Buying 98 PA Ultra

[gamelovers11223]

Hi everyone. I want to buy a 1998 Buick Park Avenu Ultra. Recently I found one, 108K/Mi, Green, Sunroof, two rips on the drivers seat and the guy told me that he has a police interceptor in it, also the fuel gauge doesn't work.
The price is $3600. What is the police interceptor in PA Ultra? I know that only LeSabres are used in NYPD but PA?
Also what else should I look for (potential problems) when I go see the car?
Is the price ok for that year and milage?

[deerefeed]

Do your homework on used car purchases. Check popular ad magazines and online listings for the market value. You can also get a history of a vehicle for $25 or so through Carfax and other services if you have the VIN. Some cars have VINs in different areas such as trunk, dash, doors. If they don't match then something has been replaced. Ask questions and see if the seller looks up to the left to make something up.
On that car I would check the underbody for rust including the engine cradle and sub-frame mounts and rocker panels. They look good from a standing position but get down and look under for a real evaluation. Pull the trunk carpet back too to look at the wheel wells and rear quarter panels. Who knows, you might even find glass fragments from a rear ender.
Most of all read the postings on Automotive Forums for frequent topics.
Good luck.

[bigsky]

From my research and watching prices, that is a very good price. So, what are the problems, one would naturally ask. Deerefeed gives some good advice.

It is common for Park's to have seat motor problems. Individual motors are near impossible to find and I think new seat racks list for over a thousand. I would check ALL the electrical systems and gagets (check for window problems too).

The upper plenum problem would not apply to an Ultra. Also, the Ultra uses premium gas. Check too the normal stuff: brakes, engine and especially transmission, tires, alignment, suspension.

If things check out, I think it is a great find and a great buy (even if a few things need to be replaced). Have never heard of the police interceptor in these cars.

[Mad9C1]

I used to be a police car buff, in a way, and during my research, i realized the word interceptor was just a badge that Ford used on their police version of the Crown vic. The only cars I know of that were police cars, that would have anything in common with the PA, would be the Impala, Lumina, and anything else with a 3800 V6 drivetrain. Most, if not all of these, were cars that originally came equipped with a 3100 or a 3400 engine, and the police versions had the 3800 for more power. I have never seen one with a supercharged 3800. To say to me, it has an interceptor in it, I would expect there's a Crown Vic in the trunk.

If the PA was used for police work, I have to wonder if there were any upgrades done at the factory that distinguishes it from a civilian PA. I know the Caprice I owned was built with a wealth of police options that made it a better car.

In any event, as a wise buyer, anything police used, may have been used hard, and therefore, might be worn and beaten. On average, 1 out of 20 police cars was pampered and well maintained, and most were abused.

As for averall inspecting of a used cars, always look for oil leaks. Listen to the engine when it is cold, and pay attention to changes in sounds as it warms up. Check all the fluids, and pay attention to the color and/or smell of the transmission fluid and engine oil. Any water in any fluids is a bad thing. The PA's suspension is wonderful when it's in good shape, but a sagging or bouncy suspension might cost a small fortune if parts are worn and weakened. Listen to see if the self leveling pump goes on......you'll hear it buzzing in the trunk area. It should go on for several seconds. If it runs and runs and seems to run too much, you probably have a problem starting with the rear strutts. this is easily missed. Since the PA has many options, I think it is worth while to go through as many as possible, because there might be shorts you don't see at first. I had a small issue with my '97 that grew in time, and was what i called a "phantom" problem. It would come and go as it pleased, and was hard to find. Don't be shy...get on the ground and have a thorough look under the car. this is usually a good indicator of the overall condition. If the rocker panels are rotting at all, I think a lot of other parts will soon follow. Under the engine, take notice to see of the oil pans are dented at all. Have a good look at the transmission lines and power steering lines while you're there. a partially crushed line can be a problem, especially in colder climates. If you test the radio in a car, shut it off, or lower the volume when you test drive it. So many sounds might be apparent, and many times people feel the ride, and listen to music. I suggest you listen to the car instead. If possible, take the car on a highway, or 55 mph zone, as many problems become more apparent at those speeds, especially steering and suspension problems, as well as the chugging feeling some people feel when going into overdrive on the 3800 drivetrains. Pay attention to the shift points.

That's all i can think of right now. good luck on your purchase. The folks here helped me decide to buy my car a month or so ago.

Sam B.
Tonawanda, New York.

Originally Posted by gamelovers11223

Hi everyone. I want to buy a 1998 Buick Park Avenu Ultra. Recently I found one, 108K/Mi, Green, Sunroof, two rips on the drivers seat and the guy told me that he has a police interceptor in it, also the fuel gauge doesn't work.
The price is $3600. What is the police interceptor in PA Ultra? I know that only LeSabres are used in NYPD but PA?
Also what else should I look for (potential problems) when I go see the car?
Is the price ok for that year and milage?

