Advice needed on my N/T Buick Regal

XxPurpleHazexX · 07-19-2006, 11:30 AM

Greetings again all,

I have been around for sometime now, and actualy met a couple of you guys. A couple others have helped me when my car was having problems.

Well heres the deal. I still have the ol Buick. It has 96,000 miles on it now. The car currently is not working. Due to a transmission problem and a leak, the heat sensor didn't work properly (I think) and my electronic cooling fans on the radiator never engaged. I wasn't watching the temp gage and managed to overheat my engine. I prolly blew a head gasket but I am not sure. When ever I start the car it has a rough idle and blows white'ish smoke out the tail pipe.

The car is a 89 Regal GS, FWD with the 3.1 and it maintains a salvage title from a pretty violent accident where it held up surprisingly well. The cars body is strait (Besides the rear-end), and the interior still can look new, with a good cleaning.

I resently bought a 2002 Saturn SL2 with 22,000 for $6,000. Just to get me to work and school, the gas milage is excellent (about 37mpg), so I have been using this to go on trips every weekend. I hate this car though, its incredibly slow and cramped, I am not a big dood at all though. The car is just not comphy and I miss my Buick. The back seat of my Buick Regal has alot more room in it then my entire Saturn. But the Saturn does what it is told to do, just really really slow.

I am still in college (1 year left) and then I will be looking for a real job in law enforcement.

My dilima is this: I hate comming home and seeing the Regal sitting there wasting away. (okay, not really wasting, but it gets covered in dust). I miss having the power and comphort. I don't have the money to put into the car (right now) and I don't have the tools to be able to work on it correctly, nor do I have the space.

Should I sell the Buick for what I can get? I'd be lucky to get a grand for her.

Or, should I keep the Buick and try to bring her back to life a few years down the road from now?

I would appreciate some advice on this issue.

XxPurpleHazexX · 07-19-2006, 11:31 AM

Gothmog · 07-19-2006, 11:38 AM

do you love the car or like the car? If you love it, keep it, as long as its not costing you money to store. You have a daily driver so you're all set.

turbofish38 · 07-19-2006, 12:36 PM

3.1 and a salvage title? Sell it while you can. It is not going to be worth anymore than it is today. Maybe if it had some redeeming quality like a real engine(Buick 3800) than it might be worth keeping for a DD.

Just a Six?? · 07-19-2006, 01:18 PM

I dont see why you wouldnt get the $$ for it? Its not a collector peice for sure!

Buick Runner · 07-19-2006, 01:40 PM

The engine looks like the Chevy 3.1L in my Mom's old car. Those things are a pain in the a$$ to work on, banged my finger bad replacing the dumb belt tensior last year. I hate those engines you are better off getting something else with a 3.8L or better.

XxPurpleHazexX · 07-19-2006, 02:25 PM

Thing is, I just love the car. It seemed to handle better then any car I have ever driven, at high speeds it just hugged the road, at slow speeds it was nice and smooth. On the twisties, I always doubled the speed limits (in a couple places I tripled them once).

Gothmog · 07-19-2006, 04:16 PM

Love the car= keep it. the little bit of $ you'd get selling it would not make up for the regret you'll have down the road.

sr-71 · 07-19-2006, 05:48 PM

i would keep it, wait till you get your income tax return or something and then fix it. the car looks nice, before i sell it cheap i would rather keep it and buy things you need for it little by little. just my opinion

ULYCYC · 07-19-2006, 06:29 PM

The car is only worth sentimental value and has no book value. With the accident, salvage title, Trans and eng problems it's worthless. In fair running order with a good title it's worth between $750-1000. You would spend more to get to that point. Find someone who needs a parts car and when your ready buy another. Sorry for being honest

XxPurpleHazexX · 07-19-2006, 10:49 PM

Nah thats the truth. ;(

It has alot of sentimental value. My grandmother owned it before me, and I got it from her, she has since passed away. I have had 3 different girlfriends (not at the same time) in the back seat of my car. My saturn ... that would never happen unless migits are involved.

