Makes me feel bad for the engine because it never gets used to it’s full potential. Almost everyone I see in a Buick is an old person that drives 10-20mph below the limit.
@@TheWutangclan1995 Thats what makes these so good to own. Buy one off an old person you'll get a car thats never been abused, and it will likely come with a folder containing full service history.
I drive a '99 Buick Regal GS. My family bought it new in 2000. It is a hand-me-down from my parents. The tail of the L on the Regal script badge is missing on one side like this one. It still has the factory Monsoon sound system. It's turning under 2000 rpm at 70. I'm *told* the fuel pump shuts off at 112. I'm pretty sure my boost gauge doesn't dick around with me like that. Yes, my dash display quit for several years. It's four tiny resistors and one giant one-piece dash panel to get at. Don't pay $700 for a gauge cluster if you know someone who can solder properly. My moonroof brackets broke. The repair kit costs $150. The dealer will try to charge you $2100 for a complete new assembly. Don't do it. I have enough regret hiring a shop, because they fixed it for a lot less, but damaged everything else they touched. You can probably do it yourself if you're any more handy than I am. I took off my beauty cover before I let the dealer do the recall repair. It's just about to turn over 130,000 miles. It does Buick things. The interior in particular does Buick things. Yes, I have autocrossed it and survived. Yes, I took it to Radwood last year. It's worthless. I like it.
Lol "Buick things." I had an 01 Regal LS until recently. Lots of "Buick things" over the years. Ignition switch and weird battery failures were the most common. Definitely learned how cars worked driving and maintaining this car.
Buick Things..... Yep, like the fuel pump that made my gas gauge go bazerk. Or the faulty air bag that made my directional stop working. Or the faulty turn signal that made my gauges all go to zero. Mechanically a bullet proof vehicle, I drive it fairly hard, though I do take care of it. But, the electronic gremlins are definitely abound!
Justin Stewart Mine had the usual intermittent power window issues, had a supercharger rebuild around 110k, used to absolutely eat steering racks when it was under warranty. It literally wrecked five steering racks in three years and we determined it had a bad set of tires from the factory. It had been on the lot for several months and had 120 miles on it and they gave us several thousand bucks off MSRP. I suspect it was a dealer demo car or something. It’s Twilight Blue metallic with the monochromatic option (no gray lower), very rare color on GSs as far as I’ve seen.
In high-school a friends parents had 2 cars in the yard. A brand new suburban, and a 2 year old Buick Regal GS. His parents were concerned he would pile too many people into the suburban for trips to McDonald's at lunch time... so they would only allow him to drive the Regal... yeah! What kinda trouble could we possibly get into on a half hour lunch in a *brown* sedan...
because every 10 to 20 years..... buick decides to make something fast to "engage the youth".... and attempt to shed the "grandma car" stereotype . hell... buick was in NASCAR for a few years.....
@@therealsnoop7497 MOST women.....I am not one of them. Every car I have owned gets the "beauty" covers yanked off immediately after buying it. I have owned 3 Regal GS's and everyone got the cover yanked off. even without the threat of a fire. Useless piles of garbage on any car
I've been getting those recall notices for my LS since 2014. It's followed me to Texas. I don't think I've gotten one for my GS. Leaky rocker cover gaskets.
How quickly you forget another character, a character that enters and exits in a cloud of Goodyear Eagle RS-A tire smoke, wears cheesy colored sunglasses from the local gas station and has a shit eating grin while shredding those Goodyears....a man by the name of FUDGEMAN 💩💩💩
I really like the newer sedans. I really find cars a little before 2010-2012 to be very basic boring old looking or even ugly. But of course every one has their own tastes. Looking at getting a 2014 Camry SE. It is blacked out with blacked windows and tint. I realize most sedans are for transportation and not trying for performance. But I really thing sedans are taking a positive turn. At least for what appeals to me. I personally like the new Camry with the red leather interiors. I don't even like red. And I'm not into performance but I really like the look. I literally drive like a grandma in a brand new SUV with both hands on the wheel yet I want my car to look like a speed demon. Sorry for the long reply....
3800 Series II, Supercharged!! Can't remember the year, but the 3800 was voted one of top ten engines in the world. Looking back, Regal GS, Park Avenue Ultra, Bonneville SSEi, Grand Prix GTP, Buick 88 LSS, Buick Reviera, think only in Canada, all with the Supercharger. It first went from 170, 205, 240 and I think 260 horsepower over it's years. An awesome and reliable engine, with or without Supercharging. :-D
@japanwatchconnection True but that was the case for the 3800 Series II only, to my knowledge. The Seires III gets the green light for total reliability. But since I'm in the market for a Series II, I'm going to see if they have metal parts to replace the plastic ones.
japanwatchconnection DEXCRUEL (DEXCOOL) ruined the lower intake gaskets/plastic elbows, and created an orange sludge in the coolant system. Swap out that crapola with a long life coolant and you have a bulletproof drivetrain. I know because I did this with my '02 GTP when it had about 110,000 miles. Replaced the lower intake gaskets at the same time. Aluminum elbows replaced the plastic ones as well. My car is approaching 180,000 miles and it still runs like new and the coolant still looks good.
@@Lucille69caddy whats up. i just bought my sister a 2000 Buick regal ls, 1 owner, 69000 original miles. its really clean i gave it the once over. ive heard these 3800 series engines are super reliable ,done my research over the last 3 months and everyone including youtubers raves about them exept ( like you mention) the plastic coolent elbows and lower intake gasket which im replacing soon, as preventative maintenance. you say you swapped out the dexcool coolant with long life, did you mean (long life dexcool ) or any generic long life coolant like prestone???please reply means alot.
Dustin Walker Hello Dustin. I used Havoline Long Life coolant for the swap. 80,000 miles later all is still well with my GTP. It is very important to thoroughly remove ALL of the DexCool because it's not compatible with any other coolant. You don't want to clog the heater core or thermostat (the latter you should replace when you flush your system). I've heard that DexCool has been reformulated. I still don't trust it.
For PA it may qualify for a classic tag. It needs to be out of production and from a manufacturer that doesn't exist anymore. I need to go look this up again but my daughters '03 Ion2 would qualify if I'm right.
Thank you Mr. Regular for existing and reviewing these bland old regular cars. I sincerely rather watch a Buick Regal flashback poop jokes included than any generic 2019 supercar review. You are giving "regular cars" a voice that would otherwise be forgotten completely in this day and age as just an uninteresting ripple in the automotive timeline.
I wanna build a street legal Sand Rail around one. Even if it has to be a non supercharged 3000 series Buick V6, it's still going to be a scary fast little Dune Buggy.
As I sit here in a hotel in the Poconos, eating my cheap fast food and watching Regular Cars, I miss my 1992 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with a Series I 3.8L engine. I remember refueling with Premium only, and wishing I had a Park Ave from a couple years later so I'd have the superior supercharger. The Buick 3.8 has always been my favorite American V6 and this video doesn't disappoint, but the food and winter weather sure do. 50% of the reason I watch RCR is the Pennsylvania cred, but this Regal gives me peepee envy. I miss that Buick, and perhaps one day I will drive one again.
Short story: I worked at a dealership where they bought cars off the street if someone was interested. A soon-to-be coffin dweller brought one of these in and sold it to us. Since I was the young guy, and he didn't have a way home, I had to take him back to his house in this pearl white Regal GS. I knew exactly what this car was and what it was about, so imagine the temptation I had to cull while I was on the 20 minute drive there. Needless to say, as soon as I dropped him off and was well clear of the house, I couldn't resist putting the foot down. On that cold and rainy day, those tires were begging for traction. As it was coming up to my satellite store for our buy-here-pay-here program, I was afforded the privilege of driving it home that night. You know, to "shake it down." Man, do these things pull. I ended up selling it to another middle-upper age couple and never saw it again, which in the used car world is a good thing.
I had this car, in the non-supercharged variety. And yes, it was a hand me down from my grandma. I actually really liked it. It was cushy and comfortable, yet had a touch of sportiness to it. As much as a Buick could have, anyways. And of course, the GM 3800, which was a joy. The electronic system? Not so much. Remote locks, failed. Power windows, failed. Electric climate control, failed.
Yeah my grandmother, who DOESN'T DRIVE, bought a new 2020 Outback "just in case". Nobody else drives it, not her husband nor caregivers. Just a new car sitting in the garage for security (two more cars in the drive).... I don't look forward to the day when family is arguing how much to buy it from the estate.
@@stirfryjedi do people not just give stuff to their family members for free. feels wierd charging stuff for an estate unless i dunno you had a ton of debts.
When my grandfather died a couple of years ago at 102 I got his 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. It's a reliable car and has been pretty handy lately with my Accord being in the shop for a month with a mysterious misfire. The Marquis is actually pretty fun to drive.
I owned 3 Supercharged Buicks. A 97 Regal GS which I bought, saved it from death by fixing the motor and I sold it. I then bought a 1994 Park Avenue Ultra which I'm currently fixing up but will probably keep. The engine is fine, just needs some exterior TLC I also have a one owner 1998 Regal GS with 52,000 orig miles and lightly modded. It's an amazing car. Blue on Blue The 3800 Buick V6 is very reliable for a factory forced induction car. Only issue is the LIM gasket. The car could run to 60 in 6.5 seconds which is nothing special but back in 1997, that was pretty crazy and surprising for a Buick Knowing GM, the HP and torque numbers were underrated. I've seen dyno pulls with factory cars show 300 lb/ft of torque.
Yes, the Regal power-6 releases were conservatively rated alright. They had lots of unleashed potential, kept hemped up probably so that the car would be easy to pass requirements for the American highway. Those engines were always a nice surprise package too because not only were they sleepers right off the showroom floor, but they left plenty of latitude for modifications to liberate and use so much un-tapped potential. With factory setup, it was a car that you really didn't want to push it's limits because it could be dangerous for anyone unprepared for it's response. Add smaller supercharger pully, larger fuel injectors, larger exhaust and an intercooler, and the car was down-right scary.
@@JimButler1234567890 I wonder what the Buick Regal's car manual says about passing other vehicles on the road. In my own car's manual, it states to push the gas pedal all the way to pass on the highway, but I wonder if the Buick Regal GS manual says to push the gas pedal 3/4 of the way or less! (Considering it's a lot more powerful)
I enjoy so much the true regular bland everyday car reviews, because all of them have a story to tell, compared to supercars, these are the true working class heroes that put our world in motion
In Australia we had the 3.8L Ecotech in the Holden Commodores. I've had several of these cars and the 3.8L is a bulletproof engine. Most of them sold in Australia were N/A and only the high end sports or luxury models like the Calais or S pack had the supercharged engines. I still see lots of them on the road over 20 years later.
