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Low Mileage Cruiser: 1995 Buick Park Avenue

This 1995 Buick Park Avenue is a pampered, low-mileage survivor featuring the desirable supercharged 3.8L V6 and Dynaride Suspension. It is listed as having just 49,075 original miles and presents quite well, with minimal dings and lustrous “Dark Adriatic Metallic and Light Gray” metallic paint. These cars always took on a bit of sleeper reputation thanks to the supercharged mill under the hood and their tendency to reside in retirement communities. With bids just over $4K with no reserve, there’s a bargain in the making. Find it here on eBay and located in White Marsh, Maryland.

Part of GM’s C platform, the Park Avenue was clearly marketed to older drivers that placed a great deal of emphasis on comfort and isolation from the road beneath them. This is not the kind of car you buy if you seek driving dynamics that reward you in any way; if you do, and must own a supercharged Buick, the Regal is a much better bet. But if a supercharged mill in a luxo-barge cruiser is more your speed, than your ship has some in with this clean Park Avenue. The two-tone paint job presents well at every corner, as does the chrome trim atop the bumpers.

The interior puts me to sleep just looking at it, but in a good way. The seller notes the double-cushioned gray leather is still in excellent condition, and here is yet another example of a comfortable barrier between you and the road. Gray floormats and carpeting look quite clean, and the dashboard shows no cracks. A center armrest divides territory between driver and passenger, and the seller notes both sides are powered and heated. Other ways to keep your personal comfort in check includes zoned climate control and heated sideview mirrors. A “Concert Sound II” stereo will fill your ears when not listening for the supercharger whine.

The engine bay looks quite clean, and this supercharged 3.8L V6 is perhaps one of the nicest sights you’ll see when shopping for a big-body domestic sedan. While the LT1 found in the Caprice and Roadmaster gets much of the shine from enthusiasts, this mill remains a viable alternative in the comfort-cruiser category of domestic sedans. For a one-owner sedan with low miles and no reserve, this Park Avenue makes sense to me as a car to buy even if you just intend to use it once in a while as a comfortable daily drive. It won’t appreciate big time, so you may as well settle into your deep-tissue-buffeting seat cushion and enjoy the lazy steering and total isolation.

Comments

  1. Avatar Will Fox

    THIS would make a great every-day driver!!! These rode like clouds in their day, and the SC 3800 V6 is a strong engine. What’s not to like here?! Interior looks nicer than alot of people’s living rooms.

    Like 20
  2. Avatar Vegaman Dan

    Road trip happiness will be yours in this dream cloud of isolation from the road.

    That might be a problem if you’re vulnerable to falling asleep at the wheel!

    I’d prefer the Pontiac Bonneville SSEI of the same vintage in green, but these rigs did ride smooooooth and didn’t lack in features.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Gary Talbert

      Dan, My ride is a Dark Green 2000 Bonneville SSEi. Had for 10 years and it is strong, tighter suspension than “Ultra.
      168k miles on The Green Hornet”

      Like 3
      • Avatar DayDreamBeliever

        I have a ’93 SSE, bought new by my father.

        Alas, it would seem as though it has reached the end of the line, unless someone wants to save it.

        Decent power, great ride and comfortable interior. Capable of 30mpg with a light foot on the highway. This chassis and drivetrain were some of the best that GM ever produced, IMO.

        Like 0
  3. Avatar Mark

    What’s not to like?? Two of my neighbors had one. Next door neighbors was a bank owned company car where she was a VP

    Smooth ride and comfortable.

    Like 6
  4. Avatar jwzg

    Check the cooling system for dried Dexcool and bad intake gaskets, but otherwise, party on. These were solid runners but could pull down 30 mpg on the highway. I think the supercharged motors still were the Series 1 vintage in 1995. The 1996’s got the series 2, and that’s when these things got serious.

    Like 6
  5. Avatar DayDreamBeliever

    The dreaded “no longer available” hit this auction. Highest cancelled bid was $4189, but there was a retracted one at $17,000!

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Andrew Franks

    I was too late. There’s nothing not to like about these cars. It’s the President of the Ultimate Driver’s Club unless you’re looking at the Rolls Royce I am.
    Bless you all and Happy Holidays

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Stevieg

    My Dad had one of these, sold it about 18 months before HIS warranty expired. By then the car was so rusty the subframe separated from the unibody. It had about 250,000 miles on it and 19 Wisconsin winters. Still looked nice, was really fast for what it was, rode & handled well & got decent gas mileage. Too bad the chassis rotted so bad.
    He wanted another. I wish I had found him one before he cashed in his chips.

    Like 1
    • Avatar DayDreamBeliever

      The subframes were an issue. I got the ’93 SSE when my brother decided that fixing it was beyond his capabilities. I took three days and swapped in a good one, along with some new mount cushions and bolts.

      The scary thing was, when the subframe dropped, it pulled apart a connection in the steering column, severing the steering wheel from it’s purpose. Yikes!

      Like 0
      • Avatar Stevieg

        The problem if s when the body itself disappears into a pile of dust. When those bolts & cushions have nothing to screw into, then the car is “gone”.

        Like 0
      • Avatar DayDreamBeliever

        Stevieg,
        Funny thing, I have seen cars where the subframe was ok, but those body mount bolt cages were rust-roasted. They can be fixed, but you’d better have a passion for it, and welding skill. Then there are those which have the mounts and the subframe bad. “Double Whammy” = Gone, gone, gone…….

        Like 0
  8. Avatar Bakyrdhero

    This would make for a nice cruise home to Boston from Maryland. While I prefer a Riviera of the same vintage, I wouldn’t kick this out of my garage!

    Like 2
  9. Avatar ML

    Had a 92 with supercharged 3800 along with the gran touring suspension. What a nice road trip vehicle it was.

    Like 0

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