Through the first nine months of 2014, U.S. Buick volume is up 8% to 170,764 units, nearly 50,000 sales back of Lexus, sales of which have risen 16%. Though Buick, the 19th-best-selling auto brand in America, trails Lexus, the 18th-best-selling brand, by a wide margin, Buick has opened up a wide lead over America’s three next-best-selling brands, Audi, Cadillac, and Acura.
Three-quarters of 2014 tells us only a very little bit about Buick’s recent history. Compared with 2002, when today’s COTD begins, only one Buick nameplate still exists. And while Buick owned 2.6% of the overall U.S. market in 2002 – and GM 28.6% – Buick’s market share through the first three-quarters of 2014 stands at 1.4%.
Buick marketed four cars and an SUV in 2002; three cars and two crossovers from opposite ends of the size spectrum in 2014. Buick’s collapse began long before the size of the U.S. auto industry began to dramatically shrink in the latter portion of 2008. Buick sales slid 22% in 2003. (The four brands which currently sell in the most Buick-like numbers all posted increases in 2003, as the market fell 1%.) Between 2002 and 2007, Buick volume shrunk by 57% as the market slid 4%.
Since 2009’s crash, however, Buick’s U.S. sales have more than doubled, far greater than the growth achieved by the industry as a whole, which at approximately 60% could make 2014 the highest-volume calendar year since 2006.
Buick’s climb back up the leaderboard is not occurring as quickly as did its slide down the leaderboard a decade ago. Of course, we don’t expect Buick to sell more than 160,000 copies of something like the Century in 2014. GM has Buick’s sights set higher. (Granted, Buick generates 41% of its U.S. volume with its entry-level models, the Verano and Encore, but that’s down from the 47% produced by the Century and Regal in 2002.)
Buick passenger car sales are up 0.3% to 88,410 units in 2014. Enclave sales have fallen 1% to 45,921. Encore volume is up 59% to 36,433. Encore aside, Buick sales would be up by 221 units this year, a 0.2% gain.
Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures.
the geniuses at GM quit making the best selling and highest quality full size car in America, the LeSabre. and sales crashed. gee you don’t need any charts to explain that one. add in that they pulled the lease inicentives in 4/1/02 as the spring selling season began. then they switched to the most bland colors imaginable, even going so far as to give $500 savings if dealers ordered the cars in Silver, White, or Beige. so what did the dealers do? load up in the boring Buicks. no one could be as dumb as these people were. I could go on for hours how insane GM management was, unless you consider that it may have been intentional.
add in that they pulled the lease incentives in 4/1/02 as the spring selling season began. then they switched to the most bland colors imaginable, even going so far as to give $500 savings if dealers ordered the cars in Silver, White, or Beige. so what did the dealers do? load up in the boring Buicks. no one could be as inept as these people were. I could go on for hours how insane GM management was, unless you consider that it may have been intentional.
why do my posts keep getting deleted? there are serious problems with this site.
That’s weird, I just read your post about the LeSabre
it’s been happening for a few days now. often times my post won’t take and if it does, it disappears shortly after. I’ll be surprised if this makes it.
Buickman, I do know how you feel.
Currently I have a less than 50% strike rate on TTAC.
I do wish someone at TTAC could advise us on the progress they have made.
Or just simply revert back to the previous version of WordPress until WordPress can nut it out.
Why don’t my posts get deleted? I have no problems with this site.
It’ll happen eventually. You just haven’t stumbled over the no-no filter words yet.
In another topic I could not get posted.
Test posts did appear, full post no way.
I tried to to edit test post to make it the real post, but got message back saying it was spam, and said to contact admin. How? Who knows.
If I had all day I could submit different test posts to ID problem – total PITA. Not like I’m saying my cousin makes 186 per day on the internet.
I thought GM killed off Buick in the US, and just let it survive in GM’s future home market of China, where it’s a significant seller.
GM killed off Oldsmobile. Of the two brands (Oldsmobile vs Buick), they choose to keep the Buick name because it had better name recognition in China.
if these posts remain, I will explain the downfall of Buick later in the day. no sense wasting my time if it is wiped away within minutes.
I think Mr. Cain described it pretty well. The models were ancient and so were the customers. With the Enclave, Buick brought in a younger demographic and they’ve gone from minor success (Verano) to minor success (Encore) since then. Even the Regal, which no one really buys, gives the brand some credibility. A slow rise from such a moribund brand is something Volvo, Lincoln and Acura must watch with some envy. And Buick is certainly no Lexus. As Lexus chases the younger market with of-the-moment origami styling, I’ll give Buick props for its Opel-sourced and China-focused restraint.
The thing is, those old models (Century, LeSabre, Park Avenue) gave Buick it’s highest reliability ratings. All three were dropped for the Lucerne/Lacrosse, and both had teething problems. Now Buick has small, midsize and large sedans and the small and large SUVs and is doing better in the reliability area.
You can quibble over the customer profile, but it’s always been people with money who didn’t want to show it off, but wanted a comfortable ride and decent, understated interiors. Sales are up over the limited line up days, but still short of sales for the ‘old styles, old customers’ days.