The 2000s Buick Regal always had a place in my heart. When I was a young boy back in China, it was the one of the very first mass production American Car in China. Made in Shanghai, without the 3800, of course. I believe the option were a 2.5 V6 and a 3.0 V6. I really liked the Regal comparing to other cars commonly found on the streets back then: Honda Accord, VW Passat (B3&B5), Nissan Teana(Altima), Ford Mondeo(Fusion), Toyota Crown (Avalon). My uncle drove one, and he gave my the manual and DVDs for that Regal. (Basically the entire owner documentation package, when I was 5 or so.) I remember watching the Advertising/Introduction for probably more than 200 times. Still remember that you need to "add Unleaded Fuel rated at #90 (Octane) or higher." There was also a poster that came with the package, and I had that stuck to the wall next to my bed. I believe that's where my interest in automobile begins. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to drive one, neither in China nor in Canada. Kind of a shame.
Cool fact about the Chinese Buick Regal, they made a 1:18 scale diecast promotional model of it. I've been tempted to buy one since I own a '99 Regal GS, but there's really no point because the wheels and the front and rear fascias are different. As far as I know it's only available in white, silver or black. Mine is Twilight Blue.
Remember this: The 1957 Chevrolet was just a mass produced FAMILY CAR. (Just like your Camry)...Think about the fact that TODAY more "classic car" people want a 57 Chevy than a 57 Cadillac. AND There's this:The 57 Ford was more popular in 1957 than the 57 Chevy......BOTTOM LINE: Who Knows? in 30 years, people MIGHT be willing to pay MORE for a 98 Toyota than for a 98 Lexus! It's happened before!
@@hakeemsd70m That's not even sarcasm either. It's all about nostalgia. Most of us are getting to an age where we're nostalgic about regular cars that our parents or parents' friends owned when we were kids. It's strange to me too that my '93 Passat is increasing in value (have owned it for 2 years, put very little into it, and it's doubled in value), and that people are nostalgic over things like the old Geo Metros and such. TL/DR: People are nostalgic about what they actually had at the time. Most people didn't have Bentleys
Also that transversely mounted 3.8 LOVES to leak from the front valve cover. It's angled just a bit forward so oil sits a bit too long when breaking and at idle, wearing the gasket faster than the other Fortunately it's easy to get to.
Mike Brewer got greedy and now all he cares about is how much money he makes. Now he acts like his shit don't stink and his show is the best thing since sliced bread.
RT 1979 I think what he said was they were going to “dumb down” his segment, shorten the length of time he got to show repair processes, if you watch the early seasons it’s really technical and the last seasons Ed did it’s really just turned into reality tv junk which wheeler dealers never was.
The phrase "top of the line" always angers me, mainly because I used to do tech support for real estate MLS software around the time this car was new. A lot of the people I talked to were suckered into buying e-Machines. Every time I tried to gather specs on their computer, the description ended with "top of the line!" More often than not "top of the line" was a Cyrix processor and 4 MB ram.
top of the line is correct in this case. this was the highest trim level and options you could get in the regal. But it is funny that anyone would call an emachine top of the line.
@@ExRev79 Yep! This WAS "the top of line" for the Buick Century/Regal series (a "real" top of the line Buick would be a Riviera or Park Avenue). Having a "top of the line" "eMachine", in car terms, is roughly equivelant to a "Top of the line" Yugo! 😜
@@jamesslick4790 i actually owned an emachines (4 years ago was my grandmothers tho she replaced it with a sony vaio) id say the newer ones ae like the dodge neon
I absolutely love my 2000 Regal GS, and I'm gonna keep mine on the road as long as I can, these are special cars. There's no rational reason to keep pouring money and time into one of these W-Body cars, the plastics aren't the best and eventually they might rot out, but once you drive one and own one, there's no going back, you'll understand why someone would put in the money and time to keep one of these on the road. In time I'll be getting a tune and a bunch of suspension upgrades to make it that much better. (Also I have a good exhaust video on my channel if anyone's interested).
0:10 I have that SAME picture of the USS Constitiution. It was commissioned by the Constitiution conservation museum to save it from the scrapyard back in 1922. THATS awesome!
Three things: 1. The boost gauge isn't fake, there's a boost bypass valve with a solenoid on it that cuts boost as a result of torque management. 2. You need many much mods to make 300hp. 3. If you're good to a 4T65E-HD, it'll be good to you. They're not as bad as everyone makes them out to be.
I have this same engine in my Holden Statesman, and it's correct wheel drive (rwd) unlike this Buick. Threw a piston through the block, replaced the engine. They're a great rig and easy to work on.
OKAY SO that engine fire take the cover thing is REAL! I was given my grandmother's 3.8 W body impala (2001) and while changing the oil, the stem began leaking, it ran down the cover to the front of the exhaust manifold, which was hot... Because I'm stupid... And nicely charred my engine and eyebrows. Not to mention that now the front bumper is warped, all of the electronics are damaged, and this car is now 2 months from being CRUSHED. listen to the recall, folks
I love the supercharged 3800, especially the Series III. I had a modded 04 Grand Prix GTP that made 310 hp at the crank. A great sleeper that would wipe bros in Chargers and older Mustangs at stop lights. Torque-steered like a motherfucker though, and couldn't handle worth shit, because of the long wheelbase and weight, but I loved it dearly. Transmission gave out at 210k miles, and I had to scrap it, and I miss it. I hope I have another one as a classic in the future.
I prefer the series II. Yeah the series III had the best power and was the most technologically advanced version of the 3800, but it didn't have throttle-by-wire. To me, that makes all the difference.
That must've been so sick. I always kinda wanted to get my mom's 03 4Runner (1GR V6 Sport 2WD) and supercharge it. I would've taken a M/T from a Tundra to put in there. Shit woulda probably exterminated the rear tires. She sold it to her brother so rip that build. GTP sounds amazing though, sorry for that loss.
I miss my old 99 Grand Prix gt, had the series 2 na bottom end and L67 Top end with the eaton(3.5" Pulley) and a turbo, cam, heads and water to air intercooler, would routinely run low 12's high 11's, not bad for a grocery getter lol
My friend got one of these from his grandma. He let me drive it. I hit 130mph in it. He no longer lets me drive it after that. Now looking to buy one myself. Best sleeper I've driven after my crown viv intercepter.
I got one of these for $800 a few days ago apart from the mess that it is its one of the few cars ive seen that can still go fast and run even with a bad misfire and a bad mass airflow sensor starts everytime
As a 12 year old in 2000, I grew up in a pro GM household and I knew what this was. The problem was we were too poor, so s10’s and luminas it was. I guess I could get one now, but it just wouldn’t be the same. Modern equivalent would be an SHO Taurus in grey or a Kia stinger in white, perhaps. Few cars will ever be as good of a sleeper as this Regal GS
As a Regal GS owner, I was patiently awaiting this review. If you're ever in Southern Ontario and want to drive another, I have a '97 with a few minor mods.
Buick has been THE KING of sleepers going as far back as (and possibly beyond) the early 70's. I'm glad the world knows it now - thanks to this (always brilliant) channel.
yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!.. i buy and sell cars as a hobby and love when there are buicks because people really dont like paying top dollar.. but i get em and always make a nice profit due to little cost to get it running nice
Had one. I sought it out - as a 20 year old kid!! My mom had a Bonneville SSEi with the same engine. I couldn’t find a used SSEi but found a cheap GS with 40k miles, previously owned by someone’s grandfather who passed away - hopefully not in the car. Btw, the Park Ave Ultra was also available with that engine, and was a lot more top of the line than the GS. The Buick GSE was a step above the GS as well. I couldn’t find one when I was shopping. So what lead me to WANT this sleeper with bad handling? I did a lot of 500 mile highway trips - sometimes 1,000 miles over 3 days. I also had a bunch of college buddies over 6’ tall, so heading out to the bar or whatnot, it was nice to take one car. I had troubles with mine, of course. Dumped it with 120k miles for an E39 sedan with a stick - a story for another day. As bad as the Buick was, the supercharged engine helped a lot. I also had a ‘72 Buick GS coupe at the time - they were dirt cheap back then. It had a loud engine, 275 tires out back, raise in back on air shocks, and everyone said “nice Chevelle”. The newer GS was faster and a total grandpa sleeper. When I later sold each, I got twice as much for the rusty ‘72 GS. Go figure.
my grandma last had an 86 olds cutlass supreme with plastic literally over the seats. it had the 307 motor. it was a sweet ride. i was upset even as a kid when the fam junked it like a bunch of fools.. for a $7 head gasket. back then even as a kid I knew they were dumb for letting that car go. it had very low mileage and was mint.
Early 2000s crown vics have a big cult following. I think 2000s cars are getting to be revered soon especially since theyre the last cars built that arent purposely designed to be hard to work on and modify Many 2010s cars are built more like disposable appliances
And people wonder why I was unfathomably happy when I got my 2002 GTP in October. Paints a little rough and the plastic trim is coming off because it was kept outside BUT.... the interior is flawless and it had only 93k on it. And I practically stole it for 2500 because the cost of the L67 cars have gone UP
I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora with the North Star. I know it’s a bad motor but I’m a mechanic and I got it cheap after I blew up my lifted Tahoe. It is fairly quick.
qcn_ cummins flush out the old dexcool and replace with regular green, never change the tranny fluid(just keep it topped off), and don’t buy aftermarket anything on serpentine belt drive line. The motor itself was unstoppable but everything else on the car needs well maintenaning. I had a 98’ Autobahn edition, original engine was replaced at 201k (still running ok), swapped in a Shelby version and put 84k on it no issues all city miles, tranny was still good at almost 300k.
I've got the Grand Prix GTP and I can bust the myth of "bolt on upgrades (pulley, injectors, a TB and a tune) will give you 300whp. Maybe 300 crank but probably not. Mine has an intercooler now, 60# injectors w/ aem high flow fuel pump and an aluminum fuel rail. 3.4" pulley, log style exhaust manifolds and downpipe, ported throttle body and maybe something else I don't remember. Point is I have everything you can do to this car without touching the valvetrain and it makes about 270whp.
Myth is right. The supercharged 3800's in these cars put down around 200 whp bone stock on a Dynojet. And that's when they didn't have 120k+ miles on them. To get even 300 crank (250 whp) on pump, you'll need more than just a pulley and tune. Might be possible on E85 though, but on pump, you'll probably need to add sub-$200 ebay headers and a decent cam to the mods list. Not expensive, but also more than just a couple hundred dollars in parts.
