1994 Buick Lesabre Ltd.

[Québec 1]

Actually pulled the tent trailor, the wife ,2 kids the dog, an inflatable sailboat, hundreds of pounds of rocks and a months worth of supplies and stuff over 11,000 kilometers this summer ( thru the Canadian Rockies and around northern lake Superior).

Will be adding a towing package to pick up the new(old) 2003 26m in Maine in March.

[beene]

Wow

I have a 97 same type.

Have never towed anything with it, 3.8 is good for low end torque for sure, but are you planning on towing your new Mac with it?



G

[Québec 1]

Thats the plan, once I put a cooler on the tranny, soop up the shocks and get a complete traillering package installed. I have a type 3 hitch welded onto the frame(I think its the frame) and otherwise it looks and runs like new. I will be discussing this with my mechanic and in the worst case senario will buy a beater truck or something.

[Alex]

Best for Canadian winter ..

[Québec 1]

That looks like a good mileage tower. Probably really good mileage going down the Rockies on the Coquahalla tollway ( just put in on cruise at 110kmh and watch the scenery. Although you might end up sailling before you get to the Pacific.

[beene]

Well, let us know how that goes.

I use my Sienna with 220 hp and rated at 3500 to tow my M around Ontario. It does fairly well, but a sport UT or truck would do much better. The Mac, with engine and all the goodies is around 4000-4500, so I am over my max tow already. I think something rated at 5000 or better would do a much better job and be a lot safer also.

Talk about the tail wagging the dog.....



G

[Highlander]

I believe I can tow up to 7500# on my Ford Ranger if I was to change the diff. . It has nothing to do with the size of the tow vehicle it's the HP & drive train that counts !!!! & hitch combination also of course !

J

[Québec 1]

Hey Highlander...This seems to be the same reasonning my mechanic has. He seems to think that the big 6 and tranny on the old 94 Buick can easily last 700, ooo kilometers if well maintained. My 13 year old 94 Buick was Buick serviced with all orginal parts for 10 years. It has been rigorously maintained.. if anything does not work properly it is replaced immediately no matter how useless it may be...motorized antennae for example and serviced every 5000 kilometers. I now often use reconditionned parts as they are just as time goes by. I may trade it up for a better puller but that will be difficult cause I have difficulty finding the old Buick comfort I'm used to .

[Alex]

Keep your old Buick and no worry.. Try to tow first and you will see how it works.. I think ,for low milage up to 100km your car will be fine

[bscott]

Install a set of air bags in the rear suspension---that Buick is too soft to handle 400# tongue weight and the brakes are minimal. The air bags will put the car level--much better than air shocks

[beene]

I just can't wait to see this done. My 97 is very soft all the time. These extra heavy cars wear out their shocks fast I think due to the weight on them all the time. My van is meant to tow, when I put the Mac on her back, she squats down big time. That is until Kevin gave me a great tip on THESE.

Now she sits nice and level.

Thanks again KM.

G

[Robert]

If you tow with a vehicle not really designed for towing, pay really close attention to the condition of your trailer.
..
Do not assume the trailer brakes will work, make sure your tow vehicle brakes are in good enough shape to stop itself and the trailer without depending on the trailer brakes.
..
Get good tires that can hold extra pressure and run higher pressure when towing, this will improve handling and reduce sway. Don't tow with old tires that are nearly ready to replace, a blowout could be catastrophic.
..
That's my 2 cents

[Québec 1]

I just looked up the specs in my ''Guide de l'automobiliste Buick Lesabre 1994'' in other words the original owners guide (it,s a french Canadian Buick you know) and it rates this vehicle at 1 350 kg or 3,000 pounds with the optional tow package. It also indicates ( and I translate freely) ''Even this weight may be too much depending on road conditions, speed, altitude and periods of use.... And this also depends on the special equipement on your vehicle. ''

I have also asked a trailer dealer if I could tow a 3,500lb camper and he said no problem as long as I had the appropriate tow package and a tranny cooler installed.

My mecanic will be assessing the in coil rear air shocks when he has a free moment.

I am leaning towards going to pick it up in Maine in the Buick (450 Kilometers from here) after installing a tranny cooler and air shocks and then deciding what to do based on the ride home .

I may just return to the states to buy a suitable vehicle later this year as our dollar is at par or better and the price of vehicles in the states is way less then here [for example a corvette (Not a good tow vehicle ..but I would certanly like one ) is 30,000$ canadian dollars cheaper in the USA then in Canada]. We sure appreciate our neighbours to the south...even if they not longer teach the Kings English in their schools'.

[johnnyonspot]

We sure appreciate our neighbours to the south...even if they not [sic] longer teach the Kings English in their schools'.

Apparently this is true of Canada as well.

[Catigale]

I picked up my from Boston using a Uhaul truck, which I was specifically authorised to tow with in the contract (very important)

Ran me about 100 USD at the time (2002)

I dont think I would put that money into your Buick for a 200 mile tow - just drive at a leisurely pace and be nice to it going up hills in a lower gear at 80 instead of 120kph. Stop every hour for 15 minutes. Dont let it "hunt gears" on hills.