One month in, and I'm very pleased

Let me preface my remarks by saying that the cars I've owned previously were a '96 Cutlass Supreme, a Pontiac T1000 and a Buick Skyhawk. This is the first larger car I've owned so my perspective is obviously going to reflect that.

I bought a 9-month-old LeSabre Custom with 18,000 miles a month ago. The car was a former rental according to Carfax and the "build sheet" the dealer generated from his computer showed one of the options was "Avis Rent a Car".

It lacks OnStar which ordinarily is standard, and probably is an accommodation made to Avis. While that's the only "standard" feature it lacks, it has the options included in the "Best Seller" option package - the Driver Information Center, 6-speaker sound, traction control, lighted visor mirrors, and also includes XM radio and 16" aluminum wheels.

This car has a soft ride and while it definitely sways a bit in the corners, it is wonderfully smooth otherwise. The 3800 Series II 6-cylinder powerplant is a proven design and has all the power you need, coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission. The steering lacks a lot of road feel. You would never mistake the ride for a sporty car, but that's not what it's designed for. It's agile enough, with a good turning radius.

My father-in-law has a Buick Park Avenue which I've used a couple times, and this car is nearly everything the Park Avenue is for a lot less money. Same engine, Driver Information Center, comparable trunk size, but the LeSabre has a few less amenities.

My mileage has been averaging about 23.5 in the city and on a 1600 mile vacation trip from PA to NC (with plenty of mountainous travel along the highways) I got 33 mpg. [Update: highway mileage on a Pittsburgh to Cleveland round-trip on flat highways was 37 mpg with cruise control at about 63mph.] I'm a gentle driver so someone with a more aggressive style would probably get less mileage in the city. On the other hand, a more aggressive driver would probably drive something other than a LeSabre!

Interior-wise, this is a six-passenger car all the way. The front console swings up to make room for the 3rd person in the front if necessary. The console itself is roomy enough to hold CD's standing on edge and includes a change holder as well as a pivoting two-cup holder. Controls on the driver's door include power side view mirror adjustments, all windows, a window lockout button, door lock button, and a trunk release button which is even lockable - if you get an available Valet key it will only operate the driver's door and the ignition. Your trunk contents would be secure. A nice touch is that all door-mounted controls are lighted.

The power driver's seat is quite comfortable and includes a manual lumbar support (probably the bulge that the previous reviewer felt - the adjustment might have been turned up all the way). The passenger seat gets the lumbar support as well but not power.

Some nice amenities include having the full compliment of outside lights automatically turn on after you begin using the wipers (the daytime running lights are always on, of course), audio and cruise controls mounted on the steering wheel, and a power outlet for a cell phone charger, etc. that doesn't require removing the lighter. It also features automatic load leveling - adjusting the rear shocks to keep the car level depending on how much weight is in the back.

For a full rundown of the features, you can check http://www.buick.com/lesabre/features/ .

There were two anomalies I noticed. First is that the fan for the heating/air conditioning is incredibly loud. You won't damage your hearing, but it's annoying. The other is the location of the battery - it's under the rear seat! Although, if you need to jumpstart the car, there are terminals under the hood that you can use to connect jumper cables to.

An unusual little drawer in the center of the dash initially struck me as useless, but I found it perfectly accommodated my cell phone and company ID badge.

The rear was surprisingly roomy although I'm sure it's not the roomiest in the world. I would not be embarrassed to ask three adults to ride there. It also has a fold-out two-cup holder.

Under the hood, the oil dipstick, transaxle fluid dipstick and windshield washer tank are all clearly marked and easily accessible. There's a wide-mouth spout to add oil so a funnel won't be needed.

The trunk is vast (as my wife put it, "I think it sleeps three") and has a light as well.

The vehicle was a GM Certified Used Car so the remaining factory warranty is extended for 3 months and 3,000 miles.

These cars are amazingly available. I found plenty around with low mileage and checking through Carfax revealed most were rentals. This might turn some people off, but my theory is that people who abuse rental cars aren't renting LeSabres. It's four classes up from the compacts most people get if they are paying out of their own pocket. I started out looking for a Regal but there were literally 20 LeSabres out there for every Regal, and the price difference was negligible. And talk about value: the car I bought was only 9 months old, had just 18,000 miles, and was $11,000 less than a new one! Who knows if I could have gotten it for less with better bargaining skills?

Prior to purchase I asked my mechanic what he thought about LeSabres, and he replied, "Oh, they are very good cars. Very good. But I should tell you, it's an old person's car." That's the image Buick has, but I suppose it depends on whether image trumps value in your decision-making process. I don't care much about what a car looks like. I just want it to last. The LeSabre has been rated highly for owner satisfaction and reliability and that was a large factor in deciding to buy one.

[Update Nov 2008: Now have 60,000 miles on the car and other than routine maintenance all I have needed to do is replace two tires.]