Keeping models around with little updates to the powertrains is what helps keep the reliability ratings up (see Toyota/Lexus).
Yeah, you don’t buy a Buick to be ostentatious. I like that..
I’m sure Buick is pleased with their US turnaround, but somewhere in the gut of the Buick headquarters there is a sign reflecting their mantra…
“Keep the Chinese Happy”
Yeah… it sucks not mattering anymore. There are just so effin’ many Chinese and the West just couldn’t shovel them its tech fast enough.
And still most Americans think that progress needn’t be zero-sum and that nationalism is unhealthy.
Buick’s Chinese lineup has almost nothing to do with its US lineup. 90% of their Chinese sales come from two subcompacts and a minivan.
In other words, US Buick and Chinese Buick are two different brands that share a logo.
Oh, good! We’re still #1!
Mark learned Chinese. I wish US president did the same. We need to speak and understand the language of our Masters (who paying for our lifestyle). When US was on the top of the world the whole world started learning English (like German and French before that). And China is just warming up.
No Buick will EVER compare to Lexus. The only people they might possibly fool, are old people. GM is fooling itself thinking it can truly compare in quality…at least in the U.S.
Rubbish.
Oh right! Buick and it’s lineup have NO RECALLS! I think most of their lineup is on a recall list of some sort.
Also, their Lexus LS fighter is so awesome! Oh wait…It doesn’t exist because GM/Buick cannot compete. Even Cadillac has already recalled the new Escallde…and Chevrolet has recalled the NEW Corvette. GM is a joke.
It just took government intervention to teach Lexus how to make a floor mat.
Lexus is now third in its segment and can’t catch up. Take away the Camry wagon, sorry, sorry, RX and you took almost 40% of Lexus sales away.
Some of their CUV/SUV offerings as of late could compete with an Aztek for ugly.
Oh, and who declared Buick a Lexus competitor? GM fanbois? GM PR? No. Lexus did – when the redesigned Epsiluon II LaCrosse came out and it was universally compared to the ES and it was a Lexus exec that said the new ES would be better than the Buick.
How many Takata airbags are going to get recalled in the expanding issue….nah, let’s not talk about that.
If I follow your concept that recall equals crap, the redesigned Fit is a serious pile with five recalls since its launch earlier this year.
Daewoo Nubia is awesome by the same benchmark – hasn’t been recalled in years. ;-)
That’s why I drive a Mercedes Benz S Class…most everything else pales in comparison.
Considering the cost to buy and maintain an S-Class I would think that everything else that pales in comparison would be a given…
Geez, for what it cost I’d expect an orgasm every time I started it
Considering the cost to buy and maintain an S-Class I would think that everything else that pales in comparison would be a given…
Geez, for what it cost I’d expect an orgasmic epthany every time I started it
Considering the cost to buy and maintain an S-Class I would think that everything else that pales in comparison would be a given
.
Considering the cost to buy and maintain an S-Class I would think that everything else that pales in comparison would be a given
For what an S Class costs to buy and operate, I would think that making other cars “pale in comparison” would be a given
Yeah, funny that I have heard NO recalls on Buick. Whenever someone trots out ‘reliablity’ these days, I am reminded of a joke from comedian Marsha Warfield: “Old men tell you that they can make love for a long time – who wants to make love to an old man for a long time??” That being said, the Lexus/Infiniti had better be reliable. That much ugly has to have something else to recommend it. You can toss the Altima/Sentra in there too. I see about the same number of old Toyota/Honda/Nissans these days as I see GM’s/Fords/Chryslers.
Your insecurity is palpable
“I drive an S Class”
Nobody cares lol.
Insecure? Ummm no. Just foutunate enough to be able to do so. If nobody cares then why is the new S Class selling like crazy? There’s a reason people purchase them…and it’s not because they’re on any recall list whatsoever.
As far as cost to operate…they do use premium fuel and more of it, so you are correct. However, people who own them don’t purchase them for good fuel economy…unless they get the diesel. Even then the economy is only marginally better.
Recalls on Buicks….ignition on the Enclave and LaCrosse models come to mind. Yes 2015 included. This is the NEW GM?
@kmars
Dude, I looked up S-class in CR. Black spots all over the place!
Save yourself, man… get RID of that thing!
kmars, I’m glad that you enjoy your S-class. I wish you could feel the same for those us that enjoy owning our Buicks.
“There’s a reason people purchase them…”
For what they cost they should give you a raging woody every time you get in it
@kmars2009
Buicks are higher quality than the Mercedes S Class… at least according to resale values and reliability data. S-Class is luxurious and enables folks like you to brag, but they are unreliable and cost a fortune to keep running… doesn’t seem very quality to me.
And a lot of people buying a car doesn’t mean everyone else cares about that car. A lot more people buy Camrys and F-150s…. do you care more about those than S-Classes?
Cars like the S-Class are a dying breed… I mainly saw them as executive liveries in NYC. Meanwhile Buick as a brand is on an upward trajectory.
