2003 Buick LeSabre

Sedan

Automatic

1G4HP54KX3U207074

Clear

Gasoline

This car could be a really great buy for someone who is willing to replace the ignition control module (ICM) every 4-12 months. This is the one and only reason I am selling this car. I have owned the car for nearly 3 years and have replaced the ICM three times. The ICM costs between $150-$250 at most auto parts stores. Replacing the ICM is very easy. It can be done in about 15 minutes, and there are online videos that show you how to do it. Having the ICM replaced at a car repair shop will run you anywhere from $500 to $800, depending on the ICM they buy and their labor rate. But, really, replacing it yourself is very easy, very simple. We are still driving this car. The service engine soon (SES) light is on because the ICM is starting to go bad again. On previous occasions, the ICM has lasted at least four weeks after the SES light came on, and it just came on last week. One time the ICM lasted nearly 3 months after the SES light came on. I also know that the ICM is going bad because the engine has started to buck between 20-30 and 40-50--that's what happens when the ICM starts to go bad. When the engine starts to buck, I just take my foot off the gas for a second and then slowly press the gas pedal again, and then the car keeps driving. The ICM is a known problem part with LeSabres built between 2000-2005 (which I did not know when I bought it!). I have taken very good care of this car. I have had the transmission flushed twice since buying it in 2015. I had the catalytic converter replaced last year, along with the spark plugs, the coils, and the ignition wires. I have changed the oil, with full synthetic oil, every 4K-5K miles. I had the radiator flushed and the coolant replaced about a year ago. I had the rear brakes replaced late last year. I always get mid-grade or high-grade gas at Exxon, Shell, Sunoco, or Costco. I have receipts for all the work I've had done on the car. Also, I would be glad to let you talk to my mechanic about the car. The A/C and heat still work fine. The battery is only about 2 years old. The car passed its last Virginia safety inspection in October. The car is not due for another emissions inspection until October 2018, and as long as the ICM is working it should have no problem passing again. The car seats up to six people because it can seat three in the front when you put the middle console back--that middle seat is a legal, seat-belted seat--and it comfortably seats three in the back. The body is in pretty good shape. There are no major dents or scratches, but two or three minor scratches that are only noticeable from close distance. The interior is still quite nice. All the windows work, and it has a radio/CD/cassette tape player that still works fine. As mentioned, since the ICM is starting to go bad, the engine will buck sometimes between 20-30 and 40-50. I repeat that we are still using the car, although not for long trips. When we had recently had the ICM replaced, we took this car on a cross-country trip and had no issues. Really, as long as the ICM is working, the car is a very nice, reliable car, and when the ICM starts to go bad, you should have at least a few weeks to get it replaced before it gets bad enough that the car won't drive. If you would like to call me and ask for more info on the car, my phone number is 703-436-1565. If no one answers, please leave a voicemail and include your phone number in the voicemail.