- sedan 400,001
- 1,849 below average
- 999 great
- Waite Park, MN
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,849 below average sedan 400,001 gasoline white automatic
1999 buick century review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Smooth, quiet and understated. introductionbuick's core market lies somewhere between ostentation and austerity. To this, buick's designers and product planners seem to be suggesting that a blend of basic virtues wrapped in tasteful trimmings, coupled with sensible pricing, will attract customers. the buick century was totally redesigned two years ago. The century is not startling from any angle, but it looks well-balanced and clean, free of the kinds of dramatic tweaks that can make a new design look old in short order. its overall form follows current gm design philosophy, being made up of long, unbroken surfaces, soft corners and a subtle wedge form rising from nose to tail. The nose carries a plated buick grille -- minus the former stand-up hood ornament -- that looks right at home between two flattened-oval headlamps. Roof pillars are thin, giving driver and passengers plenty of visibility. In short, the century is attractive, but doesn't draw too much attention to itself. to some, the century's appearance may be a little too quiet, and it may carry too many hints of other gm products. For a modest base price, the custom comes with power windows, mirrors, door locks, and front seat adjustments, remote keyless entry, air conditioning, antilock brakes (abs), a tilt-steering column and tinted glass. for not much more money, the $20,707 limited is available., which adds magnetic variable-assist power steering, pinstripes, dual-zone air conditioning and fancier wheel covers. It takes more than a casual once-over to tell the two models apart. added to the standard equipment package supplied with both century models this year is a traction-control system. The system reduces engine power when wheelspin is detected and is a welcome addition; more sophisticated systems apply braking force to individual spinning wheel. Also standard for '99 is a tire-inflation monitor that lets the driver know a tire is low via a warning light in the instrument cluster; the system does not identify which tire is low, however. the options list is short. Among the amenities are a couple of modestly priced model-specific upgrade packages, a better audio system with cd player, a power glass sunroof, and alloy wheels. Also available is gm's onstar system: using a cellular telephone and onboard global positioning system sensors, onstar allows the driver to communicate with a dedicated center that can offer roadside assistance, route advice, stolen vehicle tracking and other information. interioranyone who has ever spent time in a buick or any other six-passenger gm sedan will feel right at home in the century. Full-width seats front and rear hold six full-size adults on soft cushions covered in smooth, attractive cloth. But that's up to individual taste. All control buttons and switches are large, well-marked and properly located for easy use. Instruments are clear, too, though there are only three. Warning lights and chimes will alert them to any problems. driving impressionthough a midsize sedan when judged by pricing and dimensions, the century feels more like a large luxury car from behind the wheel. Buick knows its customers aren't looking for the firmness of a german autobahn-burner. And that's what they get. ride quality is the century's outstanding feature. It is soft and compliant over any road surface. Bumps, dips or ridges on the pavement are seldom heard or felt. Instead, there are smooth up-and-down movements that indicate, in a muted way, that the century has been driven over something, with little indication as to the nature or size of the obstruction. Road and suspension noise are absent. buick has abandoned its mushy dyna-ride shock absorber calibrations this year, opting instead for a slightly firmer ride. This in no way detracts from ride quality, but does reduce some of the body roll and rocking-horse motions common to previous versions. we'd like to see the magnasteer electronic power steering tuned slightly different, however. The low steering effort is nice in tight parking quarters, but there's not enough steering feel at low speeds. Then again, we may not represent what a century driver wants. Few, if any, owners will ever drive a century down a canyon road at anything above a modest speed, and fewer still would want the car's steering to have sports car precision. the bottom line is that the century is quite pleasant to drive when used as its designers intended. There's a good reason: there is little, if anything, about the entry-level buick calculated to generate excitement. but if the century does not thrill, it does satisfy. The only real surprise is the price. It's easy to climb in and out and the interior is attractive and user friendly. Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ CD Player✔ Air Conditioning✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Alloy Wheels
999 Waite Park, MNWaite Park, MN at autoshopper.com