Overview & Reviews

When it comes to longevity, few models could touch the Buick LeSabre. The car was born in 1959 and, depending on the year, was offered as a coupe, convertible, sedan and wagon. But by the early 1990s, the LeSabre's lineup had been trimmed to include just a full-size sedan. This strategy was a successful one. In the years preceding its retirement in 2005, the LeSabre frequently took top honors as the most popular full-size sedan on the market.

The latter-day Buick LeSabre owed much of its success to a demographic frequently overlooked by automakers: senior citizens. The sedan was a natural fit for these buyers with its roomy, comfortable cabin, serene ride and large trunk that easily accommodated road trip luggage as well as a walker or a mobility scooter. And everyone could appreciate the LeSabre's stellar crash test scores and the outstanding fuel-efficiency of its V6.

There were a few shortcomings, such as an old-fashioned cabin fitted with some cheap plastics, and performance that could become sluggish while carrying a full load. But these negatives were likely non-issues for the older buyers who had made the LeSabre a consistent hit. If you're looking for a used car that places ride comfort and spaciousness above all else, a late-model Buick LeSabre should prove satisfactory.

Most Recent Buick LeSabre
The eighth-generation Buick LeSabre existed from model year 2000 until the sedan's demise in 2005. Though this Buick's sheet metal looked a lot like that of the previous-generation LeSabre, it was, in fact, quite different under the skin. Built at General Motors' Detroit/Hamtramck facility in Hamtramck, Michigan, it rode on a new platform. Its cabin was revised to improve ergonomics and overall aesthetics. Ride quality and steering feel saw noticeable improvement, and side airbags were added to the standard features list.

Two trims were offered. The base Custom offered standard features like keyless entry, full power features and cruise control. The Limited trim added amenities like a power-adjustable driver seat, dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels and an electrochromatic rearview mirror. Options included a CD player, heated front seats, leather upholstery and OnStar. Both trims were powered by a 3.8-liter V6 that sent its power to the front wheels through a standard four-speed automatic transmission. With 205 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, the V6 provided adequate performance and reasonable fuel-efficiency.

Over the years, this generation of the Buick LeSabre benefited from a few tweaks. In 2001, dual-stage airbags were added, and OnStar became a standard feature on Limited models; a head-up display also became available with the Limited trim. The following year, all LeSabres got new audio systems and manual trunk release latches; the LATCH system for keeping child safety seats in place was also added. In 2003, satellite radio was added to the options list on Limited models, and side-impact airbags -- which had been standard on all LeSabres since model year 2000 -- became optional on Custom models. LeSabre Limited models were also given a new trim option to celebrate the LeSabre's 10-year run as the best-selling full-size sedan in the nation. Dubbed the Celebration Edition, these Buicks featured a new monochrome emblem, a blacked-out grille and signal mirrors. Rain-sensing wipers were added to the options list in 2004.

In reviews, our editors gave the Buick LeSabre high marks when it came to comfort and versatility. Positive qualities included cushy seats, an abundance of useful storage nooks and crannies and a mammoth 18-cubic-foot trunk. However, we were disappointed with its cabin's unattractive styling cues. If you are considering a Buick LeSabre from this generation, our suggestion is to choose one offered in model year 2002 or later, to take advantage of the upgraded audio systems (and LATCH system, if you're traveling with children) that became available that year.

Past Buick LeSabre Models
Produced from 1992-'99, the seventh-generation Buick LeSabre offered a powerful engine and a smooth ride, much like the models that followed it. Sadly, it also offered an interior that left much to be desired. Cabin design was uninspired and ergonomics were poor. Many controls were unintuitive, and seat comfort was mediocre at best. Still, the car offered notable improvements over the previous-generation model. A driver-side airbag had been added to the standard features list, and the car's 3.8-liter V6 had been given an upgrade in power to 170 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque (up from 165 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque) relative to previous models. The coupe version of the LeSabre was killed off with this generation; from 1992 onward, the car was available only as a sedan. This LeSabre was preceded by the sixth generation, which was built from 1986-'91.

User Reviews:

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  Nice car, except for electric windows. - 2001 Buick LeSabre
  By Joe H - September 26 - 1:23 pm

  Comfortable car, good milage for big car, 29 mpg on hiway 21 city. At 60000 miles, had issue with instrument cluster relays, would run battery down. At 65000 rear window regulators failed simultaneously. Now passenger side window does not function. Great car if you dont require fresh air. Hint- if you own a LeSare, dont roll down rear windows, good chance they wont go back up.

