10th Sep 2013, 17:25
Yeah, I really wish Buick would have kept the Park Avenue platform and updated it as Cadillac did with the DeVille/DTS. My 2005 Park Avenue was just superior to the newer Lucerne in just about every way in my opinion.
On a side note, you may try lightly sanding the clearcoat with a very fine sand paper (1000 grit or finer) in a circular motion, then buffing it with a polishing compound using an electric buffer. If your paint defect doesn't go all the way to the paint, this should make it at least look less noticeable and may completely remove it. I have gotten out numerous scratches on various cars using this method. Just be careful not to sand through the clearcoat.
22nd Dec 2013, 23:08
-Original Reviewer-
I just wanted to provide an update to my original review about my '07 Lucerne, and wanted to thank those who have commented and provided insight into some of the issues I was facing. As of today, the composition of this review, my Lucerne has 170,000 miles on it and is still running strong. In this time, basic maintenance was required (oil changes, tire rotations, etc.) but I also opted to change some other items in the vehicle and wanted to share what I did in order to give others insight into what costs may be involved to do something similar. In addition, some repairs were necessary in order to ensure that the car continued to function normally. These items include:
EVAP failure (~163,000 miles) - I failed my Massachusetts State Inspection because of an emissions-related check engine code. It was diagnosed as a faulty EVAP Vent/Value Solenoid problem (the solenoid was stuck in an "open" position) and was repaired. If you ever need this work done to your vehicle, keep in mind that your mechanic may want to upgrade the jumper harness for this solenoid, as a new one was recently made available on the market. My thermostat was also broken (vehicle was running a full 40 degrees cooler than it should have been), and it, too, was replaced. These repairs cost around $500.
New shocks - After around 160,000 miles of being well worn-out, I replaced all of my shocks/struts in my car. The replacement of these components cost around $1,200. That included a new air kit for the rear auto-leveling shocks. If you have magnetic ride control, however, you may find yourself paying more for parts and labor.
Other than the two items that I listed above, this vehicle has been amazing in every way. It has tackled everything that I can throw at it (New England winters and all) and continues to run and idle as smooth as a Swiss watch.
I will be sure to keep everyone updated.
23rd Dec 2013, 22:41
"It has tackled everything that I can throw at it (New England winters and all)"
Undercoated? Worth the money if you want to keep your car for a while.
13th May 2014, 16:22
- Original Reviewer -
Just wanted to provide some more updates on my vehicle. I am now closing in on 180,000 miles and a few issues have cropped up, causing me to perform more repairs. With this, I replaced the following:
* Engine torque strut.
* Engine mount.
* Front tie rod ends (both of them).
* Complete overhaul of the braking system (new pads, rotors, calipers, and brake lines).
* Brake position sensor (my brake lights were illuminating at random; replacing the sensor fixed this issue).
I may be forgetting a few other items, but that is the general gist of what has been replaced or repaired. Altogether, it cost $1700.
My mechanic recommends that I replace all four of my rims, as they are badly corroded. This seems to be a common problem on my vehicle, as well as the Cadillac DTS.
9th Sep 2013, 12:39
- Original Reviewer -
I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience with your Lucerne. It's funny that you mention the paint issue, too, because I was having some issues on various parts of the car: The roof in particular. It looks like someone took dish soap, smeared it near my sunroof, and let it "bake" into the paint. No amount of washing and polishing has been able to remove it.
While I have been really happy with my car, it has been far from trouble-free. This is especially true when you look at what happened to the previous owner of this car (looked at the service records that he kept). The door handle popped off, the sunroof motor failed and everything. And he bought the thing brand new. Whoops, I guess this one slipped through the pre-delivery inspection at the dealer.