@@jae9843to touch 300 safely you'll need a few thousand in mods. I say that because I went the cheapest route from ZZP for as much as I could do without cracking open the heads (which by the time I had the LIM off, I should have just gone full send but oh well) and even that was probably over 2k in parts. For an actual 300 whp set up, you'll need a dual pass intercooler setup, probably a GEN V blower, the aforementioned TB and Injectors w/ a fuel pump to keep up. Definitely some headers (you could get away with the log manifolds like I did but they're not going to flow as freely) and then valve springs, a cam and probably rocker arms to keep the valves from floating. That should give you enough head flow to run a pulley in the sub 3" range and that's really the only way to get above 300 wheel. Of course you could always just throw that small of a pulley on there on the stock valvetrain and be in a world of hurt when you end up eating a lifter or something but the _safe_ way is to do all the supporting mods.
@@manoman0 oh yeah it's definitely quicker. I wouldn't call it fast but it is quick. I also ended up needing a trans rebuild after those mods (partially because the trans gave out at 150k as is expected.) so I had it "built" kind of a "Stage 1" type of rebuild with an aggressive shift kit, a torque converter with a 400RPM higher stall and some other stronger internals (clutch springs etc. IDK the specifics of it because I don't know much about transmissions) and I would say that it is right in the perfect sweet spot to be nice and torquey and not have too much power to where it can't take corners. I have a bunch of suspension mods done to it too because Unlike this video states about these things being highway pullers, they are very capable in the corners _IF_ you know how to handle the weight transfer. The shift kit is a godsend when paired with the high stall converter because it just bangs through gears and feels like warp speed. All in all, I LOVE this car.
Imagine, for a moment, that engine.... in a Chevette. That be our Winter project. Also, Dad has an '01 Grand Prix GTP. I love that car, would totally daily the Buick version. Either would be an upgrade over our '98 Grand Am or '06 Civic Hybrid.
Vann Junkin the Chevette is our 24 hours of Lemons car, we call it the Frankenvette. If you hit the Google you’re sure to run into it, although it’s gone through many many changes, so no telling which version you’ll find. It used to have a 4.3 Chevy. Wanted more. Got it. Every time we race we find more things to change for our liking or to help longevity. We found that we are going to have to widen the ring gaps for the next race. Blew out a ring land last time.
Car nostalgia rules: 20 year old cars are allways hated (late 90s early 2000s) 30 year old cars are starting to become cool(late 80s early 90s) 40 year old cars are what the hippest people of the era drive(late 70s early 80s)
I never understood the dismay for GM W cars. They were extremely popular and sold millions of them. They are comfortable, inexpensive and easy to fix. As for the supercharger, most people don't know there is a fill plug for the supercharger oil. This should be inspected every so often to make sure the oil level is maintained. Although it does not have a drain plug, it should also be changed from time to time with the aid of a suction tool. The supercharger oil is part number 12345982. The fill plug is toward the pulley side. If I remember correctly the plug takes an Allen key. Regarding the transmission, that is another item that gets a lot of, in my opinion, unfair assessment. Some variant of that transmission (440-T4, 4T60, 4T60-E, 4T65-E, 4T65-E HD) was in almost every mid-sized and full-sized FWD vehicle GM made from 1984-2011. They are in over 100 million vehicles. Look at the list of vehicles this trans went into, it's probably 75% of everything they made during that time. Yes the early ones, particularly the 440-T4, had terrible teething issues. But by the time the 1990s rolled around, that trans was pretty solid. Over the years, my family and I have owned many vehicles with that transmission. 89 Century, 94 Grand Am (2), 96 Grand Am, 96 Regal, 2001 Regal GS, 2005 Montana SV6, 2005 Lacrosse, 2006 Impala. That;s 9 cars. None of them ever had a transmission problem. The Lacrosse and Impala are still in my driveway as they belong to my kids now. Lacrosse at 165,000 miles, Impala at 145,000 miles. So, just take into account how ubiquitous this transmission is. If 5% of 100 million transmissions have a failure, that is 5 million transmission failures. It sounds like a large number, but it is a small percentage. A brief history: The 440-T4 debuted in 1984 on the 1985 downsized, full-sized FWD vehicle, like the Buick Park Avenue, Olds 98 and Cadillac Deville. It suffered teething issues, for sure. It was GM's first FWD 4 speed overdrive transmission. These vehicles regularly achieved 30 mpg highway due to the overdrive gear, which was pretty remarkable for full sized vehicles in 1985. The 4T60 is quite the same as the 440-T4 but was renamed as the 4T60 to align with GM's shifting transmission naming convention (the THM 125C became the 3T40, the THM 400 became the 3L80, etc), although there were many, many updates to it early on to deal with said teething issues. The 4T60-E was the first electronically controlled version of this transmission family. It used a pair of computer controlled shift solenoids to obtain all four forward gears as opposed to the governor that controlled shift points in the 440-T4/4T60. It still used a vacuum modulator to control the overall operating line pressure of the transmission. The 4T65-E received some bolstered internal parts and also ditched the vacuum modulator in favor of a Pressure Control Solenoid. The Pressure Control Solenoid allowed the Powertrain Control Module or Transmission Control Module to control the operating line pressure of the trans instead of the vacuum modulator. The 4T65-E HD has even more robust internal parts and was employed in higher output vehicles like the one featured in this video, the supercharged 3800, and the LS4 V8 Impala/Monte Carlo SS and Grand Prix GXP. I think there was also a Buick Lacrosse Super that received this powertrain. In general, the transmission itself stands up okay, but the LS4 does like to shred torque converters if they are driven abusively. For anyone who has one of these transmissions, especially the later ones with full electronic controls and no vacuum modulator hanging off the front of the trans (4T65-E/HD, basically all of them after about 1997), do yourself a favor. Do a transmission service, i.e. replace the filter. While the pan is off, remove and discard the square magnet in the pan. Install one round magnet in its place (same location, at the skinny end of the pan, passenger side, below the final drive), then one more round magnet on the filter itself near the inlet where it picks up fluid. There is a small crescent shaped metal protrusion on the bottom of the filter. The magnet fits against it. Doing this will keep excess normal sediment from being attracted to the Pressure Control Solenoid. Doing this will reduce shift shudders, harsh shifts, soft shifts and a potential P1811 (Max Adapt Long Shift code). After that, just keep up with fluid and filter services, remembering to transfer the magnet to the new filter. The magnets are available from AC Delco and are easy to find on the internet. Auto parts stores can get them, too. Or, visit your local GM dealer. The part number is 29535617 and you will need two. Sincerely, ex-GM dealer transmission tech.
We as a community have been watching you for years. Even now this is a year old video. But the cheesyness of your jokes has never ever lost its touch and we love it!
Mr. Regular I had a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix (SPECIAL EDITION FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE!) that I absolutely loved, lasted until 208k miles - yes, transmission lost 4th gear after about 188k miles and by 200k I had every fluid leaking possible. Bought it from my uncle and that car gave me some amazing memories. 3800 is a great engine despite its flaws. This review really hit home. Thank you for that. I still miss my old car.
There is a HUGE W-body following, especially along the upper East coast and the Michigan and Ohio areas. While a lot of the guys own Grand Prixs, the Regal GS and Monte SS are in close second and third place. The crazy part is try finding a used L67. These motors, with decent mileage, go for more money than a junkyard 5.3 LS motor. These could be optimal for swaps into a RWD application, but modifying the snout on the M90 is a PITA unless you're skilled with a welder.
@@GP1138 You can find them in Illinois too, just more expensive than they're worth. Decent L67s around here go for about $550-650, where as the 4.8 and 5.3 truck motors go for 300-400 all day long.
My grandmother had this car. I can remember turning 16 in 2003 and driving it for the first time being like "what the f@#$?" So much get up and go, even letting your foot off the brakes it seems to start running away. I'm glad after 15 years to know that I'm not the only one who thought this was a sleeper.
Great video but there is a THRIVING community for those W Bodies, especially the L67 ones. Huge aftermarket support and the newest thing is Fiero guys swapping these in. Not the most economical platform for an enthusiast but still one thoroughly enjoyed. If you REALLY wanna make a a video about the most nonsensical W Body, the 9th generation Impala with the FWD LS4 is something that should not exist on paper And this is coming from someone who owns both an 8th gen l36 and a 9th gen LS4
Fieros getting L67 swaps is nothing new unless you mean in the last 15 years. People put everything in those, including the LS4 and other RWD LS engines. That said, the LS4 cars are pretty ridiculous for existing. And the 4t65eHD lifespan you can expect behind an L67 halves when you put it behind an LS4. Those things were blowing with 40k on the clock.
I bought one of these on purpose, same year, same color, minus the sunroof. Damn quick car. Loved it, sold it in better shape than I bought it in (because I do that with every vehicle I ever get) but I got a chance to pick up an 08 Lacrosse Super with the LS4 V8 and so moved on. I'm on my 6th Buick now. I think I might have an obsession.
Finally! A car I own. Bought mine a few years ago, and a month later bought an HP Tuners, intercooler kit, cam, injectors, pulley, headers, and related parts. Spent almost as much on those parts as I did buying the car. Only afterwards did I find out the trans is worthlessly weak, even to handle the very modest 320-330 whp I was looking for, so ditched the idea of modding and sold off all the parts. The all-iron block can take a serious beating, even with the cr@ppy cast pistons, so making power isn't the problem. And if you're like me, you can even look past the wrong-wheel drive. But to make 350 whp reliably, you'll need to drop some serious coin on upgrading the trans, and having someone else do it is like $4k. Having said that, like everyone else who's ever owned anything with a supercharged 3800, I love my car. It's super comfy, quiet, torquey, and ultra-cheap and easy to work on. The seat heaters are the best seat heaters I've ever used. I love the fact the engine only turns at 2k rpm @ 70mph. And I can get 30 mpg on the highway. But like every other w-body out there that's ever seen salt, it's got a case of the rusties (though not dangerously so yet like some) and like I said there are a few parts in the trans that are borderline. But I love this car so much and might be mentally compromised enough to drop $4k on upgrading the trans when it goes and swapping in a turbo for the stock heat pump.
Loved my 2000 Regal GS. Broke many of hearts with that thing. It was modded a bit though and nitto 555s. Loved that 3800 L67 so much I shoehorned one into my 88 Fiero gt. Sister still has my Old Buick. 380k on that old beast!
Bought one of those with 90000 km in 2005 drove it without any major problems till 2013 when I drove it to the scrap yard with 300,000 roughly kilometers scrapped it cuz the paint fell off and High kilometers but was a great car never even replaced the alternator just normal stuff like exhaust brakes plugs valve cover did leak oil from the manifold never fixed it completely just tightened it down threw some silicone on it great car one of the best I ever had
I had a 2001 regal for my first car at 16, 30k miles from an older lady, best thing I could've never wanted. "mash and hold on" is the perfect example. This thing would easily burn the front tires off for quite a bit. I was never disappointed by it. Seeing this brings back a lot. Glad you did this one!