Never apologize for superiority, kmars. The lesser masses are increasingly driven by class envy.
@say my name….. I’ll be the first to agree “class envy” is alive and well. As is the condescending attitude, of many that believe they belong to the upper class.
Its been my experience ,that how one treats those ,below ,and above him, on the socio economic scale, speaks volumes on his character
Germans are recalling and breaking down all the time, have quality issue and are heavy (for the reason). What is your point?
As a current Lexus owner all I can say is BS.
All car makers cut corners – it is their choices of corners to cut that shapes the public perception. Lexus has saved massively in both carrying over and not expanding the variety in engines. Take a look at how long it has taken for the 2.0 turbo to be introduced compared to the competition.
Lexus IS seriously coasting on their reputation and cutting corners. The new ES can’t hold a candle to the previous generation model. My wife’s RX is only two years old, but the hard plastic interior is worn out already.
My loaner new ES led me to exactly the opposite conclusion in comparison to the earlier one. Loaners do tend to be pretty new though, I’ll pay close attention to interior longevity before I buy another.
You’re right, GM would have to significantly degrade its standards to compare with Lexus in the areas of movable glass performance (especially glass slap), dynamic and static sealing, and pretty much all movable mechanisms.
But that’s just, like, the industry’s opinion, man.
If the chart is all I have to go on, then it looks like Buick customers moved to Lexus. So maybe they thought hey Toyota quality and Lexus service. So goes GMs customers.
I do know a women who changed from an rx to a new srx but overall your right I see very few people leaving the Lexus fold. Buicks other than the encore and enclave seem to be few and far between here in new England odd because 12 yea.rs ago they were every where. Actually there are plenty of centuries cruising around still.
“No Buick will EVER compare to Lexus.”
I busted out laughing when I read this! I don’t own a Lexus myself but know plenty of people who switched from Buick and other GM products to Lexus and other Toyota products.
I know of no one, of any age demographic, who left the Toyota fold and bought any GM product, not now and not in the past.
The LaCrosse has been beating the ES in comparison reviews and a new LaCrosse is around the corner and is supposed to be a marked improvement, as is the new Regal.
Also, the Enclave (while a bit larger) is nicer than the RX.
And the CT and departed HS are/were basically gussied up econo-cars.
Where do the Olds and Pontiac buyers go? And they’re old. Buick has just about the most geriatric customers of any brand.
I think Buick US sales are heading down from here. E.g. the regrettable Encore is being advertised w/ 0% interest for 5 years PLUS $1000 rebate.
Not with a brand new mid size SUV their not.
Check out what Toyota is offering on Camrys before you make that statement…$2000 factory cash or 0% for sixty months. 2015’s even have under 2% financing…a brand new model. This is the market today. It doesn’t mean the car is no good. 20 years ago a Camry went for list, or damn near, and zero offers. That just does not exist for mainstream models.
“the regrettable Encore”
Horse hockey, it’s the perkiest little cute-ute to come along since the original CR-V. I will spend the next year or two driving my ’09 CR-V while deciding between its poor relation Trax, Renegade and whatever else appears in that segment. Sergio willing, a rebadged Qubo?
It has done well as really the only entrant in that submarket/niche. Yet, the Encore is dire – slow and lousy mpg – CR got 23 and ranked it as mediocre. It’s a heavy load for that little turbo.
Soon the Encore will be a footnote as better vehicles take hold – like the HR-V.
Wanna bet where Encore sales will be in a year? Up or down? You’ll get one real cheap.
Yeah, it hasn’t yet had any competition but it’s been a good test mule for the short & tall approach, the only one I’m interested in. Lets me get the snowblower out without shifting vehicles while still ergonomically easy to get in & out of.
And slow is how I roll unless existentially threatened. A nice CPO Encore is something I’ll be watching for; that’d be about new Trax price.
GM say 200 HP 1.6 turbo 4 coming.
It’d be wasted on me but I hope it helps broaden the Encore’s appeal. I want this niche to flourish.
Ford
That is where I’m headed from GM. My Thunderbird is the first ford I’ve ever owned. Compared to the GM products I’ve owned in the past, it is a much better built car, good door seals, good application of sound deadening, easy to work on, very reliable, and drives and rides great. The one complaint is the tiny seats in my ’97 which was a result of cost cutting the last model year. I’ve driven the 2011-2014 style mustangs as rentals and I will most likely pick one of those up for my next vehicle when the time comes. It’s kinda sad, but the new 2015 mustang doesn’t seem that much better than the ’13 ’14 models and the styling went backwards.
I had the opportunity to sit in a ’15 Mustang a few hours ago. Styling may have slipped a bit (but not much, IMO), but that interior is leagues above the out-going model. Might as well check it out for yourself if you’re in the market for that kind of car. BTW, this was the base V6 car that I found so impressive.
Buick’s ownership avg. age has seen the largest drop among the auto brands and the Envision should help (more soccer moms).
The Enclave is already a popular soccer mom-mobile.
