The Supercharged Buick Park Avenue: A Diner Ride with a Twist

As I sit in my 2003 Buick Park Avenue, I am reminded of just how excellent this car is. With its front-wheel drive and 280 pound-feet of torque, it's a beast on the road. The supercharger adds a punch to the engine, making it a joy to drive. But what really sets this car apart is its ride quality. Despite being an old-school Buick with real metal buttons and plates holding things in place, it also boasts modern technology like automatic climate control and a stereo system that's controlled by a volume knob on the steering wheel.

The interior of the Park Avenue is a mix of old and new, with pillow-top seats that are surprisingly comfortable. The ride quality is smooth, thanks to the car's diner-style suspension. This suspension system, which includes rear airbags in the back and soft shocks in the front, provides a level of comfort and stability that's hard to find in other cars.

One of the things I appreciate most about this Buick is its practicality. With more floor space than many other cars, it's ideal for road trips or daily driving. And despite being an old car, it still has plenty of room for passengers and cargo. The only drawback is the front-wheel drive system, which can be a bit annoying with its torque steer. However, this is easily mitigated in bad weather conditions, where the extra traction comes in handy.

In my experience, this Buick handles like a dream. It's not sporty by any means, but it's perfectly suited for everyday driving. The car has held up surprisingly well over the years, with only a few minor issues popping up along the way. A sagging rear that required replacing both air-ride shocks and the air pump to fix, as well as a noisy climate control system that needed to be repaired. These issues were relatively inexpensive to fix, with most costs coming in under $1000.

Despite its age, this Buick is still a joy to drive. The combination of its powerful engine and smooth suspension makes it a pleasure to get behind the wheel. And while some might view it as old-fashioned or uncool, I think that's part of its charm. This car has a certain nostalgic quality to it, a sense of class and sophistication that's hard to find in modern cars.

If I'm being completely honest, there are few cars that could come close to replacing this Buick. Its rarity and unique character make it a true gem among collectors. And while the idea of buying something newer might seem appealing, I think I'll stick with my trusty old Park Avenue for now. With its reliability, comfort, and style, it's hard to imagine parting ways with such an excellent car.

A Few Minor Issues, but Still a Gem

One of the things that's struck me about this Buick is how well it holds up over time. Despite having some minor issues in recent years, it still runs like a top. The sagging rear, which required replacing both air-ride shocks and the air pump to fix, was a relatively inexpensive problem to resolve. And while the noisy climate control system needed repair, that was also a straightforward fix.

In fact, most of the maintenance costs for this car have been relatively low. A new belt for the alternator, which makes an annoying squeaking noise, is the only major issue I've had in recent months. Replacing the belt requires disconnecting the motor mount, but it's still a manageable job that can be done by a DIY enthusiast.

Despite these minor issues, this Buick remains a solid investment. Its value has held up remarkably well over the years, and it's likely to continue doing so for many years to come. While some might view it as old-fashioned or uncool, I think that's part of its charm. This car has a certain nostalgic quality to it, a sense of class and sophistication that's hard to find in modern cars.

A Rare Gem

As I sit in my 2003 Buick Park Avenue, I am reminded of just how rare this car is. With only one of its kind on the road, it's a true collector's item among enthusiasts. And while some might view it as old-fashioned or uncool, I think that's part of its charm.

This car has a certain nostalgic quality to it, a sense of class and sophistication that's hard to find in modern cars. It's like a Rolls-Royce from another era, a reminder of a bygone age when cars were built to last. And while some might view the Park Avenue as being too old-fashioned or too bland, I think that's part of its appeal.

In an era where cars are becoming increasingly high-tech and gadget-laden, it's refreshing to see a car like this one. A Buick with real metal buttons and plates holding things in place, a stereo system controlled by a volume knob on the steering wheel. It's like stepping back in time, to an era when cars were built for comfort and style rather than just speed and technology.

So while some might view this Buick as being too old or too rare, I think it's a true gem among collectors. Its unique character and nostalgic charm make it a must-have for anyone who appreciates the art of car-making. And with its reliability, comfort, and style, it's hard to imagine parting ways with such an excellent car.

A Joy to Drive

As I get behind the wheel of my 2003 Buick Park Avenue, I am reminded of just how much joy this car can bring. The combination of its powerful engine and smooth suspension makes it a pleasure to drive. It's not sporty by any means, but it's perfectly suited for everyday driving.

The torque steer, which some might find annoying, is easily mitigated in bad weather conditions. And while the front-wheel drive system may not be as sophisticated as all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, it still provides plenty of traction and stability on the road. It's a testament to the engineering that went into this car, a reminder of how much thought and care was put into its design.

In my experience, this Buick handles like a dream. It's not the most agile car, but it's surprisingly responsive and easy to handle. The steering is smooth and precise, and the brakes are gentle but firm. It's a pleasure to drive, a joy that's hard to find in modern cars.

