1996 Buick Park Avenue Ultra Review - Supercharged Americana!
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DISCLAIMER!
The thoughts, feelings, and opinions expressed in this video are the sole thoughts of Zack and no one else. The purpose of this video is to provide entertainment with the hope that you will take what you see and formulate your own opinions. I highly recommend consuming other reviews of this vehicle before making any form of financial decision.
#Buick #ParkAvenue #ParkAvenueUltra
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
1:20 - Drivetrain
3:01 - Interior
5:48 - BFB Test
6:06 - Back Seats
7:15 - Trunk / Cargo Space
8:04 - Exterior
9:14 - Final Thoughts
12:51 - Outro
My man! Happy to finally see it up! Great vid
Cars today just don't have character like this gorgeous ride. It's a shame, but it is what it is. I honestly enjoyed this review ✌️
That is pure nostalgia pretty much any GM or at least trying to be traditional American vehicle even going into the early 2000s interior-wise was something like this That's just because it's at 20 years of industry ahift
"it is what it is" Were cars like this popular with younger buyers or were younger buyers more inclined to buy a BMW or something? (Hence why modern Cadillacs are mostly more like BMWs, and modern Buick sedans are just rebadged German cars?)
For me this car brings back so many memories.Growing up my grandma had a 1992 Ultra in the same white with a blue cloth interior. I remember every time I would go to her house near Appleton WI, 8 year old me would sit in the drivers seat of the car for hours just looking around at all of the interesting buttons and features, honking the horn pressing absolutely everything. I was fascinated with it because my family has always owned Toyota cars I never had any experience with a GM especially an older GM, and to young me even at the time, even though the car was from 1992, it felt so futuristic to me, like a spaceship. I loved that car and I remember riding in it with my Dad and how quick it was when he got on it he told me it was "supercharged" younger me only understood that meant it could go fast. This definitely hit a nostalgic chord for me hearing all the interior clicks and remembering my childhood, that doesn't seem long ago even though its been almost 16 years, through a single car. I wish I could track down that exact car today, I would buy it in a heartbeat. Thank you Zach for sharing this car that is a beacon of my past.
Loved seeing my little brothers car it looked great in this video, and totally did it justice.
Wow the quality of that car can be seen even through a video. The leather in the seats, the real chrome trim, the materials in the interior, all top of the line. What a beautiful, well made automobile. The early 2000s did have some models that were alright, but the reality is the 90s was the last of real luxury cars. A far cry away from the rolling pieces of bluetooth eco plastic computerized junk boxes they make today.
Junk boxes they make today.... 🤣🤣🤣
The big 90s FWD GM cars were great. 3800 was the perfect engine, with or without supercharger. 4-speed was perfectly adequate (earlier 3-speed FWDers really sucked). Style was just right, perfect mix between old and futuristic. And they were so comfortable, great for eating up miles on the interstate or being stuck in traffic for hours.
My sister had a 1996 Buick Park Avenue. Unfortunately it was totaled. A big van drove into the side of it. It was that beautiful burgundy inside and out.
Tyler Hoover approves. If I needed a cheap but nice car I'd track down a 90s or early 00s supercharged Buick. Super comfortable but with modern power and good reliability. You can still find senior citizens' cars with low miles and immaculately clean. I still can't get over the powered volume knob on that radio. Buick used that radio until '05 at least. I thought it was the wildest thing when I noticed it on my grandmother's '04 Regal. Headlight controls on the door was an interesting decision. The ignition key has a little resistor on it, an early version of chip keys. I get why Buick wanted to do the full-width red taillights for styling but if I owned one I'd try to track down the Euro lights because yellow turn signals are safer. I want American luxury to come back. I want thickly padded seats with generous dimensions and soft leather that you sink into. I want a big soft highway cruiser. Leave the super-tight sport tourer style of luxury to the Europeans. Also, bring back cornering lights.
Buick really was one of the best looking of the “old man” cars of the 90s And these are just a dream cloud on wheels So comfy
My aunt has a 2nd gen ultra. I remember when I was a new driver she let me drive it, and it was SO much better to drive than my Mom's roadmaster. The engine was so smooth and silent I almost tried to start it when I got in before I noticed it was already running. By my developed, sporty car standards it probably didn't drive all that great, but it was so impressively punchy while being such a comfortable and spacious car and not being a total boat. Really well executed automobile.