@thornmark, The average buyer age of a Buick buyer is only three more than a Lexus buyer. Not an apples to apples comparison since Buick doesn’t yet have a RX350 sized cuv, very popular among younger buyers and about 40% of Lexus sales skewing the numbers. Don’t look now but we can revisit the issue once the Envision debuts and becomes the most popular Buick by a wide margin. I am not being disrespectful but the truth is majority of Lexus sales are from younger immigrants, people of a certain religion, or from certain parts of the world, who would never buy an American car. Buick probably beats Lexus if you compare American buyers only.
Buick’s slide in sales really began around 1985. Buick builds nothing comparable to the Century, LeSabre, Roadmaster, and Park Avenue, so it really has nothing for me anymore. I realize the market has moved on and what appeals to me appeals to few others.
What so special about Century? I though it was the worst car at time.
Maybe Buicks problems are twofold.
1. Pricing of Buicks might be to high for what the consumer considers correct.
2. Some of Buick’s vehicles are just rebadging with some extra bling. I do think this is a problem that other manufacturers will encounter as well. I think the marketers should look a little closer at what vehicles can successfully be rebadged.
When a company tries to market a vehicle as more prestigious the consumer does want his vehicle to be a little more unique.
Globally car companies still have a way to go in with rationalisation. This will be one area to look at.
How long will Buick survive?
Yep, another comment that didn’t work.
Well Buick has a mixed bag on reliability. Some very good and some very bad. The only people that I rhink are buick buyers are the old codgers.
It’s funny how different cultures have different preconceived notions about cars. In China Mercedes-Benz is viewed as the car of choice for old codgers and Buick is the most coveted in the hot luxury segment
Those perceptions change over time, too, in each market. Buick’s original rep in China was as a luxury car for the rich and powerful, while It’s original rep in America was as a toned down Cadillac for the well heeled, like doctors and lawyers, who didn’t want to rub it in their clients’ faces. Pontiac went from “better than Chevy” to salesman/manager car, to “we build excitement”, to malaise, to badge engineering, to oblivion.
Yep, that pretty much sums-up GM over the last 40 years
I remember when Buick was called “The Doctor’s car”
There’s a big ad over the Kennedy expressway in Chicago (well, near it, visible on Western Avenue going south from Addison/Lane Tech High) that shows a strikingly beautiful young woman driving a Buick .. she has blue tinted hair, so the ad copy says something about Buicks appealing to people with blue hair. Hey, she could sell a lot of Buicks. Girl is FINE.
I’m lovin’ the Encore but waiting for the Trax because cheaper. Even Chevy can deliver a reliable enough car for my declining years.
Funny if my last car purchase turns out being “American”, maybe even made here.
It’s currently made in South Korea and Mexico. Doubt they’re going to move assembly to the US.
Maaaan… white people don’t get to do nothin no more cept die off.
Oh, well, I see it’s actually an Opell Mokka. Opels are good, my hottie 7th grade math teacher had an Opel GT.
Opel would be an option for a rebadge job. But it’s first and foremost a product of GM Korea, formerly known as Daewoo. The same is true for the Sonic and Spark as well. Cruze too, I think.
Well, I said that about the Cruze a couple days ago and got hammered for it by a certain Chevrozealot here.
I was sad when GM axed Pontiac, but for reasons I can’t quite figure out myself, I like that they kept Buick. I don’t know what it is, I just like Buick. I think they strike the perfect balance of near-luxury and everyday livability without quite venturing into full-on German luxury car territory. They succeeded where Mercury failed with the same business concept, I say kudos to them!
The reason Buick had very strong sales in the late 80s through the early 2000s was because starting in about 1987, Buick was GMs most reliable brand and putting out their best cars. It continued from then up until GM started cost cutting like a motha’ with the last generation LeSabre/Park Avenue and of course continued onto the terrible first generation LaCrosse/Lucerne/Buick Aztec (which I forget the name of now).
GM loyalists and former Cadillac buyers who knew better than to buy a Cadillac all bought Buick as well as old people who just wanted a solid reliable car.
Go sit in a 1992 or 1993 Buick Park Avenue that is in good condition, they didn’t set the world on fire, but those cars were solid as could be for the time period.
Personally, I think GM should have killed Buick in the US (China is a different story) and kept Oldsmobile. Then perhaps we’d still have Oldsmobile instead of Buick, which although was a tarnished brand from the Alero and second generation Aurora still has better name equity.
“Personally, I think GM should have killed Buick in the US (China is a different story)”
Not an option. As the story goes, Buick is popular in China BECAUSE it’s perceived as a luxury American brand. If the Chinese found out that the US didn’t have Buicks, it would have lost that status and killed the brand in China too.
That’s the typical GM yarn, however the truth is Buick is popular in China because the last emperor of China drove a Buick.
http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2014/01/credit-a-communist-chinese-leader-for-buicks-survival-and-record-sales/
…and the last emperor’s replacement, the first president, Sun Yat Sen. And most upper level government ministers. It helped that Buick (under Walter Chrysler) established a parts and service network to burnish the car’s reputation for reliability.
