Us "old school" called them Duces & a quarter. "225" Those were some mighty fine handsome luxurious cars! The Buick's of today look like kids roller skates. They had a lovely line up with Park Ave., Regal & Rivera. I know a company has to innovate, but NEVER alienate your customer base. It's truly hard to win them back.
My 1st car, 1981 Buick Electra Limited. White with blue vinyl top, blue cloth interior, air ride rear suspension that you could raise or lower the back. Man... if I could have this car back in my life again. I've promised myself that if I ever hit the lottery, I'm going to restore one from top to bottom just like my 1st one. Great video!
I had a 77 225 coupe with the 403 in undergrad. I paid $650 for it in 2 installments. 😩it was clean & special. I had many great times with it and traded it in for a 94 Caprice. I wish I would have stashed it away. She deserved better. I never had any issues with it. She got me through a transitional time in my life.
My Grandma had one of these cars. It was a 1977. I remember it being a 4 door, Brown exterior with Brown Interior and my favorite thing about it was its Analog Clock that was to the right of the climate controls and above the glove box. We took vacations in that car and it road so smooth! I miss her and every time I see one of these cars I think of her and those vacations we had.
I owned 2 1983 Electra Park Ave's back in the mid 90's. One was in mint cond. but had the V6. Lacked any power for the weight of the car. The other nice condition one had the Olds 307. Decent motor and power. Loved both of those 83's. Total comfort when driving.
About 5 years ago I owned a pristine ‘86 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham with the Olds 307 engine. At age 63 I’ve owned many autos in my life. That ‘86 Olds-powered Cadillac land yacht is still one of my favorite memories. And of course my first and second cars at ages 16 and 17 (1975 and 1976): ‘71 Plymouth Barracuda traded a year later for a ‘74 Plymouth ‘Cuda 360. I wish I had both of those back today.
I had a 1974 “225 duce and a quarter” Electra. 2 door triple blue 455. What a smooth ride all around. About 2 inches left in the garage. Heck I was able to fit both a front fender and door for an 86 Accord 2 door in the trunk!
I had a 1979 Electra Limited, absolute beauty to drive. It was my daily driver for years. It had the 403 in it, I had it up to 120mph which took a few miles haha. Put air shocks on the rear axle and a sway bar. Thing cornered like a beast without losing any smoothness to the ride. When I sold it off in 2009 and started driving a 2001 Silverado, my first thought was, "what the heck happened to the roads?" Miss that car.
I drove one of these for a few days when my 1988 Tempo was in the shop, an 84 Electra Park Avenue. I don't recall the steering being unable to handle curves, it was actually rather tight, and the steering was feather light with zero road feel. The suspension didn't wallow either. That steering wheel rim was pencil thin. I wished they would've kept the Tempo and let me keep the loaner car 🤣
To not wallow is good but to handle is a different thing, yes you can argue European cars had less engine weight less power and smaller overall dimensions that's why they handled better.... But still....
I am a BIG fan of the old school GM RWD "C" body cars. (1959-1984) I have had all versions: Oldsmobile 98, Buick Electra and Cadillac DeVille models of different years. Here's the thing about the Buick Electra (and often Olds 98), In certain years they were NICER than the Cadillac equivalents! You COULD go "stealth wealth" and sacrifice NOTHING inside (and let's face it, these cars were ALL about the interior appointments). I had a 1977 Electra Limited AND A 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the same time, And the Buick had the more luxurious interior by a MILE! One would need to go to a FLEETWOOD to come close. And that wasn't even the Park Avenue package! (Also, the 77-84 Buick Electras & LeSabres had the prettiest dash of all GMs 77-84 B/C body cars) As to the 1992-96 Roadmaster, I liked the styling versus the other GM "whale" bodies. At least it looked like a Buick (The Caddy version was a joke on the name Cadillac, IMHO) it fell down on the interior. It wasn't BAD, but it was more at the LeSabre level than Electra level. Even though it was Buick's largest car, It was still positioned LOWER than the FWD Park Avenues. It might have sold better with a REAL luxury interior. It didn't matter though: The plant where they were made was converted to SUV production (And GM knew that's where the REAL profits would be - They were right, sadly)
Agreed, like I commented below, I had an '82 Bonneville Brougham, and it was so plush and so well optioned for the time, that it was a Caddy in everything but name
The Electra PArk Ave and 98 Regency and Regency Brougham had nice interior than the Cadillac SDV/CDVs, you had to order the de'Elegance package to equal them.
A buddy of mine had an early 80s Park Avenue in high school. Bought it off an old lady for cheap. Was low mileage and pretty pristine. I have to say, it was pretty awesome. Beyond comfortable.
This brings back memories. My mother had a 1978 Buick Park Avenue, powder blue with matching vinyl top and sliding moonroof. Blue velour interior. When I took my girlfriend to prom in 1984 many friends rented limos, but I just borrowed the Buick and it was elegant enough. I’m a Ford man, but have always had a soft spot for Buicks.
Your discussion makes a lot of sense. GM could have continued with the rear drive Buicks. Why they chose instead to have badge-engineered lookalikes is beyond me.
Because of the CAFE standards imposed on the auto makers by the government. GM could not keep building large heavy cars and pass the increasing fuel economy standards. Trucks did not have to meet as stringent fuel economy standards. That is why they started pushing trucks and SUVs to folks who wanted a vehicle with interior roominess.
Thanks for doing this video. My first car was an 83 Park Avenue with the 307. I had it from 94 until 97. It was a joy to drive and very comfortable. I have many fond memories of that car.
i had a 83 buick park ave with the 307 was one of my all tike favorite car also had a 82 buick electra with the 403 was gold with tan interior and was my favorite car. also had 3 olds delta 88 royale all 1983 models with the 307. nowhere as fancy as the buicks they were a plain version of the buick. i loved them all. some of the greatest cars ever made
I still remember when I was around 5 years old when I went with my parents when they traded in their 1978 Corvette to get my mom her 1983 2 door Park Avenue Electra in Blue to replace her 1977 Cutlass Supreme which had both the seats stolen out of them in addition to the car being vandalized while parked at the local park and ride in Houston around that time. We took that car to Walt Disney World in Florida that summer in 1983 and I remember about a year or so later my mom had put on some SS Cragar wheels on it. So many memories of that car I wish my mom still had it.