I own a '93 PA Ultra here in Germany and it's the best car I've ever owned! Nothing rides like an American full-size sedan! Can't wait to get it out of winter storage in April.
I agree I miss my 93
GM was one of the last manufactures to have 2 keys. Remember back when cars had valet keys
B R O W N. Seriously though, the whole car is f* king pristine
I too have a unnatural Buick Attraction. I grew up in my father's 81 Buick Electra ultra. He cherished that car, all original, never seen a winter. He had it from 87-05. He let me drive it once, real slow in the driveway. I'm an excellent driver. . . .
I have owned two Park Avenue’s. One was a 95 Ultra and it was a great vehicle, but I had multiple issues with the supercharger. In 01, I bought an 02 regular Park Ave which I still own. The 02 has been trouble free.
I've heard the Superchargers can be troublesome. I would hesitate to buy one so equipped.
The 77 Oldsmobile Toronado was a FWD land yacht that shared the same engine as the Pontiac Trans Am at the time. It had a huge flat floor in front and back and pre-dates the Buick by a decade or more. I'd wondered why they never offered it in a Buick guise.
Olds tornado would have had the Olds 455 V8. Trans Am would have had a 400 or 455 Pontiac V8, which despite being the same size is completely different than the Olds and Buick 455s.
A Buick like that white w/ red interior was the last car my parents had together as a couple, Mom passed away in 2001. They didn't have it very long so I don't have great memories of it, but my Dad was proud it was a Park Avenue.
Planning on getting one as my daily!
As weirdly as this sound…this is my dream car!
It's not weird. I kinda want the next gen Park Avenue Ultra. I missed a good one in a rare color last year.
Getting hard to find.
I had a 95 PAU years ago and watching this I could physically feel how the car felt from driving to the button presses. I miss the hell out of that car. Rust belt cancer took her too soon
If this is what you are into, these cars are really good. The interiors of comfy, and the 3800 is a great motor. The problem was that fewer and fewer people wanted these as time goes on, and while well made was not as a good as something like a Lexus. Also Sox fan here. But Harry Caray was fantastic, and Wrigley is an awesome park. I love being there.
I owned one of these until a year ago when it died, personally it was the best car I have ever owned
Also have to add a kudos to that montage at the end as I can tell you put in the extra effort to make sure all the cars in it were American cars 🇺🇸 Probably easier said than done at times, and I appreciate that extra bit of detail that some may not even notice
my grandfather had a 1995 LeSabre, basically the same as a Park Avenue from this generation, but this generation of Buick will forever feel like home to me
Very nice, my Mom owned a silver 1991 Park Avenue Ultra with gray leather, a sunroof, a comfy car, good power, Great stereo, She drove it to 105, 000 miles. I wish I had bought it .🥰
WHOA I had no idea the volume knob moved anytime the steering wheel volume buttons were tapped. That's wild.
my mom had a 91 when i was younger! same color combo too. just from watching the interior bit of the video, i can smell the cigarette smoke and hear princes lets go crazy playing from a casette tape. baking in the hot texas sun in those red leather seats because she never got around to fixing the A/C in it lol.
I'm a huge back seat lover....we went to the market today and my husband drove our 2017 Kia Optima SXL to the market....Sat in the seat with the saet heater on level 2 and needed to go to level 1 before we got to where we go...about 2 minutes... Love our KIAs!
I like this car. They were a good value new and a better value now if you can find a nice one - and this is that. Rear always spoke Jag to me, perhaps even more the 2nd gen with its C pillar treatment, though I liked the front of that gen less and the return of the portholes, well (blech). Might have been the apex of mid-90s American. The Seville was better dynamically, but cost a bucket more and aimed at a different demographic.
When cars were built for quality not the garage we have now. Good review!!!
Tyler hoover Said this was one of the greatest cars ever made.
This car is the EPITOME of '90's Broughamness, in my view!!!!!! I mean, really, who could EVER believe that people don't want a comfortable, elegant, luxurious, stylish, & spacious car to just take a nice relaxing drive with the cruise set at 65 & your favorite music wafting from the stereo?!!!!! Just because executives at the Big Three are so immature that they would not be caught dead driving these cars because they are "old geezer's cars", why should we traditional Brougham lovers suffer for it?!!!