So if you're looking for a car that will bring a smile to your face every time you get behind the wheel, look no further than the 2003 Buick Park Avenue. Its unique character and nostalgic charm make it a must-have for anyone who appreciates the art of car-making. And with its reliability, comfort, and style, it's hard to imagine parting ways with such an excellent car.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enget off my lock get off my lot feeling lucky punk got a knuckle sandwich boy you're right here you not mess with me turn around go home doing my best Clint Eastwood here when I brought my 1996 Buick Park Avenue ultra for only $2,100 six months ago I knew it was a rare unicorn in the Buick world but I had no idea how excellent of a car it would be only $2,100 Botany one of the greatest final examples of the glorious land yacht era and despite weekly emails from people offering to buy it my grandson has to help me open those emails but anyway there's no way I'm selling it really you're gonna have to pry these keys from my cold dead hands now I know that joke has a ring of truth to it as many excellent examples of 80's and 90's land yachts have come out of estates offering from their original elderly owners who never felt the need to upgrade in my Buicks case I was told the original owner had it for 20 years before the second owner purchased it and I bought it from him and have enjoyed the car for six months I totally understand why someone would keep this thing for decades because I probably will and if you're interested in more of my thoughts on buick ownership link below is my article on autotrader.com slash oversteer now 1996 was the perfect year for the Park Avenue as they launched the new series to 3800 v6 a year before a major redesign that cheapen the interiors and in my opinion brought a generation of very unattractive blobby styling so this Buick still retains the more traditional styling and has a nice modern drivetrain the ultra models were even more special as they got a supercharger setup which was right out of the Monte Carlo SS look at that it says supercharged and cursive now a normal 3800 put out a little over 200 horsepower but the supercharged ones were at 240 not a whole lot by modern standards but the torque is pretty deep and 280 pound-feet of it yeah and there's really no way to fully understand how excellent this car is without driving it look I'm gonna right now Oh road hog Gaudi Road hogs I don't even know what a road hog means that torque is hilarious with the front-wheel drive and and if you didn't watch my first video on this when I bought it you should probably go back and check it out because I described all the cool things with this Buick Park Avenue it's mixed between old and new where it's old-school with real metal buttons and metal plates to hold things on but also lots of cool new technology like the engine supercharger automatic climate control that's dual zone and of course my favorite the radio that you can control the volume knob with on the steering wheel oh these pillow top seats are so nice and the ride is so smooth but no car is perfect now a lot of people gripe about it being front-wheel drive which I don't really kiss because this thing will never ever be sporty at all I know the torque steer is a little annoying especially with a car that has this much torque but I have better traction in bad weather with front-wheel drive the floor space it's more flat because I don't have a tunnel for the transmission and the drive shaft and with this Buick there's just no compromising the ride quality for any kind of performance or handling it's a diner ride controlled suspension which is what they called it but it has rear airbags in the back and then some really soft shocks in the front now I think this suspension holds its own with my old 2007 Mercedes s600 which is hydraulic and just about any magnetic or air I control out of the top-tier luxury makers it is that good and I really think Buick should be getting back to this building the ultimate luxury car like the bargain Rolls Royce that they used to be and maybe there's some hope because they're starting this new have a near line a luxury version of existing models I think with the lacrosse and what's the Acadia one the Oh what's the Buick not encore oh I don't even know the Buick models I don't know cars that were built past 2007 it's really really a bad thing but anyway there there's some hope that they're going back to this old-school luxury feel where they dominated because this is really where they should stay because nobody's really doing this anymore have a lower price point they're all trying to be sporty and luxurious and if you tries to do this they'll just get laughed at because I mean all the competition with the Japanese in the European luxury cars you just there's there's no room for a Buick to get in there little Michael Jackson came out there god this thing is so funny a giant beige grandpa car that hauls oh yeah even though my Buick is a truly excellent car it is over 20 years old and I have had a few problems I purchased the car with a sagging rear which required replacing both air-ride shocks as well as the air pump to fix it I also had to repair a noisy blender on the inside for the climate control it make a flatulent sounding noise for about 30 seconds every time I started the car kind of a now my passengers found this really funny but I had to get that taken care of pretty quickly after the initial sorting the only other thing that I've had to do is replace the alternator as it was making an annoying squeaking noise unfortunately replacing the belt for the alternator requires disconnecting the motor mount so you can put the belt around it pretty bad but none of those jobs are very expensive and all I spent a little over a thousand dollars sorting it out and additional repairs in the last six months so bad I could probably get close to the total that I have invested back if I wanted to sell but there's nothing I could really buy for $3,000 that could come even close to replacing this car despite having much more expensive cars in my fleet for our Tesla I do drive this thing regularly and even if I didn't drive it much the rarity of this car would give me pause to sell it so unless I do something crazy like buy a rolls-royce phantom next week I'll probably keep this car until I'm so old my kids take the keys away after hitting the neighbors trash cans for the 50th time by then we'll hopefully have floating autonomous pods of various around so it won't really matter thank you for watching get off my lawn