WoW, memories. My parents had a 74 eletra then a 1980 Park Avenue. Great cars. When we sold the Park Avenue, we frequently saw that car just driving on the road for another 15 years after haven driven it for five. We called it the tank, because it just kept on going. Thanks
My dad ordered one as a company car. Ours was a 1979 Buick Electra Park Avenue. It was burgundy, with matching vinyl roof, grey velour upholstery, and spoke wheels. It had the Buick 350. We pulled a 21' Century 4000 cuddy cabin deep v boat with it. My dad personally installed air shocks in the rear end. Gorgeous car. It had every available option except for a moonroof and leather seats. I vividly remember the window sticker at $11,000 and some change. We then got the top Oldsmobile counterpart in 1982, where the sticker had risen to $16,000.
In the late 80s I owned a 1978 and then an 1981 Electra. Both sedans. The 78 had a full power bench front seat. Never saw anything like that before. Both cars handled well and were built for cruising comfort not speed. These cars had distinct style. You knew instantly, even at a distance that a Buick was heading your way. Just as comfortable and plush as my friends 84 Cadillac Fleetwood but the Electra had a better engine and better brightwork.
I had 3, 1983 Buick Electra Park Avenue, 1st Charcoal Grey/Maroon red interior (Sold), still having 2 both White with Maroon Red interiors, ride level control, Electric trunk pull down option, electric fuel cap release, fitted Cadillac true spoke chrome wheels, can't stop loving owing and driving them. Those days they put so much love and compassion in those cars...
These years looked good...but remember, this was the middle of the "Malaise Era" for American cars...performance paled in comparison to the previous generation of Buick...My 72 Electra was lavish, and had a slightly detuned version of the 455 V8---it still had 310hp, and the sheer power moved that nearly 5,000lb car down the road very swiftly!...I did not care that it was getting around 11mpg!...Conversely, I now drive a pristine 1993 Park Avenue, with the venerable 3800V6...only 170hp, but it seems to move quite well down the road, and I love the FWD...No problems with traction when I get caught in a snowstorm (which is seldom, in Seattle!)...Buicks have been consistently the most reliable, and comfortable land yachts over the decades...of course, these beautiful older cars are simply not made anymore--a further sign that our once great society is going down the drain!
These things with the 403 were very nice fishtail fun-o-matics and tire smokers. If you got them on a nice gravel parking lot they can literally spin in a 360 degree circle on the spot. Talk about a blast.
I had a beautiful 1983 Buick Electra 2-dr. Limited. Light Greyfern paint. Wide whitewalls and wire spoke wheelcovers. 307v8. Wasn't a quick car, but sure drove and rode good. I miss it.
I recall a few of those cars and they were nice. And with the bigger V8's, they could get out of their own way - gas V8's. Buick did pretty well with the front drive LeSabre and Park Avenues. In fact, I am currently looking for one and there are enough around that finding a decent one with less than 100K miles is possible.
My late brother had an 84' 350 equipped Park Ave coupe which he adored. He knew that was the last year for those and kept his for a long time. You sat in those cars and you then knew why Buick was only "one step away from Cadillac." They were posh, and truly had character. Good episode, thank you. I miss my bro and his silver Park Avenue.
Thank you for the video. I enjoyed the information and footage. I really did. It was well put together. I agree on the downsizing era at GM. I would love to see a video on Oldsmobile 98, Oldsmobile 88, and Tornado. I think on Pontiac Bonneville and Parisienne and Grand Prix would be great too. There are some Lincoln that would be nice to see as well. Thank you for the effort in this video.
I love Buicks the old school ones that's what made me grow up on Buicks. My aunt and her husband bought nothing but Buicks she had an '84 Park Avenue brown with brown interior that was one of my favorite cars before she had '77 Electra one day coming from shopping elderly man ran into the rear of the car damaged it (totaled) she replaced with the '84 Park Avenue that car brought such great memories I call it the traditional car it was something about that car she would get compliments all the time still miss that car. By 1995 she gave the car to my late grandmother when started working it used to be a GM dealership down the highway minutes from where I lived went there with her and my grandfather she was looking for a car she spent that day shopping for a new car it was a smaller Park Avenue in white one made from the mid 80s my grandfather which was her nephew told her she didn't need that car with that small engine... lol 😆 he made her get a Roadmaster instead the biggest car ever I loved that car as well didn't have the love as with the Park Avenue, everyone in the family used to talk about the car was too big for her she really loved it more than the Park Avenue it was a titanic what I call it but was a beautiful car with a smooth ride and quick acceleration that Roadmaster be gone in a second, I sure miss these old Buicks still love Buick just love these old school cars from back in the day.
Wow. My first car was a handed down ‘77 Electra 225. Early 90s, so everything about it was old school to everyone. It is by far the best car I’ve ever owned. Gas hog, but fuel economy didn’t matter back then. I get teary-eyed whenever I see one on the internet. Best times of my life.
Oh the video has to be one of your best, I was waiting for someone to do a video on the Electra, another story to be told should be about the Oldsmobile 88 which is another favorite of mine and I also owned 2 Olds 88s , 69 and an 80, love to see a video on this model
Those were some super smooth, comphy cars. A friend found me a solid '77 LeSabre with a smashed windshield for $50 bucks in the early '90s. Replaced the windshield, and that car stayed in the family for 5-6yrs. A little thirsty, but reliable, and smooth. Nice driver.
One of my favorite cars, I owned 2 Electras ,a 75 and an 88. Yes by 1988 Buick did lose their identity and yes the 1985 which my 1988 was based on was no Buick, the 1988 was ok but it was definitely different than the 1975 that I had
Ah, those Elektra's from back in the day we're the wheels to have. I miss them. I'd rather have that than a 1981 Century that my dad eventually gave me!
I prefer the 1977-79 styling over the 1980-84 styling because I felt they had much superior powertrains, as a child growing up in the 1990's I saw more 1977-79 Electra's than the 1980-84's.