ULYCYC · 07-20-2006, 12:38 PM

I just went through that with my fathers old 92 Caviler. I was going to fix it up for one of my nieces. The parts needed to make it safe and not break down was well over it's value

07-19-2006, 11:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
XxPurpleHazexX Lurker Extrodinair! (SP?) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 336	Advice needed on my N/T Buick Regal Greetings again all, I have been around for sometime now, and actualy met a couple of you guys. A couple others have helped me when my car was having problems. Well heres the deal. I still have the ol Buick. It has 96,000 miles on it now. The car currently is not working. Due to a transmission problem and a leak, the heat sensor didn't work properly (I think) and my electronic cooling fans on the radiator never engaged. I wasn't watching the temp gage and managed to overheat my engine. I prolly blew a head gasket but I am not sure. When ever I start the car it has a rough idle and blows white'ish smoke out the tail pipe. The car is a 89 Regal GS, FWD with the 3.1 and it maintains a salvage title from a pretty violent accident where it held up surprisingly well. The cars body is strait (Besides the rear-end), and the interior still can look new, with a good cleaning. I resently bought a 2002 Saturn SL2 with 22,000 for $6,000. Just to get me to work and school, the gas milage is excellent (about 37mpg), so I have been using this to go on trips every weekend. I hate this car though, its incredibly slow and cramped, I am not a big dood at all though. The car is just not comphy and I miss my Buick. The back seat of my Buick Regal has alot more room in it then my entire Saturn. But the Saturn does what it is told to do, just really really slow. I am still in college (1 year left) and then I will be looking for a real job in law enforcement. My dilima is this: I hate comming home and seeing the Regal sitting there wasting away. (okay, not really wasting, but it gets covered in dust). I miss having the power and comphort. I don't have the money to put into the car (right now) and I don't have the tools to be able to work on it correctly, nor do I have the space. Should I sell the Buick for what I can get? I'd be lucky to get a grand for her. Or, should I keep the Buick and try to bring her back to life a few years down the road from now? I would appreciate some advice on this issue. __________________ 89 Regal GS, no turbo, just an almost broke love affair.

07-19-2006, 11:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
XxPurpleHazexX Lurker Extrodinair! (SP?) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 336	__________________ 89 Regal GS, no turbo, just an almost broke love affair.

07-19-2006, 11:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
Gothmog Lieutenant of Morgul Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NJ Posts: 6,450	do you love the car or like the car? If you love it, keep it, as long as its not costing you money to store. You have a daily driver so you're all set. __________________ Dave 87 GN T-Top 87 GN Astroroof w/Digital Dash 87 GN Astroroof 90 P/U 03 Mazda MPV 80 Regal Turbo-STOLEN. 4K473AH108541<Reward for Return

07-19-2006, 12:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
turbofish38 Turbocharged BrunoStachel Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Deltona,FL,USA Posts: 4,747	3.1 and a salvage title? Sell it while you can. It is not going to be worth anymore than it is today. Maybe if it had some redeeming quality like a real engine(Buick 3800) than it might be worth keeping for a DD. __________________ Eric Fisher GM Parts Specialist efisher@billheard.com I brought Top Fuel racing to Isreal. And coined the phrase "Burning Down The Menorah". I invented drifting. So Toyota could conform to the Americans With Disabilties Act. I built this city with Rock and Roll. But I built this car with Dew and PopTarts. 3:10 to Yuma. 11.80 in the quarter mile. I wanted to get pierced. So I bought Prince Albert in a can. Looks like this is going to take some time. 86 GN 11.80@115 TA49,60# Mototrons,TT chip and stock intercooler SCCA Regional Champion. Nebraska Region 1997 1986 Buick Grand National E/StreetPrepared Stay Boosted My Friends

07-19-2006, 01:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Just a Six?? I Buried Beachbum Here! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto Posts: 10,559	I dont see why you wouldnt get the $$ for it? Its not a collector peice for sure! __________________ 87 LTD. Purchased May 88 Doeskin leather, coach lites, moonroof & carpeted trunk. No Factory Hood Ornament! Special order by the VP of GM Canada! Not another like it! Lots of Go Fast goodies! 11.5 is as Fast as I go! Thats what the track told me! It's a Small World, but I wouldn't want to Paint It!! PS: My name is David & I have One screen name everywhere!