One of the best reviews from you so far! Well done, love it!
The camera shot at 10:21 is so cool. Looks like it's floating
Damn, I had this exact year & model. I miss it, kinda wish I hadn't sold it. It only had ~30k miles on it. It was so ahead of its time. Felt like it did just as much as modern cars in terms of luxuries. My favorite part was probably that the "gauge cluster" trim went all across the dash, so sleek.
Love that car! Currently driving it myself.
great video, love the montage at the end. loving the work zack!
GM cars where so big/bloated in the 90s, but they where most definitely comfortable.
For all the neat gadgets these cars had, I can’t believe they still came with multiple keys. Other GM cars had stopped doing this years before. My parents 1985 Holden Commodore had a single key for all the locks (including the fuel cap) and apart from fuel injection, it wasn’t a particularly sophisticated car
My wife's 2005 LeSabre is a 1-key car same as the 1950 Buick we have. Seems they went back to that after going with 2 keyes since 1965.
You have to do the 97 Lesabre now!
Your point was very clear at the end about a loving relative, how homie, and how 'murican the car is, but that montage at the end hit the nail on the head and was overall fantastic. I loved the retro camera filter. I'm right there with you... my '03 Regal is comfyyyyyyyyyy
This is the car my dad had when I was born. Not sure if it was a 95, but it was a mid-90s Park avenue
Love the final thoughts!!!
My dad used to own a 1998 Buick LeSabre When I was in 6th And 7th grade. I think he said the water pump blew out on it on his way home from work so he made a fat U-turn and went back to work and parked it because he was a mechanic At the time. It also had that same red interior I just gotta say that 3800 buicks are the best General Motors cars ever other than the 96 impala
My everyday car!! Awesome content Zack.
That ending tho 👌
I’ve been WAITING for you to do this one🙏🙏🙏🙏
I have this exact same model in the same color/interior also. Mine is the 1993 Ultra Super Charges with 47,000 miles. I agree with your assessment entirely and am going to save your video as one of my favorites. Great review!
Thanks for the great review. I have this cars brother in White too but with Silver composite lower panels to match the light grey Leather. Mine has a Moonroof & I bought it last July from the 2nd owner @ 21000 miles (34000 Kilometers).Now @ 39000 Kilometers ( 24000 miles ) & agree with Hoovie & you one of the best American cars ever made. Mine still smells new.
I owned a 91 park ave it was one of my favorite cars and it was my first real grown up looking car as well and this was not the first generation of the park ave. God this video is taking me back.. sadly to my dope dealing days not proud believe me.
Few things 1: the supercharged 3800 V6’s become standard in 1992. 2: it looks nothing like a 97-05 park avenue people confuse the 92-99 Buick LeSabre for 91-96 Park Avenue’s and fun fact cars that had the sunroof didn’t get the rear seat Vanity mirrors. I love the 91-96 park avenue/ park avenue ultra’s and this one is a very nice example good video overall I don’t mean to nitpick just thought I’d share what I know and what I’ve seen from the original press release for that generation park avenue’s
Buicks are cool 😎
Not anymore sadly
@@tleoipl37 in China its cool
@@ningho CHYNAAAAA
They really need something. They have no direction at all
Very nicely done review. Nice you can appreciate it for what it is, rather than some reviewers who think every car has to have the powerrl of a fuel dragster and handle like a F1 car. I had one of these that I owned about 2010, just as nice shape as this one. Unfortunately I sold it way too cheap and have regretted it ever since.
Hell yeah, brother! I loved loved LOVED my '92!
Searched this randomly and saw you just made this ... crazy
Shoutout to that random Alero at 12:38 😆
Great review! I'm from Switzerland and I drive a '94 ParkAve. It's also white but with a blue interior. She's also mint with only 61k mi, she's a garage queen and will be enjoyed only on nice days. It's a EU version but I chanced the lights to US because I love the looks more. I also put on chrome wheels from a '99 Regel. Other than that everything is stock. 5:04 you mean on the right hand side marked? Only the UK, Malta and Cyprus drives on the left side in Europe.
Official car of Michigan. Tons of them everytime I drive up there
Sweet ride!
I had a 93 lasabre beige on beige with moonroof. Loved that car but always wanted a park Ave ultra lol.