Thanks for the video. Buick always got Cadillac's old steering wheels and some appointments. We had a beautiful 58 BuickRoadmaster Convertible, more chrome than the 58 Cadillac. After that Dad bought Olds 98s, they were more luxurious than some of the Cadillacs, but while they were great cars, I think the real reason was our local Buick dealer also sold Cadillacs and Dad was afraid my Mom if looking at an Electra saw a Fleetwood Brougham she liked better he'd be on the hook. The Olds dealer stood alone.
This car was so good! My parents had 2 1979 Estate Wagons. They first bought a silver one with he Olds 403 and the next one was burgundy and the same engine. For a few years, both were in the family running for quite a few years. I took my driver's license test in the burgundy one. Additionally, the car before I Buicks was a 1972 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, huge!
Little known is that in the 1980s the Electra Estate Wagon had a stable mate in the Le Sabre Estate Wagon. The ladder came with less features and some of those could be optioned whereas the Estate Wagon had them as standard equipment. As well, I believe the Le Sabre version could be optioned without the exterior wood grained panels. Currently, when ordering parts on-line, the names between the two are often interchangeable, yet oddly at other vendors the Le Sabre name is used to denote the rear-wheel-drive-wagon and the Electra Estate name is used to denote the front-wheel-drive-sedan, even though a check box in the pull-down menu had been checked off for "Wagon".
I'm in "binge" mode again.I appreciate your work and have been enjoying your vids for quite some time. Tonight, I'm checking out some of the ones I missed. Great narration.
I owned a 1984 Buick Park Avenue in the blue colour shown in the video. It was a beautiful car. In fact, my then young son preferred it to the Cadillac line, visually-speaking. I couldn't convince him otherwise, even to this day. He would drive it from time-to-time in his late teens (lucky boy). The 1985-forward lineup was a total disappointment. I think if GM built the 1984 model again, with more interior refinement to the panels, demand for the model would return quickly despite gas prices.
The 85 Park Ave sold well not quite 200K in volume. That's not a disappointment. Front wheel drive & same interior dimensions. Before you bash front wheel drive, ever drive in the snow?
I once had requested this channel to do a show on the 1968 to 1976 Electra. Nevertheless, thank you most heartily for a great segment on the ‘77 to ‘84 model years. Well done!
I own a 1977 Electra 225 with the base 350. I have owned this beauty for 30 years. It is unrestored, but is in good condition and received a Gold Senior award at the Buick Nationals last year. It also got a best in class award at a local show this year with a total of 955 cars present. Not bad for a car I bought for my go to work beater for $2,000 in 1993!
My wife's father bought an early production 1980 Electra Limited. It had the 1979 "Limited" script on the rear quarter panels and the Buick 350 V-8. That engine was a torque monster. It had to go back to the dealer for fit and finish issues after initial purchase.
GM's first major fail was Chevy getting a V8 and the Bel Air. No reason to buy a Pontiac or even an Olds. By the '70's it was full on badge engineering. Everyone was moving up market and the up market divisions were moving down. Really the Park Avenue was a Cadillac.
A lot of people who could afford a Cadillac bought a Buick so as not to 'show off' or appear to be more expensive small business owners than their competition. There was also the sad fact that Cadillac by the early '80's was building lower quality cars than the Buicks - and one could see and feel it.
In certain years, the Electra/Park Ave was NICER than the DeVille. (Check a 1977 Electra Limited interior VS a 1977 DeVille interior for example - Buick "out Cadillaced" the actual Cadillac!
One shyster practice I remember GM doing by then, something even my mechanic regarded with the same esteem as monkeypox, was swapping engines from one division into other divisions, so you'd run a risk of having a Chevy or Olds or Pontiac engine in your Buick...or vice-versa in any combination. Cadillac somehow was spared that treatment, at least until they tried the diesel bit (we all know what went with that). Luckily, the '79 Electra-225 Limited I had was fitted with the X engine (the Buick-built 350)...although that engine did have serious valve trouble which I was never able to repair. Knowing what I know now, I could easily fix that problem...but back then I was still learning about cars beyond sticking a gas-pump nozzle into the tank.
@@jamesslick4790 That actually says a lot, considering that the taillight treatment of the '77 Electra was the worst-looking of the period...at least, I thought so. I'm partial to the '79 taillight treatment: *THE* best-looking taillights of any car back then, bar none...to include cars from other corporations. But you're right about the interiors; they were plush, but not gaudy like Cadillac interiors, and had every practical creature-comfort one could ask for back then. Well...save for one: By then Cadillac started offering cassette players. Buicks still had 8-track players, however neatly concealed behind the radio scale, enough to fool any radio thief to pass it by. But retrofitting a cassette player into a '79 would not be a hard job at all; had I thought of doing that when I had my '79 Electra, I would have put it up against any Cadillac. But, back then, radio thefts were really big, and I didn't want to run the risk of my dash torn apart because somebody noticed the cassette deck.
Great video. Even though those late 80s Electras were a big departure from the previous model, they were still great cars. I remember them still being common place on the roads in the 2000s. Heck, I still remember seeing them pop up from time to time in the early/mid 2010s.
❤ I currently own a VERY CLEAN 1983 Buick Electra Park Avenue sedan. Sky blue paint with a navy blue full top & pillow velour seats it’s rust free Georgia car 9/10 overall condition GETS ATTENTION EVERYWHERE FROM EVERYONE kids men women young old black white you name it ! Everyone tells me how their family or older relatives had one. Some people even ask to take pictures with it! I stole it for $1200 in July of 2022 it has the 252 cubic inch motor v6 with 88,000 og miles. My father had this same car 3 of them on 30s & vogues when I was a kid in the late 80s early 90s I still have pictures from back then with his cars
My uncle had a 75 duce and a quarter back in the 80s with the 2inch white walls with the keystone rims on it and he washed that car literally every other day😅 my he rest in peace lov you unc❤🙌🏾
My mother had a new 1970 Electra 225 4 door in bamboo yellow with a black vinyl top & a cream brocade interior. In 1974, my dad too went with the Electra Limited. It was a beautiful brown color with tan top and very plush brownish interior. It was much more loaded than their other one. Of the two though, I wish I could own the 1970 now.
finally a GM B-Body. I love these cars!!! I had an 84 Electra Limited 4 door. chocolate brown with chocolate brown velour interior. absolutely beautiful and very comfortable to drive. I miss it so much. why was I so stupid in my youth?!?! I currently drive a 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. it's good, but not the same
I bought a 1977 Buick Electra 225 in 1993 for my go to work beater. The car was nice so I kept it and still have it. We have been places in six states with it, and this unrestored beauty wins at the car shows too. Not bad for $2,000.
