles. However, just about everything else on it BROKE. Heated Seats (3x), Side Mirrors leaked out their 'Green Fluid' so they did not tint the nighttime lights from behind. I had to replace the Control Chip that read all the digital functions of the car. (Not Cheap). The Door Handles broke many times. I had to use the FOB to unlock then climb through the back doors to open the front doors. (IRRITATING) BUT the Lumbar was the best I ever owned in a car.. It would 'Fill Up' a Bladder that fit perfectly in the small of your back. I would use that even in July with the Heated Seats (when working) to ease my sore back after work everyday. So the Ride in both of my Buicks was fantastic. However, the REPAIRS were too much. I switched over to Toyota and never looked back. Toyota to me (and others) became the 'New Buick'. We still have our 2007 XLE Camry to this day. Very little repairs on it for close to 17 years. *EDIT:* I should add that we bought our 1994 LeSabre Limited when we were in our 40's. Many people like us wanted a LeSabre as a FAMILY CAR. They were perfect on Road Trips and Family Vacations. Plenty of Trunk Room, Plenty of Seat Room. Not State of the Art but the Sound Systems in these were pretty decent as well. So the LeSabre was not just an 'Old Man's Car'. It was a Family car in the same fashion as were Sedans were back in the 1950's-60's. OH and one more Positive Bit about these cars. When we had ours it seemed to be invisible to police. I use to say that it had a 'Cloaking Device' on it. LOL I would be going 80-85 on the Freeway and out of nowhere a Trooper would come up on my rear and I thought I was Nailed for speeding. But, Nope! The officer would get the guy just ahead of me. A guy I was climbing on and getting ready to pass actually. Made me laugh many times back then.

Now, you can buy a quality rebadged Chevy Trax at your local Buick store... the Encore... Buick is dead!

❤❤❤ MOTORWEEK

buick could sell these today

Buick: fast car, slow driver

My friend had one and the interior was falling apart within at most 10 years lol