Yup. And the first Chinese president drove a Buick too. It was seen as a car for the rich and powerful, and that’s always an attraction for communists.
Yes, Indeed. My other replies got eaten. I must be over the limit for this thread?
The Emperor may have had a Buick, but did he have to pick such an ugly one? Yellow steelies?
That has tremendous cultural significance in the Confucian world.
It means “They’ve already been p1ssed on so don’t bother”.
That has tremendous cultural significance in the Confucian world.
It means “They’ve already been p1ssed on so don’t bother”.
Should everyone overlook the falling headliner, peeling paint, trim falling off, and AC not working? Let’s not forget all the other components that have failed. Yes the 3.8 is a good engine, but if everything it’s attached to is garbage, why bother?
I would love to see GM make a few cars truly good, than many cars poorly.
Should everyone overlook the falling headliner, peeling paint, trim falling off, and AC not working? Let’s not forget all the other components that have failed. Yes the 3.8 is a good engine, but if everything it’s attached to is garbage, why bother?
I would love to see GM make a few cars truly good, than many cars poorly.
Dude, what IS your avatar?
Looks like a parrot eating a kitten.
It’s my dog Jodi putting her paw on her muzzle.
All my apologies to Jodi.
I’ve always loved pets more than people.
I’m guessing by your puerile tirades against General Motors that someone from GM ran over Jodi when she chased a squirrel on to the street.
Kmars, My family and myself owned about 10 Buicks built in total from 1978 model skylark through 2004 lesabre. The best one by far was a 1991 LeSabre Limited that for some reason had T-type wheels and was oddly fast compared to the other ones. I wonder if it was a special order with T-type transaxle? The second best one was a 1993 Park Avenue. The 2004 LeSabre (which is still in my family) got a lot worse than the previous generation in cost cutting and build quality. Overall they were all reliable, went hundreds of thousands of miles and never had AC, trim, or peeling paint issues. The headliner did fall down in the pre 1993 models, but that was after they were already 20 years old, so you can’t fault that too much.
I have to qualify the ownership though. In comparison to what the other GM divisions were putting out, they were the best cars being made by GM. No doubt that Honda/Acura or Lexus/Toyota were putting out better cars in comparison.
Tirades? Come on! Simply cold hard facts. (And some colorful insight)
Jodi is doing well thanks!
GM? Oh you’ll never understand my distaste for them.
It is an open market for all who are out there buying. If actual news from the news media doesn’t convince you, then far be it for me to help.
CR is a reputable source…and S-Class models from 2000-2006 do have questionable quality. It was during the Chrysler years if I am correct.
“Jodi is doing well thanks!”
That’s all I really cared about.
Isn’t Buick’s growth just a measure of how many Pontiac and Saturn customers GM managed to retain? It wasn’t most of them.
I think that’s mostly it. While their current lineup of Opels and the Lacrosse is nice enough, their main job was to take up all of those people who used to buy Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Saturn cars. Judging by that graph they’ve halted their precipitous decline, but surely haven’t picked up a very large percentage of the orphaned brands.
When I sat in a preproduction Encore, I knew it would be a hit.
How did you arrive at this?
I have five Buicks right now: 1975 Riviera, 2001 Park Avenue, 2005 Terraza, 2006 Rainier and 2008 Lucerne Super (AKA Wildcat). No problems with any of them beyond regular maintenance. Foreign cars should stay foreign and they are not allowed on my property. My three Toronados are trouble free, as is the 1995 Cutlass Supreme Convertible and the 1998 Aurora. Just purchased a 2000 Cadillac Eldorado ETC. Still want a 2005 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi V8! My GMC Motorhome runs fantastic at 38 years young…
“they are not allowed on my property”
How do you say “Get off my lawn!” in Korean?
Anyone?
Corey?
I love you.
Aside from my Northstar hate/skepticism, that is an impressive collection of GM’s finest. What are you thoughts on the current crop?
“Foreign cars should stay foreign and they are not allowed on my property”
Which foreign cars – the Hyundai built in Alabama, or the Ford built in Mexico?
As you typed on your Chinese-built computer; please, gimme a break.
You could add Korean built Buicks to your list too.
While the Verano has helped, what has really helped Buick sales is having the Encore and Enclave.
The addition of another CUV, the Envision, should really boost Buick sales.
GM has done a much better job of filling out the CUV lineup for Buick than it has for Cadillac which for the short-term will only have the aging SRX (this is the main reason why Cadillac sales have been stalling, as the competition all have fuller CUV lineups).
The new LaCrosse should also help in sales, as should the new Regal which will have a bit more interior room befitting American tastes and hence, be better competition for the TLX (was the direct competitor to the TSX).
@ bd2 – Regarding the “aging” SRX, bear in mind that the current generation is two years younger than its main competitor, the Lexus RX.
I wonder if the elephant in the room for Cadillac is CUE? I dislike a big screen on my dashboard, but I don’t necessarily consider it a deal-breaker, if only because they’re so hard to avoid these days. CUE specifically, however, would be a deal-breaker for me. And it’s mandatory on most trim levels of most Cadillac models, no?
Buick has come a heck of a long way in the past few years. Most Buicks from 1990-2010-ish (minus the Roadmaster) were junk. They were the worst of GM. They felt like cheap nasty penalty boxes. Sure the 3.8 was a solid motor, but the rest of the car was shoddy.
A 2000 Camry/Accord was WORLDS ahead of a similar vintage Lesabre just in terms of quality.
Fast forward to 2014. Buick is making decent stuff. The Enclave is solid, the Lacrosse seems right and the little ones are competitive too.
There is just one more thing they need to do. MAKE LEATHER STANDARD, for Pete’s sake!!! No one wants a $40k Enclave with Cloth seats.
I’ve never gotten the leather desire. I think a high quality cloth seat is a good option, unfortunately, often you’ll see the cloth option seats being cheapo units, which is a shame. Cloth looks better longer and is great if you live in a hot climate. I would even prefer synthetic alternatives over leather.
nickoo, Leather does not do well in the sun-drenched, hot dry climate of the Southwest.
It takes a lot of Armor-All or MacGuire’s Saddle Soap and a lot of elbow grease to keep leather from drying out and cracking.
The leather interior of our Grand Cherokee has creases from being sun-baked and those creases will turn into cracks, like the leather seating in our 1992 Towncar did after about four years.
In 1997 I had the seats re-upholstered in Juarez, Mexico, and done in Sandalwood brown tuck-and-roll cloth and when we sold the Townie in 2008, the seats were still good as new.
Mandalorian, GM, Ford and Chrysler have indeed come a heck of a long way in the past few years. But that’s only because all three were at the bottom, looking up, and had but one way to go after both GM and Chrysler died. That was up!
At the other end of the spectrum, the foreigners and transplants who were at one time so much better than the domestics, have by now dropped down to the levels of the domestics. So the sum gain is nil.
The good became worse while the bad became good. Now all of them are just about as bad as the rest of them. Overall though, all cars today are better than those of 5, 10, 15 years ago.
I disagree with you, Mandalorian – by the early 2000s, GM cars were quite sound mechanically. My ’03 LeSabre is pushing 120,000 miles, and it’s required only replacement of wear items, basic maintenance, and a couple of repairs (broken window regulators, a burned out suspension bearing, and the power steering pump looks it’ll have to be replaced at some point. Aside from that, no issues.
I bought it used in 2010 for $6200, and the comparably aged Camrys and Accords I was looking at cost about twice that.
So. If I read the comments from the B&B I can conclude.
Buicks are steaming piles of crap.
Only mullet headed wife beating t-shirt wearing Pontiac Firebird owners, and little blue hair old ladies buy them.
No one has ever traded in a non-GM product for a Buick.
The Verano is barely OK (huh, TTAC did an analysis that showed almost 50% of the cars sold in its class are Veranos)
The Encore is a failure,
The LaCrosse sucks (what does Jack know).
It is for these reasons, that Buick sales are growing faster than other near luxury makers Acura, Volvo, and Lincoln.
Surprised no one has thrown the fleet queen card down yet!
I can only aspire to be this mediocre – at least that’s what other near luxury makers must think
The biggest problem Buick has is that it needs a flagship sedan model that attracts people to the brand, the brand could also use a volt derived model. If I were in the market for a midtier luxury badge, I would start and more than likely end my shopping with the Hyundai Genesis. Edit, even the Chrysler 300 is more appealing to me than anything Buick is putting out at the moment.
I think shortly after Cadillacs CT6 is on the market, there will be a Buick sharing that same platform…possibly wearing the Park Avenue name. We’ll see! It is something most American manufacturers like to do to justify the cost of a platform…especially GM. Even the Koreans do it with Hyundai/Kia.
nickoo,
Maybe GM can use the Commodore as it’s flagship model. This would be more appealing to the US consumer than some cordless thing.
Build the Commodore in the US and export them back to Australia, with the Camaro and the new Colorado.
The US needs to look at exports. Even if GM only sold 50 000 “Buick” Commodores/Camaros a year it will still help.
Judging by GMs record low marketshare, most pontaic and saturn customers left GM for good. It is not a question of if but when either Ford or Toyota surpass GM in North American sales. This is a company that once had nearly 30% of the domestic market 15 years ago. It is now down to 17.5%. I remember Wagoner had GM employees wear 30% pins to motivate the company to get back up to a 30%marketshare. That seems impossible now. Losing pontaic, saturn, and oldsmobile, has really put GM in a product hole. That is like losing around 500,000 sales units right there.
In the past 15 years GM has lost more marketshare than the previous eighty years combined!!
Just look at the staggering Buick decline in the graph above. At one time in the mid to late 1990s cadillac sold nearly 150,000 devilles.
Buick doesn’t have the cars people want at the price they expect. In other words maybe Buick thinks they are better than what they are.
I think it’s a case of the overly maximization of value adding.
For what ends? Profit? Maybe China will help Buick or eventually GM can sell of Buick to the Chinese.
I did read some comments regarding Lexus. But Lexus has marketed itself very well with enough distance from Toyota to have that more unique flavour.
