Overview & Reviews

The Buick Century is a nameplate that was produced for almost half a century. It first appeared in 1936 and ran for six years, then reappeared for four more in 1954. Both of these generations were known for having shorter bodies with V8 engines to create a performance-oriented Buick -- a descriptor that would apply to the reborn Century in 1973. As with so many cars of its time, though, fuel economy regulations and the gas shortage turned the next Buick Century into a tamer, downsized car. For the next 27 years, it would follow along this path, providing affordable, comfortable but not particularly interesting transportation for millions of Americans.

Most Recent Buick Century

The most recent Buick Century was produced from 1997-2005 in a midsize sedan body style only. Like its predecessor, it shared its platform and engine with several other General Motors vehicles, but this Century differed more in terms of styling. Its chief exterior designer said at the time of its introduction, "We purposely avoided anything that could be considered trendy" for a long shelf life. Mission accomplished, as this Century roamed the Earth for nine years in not-so-trendy anonymity.

There was only one engine offered, a 3.1-liter V6 that sent power to the front wheels. This engine initially produced 160 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, but was upgraded to 175 hp and 195 lb-ft in 2000.

For most of its life, this Century was offered in Custom and Limited trim levels. Both came standard with six-passenger capacity, keyless entry, full power accessories and dual-zone climate control. Items like cruise control, leather upholstery, a sunroof and a power driver seat were early options on both trim levels, and later became standard on the Limited in the 2000s. To commemorate the turn of the actual century, Buick offered a Special Edition package that included a monochrome exterior and special badges.

In terms of safety, items like antilock brakes, traction control, a tire-pressure monitor, front side airbags, OnStar and an integrated child safety seat switched from being standard, optional and not available at various points through the Century's nine-year run. Make sure to examine a used example carefully to be certain that it has the safety equipment you are looking for.

A used Buick Century from this generation is a comfortable car with a very good reliability record, but it has a floaty suspension, unresponsive handling and so-so brakes. In general, most other midsize sedans are a better choice. Even related GM vehicles from Oldsmobile and Pontiac provide better driving dynamics.

Past Buick Century models

The previous Buick Century was made from 1982-'96, with a significant midlife refreshening in 1989. This was an extremely successful car, selling more than 2 million units during its lifespan. It was available in sedan, wagon and coupe body styles, the latter of which was dropped after 1993. Trim levels included Custom, Limited and Special, depending on body style and year. The sedan and coupe were capable of seating six, while the wagon had optional eight-seat capacity with a rear-facing and foldable third-row bench. The wagon could also be had with a forever-classy exterior wood grain vinyl appliqué.

By the time the 1990s rolled around, the Century's standard engine was a 2.5-liter inline-4 making 110 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque. Although horsepower didn't change, the base engine was replaced in 1992 with a 2.2-liter unit that actually lost 5 lb-ft of torque. It was later upgraded to 120 hp in 1994. Most Centurys had the optional V6 that made 160 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. (This engine was standard on the 1996 wagon.) A three-speed automatic transmission was standard, with a four-speed auto optional. A driver airbag and antilock brakes were added as standard equipment in 1994.

So what do we think of this generation of Buick Century? Well, pretty much the same as we did in its final year. "In many states, this design is just a decade away from antique car status. Buick's aging Century has been in production since 1982 and looks like it. Regular updates have barely kept it competitive, and the Century is definitely ready for the crusher. It's slotted smack in the middle of the average American's budget; however, we'd rather spend our money on something whose expiration date wasn't rapidly approaching." More than a decade later, that's still dead-on -- although no state has recognized the Century as an antique car. We can't be right every time.

User Reviews:

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  A Damn Good Car - 1995 Buick Century
  By Dan Z - November 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car from my grandfathers estate for my wife. Its all loaded up with leather and such. This car is great! Its rides very well, gets great mileage is an excellant daily driver. My grandfather drove as you would expect from an elderly person. Not fast, well maintained and not many miles. The average per year for the time he owned it was under 5K. There is a tiny bit of rust starting in the wheel wells because it sat for long periods of time and the exhaust had to be replaced for the same reason. I feel the body will fall off this car before the engine dies..

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  Look out - 2000 Buick Century
  By cynthia c. coleman - October 24 - 2:00 am

  I purchased at 19,000 from Enterprise Car Rental. The car had been previously leased. 2 cylinders had to be replaced (under warranty). Now at 48,000 miles the transmission needs a $850 repair(Transvalve body is the problem). Transmission service personnel said this type of transmission has caused problems. In the future I will fork up the cash and purchase an extended warranty.

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  Happy to have it - 1996 Buick Century
  By Don Carlo - October 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car i 2000, it had only 14K M, now it has 63,500 I live in Monterrey Mexico, two hours from the border, this year we had a travel from Laredo, Tx to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, car response EXCELLENT. I wont sell it, I had also an 1988 Century, you can die on it!!!!!

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  Century a Great Car - 1995 Buick Century
  By firedawg - October 2 - 2:00 am

  The car has been a great car. We had one transmission problem after 140k miles. Since fixing that problem, the ownership has been uneventful.

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  95 Buick Century Special - 1995 Buick Century
  By doc miller - September 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought it in Nov. 2001. It had 29,000 miles on it. It has the V-6 and if driven at 65 mph or less, you can get up to 30 mpg. The fit and finish are very good. It is comfortable on long trips. I now have 52,000 miles on the car and outside of normal maintenance, it has not given me any problems.

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  Great Car - 1997 Buick Century
  By tpalya - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Quiet and comfortable, we bought this car used and have been happy ever since. Replacing factory tires with Goodyear Regatta-2 improved handling and ride beyond belief. Great family car, reliable and inexpensive to operate.

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  nice - 2003 Buick Century
  By thomas - August 24 - 2:00 am

  very good car for the money nice firm ride very happy so far

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  Buick Century Review - 2000 Buick Century
  By Cars4me89 - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Extremely comfortable and great performance.

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  Buick Century Review - 2000 Buick Century
  By Mewithcars - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Extremely comfortable and great performance.

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  Ride your living room couch! - 1997 Buick Century
  By ddouglas2 - August 15 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! It has all the bells and whistles and has been very reliable. The only problems weve had have been from zero maintenance the first 75000 miles before we bought it. After a transmission rebuild its been flawless.