Most days, I honestly don’t feel like I’m in my late forties. I’m reminded of this, of course, when something on my body pops or snaps, say, when I’m getting up from my seat on the morning CTA Red Line train to deboard. Or when I have no idea what song is playing in the background in a store or on the radio. I’m not talking about deluding myself into thinking I’m thirty, but more that I can’t believe I’m the age I actually am.
There’s this great scene in the movie Heathers (an evergreen favorite of mine) where Winona Ryder’s character of Veronica Sawyer breathlessly declares, “I can’t believe this is my life.” This is sometimes me when I’m having one of those periodic “don’t look down” moments when I realize I’m actually doing adulthood, and doing pretty well at it. I had no frame of reference as a youth as to what this time of my life was going to look like, aside from wanting to be a homeowner. Neither of my parents was going to be an effective template for me, nor were any of my aunts or uncles. Dad was an immigrant professor with dual doctorates, as well as a family man. I was going to be none of those things.
Years back at CC, I had made reference to having taken drivers’ training on this generation of Buick LeSabre, many of which were built right at home in Flint, Michigan, at the sprawling Buick City factory complex that no longer exists. These cars were acclaimed, starting with winning an award in ’89 from J.D. Power & Associates for being highest in initial quality in their class. After a bleak ’80s decade for GM which would see its fortunes and market share fall (in tandem with the employment numbers and financial situation in Flint), these LeSabres had shown brightly as evidence that a domestically designed and built family sedan from GM could excel. I remember thinking as a teenager that whatever was working so well at Buick City should be replicated at all of GMs other factories, pronto.
About the car, I remember forgiving its boring, staid, zero-cool-factor styling because of its general excellence which was factually proven and recognized. Without recycling my earlier LeSabre essay, suffice it to say that I had hoped to take drivers’ ed in something targeted at an age demographic that was at least a couple of decades younger than that of the LeSabre. I mean, I was fifteen. I didn’t want to be learning how to merge, brake, and signal in something identical to what some of my teachers were driving.
Now, I’m the age that many of my teachers were at that time. In fact, I’m now significantly older than at least of few of them were back then. Should this navy LeSabre should appeal more to me at this age? Aside from the fact that it’s thirty years old (and in remarkable, lived-in shape – probably a hand-me-down from Grandpa), this is the kind of car that successful, middle-aged men and women across middle America had aspired to own. I guess that one crucial decider would be whether said middle-ager would have a family, which I don’t. Still, I remember single adults owning and driving four-door cars.
Ninety-one was the last year of this design before the LeSabre moved to a curvier aesthetic, but on the same 110.8-inch wheelbase. This example in Midnight Blue metallic was one of about 33,300 Limited sedans built, out of about 90,800 LeSabres produced that year. The slightly more basic Custom sedan was the more popular choice, finding 56,200 buyers who had opted to save the extra $1,350 (at $17,080 vs. $18,430). That was the last year for the coupes, of which only about 700 Customs and 500 Limiteds were signed for. All were powered by the 165-horse 3800 V6. The redesigned ’92s would show a sales increase of 89%, to 171,600, with the lion’s share of those being the Custom.
According to a license plate search, this car was actually built in Flint. The sight of this LeSabre is both a comforting reminder of my youth and a sobering reminder of the passage of time. When I looked at it, I could almost smell the lovely new-car aroma wafting about its soft, accommodating, velour-covered interior. I’m not a kid anymore. Heck, I’m not even a “young professional”. Don’t look down, Joe, but you’ve been an independent, working adult for decades now. You’re doing this “life” thing just fine. Maybe I needed to see this dark blue LeSabre that day as a reminder of this.
West Ridge, Chicago, Illinois.
Monday, May 29, 2023.
Memorial Day.
The brochure pages were sourced from www.oldcarbrochures.org.
Had I been in my fortys in 1991 with similar financial success, I would have gone for the Camry or Accord or Taurus like most people and left the LeSabre for my parents or grandparents. Unless of course I had need for a minivan. I’m at an age where I’d prefer a large comfortable quiet car and the thought is always there to find a decent Town Car or go way back and dig up some seventies luxo barge like New Yorker or Newport. This Buick ain’t that and never was. A car of its times and nice enough I suppose.