I probably should have taken this down when we started the video sorry about that doesn't even smell anymore lavender and vanilla drag racing a Mini Cooper problem is she doesn't know we're drag racing smoked herget off my lock get off my lot feeling lucky punk got a knuckle sandwich boy you're right here you not mess with me turn around go home doing my best Clint Eastwood here when I brought my 1996 Buick Park Avenue ultra for only $2,100 six months ago I knew it was a rare unicorn in the Buick world but I had no idea how excellent of a car it would be only $2,100 Botany one of the greatest final examples of the glorious land yacht era and despite weekly emails from people offering to buy it my grandson has to help me open those emails but anyway there's no way I'm selling it really you're gonna have to pry these keys from my cold dead hands now I know that joke has a ring of truth to it as many excellent examples of 80's and 90's land yachts have come out of estates offering from their original elderly owners who never felt the need to upgrade in my Buicks case I was told the original owner had it for 20 years before the second owner purchased it and I bought it from him and have enjoyed the car for six months I totally understand why someone would keep this thing for decades because I probably will and if you're interested in more of my thoughts on buick ownership link below is my article on autotrader.com slash oversteer now 1996 was the perfect year for the Park Avenue as they launched the new series to 3800 v6 a year before a major redesign that cheapen the interiors and in my opinion brought a generation of very unattractive blobby styling so this Buick still retains the more traditional styling and has a nice modern drivetrain the ultra models were even more special as they got a supercharger setup which was right out of the Monte Carlo SS look at that it says supercharged and cursive now a normal 3800 put out a little over 200 horsepower but the supercharged ones were at 240 not a whole lot by modern standards but the torque is pretty deep and 280 pound-feet of it yeah and there's really no way to fully understand how excellent this car is without driving it look I'm gonna right now Oh road hog Gaudi Road hogs I don't even know what a road hog means that torque is hilarious with the front-wheel drive and and if you didn't watch my first video on this when I bought it you should probably go back and check it out because I described all the cool things with this Buick Park Avenue it's mixed between old and new where it's old-school with real metal buttons and metal plates to hold things on but also lots of cool new technology like the engine supercharger automatic climate control that's dual zone and of course my favorite the radio that you can control the volume knob with on the steering wheel oh these pillow top seats are so nice and the ride is so smooth but no car is perfect now a lot of people gripe about it being front-wheel drive which I don't really kiss because this thing will never ever be sporty at all I know the torque steer is a little annoying especially with a car that has this much torque but I have better traction in bad weather with front-wheel drive the floor space it's more flat because I don't have a tunnel for the transmission and the drive shaft and with this Buick there's just no compromising the ride quality for any kind of performance or handling it's a diner ride controlled suspension which is what they called it but it has rear airbags in the back and then some really soft shocks in the front now I think this suspension holds its own with my old 2007 Mercedes s600 which is hydraulic and just about any magnetic or air I control out of the top-tier luxury makers it is that good and I really think Buick should be getting back to this building the ultimate luxury car like the bargain Rolls Royce that they used to be and maybe there's some hope because they're starting this new have a near line a luxury version of existing models I think with the lacrosse and what's the Acadia one the Oh what's the Buick not encore oh I don't even know the Buick models I don't know cars that were built past 2007 it's really really a bad thing but anyway there there's some hope that they're going back to this old-school luxury feel where they dominated because this is really where they should stay because nobody's really doing this anymore have a lower price point they're all trying to be sporty and luxurious and if you tries to do this they'll just get laughed at because I mean all the competition with the Japanese in the European luxury cars you just there's there's no room for a Buick to get in there little Michael Jackson came out there god this thing is so funny a giant beige grandpa car that hauls oh yeah even though my Buick is a truly excellent car it is over 20 years old and I have had a few problems I purchased the car with a sagging rear which required replacing both air-ride shocks as well as the air pump to fix it I also had to repair a noisy blender on the inside for the climate control it make a flatulent sounding noise for about 30 seconds every time I started the car kind of a now my passengers found this really funny but I had to get that taken care of pretty quickly after the initial sorting the only other thing that I've had to do is replace the alternator as it was making an annoying squeaking noise unfortunately replacing the belt for the alternator requires disconnecting the motor mount so you can put the belt around it pretty bad but none of those jobs are very expensive and all I spent a little over a thousand dollars sorting it out and additional repairs in the last six months so bad I could probably get close to the total that I have invested back if I wanted to sell but there's nothing I could really buy for $3,000 that could come even close to replacing this car despite having much more expensive cars in my fleet for our Tesla I do drive this thing regularly and even if I didn't drive it much the rarity of this car would give me pause to sell it so unless I do something crazy like buy a rolls-royce phantom next week I'll probably keep this car until I'm so old my kids take the keys away after hitting the neighbors trash cans for the 50th time by then we'll hopefully have floating autonomous pods of various around so it won't really matter thank you for watching get off my lawn I probably should have taken this down when we started the video sorry about that doesn't even smell anymore lavender and vanilla drag racing a Mini Cooper problem is she doesn't know we're drag racing smoked her\n"