Back in the mid 80's I bought a 1970 Electra 225 with the 455 engine for $500 from a local car lot next to the repair shop I worked at. It was fun to drive, but I forgot what I ever did with it. Also bought a 1976 Trans Am with a smashed in quarter panel from the same place, also $500.
I had a 77 Electra landau coupe, with a 350 engine, my mechanic told me it was a Olds engine but since I'm in California, it might not have been. Car ran great. My grandmother bought it new , traded in her 71 Coupe DeVille on the Buick. She stopped driving and I bought it Jan 1982 with 22k miles on it, drove it till 1996. Great running car
My Dad had a two door Electra Limited with the landau roof from this generation. Not exactly sure of the year; I think maybe it was an early 80s model. I wasn't really a fan of such a large car having only two doors, as it makes the doors very long, but I always liked the interior of that car, particularly the dashboard with its big round gauges and simulated wood trim.
My Dad had a brand new '79. He got a speeding ticket on the first day with it. It was a good car. It had a gap between the hood and the fender that you could fit your thumb in. It was all good after they cured that.
My Grandparents had a 1979 Buick LeSabre Four Door , Top-Of-The-Line with the spoft-top-hard-top. We use to go from New Orleans, Louisiana to Silver Creek, Mississippi in that vehicle to visit the Grandparents. This was in the very early 1990s.
I have a 77 Electra rotting away in my backyard. It was my grandfathers and I thought I would eventually get the body work done on it but life gets in the way.
The owner of the service station / garage where my Dad got his cars fixed had one of these in the early 80's. Just like the one shown at 8:20. I was only 10-12 years old but I loved the look of that car. He actually lived right next to his garage so the car hardly ever moved. He had a 30 second walk to work every day. I am sure that car is still out there today. These years were so much nicer than the 71-76 boats they replaced. Yes hindsight is 20/20 and GM certainly made lots of mistakes but at least when these went to FWD they still looked good and were some of the best FWD's GM made in the late 80's and 90's.
You are correct. Body integrity, rust inhibitors and quality control was so much better than the 71-76. My dad bought a brand new 72 Impala custom coupe. NIce enough car. My mother traded it in for a 1977 Lesabre coupe in black. The 1977 was a much better car.
Here in England I still see the magnificent 1959 Electra at car shows, and you can pick up a good entry-level Le Sabre to restore for £3000 . (Matthewsons in Yorkshire sell them).
Yep, they used to say these cars were built for cruising not for speed. Which DECODED as, if you put your foot down they guzzled gas at even more alarming rates. They lacked the power to speed. Lacked the brakes to stop. Lacked the suspension to corner or handle and apart from all that, they were fine.
The model with the green paint (late 70s here) was striking. Big American cars had that noodl-ey power steering, but they all, "floated," as you say here, like a big, old boat. They all had great suspension systems that the foreign cars could not come near, IMHO.
Us "old school" called them Duces & a quarter. "225" Those were some mighty fine handsome luxurious cars! The Buick's of today look like kids roller skates. They had a lovely line up with Park Ave., Regal & Rivera. I know a company has to innovate, but NEVER alienate your customer base. It's truly hard to win them back.
Agreed, and look at what we have now, SUVs. I'd rather have a Buick Skyhawk than any SUV.
My parents had two rivieras, an 82 and an 85 I believe. They were nice cars. Of course I realize that now that I'm older
Deuce and a Quarter... learn it, love it and live it.
My 1st car, 1981 Buick Electra Limited. White with blue vinyl top, blue cloth interior, air ride rear suspension that you could raise or lower the back. Man... if I could have this car back in my life again. I've promised myself that if I ever hit the lottery, I'm going to restore one from top to bottom just like my 1st one. Great video!
I had a 77 225 coupe with the 403 in undergrad. I paid $650 for it in 2 installments. 😩it was clean & special. I had many great times with it and traded it in for a 94 Caprice. I wish I would have stashed it away. She deserved better. I never had any issues with it. She got me through a transitional time in my life.
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Now there’s an honest story . Thank you
My Grandma had one of these cars. It was a 1977. I remember it being a 4 door, Brown exterior with Brown Interior and my favorite thing about it was its Analog Clock that was to the right of the climate controls and above the glove box. We took vacations in that car and it road so smooth! I miss her and every time I see one of these cars I think of her and those vacations we had.
I owned 2 1983 Electra Park Ave's back in the mid 90's. One was in mint cond. but had the V6. Lacked any power for the weight of the car. The other nice condition one had the Olds 307. Decent motor and power. Loved both of those 83's. Total comfort when driving.
About 5 years ago I owned a pristine ‘86 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham with the Olds 307 engine. At age 63 I’ve owned many autos in my life. That ‘86 Olds-powered Cadillac land yacht is still one of my favorite memories. And of course my first and second cars at ages 16 and 17 (1975 and 1976): ‘71 Plymouth Barracuda traded a year later for a ‘74 Plymouth ‘Cuda 360. I wish I had both of those back today.
The Electra Estate wagons were the best looking wagons of that era, especially with the alloy wheels.
I had a '80 Electra, 252 V6 4bbl with every available factory option. It was such a great car!
I use to have an 87 Monte Carlo LS V6 4.3 sell it 2 years ago that baby feels like has no wheels floating down ..even I laugh on the speed bumps..
The best part about all cars back then, compared to what's available today is that you had a choice of more than 2 or 3 interior colors.
Yup…today’s interior are mostly black. It makes for an extremely HOT car when parked outside in the sun, especially down here in Florida.