Side note: couple of weeks ago I saw a ratty Electra and a much nicer Electra T Type on the same day. One in traffic, one at a shop. It was kind of random for this is a rust belt area and cars do not generally survive 30 plus years of regular use. Perhaps people do see FWD B bodies as worth preserving.
To your last point, these cars are now super-rare. It stopped me in my tracks that *this car stopped me in my tracks*, as maybe just ten years ago, it might not have.
” I’m not a kid anymore. Heck, I’m not even a “young professional” “.
Watch out Joseph; while it seems life is rolling faster than ever, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Don’t recognize a song playing in the background? How about never hearing of famous singers, accomplished musicians, and actors whose obits appear on your favorite news site.
Or, seeing Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones appear as elderly observers? of a Stairway To Heaven tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. That’s 11 years ago!
Life may someday be rolling at warp speed. But of course, warp speed life is better than the alternative.
Thank you for being here on Tuesday mornings. It’s always enjoyable.
The years roll along like a snowball down a mountainside….always gaining speed. Sometimes I wish to rewind, but life isn’t like the “Walking Distance” Twilight Zone episode.
Many years ago, I was working at a radio station down the shore and would follow an interesting character named Bob Levy who hosted the Sunday morning public affairs show. One day he quipped about how it sucks getting old, and I replied with the cliche “it’s better than the alternative…”
Levy instantly responded “How do you know?!? It could be wonderful!!”
He and his irreverent humor have been gone now for 5 years.
Don’t blink!
Thank you for this! And, yes, I agree – the ever-accelerating passing of years is better than the alternative. It’s hard for me not to still think of my nephews and nieces as little kids. I’m like, “How old will you be? Thirteen?” And they’re in college.
Being a fellow late forties ‘gentleman’, I can definitely relate. I’ll run into old classmates and think “wow, they look really old” …and.. then look in the mirror and realize damn, I’m really old!
Back to that Buick – you forgot to mention the absolute coolest feature, that sweet reverse opening hood. 25 years ago (ooph, I guess I really am old) I had a late 80s Park Avenue as a commuter car. Ultra plush seats, power everything, and really incredible mileage from that 3.8L. It was a really, really good car – that got traded in for my wife’s Miata.
You’re right – I loved the clamshell hoods on these, even though I’m not remotely a mechanic and don’t know how they were from a practicality standpoint. Aesthetically, the look was on-point and seamlessly integrated.
Great find and connections, Joe.
I’m just struck constantly that the 1990s were over a quarter of a century ago. A 1991 LeSabre still seems like a “newish” car to me…even though intellectually I know it’s anything but.
When this car was in fact new, I was 30 and while I’m sure that my local Buick dealer would have loved to sell me one of these, I was way too concerned with fuel economy and pretty much anything euro or Japanese that was featured in the car magazines I devoured every month. For better or worse, I guess I was the generation that never gave the idea of owning a new Buick any thought at all. The slide toward these becoming Grandpa cars was well underway; and that was when there were still Grandpas around who would/could push a little money at one last Buick.
Thanks, Jeff! I’m not sure these were horrible from a fuel economy perspective, but I’m sure they were significantly not as great as a Camry, Taurus, or Accord. If I was a new car shopper and could afford a LeSabre Limited, I’m sure I’d be okay with the gas tab.
It also occurred to me at some point that Flint probably had a disproportionate number of middle-aged, middle-class LeSabre owners just because this car was like our hometown hero.
Time is a funny thing…I see vehicles like this and think “not bad for a 15 year old car”….then it hits me that 1990 was over 30 years ago. And I’ve been out of high school since before Windows Vista came out. I’ll hear songs from my college days referred to as “throwbacks” on the radio. The oldies from the 50’s and 60’s I grew up listening to are now too old to be heard anymore.
I’ve hit the middle, as the more frequent grey hairs on my goatee remind me. But it’s not a bad place to be – post 30 is the best my life has been with getting married, having a good paying job, and being able to afford to have some fun instead of sweating it out every month.
