12th Nov 2006, 11:12

It's possible the little vane inside the driver's side air supply duct is stuck or the cable is loose. We had this problem on one of our GM cars. Check that first before taking it to a shop if you can get to it to check it. They are way up behind the dash and hard to see or work on.

13th Nov 2006, 06:06

Sounds to me like the dual zone temparature controls just need to be adjusted. One is probably set to hot and the other is probably set to cold.

13th Nov 2006, 09:16

The climate control is electronic. It controls both side and the passenger side only can be switched to +/- 5 degrees.

25th Nov 2006, 18:38

I am the original poster of this review. One thing that I forgot to comment on was the very uncomfortable seat belt design on these cars. Instead of being mounted on the center pillar as in most cars, the belts are mounted to the seats themselves. I have found this design very uncomfortable (too tight around the chest). "Consumer Reports" also mentioned this when they reported on this model when it first came out. I have resorted to going without the seat belt. Besides this drawback I have found very little to bicker about.

29th Nov 2006, 11:26

Yes, the seat belt design on these cars IS uncomfortable, but please, DON'T go without the belts. I was in a very serious accident this year, and had I not had the seat belt and shoulder harness on, I would not be able to sit here and write this. As it was, I got only bruised ribs from the belts.

14th Nov 2007, 12:48

I am the original poster of this review and I have no new problems to report in the last year. The car now has about 106,000 miles. Last night a strange thing happened with the Buick. I was sitting in my living room when all of a sudden I heard a car starting in the garage. I went out to check and sure enough, the Buick had started itself?? It ran for about 20 seconds then shut itself off. This was very unusual, but I assume something happened to the automatic start on the car. It had never happened before and hopefully won't happen again. Maybe there is something to the movie "Christine?" Anyway I still plan to trade the Buick in the next 5-6 months for a 2005 Park Avenue. I just love these cars and Buick in general!

17th Dec 2007, 08:37

To the original poster, Re your Nov 07 comment about the car self starting in your garage. Has it happened again? Do you find out the reason why it started by itself in the first place?

Thanks for a great review!

17th Dec 2007, 17:40

8:37, No it has not happened again, thus I have not looked into it.

4th Feb 2008, 18:50

I am the original poster and unfortunately things have gone down hill a bit with the Buick since the Nov. post. At the end of Dec. I had to replace a stabilizer bar bushing which was only $50 including labor. Then a few weeks ago the car started shuddering when I went to pass another car and the "Service Engine Soon Light" came on. It turned out some rodent had made my engine bay its home and chewed a wire causing the 2nd and 5th cylinders not to fire. (Imagine a 4 cylinder Park Avenue!) That was only $41 dollars including labor to re-connect. A few days ago the car wouldn't start out of nowhere at the super market. After 3-4 tries I decided to let it sit for about 5 minutes and try it, it fired right up. It has been starting normally for the last several days now. My biggest concern has been a slight "jerking" of the transmission only while the cruise control is engaged. I'm hoping it may be a combination of the cold and trans fluid/filter needing replaced. Any help or recommendations would be nice. I will probably have a mechanic look at it in the next few days. I am done with college in 3 weeks and hope to buy an '05 Park Avenue within 2-3 months. I just pray this one will last until then! Needless to say, I no longer plan on keeping this one as a second car. I may eventually buy my 88 year old great grandma's '03 Century for that duty.

8th Feb 2008, 11:20

I took a ride today with the local mechanic and he said that a tune-up should fix my problem with the jerking. Tune-ups aren't cheap these days, but I am glad to know it is not the transmission. Assuming he is right anyway.

8th Mar 2008, 16:47

I had a tune-up done a few weeks ago at a non-Buick garage for $265 which fixed my problem. I was over quoted in price by $65! I wish I had gone to the Buick garage which only wanted $250.

17th Aug 2008, 19:29

I finally purchased a 2005 Park Avenue last week with just under 17,000 miles. It is White Diamond and loaded with nearly every option except the Gran Touring option and the 12 disc cd changer, it is not an Ultra either. I will add a review when I have put about 1,000 miles on it. The '99 sold the very first day I put it up for sale! The elderly couple that purchased it plan to take it from Indiana to Florida to use at their second home. I hope it serves them as well as it did me. In the close to 3 years I owned it I put close to $1,000 dollars into it. Only a few hundred were items that affected the way the car ran and drove. I just fixed the rest because I am a perfectionist and can't stand for things to be broken.