So true. And you buy a car with nice fabric seats, instead of the cheapest grades of leather they use today.
Wow! Those interiors were gorgeous.
I had a 1974 “225 duce and a quarter” Electra. 2 door triple blue 455. What a smooth ride all around. About 2 inches left in the garage. Heck I was able to fit both a front fender and door for an 86 Accord 2 door in the trunk!
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When Buick shrunk the big 76 that was the end of the luxury car. It then became just a car.
I had a 1979 Electra Limited, absolute beauty to drive. It was my daily driver for years. It had the 403 in it, I had it up to 120mph which took a few miles haha. Put air shocks on the rear axle and a sway bar. Thing cornered like a beast without losing any smoothness to the ride. When I sold it off in 2009 and started driving a 2001 Silverado, my first thought was, "what the heck happened to the roads?" Miss that car.
I drove one of these for a few days when my 1988 Tempo was in the shop, an 84 Electra Park Avenue. I don't recall the steering being unable to handle curves, it was actually rather tight, and the steering was feather light with zero road feel. The suspension didn't wallow either. That steering wheel rim was pencil thin. I wished they would've kept the Tempo and let me keep the loaner car 🤣
To not wallow is good but to handle is a different thing, yes you can argue European cars had less engine weight less power and smaller overall dimensions that's why they handled better.... But still....
I had a Tempo too, it was the WORST car I ever had in terms of reliability and I treated it VERY well!!!!!!
I am a BIG fan of the old school GM RWD "C" body cars. (1959-1984) I have had all versions: Oldsmobile 98, Buick Electra and Cadillac DeVille models of different years. Here's the thing about the Buick Electra (and often Olds 98), In certain years they were NICER than the Cadillac equivalents! You COULD go "stealth wealth" and sacrifice NOTHING inside (and let's face it, these cars were ALL about the interior appointments). I had a 1977 Electra Limited AND A 1979 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the same time, And the Buick had the more luxurious interior by a MILE! One would need to go to a FLEETWOOD to come close. And that wasn't even the Park Avenue package! (Also, the 77-84 Buick Electras & LeSabres had the prettiest dash of all GMs 77-84 B/C body cars) As to the 1992-96 Roadmaster, I liked the styling versus the other GM "whale" bodies. At least it looked like a Buick (The Caddy version was a joke on the name Cadillac, IMHO) it fell down on the interior. It wasn't BAD, but it was more at the LeSabre level than Electra level. Even though it was Buick's largest car, It was still positioned LOWER than the FWD Park Avenues. It might have sold better with a REAL luxury interior. It didn't matter though: The plant where they were made was converted to SUV production (And GM knew that's where the REAL profits would be - They were right, sadly)
Agreed, like I commented below, I had an '82 Bonneville Brougham, and it was so plush and so well optioned for the time, that it was a Caddy in everything but name
The Electra PArk Ave and 98 Regency and Regency Brougham had nice interior than the Cadillac SDV/CDVs, you had to order the de'Elegance package to equal them.
Agreed..Very well said
I always love the buicks from the 1970s and the 1980s
I couldn't agree with you more when you ended your post with the word "sadly."
A buddy of mine had an early 80s Park Avenue in high school. Bought it off an old lady for cheap. Was low mileage and pretty pristine.
I have to say, it was pretty awesome. Beyond comfortable.
Mom had a 83 model. It was a very roomy, comfortable car. Had 307 olds. Very reliable had well over 200,000 miles when dad sold it.
Thanks for your explicit and detailed account of the GM history, I enjoyed it very much. Good day sir.
This brings back memories. My mother had a 1978 Buick Park Avenue, powder blue with matching vinyl top and sliding moonroof. Blue velour interior. When I took my girlfriend to prom in 1984 many friends rented limos, but I just borrowed the Buick and it was elegant enough. I’m a Ford man, but have always had a soft spot for Buicks.
Your discussion makes a lot of sense. GM could have continued with the rear drive Buicks. Why they chose instead to have badge-engineered lookalikes is beyond me.
Because badge engineering everything is way cheaper and simpler to make and deaign
They were already badge engineered to begin with.
Because of the CAFE standards imposed on the auto makers by the government. GM could not keep building large heavy cars and pass the increasing fuel economy standards. Trucks did not have to meet as stringent fuel economy standards. That is why they started pushing trucks and SUVs to folks who wanted a vehicle with interior roominess.
Because ford and dodge was doing it.
Even the rear wheel drive cars were badge engineered. Same as the Chevy Caprice and Olds Delta 88 and 98
Thanks for doing this video. My first car was an 83 Park Avenue with the 307. I had it from 94 until 97. It was a joy to drive and very comfortable. I have many fond memories of that car.
i had a 83 buick park ave with the 307 was one of my all tike favorite car
also had a 82 buick electra with the 403 was gold with tan interior and was my favorite car.
also had 3 olds delta 88 royale all 1983 models with the 307.
nowhere as fancy as the buicks they were a plain version of the buick.
i loved them all.
some of the greatest cars ever made
.......And now, Today, Buicks look like big fat TURDS!!!!!.
I still remember when I was around 5 years old when I went with my parents when they traded in their 1978 Corvette to get my mom her 1983 2 door Park Avenue Electra in Blue to replace her 1977 Cutlass Supreme which had both the seats stolen out of them in addition to the car being vandalized while parked at the local park and ride in Houston around that time. We took that car to Walt Disney World in Florida that summer in 1983 and I remember about a year or so later my mom had put on some SS Cragar wheels on it. So many memories of that car I wish my mom still had it.
WoW, memories. My parents had a 74 eletra then a 1980 Park Avenue. Great cars. When we sold the Park Avenue, we frequently saw that car just driving on the road for another 15 years after haven driven it for five. We called it the tank, because it just kept on going. Thanks
Love those big old Buicks!!!!
Earlier was BETTER!! YOUR OFF HERE!
The Park Avenue had a surprisingly thumpin' Delco sound system.
Pretty sure it was a rebranded Bose
No replacement for 6x9’s
@@gm12551 I replaced mine on my old 85 Riv. Just gotta search real good.
Those interiors are beautiful.
