2003 Buick Regal LS, 50k miles, $5000. Your thoughts?

[Elkins45]

https://www.premier-autoinc.com/details/used-2003-buick-regal/97733674

What are your thoughts on this as a second/errand car? I haven’t seen it in person yet, so it may be a complete dog in reality.

 

[Rand]

50k is great but driving a vehicle 10k miles in 10 years has it own set of issues.

The 3.8 was a great engine for the time IMO.

 

[Egg_Head]

This thing has seen limited use for a while, I'd be concerned about old, dry rot tires for starters. On the other hand, 17" & 16" OE wheels that will fit that pig are plentiful at LKQ for cheap and you can ditch those steelies.

 

[atikovi]

Got that much money for this similar '95 with the 3100 V6 but twice the miles. As long as rust isn't an issue, it might be a good deal.

 

[eljefino]

Those rust if you look at them wrong. But the 3.8 is way better than the 3.1.

Make sure the trans shifts perfectly. There's a shift kit if it shifts hard.

 

[fantastic]

I learned the hard way not to be tempted by low mileage vehicles from OH. Unless you don't mind rusty auto's. If it was just a few years old then great but at 20-21 years old no way.

 

[dishdude]

After checking for rust especially in the rockers, I'd snag this in a heartbeat. Hopefully it was some senior's car that stayed home if there was snow (and salt) on the road. Sure looks garage kept.

 

[k1xv]

20 years old is over 7000 days. To me, it all depends on how those 50K miles were distributed over those days.

I think a few longer drives, with lots of days off, is better than 7 miles a day, every day.

 

[Passport1]

My mother had a LeSabre with the 3.8 and it was dead reliable. I drove it back and forth from Ft. Lauderdale to NC several times. Got surprisingly good gas mileage for a large car. If you don't mind driving a grandma car I'd snag that Buick.

 

[michaelluscher]

If it's not rusty, and the trans shifts reasonably I'd grab it

The 3.8 is infinitely nicer than the 3100/3400

 

[bullwinkle]

Car spent A LOT of time in Titusville, PA, which I would consider a rust-prone area. Premiere Auto Group has a bunch of lots scattered around Cincy-a FINE TOOTHED comb would be needed in this case, got to get it on a lift!

 

[Tman220]

Great cars, but they do rust. First thing to do is drop the tranny pan replace filter and refill with maxlife ATF and a bottle of lubegard red. do it every 30K, the life of the 4T60E hinges on that.

2nd replace the upper composite intake manifold. With so few miles it probably hasn't eaten a lot of coolant but if it hasn't been replaced already its only a matter of time.

Replace the lower intake manifold gaskets and the composite coolant elbow with an aluminum elbow, below the map sensor on the passenger side above the water pump most likely it will be broken anyway when you remove the lower intake manifold. and of course drain as much of the dexcool as possible and replace it.

Other than those things a W-body with a series 2 3.8 will last well passed 200,000 easily

 

[andrew_j]

Put it up/pay on lift before plunking $4-$5k down. Inspect underbody which might be dust or perfectly fine.

 

[supton]

Mechanically it might be fine, lots of service records. But old and lots of time in PA? rust would worry me, the photos don't show the critical area (underneath).

What's up with the paint? I thought at first it might be some sort of protective plastic, but it's on the fascia too.

 

[ripcord]

Only if I could see evidence of the intake manifold gaskets having already been done and the plastic water elbows have been replaced.

 

[eljefino]

Car spent A LOT of time in Titusville, PA, which I would consider a rust-prone area. Premiere Auto Group has a bunch of lots scattered around Cincy-a FINE TOOTHED comb would be needed in this case, got to get it on a lift!

OMG, so if there's a dealer group that covers both PA (with inspections) and OH (without), they'll have a path to steer the clunkers where they can be legally sold. Be careful!

 

[dishdude]

OMG, so if there's a dealer group that covers both PA (with inspections) and OH (without), they'll have a path to steer the clunkers where they can be legally sold. Be careful!

I've seen some real rust buckets on the roads in Ohio that would never pass inspection in PA.