So my Buick is at about 160,000 miles (I've but about 20,000 miles on it) and I thought I'd do a review of it for you all.
It's the mid-trim CXL, and is pretty well-equipped (automatic dual zone climate control, driver information center, leather wrapped steering wheel, heated leather, power drivers seat, alloy wheels, upgraded sound system, in addition to the standard power features like mirrors, locks, windows). For perspective, this was a $25,000 car brand new.
Here are some pics, apoligies for them being sideways.
The Good
-Comfort- this is where the car really excels. Seats are comfortable and suitable for long trips. Leather is of pretty good quality and uses "gathered stitching" which looks expensive.
-Highway MPG- driven normally on the Interstate (75 mph with the A/C on), it will consistently get 30 mpg; driven carefully, around 60 mph, it gets 32+ mpg. I like the car a lot; it truly is at home on the highway. It can eat up miles like nobody's business! It takes 75 mph to even reach 2000 rpm-it's loafing along at highway speeds.
-Ride quality- while it's less floaty than old Buicks, it still rides very soft. However, handling is better than expected. Roadfeel is decent and it feels very confident at speed. For long-distance driving, this is a good thing.
-3800- my favorite part of the car is the 3800 Series 3. Its 200 HP seems modest today but it has a solid 230 ft-lbs of torque. It has plenty of power for merging and acceleration is reasonable (8.5 sec or so 0-60). This isn't a car you rev for the fun of it, but it has fairly good power. And, as I mentioned, mileage is excellent.
-Quiet- it is exceptionally quiet (one of the quietest cars I've driven, if not the quietist), and has few creaks or rattles. One of GM's main points when selling the new Lacrosse was its "Quiet-Tuning", strategic sound deadening and reduction measures. It worked well.
-A/C and climate control- the A/C is superb. Its automatic functions work well (can set "AUTO 70 degrees" and never need to touch it, even for defrost) and I measured 36 degrees vent output on a 90 degree day. The fan is very quiet, even on high.
-Audio system- it has the midrange system offered, with six speakers. Bass is phenomenal; it's truly a great stock system.
-Design touches- there are a number of cool design touches: for example, the trunk release is built into both door lock buttons on the front doors- to pop the trunk, hold the top of the button (unlock) for a second or so. It's on the passenger side as well. And the cupholder can be folded into the center console to give more storage. And I really like the automatic headlights.
-Interior quality- it looks more expensive than it is; the interior has lots of fake wood and chrome trim. Most materials are soft-touch. The headliner is a very nice woven fabric. There is a classy "BUICK" sill plate for each front door. However, some commonly-used radio/climate buttons wore through, as is common for its era.
-Driver information center- I like having this info- distance to empty, average/instant MPG, timer, oil life, battery voltage and trip odometers, along with temperature and compass. The whole car (DIC, climate control, speedo, etc.) can be changed between English and Metric, and there are three languages to choose from.
The Average
-City MPG- driven in a typical suburban cycle, I'd expect low-mid twenties, worse for shorter trips. Here the Lacrosse's 3500 pound weight shows.
-Transmission- it's just a 4-speed auto, which is really all that's needed but another gear wouldn't hurt. It does shift very smoothly, though.
-Rear-seat legroom/headroom- not too much room back there, but it is adequate (comparable to Camry/Accord).
-Trunk space- decently large and very deep. The rear seats fold down for more room.
-Cost to own- it's been reliable, though I did need to replace a timing cover gasket and a few tie rod ends. A wheel speed sensor wiring harness got cut by a piece of road debris and needed replacement. And a friend got a hard plastic water bottle jammed into the airbag sensor under the passenger seat, which then required replacement. Otherwise, it's just been fluid changes/filters and a lightbulb. I changed the battery this winter, too.
The Bad
-"Driving engagement"- it's no sports car, and doesn't pretend to be one. This doesn't bother me, though. It is definitely designed for someone older than me.
-Rust- this is par for the course in MN, it's started to rust in certain spots.
-Glove box space- quite small and awkwardly shaped. It doesn't matter too much, though, because there is a generously sized center console.
-No steering wheel audio controls (these were optional).