My dad ordered one as a company car. Ours was a 1979 Buick Electra Park Avenue. It was burgundy, with matching vinyl roof, grey velour upholstery, and spoke wheels. It had the Buick 350. We pulled a 21' Century 4000 cuddy cabin deep v boat with it. My dad personally installed air shocks in the rear end. Gorgeous car. It had every available option except for a moonroof and leather seats. I vividly remember the window sticker at $11,000 and some change. We then got the top Oldsmobile counterpart in 1982, where the sticker had risen to $16,000.
In the late 80s I owned a 1978 and then an 1981 Electra. Both sedans. The 78 had a full power bench front seat. Never saw anything like that before. Both cars handled well and were built for cruising comfort not speed. These cars had distinct style. You knew instantly, even at a distance that a Buick was heading your way. Just as comfortable and plush as my friends 84 Cadillac Fleetwood but the Electra had a better engine and better brightwork.
That’s like saying that Kathy Bates is similarly as attractive as Rosie O’Donnell . 🤦♂️
I had 3, 1983 Buick Electra Park Avenue, 1st Charcoal Grey/Maroon red interior (Sold), still having 2 both White with Maroon Red interiors, ride level control, Electric trunk pull down option, electric fuel cap release, fitted Cadillac true spoke chrome wheels, can't stop loving owing and driving them. Those days they put so much love and compassion in those cars...
These years looked good...but remember, this was the middle of the "Malaise Era" for American cars...performance paled in comparison to the previous generation of Buick...My 72 Electra was lavish, and had a slightly detuned version of the 455 V8---it still had 310hp, and the sheer power moved that nearly 5,000lb car down the road very swiftly!...I did not care that it was getting around 11mpg!...Conversely, I now drive a pristine 1993 Park Avenue, with the venerable 3800V6...only 170hp, but it seems to move quite well down the road, and I love the FWD...No problems with traction when I get caught in a snowstorm (which is seldom, in Seattle!)...Buicks have been consistently the most reliable, and comfortable land yachts over the decades...of course, these beautiful older cars are simply not made anymore--a further sign that our once great society is going down the drain!
I had an '83 4dr Park Ave. That car was absolutely magnificent.
These things with the 403 were very nice fishtail fun-o-matics and tire smokers. If you got them on a nice gravel parking lot they can literally spin in a 360 degree circle on the spot. Talk about a blast.
Ya blowing gravel from someone's parking lot all over the rear and sides of you car sounds like a classy great time. Not
@@giggiddy You must be fun at parties
I had a beautiful 1983 Buick Electra 2-dr. Limited. Light Greyfern paint. Wide whitewalls and wire spoke wheelcovers. 307v8. Wasn't a quick car, but sure drove and rode good. I miss it.
Luv full size Electra. Sharp looking car
I recall a few of those cars and they were nice. And with the bigger V8's, they could get out of their own way - gas V8's. Buick did pretty well with the front drive LeSabre and Park Avenues. In fact, I am currently looking for one and there are enough around that finding a decent one with less than 100K miles is possible.
My late brother had an 84' 350 equipped Park Ave coupe which he adored. He knew that was the last year for those and kept his for a long time. You sat in those cars and you then knew why Buick was only "one step away from Cadillac." They were posh, and truly had character. Good episode, thank you. I miss my bro and his silver Park Avenue.
Thank you for the video. I enjoyed the information and footage. I really did. It was well put together. I agree on the downsizing era at GM. I would love to see a video on Oldsmobile 98, Oldsmobile 88, and Tornado. I think on Pontiac Bonneville and Parisienne and Grand Prix would be great too. There are some Lincoln that would be nice to see as well. Thank you for the effort in this video.
I love Buicks the old school ones that's what made me grow up on Buicks. My aunt and her husband bought nothing but Buicks she had an '84 Park Avenue brown with brown interior that was one of my favorite cars before she had '77 Electra one day coming from shopping elderly man ran into the rear of the car damaged it (totaled) she replaced with the '84 Park Avenue that car brought such great memories I call it the traditional car it was something about that car she would get compliments all the time still miss that car. By 1995 she gave the car to my late grandmother when started working it used to be a GM dealership down the highway minutes from where I lived went there with her and my grandfather she was looking for a car she spent that day shopping for a new car it was a smaller Park Avenue in white one made from the mid 80s my grandfather which was her nephew told her she didn't need that car with that small engine... lol 😆 he made her get a Roadmaster instead the biggest car ever I loved that car as well didn't have the love as with the Park Avenue, everyone in the family used to talk about the car was too big for her she really loved it more than the Park Avenue it was a titanic what I call it but was a beautiful car with a smooth ride and quick acceleration that Roadmaster be gone in a second, I sure miss these old Buicks still love Buick just love these old school cars from back in the day.
Wow. My first car was a handed down ‘77 Electra 225. Early 90s, so everything about it was old school to everyone. It is by far the best car I’ve ever owned. Gas hog, but fuel economy didn’t matter back then. I get teary-eyed whenever I see one on the internet. Best times of my life.
Oh the video has to be one of your best, I was waiting for someone to do a video on the Electra, another story to be told should be about the Oldsmobile 88 which is another favorite of mine and I also owned 2 Olds 88s , 69 and an 80, love to see a video on this model
Thanks who ever run this channel, we love it.
Central California watching.
Those were some super smooth, comphy cars. A friend found me a solid '77 LeSabre with a smashed windshield for $50 bucks in the early '90s. Replaced the windshield, and that car stayed in the family for 5-6yrs. A little thirsty, but reliable, and smooth. Nice driver.
One of my favorite cars, I owned 2 Electras ,a 75 and an 88. Yes by 1988 Buick did lose their identity and yes the 1985 which my 1988 was based on was no Buick, the 1988 was ok but it was definitely different than the 1975 that I had
I have always loved those Buick sport rims
Ah, those Elektra's from back in the day we're the wheels to have. I miss them. I'd rather have that than a 1981 Century that my dad eventually gave me!
I prefer the 1977-79 styling over the 1980-84 styling because I felt they had much superior powertrains, as a child growing up in the 1990's I saw more 1977-79 Electra's than the 1980-84's.