This is actually my favorite daily driver platform. W body. Plentiful, cheap, easy to fix and work on. Reasonably brisk acceleration and a blower!! I love the GM 3800 3.8 liter motor. A designer version was avail once too called the "Christian Abboud Edition", also there was also annaversary edition to celebrate something or another and an Olympic edition even. So YES A GS TRIM LEVEL REGAL THATS NOT FROM THE RUST BELT IS WORTH SAVING. Someday we will lament that we cant buy a 2000$ factory supercharged sleeper to just beat the piss out of. Slap a cone filter directly on the TB and hear that Eaton m90 Wail! I pretend I'm driving a 1929 Mercedes SSK in the Mille Miglia lol. So laugh now, but in the end - old guys will talk about back in my day we could get 93 for a nickel and I shoulda saved that cheap 90s/2000s car. Just like everyones grandpa that laments he owned and sold a classic muscle or pony car for $1200 45 years ago. Electric and downsizing petrol cars is inevitable, we wont see things like this again. What we observe in an aging S-class or 7 series almost conclusively demonstrates that complication breeds the anthisis of longevity. And while we laugh at 90s GM build quality, well lets just wait and see what a 2018 vehicle looks like in 20 years. The only other certainty in life I'm aware of besides death and taxes, is nostalgia, and it certainly won't end any time soon. Cheers, C And shout out to RCR! Love you guys!
Those buicks came with handicap plates right out of the factory. 😄 ok, not officially but, they really were the last car most original customers ever owned!
Back in college, my roommate owned a PS2 with Goldeneye's spiritual successor Nightfire. One day he and a friend were playing on that level that's just two bases with a huge empty space in between spanned by cable cars. Think 2fort but twice as long, at least. And the friend had Oddjob's hat, and he managed to SNIPE my roommate from clear on the other end of the map. TWICE. Standard console shooter auto-aim notwithstanding, that is straight-up nuts.
Just goes to show how out of place I am haha, I like it. Then again, I daily drive a '98 Park Avenue with 230k on original drivetrain; not babied, towed nearly 5k lbs (how else was I going to get the Supercharged '98 Riviera home a couple hours away). Out of a dozen vehicles (mostly GM), the '98 Buicks are my newest cars, still kinda odd to think of them as "old"
My girlfriend had a 97' Buick Park Avenue. Man that thing was comfy, with a gigantic trunk. I also believe it had the 3800 engine in it as well. I'm surprised you've gotten to 230k, is that miles or kilometers? Unfortunately at 136k miles hers blew it's head gasket on the highway.. That was the end of that vehicle and it just got new tires too.. I wished that vehicle had lasted a few more years.
I have a 3800 series 2 V6 in my 95 Camaro, but this supercharger won't clear the firewall to bolt on -_- I'm pissed over it, it currently has a gutless 200hp and 225tq, and goes into limp mode in the winter.
Burgundy Burnouts most people want reliable horsepower, there’s a reason nobody turbos the v6 and they just go ls, and if you still want more power turbo that, if you wanna be an individual then by all means but it won’t have close to the potential or aftermarket support of an LS engine
I always will remember, I had my 99 escort zx2 and loved it so much and thought the world of it. I was never unrealistic, never thought it could beat a mustang or anything too spectacular. But one day I saw this kid pull up in a Buick park avenue with the seat way back, hat backwards, bass so loud you couldn't hear anything. So of course I was just gonna take off at the stop light and show him he's not as bad ass as he thought. Well turns out it was a supercharged park avenue and holy shit did he blow my doors off. My pride got checked, and I've had a massive respect for the supercharger Buicks ever since 😅
Awesome! I love all your videos, but this one got me good. I was a porter at a Buick dealership from 2002-2005. This car was so much fun to drive, we’d wait for the service manager and responsible salesmen to go home and we’d take turns ripping around the industrial side of town in these. Such great memories.
I still don't know how the universe didn't implode when they put a supercharger in a vehicle who's average buyer demographic was 92.3 years old.
Lmao so true
very true my friend. BUT this being the case , it makes for one of the best used cars to get. damned engine is nearly indestructible.
It gets worse...
They supercharged the Park Avenue.
Makes me feel bad for the engine because it never gets used to it’s full potential. Almost everyone I see in a Buick is an old person that drives 10-20mph below the limit.
@@TheWutangclan1995 Thats what makes these so good to own. Buy one off an old person you'll get a car thats never been abused, and it will likely come with a folder containing full service history.
I drive a '99 Buick Regal GS.
My family bought it new in 2000.
It is a hand-me-down from my parents.
The tail of the L on the Regal script badge is missing on one side like this one.
It still has the factory Monsoon sound system.
It's turning under 2000 rpm at 70.
I'm *told* the fuel pump shuts off at 112.
I'm pretty sure my boost gauge doesn't dick around with me like that.
Yes, my dash display quit for several years. It's four tiny resistors and one giant one-piece dash panel to get at. Don't pay $700 for a gauge cluster if you know someone who can solder properly.
My moonroof brackets broke. The repair kit costs $150. The dealer will try to charge you $2100 for a complete new assembly. Don't do it. I have enough regret hiring a shop, because they fixed it for a lot less, but damaged everything else they touched. You can probably do it yourself if you're any more handy than I am.
I took off my beauty cover before I let the dealer do the recall repair.
It's just about to turn over 130,000 miles.
It does Buick things. The interior in particular does Buick things.
Yes, I have autocrossed it and survived.
Yes, I took it to Radwood last year.
It's worthless.
I like it.
Lol "Buick things." I had an 01 Regal LS until recently. Lots of "Buick things" over the years. Ignition switch and weird battery failures were the most common. Definitely learned how cars worked driving and maintaining this car.
Nice!
Buick Things..... Yep, like the fuel pump that made my gas gauge go bazerk. Or the faulty air bag that made my directional stop working. Or the faulty turn signal that made my gauges all go to zero. Mechanically a bullet proof vehicle, I drive it fairly hard, though I do take care of it. But, the electronic gremlins are definitely abound!
Justin Stewart Mine had the usual intermittent power window issues, had a supercharger rebuild around 110k, used to absolutely eat steering racks when it was under warranty. It literally wrecked five steering racks in three years and we determined it had a bad set of tires from the factory. It had been on the lot for several months and had 120 miles on it and they gave us several thousand bucks off MSRP. I suspect it was a dealer demo car or something. It’s Twilight Blue metallic with the monochromatic option (no gray lower), very rare color on GSs as far as I’ve seen.
@@redneck630 I also had the gas gauge issue!
In high-school a friends parents had 2 cars in the yard. A brand new suburban, and a 2 year old Buick Regal GS. His parents were concerned he would pile too many people into the suburban for trips to McDonald's at lunch time... so they would only allow him to drive the Regal... yeah! What kinda trouble could we possibly get into on a half hour lunch in a *brown* sedan...
*BROWN*
*B R O W N*
I don't get it. Someone tell me what I'm missing.
@@baronvonjo1929 I'm confused just like, I'm a 90s baby, must be an Old Head thing
@@baronvonjo1929 what's there not to get? They let the kids take out the GS and they whipped it lol
"Guess who I- *LOOK AT ME*. Guess who I am?!"
Terrifying Dad.
😎😎😎Cool DAAAAAAD!
😂
Wait... you guys got dads 😨
Lol uncle/grandpa no no!!!!!!
Now now Billy!!!!!!!!
@@James-es1fg Pumphrey?
One of my friends had one of these the police showed up to his house one day asking his dad how a Buick could smoke tires for 2 blocks
Lamo
because every 10 to 20 years..... buick decides to make something fast to "engage the youth".... and attempt to shed the "grandma car" stereotype
.
hell... buick was in NASCAR for a few years.....
@@kainhall well duh, how you think the gnx became a thing?
@@a_common_weeb "Laughing ass my off"
@@SAMPLETEXT285 reasonable chuckle
Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing
DRthirdLEGGED Both cheeks goddamn it!
Thanks Ron
DRthirdLEGGED -Ron Swanson
@@wickedmuffin76 your welcome
"Cool Dad" needs to be a regular feature on "Meh Cars" featured on RCR.
What is Meh about a Regal GS?
Herbie Husker It’s mere existance
INUMIMI28 *Its mere existence*
- Cool Dad
Along with Uncle Pull Tab.
2nded dad
GM: We're going to take the engine cover because catches fire.
Grandma: Put it on I like it, I don't care of it catches fire.
Woman of all ages prefer form over function 😂
roflmao🤣 I was JUST wondering where mine went?
Love this comment
@@therealsnoop7497 MOST women.....I am not one of them. Every car I have owned gets the "beauty" covers yanked off immediately after buying it. I have owned 3 Regal GS's and everyone got the cover yanked off. even without the threat of a fire. Useless piles of garbage on any car
I've been getting those recall notices for my LS since 2014. It's followed me to Texas. I don't think I've gotten one for my GS. Leaky rocker cover gaskets.
My aunt had one of these. Still had no idea it was a sleeper.
My mom had one it was fast when my dad stepped on the gass
Gas*
@@Yungndturnt I liked it the way you first wrote it!
Dad kickin' dat gass! kind of thing
It’s only a real sleeper when even the owner didn’t know it was a sleeper
"Grandpa smiles like George Burns on ecstacy".
This, is why I watch this channel.
Lee DesRosiers
On ectacy and Viagra would have been better
I love boosted 3800s. I have a supercharged bonneville with a few mods, it's basically a comfy sofa on wheels with a rocket strapped to it.
i got a gtp with bolt ons, best sleeper ever
Freneticburn I crashed my dads base bonneville when I was 16 car saved my life. I miss Pontiac.
For a brief moment I felt like Mr. Regular was my dad, and it was good.
Regular Daddy
Benjamin Burkhardt I’m 19 so he prolly couldn’t be old enough to be my dad.
Probably that weird uncle that shows up once in a while
@@fangk.7367 shows upo once in a while AND GIVES YOU THE JACK
@@fangk.7367 Actually if you're 19 he is old enough to be your dad.
"Cool Dad" is my second favorite character, right after "UNCLE PULLL TAAAAAB"
We need the whole "Cool Family" to make appearance.
You can see them all in the Prius review
Stan the man,, or bmw guy.
