The 1989 Buick LeSabre Is an Old-School American Luxury Coupe

CHECK OUT THIS 1989 BUICK LESABRE T-TYPE ON CARS & BIDS!
crsnbds.com/le...
This is a 1989 Buick LeSabre T-Type and it's GM's attempt at a sort of luxury, sort of performancey coupe in the late 1980s. We are thrilled to be offering this LeSabre for sale on CARS & BIDS!! Today I'm reviewing this Buick LeSabre and I'll show you all the many quirks and features. I'll also get behind the wheel and review the driving experience.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 THIS...
00:32 It Can Be Yours On CARS & BIDS!!!
01:07 Overview
02:33 T-Type Powertrain Improvements
03:21 Cosmetic T-Type Upgrades
05:07 Exterior Quirks & Features
06:01 Trunk
07:05 Strange Hood Operation
07:39 Lighting
08:45 Interior T-Type Upgrades
09:11 Interior Quirks & Features
11:19 Gauge Cluster
11:45 Stereo & Chromium Dioxide
13:28 Rear Seating
14:23 The Heart of a Winner
15:01 Owner's Manual
15:50 What Happened to the LeSabre?
16:34 Driving Experience
21:35 Final Thoughts
22:04 DougScore
#dougdemuro #carsandbids #cars #buick #buicklesabre #lesabre

[@DougDeMuro]

Check out THIS Auction Live! Here! crsnbds.com/lesabre-ttype

[@Buckinghammocks]

Is there a chance you'll get to review a 45th Anniversary Iacocca Mustang?

[@BJDOnline]

The CrO2 butting was for metal cassettes vs the standard carbon cassette. If you recorded music in a metal cassette you has almost CD quality sound. Was and amazing feature if you were an audio file and made a massive difference when used correctly.

[@PontiacProductions]

@@DougDeMuro more basic 80s cars please I clicked this so fast

[@LG123ABC]

@@BJDOnline Yeah, sometimes he just spouts off while obviously not knowing what he's talking about.

[@prlysis]

Love your classic car reviews. Been watching since the beginning.

[@theinternets7516]

Doug, i know these aren't the most profitable videos but thank you for continuing to produce this kind of content. The older/obscure vehicles you showcase are what keep me coming back.

[@bwofficial1776]

I'd rather watch a video of something mundane like this or the Saab from a few days ago than the latest Lamboclarenarri.

[@gulfstream7235]

Yeah but unfortunately the snot nosed kid viewers who want the latest/ fastest/expensive are the cash cow for viewing figures

[@Hellogbengoose]

Same

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@bwofficial1776Saab cars also are underrated like 1990s TVR cars.

[@persereika7401]

I only watch these older cars.

[@bamshiggity]

Type II (2) tape is a chromium dioxide-based cassette tape that provided better dynamic range and frequency response than normal (Type I) ferric tape. It required a higher bias current for recording and used a different EQ curve to get the best results.

[@danielknepper6884]

Yeah Doug is just a puppy so he wouldn't know anything about that

[@jacobvandijk2184]

Thank you, I was hoping someone would explain this!

[@agrippa1234]

And then there was METAL TAPE reaching it's audio climax in my Aiwa 6900 Casette Deck

[@ajbrown7245]

Metal Tapes for improved sounds quality!

[@JMNTN]

you'd think someone as old as Doug would know what a chrome tape is

[@rmp5s]

Ok, the rear license plate slot is kinda genius and needs to be brought back...

[@jamesengland7461]

Pretty much the only theft resistant license plate mount

[@JayCAlan]

I've seen a million of them back in the day, but totally forgot about it. I have no idea why this isn't a standard feature today.

[@rmp5s]

@@JayCAlan Right? Instead we're getting push button turn signals, motorized door handles and screens for everything...

[@HellJustFroze]

@@jamesengland7461 I mean, technically if they could find a way to access the trunk, they could get at it easily -- but then, they'd probably have access to the rest of your vehicle by that point, too. Mostly I just think this would be a terrific convenience feature, for buyers and dealers alike. An entirely tool-less and easy to use (and, yes, slightly more theft-resistant -- just not by that much) license plate mount is pretty neat.

[@truthserum5310]

My 99 Riviera has this feature.

[@scoutandscooter]

I think the 3800 was perhaps the most bullet-proof engine GM ever made.

[@Wargasm54]

Agreed. As a young punk in my late teens/early 20’s, I beat the crap out of the 3800 and they just kept going.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

exept the v8 it was based on!

[@kc9scott]

According to another YT channel (Rare Classic Cars), the pre-series-I 3800 is the best version of that engine (most reliable and longest life), as long as you can tolerate the somewhat lower HP.

[@kc9scott]

I did have the 3800 in my '98 Olds Intrigue die on me, along with the used replacement engine that was put in.

[@elparientondejalisco]

I had the 3800 in a 92 Pontiac bonnevile never gave me any problems

[@emfraza7953]

This special model single handedly brought Buick's average buyer's age down a full decade, from 85 to 75. Well done!

[@First-hl3db]

Those young punks...

[@purwantiallan5089]

Dont forget the 1962 Buick Special Muscle Car.