Much like the drivers seat of this Buick (and my 96 Park Ave Ultra)…it might not be the most youthful thing out there, but it is comfortable. And it does beat the alternative!
Tom, to your point, a car from 2008 absolutely does not seem like a “15 year old car” to me. It seems like a handful of years old. This occurred to me the other day when I saw what I thought was a late-model Audi A6 and realized it was actually, well, older than I thought.
I have the same feeling. It´s hard to believe that the recent past isn´t the recent past anymore. These cars which I saw at 25 or so are milestones in my automotive life. The cars before them seemed to be waiting to become as good as these cars; and the cars that came after seemed (in many cases) to be inauthentic disappointments. Oh dear, oh dear.
Richard, what’s funny now is to view these LeSabres through the lens of all of that time removed, especially in comparison to the curvier ones that followed. Those are nice, too, but I remember thinking that from a styling perspective, they were such an improvement over the more clean, smooth, chiseled look of these.
Now I prefer the looks of this ’91, especially seeing the pictures in the brochure. The front falls a little flat, and the luggage rack and wire wheel covers aren’t my favorite details, but the basic shape and exterior surfaces are exceptionally well-done. Was this “peak LeSabre”? Maybe…
When I was a teenager I’d occasionally daydream (if that’s the right term) about what my life would be like when I’m middle-aged. I recall the hypothetical world I saw myself living in – living in a small wood-frame house with a picket fence… and a Buick sedan. I remember that hypothetical scene very well. It just seemed like it all went together – and to me, the Buick seemed then to be a car for happy middle-aged people. Not snooty like Cadillac or European car people, not cheap like Chevy drivers, not trendy like Japanese car drivers… just on the nice side of average. I guess that’s what I aspired to.
(Oddly, I never envisioned myself doing any particular job, or living in any particular geographic area… it was really the house and the car that I visualized more than anything else.)
I never did get around to buying a Buick though, even though I continued to admire Buick sedans even through the last decade.
And I also find it surreal that I’m middle-aged. That totally snuck up on me somehow.
Eric, much of what you wrote here are things I can identify with, even if I didn’t necessarily envision a Buick (isn’t there a Buick Envision?) in my driveway in adulthood. I also saw myself in a small wood-frame house (mine with aluminum siding) and a reasonably-sized lawn I would mow on weekends and take care of, like I did my parents’ lawn. I also saw myself as buying American.
Even though none of that came true, I respect that that’s what the young me had wanted for the current me, as those weren’t and aren’t bad dreams to have.
I used to wonder what life would be like at 40, then 50, then 60, and 70. Now I know. I don’t spend as much time wondering what life will be like at 80, or 90. I just hope for the best.
Somewhat surprisingly, I had something of a soft spot for these. I recognized and appreciated the effort GM had made in essentially re-inventing the big American sedan; they did a good job. It wasn’t going to appeal to confirmed import buyers, but it certainly was a big step forward to those still wanting a comfortable and roomy American sedan.
Well done, GM
And well done, Joseph.
Paul, I hope that I’ll have adopted a similar mindset expressed at the end of your first paragraph. Less wondering and worrying, more just doing and going. And thank you.
Great Musings and great comments. The Buick looks like a nicer car to learn in than the Escort mk1 I learnt in – as featured on 20th October.
The most age appropriate cars I had were an MG Midget at 21 and a Mazda MX5 at 51, because what other car says unexpectedly single and having a mid life crisis?
Can I ask about the luggage rack on the boot/trunk? I don’t dislike it, but is it functional? To me a luggage rack is a utility item, not something for a luxury car.
Thanks, Hummel. I like that a Mk I Escort was featured here at CC recently, if I recall correctly. And in my opinion, a Mazda MX-5 (or as many of us still refer to it in the U.S., the “Miata”) doesn’t have any sort of type associated with it. I honestly don’t see one as a mid-life crisis car, without attaching a value judgement to that. (Did I just inadvertently do that, anyway? Didn’t mean to.)
The ubiquitous luggage rack… tacked onto so many cars in the ’80s to try to give an air of class. Honestly, I think I could count on the digits of two hands and one foot the number of times I have actually seen luggage affixed to one of those.
I kinda stopped counting time around the year 2000, when I was 27. Now I simply don’t care if it’s 2008 or 2015 or 2023.
But crossing the 50 mark is a little sad, even if you’re healthy.
For my “50th” I got “unemployment” and a “stroke”. Thought my “40th b/day stunk, till my “50th” rolled round..lol
Fifty is a milestone, for sure… It has been interesting to see how some of my peers and friends who have reached it have reacted to it. I’m always super-happy when someone celebrates hitting 50. Friends and I have talked and laughed about how we literally should have died with some of the stuff we used to do and situations we were in, whether of our own doing or not.
Being in my “early 60’s”, many days..(too many) , I miss being in my “late 40’s”..
I certainly don’t take today for granted. I have a letterboard in my living room on which I have arranged the letters to read, “We have only one here and now.” Those words have been up there since July.
I feel that I came of age in the 1980’s, that’s when the big changes in my life started. Every event up to that point was just in preparation. I finally graduated from college in 1980, I had turned 25, so it had taken a while. Got my real, lifetime, serious, job in 1982, married in ’83. Mortgages and kids followed. Finally, an empty nester and retired. Still married to the Love of my Life, which is a blessing that I never really thought would happen for me.
My younger self didn’t want to be conventional and ordinary, or tied down to middle class sensibilities and a family. I’d lived through the later ’60’s social upheavals, and though I was too young and too conscientious to want to partake in all that craziness, it did leave it’s mark. I was determined to hold onto my individuality as best as I could while taking care of my responsibilities.
Sometimes it’s surprising to think that I’ve been an adult for over fifty years, I’ve survived to this point, and though I put the work in, I still feel fortunate to have the life that I do.
Sorry to ramble about all this personal stuff, Joseph, but your essay got these thoughts flowing.
For some reason, I’ve always found these Buicks to be very attractive, maybe it’s the clean styling. Maybe it’s the competent image that they project. As an adult you realize that there are people that depend on you to be reliable, to be there to support them, and you do it without fanfare. A lot like that 3800 V6, it will carry you to the end.
Jose, I always appreciate your perspectives and reflections on some of the same themes I bring up in some of my essays. It’s part of the point of why I write these and sprinkle so many of my own personal details throughout them. It’s a discussion about more than just the subject car.
Congratulations to you and your wife for going the distance, and I hope you’re both finding new ways every day to enjoy that empty nest. What you said at the end really resonated with me, even with all of my own previous, personal expressions of counterculturalism in my youth: As an adult you realize that there are people that depend on you to be reliable, to be there to support them, and you do it without fanfare.
Just the very idea that one’s own life isn’t just about oneself, and there’s no way not to be a domino that affects the other dominoes. And now you’ve got me thinking about other life things…
This generation of LeSabre very much seems to be a mirror for the stalwart, reliable, unexcitable / unexciting, stable adult… a highly underrated segment of the population.
I am the proud owner of a 99 Lesabre and it is probably the best car I have ever owned. It now has 134,000 miles and still looks and drives like new. My parents bought it in 2012 so I’ve been driving it over 11 years now. I love that 3800 engine, and I wouldn’t trade this car for a brand new anything! I do like the looks of the 86-91 gen. better though. As Paul said earlier, well done GM indeed. As far as the age thing goes, you and I are the same age, and I certainly don’t feel 49 even though my hair and beard are more than half gray.I do look better overall than some former classmates I’ve seen on facebook. At least that’s something to feel good about. Another enjoyable read, Joseph.
Thank you, Mitchel! It’s great to read that your ’99 LeSabre had served you so well and that you liked it.
About to depart my forties, and thought these cars were sad when they were new, and time has done nothing to change that perspective. I always figured I would be dead long before 30, but low and behold.
And here you are! Life’s not so bad. Mine has certainly had its share of BS, and yet I think that on balance, I’m glad to have been chosen to go on this ride – which ultimately wasn’t for me to decide.
