Faults:

Transmission started to slip at 142,000 miles (I later realized that the previous owner had flushed it; this causes problems).

Memory seat recall function is temperamental.

Front passenger's side tire pressure sensor failed at 155,000 miles; has yet to be replaced.

General Comments:

If I were to sum up the review of this vehicle into one sentence - much like you will see as the title of this review - it would be that the Lucerne is like driving a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. It is exceptionally comfortable, has just the right amount of bells and whistles to tackle just about any climate or situation, and is extremely quiet; even at highway speeds. As the keen reader may notice from the information panel on my review, I love large cars and find them to be the best types of vehicles for my 80-mile-a-day commute to-and-from school, work and home. Having previously owned a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis, I decided to look into cars of similar size and specifications. Now, I admit, after lots and lots of car shopping it seemed that the Ford Panther Platform was the way for me to go. After all, I was so used to this Grand Marquis, so why not get another one or go a bit more "upscale" and opt in for a Town Car? I found myself asking the same question over and over. That is, until I ran across the Buick Lucerne.

I found an inventory listing for a reputable dealership that was relatively close to my house (say, an hour's worth of driving) and decided to drive down there and take a look. It was there that I had located the very same car that I am driving around in now: a 2007 Sharkskin Grey Buick Lucerne CXL. After the first test drive I was hooked and I knew that I had to have this vehicle. The road handling characteristics are great, as it had a very smooth, quiet and comfortable ride - both in town and on the highway. In addition, it had loads of other features that my Grand Marquis had lacked; such features included rain-sensitive wipers, OnStar, Satellite Radio, heated and power-operated front-driver and front-passenger seats, and much more. Even though it had 141,000 miles on it, I decided to buy it due to its good condition and well-documented service history.

Moving forward, I now have around 160,000 miles on it and haven't looked back. This vehicle has been nothing but good to live with, and reliability has been near-perfect. However, like with most cars, this Buick does have its share of pro's and con's - which I shall list out below:

PROS

* Comfortable, quiet ride

* A good amount of features, including heated power-operated front seats and automatic level control for the rear shocks

* Good looks (I wish those portholes were functional, though)

* Relatively low running costs

* Decent gas mileage

CONS

* The V6 could use a bit more power (199 horsepower from a 3.8? A bit more would be nice!)

* (This is going to sound "typically American", but...) the cupholders are a bit narrow and shallow. If you take a wide enough, turn your drink is bound to spill

* Large pillars make for large blind spots

* The four-speed automatic, while generally smooth, can sometimes feel "clunky"

Overall, the Lucerne is an excellent car that I feel will continue to serve me well for years to come. It's a shame that GM stopped making this, because it was truly worth keeping and updating! Anyone looking for a reliable, comfortable vehicle should definitely check one of these out!

Faults:

The only thing I had to replace was the serpentine belt, because it was beginning to squeal and crack in some places. But other than that, going through a set of brakes, tires, and regular oil changes every 3,000 miles, nothing has gone wrong with this car. I keep everything lubed and in perfect condition.

By the way, I see people have a lot of problems with tires on this car. I've invested with 80,000 miles - the Goodyear Assurance Comfort Rides. They are A MILLION times better than the Continentals. They are so quiet, so smooth, and grip the road in hard corners without squealing! I've had these tires for two years now, and I still have about 70% tread left on the tires. Plus I rotate them every 5,000 miles.

General Comments:

I have had nothing but good luck with this car. The reliability is amazing! And the Northstar V8 is amazing. When you slam down that pedal, it gets up and goes without an issue, and can pass any large truck with ease. But while cruising between 65 and 70 mph, I have been able to get almost 30mpg! Around town, I get around 19mpg. So on average, I normally get between 21 and 24 mpg with this car, which is amazing!

The car is only a CXL, but has everything that the CXS has, except the navigation system, the slightly quicker V8, and the turn signal lights in the side view mirrors. Other than that, it has every other option.

I love the heated washer fluid (which I replaced the unit with a newer system after the recall, so the system still works as it did from the factory), the rain sense wipers, the heated and cooled seats, automatic everything, remote start, the works! And it is a very pretty pearl white. With that color and the 17-inch chrome plated rims, the car looks REALLY sharp (and the rims aren't pitting)! It definitely turns heads! And the big cushy seats are so comfortable, especially with my lower back problems.

And the handling is UNBELIEVABLE with how big this car is! I have Stabilitrak and the magnetic ride control off of the Corvette. And I've taken hard corner with WRX's and BMW's, and was able to keep up with them.

It's a shame Buick dropped the Lucerne. Because with proper maintenance and care, these cars will run forever! Everyone who has seen this car and rode in it has had nothing but good things to say about it. I think it is one of the best cars that GM has put out in a long time!