[@howebrad4601]

Older wise buyers have always bought Buicks. It's a shame that younger buyers didn't appreciate how excellent these cars were and are

[@1996ChevroletImpalaSS]

Who agrees that Doug should review more 80s cars?

[@ElCopenDeMane]

Everyone. Including himself. But he said several times that older vehicles don’t gets as many views as newer ones, so doesn’t make sense economically

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Yes and no more crappy electric cars.

[@Towel1e]

Nah, I want new electric SUVs

[@universe6princeofsaiyans]

80s, 70s and 60s

[@kubastaszak196]

It might be because his viewers are international. For me, as a European, Buick doesn't have any sentiment. I will still watch, but not as eagerly as if it were a classic Ferrari/Porsche etc.

[@d3ricc]

Doug, please don’t ever stop making reviews of old school cars like this. These are your finest work

[@chadsmith9546]

As a 40 y/o, these 80's & 90's reviews are easily my favorite. I love how he finds survivors of these disposable cars.

[@joey5952]

@@chadsmith9546 I’m sure these survivors find him, if you will. His network and reach allows viewers to reach out to him to ask if they’d like to review their car! Love it!!

[@zachgadson1951]

I drove this in high school in 2004 and at the end of my senior year, the football players' senior prank was to remove everyone's license plate and throw them in the pool while everyone was in class. It was a mess. Police came, parents were pissed. And mine was the ONLY car allowed to leave the lot because my plate still attached. Good times.

[@birdhater7563]

I can see them now trying to figure out how to get the license plate out.

[@Mac-Flurry]

what about the front licence plate?

[@kwkaior]

@@Mac-Flurry I don't think the front plates are required everywhere.

[@bwofficial1776]

@@Mac-Flurry He probably lives in a state without front plates.

[@RyAnxiety1]

@@kwkaior I live in Florida, no front plates.

[@vivienm7]

Also, the chromium dioxide thing is wrong. The button is to tell the tape player that you are using a CrO2 tape so it can adjust itself accordingly. This was fairly common in the late 1980s… there were multiple tape chemistries and you had to tell your tape player which chemistry a tape was. I believe high end cassette decks in the 1990s gained the ability to detect these automagically… and the rise of CDs made the more expensive higher quality tapes vanish.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Trust Doug not to know that and what's strange and unusual about electric mirror controls on a joystick, he's a joke sometimes.

[@vivienm7]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. Did he talk about the power seat controls? They were very unintuitive compared to later designs… and certainly more distinctive than the mirror controls.

[@Ericstrains]

@@paulie-Gualtieri.calm down, he’s not god. It’s ok if he makes a mistake.

[@C.I...]

@@Ericstrains It’s a Doug trademark to do zero research about a feature and call it weird because he didn’t find out what it was.

[@jamesconroy7030]

The notches on the top of the cassettes are different for each type. "Auto select" decks had corresponding tabs that detected them.

[@Flies2FLL]

My mom had a similar car, an '89 Bonneville SE with the 165 hp Buick V6. It had a lot of torque, but what made it special was that when you set the cruise control at 70 mph, the engine only ticked over at 1800 RPM, and the car was utterly silent. Me and my brother used to fall asleep in that car, because the engine sound was so quiet and the tiny amount of sound and vibration was soothing. I took Belgian friends in that car and they told me that this car was so big inside and so sedate that it was like an S class Mercedes. -I don't know why GM kept the LS and discontinued the 3800 V6.

[@uncleivansarcade4489]

After watching this I think we need a Monte Carlo review. The evolution of it and all.

[@kirkericson2722]

Needs to have the 80s sportback SS, in black

[@richardbutton1179]

I had an 87 SS 1 of the best cars I ever owned

[@wvusmc]

80's and 90's reviews are my favorite.

[@Jac735]

Facts my favorite era since I was born I'm 89

[@purwantiallan5089]

Early 2000s reviews as well.

[@kppprom]

You missed some T-type unique features. Bucket seats were unique to the T-Type other lesabres had a bench seat. The dash trim was metallic instead of wood and the full instrument cluster had red-orange lighting instead of the standard green simpler cluster. The taillights were also unique with amber turn signals. To nitpick the 3800 was standard in 89, but I'm glad you mentioned the gear ratio. The suspension was also more sportier than the standard lesabre floaty ride. Great video Doug, glad to see the T-type get some attention.

[@beaushaw]

Nerd. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

[@kppprom]

@@beaushaw I own one. ;)

[@YOCOSMINMAX16]

American cars should have only red taillights.

[@robertbeirne9813]

Had real gauges instead of standard idiot lights.

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@YOCOSMINMAX16same also to some European luxury sedans.

[@smuckerst8355]

CrO2 was a switch to go between type 1 (Fe) and type 2 cassettes (CrO2) bias. This wasn't a gimmick, every cassette player except very old or basic ones had this. Some decks automatically switched modes using cutouts in the spine of the cassette. There were 4 types of cassette, but type 2 was the most common thing people would upgrade to. Type IV was and is very expensive but can rival CD quality on the right deck. Type 3 (FeCr) was a very brief thing that failed in the late 70's, so those are rare.