How quickly you forget another character, a character that enters and exits in a cloud of Goodyear Eagle RS-A tire smoke, wears cheesy colored sunglasses from the local gas station and has a shit eating grin while shredding those Goodyears....a man by the name of FUDGEMAN 💩💩💩
Han Yolo Nah gotta be good old *_HAROLD SLOVINSKI_*
I like the smoothness of these models
Today every sedan needs to be sporty and agressive
I really like the newer sedans. I really find cars a little before 2010-2012 to be very basic boring old looking or even ugly. But of course every one has their own tastes. Looking at getting a 2014 Camry SE. It is blacked out with blacked windows and tint. I realize most sedans are for transportation and not trying for performance. But I really thing sedans are taking a positive turn. At least for what appeals to me. I personally like the new Camry with the red leather interiors. I don't even like red. And I'm not into performance but I really like the look. I literally drive like a grandma in a brand new SUV with both hands on the wheel yet I want my car to look like a speed demon. Sorry for the long reply....
A N G R Y
H E A D L I G H T S
@@twotailedavenger exactly
@@baronvonjo1929 I am super interested about a modern, interesting looking car that might look less aggressive. I wonder what that would look like
@@heckraiserrr413 Kia Telluride? Both the new Broncos? Pretty much every new VW? They dont look aggressive at all to me.
3800 Series II, Supercharged!! Can't remember the year, but the 3800 was voted one of top ten engines in the world. Looking back, Regal GS, Park Avenue Ultra, Bonneville SSEi, Grand Prix GTP, Buick 88 LSS, Buick Reviera, think only in Canada, all with the Supercharger. It first went from 170, 205, 240 and I think 260 horsepower over it's years. An awesome and reliable engine, with or without Supercharging. :-D
3800 Series III made 260 horsepower and was featured in the 2004 - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix GT and GTP ;)
@japanwatchconnection True but that was the case for the 3800 Series II only, to my knowledge. The Seires III gets the green light for total reliability. But since I'm in the market for a Series II, I'm going to see if they have metal parts to replace the plastic ones.
japanwatchconnection DEXCRUEL (DEXCOOL) ruined the lower intake gaskets/plastic elbows, and created an orange sludge in the coolant system. Swap out that crapola with a long life coolant and you have a bulletproof drivetrain. I know because I did this with my '02 GTP when it had about 110,000 miles. Replaced the lower intake gaskets at the same time. Aluminum elbows replaced the plastic ones as well. My car is approaching 180,000 miles and it still runs like new and the coolant still looks good.
@@Lucille69caddy whats up. i just bought my sister a 2000 Buick regal ls, 1 owner, 69000 original miles. its really clean i gave it the once over. ive heard these 3800 series engines are super reliable ,done my research over the last 3 months and everyone including youtubers raves about them exept ( like you mention) the plastic coolent elbows and lower intake gasket which im replacing soon, as preventative maintenance. you say you swapped out the dexcool coolant with long life, did you mean (long life dexcool ) or any generic long life coolant like prestone???please reply means alot.
Dustin Walker Hello Dustin. I used Havoline Long Life coolant for the swap. 80,000 miles later all is still well with my GTP. It is very important to thoroughly remove ALL of the DexCool because it's not compatible with any other coolant. You don't want to clog the heater core or thermostat (the latter you should replace when you flush your system). I've heard that DexCool has been reformulated. I still don't trust it.
20 year old car ....holy shit. In a few more years this will qualify for Collector's Plate.....why are we getting so old....
For PA it may qualify for a classic tag. It needs to be out of production and from a manufacturer that doesn't exist anymore. I need to go look this up again but my daughters '03 Ion2 would qualify if I'm right.
Most states are amending their vintage plate requirements. Colorado used to be 25 years. Now it's 1975 or older.
@@WayneMoyer My dad's Mercury Villager qualifies as a classic car. It is a Nissan Quest.
I just now realized my dad's '94 GMC Vandura conversion van qualifies for an antique vehicle plate (25 years old).
@@christianlynch5507 88 Vandura was the best road trip vehicle of my childhood. Captains chairs, curtains and light, plush velvet everything.
Thank you Mr. Regular for existing and reviewing these bland old regular cars. I sincerely rather watch a Buick Regal flashback poop jokes included than any generic 2019 supercar review. You are giving "regular cars" a voice that would otherwise be forgotten completely in this day and age as just an uninteresting ripple in the automotive timeline.
They will never silence the "meh"! Until the next cash for clunkers...
Yup
Marcangelus1 Hoovie has a nice 1996 Buick Park Avenue Ultra that he has kept.
Our MVP delivering the Cars of Yore Gospel. 🤘👌
3800 Supercharged is cool and all in a Buick but it's way better when it has been placed in a Fiero. Come to Seattle and you can drive it.
Can we be friends?
I wanna build a street legal Sand Rail around one. Even if it has to be a non supercharged 3000 series Buick V6, it's still going to be a scary fast little Dune Buggy.
Email him about it and he could review it
I got one in a fiero check out my exhaust video on my channel
Or a Saturn LS. Or a Cavalier... whichever.
Basically grand prix GTP in a buick trim - love them! I'd def roll one of these.
unless your doing a hard turn going 90 it wont roll ive tired these things have little body roll
@@BenjitheRabbit I whip my '02 GS around roundabouts and then floor it out of them and it goes hard
As I sit here in a hotel in the Poconos, eating my cheap fast food and watching Regular Cars, I miss my 1992 Buick Park Avenue Ultra with a Series I 3.8L engine. I remember refueling with Premium only, and wishing I had a Park Ave from a couple years later so I'd have the superior supercharger. The Buick 3.8 has always been my favorite American V6 and this video doesn't disappoint, but the food and winter weather sure do. 50% of the reason I watch RCR is the Pennsylvania cred, but this Regal gives me peepee envy. I miss that Buick, and perhaps one day I will drive one again.
Short story: I worked at a dealership where they bought cars off the street if someone was interested. A soon-to-be coffin dweller brought one of these in and sold it to us. Since I was the young guy, and he didn't have a way home, I had to take him back to his house in this pearl white Regal GS. I knew exactly what this car was and what it was about, so imagine the temptation I had to cull while I was on the 20 minute drive there. Needless to say, as soon as I dropped him off and was well clear of the house, I couldn't resist putting the foot down. On that cold and rainy day, those tires were begging for traction. As it was coming up to my satellite store for our buy-here-pay-here program, I was afforded the privilege of driving it home that night. You know, to "shake it down." Man, do these things pull. I ended up selling it to another middle-upper age couple and never saw it again, which in the used car world is a good thing.
I work as a buick tech in retirement country FL. every word is spot on.
i have a buick regal LS 2001, and i need some help if you can help me it would be fucking great!
JoshTheBassist Clearwater area? Cuz I bet you worked on the ‘98 GS I just inherited from my grandparents 😂😂😂
Buick tech.........retirement community. Truly a marriage made in heaven
Your future is secured my friend.
I had this car, in the non-supercharged variety. And yes, it was a hand me down from my grandma. I actually really liked it. It was cushy and comfortable, yet had a touch of sportiness to it. As much as a Buick could have, anyways. And of course, the GM 3800, which was a joy. The electronic system? Not so much. Remote locks, failed. Power windows, failed. Electric climate control, failed.
Iam hoping not on mine.. w 63k love this car
gas gauge, fail. thats a common on.
The coffin car comment really hit home 😂 my grandmother got a 2000 LeSabre and had it until her death 🤷♂️
Yeah my grandmother, who DOESN'T DRIVE, bought a new 2020 Outback "just in case". Nobody else drives it, not her husband nor caregivers. Just a new car sitting in the garage for security (two more cars in the drive).... I don't look forward to the day when family is arguing how much to buy it from the estate.
@@stirfryjedi maybe she could choose to donate it to one of the charities
@@stirfryjedi do people not just give stuff to their family members for free. feels wierd charging stuff for an estate unless i dunno you had a ton of debts.
My great grandmother died in a 1999 LeSabre... Great grandpa hit a telephone pole and my great grandmother wasn't wearing a seatbelt
When my grandfather died a couple of years ago at 102 I got his 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. It's a reliable car and has been pretty handy lately with my Accord being in the shop for a month with a mysterious misfire. The Marquis is actually pretty fun to drive.
I owned 3 Supercharged Buicks. A 97 Regal GS which I bought, saved it from death by fixing the motor and I sold it. I then bought a 1994 Park Avenue Ultra which I'm currently fixing up but will probably keep. The engine is fine, just needs some exterior TLC
I also have a one owner 1998 Regal GS with 52,000 orig miles and lightly modded. It's an amazing car. Blue on Blue
The 3800 Buick V6 is very reliable for a factory forced induction car. Only issue is the LIM gasket. The car could run to 60 in 6.5 seconds which is nothing special but back in 1997, that was pretty crazy and surprising for a Buick
Knowing GM, the HP and torque numbers were underrated. I've seen dyno pulls with factory cars show 300 lb/ft of torque.
Yes, the Regal power-6 releases were conservatively rated alright. They had lots of unleashed potential, kept hemped up probably so that the car would be easy to pass requirements for the American highway. Those engines were always a nice surprise package too because not only were they sleepers right off the showroom floor, but they left plenty of latitude for modifications to liberate and use so much un-tapped potential. With factory setup, it was a car that you really didn't want to push it's limits because it could be dangerous for anyone unprepared for it's response. Add smaller supercharger pully, larger fuel injectors, larger exhaust and an intercooler, and the car was down-right scary.
@@JimButler1234567890 I wonder what the Buick Regal's car manual says about passing other vehicles on the road. In my own car's manual, it states to push the gas pedal all the way to pass on the highway, but I wonder if the Buick Regal GS manual says to push the gas pedal 3/4 of the way or less! (Considering it's a lot more powerful)
Buick regal Gs - yeah I sell weed but only to Chick's
...good money and sex if you ask me.
You don't need the apostrophe there. It's spelled "chix"
@@sexycowman are you sure?
Buick Regal Gs, because leather CAN be fun to bang on
@@cryinglaughter6792 Hey easier to clean up the punani juice off leather. On upholstery it never leaves.
*_BOTH CHEEKS GODDAMNIT_*
I like early 2000s cars. And I like this Buick.
We sort of shifted away from 90s civics and corollas to seeing old Buicks and panther bodys in highschool/college parking lots.
@@mr.queasy2280 really
Then I'm sure you'll love the 2003 chevy tracker
@@chevytracker no the 90s Geo tracker is better because it's a suzuki
@@grunkohlaktionar7474 it's okay to be wrong. We still love you all the same
I like how just after your CVS v. Rite aid joke there can be seen a Walgreen sign in the background. Nice touch.
I've had one of these without the supercharger since 2006. It has been the best car I have ever owned
"Official Car of the Supercharged Family" the ad said I recall
Anyone else get nostalgic vibes of that "sleepers" video thats been on youtube for 6 years?
