Piston Slap: This Sabre Rages Against a Throw-Away Society (Part II)

(Thank you for heeding the call last week, but I could still use a few more Piston Slap questions for my inbox. Please email me at pistonslap@hagerty.com if anything is on your mind. Anything car-related, that is!)

Adam writes:

Sajeev, thank you for your response. Seeing you and the other Hagerty community members rally around and support “Grandma’s Buick” was heartwarming.

When the Buick was out of commission, I rented a Toyota Corolla for a 400-mile road trip. I can see why they are so popular. The trip computer said I was averaging 40 mpg (the Corolla was over-optimistic on that front; it was more like 36 mpg). The Lane Centering and Adaptive Cruise Control features were helpful, but they didn’t make the drive any less stressful than I had hoped.

At the end of the trip, I called the mechanic and told him to go ahead and do the work as I was ready to be back in the “Grand Boulevardier” and so…

…The Buick Lives!

I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’m going to have your statement printed up and hung above the Buick’s spot in the garage:

“This LeSabre was built to last, even if that was a side effect of being less innovative/fun/prestigious than its competition was when new. This Buick deserves your best, and it will give it right back to you as the months and years pass.”

Since the transmission was redone (with its proper 3.05:1 gear set) I’m now getting about 8% better fuel economy. That proves the transmission has been going out for the past 4 years and 20,000 miles. What they say is true: a GM 3800 V6 vehicle will run bad longer than a Toyota will run good.

On the way to the transmission shop, the Buick finally threw a check engine code for the torque converter that it was unable to lock up. When we got into the transmission, the torque converter seemed to be, in fact, the culprit. I think the bearings were starting to let go internally and all that metal clogged up the pump and filter and generally made a mess of things pretty fast. I have been good about monitoring the fluid and changing it to help keep an eye on things, but sometimes you don’t win.

To its credit, though, the Buick didn’t strand me when it could have, which makes me want to fix it even more. The next projects are to replace the A/C Compressor Clutch, repair a broken heating element wire in the heated seat, and replace the auto-dimming driver’s side mirror. That should keep me busy.

I hope you, your family, and the Hagerty Community members have a great holiday!

Sajeev answers:

Reading your email brought me great joy, Adam. I am glad to hear the Buick lives to see another day! The comment from the previous Piston Slap that you liked enough to keep with the car is something I feel strongly about. Very strongly, in fact.

That’s because I started my writing career when the Buick Lacrosse came out. I was highly critical of it, and that critique still stands.

***

Oh dear, that was 18 years, five months, and 11 days ago.

But the flaws present in that brand-new GM product made with W-body underpinnings are now officially assets. So many of the LaCrosse’s “superior” foreign competitors have fallen by the wayside since 2006, and I don’t have much faith in GM’s current crop of turbocharged (and sometimes CVT-equipped) vehicles being able to carry this torch for the brand or its owners.

Not that I’m suggesting a 3800-powered GM product will outlast new GMs (even with a 20-year head start), but it wouldn’t surprise me if your particular Buick LeSabre did just that. It is an honor to hear you will put my quote in your garage. All the best to you and the Buick, and have a great holiday!

Have a question you’d like answered on Piston Slap? Send your queries to pistonslap@hagerty.com—give us as much detail as possible so we can help! Keep in mind this is a weekly column, so if you need an expedited answer, please tell me in your email.