[@StreetPreacherr]

Wait, so you mean 'METAL' cassette tapes weren't actually made of METAL? Or weren't specially designed for recordings of 'Heavy METAL' music?!?! It's just great that he specifically points it out was a 'quirk', but is COMPLTELY WRONG about what the button actually does. "This tape deck had an 'Auto Reverse' feature, which was used to play songs backwards so you could listen for hidden 'Satanic' messages... Very QURKY!"

[@sirmy-tdog7211]

@bernardlouis4629 I remember those. They were fairly pricey too as I recall. I bought a few to use in my 4 track PortaStudio back in the day.

[@peterlv68]

Doug struggles with stereo stuff.

[@bucknasty69]

Type 4/metal tapes were also great for recording musical instruments and live performances. Back in high school I would make bootleg concert recordings and record my band’s demos and EPs using type 4/metal tape, and it all sounded pretty good!

[@davidm8391]

Now I know! I never owned anything fancy enough to have the button, but I did buy a lot of Cr02 blank cassettes in the 90s.

[@WookieeMonster1]

My family and I owned a 1988 Buick LeSabre. We bought it in 1989 after suing Ford under the Lemon Law over the Taurus that we bought that the transmission could never be fixed. Ours was a former rental car. That meant Power Nothing. Hand crank windows. Manual locks. The passenger wing mirror was powered, but the driver side had a mechanical connection for adjustment. The front seat was a bench. So, wherever the driver was comfortable, *everyone* had to be comfortable. It did, however, have the 3800 V6, which is some of the finest Detroit steel that they ever produced. I was able to beat a Porsche off the line one night, many years ago. It originally had the hood ornament that stood up, but after my sister got in an accident and nearly totaled it, the new front end had the flat ornament. When I graduated from college and got a job half-way across the country, my parents sold it to me. None of the other vehicles we had looked at that we could afford were ones that they felt safe letting me drive away in. She was nearly totaled again in Nebraska, but still kept going. I had it for the years I was gone, and several more after I came home to California. Eventually, she needed more work than I could afford, and so they bought it back from me. They fixed her back up, and had her several more years. But, time catches up to us all. My folks could no longer get in and out of the car with any ease, due to back and knee problems. Though it killed them to see it go, they sold it about a decade ago, to the son of one of my dad's co-workers. That car was all heart. The only times she let any of us down was when she literally could not do it anymore. There were a couple of times our mechanic was dumbfounded by how she was running *at all*, poorly or otherwise. Things had broken that told him in all of his experience were not compatible with operation, and yet there she was. Still pulling and doing everything she could to not just give out. I have so many stories I could tell about that car and her quirks, her virtues, and her significance in my family's lives. I've had several cars since then, some good, some middling. But I never expect to have another like that LeSabre.

[@Iowa599]

That licence plate holder-thing, in back, needs to come back!

[@MKIVGTI1.8]

I wonder if there's any issues with the license plate bouncing up when you go over a bump, that's the only problem I could foresee

[@Iowa599]

It probly has springs to hold it tight.

[@shaananwalsh7513]

Yes. The last car I bought it was screwed into plastic.

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Its a friction fit, you kinda have to jam it down in there. And god help you if you have a crooked/bent plate. At least that's how it was on my 1991 Buick Regal 4 door I had as my 1st car, had the same design/idea. Really good design if you live in a rough hood, nobody gonna jack your plate.

[@Iowa599]

@@AaronSmith-kr5yf I use security shear bolts, so the head shears off when torqued on install, and that is both more secure and easier to remove! *how does it do on dusty gravel roads, fill with dirt?

[@FifyKaqiqiPain]

Doug's reviews of 80s and 90s cars are always quirky ones

[@TheBulap]

They're definitely my favourite Doug videos. I can watch reviews of new cars anywhere, but Doug is the only one really doing these great videos about obscure cars from decades back.

[@bwofficial1776]

@@TheBulap Check out Shooting Cars. He reviews anything and everything he can get his hands on.

[@Ducky0nQuack]

@@bwofficial1776 Shooting Cars did a review of my LeSabre T-Type about 2 years ago

[@brentboswell1294]

RE: 2 keys, GM's system was that the square key opened the doors and turned the ignition tumbler. The round key opened the glove compartment and the trunk. This was so that you could leave the square key with the valet or garage attendant and rest assured that they could not access the contents of the glove compartment or the trunk. The optional remote trunk release was also inside the glove compartment.

[@mikejohnson7206]

@@brentboswell1294 nope, round key opened doors trunk and glove box. Square key started car.

[@jimgalin2278]

I did a double take when I saw this because I purchased a new LeSabre T Type in 1987. It was black with a grey and black interior. This sure brings back memories. The interior of the T Type was different from the regular LeSabre because it had more gages, different seats, a different steering wheel, a center console with shifter, and all of the backlighting was red. The engine was great and it got very good mileage. As Doug mentions, though, the only was to assess this car is in relation to what was available at the time. There is no use in comparing to what we have now. Thanks for the flashback, Doug, and please review more from this era.