A Buick is still like a Chev or Pontiac, not a Audi, Lexus, MB, etc. It’s not really prestigious.
Big Al. I would be one of those folks where prestige means squat to me. That’s not to say that I judge folks that don’t share my views. If driving a MB makes one feel better about himself, rather than driving Buick..? I don’t have a problem.
mikey,
My “prestige” comment was directed at those who were discussing Lexus in this article. They are two different markets.
Buick’s strength is value. A fully-loaded Verano 2.0L turbo costs about $5,000 less than a comparable 2.0 TFSI A3, and the Buick is more reliable. Same is true when comparing the Lacrosse to the Lexus ES, though the Lexus will probably be more reliable and have better resale value.
True to form, German and Japanese competitors have superior interior styling and ergonomics, but the equipment and price are not problematic for Buick vehicles.
TW5,
I read an interesting article written earlier this year regarding Buicks lack of sales or improvement.
They put it down to models and what Buick is expecting in return for those models.
The article stated that Buick was a little ambitious in pricing. This was turning customers away.
Very well said. I agree.
My distaste for GM comes from the horrible things they did to Michigan. Has anyone been to Detroit, or Lansing, or Pontiac lately?? Well I have. All of those cities were dependant on GM for jobs, income, taxes, etc. Then when GM decides it’s too costly, it pulls out and walks away. Moving said jobs to Mexico, Canada, or someplace in the U.S. where they can hire without a union. In the meantime, the former manufacturing facility goes vacant and neglected. The cities lose those jobs, their economy tanks, and things start looking like run down war zones. GM should be required to clean up what it leaves behind….or bring the jobs back. It’s disgusting, the things they get away with.
BTW. I do recognize the Sonic plant has brought jobs back. Finally one good thing.
Also, Ford is guilty too…but in Ohio.
Are you Michael Moore? I feel like I’ve seen this movie before.
That’s it! Who else would proudly drive an S-Class while bemoaning the demise of the US auto industry and it’s effects on society
Then the S-class must have some awesome self-driving ability ’cause Mikey ain’t turnin’ no steering wheel once his paunch locks it down.
@ petezeiss …..We’ll I’m not sure if “Michael” could fit behind the wheel of an S class . There just might be not enough room? Something like at TTAC where’s there’s only enough room for one MIKEY!, and this MIKEY drives an Impala…. I,m claiming copyright infringement
@Real Mikey
Arrghh… sorry, man. And to any other Mike/Mikey out there (including my best bud Mikey S.)… NOBODY deserves to be associated with Michael Moore, not even accidentally.
LMFAO!!! Lie2mie friggin’ NAILED it.
Hypocrisy isn’t always funny, but when it is it’s HILARIOUS!
nicely done.
It is interesting to note right when GM started rebadging most of their cars from either Opels and Holdens their sales decline got more pronounced.
Don’t leave out the Daewoos!
No. However, I have attended the NAIAS many times in the last three decades. I have seen the movie too. It’s fact unfortunately. The Germans and Japanese don’t seem to follow such wasteful practices.
The American government has given the industry a second chance. Chrysler and GM should make the absolute most of it.
I find it ironic that I my insight and opinion are not wanted on a site named The Truth About Cars, when nobody wants the truth and would rather judge me, or make snied remarks for telling it.
This isn’t Lets Gush About Our Faves…is it? If you want to be all touchy feely about your Buick, call Dr. Phil…otherwise, tell The Truth About Cars and allow a difference of opinion.
Insights are great, it’s the arrogance we can do without
So because I drive a S-Class, I’m arrogant? Because I don’t share your love of Buick, I’m arrogant? Who are you…Judge Judy? Telling me how to walk, talk, and think? You know what…life is not about everyone thinking the same. If I were like you, I might conclude that since you drive a Buick, your opinion might be short sighted. Believe it or not, I respect you have a different opinion. Why can’t I be given the same respect? It’s called diversity. If you don’t like my opinion or insight, then walk away, don’t be a hater! It is a free country after all…with free speech. I am entitled to my opinion.
“I respect you have a different opinion. Why can’t I be given the same respect?”
Oh, really?…
“That’s why I drive a Mercedes Benz S Class…most everything else pales in comparison.”
In that one sentence you blew-off just about everyone here by implying that your overpriced status symbol was better then whatever it is the rest of us drive. That’s condescension, not respect. I doubt that the guy who tows a horse trailer, or the guy who likes to go camping in the mountains, or race his car on weekends thinks much of your choice of a vehicle
Again, a difference of opinion! If you don’t like it, walk away! ARE YOU ON CRACK OR SOMETHING? I am not here to agree with everyone…including you! Buicks are worthless pieces of crap. BOTTOM LINE! You are a complete psycho. Apparently THAT is the kind of people that buy Buicks. We will NEVER come to ANY sort of agreement…PERIOD! You are narrow minded and a complete moron to keep on and on and on. Get lost! Go sit in your Buick and stalk someone else! I REFUSE to keep playing your PSYCHO games!!! What an idiot…and a total HATER!