Like floating over the road - quiet, whisper comfort. Beautiful Automobile.
Thanks for the video. Buick always got Cadillac's old steering wheels and some appointments. We had a beautiful 58 BuickRoadmaster Convertible, more chrome than the 58 Cadillac. After that Dad bought Olds 98s, they were more luxurious than some of the Cadillacs, but while they were great cars, I think the real reason was our local Buick dealer also sold Cadillacs and Dad was afraid my Mom if looking at an Electra saw a Fleetwood Brougham she liked better he'd be on the hook. The Olds dealer stood alone.
This car was so good! My parents had 2 1979 Estate Wagons. They first bought a silver one with he Olds 403 and the next one was burgundy and the same engine. For a few years, both were in the family running for quite a few years. I took my driver's license test in the burgundy one. Additionally, the car before I Buicks was a 1972 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, huge!
Little known is that in the 1980s the Electra Estate Wagon had a stable mate in the Le Sabre Estate Wagon. The ladder came with less features and some of those could be optioned whereas the Estate Wagon had them as standard equipment. As well, I believe the Le Sabre version could be optioned without the exterior wood grained panels. Currently, when ordering parts on-line, the names between the two are often interchangeable, yet oddly at other vendors the Le Sabre name is used to denote the rear-wheel-drive-wagon and the Electra Estate name is used to denote the front-wheel-drive-sedan, even though a check box in the pull-down menu had been checked off for "Wagon".
I'm in "binge" mode again.I appreciate your work and have been enjoying your vids for quite some time. Tonight, I'm checking out some of the ones I missed. Great narration.
I owned a 1984 Buick Park Avenue in the blue colour shown in the video. It was a beautiful car. In fact, my then young son preferred it to the Cadillac line, visually-speaking. I couldn't convince him otherwise, even to this day. He would drive it from time-to-time in his late teens (lucky boy).
The 1985-forward lineup was a total disappointment.
I think if GM built the 1984 model again, with more interior refinement to the panels, demand for the model would return quickly despite gas prices.
The 85 Park Ave sold well not quite 200K in volume. That's not a disappointment. Front wheel drive & same interior dimensions. Before you bash front wheel drive, ever drive in the snow?
Had a 1978 electra ultra, with the 403 olds engine. Great car, awesome ride and comfy seats.
I once had requested this channel to do a show on the 1968 to 1976 Electra. Nevertheless, thank you most heartily for a great segment on the ‘77 to ‘84 model years. Well done!
Love these cars. Had several throughout the years. Wish I could find one again 😢😢😢
I loved the brown velour seats in the Park Avenue my dad drove. It had a dark brown vinyl roof with light brown paint.
That green coloured Buick is just like eye candy. Such a gorgeous looking car.
Am I the only one who goes online every time to check prices on these cars? Just great research and details. Keep it up!
I own a 1977 Electra 225 with the base 350. I have owned this beauty for 30 years. It is unrestored, but is in good condition and received a Gold Senior award at the Buick Nationals last year. It also got a best in class award at a local show this year with a total of 955 cars present. Not bad for a car I bought for my go to work beater for $2,000 in 1993!
Love your videos!!!
My first car was a 1980 Buick Electra.
That 84 park with those mags just about takes the cake.
Car manufacturers really had freedom to expression back in the day. Could you imagine these luxury cars with todays features and luxuries.
Definitely a classic! I remember as a kid I always wanted to own one!
My wife's father bought an early production 1980 Electra Limited. It had the 1979 "Limited" script on the rear quarter panels and the Buick 350 V-8. That engine was a torque monster. It had to go back to the dealer for fit and finish issues after initial purchase.
GM's first major fail was Chevy getting a V8 and the Bel Air. No reason to buy a Pontiac or even an Olds. By the '70's it was full on badge engineering. Everyone was moving up market and the up market divisions were moving down. Really the Park Avenue was a Cadillac.
A lot of people who could afford a Cadillac bought a Buick so as not to 'show off' or appear to be more expensive small business owners than their competition.
There was also the sad fact that Cadillac by the early '80's was building lower quality cars than the Buicks - and one could see and feel it.
In certain years, the Electra/Park Ave was NICER than the DeVille. (Check a 1977 Electra Limited interior VS a 1977 DeVille interior for example - Buick "out Cadillaced" the actual Cadillac!
One shyster practice I remember GM doing by then, something even my mechanic regarded with the same esteem as monkeypox, was swapping engines from one division into other divisions, so you'd run a risk of having a Chevy or Olds or Pontiac engine in your Buick...or vice-versa in any combination. Cadillac somehow was spared that treatment, at least until they tried the diesel bit (we all know what went with that).
Luckily, the '79 Electra-225 Limited I had was fitted with the X engine (the Buick-built 350)...although that engine did have serious valve trouble which I was never able to repair. Knowing what I know now, I could easily fix that problem...but back then I was still learning about cars beyond sticking a gas-pump nozzle into the tank.
@@jamesslick4790 That actually says a lot, considering that the taillight treatment of the '77 Electra was the worst-looking of the period...at least, I thought so. I'm partial to the '79 taillight treatment: *THE* best-looking taillights of any car back then, bar none...to include cars from other corporations.
But you're right about the interiors; they were plush, but not gaudy like Cadillac interiors, and had every practical creature-comfort one could ask for back then. Well...save for one: By then Cadillac started offering cassette players. Buicks still had 8-track players, however neatly concealed behind the radio scale, enough to fool any radio thief to pass it by. But retrofitting a cassette player into a '79 would not be a hard job at all; had I thought of doing that when I had my '79 Electra, I would have put it up against any Cadillac. But, back then, radio thefts were really big, and I didn't want to run the risk of my dash torn apart because somebody noticed the cassette deck.
Great video. Even though those late 80s Electras were a big departure from the previous model, they were still great cars. I remember them still being common place on the roads in the 2000s. Heck, I still remember seeing them pop up from time to time in the early/mid 2010s.
I had the 77 limited. Drove it for 10 years or more. One of the best cars I have ever owned.