07-19-2006, 01:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Buick Runner Hydra Station Supervisor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dharma Station 1 of 7 The Hydra, MOAB proof Posts: 1,644	The engine looks like the Chevy 3.1L in my Mom's old car. Those things are a pain in the a$$ to work on, banged my finger bad replacing the dumb belt tensior last year. I hate those engines you are better off getting something else with a 3.8L or better. __________________ Emperor of all Daleks. >:4 8 15 16 23 42 Execute. 108:00 Oceanic Airways Fight 815 Copyright 1980 the Dharma Initiative funded by the Alvar Hanso Foundation. Member of the Dharma Initiative 1987 Buick Regal Limited with Q-jet N/A V6 soon to be SBC V8 1946 Farmall model A NW says I am classless Beachbum is not on the list of good people.!

07-19-2006, 02:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
XxPurpleHazexX Lurker Extrodinair! (SP?) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 336	Thing is, I just love the car. It seemed to handle better then any car I have ever driven, at high speeds it just hugged the road, at slow speeds it was nice and smooth. On the twisties, I always doubled the speed limits (in a couple places I tripled them once). __________________ 89 Regal GS, no turbo, just an almost broke love affair.

07-19-2006, 04:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gothmog Lieutenant of Morgul Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NJ Posts: 6,450	Love the car= keep it. the little bit of $ you'd get selling it would not make up for the regret you'll have down the road. __________________ Dave 87 GN T-Top 87 GN Astroroof w/Digital Dash 87 GN Astroroof 90 P/U 03 Mazda MPV 80 Regal Turbo-STOLEN. 4K473AH108541<Reward for Return

07-19-2006, 05:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
sr-71 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: miami,fl Posts: 1,160	i would keep it, wait till you get your income tax return or something and then fix it. the car looks nice, before i sell it cheap i would rather keep it and buy things you need for it little by little. just my opinion __________________ 87 gn 83lb inj-atr's twin-in-tank fuel pump eric's 83lb alcohol chip -k&n- tranny 10 vane pump, art carr shift kit, art carr 9inch non-lock-up converter, tranny cooler, billet servo, heavy duty clutch's, razor's awesome alcohol kit, a 3 inch exhaust kit with walker ultra-flows, 3.5 inch-real terry houston down pipe, RJC's Megacooler ( it is HUGH!!) champion GN 1 aluminum heads, 70MM throttle body, hydraulic roller cam 218-212, precision's AWESOME!! 70MM Dual BB turbo, ( worth every penny guys) engine block machine'd and blue-printed, etc,etc,etc.

07-19-2006, 06:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
ULYCYC Fuhgeddaboudit Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 16,503	The car is only worth sentimental value and has no book value. With the accident, salvage title, Trans and eng problems it's worthless. In fair running order with a good title it's worth between $750-1000. You would spend more to get to that point. Find someone who needs a parts car and when your ready buy another. Sorry for being honest __________________ ED BAKER 87-T, Maplight equipped rear view mirror.. 93 PARK AVE"SUPERCHARGED" BPG#1458 My Photo Page buickperformancegroup.com "As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."---H.L. Mencken 1927

07-19-2006, 10:49 PM	#11 (permalink)
XxPurpleHazexX Lurker Extrodinair! (SP?) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 336	Nah thats the truth. ;( It has alot of sentimental value. My grandmother owned it before me, and I got it from her, she has since passed away. I have had 3 different girlfriends (not at the same time) in the back seat of my car. My saturn ... that would never happen unless migits are involved. __________________ 89 Regal GS, no turbo, just an almost broke love affair.

07-20-2006, 12:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
ULYCYC Fuhgeddaboudit Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 16,503	I just went through that with my fathers old 92 Caviler. I was going to fix it up for one of my nieces. The parts needed to make it safe and not break down was well over it's value __________________ ED BAKER 87-T, Maplight equipped rear view mirror.. 93 PARK AVE"SUPERCHARGED" BPG#1458 My Photo Page buickperformancegroup.com "As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."---H.L. Mencken 1927

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode