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Buick Park Avenue

by Dave & Mark Fulmer

SEE ALSO: Buick Buyer's Guide

Dave: (while driving the Buick Park Ave) It doesn't jump out from under you, but it is lively and very eager. This is belied by the quietness of it. It's a very pleasurable, comfortable, completely effortless ride.

Mark: I think I would second that - in terms of the seating particularly because you can adjust every angle known to man, and a few that probably aren't known to man, and it will store them into its memory. And the leather's terrific.

Dave: The leather's gorgeous. The suspension is not as soft as some of the other deluxe vehicles we've driven. It's a tauter suspension and a good feel. You get a good feel of the road, and the brakes are excellent. And I'm impressed by the ov erall quiet of the cab, which is important to us older folks who enjoy conversation between the front and back seat. The instrumentation is interesting. I think the tiny little speedometer I might get used to - I've seen bigger speedometers on motorcycl es.

Mark: The long, flat dash and the vertical plane of the instrumentation harkens me back to an earlier time period, to the cars we used to have when I was a kid.

Dave: Yeah, I think that low flat dash is an invitation for all kinds of stuff to be left up there including maps, papers, and general junk.

Mark: The back seat is real comfortable - Katie appreciated that so much she fell asleep - and when she woke up she enjoyed finding the cupholders in the fold-down console.

Dave: Even now as we're climbing this steep hill, I find no lack of eagerness - the car climbs the hill like it was meant to. I like the controls in the steering wheel which allow you to do everything from changing radio stations, CD's, and clima te control.

Mark: I'm feeling a little limited by the windshield and the amount of visibility - and definitely feel the sideview mirrors need to be larger. Susan did mention the vanity mirror with its sliding dimmer which she thought was very cool. Along with the passenger side climate control and the good sized truck.

Dave: The finger-tip controlled close on the trunk is very nice.

Mark: But you're constantly telling people: "you don't have to SLAM it!"

Dave: This Buick is just extremely pleasant without being exciting.

Mark: Yeah, a good, conservative, roomy vehicle.

Dave: Exactly. And a lot of us good roomy conservative folks would look for just a car like this.