[@ftffighter]

In 1987, I could at least understand. This car does look pretty sinister with a pretty unique look. By 1989 however, this car was too underpowered, underwheeled, and desperately needed a supercharger from the get-go. The LeSabre was the most neglected car of the T-Type lineup with regards to performance and it deserved better(More funding). I'd much rather have an SHO lol.

[@FifyKaqiqiPain]

Doug didn't climb into the back seats again 😭

[@hellocar123]

hes getting old

[@stupidvideos1449]

I miss that

[@sammymaestro7642]

Noooo What is happening??

[@wmd8840]

He hasn’t done that in years, lol.

[@dmer-zy3rb]

from what i know those LeSabres are pretty damn roomy anyway! it was a fullsized car (albeit in the second round of downsizing) i dont think Buick truly had any cramped coupes by that point actually.

[@John_Locke_108]

Doug is clearly not an audiophile. You always knew somebody was serious about the mix tapes if they had CeO2 tapes. Seriously. The look, brand, and type of cassette tape you used was very important and showed your status.

[@ericbutler2013]

It's easy to forget that this car was an improvement and better than a lot of other GM offerings - Corsica, Beretta, Grand Am, etc...If you owned this, you had something pretty good compared to some other options.

[@slowery43]

no, GM never made anythiing remotely special since the early 70's, all complete and utter trash

[@bwofficial1776]

GM rarely lets their engineers build the cars they want instead of the cars the accountants want. This had signs of some of that greatness. GM tried to take on the BMW 3-Series with this and while it didn't really work out, they at least tried.

[@TML34]

Beretta!! 😂😂 The Quad 4 nightmare.

[@NickM-qi4sq]

Definitely worth the upgrade over a Beretta or Grand am at the Avis lot!

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Talk about damning with faint praise!

[@manoman0]

Dashboard: absolute top notch minimalist style you'd expect in a modern car while GM was over 35 years ahead of the industry trend and Doug calls it boring and uninspired.

[@keithroberts9869]

Agree 1000% the beauty was in the simplicity. Also, they looked great at night lit up all red.

[@MrDuncl]

I was surprised to see a Voltmeter in the dash. I don't recall that being a common feature although have seen it on top of the range cars.

[@davidsherrick898]

Yes, I agree.. to a certain extent. Any car with a manual transmission should have a tachometer. BMW and Mercedes-Benz both had a useless MPG gauge. I wish my Alfa Romeo had a voltmeter gauge, since the battery is dying for no reason while driving.

[@howebrad4601]

It was simple and elegant, and just minimalist enough.

[@IlyKurt]

We need old school Sunday car reviews to become a thing

[@phillip1869]

I drove an 1988 LaSabre in college. That thing was like driving a boat sitting on your living room couch. The trunk could accommodate two kegs. I loved it. The T type doesn’t seem much different. This video brought back some great memories.

[@jordach545]

My mom had the 1990 LeSabre and I loved it! The seats were so comfy, I loved the lights in the back seat as well. When you're a little boy and your mom owns that car with a Bell car phone, you feel like a rich kid. We weren't rich at all.

[@BobC59]

The “wheelchair” graphic for seatbelts illustrated a crash sled used in crash test labs at the time

[@gm12551]

I used to stare at those pages when I was 5 years old in 1995. It was a staple in every GM owners manual for nearly 15 years.

[@TZYB]

My dad drove a light blue 1989 LeSabre Limited for 11-12 years and a lot of my childhood was spent in the super comfortable back seats. This was quite the drive down memory lane for me. Thanks for reviewing one Doug!

[@rickc303]

The CrO2 button wasn't to "experience the sounds of a cassette tape" 🙄, it was for proper playback of metal tapes Also skipped over was the cool 'search' feature, which allowed for rewinding and fast forwarding one track at a time

[@Darx97]

That rear plate mount is genius

[@kirkericson2722]

This needs to be one of his "quirkiest quirks" this December!

[@jewllake]

@ 12:21 - those Delco Radios were some very good sounding units. They put out a powerful 100 watts and the "Am St" button allowed stereo broadcast when playing AM.

[@smokiebaer]

Nobody in the 80s nobody thought this car was a sports car. Appearance packages were a big thing. I'd love a review of the late 90 Regal GS.

[@bwofficial1776]

My grandmother had an early 00s Regal GS. Very comfortable car but I'm sad that she traded it for a POS Cruze right before I got my license. Supercharged Buicks were sleepers.

[@TheKacper2001]

I don't care for a review of an another Lambo BUT THIS!

[@singemfrc]

Though I had the limited and not the T-type, I still didn't think I'd ever see an 1989 LeSabre on this channel! I remember really loving that license plate slot in the back, especially as I lived in a neighborhood where plates would get stolen. (Later they stole the entire car, but I digress) It really did drive like a cloud...but if comfort is your thing and not sportiness, then it's quite a nice drive.

[@MrJMS814]

I used to say Doug should review older cars, just like you people are right now. But I realized, much like many young people, he just doesn't get it. Just look at how blown away he was by the dimmer switch on the floor of that Cadillac or or the license plate slot on this car. I don't know if he was just born too upper-class and was super sheltered or what but he seems to have no clue what it was like back then, even in the late 80s-early 90s when he was already alive, and this is coming from a 25 year old who remembers these cars being around even when I was little. Even I know basically everything full size had a dimmer switch til the end of the 70s and tons of cars only made under 200hp and had gas caps hidden behind license plates, etc. None of that should be surprising to someone who is teaching other people about the particular car! Give us the actual relevant story on what makes that car special! Not to mention, he scores them and compares them on the same scale as brand new cars which is really dumb. He just makes fun of older cars for the most part, and is clueless as to why they are the way they are or what they meant to people at the time. He seems to have very little actual interest in finding out either. Much like the vast majority of other younger car youtubers and enthusiasts I guess. No, we didn't think a Buick wagon with a 170hp v8 and 3 rows (1 reversed) and only 2 red lights in the back was ridiculous or stupid. They weren't sub-par. They were normal. They were great cars and they served their purpose perfectly well. They were dead reliable, had a strong and proven drivetrain, good air conditioning, rode extremely smoothly, handled well, were the safest cars around, and even were great off road if you knew what you were doing. But Doug will laugh at all that in disbelief because he doesn't understand the context of the times. And no, America didn't suck. That Buick was as good of a car as anything from any other country at the time. The average BMW or Audi wasn't near as comfortable or luxurious, barely even had air conditioning or a stereo, and they made even less horsepower and handled just as "poorly" compared to a 2024 car. The whole world was like that. Doug, Cr02 wasn't a General Motors gimmick. It was a type of tape formulation that some cassettes had, which required different processing in order to listen to it correctly. We called them chrome tapes or type 2 tapes. Basically every single tape player in the world had this setting for many years.

[@komoru]

You're 25? Your comment says "this is coming from a 25 year old who remembers these cars being around" doesn't make sense. So you were born in 1999 and remember these cars being around? I find that hard to believe. Or more likely you were 25 when this car came out. These cars are not too common today and would've been extremely rare to see by the late 2000's or early 2010's when you would have been old enough to remember. You also say that Doug "seems to have no clue what it was like back then, even in the late 80s when he was already alive". Doug was probably a toddler when this car came out, so yeah, he probably was not familiar with all the "quirks" of 1980's cars. That being said, some of your points are well stated and I agree his "Doug score" is far from perfect, and it would be better if he can grade cars based on the class in which they were in, much like how car shows grade cars within their class.

[@TrogodasaurusRex]

I can’t help but feel like all of your complaints are the point. He’s making the video for people who don’t know what it was like and are therefore fascinated by all these things that you consider normal. I feel you would think he’s respecting the legacy of these cars better if the video was made for you, but I don’t think it is.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Everything you said about Doug was true, upper middle class jewish family, sheltered from reality.

[@NickM-qi4sq]

I find it hard to believe you’re really 25. I’m 28 and even when I was a kid, these cars were beat to hell and barely around. They had almost all disappeared by 2005 or so. The cars I grew up with (mostly Camrys and Saturns) were much more modern.

[@MrJMS814]

@@komoru I remember them very well. These and the Olds 88s, Cutlass Cieras and Buick Centurys of the same generation were extremely popular. There were lots of 80s cars around even when I was a kid. Doug was born in 88 so he definitely would've seen plenty of 80s cars all the way into his teens at least. I came home from the hospital in 1998 in an '85 Pontiac Parisienne Safari wagon. These H body, W body, A body, etc. cars were everywhere all the way into the 2010s. They made millions of them. They were the go-to highschool kid beater up til maybe 10-15 years ago when people started inheriting their grandma's early 2000s Buicks and Olds Auroras instead of the late 80s - early 90s ones.

[@ackvig]

Now THIS... is the Doug we grew up on!

[@Wargasm54]

Although not the sportiest of engines, the 3800 was a great reliable power plant . My current car has 3 times the horsepower 😂, but I had a couple old GM cars with the 3800 engine and they never gave me any problems. And back then I was a young punk that would drive the piss out of anything I owned. I had an Oldsmobile with the 3800 V6 and for some reason the engine had the “6 arrow” logo on the top like the Grand National? It was pretty stout for what it was back in the day. I sold that Oldsmobile 30 years ago and the girl I sold it to still drives it 😳. So, say what you want about the 3800, it’s a great reliable motor.

[@azaz911c]

I think the 1986-1991 GM H-platform cars are some of the best American cars ever made. They were spacious on the inside, relatively small on the outside, tastefully styled with excellent visibility from a low beltline, and had a nice balance of performance and efficiency from the reliable and torquey 3800 engine paired with GM's buttery smooth automatic transmissions. The sedans were perfect family cars, and the somewhat rare coupes added a sporty look.

[@jwreck5281]

Many of them are still on the road too

[@quentinwooten30]

John Davis says that every car should have an oil pressure/ voltage meter. 😉

[@wildes2025]

I’m all for these 80s car reviews! Thank you Doug!

