1978 Buick Regal- Trusty "Old School" GM car
Pros:
Fairly reliable, simple and cheap to repair, sturdy, cool styling.
Cons:
Frame rails rust out; gas mileage; flaky paint; carburetor; not great traction.
The Bottom Line:
Two sets or reasons I like it: Cheap and reliable, and cool 70's styling and comfort.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
This is a '78, not an '84, but there was no place for a '78, and aside from styling and some new stuff the '78-80 Regals were the same as the '81-87s.
I got a good deal with this car- 4 years and 40,000 miles of service, and it cost $500. It has very attractive, curvy styling, and big comfortable front seats for my lanky frame. It has been fairly reliable, and it's problems tend to be inexpensive- I've only once spent over $100. The car has a simple, old-fashioned design- rear-wheel drive, carburetor, no computer parts that I can see, so its easy as it gets to fix. It has a smooth cushy ride on the highway, and is all around very comfortable.
The car was not without problems when I got it. It had been in a rollover and gotten badly scraped up, which coupled with a flaky paint problem caused some widespread surface rust which I sanded off and painted over with rustoleum. Also it had been sitting for some years and even now corrosion, grime and simple age are a major cause of any problem. 26 year old rubber parts are often crumbly! If you get any ancient car, save trouble and carefully check any rubbery parts first thing- belts, hoses, carb vacuum lines, etc.
The car does have some drawbacks. Everyone sees it and expects a hot rod, but it only has the moderately powered 231 cc 3.8l V6, which however is perfectly adequate, just not stunning. Gas mileage is crummy- I'd guess 17 city/21 hwy. The rear-wheel drive does not provide very good winter traction, and the carburetor is more temperamental than fuel injection. Also the engine has a bad seal, which doesnt effect performance but does mean you have to check the oil every 200 mi, a nuisance on long trips.
A common problem on all Regals this age is the rear frame rails- due to bad design, they nearly always rust out. Replacement costs $500+, but since all they do is hold up the rear bumper, I did the cheap expedient of reinforcing it with cables run through holes drilled in the rear of the trunk.
It ain't perfect, but it's my trusty servant, and it has a great deal more character than most cheaper cars. I intend to keep it as long as possible. Hopefully it'll last through grad school- if it does I may restore it or something!