Love the cubs reference
Back when GM had three brands for dying customers. The GM keys were a) squared key for ignition, and b) round key for all locks (not just the trunk)
If Buick went back to luxury & basic like this, itll probably sell. Everything now needs to be sporty, futuristic, and electric. Ill take this Park Avenue over a Tesla any day
I love Alero cameo! Wink😊
Nice to see Kouts in a video
the interior in my 93 ultra is different in a few ways as well as it seems that specific example also has the engine from the later 90s park avenues too. i much prefer the older styled radio in the earlier models. I think itd be worthwhile to take a look at one in nicer condition than mine but from a year or two earlier
If it wasn't that I live in Sweden I would let you review/ drive my 1991 Chevrolet Caprice classic :)
I am looking at buying a buick roadmaster wagon so its always fun playing parts bin bingo with your vids
I would never buy a American car. But I still have the place in my heart where I want them to do somewhat well. Buick really needs something. If you look at their last sedans they sold tbh they sold BADLY. But I don't think a all crossover lineup really helps them. Maybe a coupe SUV thing to spice it up? Idk they need to more variation just something interesting. I like the idea of a "premium" brand. But Buick focuses on comfort. I feel like if it was a Pontiac making a "premium" sporty car would be a easier sell. People like to their cars are either sporty, rugged, absolute luxury, or tech heavy. Not much of a market now for what Buick is known for here in the states it seems. I would say a objective strength they got going for them is styling. I think most Buicks today look real nice.
I currently have a very similar Buick Park Avenue It’s a 1996 White with tan pinstripes going down the side the interior is taupe and it’s the base model but more or less the same car I really love that car
Such a gorgeous interior 🔥❤️ ❤️ From Bangladesh 🇧🇩
Now Buick doesn’t even produce sedans anymore which gives me sale out vibes😵💫
Learned this the hardway with a 3rd gen Camaro. Shut those auto close trunks very softly
No mention of the Lamp Monitor System in the overhead console?
So amazing
Would love to get one of these and modify it with a Hellcat supercharger!
Beautiful car.
The Buick Electra Park Avenue goes back to at least the late 1970s young man!!!!!!
Ha! My dad has this car's twin, except with blue interior. His is a '95 however, and has 65,000 miles.
I've always thougt that this car looked very british! Especially in black.
There is even an earlier one. The 1992 Trim. I have a 1992 EU-Spec (Europe Spec was never sold as the Ultra so I got a base model)
You’re local to me is this car available around naperville?
I love old cars! 🎉😊
Car wizard's favorite types of cars
Wow love these things! If things go right you can review my ‘02 Mitsubishi diamanté
Please review a 2007 Kia Magentis next!!
Great cars, how ever I have never seen or heard of radial tires from the 1950's, European or anything else... I believe they didn't come on the scene until the early to mid 70's on any cars, again Euro or not...
They're probably pretty reliable though I've heard bad things about important parts rusting out in states that use a lot of salt.
It's parkin' time!
Surprisingly Plush for a 90’s car! Just to plastic and bubbly hollow looking. Like the sharp flush lines of the mid to late 80’s!
I've had my base model for almost a year and it's only now occurring to me that the cupholders are pop out...
Wish the roadmaster got steering wheel climate controls and dual zone.
That is the second gen Buick Park Avenue Ultra, the first gen was a C body platform Buick Park Avenue/ Electra 1985- 1991. For the second gen model that should have named it the Buick Electra supercharged instead of the Park Avenue Ultra
Gah... I'm so envious of anyone who has an Ultra. Almost had one but the seller never responded because - oh, no, human interaction! Anyway, my 2001 is fine and all but that extra 40HP could get me away from road ragers or incompetent drivers. Y'know, power and responsibility and all that, so it'd have practical use. 107K on the clock and I understand the engines are nearly bulletproof so it's young yet. The interior on this one is great. Nice to know some schmuck hasn't ripped the hood ornament off... yet. Everybody who reviews this car loves the volume knob. =Þ Anyone know where to find a fresh driver's side locking rod? Naturally it's the one and only part GM doesn't sell.
I had a ultra ,what a car
This is the 2nd gen fwd sedan only, first generation was coupe/sedan until 88.
my moms uncle Jerry literally drove one of these!
Series 2 engines came out in 1995
Beautiful review and a beautiful car. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of East Palestine.
America is also late to adapt adjustable/adaptive headlights