Is plastic plenum a deal-breeaker for 1999 Buick LeSabre 3.8 V6 Series II?

[Dennis S]

From a Buick forum: "This car is a ticking time bomb...They used a plastic plenum part in the intake manifold cover that melts. Possible problems include coolant leaking, head gaskets blown etc, all very labor expensive repairs..."

My Mom is turning 78 and so it's time for her to get a Buick. It was driven by a little old lady (really) and is a 1-owner, with 75,000 miles. It's the Custom line. It's in very good shape and the Chevy place where she originally bought it is asking $5,000. I was thinking it would be a good deal after a little haggling, until I read about the plastic plenum. Is it that big of a problem?

[ajakeski]

Don't buy it. The intake manifold is only part of your worries with that engine. It's know for a lot of expensive repairs.

[Dennis S]

Whick GM/Buick engine is the good one I have heard about, for a LeSabre in the $4-6,000 range?

[C(-)ris]

I have to disagree with all the previous posters. The 3800 series (GM 3.8L) is one of the most reliable V6 engines made, they routinely make it over 200k miles without major troubles.

[Racer X]

plastic intake components showed up on the escort in the late 80s IIRC. Those gen II on up engines aren't the same as the old-school 3.8 liter V-6 buicks btw. Gen II on up are all front wheel drive configs with counter rotating balance shafts and lord knows what else. Good engines. They sure take a blower well.

[Dennis S]

Well, that settles that.

[mrbigstuff]

I thought the motor was always looked at as durable.

the car, however, has a bunch of electrical gremlins. my friend used to drive a slightly older model of that car and had lots of trouble. i know, i used to have to pick her up a lot...

[kj]

I can't tell whether racer is saying it's a good engine or not. I had a supercharged 3800 in my '98 buick and it was a very good engine. My dad has a pontiac with the same 3800, and it's been bombproof (he did have expensive trouble with the hvac though). Consumer reports has always said good things about it (just one more data point), except that it's archaic. I've not heard much bad about the 3800, but I guess any car has it's problems. Just one data point, but my wife got the same year accord at the same time I got the buick, and we spent significantly more repairing the accord. Of course, resale was a lot better for the accord though. kj.

[deckeda]

The overall motor is durable, but the plastic plenum used from '95-on might not be. I'd be more concerned about the rest of those cars, not the venerable (albeit largely redesigned) 3.8 V6.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t272035.html

http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic121846.htm

It's one thing to be doing your homework concerning known-faults of older cars, but don't anybody get wrapped up in it, if what it amounts to is a one-time repair of a few hundred bucks, particularly if the fix is known to be stronger than the original (and therefore not likely to be an issue again.)

Just ask a mechanic familiar with the situation what it would take to fix it --- should it ever need it --- and use that to judge how much of a problem that is.

[Grumpyguy]

3800 is a sound, reliable engine. In fact, I like it better than the 3.5 DOHC in my 2000 Olds.