Buick Regal · Engine family · 3 offered

Buick Regal 3.8L six-cylinder

The L36 is the most common engine code the VIN decodes to on the 3.8L six-cylinder configurations below; hybrid variants of the same displacement carry their own code. We decode it on 10,263 VINs across 46 factory builds, and 65 listings are reported active. The configuration price reference is $4,995.

Cylinders
6
Induction
Naturally aspirated
Fuel
Gasoline
Fitted
1984–2004

◷ Updated September 18, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly

$4,995
Configuration price reference
65
On sale today with the 3.8L 6-cyl
1984–2004
Model years it was fitted
46
Factory configurations
10,263
Regal VINs decoded with it

The price reference is the median of configuration medians, not the median of all active cars. Each configuration has equal weight. Configurations with at least 3 priced listings are used when available; otherwise the reference uses the configurations with a recorded price. Model years, mileage and condition vary. Open a model-year report below for its asking prices across all engines.

Where the 3.8L 6-cyl sits in the Regal engine lineup

Every engine family this model was sold with, ordered by size. The bar spans the model years recorded for it; the price is a reference across priced configurations, with each configuration weighted equally. Older engines look cheaper because the cars are older — overlapping years alone do not match the vehicles by age, trim, mileage or condition.

2.0L 4-cyl turbo
2011–2020
$12,373
589 on sale
2.4L 4-cyl
2011–2017
$7,800
107 on sale
3.8L 6-cyl this page
1984–2004
$4,995
65 on sale

3 engine families, one nameplate. Open the Buick Regal price hub to compare them side by side, or to jump into any of the others.

Which Regal years got a 3.8L 6-cyl engine

Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.

Year Share of VINs VINs On sale Builds
2004 1,196 5 4
2003 1,638 5 4
2002 1,369 1 3
2001 1,310 4 3
2000 1,132 3 3
1999 866 1 2
1998 703 2 2
1997 169 2
1996 529 4
1995 280 1 4
1994 208 2 3
1993 113 2
1992 80 2
1991 104 3
1987 373 27 1 1986 86 11 1
1985 72 2 2
1984 35 1 1

VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full Regal report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.

46 factory configurations with this engine

Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.

2004

2 builds

2003

1 build

2002

2 builds

2001

2 builds

2000

2 builds

1998

1 build

1997

1 build

1996

2 builds

1995

1 build

1994

2 builds

1993

2 builds

1992

1 build

1991

3 builds

1987

1 build

1985

1 build

Showing the 24 most-built configurations of 46. Every 2004 Regal build →

The 3.8L 6-cyl Regal: common questions

Which Regal years have the 3.8L 6-cyl?

1984–2004 — 18 model years in our VIN decode, across 46 factory configurations and 10,263 VINs.

What does a 3.8L 6-cyl Regal cost?

$4,995 is a configuration price reference: the median of configuration medians, with each priced configuration weighted equally. It is not a listing-level median or a valuation of an individual car. The year-by-year ladder shows VIN and inventory counts; its links open model-year price reports covering all engines.

What is the engine code, and does it matter?

L36 — the code the VIN decodes to on the configurations on this page. It matters when you order parts or read a service history: the same displacement badge on another model can be a different code with different outputs.

3.8L 6-cyl Regal on the market

Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.