When I was a teenager I actually drove a Buick of this generation, in my case an ’88 Park Avenue. My parents actually got it from an estate sale. As a teenager that is probably the last car I would have picked, but I accepted it because it was a car.
Now I’m in my early 40s, and I am definitely starting to understand the appeal of a big, comfortable, traditional American sedan like that.
“…I accepted it because it was a car. This also would have been me. In fact, it was me, when my parents handed down the family ’84 Ford Tempo GL. I would have much preferred an ’88 Park Avenue, and I’m sure I would have been picked as the person to drive when my friends and I wanted to go somewhere.
To be fair, it wouldn’t have been my first choice as a teenager, and I’m sure I personally would have been sensitive to the “grandpa car” comments from kids in my school, but in my thirties through today, I might roll in an ’88 Park Avenue happily.
“I would have much preferred an ’88 Park Avenue, and I’m sure I would have been picked as the person to drive when my friends and I wanted to go somewhere.”
I don’t think I thought of that when my parents got me that car, but that was pretty much what happened. And I ended up driving the carpool to school because I had the biggest car, and made a small profit collecting gas money from the friends who rode with me (or their parents).
Excellent. There’s always an upside.
I grew up with relatives and close family friends who drove Buicks, and our famliy had a 1980 Buick Century sedan when I was a teen. Now I’m in that age demographic where if it was 30 years ago, I’d be looking at one. Preferring comfortable ride over a stiff sporty handling. I guess today’s Buick equivalent would be something like a Lexus ES, Toyota Avalon.
Ah, the refreshed ’80 version with the proper trunk silhouette. To expand on your idea, not only would value a comfortable ride nowadays, but also the ability to get in and out of the vehicle relatively easily without needing to use momentum.
I will join the chorus of readers who wonder where all that time went, and keep being surprised that this is not a common middle-ish age used car anymore.
My youngest brother had one of these as his first car, and it was probably a decade old then. He has now been married for 15 years or so, and has two adolescent kids.
I keep noticing that things that were big when my age demographic was in the 20s and 30s are now either retro or just hopelessly old fashioned.
…Either retro or just hopelessly old fashioned. Some friends and I have recently combination laughed-and-lamented that some of our jams from the ’90s have now been playing on what’s labeled as a “retro” channel here in Chicago.
Add to that the recent TikTok snippet (I don’t actually have TikTok… these clips sometimes show up on my social media) titled, “When your parent is Generation X”, and it’s some lady my age rapping along with some song playing in the restaurant to the near-mortal mortification of the teenage daughter. Yup. That’s my generation.
I too wonder where the time went. Especially the years between, say, fifty and sixty. I remember being fifty, and idly wondering how the next ten years would pass, and – bingo, I was there. With grandchildren!
Apart from that, I’ve never really spared a thought for the future. It was sort of like I stood outside of time and just couldn’t conceive the concept of ‘future’. Certainly in my teens I had a hard enough time staying alive and functioning in the present, to spare a thought for the future.
Often it’s only when I see an interesting older car (last week it was an ’03 Mitsubishi), and stop to figure out how old it is, that I realize how many years have gone. They do creep up on you so…
Great and thoughtful ideas expressed, Peter. Speaking of your ’03 Mitsubishi, earlier this week I had seen a Suzuki Aerio SX (remember those??) from the early Aughts, from around when I had first started my insurance career. That was like a double-shot of espresso in terms of the recognizing the passing of those years.
Turn 70 in two months and talking about the LeSabre then stay tuned.
As a Gen-Xr, while in high school my mother had a 1988 model of these that was maroon on red interior (did I mention she loved red?). It made a great senior prom night car since my father would not let me take out his 1987 C4 and my 1977 Dodge Ramcharger was a beat to hell dude’s vehicle. Anyway, that Buick 3800 V6 pumped out a respectable 165hp/210lb-ft for the time and would cruise on down the highway at 70mph sipping 26-28mpg. Very rare find these days as most have long ago gone to the crusher!
Saw this in Dallas last week