[@joe6096]

Wow Doug reviewing an older car! Keep ‘em coming Doug!! But, uh, in ‘89 ALL LeSabres - all trims - had the 3800 standard. It became standard and the only engine on all LeSabres in 1988. Also, a CRO2 cassette tape, also known as a Type II cassette tape, was a special, more expensive blank cassette tape that used a high bias or chromium dioxide (CrO2) formulation on the magnetic tape. These tapes were an improvement over the standard Type I cassette tapes in terms of sound quality and frequency response. The use of CRO2 tapes required a player that supported the higher bias levels needed to properly record and playback on these tapes. Using a CRO2 tape in a player that does not support the higher bias levels could result in suboptimal sound quality. Thats the reason for the CrO2 button. You should not use it with regular cassettes.

[@Timico1000]

That was a cringy moment...Doug was born in 1988 and probably never experienced the world of Compact Cassettes as the older ones among us do - but i just wish he would do proper research and not come up with some weird explanations when he runs out of knowledge.

[@JohnDoe-nz6bk]

I was born in 81 and I still had no idea what that was.

[@kc9scott]

I have a GE boom box that I got in 1977. It has a CrO2 switch, and that's the type of tape I pretty much always used. Years later, I found out that its switch only affects how it records, not how it plays. A more high-end cassette deck would have the tape type affect both record and playback. But I never noticed a problem using CrO2 tapes and playing them on a machine that treated them as Type I. So it must be a pretty subtle difference.

[@joe6096]

@@kc9scott I remember pressing it on our cars. I grew up on 80s GM cars with these tape decks, my Mom had an ‘85 Regal and ‘85 Riv, my stepdad had an ‘85 Regal, my Grandfather had an ‘85 Eldorado, and then my Mom traded the Regal for a an ‘88 98 Regency when we realized a sedan would be needed for the fam. All had the upgraded tape with eq and CrO2. It reduces the high frequency response on regular tape playback and makes them sound muffled.

[@joe6096]

@@Timico1000 Yeah that’s why I don’t really take his reviews very seriously. Especially on older cars. He doesn’t do his research, and talks like he does.

[@danielpaulson3631]

I love this style of a car. They're essentially nonexistent on the new car market.

[@keithroberts9869]

I agree. I really miss "boxy" styling (for lack of a better term). I get that cars today need to be more aerodynamic to hit EPA standards and so on, but there's just something appealing (to me anyway) about the boxy style of LeSabre's, Electra's, and so on

[@morg4620]

That license plate slot was ahead of it's time. Such a great idea. Car makers of today should incorporate this in all their designs.

[@mvanalst2003]

I cannot get enough of these time capsule car reviews from Doug.

[@stevedillon1315]

I sold Buicks in 1989. For their time they were outstanding performers and very fuel efficient. This edgy T-Type came out in 1987 with 1989 bringing out the leather buckets. 1990 was the final year for the LeSabre Coupe and the T-Type was reduced to a T Package. Competing with Accord Coupes, T-Birds & Cougars, and whatever 2-door k-thing that Chryco was shovelling; the LeSabre caught everyone off guard - except Buick buyers.

[@Staatus_Quo]

I have a soft spot for this car. My parents had a mid-life crisis in the late 80's and we're going to see local bands at a place called The Penny Arcade. They made friends with a bunch of younger 20 & 30 somthings rockers at the venue. One was Frank and his girlfriend. Frank drive a bright red LeSabre T-Type, and I remember getting to take rides to the beach and park for picnics in this car, and thought it was the greatest thing at 13 years old. That spoiler and front air dam along with those flushed headlights were always my favorite things about getting to see the T-Type when my parents hung out with Frank and his girlfriend.

[@gregorysmirnis7017]

I actually owned a LeSabre T Type back in the early 90’s. Awesome video Doug - thank you for the memories!! 😇

[@artoodeetoo3064]

This is in so much better shape than it should be. Kudos to this owner, it's actually insane

[@wsgut123]

Finally doug brings up the "Why Seatbelts Work" section that GM had in all of their manuals from the 80s to the 2010s. Always the best quirk of GM cars.

[@ThePurpleGang]

Oh man, Doug is hard on this cluster! Having a tach, volts, and oil pressure gauge was everything you could ask for in the 80s through the 2000's.

[@bestpilot98]

The door cards look so sumptuous, with the carpeted lower 1/3 and upholstered upper areas. Yes, the LeSabre's doors have injection moulded plastic armrests, but they are soft enough for an elbow to rest upon. Overall, the interior has a warm and cozy look even in this car's gray and black color scheme.

[@wmason1961]

Im 63 years old. This is one of my old dream cars.

[@slowery43]

and anyone shold care why?

[@bwofficial1776]

Now's your chance, you can buy this one that's in mint condition. These are hard to find at all, let alone this clean. There's nothing wrong with wanting a good, comfortable cruiser.

[@bwofficial1776]

@@slowery43 It's an open comment section. I'm interested to hear what other people's dream cars were.

[@markj9544]

This was my car in my senior year in high school in 1989. It was black and me an friends cruised the town in it, and spring break in Daytona!!. Loved it!

[@Sawbuck]

"...massive improvement over the mere Concert Sound I. If you had that..." OMG here it comes! "you were obviously..." "just a plebeian." YAY!!!! I LOVE when Doug points out plebeian features in "YOUR" car.

