Faults:
The first owner beat neglected it fairly badly, which wasn't apparent at the time of purchase.
Intake gaskets leaked; fixed this and everything else myself.
Rocker panels and strut towers turned out to be rusted. Had to have the strut towers fixed; rocker panels aren't visible, so they will be left alone.
Dexcool got very nasty in reservoir, so I flushed the system. This should be done on all dexcool cars. The stuff is horrible.
Have to replace the rear deck speakers.
Belt tensioner had to be replaced, that is normal though.
Small battery drain, has gone dead several times, not a problem if driven every other day.
Shift indicator light doesn't work, but the previous owner attempted a repair of a common key removal problem, and the result was the broken indicator.
Small crack on dashboard and both window motors (2dr)
Replaced all four struts, headlights, and tail lights leak water, but I resealed them.
General Comments:
Car is fun to drive and a real head turner. Get compliments all the time.
This car was a project car for me. I sure have fixed a lot of things, mostly neglect from the previous owner. Car has had a few non normal problems related to factory work, but not many. With proper maintenance and some patience, this car should treat you well.
3800 Series II is my favorite engine out of any car I have driven. My mom's LeSabre has it as well. It is smooth responsive and very strong. It is excellent for passing and has good power throughout the rpm range. Above 4000 rpm it makes a very pleasing growl. Plenty of engine for this car and is still very fuel efficient, averaging 27 in normal driving. Wish this car had the 4T65E instead of the 4T60E transmission. The 65 is smoother and shifts quicker.
The interior is very comfortable and good for trips. Like I said, it gets tons of looks and the chicks dig it. Good ride.
8th Jun 2008, 00:19
The problem with the 3800 Series II is that it had the plastic intake manifold that more often than not leads to the destruction of the motor. Do you have any suggestions of how to deal with this enormous flaw?