Buick luxury, performance & styling: Park Avenue Ultra, only 35,556 miles.

Styling

When first introduced, some automotive reviewers remarked stylistic similarities between this model and the Jaguar. This is most apparent when looking along the side of the car from either the front or the back: it is narrower at the extremes than in the middle, giving it a certain grace and no doubt adding mildly to positive automotive aerodynamics.This and other features– such as the grille and the styling of the rear end of the car – no doubt contribute to the Jaguar comparison.

Recent maintenance

2018

2019

Edmunds Review

Edmunds has 12 reviews on the Web for the 1993 Buick Park Avenue; the average rating is 4.9 out of 5. Some describe its 3800 V6 motor as bullet proof.

Car History

The car has only had two registered owners; first owner 1993-2016. Due to failing eyesight, he was no longer able to drive. When I purchased the car in 2016; it had about 18,650 miles (30,000). The odometer now reads 35,556 (57,222). The first owner seldom drove the Ultra, as he owned another vehicle, as do I. Built at GM’s Wintzburg, Missouri Plant for the Canadian market, the speedometer shows in kilometers on the outer circle and in miles on the inner one.

Motor Specifications and Performance

The 1993 Ultra is powered by a supercharged 3.8 litre with 205 horsepower @ 4400 rpm and 260 ft-lbs. @ 2600 rpm. Whereas turbo-charged motors often have a slight delay in response, (called turbo-lag, ifmemory serves),supercharged motors respond immediately when you press further down on the gas pedal than normal. Highway fuel consumption averages about 25 mpg (U.S.) or 30 mpg (Canadian). While super fuel is recommended by the manufacturer, some owners have opted for regular fuel without issues.

This touring sedan qualifies as a “sleeper”, that is, for most people, the car looks like it would have only average acceleration at best. But if the driver happens to floor it – either from a standstill or while cruising – the supercharger kicks in instantly and the common observer will no doubt do a double take asking: “What was that?” Of course the mature driver woulddo no such a thing, being quietly and wholly satisfied in the knowledge of what lies at the ready under the hood. More importantly, the mature pilot would avoid driving anyone to distraction.

Passenger Capacity

With its two armrests in the vertical position, the Ultra accomodates six passengers, having three factory-installed seat belts front and rear, a rare feature in today’s sedans.

Ultra Features

We provide herein a close-to-a-comprehensive list of this Ultra’s features. If we do not speak in terms of “fully-loaded”, this is because, in light of car’s age, not everyone is familiar with what “fully loaded” meant back in 1993, especially when applied to the Ultra. Moreover, a number of features which were only optional back then have now become standard, such as airbags, while numerous other options were simply not available back then (such as a back-up camera or a USB port), although several of these features can be installed with aftermarket equipment).

Amenities on this specific Ultra include:

• Automatic front-wheel drive electronically controlled 4-speed transmission
• Eaton Supercharger
• Full instrumentation, including speedometer, odometer, trip distance indicator, oil pressure gauge, ampere gauge, rpm gauge, motor temperature gauge, and gasoline gauge.
• Variable-effort power steering
• Adjustable steering wheel; not leather-wrapped, it is in mint condition
• Power brakes (front disc, rear drum)
• Power windows with driver’s side quick-down option
• Six-way power adjustable front seats
• Power rear-view door-mounted mirrors
• Automatic dimming central rear-view mirror
• Ultra script woven into each of the four door panels
• Leather interior
• Driver air-bag
• Automatic Climate Control with separate driver and passenger controls
• Stylish wrap-around dash merges into the front doors
• Outside temperature thermometer (choice of Fahrenheit or Celsius display)
• Automatic headlights
• Reading or map lights, front and rear
• Armrests, front and rear (front has storage cabinet with a double drink holder)
• Variable speed windshield wipers
• Power door locks with driver’s side central lock
• Power antenna
• Power trunk (release & pull-down)
• Automatic driving lights (night and day)
• Electric rear-window defrost
• Remote gas-door release
• Cruise control
• Front and rear reading/map lights, courtesy lights
• Six seatbelts, three front and three rear
• Dynaride suspension
• Block heater
• Light monitors
• Generous leg and headroom, front and rear (extra headroom due to absence of sunroof)
• Large trunk with temporary spare underneath the floor
• Peculiar to the Ultra, a special grill sets it apart from its cousins, the Park Avenue and the Lesabre.
• AC Delco Concert II AM/FM/cassette radio, with graphic equalizer, sounds very nice.
• Variable speed wipers.
• Ash trays: one in front, two in rear, each with a lighter; each can be used as a 12 volt power source
• Factory floor mats, front and rear
• Rear coat hooks
• Handles in rear and passenger side front to facilitate exit as do straps in back of front seats; they also provide support to passengers during a sporty drive.
• Large storage pockets in back of front seats.
• Time-adjustable sentinel lighting
• Lamp monitoring system informs driver if important lights are not working