AK02 I thought of that haha
buick regal GS: the GS stands for Good Stuff
SnapshotOfASoul GranSport,
Or... Geriatric Supercar
Yep, and I watched it in 720p HotDicks
GS: Goddamn Spicy
@@100percentSNAFU Oh my lord that had me dead.
I enjoy so much the true regular bland everyday car reviews, because all of them have a story to tell, compared to supercars, these are the true working class heroes that put our world in motion
Well said.
Well said.
In Australia we had the 3.8L Ecotech in the Holden Commodores. I've had several of these cars and the 3.8L is a bulletproof engine. Most of them sold in Australia were N/A and only the high end sports or luxury models like the Calais or S pack had the supercharged engines. I still see lots of them on the road over 20 years later.
As a current owner of a 2002 Regal with 293,000 miles, I have been waiting for this review for a while and I thank you for doing it.
Cool dad -- the best way to start my day
The 2000s Buick Regal always had a place in my heart. When I was a young boy back in China, it was the one of the very first mass production American Car in China. Made in Shanghai, without the 3800, of course. I believe the option were a 2.5 V6 and a 3.0 V6. I really liked the Regal comparing to other cars commonly found on the streets back then: Honda Accord, VW Passat (B3&B5), Nissan Teana(Altima), Ford Mondeo(Fusion), Toyota Crown (Avalon). My uncle drove one, and he gave my the manual and DVDs for that Regal. (Basically the entire owner documentation package, when I was 5 or so.) I remember watching the Advertising/Introduction for probably more than 200 times. Still remember that you need to "add Unleaded Fuel rated at #90 (Octane) or higher." There was also a poster that came with the package, and I had that stuck to the wall next to my bed. I believe that's where my interest in automobile begins. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to drive one, neither in China nor in Canada. Kind of a shame.
i have one and still drive it, you can visit me and i will be glad to give you a ride!, one of the best cars ever made
Cool fact about the Chinese Buick Regal, they made a 1:18 scale diecast promotional model of it. I've been tempted to buy one since I own a '99 Regal GS, but there's really no point because the wheels and the front and rear fascias are different. As far as I know it's only available in white, silver or black. Mine is Twilight Blue.
You mean the Passat b2
Also, the Toyota crown isn't the Avalon, it's a special Japanese only sedan that's body on frame
Tony Zhu Cool story bro. Have you driven the new Buick Regal?
Will my 98 Camry ever be valuable again?
No?
Ok...
Remember this: The 1957 Chevrolet was just a mass produced FAMILY CAR. (Just like your Camry)...Think about the fact that TODAY more "classic car" people want a 57 Chevy than a 57 Cadillac. AND There's this:The 57 Ford was more popular in 1957 than the 57 Chevy......BOTTOM LINE: Who Knows? in 30 years, people MIGHT be willing to pay MORE for a 98 Toyota than for a 98 Lexus! It's happened before!
@@jamesslick4790 Good points. Any car could become a classic 💯
@@hakeemsd70m That's not even sarcasm either. It's all about nostalgia. Most of us are getting to an age where we're nostalgic about regular cars that our parents or parents' friends owned when we were kids. It's strange to me too that my '93 Passat is increasing in value (have owned it for 2 years, put very little into it, and it's doubled in value), and that people are nostalgic over things like the old Geo Metros and such.
TL/DR: People are nostalgic about what they actually had at the time. Most people didn't have Bentleys
Chris Brown it will never be worth less than $200.
Eventually somebody will want to recreate prom night with their 65 year old wife, so, maybe.
Also that transversely mounted 3.8 LOVES to leak from the front valve cover. It's angled just a bit forward so oil sits a bit too long when breaking and at idle, wearing the gasket faster than the other Fortunately it's easy to get to.
Wheeler Dealers went down the drain after Ed left with all his cool tools
Joshua Chandra I still can't believe how they treated Edd China. Shameful.
Mike Brewer got greedy and now all he cares about is how much money he makes. Now he acts like his shit don't stink and his show is the best thing since sliced bread.
Edd claimed that they were going to cut his segment and not show the repairs, but this hasn't show to be the case. So who know why he left.
I miss Edd, I like his gloves and hair.
RT 1979 I think what he said was they were going to “dumb down” his segment, shorten the length of time he got to show repair processes, if you watch the early seasons it’s really technical and the last seasons Ed did it’s really just turned into reality tv junk which wheeler dealers never was.
The phrase "top of the line" always angers me, mainly because I used to do tech support for real estate MLS software around the time this car was new. A lot of the people I talked to were suckered into buying e-Machines. Every time I tried to gather specs on their computer, the description ended with "top of the line!" More often than not "top of the line" was a Cyrix processor and 4 MB ram.
T R A N N Y S H O P
top of the line is correct in this case. this was the highest trim level and options you could get in the regal. But it is funny that anyone would call an emachine top of the line.
@@ExRev79 Yep! This WAS "the top of line" for the Buick Century/Regal series (a "real" top of the line Buick would be a Riviera or Park Avenue). Having a "top of the line" "eMachine", in car terms, is roughly equivelant to a "Top of the line" Yugo! 😜
@@jamesslick4790 i actually owned an emachines (4 years ago was my grandmothers tho she replaced it with a sony vaio) id say the newer ones ae like the dodge neon
I absolutely love my 2000 Regal GS, and I'm gonna keep mine on the road as long as I can, these are special cars. There's no rational reason to keep pouring money and time into one of these W-Body cars, the plastics aren't the best and eventually they might rot out, but once you drive one and own one, there's no going back, you'll understand why someone would put in the money and time to keep one of these on the road. In time I'll be getting a tune and a bunch of suspension upgrades to make it that much better. (Also I have a good exhaust video on my channel if anyone's interested).
NewfieOn2Wheels Try autocross with it if you want to test the suspension! I autocross my 2000 Impala 9C1 and just put AGX adjustable struts on it
Got 74000 on mine those plastic manifolds are a pain tho
Have a 2001 Buick Park ave rust free, Hard to find these days, I will keep it forever!!
0:10 I have that SAME picture of the USS Constitiution. It was commissioned by the Constitiution conservation museum to save it from the scrapyard back in 1922. THATS awesome!
Three things:
1. The boost gauge isn't fake, there's a boost bypass valve with a solenoid on it that cuts boost as a result of torque management.
2. You need many much mods to make 300hp.
3. If you're good to a 4T65E-HD, it'll be good to you. They're not as bad as everyone makes them out to be.
I have this same engine in my Holden Statesman, and it's correct wheel drive (rwd) unlike this Buick. Threw a piston through the block, replaced the engine. They're a great rig and easy to work on.
I had the VT commodore Berlina version! Had the smaller charger pulley put on it too. Good sleeper.
Australia's Buick.
I fucking thought that displacement seemed suspiciously familiar in my head. It's a goddamned Commodore.
I'm not entirely sure what this vehicle is, but it sounds like I need it in the U.S.
@@oldred9122 It's a drivable meat pie with ketchup and a Stubby.
OKAY SO that engine fire take the cover thing is REAL! I was given my grandmother's 3.8 W body impala (2001) and while changing the oil, the stem began leaking, it ran down the cover to the front of the exhaust manifold, which was hot... Because I'm stupid... And nicely charred my engine and eyebrows. Not to mention that now the front bumper is warped, all of the electronics are damaged, and this car is now 2 months from being CRUSHED. listen to the recall, folks
I love the supercharged 3800, especially the Series III. I had a modded 04 Grand Prix GTP that made 310 hp at the crank. A great sleeper that would wipe bros in Chargers and older Mustangs at stop lights. Torque-steered like a motherfucker though, and couldn't handle worth shit, because of the long wheelbase and weight, but I loved it dearly. Transmission gave out at 210k miles, and I had to scrap it, and I miss it. I hope I have another one as a classic in the future.
I prefer the series II. Yeah the series III had the best power and was the most technologically advanced version of the 3800, but it didn't have throttle-by-wire. To me, that makes all the difference.
That must've been so sick. I always kinda wanted to get my mom's 03 4Runner (1GR V6 Sport 2WD) and supercharge it. I would've taken a M/T from a Tundra to put in there. Shit woulda probably exterminated the rear tires. She sold it to her brother so rip that build. GTP sounds amazing though, sorry for that loss.
The original trans lasted that long?
I miss my old 99 Grand Prix gt, had the series 2 na bottom end and L67 Top end with the eaton(3.5" Pulley) and a turbo, cam, heads and water to air intercooler, would routinely run low 12's high 11's, not bad for a grocery getter lol
@@throwout1483 I love 4th gen 4Runners. It's hard to find one in my area in decent condition for a good price.
My friend got one of these from his grandma. He let me drive it. I hit 130mph in it. He no longer lets me drive it after that. Now looking to buy one myself. Best sleeper I've driven after my crown viv intercepter.
I got one of these for $800 a few days ago apart from the mess that it is its one of the few cars ive seen that can still go fast and run even with a bad misfire and a bad mass airflow sensor starts everytime
With an engine designed in the 60s that’s what you get. She fun keep on runnin.
As a 12 year old in 2000, I grew up in a pro GM household and I knew what this was. The problem was we were too poor, so s10’s and luminas it was. I guess I could get one now, but it just wouldn’t be the same. Modern equivalent would be an SHO Taurus in grey or a Kia stinger in white, perhaps. Few cars will ever be as good of a sleeper as this Regal GS
As a Regal GS owner, I was patiently awaiting this review. If you're ever in Southern Ontario and want to drive another, I have a '97 with a few minor mods.
Im 16 and I own an 02 Ls Regal and ive enjoyed every second of it
I just purchased a Mint 1997 Riviera for my Grandson 83k miles. Fully optioned with the Supercharged 3.8.
Buick has been THE KING of sleepers going as far back as (and possibly beyond) the early 70's. I'm glad the world knows it now - thanks to this (always brilliant) channel.
yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!.. i buy and sell cars as a hobby and love when there are buicks because people really dont like paying top dollar.. but i get em and always make a nice profit due to little cost to get it running nice
Had one. I sought it out - as a 20 year old kid!! My mom had a Bonneville SSEi with the same engine. I couldn’t find a used SSEi but found a cheap GS with 40k miles, previously owned by someone’s grandfather who passed away - hopefully not in the car.
Btw, the Park Ave Ultra was also available with that engine, and was a lot more top of the line than the GS. The Buick GSE was a step above the GS as well. I couldn’t find one when I was shopping.
So what lead me to WANT this sleeper with bad handling? I did a lot of 500 mile highway trips - sometimes 1,000 miles over 3 days. I also had a bunch of college buddies over 6’ tall, so heading out to the bar or whatnot, it was nice to take one car.
I had troubles with mine, of course. Dumped it with 120k miles for an E39 sedan with a stick - a story for another day.