[@w26240]

Finally a proper car, and not that modern crap.

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

This is one of the few 1980's GM designs by Irv Rybicki that I find genuinely attractive. I don't count cool stuff like the A/G bodies(Cutlass Supreme, Regal, Monte Carlo) as an 80's GM design because it is a holdover/designed in the 70's before he took over the GM styling studio. The LeSabre is clean, well proportioned, very futuristic vs the old RWD LeSabre. Helps that this one has minimal chrome, no stupid vinyl roofs, whitewalls, or wire wheel covers, aka all the trim/detailing is how the designers originally envisioned it.

[@robertwinnall8120]

I’ve been around so so so many old American cars in my life. And I never knew this car had that license plate slot. That blew my mind. I think that’s genius. Talk about keeping thieves away from stealing plates. I love it

[@jamesmurmurzancone4532]

Doug the kind of guy who gets Kennan to tuck him in and read a bedtime story.

[@Tony-cv2nj]

barstool humor

[@hellocar123]

they do more than that in bed

[@ukaszbarszcz7861]

what does he read to him?

[@quirksandfeatures3215]

​@@ukaszbarszcz7861 Lesbian butts in 80s jeans.

[@tomatom5496]

@@ukaszbarszcz7861 Window stickers and users manuals.

[@randrewp]

1 gauge older cars often had that I miss was the battery voltage

[@score1two]

This was our family car growing up. Thank you Doug! You brought back so many memories for me as a kid, from needing my brother and I to lift up the giant hood, to needing two hands to close those huge doors all the way. Love this review!

[@ohbogey]

😮 @5:25 that's STILL ahead of its time! Top slot loading license plate frame!?!? Whoever came up with that back then deserves some thanks & gratitude!

[@Area51byDaveReale]

We had a T type back in the day. I always loved how the hood opened.

[@Dankcatvacs]

Doug forgot the seatbelt quirk

[@hemichanga8939]

Doug, please print an ad for every old car you review, and show us. That's fantastic. We want more of that.

[@AnonymousPhotog]

I owned 2 of these! One in highschool, and it had a rare body kit on it that made the car look even better. I bought a second one in 2020. Love these cars!

[@georgesnyder5337]

The gauges are unique to the T Type.

[@sicboy041]

lol to all those Concert Sound 1 plebeians.

[@S1D3KlCK]

I really like the additional context/history that you give as part of the reviews. Even though us die-hards likely know it, this will help younger people learn the significance of enthusiast vehicles. It also dovetails really well with the content you guys are putting out on the C&B channel.

[@dimitrebakalov]

I particularly enjoy when Doug does old school luxury cars 👌🏼 Keep doing them, Doug!

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

These are my favorite reviews!

[@willjones6805]

Doug, you really NEED to review a 1st or 2nd gen Cavalier z24

[@borge2014]

I love the 70's big American cars, long boats with great suspensions and large seats. Great video.

[@SombreroKnight]

There’s a guy near my workplace who has a bunch of old 80’s cars and has a black LeSabre T-Type parked front and center in there driveway and i’ve always wondered what it was until i saw this video.

[@lordcorgi6481]

80s luxury cars are more luxurious than modern “luxury” cars

[@bwofficial1776]

I blame the Germans for making us think that luxury must also mean sport with hard seats and stiff suspension. American luxury was purely about comfort and needs to come back.

[@HistoriaAlive]

Doug's the type of guy to review a minivan and spend 20 minutes talking about cupholders.

[@user-wl9ps6pe1j]

That's Matt at carwow haha

[@americansmark]

There was a time when that was a novel feature. Lmao. I remember my 90s cars not having cupholders. It sucked.

[@corey7219]

​@americansmark my 1995 Ford mustang has only 1 hidden cupholder in the arm rest. It can hold a medium sized McDonald's cup comfortably in the present day

[@SteveLowtwait]

This is one of my favorite reviews you've done in a while. The obscure or lesser-loved classics are the ones people know the least about, which makes the video even more interesting and entertaining. Your passion for sharing a car and its experience really shines on cars like this. Keep it up!

[@tylord97]

Loving the BRAT panels on Doug's wall

[@GoldenRatio22]

Wow, first time I've been proud to join the 1 minute crew!

[@HumanCarBomb]

This is what happens when you've reviewed every Supercar there is! (-;

[@kluthage421]

@@HumanCarBomb nah someone just happened to want to sell it

[@HumanCarBomb]

​@@kluthage421You must be an absolute "Blast" at parties! LOL. (-;

[@DavidCastro-yo8rm]

Doug always cracks me up. He's nearing middle age yet such common things on all cars of this age excites him! LOL!!

[@Hamsteak]

Doug, please keep making car videos like this, with these older cars

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Finally, something better than yet another crappy electric car review.