❤ I currently own a VERY CLEAN 1983 Buick Electra Park Avenue sedan. Sky blue paint with a navy blue full top & pillow velour seats it’s rust free Georgia car 9/10 overall condition GETS ATTENTION EVERYWHERE FROM EVERYONE kids men women young old black white you name it ! Everyone tells me how their family or older relatives had one. Some people even ask to take pictures with it! I stole it for $1200 in July of 2022 it has the 252 cubic inch motor v6 with 88,000 og miles. My father had this same car 3 of them on 30s & vogues when I was a kid in the late 80s early 90s I still have pictures from back then with his cars
My uncle had a 75 duce and a quarter back in the 80s with the 2inch white walls with the keystone rims on it and he washed that car literally every other day😅 my he rest in peace lov you unc❤🙌🏾
So much styling, character and fun in these designs that is almost totally missing from the appliances they put out today.
I learned how to drive on a 77 Electra. Thanks for the memories.
cool, my family had a 1980 diseal Electra 😀😀 Estate wagon, and then a 1984 Buick Estate wagon, good memories both v8s
My mother had a new 1970 Electra 225 4 door in bamboo yellow with a black vinyl top & a cream brocade interior. In 1974, my dad too went with the Electra Limited. It was a beautiful brown color with tan top and very plush brownish interior. It was much more loaded than their other one. Of the two though, I wish I could own the 1970 now.
finally a GM B-Body. I love these cars!!! I had an 84 Electra Limited 4 door. chocolate brown with chocolate brown velour interior. absolutely beautiful and very comfortable to drive. I miss it so much. why was I so stupid in my youth?!?!
I currently drive a 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. it's good, but not the same
Wasn't the Electra a C-Body?
The Electra was a C body car
I bought a 1977 Buick Electra 225 in 1993 for my go to work beater. The car was nice so I kept it and still have it. We have been places in six states with it, and this unrestored beauty wins at the car shows too. Not bad for $2,000.
One of my favorite channel about cars🤗
I love your program I can watch this kind of stuff all day long
Back in the mid 80's I bought a 1970 Electra 225 with the 455 engine for $500 from a local car lot next to the repair shop I worked at. It was fun to drive, but I forgot what I ever did with it. Also bought a 1976 Trans Am with a smashed in quarter panel from the same place, also $500.
I had a 77 Electra landau coupe, with a 350 engine, my mechanic told me it was a Olds engine but since I'm in California, it might not have been. Car ran great. My grandmother bought it new , traded in her 71 Coupe DeVille on the Buick. She stopped driving and I bought it Jan 1982 with 22k miles on it, drove it till 1996. Great running car
Likely Olds as the Olds v8 could meet emission standards of the day easier then other GM V8s.
I miss my 79 Electra Limited in Burgundy. Best highway cruiser I ever had!
My Dad had a two door Electra Limited with the landau roof from this generation. Not exactly sure of the year; I think maybe it was an early 80s model. I wasn't really a fan of such a large car having only two doors, as it makes the doors very long, but I always liked the interior of that car, particularly the dashboard with its big round gauges and simulated wood trim.
My Dad had a brand new '79. He got a speeding ticket on the first day with it. It was a good car. It had a gap between the hood and the fender that you could fit your thumb in. It was all good after they cured that.
My Grandparents had a 1979 Buick LeSabre Four Door , Top-Of-The-Line with the spoft-top-hard-top. We use to go from New Orleans, Louisiana to Silver Creek, Mississippi in that vehicle to visit the Grandparents. This was in the very early 1990s.
A 1981 Electra Park Avenue was my driver's education car, a higher degree of drive ability, loved its ride quality.
Had several of these over the years, all the way up to 2019 when I sold my '77 Limited with a Buick 350.
The 1978 Buick Electra and park avenue was boss and looked and rode good
Cars will never be made like that again. I feel very privileged to have grown up during that last blast of big American cars.
Very nice line of Buick vehicles. Very nice.
The Park Avenue, and the Roadmaster, are STILL Beautiful Cars. Buick what happened?
I still love every km in my Olds Delta88. Nothing can come close....
In 1993 I had a 1985 Buick LeSabre Limited Collector's Editon..White with grey cloth interior If I remember right.. I loved the ride..
If i have a 1980 buick park ave limited it cranks but no start what is the problem
I kind of liked that "floaty" feel. Like a magic carpet.
I have a 77 Electra rotting away in my backyard. It was my grandfathers and I thought I would eventually get the body work done on it but life gets in the way.
رائعه بوووويك ...رائعه جنرال موتورز ...لن تتتكرر هاذه الاساطير الامريكيه .....شكرا جنرال موتورز ...شكرا امربكا ....👍👍👍👍👍👍😘😘😘❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The owner of the service station / garage where my Dad got his cars fixed had one of these in the early 80's. Just like the one shown at 8:20. I was only 10-12 years old but I loved the look of that car. He actually lived right next to his garage so the car hardly ever moved. He had a 30 second walk to work every day. I am sure that car is still out there today. These years were so much nicer than the 71-76 boats they replaced. Yes hindsight is 20/20 and GM certainly made lots of mistakes but at least when these went to FWD they still looked good and were some of the best FWD's GM made in the late 80's and 90's.
You are correct. Body integrity, rust inhibitors and quality control was so much better than the 71-76. My dad bought a brand new 72 Impala custom coupe. NIce enough car. My mother traded it in for a 1977 Lesabre coupe in black. The 1977 was a much better car.
Awesome thanks for the great work Sir 👍
Here in England I still see the magnificent 1959 Electra at car shows, and you can pick up a good entry-level Le Sabre to restore for £3000 . (Matthewsons in Yorkshire sell them).
Had a1981 Buick Lesabre. 307 olds motor with overdrive. Car rode so smooth with 120;000 miles
Yep, they used to say these cars were built for cruising not for speed. Which DECODED as, if you put your foot down they guzzled gas at even more alarming rates. They lacked the power to speed. Lacked the brakes to stop. Lacked the suspension to corner or handle and apart from all that, they were fine.
The model with the green paint (late 70s here) was striking. Big American cars had that noodl-ey power steering, but they all, "floated," as you say here, like a big, old boat. They all had great suspension systems that the foreign cars could not come near, IMHO.