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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  Great first car - 2001 Buick Century
  By meganpumpkin - July 2 - 10:06 pm

  I inherited this car from my grandmother and it made a great first car. It can handle running over curbs and forgetting an oil change or two. It has been incredibly reliable. I am currently looking for a car with better gas mileage since I drive so far but any one who gets this car is in for a treat. It may not look like much but it gets you from a to b every time.

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  LOVE MY BUICK! - 2003 Buick Century
  By lovemybuick - March 24 - 6:04 am

  I bought my 03 Buick Century at the suggesting of a friend who is an engineer and very trustworthy when it comes to the mechanics of things. At first I was worried about it "being for old folks". I love the looks and styling of this car, as does my 22 yr old son and his friends! It had 26K miles when I purchased it, today, 2012, it has 279K, and its still going strong. The only problems in that time were routine with the exception of having to replace the motor in the door as the window wouldnt go down last year.

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  GREAT CAR - 1992 Buick Century
  By bull_gator - March 8 - 6:37 pm

  I have had this car for 10 of its 20+ years of life. It has been extremely reliable. The most costly problem was when the ac died. Other than that it has never failed me. The v6 is not refined but extremely reliable. After 20+ years I still get over 23mpg running to and from work. Cup holders would be nice but it is a basic bare bones get to work/school car.

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  second car ever and loving it. - 1999 Buick Century
  By wonderchef2012 - December 17 - 9:28 pm

  this car is better than the first car i purchased. i am 19 and my first car lasted 3 months before the transmission caused a whole bunch of things to go wrong. this car is bigger, better and more reliable. i know i am probably too young to want this car but i am loving every mile it gives me and i love the room it has.

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  Not bad - 2002 Buick Century
  By analee101 - June 11 - 11:56 pm

  Ok Im 18 so I wasnt thrilled about the looks, but I have to say as far as performance and reliability goes, Im impressed! It has had to have several things fixed and I have had a few problems with the breaks in the past, but the car is reliable, great stopping ability and can get to high speeds fairly quickly, nothing like a souped up sports car, but its good over my work to school then back home commute. I would definitely recommend!!!

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  Love My Car! - 2003 Buick Century
  By suzannefanning - October 2 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! I have owned and driven two 1995 Buick LeSabres and I actually like my little Century better! I get 30 mpg and drive 50 miles round trip each day to work. The car handles like a dream and even my teenage daughter says she looks like a classy lady!

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  A solid car - 2003 Buick Century
  By V8 Man - July 7 - 12:53 pm

  We bought a slightly used 2003 Century for my wife. It now has 59K miles on it (in 2010) and has not been high maintenance at all. She really likes the car. Beyond routine maintenance, I do not think that it has required any other care. However, it is garage kept and locally driven mostly. The exterior has a timeless quality about it and still looks up-to-date (at least to me). The interior is a mix of cheap materials and upscale features, but overall functional and attractive. Several years ago, we did have a problem with it refusing to crank. Never did determine what the issue was, but it has never reoccurred. For the price, I recommend the car.

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  Bring Back the Century - 2004 Buick Century
  By Brenda in Augusta - July 3 - 2:07 pm

  This is my third Buick Century. I bought them because of the comfortable seats and good mileage. We got 34 mpg traveling between Maine and FL this year -- with the car packed full. I want another one, but alas they are no longer made.

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  Solid car - 2004 Buick Century
  By erc - April 25 - 11:46 am

  We have had this car since brand new. No major repairs beyond Brakes and rotors. Did it my self cause this car is easy to work on. Still getting 28 MPG on the hwy. My 00 LeSabre is a great car too but the Centurys mileage is so much better its our touring car. Yes, its an old man car but its comfortable and efficient. I really dont care what other people think about the car I drive. At least its not an "edge".

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  2001 Buick Centrury Custom 4 Dr - 2001 Buick Century
  By jimmyt - April 6 - 8:30 pm

  I bought it as a second car to be used around town and local trips. It turns out I liked it so much, I use it as my commuter car for work. Gas mileage is excellent (26 mpg local and 30 mpg highway) and the V6 has plenty of power. What a surprise coming from a chunky Buick. Oh, and the comfort is worth it alone. The ride is very soft, so dont worry about fatigue, just be careful of the sharp curves. At 100K I replaced both axles, tie rods, one brg and did the usual 100k maintenance. There was some coolant loss, most likely due to GMs problem with the V6s, but one can of stop leak did the trick. Overall its a great car if you dont mind the cigar jokes.