- sedan 66,294
- Houston, TX
- 5 years
- autoshopper.com
- sedan 66,294 gasoline silver automatic
1999 buick park avenue review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. It's a pleasant step up into quiet, roomy luxury, bolstered by high quality and a much more authoritative set of dynamic capabilities. walkaroundtwo models are available: $31,800 park avenue and $36,695 park avenue ultra. (prices include $670 destination charge.) we prefer the livelier performance of the park avenue ultra. The park avenue comes well equipped and stacks up as an exceptional buy among large cars. this latest generation of park avenues looked like an evolutionary update when it was introduced for 1997, but it was completely re-engineered. The park avenue shares its basic platform with the oldsmobile aurora. Compared with the previous generation park avenue, the new one rides on a longer wheelbase and a wider track. At 58. 1 inches, this park avenue is three inches taller than the old one and it weighs about 250 pounds more. Big doors make getting in and out easy and there's lots of front and rear headroom and legroom. Available in 205-horsepower normally aspirated (park avenue) and 240-horsepower supercharged (ultra) versions, the 3800 delivers lots of low rpm getaway power, instant throttle response, and plenty of punch for passing. power is transferred to the front wheels through one of gm's butter-smooth electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmissions--they're among the best in the business. buick has improved the appearance of the tail lamps on the base park avenue for 1999, so that it looks more like the ultra from behind. The sound system is upgraded from last year and new colors and interior trim freshen its appearance. interioras we noted, roominess and ease of entry were top design priorities and the park avenue is a bullseye on both counts. Interior space is just this side of vast, a word that also applies to the trunk. And getting in and out is devoid of the simultaneous duck-and-bend movement required in some swoopier designs, even though the door sill is a trifle higher. like the exterior, the interior styling rates as more contemporary than the previous park avenue. Over resistance from longtime buick owners, interior design chief paul tatseos managed to break out of the old horizontal dashboard theme that afflicted the '96 park avenue by installing a modestly curved cowl over the main instruments. Besides offering a more modern appearance, this allowed a bigger speedometer and tachometer, which makes them easier to scan. another welcome change is the general appearance of the dashboard, which shows a strong riviera influence with its sharp color contrasts between secondary controls (sound and climate control systems, for example) and the interior color schemes. A display allows the driver to calculate fuel economy, miles to empty and monitor tire pressure, oil level, coolant level; two trip odometers can be useful on long trips. An electronic display can display cellular telephone status. anti-lock brakes come standard. Next generation (reduced force) dual front airbags are also standard. And that's a big plus. A stiff chassis helps the suspension engineers create ride and handling traits appropriate to a particular car's target market. It also makes it easier to keep noise out of the car, and pays long-term durability benefits. given this trait, it was interesting to see the handling distinctions between the basic park avenue and the flagship ultra. The steering system, which is different from the basic park avenue, varies the amount of power assist as vehicle speed and/or steering wheel angle increases, providing a significantly better sense of where the front wheels are pointed. more important, the stiffer suspension package--which also reduces ride height slightly--yielded much sharper responses in quick maneuvers. It's not quite as firm as the riviera, but it's far from flabby and the tradeoff in ride quality from the standard park avenue is minuscule. all in all, the ultra's enhanced control and firmer ride lends a contemporary feel that's a pleasant step forward for buick. quiet operation has always been a top priority for buick sedans, and here too the park avenues represent a step forward. Wind noise has been reduced to a mere whisper, and the new unitbody does a superior job of keeping road noise out of the cabin. The supercharged engine is audible at full throttle, but we think it's worth a little extra noise to have its superior thrust. add roomy seats with real move-around comfort, and the going becomes positively serene, particularly in freeway cruising. The park avenue isn't quite as quiet as the lexus ls 400, but the distinctions are academic in most operating situations--unlike the distinction in price. summarybuick has characterized itself as a purveyor of 'premium american motorcars,' and the park avenue is an excellent ambassador for this theme. Tachometer✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Climate Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Aluminum Wheels
Houston, TXHouston, TX 5 years at autoshopper.com