2003 Buick LeSabre Review: One of the Last Great American Full-Size Cars

The 2003 Buick LeSabre is what you’d get if you put a 205 horsepower V6 inside your favorite sofa you ever owned, and then strapped a high-end stereo to it. Not the most powerful full-size car of 2003, but probably the most comfortable outside of the luxury market.

Is the 2003 Buick LeSabre a Good Used Car?

• Overall Rating 8/10 – If you’re after a full-size used car the LeSabre is arguably the best of 2003.
• Interior, Comfort & Cargo 9/10 – It’s a living room on wheels with more trunk space than you’re going to need.
• Reliability 9/10 – Drivers report mileage as high as 500,000 on the original transmission. Expect half that, which is still really, really good.
• Safety 7/10 – Excellent safety equipment for 2003, top-notch crash test ratings, but it’s still a twenty year old full-size, so it’s going to feel a bit dated by now.
• Gas Mileage 7/10 – 20/29 miles to the gallon, city/highway, would be mediocre by modern standards, but it’s pretty good for a full-size released two decades ago.
• Value 9/10 – Simply one of the best deals you’re going to find. A luxury driving experience at a used-compact price.

What Do Critics Say About the 2003 Buick LeSabre?

Edmunds had nothing but praise for the 2003 LeSabre’s roomy interior, cargo space, and muscly V6 engine. The only real knock they had against the car was that it has a bit of a “grandpa” stigma to it.

Kelley Blue Book users have found the LeSabre to be dependable and fuel efficient for a car of this size. Most recent complaints come down to the unavoidable wear and tear you’re going to see in a twenty year old car (chipping paint, cracked interior, etc.).

What Common Problems Does the 2003 Buick LeSabre Have?

There aren’t many complaints on file for the 2003 LeSabre. In twenty years, the car has generated a scant 164 complaints. Airbag issues take the lead here with 21. Most of these complaints point to the airbag warning light staying on.

There are a few complaints of batteries going bad overnight, with one driver reporting that it had to do with a fuse box shorting out. The vehicle has been reported to stall out in traffic, as well, with failure mileage being reported as low as 2,000.

Transmission issues are rare, but a few drivers have reported that their transmission has trouble based on outside temperatures, with some slipping on hot days.

The LeSabre has just one recall on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, for a bad weld securing the airbag. Overall, the LeSabre has proven to be fairly low-maintenance vehicle.

How Long Will the 2003 Buick LeSabre Last?

Drivers have reported LeSabres making it into the half-million mile range, and that’s definitely doable if you buy it brand new and you never miss your oil and transmission fluid changes. But if you’re buying used, expect to hit 250,000 on the original transmission and engine. Buick tend to attract drivers who keep up on their maintenance, but you can never be 100% certain who was driving this thing before you.

RepairPal estimate an annual maintenance cost of just $341, with the most expensive common repairs being new starters at around $323 to $534.

How Is the Technology?

Entertainment technology is generous for something from 2003. You get a CD player with steering wheel mounted controls and four speakers in the entry level Custom, while the Limited bumps that up to a six speaker setup with Concert Sound II.

Safety features are dated by now, but cutting edge for 2003. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, full airbags. Twenty years ago, this was about as high-tech as you could expect of any car.

Is the 2003 Buick LeSabre a Good Value?

The 2003 Buick LeSabre is a very good value. An entry level Custom Sedan typically lists at around $3,845, with the fair market range starting at just $2,283. These prices are on models averaging less than 140,000 miles on the odometer. With LeSabres typically reaching around 250,000, that leaves you with at least 100,000 to go.

A Limited typically lists at just a few hundred dollars more, averaging $4,276, with a fair purchase price of $3,576. If you know someone who knows how to negotiate, bring them along. But even at the higher end of the fair market range the LeSabre is a steal.

What are the Different Models of the 2003 Buick LeSabre?

The 2003 Buick LeSabre is offered in just two models, the base Custom and the high-end Limited.

With the entry-level Custom you’re getting:

• Cloth seat trim
• Remote keyless entry
• CD player with four speakers
• Manual air conditioning
• Power windows and door locks
• Remote trunk release
• PASSKey III theft-deterrent
• Cruise control

The top-of-the-line Limited adds:

• Heated mirrors
• Leather seat trim
• Heated front seats
• Dual zone automatic air conditioning
• Rain sensing windshield wipers
• Two extra speakers and
• Concert Sound II
• Driver Information Center with tire pressure monitor, low fuel alert, and trip odometer

You can’t go wrong with either trim, but the Limited adds a few thousand dollars worth of upgrades for just a few hundred extra on the sticker price.

What Engines Come In the 2003 Buick LeSabre?

• The 2003 LeSabre comes packed with a 3.8L V6 delivering 205 horsepower and 230 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 4-speed automatic transmission and configured in front wheel drive.

What Colors Does the 2003 Buick LeSabre Come In?

How Comfortable Is the 2003 Buick LeSabre?

The 2003 LeSabre is very comfortable. Whether you go with the cloth-trimmed Custom or the leather-trimmed Limited, the interior of the LeSabre feels like riding around on your favorite sofa, and you could count the car’s NHTSA suspension complaints on both hands with a few fingers left over.

Buick advertise seating for six, and the car actually lives up to that with 56.6 inches of hip room in the back, competing with some SUVs for how comfortably three full-grown adults can sit side by side.

How Much Storage Space Does the 2003 Buick LeSabre Have?

With 18 cubic feet of storage space, the LeSabre will pack about as much cargo as you can reasonably expect of anything that isn’t an SUV or a pickup. You could fit three large suitcases in there with a little space leftover for carry-on bags.

Inside, you’ll find plenty of pockets, cupholders and slots to store your phones, books, tablets and so on.

What Are the Differences Between Years?

The 2003 LeSabre was part of the 8th Generation, which ran from the 2000 model year up to the 2005 edition.

2000: Buick rang in the new Century with a new grille and a redesigned body, slightly smaller than previous LeSabres but with a smart layout so you’ll barely notice the difference.

2001: New dual-stage airbags and 15-inch aluminum wheels, and OnStar became a standard feature.

2002: Some new features for the Limited included 16 inch wheels, while the whole lineup got a new stereo system.

2003: The Limited got a Gran Touring package with some performance features like 16 inch aluminum wheels.

2004: No major changes for 2004.

2005: There were no major changes for 2005, either. This would be the final model year for the nameplate. At the time of its discontinuation the LeSabre was the best-selling full-size car in North America, but the demand for full-size cars in the mid-00s just wasn’t strong enough to keep it on the market.

How Does the 2003 Buick LeSabre Compare to the Competition?

There weren’t many full-size cars on the market in 2003, so the LeSabre stands nearly uncontested. But, the Chrysler 300M, released a year later, sells at around the same price range and delivers around fifty more horsepower, but the LeSabre wins on interior comfort, and the 300M isn’t easy to find for sale.

It’s the same story with the 2003 Nissan Maxima: The engine is more powerful, but the interior’s not quite as comfy, and it prices in the same range.

The 300M and the Maxima are both excellent cars, but their inclination is towards performance. If you’re looking for a full-size sedan, you’re probably more interested in comfort and interior space, and the LeSabre is hard to beat in that regard.

Do Owners Recommend the 2003 Buick LeSabre?