by "Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
Published 06/13/2017 at 22:10
by "Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
Published 06/13/2017 at 22:10
No Tags
STARS: 9
This 1st-gen Lumina has *ALL OF ITS CLEARCOAT*. Seriously, this car is pristine. The interior, the paint, holy shit I need it. Best interior ever. Even Mr Regular didn’t have much negative to say about these things. They fall into the same hole as the Buick LeSabre and Pontiac Bonneville where they’re genuinely good cars but the only experience most people have with them is their natural state of 300k+ miles and utterly beat to within an inch of their life. All my memories of these Luminas are of a taut, comfy economy car with heavy-feeling switchgear, overstuffed seats that do nothing to counteract the immense body roll, and the worst radio in the universe.
"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
06/13/2017 at 22:16, STARS: 0
One of these was my first car. Base model though, no ‘euro’ or ‘abs’ nonsense. It was pretty reliable and boss in the snow.
"Tristan" (casselts)
06/13/2017 at 22:21, STARS: 3
These were just good, honest cars. I loved the interiors!
"gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
06/13/2017 at 22:39, STARS: 1
My dad briefly had a 95? Bonneville as a loaner, and I drove it for an afternoon. White, with red cloth seats. Hilariously boaty, but one of the comfiest cars I’ve ever been in, and reasonable power from the 3.4. Since then, I’ve sort of wanted a Bonneville with the 3800 as a beater.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/13/2017 at 22:48, STARS: 1
This is what keeping even a crappy car in a garage will do for you.
The Buick LeSabres were freaking cockroaches. The best cheap car you could get in their era, too. Those 3800s were practically bulletproof.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
06/13/2017 at 22:49, STARS: 1
My old boss had that exact car. They were good basic cars.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/13/2017 at 23:06, STARS: 1
The LeSabre2000 (its full name) was the last thing designed by Bill Porter in 1996 for the 2000 model year before he retired. Fun fact.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/13/2017 at 23:06, STARS: 0
My parents often lauded its snow ability. I’m not sure why it was so good at that particular thing.
"Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
06/13/2017 at 23:11, STARS: 0
This exact car, even the color, was my grandfather’s final car. He was a very successful businessman. I wish he was still alive to ask why he drove such a car when he could afford any car he wanted. My grandmother drove a woody Buick wagon of the same era. The salesman speculated that it was the last woody wagon Buick ever made. Like literally the last one off the line.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
06/13/2017 at 23:29, STARS: 1
EURO ABS
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
06/13/2017 at 23:31, STARS: 0
The 3.1 is a fucking lump. Lots of traction I guess
"fintail" (fintail)
06/13/2017 at 23:49, STARS: 0
My brother had one of these 10-15 years or so ago. PNW car, so it had aged well. I think it was a 93. I don’t think he had any huge issues with it, but he loaned it to someone for 20 minutes, and it got hit. I think he bought something wacky like a V6Sundance Duster with the money - he has a thing for 90s cars.
My uncle just sold a 160K mile ~98 LeSabre, non-working AC, big dent in the fender, but otherwise maintained and the dexcool intake issue taken care of. Sold it instantly for $1600, and the buyer was very pleased with it.
"Kiltedpadre" (kiltedpadre)
06/14/2017 at 00:05, STARS: 0
One of my friends dad occasionally drives one owned by the city he works for. He actually says that compared to the Dodge Avengers which are the newer options in the city fleet it is actually the better car by a wide margin. He says if it gets put up for auction he would try to buy it to be his granddaughter’s first car.
"C62030" (c62030)
06/14/2017 at 00:13, STARS: 1
You’re not helping curb my unhealthy infatuation with early 90s GM.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 00:14, STARS: 0
Early 90s GM was fantastic. Late 2000s GM, not so much. 2005-2013 was a bit of a dark age.
"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
06/14/2017 at 00:25, STARS: 1
Anything with the 3800. Those engines outlived every car they put them in. Sure, they liked to sip a little oil, but damn.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
06/14/2017 at 00:27, STARS: 0
Such truth. I think the Buicks were built just well enough for the bodies to last closer to the lifespans of the engines, though.
"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
06/14/2017 at 00:27, STARS: 0
I think that has more to do with the buyer. Buicks just weren’t beat on and left to weather the outdoors the same way the Pontiacs and Chevys were.
"Khalbali" (khalbali2)
06/14/2017 at 00:40, STARS: 0
I came close to a z34 coupe once upon a time, still kinda regret passing it up, loved the hood vents.
"Butsen Katsun" (butsenkatsun)
06/14/2017 at 03:16, STARS: 0
I had one of these, first car, but it was a piece when I got it and didn’t last long. The Euro 3.4 had the 220hp motor from the Z34 in it, saw one of those once here in AZ!
"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
06/14/2017 at 07:59, STARS: 0
195/75/14 tires and like 75/25 F/R weight distribution
"carcrazydan738" (carcrazydan738)
06/14/2017 at 11:02, STARS: 1
Nice unicorn! I used to have a 1990 blue euro coupe version of this car and I loved it
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 11:20, STARS: 0
Pics?
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 11:24, STARS: 0
Yeah, the 3.4 is a nightmare on the level of a DSM to work on because of how tightly things are packaged in there, and I think “getrag” is German for “hahaha good luck bitch”.
3.1 is a good engine though. Will run forever. Ours had 350,000 miles on it or something like that.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 11:25, STARS: 0
Z34s have the same issues as a DSM. Impossible to work on, expensive to fix, and not terribly reliable. The 3.1 is a lump but it’s a reliable lump that actually fits in the engine bay. The 3.4 required four gallons of factory installation lube to cram under the damn hood.
Also the door handles on the coupe are made of club crackers.
"Khalbali" (khalbali2)
06/14/2017 at 13:44, STARS: 1
Well yeah but.....
Looks good doe.
Also I spent close to a decade in central IL so ain’t skeered of DSMs.
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 14:17, STARS: 0
Such an underrated car. Impossible to find.
"Butsen Katsun" (butsenkatsun)
06/14/2017 at 14:27, STARS: 0
Hahah, I always wondered if it was a nightmare. I see a surprising amount of Monte and last gen Lumina Z34s running around still! And every once in awhile a 3.4 GTP
"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
06/14/2017 at 14:44, STARS: 0
Still not a fan of the second gen Lumina and Monte. Devoid of any character or life. Far heavier than the first gen lumina and not near as well-built feeling.