Buick Century Years to AvoidThe weakest years — and the one you should buy instead
After reviewing every Buick Century we've analyzed (25 years), these are the 6 weakest. Each one has either an absolute low reliability score, chronic repair issues, or unusually high ownership costs relative to other Century years.
Proceed with caution
1980 Buick Century
The 1980 Buick Century is a vehicle for enthusiasts and collectors, not for those seeking modern reliability. Expect frequent age-related maintenance and the potential for significant repair expenditures, particularly concerning rust and aging mechanical components. Proceeding without a thorough pre-purchase inspection and a clear understanding of its vintage challenges is highly discouraged.
Why this year scores low
Like many GM vehicles of this era, the 1980 Century is highly susceptible to rust, especially in regions exposed to road salt. This affects rocker panels, wheel wells, lower door seams, trunk floors, and critical frame rails, leading to structural compromise and significant cosmetic degradation.
The Rochester Quadrajet carburetor and associated vacuum lines are complex and prone to issues after decades of use. Problems include rough idle, poor fuel economy, hard starts, stalling, and general poor running, often due to clogged jets, worn internal components, or pervasive vacuum leaks.
Forty-year-old wiring insulation becomes brittle, grounds corrode, and connections loosen. This leads to intermittent failures of lights, gauges, power accessories (if equipped), and even starting issues. Alternators, starters, and voltage regulators are also common failure points due to age.
Proceed with caution
1981 Buick Century
The 1981 Buick Century represents a journey back in time, and while its simplicity can be a charm, its advanced age and inherent design limitations from the era make it a high-risk proposition for anyone seeking consistent reliability. Expect continuous maintenance and a keen eye on pervasive rust and aging electrical components; this is not a turn-key daily driver.
Why this year scores low
Corrosion is endemic to this era of GM vehicles, affecting rocker panels, wheel wells, floor pans, frame rails, and suspension mounting points. Leads to structural compromise and major repair costs.
Aging wiring insulation, faulty grounds, brittle connectors, and tired relays lead to intermittent issues with lighting, gauges, power accessories (windows, locks), and charging system components.
The Rochester Quadrajet carburetor can suffer from wear, vacuum leaks, clogged passages, and float issues due to age and modern fuel formulations, leading to rough idle, poor starting, and reduced fuel economy.
Proceed with caution
1983 Buick Century
The 1983 Buick Century, while offering a surprisingly comfortable ride for its era, is a vehicle that demands significant proactive attention from its owner. Its core mechanicals are simple, but age-related degradation, pervasive rust issues, and archaic electrical systems make it a challenging proposition for anyone not prepared for regular troubleshooting and maintenance. This is a car for the enthusiast or the mechanically inclined, not for casual ownership.
Why this year scores low
The unibody construction, particularly in salt-belt regions, is highly susceptible to rust in rocker panels, wheel wells, door seams, subframe mounting points, and brake/fuel lines. This can lead to structural compromise and significant safety concerns if neglected.
The E2ME 2-barrel carburetor, common on both 2.8L V6 and 2.5L I4 engines, is prone to vacuum leaks, idle issues, hard starting (especially cold), and fuel leaks due to gasket and diaphragm degradation. Performance can be inconsistent and fuel economy suffers.
Brittle wiring, corroded ground points, and failing components (alternators, starters, window motors, dashboard gauges) are common. This leads to intermittent failures, non-functional accessories, and can be frustrating to diagnose.
Proceed with caution
1982 Buick Century
The 1982 Buick Century represents early front-wheel-drive GM engineering, offering a comfortable ride with simple, often robust gasoline mechanicals. However, its age brings significant challenges: expect a constant battle against rust, persistent electrical gremlins, and a need for diligent maintenance. This vehicle is best suited for the enthusiast or a dedicated DIY owner, not a trouble-free daily driver, especially considering the catastrophic risks associated with the diesel engine option.
Why this year scores low
The unibody structure is highly susceptible to rust, commonly affecting rocker panels, wheel arches, door bottoms, floor pans, and critical subframe mounts. This can compromise structural integrity and make the car unsafe.
Decades of aging lead to brittle wiring, corroded connections, and failing switches. Common issues include intermittent or dead gauges, unreliable power accessories (windows, locks), and sporadic lighting problems, often requiring extensive diagnosis.
For gasoline engines, the carburetor often requires rebuilding or frequent adjustment due to wear, vacuum leaks, and stale fuel deposits, leading to poor idling, stalling, and reduced fuel economy. Fuel lines also degrade.
Proceed with caution
1984 Buick Century
The 1984 Buick Century represents a practical, comfortable slice of 80s American motoring, offering a surprisingly robust platform for its age. While it demands proactive maintenance to ward off the inevitable wear and tear, especially around its carbureted engines and dated electrical systems, a well-cared-for example can still provide economical and reliable transportation for those willing to get their hands dirty.
Why this year scores low
The Rochester E4ME Computer Command Control carburetor, while sophisticated for its time, is prone to vacuum leaks, solenoid failures, and general wear after decades. This leads to rough idle, poor fuel economy, hard starts, and hesitation.
Aging wiring insulation, corroded grounds, and fatigued connectors lead to intermittent issues with dashboard gauges, lighting, power windows, and even ignition problems. Charging system components like alternators and voltage regulators are also common failure points.
The unibody construction is susceptible to rust, especially in regions that use road salt. Common areas include rear wheel wells, rocker panels, floor pans, door bottoms, and the subframe mounting points. This can compromise structural integrity and make repairs difficult.
Proceed with caution
1985 Buick Century
The 1985 Buick Century is a straightforward, comfortable cruiser that offers a generally simple ownership experience, but it demands a proactive approach to maintenance to offset age-related wear. While the core mechanicals are robust for their era, buyers must be prepared to address persistent electrical gremlins and significant rust concerns, particularly on neglected examples, to avoid spiraling repair costs.
Why this year scores low
Wiring harnesses degrade, connections corrode, and components like headlight switches, power window motors, and gauge cluster circuits fail, leading to intermittent functionality or complete loss of power.
Significant rust often plagues rocker panels, wheel wells, door bottoms, subframe mounting points, and floor pans, compromising structural integrity and leading to expensive bodywork or safety concerns.
Power steering pumps are highly prone to leaks and outright failure due to aging seals, while ball joints, tie rod ends, and control arm bushings wear out, affecting handling and steering precision.