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  i cannot complain - 1998 Buick LeSabre
  By love_my_lesabre - September 24 - 3:58 am

  i bought this car 3 yeas and 8 months ago. it was used and had a little over 100,000 miles on it. i presently have over 153,000 miles on it. since i have owned it, i had replaced the brake shoes, air filter a few times, tires, have yet to tune it up but it is getting to the point where it could benefit from new plugs. it still gets decent gas mileage, when i first got it, i got 29-30 mpg, now probably about 28mpg on hwy. i am looking for another one and keep this one as a spare car. i hope my next lesabre is as reliable as this one has been.

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  Great but watch window assembly - 2000 Buick LeSabre
  By smgbjl - September 21 - 4:58 pm

  I bought my Buick new in 2000, it has been great for long trips as well as city driving. Having owned it now for 9 years the only problem Ive encountered is the power window regulators which make the windows go up and down. I had to replace all 4 of them. They run about $400.00 installed. Thank God I sell cars for a living so I got a discount on labor and parts. Other than that one problem the car has been great!

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  Boring old persons car - 1996 Buick LeSabre
  By kretara - September 18 - 4:05 pm

  I drive this car 7,500 miles/year and Im glad I dont have to spend any more time in it. The leather seats are uncomfortable after more than 1 hour. At 60k the transmission started to hesitate on 1-2 shits. Trans. still working at 86k, but wondering how much life is left. Have been plagued by constant A/C issues. Some stupid little plastic part that controls where the "air" comes from is now on its 3rd replacement. Nothing like having the drivers side getting A/C and the passengers side getting heat. I have now replaced all 4 power window regulators...twice. Gas mileage is not great. 14 city/21 highway. My Crown Victoria was a much better car.

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  Big Al - 2000 Buick LeSabre
  By Al H - September 12 - 2:17 pm

  Bought this car at 1 year old with 30K miles on it. Great car. Still have it and love it. Except had to replace all 4 power window lifts, 3 under the warranty (thank goodness). Bad design. Understand newer models have a design change to fix the problem. Nice features and good ride/handling. Plenty pep. Also had a spark coil and motor mount failure at about 50K miles. But car looks great (still) and runs great. Gets about 22 mpg around town and about 26 on highway travel Would definitely consider buying another one.

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  IM LOVING IT - 1994 Buick LeSabre
  By brandon 25 - September 11 - 4:48 pm

  I bought this car for one thousand dollars Ive had it of nine months no problem at all I gotta say one of the best cars Ive ever driven I wish I would of knew how good this car was before I bought my Ford in 2005 I never would of bought it. Driving my Buick is like driving on clouds.

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  Great car.....efficient - 1990 Buick LeSabre
  By Rudiger - September 10 - 8:22 pm

  I bought this car to replace my malibu and save some money. Man, Im glad I did. This car is great! I recently drove it about a 1000 miles on a trip. With the trunk loaded with suitcases and what not and the backseat loaded with stuff I still got 30-32 MPG on the highway going 70 MPH! Thats good for a 20 year old car. The ride is smooth, comfortable and its quite in the inside. This is quite and efficient machine. I had a problem with it stalling. I replaced plugs, wires, fuel filter, ignition module and coil and turns out it was the computer. An easy $40 fix. Now it runs like a champ. Im glad I did all that. It only adds to the efficiency.

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  No More GMs - 2001 Buick LeSabre
  By JTack - August 31 - 6:58 pm

  Bought this garage kept car from my father in early 2008. He had to replace brakes and rotors at 19k. I had to do again at 43k, along with wheel hub and CV drive. $1,600.00. At 50k the left rear window would not close and the cruise control switch went bad. $500.00. ABS warning light comes on intermittently. Put 200k on a 1992 Camry with no problems other than an ignition coil and radiator. Cup holders are dysfunctional. I will not own another GM car.

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  Great Car! - 2002 Buick LeSabre
  By Doug - August 28 - 2:50 pm

  Bought it new in 2002-wifes car. Didnt put a lot of miles on it but took it on several 1000 plus mile vacations and trips. It was a smooth ride, quiet and comfortable. It could have used a little more power, but the 3800 was more than adequate for what we used the car for. Had a few warranty issue when new, nothing mechanical, and the dealer fixed them all quickly and no questions asked. It was never in the shop for a mechanical problem. Traded it about a week ago for a Lucerne.

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  Not a keeper - 1994 Buick LeSabre
  By Ethan - August 16 - 5:21 pm

  I bought this car recently with only 78000 miles expecting a reliable car. It could just be a lemon, but there have been a ton of electrical issues. Performance-wise, the car is very disappointing. Many people would find the ride comfortable over bumps, but in reality, it has very poorly tuned suspension. There is hardly any damping so the car bounces far too much after hitting a bump. This coupled with very soft springs is a bad combination. When turning quickly, the body roll is very substantial. So much so that it could be a safety concern. In a situation where you had to swerve, the body develops so much inertia that loosing control could easily happen. Acceleration is surprising