As bad as the Buick was, the supercharged engine helped a lot. I also had a ‘72 Buick GS coupe at the time - they were dirt cheap back then. It had a loud engine, 275 tires out back, raise in back on air shocks, and everyone said “nice Chevelle”. The newer GS was faster and a total grandpa sleeper. When I later sold each, I got twice as much for the rusty ‘72 GS. Go figure.
8:00 you low key just gave some amazing relationship advice
right? I'm gonna think on that one for a while. (3x divorced)
@@Redmenace96 RIP at least by the third one you know she's only getting half of half of half LOL
BOTH CHEEKS, GODDAMMIT!
I am hooked I have not enjoyed car reviews done this way it's been a long time coming this guy's is super star in my book
the series 2 sc 3.8 is one of the most reliable motors ever made and besides speed, they also have old school class.. it's hard to beat for the price.
my grandma last had an 86 olds cutlass supreme with plastic literally over the seats. it had the 307 motor. it was a sweet ride. i was upset even as a kid when the fam junked it like a bunch of fools.. for a $7 head gasket. back then even as a kid I knew they were dumb for letting that car go. it had very low mileage and was mint.
Dang, I’m sorry for your loss
Early 2000s crown vics have a big cult following. I think 2000s cars are getting to be revered soon especially since theyre the last cars built that arent purposely designed to be hard to work on and modify
Many 2010s cars are built more like disposable appliances
CVS AND RITE AID WHERE IM AT. JEALOUS?
Same here, though, Rite Aid > SavOn > CVS
Dont gotta rub it in
@@MostGenericUser that's aisle 7...LUBE..no Walgreens here
@@Sekushiwolf How can you forget the Walgreens
Sekushiwolf go pens also my rite aid has good beer
The quote about 50/50 relationships was actually really profound
And people wonder why I was unfathomably happy when I got my 2002 GTP in October. Paints a little rough and the plastic trim is coming off because it was kept outside BUT.... the interior is flawless and it had only 93k on it. And I practically stole it for 2500 because the cost of the L67 cars have gone UP
I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora with the North Star. I know it’s a bad motor but I’m a mechanic and I got it cheap after I blew up my lifted Tahoe. It is fairly quick.
qcn_ cummins flush out the old dexcool and replace with regular green, never change the tranny fluid(just keep it topped off), and don’t buy aftermarket anything on serpentine belt drive line. The motor itself was unstoppable but everything else on the car needs well maintenaning. I had a 98’ Autobahn edition, original engine was replaced at 201k (still running ok), swapped in a Shelby version and put 84k on it no issues all city miles, tranny was still good at almost 300k.
I've got the Grand Prix GTP and I can bust the myth of "bolt on upgrades (pulley, injectors, a TB and a tune) will give you 300whp. Maybe 300 crank but probably not.
Mine has an intercooler now, 60# injectors w/ aem high flow fuel pump and an aluminum fuel rail. 3.4" pulley, log style exhaust manifolds and downpipe, ported throttle body and maybe something else I don't remember.
Point is I have everything you can do to this car without touching the valvetrain and it makes about 270whp.
Myth is right. The supercharged 3800's in these cars put down around 200 whp bone stock on a Dynojet. And that's when they didn't have 120k+ miles on them. To get even 300 crank (250 whp) on pump, you'll need more than just a pulley and tune. Might be possible on E85 though, but on pump, you'll probably need to add sub-$200 ebay headers and a decent cam to the mods list. Not expensive, but also more than just a couple hundred dollars in parts.
@@jae9843to touch 300 safely you'll need a few thousand in mods. I say that because I went the cheapest route from ZZP for as much as I could do without cracking open the heads (which by the time I had the LIM off, I should have just gone full send but oh well) and even that was probably over 2k in parts. For an actual 300 whp set up, you'll need a dual pass intercooler setup, probably a GEN V blower, the aforementioned TB and Injectors w/ a fuel pump to keep up. Definitely some headers (you could get away with the log manifolds like I did but they're not going to flow as freely) and then valve springs, a cam and probably rocker arms to keep the valves from floating. That should give you enough head flow to run a pulley in the sub 3" range and that's really the only way to get above 300 wheel. Of course you could always just throw that small of a pulley on there on the stock valvetrain and be in a world of hurt when you end up eating a lifter or something but the _safe_ way is to do all the supporting mods.
Does it noticeably run faster?
...because I have a '97 GTP. Love it.
@@manoman0 oh yeah it's definitely quicker. I wouldn't call it fast but it is quick. I also ended up needing a trans rebuild after those mods (partially because the trans gave out at 150k as is expected.) so I had it "built" kind of a "Stage 1" type of rebuild with an aggressive shift kit, a torque converter with a 400RPM higher stall and some other stronger internals (clutch springs etc. IDK the specifics of it because I don't know much about transmissions) and I would say that it is right in the perfect sweet spot to be nice and torquey and not have too much power to where it can't take corners.
I have a bunch of suspension mods done to it too because Unlike this video states about these things being highway pullers, they are very capable in the corners _IF_ you know how to handle the weight transfer.
The shift kit is a godsend when paired with the high stall converter because it just bangs through gears and feels like warp speed. All in all, I LOVE this car.
Imagine, for a moment, that engine.... in a Chevette.
That be our Winter project.
Also, Dad has an '01 Grand Prix GTP. I love that car, would totally daily the Buick version. Either would be an upgrade over our '98 Grand Am or '06 Civic Hybrid.
Sooo you did this??
Vann Junkin yes.
Vann Junkin the Chevette is our 24 hours of Lemons car, we call it the Frankenvette. If you hit the Google you’re sure to run into it, although it’s gone through many many changes, so no telling which version you’ll find. It used to have a 4.3 Chevy. Wanted more. Got it. Every time we race we find more things to change for our liking or to help longevity. We found that we are going to have to widen the ring gaps for the next race. Blew out a ring land last time.
Car nostalgia rules:
20 year old cars are allways hated (late 90s early 2000s)
30 year old cars are starting to become cool(late 80s early 90s)
40 year old cars are what the hippest people of the era drive(late 70s early 80s)
I never understood the dismay for GM W cars. They were extremely popular and sold millions of them. They are comfortable, inexpensive and easy to fix.
As for the supercharger, most people don't know there is a fill plug for the supercharger oil. This should be inspected every so often to make sure the oil level is maintained. Although it does not have a drain plug, it should also be changed from time to time with the aid of a suction tool. The supercharger oil is part number 12345982. The fill plug is toward the pulley side. If I remember correctly the plug takes an Allen key.
Regarding the transmission, that is another item that gets a lot of, in my opinion, unfair assessment. Some variant of that transmission (440-T4, 4T60, 4T60-E, 4T65-E, 4T65-E HD) was in almost every mid-sized and full-sized FWD vehicle GM made from 1984-2011. They are in over 100 million vehicles. Look at the list of vehicles this trans went into, it's probably 75% of everything they made during that time. Yes the early ones, particularly the 440-T4, had terrible teething issues. But by the time the 1990s rolled around, that trans was pretty solid. Over the years, my family and I have owned many vehicles with that transmission. 89 Century, 94 Grand Am (2), 96 Grand Am, 96 Regal, 2001 Regal GS, 2005 Montana SV6, 2005 Lacrosse, 2006 Impala. That;s 9 cars. None of them ever had a transmission problem. The Lacrosse and Impala are still in my driveway as they belong to my kids now. Lacrosse at 165,000 miles, Impala at 145,000 miles. So, just take into account how ubiquitous this transmission is. If 5% of 100 million transmissions have a failure, that is 5 million transmission failures. It sounds like a large number, but it is a small percentage.
A brief history: The 440-T4 debuted in 1984 on the 1985 downsized, full-sized FWD vehicle, like the Buick Park Avenue, Olds 98 and Cadillac Deville. It suffered teething issues, for sure. It was GM's first FWD 4 speed overdrive transmission. These vehicles regularly achieved 30 mpg highway due to the overdrive gear, which was pretty remarkable for full sized vehicles in 1985. The 4T60 is quite the same as the 440-T4 but was renamed as the 4T60 to align with GM's shifting transmission naming convention (the THM 125C became the 3T40, the THM 400 became the 3L80, etc), although there were many, many updates to it early on to deal with said teething issues.
The 4T60-E was the first electronically controlled version of this transmission family. It used a pair of computer controlled shift solenoids to obtain all four forward gears as opposed to the governor that controlled shift points in the 440-T4/4T60. It still used a vacuum modulator to control the overall operating line pressure of the transmission.
The 4T65-E received some bolstered internal parts and also ditched the vacuum modulator in favor of a Pressure Control Solenoid. The Pressure Control Solenoid allowed the Powertrain Control Module or Transmission Control Module to control the operating line pressure of the trans instead of the vacuum modulator.
The 4T65-E HD has even more robust internal parts and was employed in higher output vehicles like the one featured in this video, the supercharged 3800, and the LS4 V8 Impala/Monte Carlo SS and Grand Prix GXP. I think there was also a Buick Lacrosse Super that received this powertrain. In general, the transmission itself stands up okay, but the LS4 does like to shred torque converters if they are driven abusively.
For anyone who has one of these transmissions, especially the later ones with full electronic controls and no vacuum modulator hanging off the front of the trans (4T65-E/HD, basically all of them after about 1997), do yourself a favor. Do a transmission service, i.e. replace the filter. While the pan is off, remove and discard the square magnet in the pan. Install one round magnet in its place (same location, at the skinny end of the pan, passenger side, below the final drive), then one more round magnet on the filter itself near the inlet where it picks up fluid. There is a small crescent shaped metal protrusion on the bottom of the filter. The magnet fits against it. Doing this will keep excess normal sediment from being attracted to the Pressure Control Solenoid. Doing this will reduce shift shudders, harsh shifts, soft shifts and a potential P1811 (Max Adapt Long Shift code). After that, just keep up with fluid and filter services, remembering to transfer the magnet to the new filter. The magnets are available from AC Delco and are easy to find on the internet. Auto parts stores can get them, too. Or, visit your local GM dealer. The part number is 29535617 and you will need two.
Sincerely, ex-GM dealer transmission tech.
Appreciate you man
We as a community have been watching you for years. Even now this is a year old video. But the cheesyness of your jokes has never ever lost its touch and we love it!
Hey you, yeah you! Owner of an early 2000's car! Is your car in good shape?
Keep it that way. Soon those are going to be the next 90's cars.
Long lived the 3800.... One of the greatest V6 of all times!