[deerefeed]

This car was probably used as detective's car and was later sold at a police auction giving it the legacy as a "police interceptor".

[gamelovers11223]

Thank you all so much for your advice. Yesterday I found an amazing 1998 Park Avenue Ultra with 65000 miles in mint condition with every single option that was avaliable for 1998 (sunroof, eye-q, 12 cd changer, chrome rims). Guy wants $5500 for it. I think I woud rather pay more and get a very well maintained car than buy it cheaper but with high milage and worn inside and out.

[mcmlxv]

Originally Posted by gamelovers11223

Thank you all so much for your advice. Yesterday I found an amazing 1998 Park Avenue Ultra with 65000 miles in mint condition with every single option that was avaliable for 1998 (sunroof, eye-q, 12 cd changer, chrome rims). Guy wants $5500 for it. I think I woud rather pay more and get a very well maintained car than buy it cheaper but with high milage and worn inside and out.

Nice score.

I have a '01 Park Avenue Base, with every option except the Grand Touring suspension and moonroof. 49K now and I love it.

Areas to watch out for:

1. The seats. Both of mine failed just after 40K. Individual components are not available, so you're stuck buying the whole rack. GM list is just shy of $900.00 each. Used ones will fail too. Had I not had the repair done under the GM Protection Plan, the service writer told me the bill would have been over 2Gs. Make sure the seats are working, adjust them to your preference, and leave them alone.

2. As the Ultra is supercharged, I believe you have the aluminum intake plenum. The plastic ones on the non-s/c models degrade where the EGR port meets the bottom of the intake, and it'll eventually fail and start to suck coolant into the motor . Verify that the intake is aluminum, and you're off the hook.

3. However, the lower intake manifold gaskets disagree with aging DexCool, degrade, and fail. My Dex was changed last year with fresh Dex, and the level has never dropped (signaling internal coolant leakage). Out of curiosity, I checked my radiator two weeks ago when I began to smell coolant. When I removed the cap, I got a sucking/glug sound. My radiator was close to 1/4 empty. At 49K. I'm going to have the dealer replace the original lower intake manifold gaskets with the upgraded aluminum version before the summer heat. Many people have given up on DexCool and gone to a mixes-with-any type (see Prestone) coolant. I may do the same. And while you're at it, you might want to have a good radiator shop check the cooling system to make sure that the Dex hasn't wreaked havoc on the heater core and the water pump.

4. Those electric/gas rear struts are expensive to replace and I believe have been discontinued by GM. Search the forum for what owners are doing for replacements.

5. I just chased down a HUGE trunk leak. I discovered a giant pool of slimy swamp water in my (carpeted, duh GM) spare tire well last winter when I noticed a strong smell of mold in the car. A small hole had opened up at the body seam below the rear window next to the fender and had been allowing a small stream of water into the trunk. I sealed the hole with Permatex liquid metal and I have a new trunk carpet, spare tire cover, and some of the spare hardware on order now. Poor workmanship.

6. Most replacement parts are still available from GM, but locating part numbers can be frustrating. Screws and fasteners don't always fit properly. And prices are all over the place. eBay is an excellent source for bits and pieces.

7. What GM marketed as a premium car is tarnished with really cheap trim. The paint is so-so, interior plastics don't age well, the leather needs constant love, and all that exterior "chrome" is just plastic that does weird things after 5 or 6 years. At least the interior door handles are real metal. To be fair, just about every car today suffers from the same cost cutting.

8. Other common failures include warped brake rotors, seat heaters, wiper motors, hub bearing assemblies, cam position sensors, and transmission control solenoids, and bad fuel sending units. Most of these repairs are a bit pricey (but less than an import) but fairly straightforward.

9. The 3800 Supercharged requires premium fuel. $$$.

Despite the Park's bugs, they're a solid car with a proven power train. Look at how many are for sale in good running order with 100K-150K on the clock. Just watch the coolant/gasket situation, pray the seats don't box, prepare yourself for some of the inevitable common problems, and spend some money on quality detailing supplies and you'll wonder why the rest of the world is trapped in 6 year old Altimas that cost more. You'll never want to drive anything else.

Good luck!

[bigsky]

Originally Posted by gamelovers11223

Thank you all so much for your advice. Yesterday I found an amazing 1998 Park Avenue Ultra with 65000 miles in mint condition with every single option that was avaliable for 1998 (sunroof, eye-q, 12 cd changer, chrome rims). Guy wants $5500 for it. I think I woud rather pay more and get a very well maintained car than buy it cheaper but with high milage and worn inside and out.

Gee...are you sure the guy has the title?

1965...what a list! On that seat problem there are some options. I found a "new take-off" rack at car-part.com for $200 shipped (ok...maybe a rare find). Used motors can surely fail, and they can surely work as well (and save big money). For the up/down motors, one can also get under the seat and adjust them manually...can't remember if this can be done for the other motors. If the front/back fails, that's big...the seat has to go full forward to get at the back bolts.