All in all, it's been a great car and a pleasure to drive, especially on long trips. Hope this helps/interests someone.
It's the mid-trim CXL, and is pretty well-equipped (automatic dual zone climate control, driver information center, leather wrapped steering wheel, heated leather, power drivers seat, alloy wheels, upgraded sound system, in addition to the standard power features like mirrors, locks, windows). For perspective, this was a $25,000 car brand new.
Here are some pics, apoligies for them being sideways.
The Good
-Comfort- this is where the car really excels. Seats are comfortable and suitable for long trips. Leather is of pretty good quality and uses "gathered stitching" which looks expensive.
-Highway MPG- driven normally on the Interstate (75 mph with the A/C on), it will consistently get 30 mpg; driven carefully, around 60 mph, it gets 32+ mpg. I like the car a lot; it truly is at home on the highway. It can eat up miles like nobody's business! It takes 75 mph to even reach 2000 rpm-it's loafing along at highway speeds.
-Ride quality- while it's less floaty than old Buicks, it still rides very soft. However, handling is better than expected. Roadfeel is decent and it feels very confident at speed. For long-distance driving, this is a good thing.
-3800- my favorite part of the car is the 3800 Series 3. Its 200 HP seems modest today but it has a solid 230 ft-lbs of torque. It has plenty of power for merging and acceleration is reasonable (8.5 sec or so 0-60). This isn't a car you rev for the fun of it, but it has fairly good power. And, as I mentioned, mileage is excellent.
-Quiet- it is exceptionally quiet (one of the quietest cars I've driven, if not the quietist), and has few creaks or rattles. One of GM's main points when selling the new Lacrosse was its "Quiet-Tuning", strategic sound deadening and reduction measures. It worked well.
-A/C and climate control- the A/C is superb. Its automatic functions work well (can set "AUTO 70 degrees" and never need to touch it, even for defrost) and I measured 36 degrees vent output on a 90 degree day. The fan is very quiet, even on high.
-Audio system- it has the midrange system offered, with six speakers. Bass is phenomenal; it's truly a great stock system.
-Design touches- there are a number of cool design touches: for example, the trunk release is built into both door lock buttons on the front doors- to pop the trunk, hold the top of the button (unlock) for a second or so. It's on the passenger side as well. And the cupholder can be folded into the center console to give more storage. And I really like the automatic headlights.
-Interior quality- it looks more expensive than it is; the interior has lots of fake wood and chrome trim. Most materials are soft-touch. The headliner is a very nice woven fabric. There is a classy "BUICK" sill plate for each front door. However, some commonly-used radio/climate buttons wore through, as is common for its era.
-Driver information center- I like having this info- distance to empty, average/instant MPG, timer, oil life, battery voltage and trip odometers, along with temperature and compass. The whole car (DIC, climate control, speedo, etc.) can be changed between English and Metric, and there are three languages to choose from.
The Average
-City MPG- driven in a typical suburban cycle, I'd expect low-mid twenties, worse for shorter trips. Here the Lacrosse's 3500 pound weight shows.
-Transmission- it's just a 4-speed auto, which is really all that's needed but another gear wouldn't hurt. It does shift very smoothly, though.
-Rear-seat legroom/headroom- not too much room back there, but it is adequate (comparable to Camry/Accord).
-Trunk space- decently large and very deep. The rear seats fold down for more room.
-Cost to own- it's been reliable, though I did need to replace a timing cover gasket and a few tie rod ends. A wheel speed sensor wiring harness got cut by a piece of road debris and needed replacement. And a friend got a hard plastic water bottle jammed into the airbag sensor under the passenger seat, which then required replacement. Otherwise, it's just been fluid changes/filters and a lightbulb. I changed the battery this winter, too.
The Bad
-"Driving engagement"- it's no sports car, and doesn't pretend to be one. This doesn't bother me, though. It is definitely designed for someone older than me.
-Rust- this is par for the course in MN, it's started to rust in certain spots.
-Glove box space- quite small and awkwardly shaped. It doesn't matter too much, though, because there is a generously sized center console.
-No steering wheel audio controls (these were optional).
All in all, it's been a great car and a pleasure to drive, especially on long trips. Hope this helps/interests someone.