1987 Buick Century

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

74/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 1987 Buick Century, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Steering	12	33%
Power train	3	8%
Engine and engine cooling	3	8%
Electrical system	3	8%
Service brakes	2	6%
Vehicle speed control	2	6%
Suspension	2	6%
Seat belts	2	6%
Tires	1	3%
Seats	1	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

MY MOTHER HAS A BUICK THAT SHE HAD FIRESTONE RADIAL TIRES INSTALLED ON THE FRONT. THE TIRES, P185/75R14 HAD A BELT BREAK IN THEM WITHIN ONE WEEK OF EACH OTHER. THE DEALER SHE BOUGHT THEM FROM REFUSES TO TALK TO HER ABO
NHTSA complaint: Tires

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOESN'T LOCK INTO GEAR. ALSO MAKES CLUNKING SOUND WHEN ACCELERATION IS LET OFF THEN RE-APPLIED. THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN GENTLY THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE BY SENIOR CITIZENS.
NHTSA complaint: Power train

WHILE BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT 20-25 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE OFF THE TRACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Seats

WHEN TURNING ON HEATER ENGINE RPM'S GO UP SOMETIMES AND CAN KEEP CAR MOVING AT 45-50 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS, TURNING OFF HEATER CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS DROP THE RPM'S, WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE RACE
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

PROBLEM WITH CENTURY OVATION CAR SEAT. MY 2 YEAR OLD SON PULLED THE T-BAR SHIELD OUT OF THE BUCKLE AREA 2 TIMES. IT WAS PROPERLY SECURED. WE TOOK THE CAR SEAT OUT AND TRIED IT OURSELVES. WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT AT ALL, W
NHTSA complaint: Child seat

EVEN MECHANICS CAN'T SOLVE THIS; SO IT IS HARD FOR ME TO DIAGNOSE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Power train

VEHICLE STALLED 10 TIMES FROM PURCHASE DATE. HAS BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS BEEN "REPAIRED" MANY TIMES, BUT NEVER FIXED. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET IT FIXED AND CAN THE MANUFACTURER HELP?
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

WHILE TRAVELING UP ON AN INCLINE APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REAR BRAKES SEIZED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT REAR BRAKES SEIZED DUE TO REAR BRAKE DRUMS BEING FRACTURED IN THREE DIFFERE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1987 Buick Century. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Fuel system 06E043000

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CE

Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

The seven scores

Reliability raw	91	excellent
Longevity est.	83	excellent
Maintenance	88	excellent
Depreciation	54	average
Performance	50	average
Efficiency	43	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 73% of midsize & large cars
Longevity: better than 88% of midsize & large cars
Running costs: better than 93% of midsize & large cars
Value retention: better than 30% of midsize & large cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 91: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 83: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1987 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 88: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1987 Buick Century?

Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 12 of them (33%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1987 Buick Century reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 91/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1987 Buick Century last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1987 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1987 Buick Century?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.