Its better in a rwd commodore with a getrag 5 speed and an lsd 🤷🏻♂️🇦🇺
If you live in australia you should sell the supercharger and intake manifold for the rwd on the states, i want one really bad for my camaro
Aka the mang mang?
manual VT Spac represent
I own a 1999 Regal GS 3800 supercharged with 37k original on her...upgraded the pulley and its a sleeper nightmare
Mr. Regular I had a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix (SPECIAL EDITION FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE!) that I absolutely loved, lasted until 208k miles - yes, transmission lost 4th gear after about 188k miles and by 200k I had every fluid leaking possible. Bought it from my uncle and that car gave me some amazing memories. 3800 is a great engine despite its flaws. This review really hit home. Thank you for that. I still miss my old car.
There is a HUGE W-body following, especially along the upper East coast and the Michigan and Ohio areas. While a lot of the guys own Grand Prixs, the Regal GS and Monte SS are in close second and third place. The crazy part is try finding a used L67. These motors, with decent mileage, go for more money than a junkyard 5.3 LS motor. These could be optimal for swaps into a RWD application, but modifying the snout on the M90 is a PITA unless you're skilled with a welder.
I'm in southwest Ohio, and you can find L67 (and L32) motors pretty easily in yards.
I did my pulley swap with a pulley puller, it took like two hours to get the old one off and the new one on.
It's one of the best motors to swap into a Fiero.
@@tw9925 I meant modifying the intake snout for RWD, not just the pulley.
@@GP1138 You can find them in Illinois too, just more expensive than they're worth. Decent L67s around here go for about $550-650, where as the 4.8 and 5.3 truck motors go for 300-400 all day long.
My grandmother had this car. I can remember turning 16 in 2003 and driving it for the first time being like "what the f@#$?" So much get up and go, even letting your foot off the brakes it seems to start running away. I'm glad after 15 years to know that I'm not the only one who thought this was a sleeper.
Great video but there is a THRIVING community for those W Bodies, especially the L67 ones. Huge aftermarket support and the newest thing is Fiero guys swapping these in. Not the most economical platform for an enthusiast but still one thoroughly enjoyed.
If you REALLY wanna make a a video about the most nonsensical W Body, the 9th generation Impala with the FWD LS4 is something that should not exist on paper
And this is coming from someone who owns both an 8th gen l36 and a 9th gen LS4
My late father had the Impala SS version of this. Which kind of proves Mr. Regular's point. He sold it to my Uncle and got a Pontiac G8 GT.
Fieros getting L67 swaps is nothing new unless you mean in the last 15 years. People put everything in those, including the LS4 and other RWD LS engines.
That said, the LS4 cars are pretty ridiculous for existing. And the 4t65eHD lifespan you can expect behind an L67 halves when you put it behind an LS4. Those things were blowing with 40k on the clock.
Lets not forget the olds LS!
Or the Park Avenue Ultra, which also got a supercharger in some iterations.
@@stevevarholy2011 actually that's a G body, but same L67 gen 3 3800 :) just a 1/2 ton heavier oof
Absolutely loved ours. We sold it last year with only 112,000 miles. My parents bought it new in 2000. I wish we still had that car.
Late 90s- early 2000s Buicks seem to have staying power.
I bought one of these on purpose, same year, same color, minus the sunroof. Damn quick car. Loved it, sold it in better shape than I bought it in (because I do that with every vehicle I ever get) but I got a chance to pick up an 08 Lacrosse Super with the LS4 V8 and so moved on. I'm on my 6th Buick now. I think I might have an obsession.
Finally! A car I own. Bought mine a few years ago, and a month later bought an HP Tuners, intercooler kit, cam, injectors, pulley, headers, and related parts. Spent almost as much on those parts as I did buying the car. Only afterwards did I find out the trans is worthlessly weak, even to handle the very modest 320-330 whp I was looking for, so ditched the idea of modding and sold off all the parts. The all-iron block can take a serious beating, even with the cr@ppy cast pistons, so making power isn't the problem. And if you're like me, you can even look past the wrong-wheel drive. But to make 350 whp reliably, you'll need to drop some serious coin on upgrading the trans, and having someone else do it is like $4k.
Having said that, like everyone else who's ever owned anything with a supercharged 3800, I love my car. It's super comfy, quiet, torquey, and ultra-cheap and easy to work on. The seat heaters are the best seat heaters I've ever used. I love the fact the engine only turns at 2k rpm @ 70mph. And I can get 30 mpg on the highway. But like every other w-body out there that's ever seen salt, it's got a case of the rusties (though not dangerously so yet like some) and like I said there are a few parts in the trans that are borderline. But I love this car so much and might be mentally compromised enough to drop $4k on upgrading the trans when it goes and swapping in a turbo for the stock heat pump.
The bottom end on them is good for over 400hp before they give out.
I love the GM 3800 V6, such a great engine.
When you referred to the owner as, "Tyler," I had to go back to the beginning of the video to make sure this wasn't a crossover with Hoovie's Garage.
Hoovie, Regular Guys, Doug and Saabkyle crossover though
james may can come too
Loved my 2000 Regal GS. Broke many of hearts with that thing. It was modded a bit though and nitto 555s. Loved that 3800 L67 so much I shoehorned one into my 88 Fiero gt. Sister still has my Old Buick. 380k on that old beast!
Bought one of those with 90000 km in 2005 drove it without any major problems till 2013 when I drove it to the scrap yard with 300,000 roughly kilometers scrapped it cuz the paint fell off and High kilometers but was a great car never even replaced the alternator just normal stuff like exhaust brakes plugs valve cover did leak oil from the manifold never fixed it completely just tightened it down threw some silicone on it great car one of the best I ever had
"I'm ready to wheel and deeeeal!"
Mr. Regular's grandpa impression is my favorite. 👴
I had a 2001 regal for my first car at 16, 30k miles from an older lady, best thing I could've never wanted. "mash and hold on" is the perfect example. This thing would easily burn the front tires off for quite a bit. I was never disappointed by it. Seeing this brings back a lot. Glad you did this one!
This is actually my favorite daily driver platform. W body. Plentiful, cheap, easy to fix and work on. Reasonably brisk acceleration and a blower!! I love the GM 3800 3.8 liter motor. A designer version was avail once too called the "Christian Abboud Edition", also there was also annaversary edition to celebrate something or another and an Olympic edition even. So YES A GS TRIM LEVEL REGAL THATS NOT FROM THE RUST BELT IS WORTH SAVING. Someday we will lament that we cant buy a 2000$ factory supercharged sleeper to just beat the piss out of. Slap a cone filter directly on the TB and hear that Eaton m90 Wail! I pretend I'm driving a 1929 Mercedes SSK in the Mille Miglia lol. So laugh now, but in the end - old guys will talk about back in my day we could get 93 for a nickel and I shoulda saved that cheap 90s/2000s car. Just like everyones grandpa that laments he owned and sold a classic muscle or pony car for $1200 45 years ago. Electric and downsizing petrol cars is inevitable, we wont see things like this again. What we observe in an aging S-class or 7 series almost conclusively demonstrates that complication breeds the anthisis of longevity. And while we laugh at 90s GM build quality, well lets just wait and see what a 2018 vehicle looks like in 20 years. The only other certainty in life I'm aware of besides death and taxes, is nostalgia, and it certainly won't end any time soon.
Cheers, C
And shout out to RCR! Love you guys!
You like W bodies? How fast can you change a rear upper strut mount? 😉
first gen w bodies doing a front strut chsnges
Those buicks came with handicap plates right out of the factory. 😄 ok, not officially but, they really were the last car most original customers ever owned!
3:02 - CVS all star car - or Rite aid...
next shot has a walgreens in the background :D
No Oddjob. Ever. Under any circumstances.
Alastair Ward not even giant heads?
@@cptrelentless80085 did that remove his height advantage?
i'd be the idiot who picks oddjob lol
Back in college, my roommate owned a PS2 with Goldeneye's spiritual successor Nightfire. One day he and a friend were playing on that level that's just two bases with a huge empty space in between spanned by cable cars. Think 2fort but twice as long, at least. And the friend had Oddjob's hat, and he managed to SNIPE my roommate from clear on the other end of the map. TWICE.
Standard console shooter auto-aim notwithstanding, that is straight-up nuts.
I love nightfire! my best friend and I would always try to out-snipe each other in that game 1v1
Just goes to show how out of place I am haha, I like it. Then again, I daily drive a '98 Park Avenue with 230k on original drivetrain; not babied, towed nearly 5k lbs (how else was I going to get the Supercharged '98 Riviera home a couple hours away). Out of a dozen vehicles (mostly GM), the '98 Buicks are my newest cars, still kinda odd to think of them as "old"
My girlfriend had a 97' Buick Park Avenue. Man that thing was comfy, with a gigantic trunk. I also believe it had the 3800 engine in it as well. I'm surprised you've gotten to 230k, is that miles or kilometers? Unfortunately at 136k miles hers blew it's head gasket on the highway.. That was the end of that vehicle and it just got new tires too.. I wished that vehicle had lasted a few more years.
*open youtube to listen some music*
*see new RCR*
*Click immediately*
I had one of these assigned to me when I worked plain clothes about 11 years ago. I loved it.
I love this buick I've had one and now drive now is a 2002 buick century 84,000 miles. Still good looking runs well if taken care of.
I have a 3800 series 2 V6 in my 95 Camaro, but this supercharger won't clear the firewall to bolt on -_- I'm pissed over it, it currently has a gutless 200hp and 225tq, and goes into limp mode in the winter.
CL Anthony buy an ls1 Camaro or trans am lol
Turbo time!
Burgundy Burnouts you spelled LS wrong 😂
Turbo it. Itll handle damn near as much power a ls1 will.
Burgundy Burnouts most people want reliable horsepower, there’s a reason nobody turbos the v6 and they just go ls, and if you still want more power turbo that, if you wanna be an individual then by all means but it won’t have close to the potential or aftermarket support of an LS engine
HEY SON!
Look at me....
Coco: Hey brother!
Aku Aku: Hello Bandicoots.
My dad was literally “cool dad” when I was growing up and he used to have a Regal in Gold.
I always will remember, I had my 99 escort zx2 and loved it so much and thought the world of it. I was never unrealistic, never thought it could beat a mustang or anything too spectacular. But one day I saw this kid pull up in a Buick park avenue with the seat way back, hat backwards, bass so loud you couldn't hear anything. So of course I was just gonna take off at the stop light and show him he's not as bad ass as he thought. Well turns out it was a supercharged park avenue and holy shit did he blow my doors off. My pride got checked, and I've had a massive respect for the supercharger Buicks ever since 😅
Awesome! I love all your videos, but this one got me good. I was a porter at a Buick dealership from 2002-2005. This car was so much fun to drive, we’d wait for the service manager and responsible salesmen to go home and we’d take turns ripping around the industrial side of town in these. Such great memories.