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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  Poor Value - 2002 Buick Century
  By Twhite - May 14 - 12:48 pm

  I would not recommend purchasing a Buick Century. I have had several major problems with this vehicle (which I purchased new in 2002. When the car was two years old, the underside (rocker panel and near wheel wells) had damage (i.e. rust/ paint has come off- I believe that this is as result of a design flaw. I have had this fixed once when the car was under warranty, but now it needs to be done again (15 months later). I had to replace the battery at approx. 25K miles and had to replace the head gasket (at a cost of $1300) at 56K miles. Now, my air conditioning is no longer working. I feel that this vehicle was a very poor value and I cant wait to trade it in.

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  Excellent Car - 2005 Buick Century
  By gmc - May 10 - 1:56 pm

  I love my Buick! It is so comfortable to drive and meets all my needs. I highly recommend it to anyone. It beats any import on the market!

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  Another Old Reliable - 2003 Buick Century
  By K Moore - May 6 - 12:11 am

  This Century is our second Buick. We still have the first Regal we bought in 1996. It has 148,000 miles on it. Our Century is comfortable, reliable, but a little stodgy looking. No wonder our kids call them the "Old Fogey" cars. I get over 33 miles to the gallon on the highway, very important these days. The ride is pure Buick, no other car rides like these do. We have had no problems with them mechanically. Unfortunately, we will not be buying another one unless Buick goes back to the quality that was once their trademark. Gone is the leather trim, replaced with cheap plastics. The Century is reliable, safe and comfortable. I wish I could buy another instead of the cheesy LaCrosse

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  The good the bad and the truth - 2001 Buick Century
  By curtis lear - March 3 - 11:11 pm

  I like the looks and the good gas milage. The car rides good for a mid- size. There are lots of extras that make the car convenient to drive. But there are many blind spots that make it difficult to see to the side or back when trying to shift lanes. The car lacks power but is sufficient for any one who is not in a race. Take heed to those who say transmission troubles appear about 65000 miles. They are telling the truth.Be prepared to spend $1500-$2500 on another transmission. Other than the expense of a transmission you may have a dependable car.

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  excellent - 2005 Buick Century
  By t. Wilson - January 14 - 4:59 pm

  I was used to driving a much bigger and heavier car. The Buick Century turned out to be a great surprise. One of the most comfortable and easy to handle car that I have ever owned. I have owned many many cars over the years.

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  Good - 2005 Buick Century
  By paulshap - January 13 - 10:21 am

  The drive is a great improvement over my old Buick Century. Everything works fine. I still have not figured out how the radio works. The only problem is the reflection off of the dash board onto the front window.

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  Free car, and I think I paid too much!!! - 1995 Buick Century
  By rojo412 - January 11 - 1:17 pm

  When my 92 LeSabre finally drove me to the brink with its faulty exterior, I got this wagon from my grandparents, for free. I thought "this should work for a while and I got a great deal! All options, owned by sweet old lady who drove it to church. And its low mileage so it should be sweet!" WRONG!!! Even at 62,000 it was showing its age. Rusting out exterior, ABS is going in and out, head gasket leaking, strange fluid in the coolant overflow. At 80k, a mechanic told me to sell it and cut my losses. Well, at 88k, I still have it and wish I took his advice.

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  Best car I ever owned - 2000 Buick Century
  By Buick Driver - December 30 - 10:40 pm

  Great Buick ride, reliability and power. Gets great gas mileage, yet has all the power I ever need. Only thing I found about the car that gets less than a rave review is that while it handles ok on ice, I have had better cars on the ice. Otherwise I am very impressed with its quality, reliability, power and gas mileage.

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  Not just a retirees car - 2002 Buick Century
  By Ed Keck - December 16 - 11:05 pm

  I bought this Buick as I needed a quick replacement for another car. A local dealer found this car with 86K at a very reasonable price. Must have been a salesmans car. Minus a new starter and a gasket seal replacement this car has been a pleasant surprise. I would have NEVER considered driving this car previously, but my circumstances dictated a low cost replacement. The car obtains excellent mileage and is very comfortable to drive. (Even handles fairly well!) The sound system is superb with the concert sound speakers. Steering wheel radio controls are a nice feature too! For the money, insurance cost and room this car fits the bill. I may actually keep this car longer than I planned!

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  What a Nice Surprise - 1991 Buick Century
  By Ryan - December 11 - 3:53 pm

  When we bought this car I thought, here we go, a granny car that eats gas and will hardly get up and go, but was I wrong. We bought this car with 65K miles on it and have 34k since and it has been wonderful. 20mpg city and an amazing 29 hwy! If I had known was I was getting I may have paid more for it! All I can say is I hope the new Buicks are just as reliable and comfortable to drive!