Owner Merijn: ‘I look for a parking space on Google Maps before the ride’
Merijn Stillebroer bought this Buick LeSabre Coupe unseen early last year via Ebay in Canada. The RDW inspection went smoothly and in the few kilometers that Merijn drove in recent months, the car functioned without any problems. However, he has never looked at it from the bottom. Today Dennis Koldewijn can judge whether the Buick is really as good as it looks.
Buying a car on the other side of the world unseen via the internet, you have to dare to do that. Merijn is very aware of this. “I was looking for such a car and for a nice original copy you really have to be in Canada. This came online and was immediately clicked as a favorite by a few others. That means to me that I had seen that it was a special car and that I had to be quick. I made a video call with the seller and he gave me enough confidence. In addition, the price was not too crazy. If it turned out to be nothing, I could resell it at a manageable loss. So I took the gamble and quickly transferred a deposit.”
American car is better to buy in Canada
Merijn expressly says that for an original American you have to be in Canada and therefore not in America. “There, people tend to put these kinds of cars on very large wheels and paint them in amazing colours. Then the charm is gone for me. I started looking into it and it turns out that Alberta is the Texas of Canada when it comes to cars. They love these big Americans there. They are then often only used to drive to church and the shops and people keep them original. Then a car is considered a ‘survivor’: one that has passed through time unscathed.”
Buick V8 was known for torque, each GM brand own block
Klokje Rond technician Dennis Koldewijn likes these kinds of cars. “Great Americans, I have a soft spot for that,” he says before getting in for the test drive. “At first glance, this one has indeed remained beautifully original. Not many people will have left it in this old man brown all these years.”
When Dennis has left with the softly murmuring V8, we continue chatting with Merijn. Was he necessarily looking for a Buick and then immediately with the largest engine? “This car is just out of a year when all General Motors brands still had their own V8. Buick’s was known for its huge torque. I like this model because it has a sporty line and a Buick is much less gaudy than a Cadillac. It seems that the 5.7-liter has some trouble with all the weight, but with that engine I would have wanted it too. It is therefore a nice bonus that the 7.5 liter is in it. Although: when I first got it, petrol prices started to skyrocket and this one is just a bit more thirsty than the 5.7.”
Buick LeSabre is 12 inches longer than a Mercedes-Maybach
When he went to buy a house, Merijn made sure that it had a garage large enough to await the arrival of such a gigantic American. “And when I go out with it, I’m looking for the destination on Google Maps in advance where I can park it, because it doesn’t fit in a standard parking space. With a length of 5.76 meters, it is thirty centimeters longer than a Mercedes-Maybach,” he says with a laugh.
In any case, when Dennis returns, it appears that this land yacht fits perfectly on the bridge. He has little to criticize about the car. “The steering wheel is a bit crooked and the tires have flat sides due to standing still a lot and I hear an incessant rattling while driving. I have to investigate where that comes from,” he says. Merijn already knows the answer. “That’s the clock that is quite noisy. I also searched for it forever before I found it,” says the owner. Problem one has been solved. Dennis also has a tip for the second: “For flat sides on the tires, I recommend taking a ride with very little air in the tires. Then they quickly get back in good shape.” Merijn takes that to heart, but he has already started the hunt for a set of new tyres.
Under the hood, attention is paid to the air conditioning. “I think the pump is just as big as the engine of the Volkswagen Up that I drive for work,” says Merijn. The problem is that it still has to be made suitable for the R134a refrigerant. That is definitely on the agenda. “Companies that do this often advise to replace all seals immediately, but I don’t think that is really necessary,” says Dennis. “I would at least try it first without renewing everything.”
It also appears that shortly after the start of the inspection, the first drops of oil are already on the workshop floor. “He marks his district,” says Dennis. Merijn fears a leaking sealing ring prior to the inspection. “I think replacing a valve cover gasket will get you there,” says Dennis. That’s a big relief. “You can forget that such an engine will ever become leak-free. I’ve never seen that on such cars. A drop every now and then is part of it.”
The bottom of the Buick appears to be very intact. “That’s always my fear with these kinds of cars,” says Dennis. “They can be huge filler buckets, but that is not the case in this case. There is a thick layer of tar underneath to protect against rust. That has had an effect,” he says. He also finds it striking that there is no LPG installation under it yet. “That’s brave,” he says. Merijn is horrified at the very idea. He leaves everything original. “If you have a car like that to put miles in, I understand, but with this one it would be a shame. I’ve driven a thousand kilometers with it in recent months,” says the owner. “If you ever consider it again, you should definitely look at an Impco installation,” says Dennis. “It has a system that preserves the appearance of the engine. That is really recommended.”
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl