Need advice on older model cars, please...

Rick Hunter

Celestial
If the LeSabre has a 3.8 engine it should be a winner. 90's GM V6 engines are really good, especially the 3.8. The 3.1 and 3.4 are also. Avoid the overhead cam and/or supercharged versions though.
 

michael59

Celestial
If the LeSabre has a 3.8 engine it should be a winner. 90's GM V6 engines are really good, especially the 3.8. The 3.1 and 3.4 are also. Avoid the overhead cam and/or supercharged versions though.

The LeSabre is 3.8 here's his description...

1991 Buick LeSabre 3.8 L , runs great - has new rubber on Pontiac’Montana rims , aftermarket stereo & speakers , power seat , power windows , A/C , cruise , tilt , . Newer control arms & ball joints & struts & brakes . Excellent parts car ?

I should also mention that he is the original owner. The only thing is that he has the same insurance company as me and they told him it would have to be re-certified or inspected before if he sells it. I can't afford to pay for an inspection, especially if it does not pass. So, he gave me the VIN and I am going to call and check again. Just to make sure.

The Oldsmobile is a good vehicle too though. He even told me that himself.
 

michael59

Celestial
The guy with the Oldsmobile was not impressed with my offer. lol

Buick LeSabre it is. We're doing the exchange on Monday.

Thank you, to everyone for helping me out here. x11

I haven't slept for days because I've been so stressed about getting the wrong vehicle. I think I'll be able to sleep tonight. :)
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Awesome, glad you found one, drive it for a few days and tell us what you think...:biggrinn8:

...
 

michael59

Celestial
Ummm...

I just got a message from Oldsmobile guy

Good Morning,

Robert here hope you had a nice evening I slept on it and if you are still interested I would like to try and help you out with the Oldsmobile Its a good little car If you can come up with 1000 cash today its yours if you are interested send me a time and place that is handy for you to meet and I will try and arrange a buddy to follow me in and give me a ride home hope no worries hope to hear from you soon.

Apparently that message was sent 2 days ago but, I didn't see it until just now, today.

Now, I'm thinking that Oldsmobile only has 145,000 kilometers on it and he is the second owner. It was his Dads car. He has all the paperwork for it. Apparently, it is trouble free with the exception of a crack on the passenger side windshield. I do have one bad feeling about it though, when I asked about the air conditioning he said it blows cool but should be refilled soon. That's exactly what the last guy told me when I purchased the other Oldsmobile years ago. We were never able to get it to hold a the re-fill for more than 24 hours.

LeSabre guy has 280,00 kilometers on it and probably needs all the fluids flushed because it has been sitting for 2.5 years without use. It needs an alignment, and an oil change right away and he also said that the air conditioner doesn't hold it's charge over the winter so it has to be re-filled every summer. He also said that the interior needed a really good steam cleaning because the last person using it was his son and his son is a heavy duty mechanic. He would just get in the car with his dirty oily work cloths on and drive it home.

Any advice for me guys?
 

michael59

Celestial
I have to decide this morning. LeSabre gut will be calling me later today. With all that needs to be done to it it will be at least a $1000 by the time it's road ready, right?

I may be too late for the Oldsmobile because the message is 2 days old. Help! lol
 

Rick Hunter

Celestial
I would make a try for the Oldsmobile myself. 280,000 km plus sitting for a couple of years is never a good thing.
 

michael59

Celestial
Thanks Rick, I really needed an opinion. I don't trust my own anymore especially since I don't know much about cars.

It's weird because each time I spoke with LeSabre guy, there was something else he remember that needed taking care of. He said he was just trying to be as honest as possible with me because he didn't want to rip me off. On Friday, he told me the car had been stolen twice before and vandalized so, yeah, I think I'll check out the Oldsmobile before I make a final decision.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Thanks Rick, I really needed an opinion. I don't trust my own anymore especially since I don't know much about cars.

It's weird because each time I spoke with LeSabre guy, there was something else he remember that needed taking care of. He said he was just trying to be as honest as possible with me because he didn't want to rip me off. On Friday, he told me the car had been stolen twice before and vandalized so, yeah, I think I'll check out the Oldsmobile before I make a final decision.