[@G-Rex95]

Buick needs to start bringing back these old models and ditch the stupid crossovers. Especially if they want appeal to younger generations

[@bigsprinter]

Well they tried, for example with the 6-speed turbo regal... but no one bought

[@G-Rex95]

@@bigsprinter yeah, I think they just executed all of their attempts extremely poorly. IMO, they need to bring back things like the wildcat and riviera. Maybe the lesabre once they get some momentum. I don’t think most younger people want a v6 in an American car these days. Not a sports car anyway. The Camaro platform was their chance at bringing back an old school, upscale, v8 luxury sports car. It would’ve been a hit. They blew it and now, it’s too late. And the sedans, they’re nice. But younger generations want something a little more retro and classic in styling, such as the charger or 300. Im curious to hear your thoughts on this. I really think this would be a winning formula for Buick. It’s a shame to see them where they’re at today with such a rich heritage

[@dmer-zy3rb]

no one bought their coupes and Sedans anymore exept Chinese people!

[@G-Rex95]

@@dmer-zy3rb Yes but like I said, their execution was horrible. All they needed was a one hit wonder to really get the ball rolling. They would have gained popularity and then, they could’ve built outward upon that. A Camaro based riviera or wildcat with a v8 and a luxurious and innovative interior would’ve been just what the doctor ordered for Buick. It would’ve brought the brand back to its roots. A great car at the top of Buick’s food chain. But instead, for some completely illogical reason, they are just stuck on the idea of only using v6’s and frankly, bubbly and 90’s-esque design. Nobody wants a boring, bubbly, and generic v6 car. We aren’t in the 90’s anymore. Perhaps it is GM’s fault for neglecting to invest more into the Buick brand, or maybe the leadership at Buick is really just that delusional and ignorant. At this point, I think they’ve missed their chance. Unless some high level individuals over at Buick start getting fired, I think it’s game over for them.

[@bigsprinter]

@G-Rex95 interesting discussion for sure, and as you point out there is a good idea then there's often bad GM execution. Heck, some of their best risks failed because they didn't market them... think chevy SS, Buick tour X

[@thomasnew8606]

This was a Valentines day present to my mom from my dad when I was 8yrs old. I will always remember as he was so proud to buy their first new car. then he wrecked it a year later...😢

[@slowery43]

we really couldn't care any less, this isn't all about you

[@YOCOSMINMAX16]

​@@slowery43You are a Sociopath

[@adamcraker9629]

I drove a 97 le sabre in high school. Passed down to me when my mom get a brand new 05 kia. I loved that car. It was like driving a couch.

[@jeremysomeone]

In a few weeks we will see this on @VGG.

[@thumbs4fingers]

My first car!!!

[@slowery43]

Wow! That is so not even a little interesting in any way

[@thumbs4fingers]

@@slowery43 and yet you wasted your time to type that comment. 🤷🤔💕

[@brentboswell1294]

Doug found 1 of 10 old 80's cars that were never smoked in. Grew up in the late 1980's, and, unfortunately, far too many people still smoked back then. Finding a used car that hadn't been smoked in was next to impossible.

[@ZYXWVUQ992Q]

my brother raced his brown 1991 v6 LeSabre against a 1995 turbo eclipse at moroso motorsports park back in 1998, and blew its doors off. i remember the launch off the line from the LaSabre was unreal. He took that eclipse by like 3 car lengths. i’ll never forget it. the cheers and laughter from the crowd was unreal. no one saw that coming. i’ll never forget that race. that LeSabre was faaaaaaast 😂😂😂

[@djcuda]

🎉

[@dub-d378]

That’s a weird gauge cluster

[@vivienm7]

This car was designed for a horizontal speedometer, no tach, etc cluster much more typical 1970s-1980s domestic car. There was also a digital cluster. The ‘sporty’ cluster with the tach and other gauges that the T-Types had was clearly designed after the fact to fit in an opening designed for the other two cluster options.

[@Cwh19xx]

I have a 2013 Buick Lacrosse with around 80k miles. It's very comfortable, stylish & gets a lot of compliments. A lot of fun on the highway with 303hp. I'll always love big sedans 😎 more Buick & Cadillac videos please

[@Garvey64LIVE64]

Hey Doug, I'm a cassette enthusiast. The Norm/CrO2 buttons on the Stereo are for the tape biases. Tapes were made with different materials, and this had different biases and different preset settings for each tape type. There are three types but Type I and Type II and the most common, which is why the car is only equipped with those modes. This setting is commonplace on many home cassette systems. Type two tapes are Made with Chromium Dioxide while normal tapes are made Oxidized Ferrous metals (i think iron?) and then there Type III and IV qhich are rarer and more expensive.

[@alexknoxville5870]

First!!! 😂😂

[@mohammadhayatca3244]

Who else is watching Doug on Sunday. ? Bygone American auto nostalgia. 😁 a treat to watch. Thank you Doug for doing what you do. I remember my neighbour in Montreal had one. ☝️

[@MarlosCartinez]

I can appreciate how nice it looks. Its from a different time. 80s American boxes are growing on me.

[@JustRicky-xo4zb]

Man, this is a throw back! Back then, it was all about what was on the radio and what you had in the tape deck! lol I remember being a pre-teen sitting in those back seats. whew

[@mst3kanita]

Ok, this is the most quirkiest guy doug has reviewed in a long time. I love that cassette compartment!