Found it. 2005 Buick LaCrosse

ls1mike

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In the Garage...
2005 Buick LaCrosse. 130,000 miles. 2 transmission services at the dealer, plus all then normal stuff done at the dealer as well.
I paid 3800 dollars for it. I am happy with it even if I have to do the transmission at some point, but it shifts very nice, no codes and best of all no leaks. The best shifting used 3800/4T65E I have owned. Old people owned it. When I say old they were in their 80's, they left it to their son when they passed. I used to work with the guy he has had it 2 years and put about 3000 miles on it. I work with his son now. That is how I found out about it.

Son's truck will go into storage on the property in the back shop. I won't sell it because everything on it is fixed now and it is a rust free GMT400. Plus my son paid for everything on it and wants to keep it.

This car about doubles the gas mileage of his truck. Sold our dirt bikes and quads. We never used them. So room for the truck and the sale of those covered everything on this car.

Car will get the normal stuff I do to my 3800/4T65E cars. Intake gasket, transmission service with shift kit and aux transmission cooler. The front brakes are good but have a slight warp, so those will get changed out too.

Today just an oil change and coolant swap so he can start driving it. (not sure it even needs it, but that is the OCD in me.)

Drove it home 45 minutes everything works and to be honest it is a really nice driving, smooth and quiet car. I like it more than I should.
Should clean up very nice.

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The series 3 intake system has a metal upper intake and better gaskets that should be relatively trouble-free. Only thing I'd pre-emptively replace are the coolant elbows if they're the original plastic.
 
Good kid. He should appreciate more money in pocket, less in gas tank. Tint and maybe a different OEM wheel and that car is good to go. Ebay probably has a dash overlay kit to hide the genuine imitation burl wood. Will he do the motor/trans work?
He will do it with me there as tech support. I made him do his water pump, power steering pump, brake light switch and multifunction switch on the truck. He is pretty good at that stuff.
 
The series 3 intake system has a metal upper intake and better gaskets that should be relatively trouble-free. Only thing I'd pre-emptively replace are the coolant elbows if they're the original plastic.
Elbows were like the 2nd thing I checked. Someone did the metal replacement ones. :)
 
If the transmission shifts so smooth as you describe, why do you want to put a shift kit in it? I would just do a fluid/ filter change. I wouldn't add the tranny cooler unless the fluid appears overheated or you plan on pulling something. Keep an eye on your coolant level too.

I have to admit, the worst car I ever owned was a "cream puff" 97 Buick Lesabre with 41k miles on it from an old lady. Nickle and dimed me to death. Sold it after two years. Keep in mind yours is still a 17 year old car. Age is worse than miles accrued.
 
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If the transmission shifts so smooth as you describe, why do you want to put a shift kit in it? I would just do a fluid/ filter change. I wouldn't add the tranny cooler unless the fluid appears overheated or you plan on pulling something. Keep an eye on your coolant level too.

I have to admit, the worst car I ever owned was a 97 Buick Lesabre with 41k miles on it from an old lady. Nickle and dimed me to death. Sold it after two years. Keep in mind its still a 17 year old car. Age is worse than miles accrued.
I understand that, but it has been well maintained, and although the 97 is similar, there were a ton of updates by 05.
They put about 8,000 miles a year on this one. If that were the case my WS6 would be a mess. 2000 with 70,000 miles on it. It is all about what you take care of and when. Both the Buick and Trans Am have lived in garages their entire lives.

The shift kit helps with longevity and these transmissions run on the warm side. I have had a 98 Bonneville, 98 Regal GS, 01 Grand Prix GTP and 04 Grand Prix GTP comp G,so I know about these cars pretty well. Everyone one of them has had that treatment and those lasted a good long time. Other folks might chime but the shift kit is a good thing on these.
 
Some of the series III still have the plastic intake gaskets in them. I've seen a few in the junkyards with em still attached.
 
Some of the series III still have the plastic intake gaskets in them. I've seen a few in the junkyards with em still attached.
Yep, so I am going to run it a bit and see if I coolant level goes down. I have all the stuff to replace. It came today, including a new upper plenum even though this one has the metal one.
 
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