Bicycle an option, at least weather permitting? Not being facetious.
 

michael59

Celestial
^lol

I have trouble walking to the 7-11 it's only 2 minutes away from my home.

I just talked to LeSabre guy on the phone and I barely got past Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with 143,000 on it before he jumped in and said, "Buy it!" lol He's such a personable man. He told me that he really enjoyed the time that we spoke together over the passed few days and then thanked me for calling and letting him know. I told him that I wanted to catch him before he went out and spent money on a new battery. He volunteered to pick one up and install it and I would pay him for the battery. He asked if I would call him some time tonight and let him know if I bought it. I said I would. :)
 

michael59

Celestial
I meet with Olds guy tomorrow to test drive the vehicle. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the one. His whole attitude seems to have changed. He's become kinder and softer spoken since I agreed to the $1000 price.

He agreed to meet me at Alberta Motor Association but then he said in an email that he could pick me up at home? Pretty sure I'm going to say no to that offer even tho it would save me 10-15 bucks for the cab ride. I don't like the idea of a stranger picking me up at my home and driving me somewhere. For all I know he could be serial killer.

He's going to call in the morning.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Did you get the car home?...How do you like it?...

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michael59

Celestial
Okay, that was all I could manage to get in my last post before browser issues. lol

It's not what I was expecting. It is not like my other Oldsmobile this one is not an exec. luxury type. It's a vroom vroom, I got the need for speed model. It has the RPM gauge. It handles and sounds like a muscle car. It still has the extras like power seats & stuff but I noticed that you have to keep an eye on the speedometer because it was really easy to exceed the speed limit.

I've only ever owned used, automatic transmission cars in my time and I don't know very much about cars so, it could be that I don't know what I'm talking about but, whenever I speed up and the car switches gears I have always heard it and even in some cases feel a little clunk or jolt when it did. Not this car. It shifts gears flawlessly. You don't feel anything and you don't hear anything, it just goes.

My other Oldsmobile had a terrible turn radius. I had to struggle to get in & out of my stall. Back up, go forward, back up, go forward, inching the car along and cranking the steering wheel left & right. I don't have any issue with this car, even though it's the same size, I was in & out of my stall, first try. And it corners so good, woo-hoo it takes corners so well. I usually find taking the round about/traffic circle a bit nerve wracking, but it was actually fun. :D The brakes are excellent. Climbs steep hills without effort.

I do have a few concerns. It was really cold, raining, and windy yesterday so, I didn't even think to try the windows. They all work except for the drivers window. It does not even make a noise when you try. It will need to be fixed. Then there's the air conditioning, nope. He says it just needs a refill. That can wait til next year now. And here's my main concern that I did not notice when I test drove it.

When idling, whether it be in park or just in traffic, it has this weird noise. I'm just using this as an example sound. It sounds like someone playing bongo drums. It isn't obnoxiously loud, like it would be if someone were in the room playing the bongos but that's what the comparison noise sounds like to me. You have to keep in mind that this is a 30 year old car but, should I be concerned?
 

Rick Hunter

Celestial
Hard to say without seeing it in person. First things i would look for would be an exhaust rattle or something belt driven. The belt tensioners on those cars can make all kinds of weird noises. Sometimes they will hop up and down when the engine is running, a sure sign it is bad.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Nope metal doors just a wooden frame around it. If I remember correctly the wooden frame was really just for show on them.

I was thinking of an old '36 Chevy sedan my brother had. We tore it apart and found that the door's internal structure was hand fitted wood. Weird.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
When idling, whether it be in park or just in traffic, it has this weird noise. I'm just using this as an example sound. It sounds like someone playing bongo drums. It isn't obnoxiously loud, like it would be if someone were in the room playing the bongos but that's what the comparison noise sounds like to me. You have to keep in mind that this is a 30 year old car but, should I be concerned?

Like a knocking sound?, is it a repetitive single tone over and over?...

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