Did I get ripped off?

[2000ltd]

Just bought this 2000 limited in Florida for $5,000 87k miles and has had the limit gasket and the updated manifold done. Has new brakes and is in excellent condition. No rust and no damage anywhere. Did I get a good deal or did I get ripped off?

 

[02LTD2.0]

What is a limit gasket? Are you trying to say Lower Intake Manifold gaskets? That would be the LIM gaskets.

 

[02LTD2.0]

Just bought this 2000 limited in Florida for $5,000 87k miles and has had the limit gasket and the updated manifold done. Has new brakes and is in excellent condition. No rust and no damage anywhere. Did I get a good deal or did I get ripped off?

As long it didn't spend its time near any salt water and it's rust free then you got a fair deal.

 

[2000ltd]

As long it didn't spend its time near any salt water and it's rust free then you got a fair deal.

It was inland Florida and was garage kept

 

[JGBuick]

Looks nice. Any service records? You just purchased one of the best engines ever made. (Car also.) I think that was a fair price considering these are becoming more rare.

 

[2000ltd]

Looks nice. Any service records? You just purchased one of the best engines ever made. (Car also.) I think that was a fair price considering these are becoming more rare.

Yes I did a Carfax on it and got the service records but the po didn't give me anything but a list of stuff that was recently done.
Rear rotors
All 4 brake pads
Spark plugs and wires
3 coils
Coolant flush
Brake flush
Oil and filter
And the car fax showed it had the intake gasket and the intake manifold replaced back in 2002 at 37k miles

 

[Irish1]

I think you got a fair deal. You have a car with probably 200,000 miles of life left in it. Average price of a new car now is approaching $50,000. You don't have all the gadgets the new cars have, but you do have a better riding car and something that is much easier to work on at 1/10 the cost.
2000 was the first year of that body style. Mine needed all of the power window regulators replaced. The 2003, 2004, & 2005 that we had only had one fail between all of them. Being that yours is 25 years old it may have had those done already. Autozone had the parts in stock when I did mine and it took about an hour to replace one. Videos on youtube are very helpful.

 

[RD_Atlanta]

LeSabre's are very good cars, I think you did fine.
If you look in the driver's door jam, if the car was mfg. before February 2003, it may have a 4th gear issue to be concerned with addressing. I say it 'may' because somewhere between 11/2002 & 2/2003 GM hardened the splines on the with gear hub. Before the change, they are soft and will likely strip-out at some point. My 2000 Regal made it to about 112,000 miles. If that happens, its not as bad as it at first seems, I switched off 4th gear in the PCM program and ran with 1, 2 & (3 + TCC) and the car drove fine. If it was mfg before then, you can do a lot to make 4th last longer. Look at posts 19,22 & 24 in this thread. If it was mfg after 2/2003, you should have the hardened 4th gear hub spline.

 

[2000ltd]

I think you got a fair deal. You have a car with probably 200,000 miles of life left in it. Average price of a new car now is approaching $50,000. You don't have all the gadgets the new cars have, but you do have a better riding car and something that is much easier to work on at 1/10 the cost.
2000 was the first year of that body style. Mine needed all of the power window regulators replaced. The 2003, 2004, & 2005 that we had only had one fail between all of them. Being that yours is 25 years old it may have had those done already. Autozone had the parts in stock when I did mine and it took about an hour to replace one. Videos on youtube are very helpful.

Mine had them done already and now I don't roll the window down all the way and I put silicone wd-40 in the tracks. I love this car. It rides so smooth.

 

[RD_Atlanta]

I was not aware, have you found that not rolling the windows all the way down helps the longevity of the window regulators?

 

[2000ltd]

I was not aware, have you found that not rolling the windows all the way down helps the longevity of the window regulators?

Well I've read some posts here that the cause of the failures is that it breaks when rolling down all the way

 

[02LTD2.0]

I think they're referring to NOT using the AUTO down feature.

 

[2000ltd]

I think they're referring to NOT using the AUTO down feature.

Yes that is what I've read to not use auto down and stop them before it rolls down all the way

 

[RD_Atlanta]

Well I've read some posts here that the cause of the failures is that it breaks when rolling down all the way

Good to know and that might be the case. They do seem to hit harder than one would desire when they hit bottom and I've wondered why but have not investigated. I might should pull a door panel off and have a closer look at one.

 

[JGBuick]

From what I understand about the "Auto Down" feature is that it IS preferable to use. Why? Because once the motor stops at the limited travel, the current stops.
IF using the switch manually, there is a larger chance of holding the motor (stressing and drawing current) past the limit of the stop.

Perhaps I'm wrong.??? This is the way I've been told to think about it.

 

[2000ltd]

From what I understand about the "Auto Down" feature is that it IS preferable to use. Why? Because once the motor stops at the limited travel, the current stops.
IF using the switch manually, there is a larger chance of holding the motor (stressing and drawing current) past the limit of the stop.

Perhaps I'm wrong.??? This is the way I've been told to think about it.

That makes sense. But if not rolling them down all the way it wouldn't matter either way

 

[JGBuick]

That makes sense. But if not rolling them down all the way it wouldn't matter either way

This makes sense also! I know I sometimes cringe when using the auto-down feature. The window (passenger) just slams it seems. Wish it were a bit more soft.

Ahhhh... the joys of having a 24yr-old car!😉

 

[2000ltd]

I'm in florida so mostly I don't use the windows much I keep the AC on but sometimes it's so hot I have to roll them down partway to let out the hot air. I'm thinking of tinting the windows. Do you know how tint jobs hold up on these with the defroster lines in the back? I don't want to see those air bubbles around them

 

[DrivenDaily]

I have had 3 cars (not Buicks) where I had high quality tinting professionally installed. The rear windows did not pose an issue at all. And all 3 of mine had AM/FM antennas in the rear glass, too!

 

[2000ltd]

I have had 3 cars (not Buicks) where I had high quality tinting professionally installed. The rear windows did not pose an issue at all. And all 3 of mine had AM/FM antennas in the rear glass, too!

That's what those line are? Antennas? I didn't know that. I'll get the tint then hopefully will keep the interior and dash protected and the heat down