Dude ! Chill… this is TTAC. We try to be civil to one another. Fact of the matter is we don’t need a monitor with a ban button. We police ourselves,.
Be cool
@kmars2009
Prozac. Seek it. Know it. Love it.
It’s times like this that make me miss Norm. Imagine the argument here: “Buicks are driven by psychos” versus “Trifecta Tune your medulla oblongata”.
Just for the record I don’t drive a Buick
Wouldn’t you really rather?
… and have the folks down at the seniors center think I’m a crack smokin’ wacko?
Yeah, so you’ll fit right in. Like at my village hall. It’s a great weight-loss method.
A more important number is that Buick average transaction price is up by $11,000 since 2009 and fleet sales are now <5% vs about 20% in 2009. This is particularly heartening since poor Buick probably has to work the hardest for every sale. My only worry is that GM will maintain the status quo and keep making inoffensive, boring Buicks which will not do much to change perceptions. The Envision/Anthem will be a huge hit but imo is a wasted opportunity. I was hoping for a range rover evoque type hot cuv with a peppy engine. The Cascada is another grey hair special. Buick used to have character. Cars like the Grand National and GNX stood for something.
“Cars like the Grand National and GNX stood for something.”
Yep, they stood for “Middle-aged guy who can’t leave high-school behind because he never went to college”.
They also stood for a time when guys like that could make decent money.
“Guys like that could make some decent money”. Yeah, I was one of those,guys . I was a Pontiac man though . If it had GT on, the badge ,all the better. The Buick line up never did appeal to me. Not then ,not now. However as a GM retiree , I’m kinda glad there’s lots of folks that think different.
mikey, you are obviously aware (tracking GM as you do) that the ATS was slated to be a Pontiac G6 replacement by none other than Bob “product is key” Lutz himself, right?
This would have made much, much more sense, with a MSRP approximately 23% lower across the board (not that Cadillac isn’t getting close to that point with hugely subsidized leases as it is).
Instead, after Pontiac was killed off, they slapped a Cadillac wreath on it, marked the price up in an irrational manner, and voila!, ATS, because GM executive expedient groupthink.
Hey mikey, you are obviously aware (tracking GM as you do) that the ATS was slated to be a Pontiac G6 replacement by none other than Bob “product is key” Lutz himself, right?
This would have made much, much more sense, with a MSRP approximately 23% lower across the board (not that Cadillac isn’t getting close to that point with hugely subsidized leases as it is).
Instead, after Pontiac was killed off, they slapped a Cadillac wreath on it, marked the price up in an irrational manner, and voila!, ATS, because GM executive expedient groupthink.
IIRC, I thought *both* Cadillac and Pontiac were getting the Alpha chassis. Regardless of the fate of Pontiac, if I had the bucks for one, I’d definitely go for an ATS. I’m an empty nester now, so I can go back to getting what appeals to me.
I just wish it had an actual name.
Wreath? Get with the times its a colored blob now.
Too bad it seems they’ve give up on the idea of bringing the Opel Adam over here. That would probably put a few of the coveted young folks in a Buick.
Buick sales are rubbish.
Case closed.
Couple of things. This thread is slightly more intemperate than I think we gentlemen and ladies should keep it, if only to not lower the tone.
Cars really don’t have nationality any more, whether you like it or not, although brands certainly do, so let’s just stop the “where’s it built” stuff. Buick is to be congratulated for the Encore, which is innovative and fun while also maintaining Buick brand values (posh, classy, quietly spirited), and even the Verano, which is probably the most luxurious car in its class and much better value than an Acura ILX or Audi A3 (not sure the A3 is cross-shopped, but anyway…).
The Regal remains a sleeper – and a really great car – that nonetheless given Buick cred with car people and the LaCrosse is thoroughly competent. I drove a loaded rental Enclave in Toronto last year and everyone who rode in it loved it. And, just like the tv ad, marvelled that “this is a Buick??!!?”
Today’s Buick’s are not at all connected to yesterday’s kreptastic 80s A-body Century or even my Dad’s 1969 GS350. I think at long last Buick has rediscovered a renewed sense of brand after years of merely aging alongside the Greatest Generation. They are reaping a modest reward, even if the glories of yesteryear are probably gone for good…I think the Envision will do great things for expanding awareness and acceptance, and I think Buick’s North American future as a “non-showy” thinking luxury choice may be a nice, steady place to be for the 2010s and beyond….
Hey lie2me! If I want a joke, I’ll simply follow you into the mens room and watch you urinate. Psychotard.
Isn’t there a YouTube video you can go comment on? Your insights will be much more appreciated there.
My comment was inappropriate…I am stooping to his level. Please excuse my last post.
This is a great site, I read it daily. The comments are for insight and perhaps some debate. This may have gone too far. I don’t feel I should be attacked for driving a Mercedes. I am also allowed to not like Buicks. Not everyone agrees on everything. That is why there are so many choices in new cars.
I will try to keep my comments more positive…provided I am not attacked in the future.
Again, my apologies to those who endured the dispute.
I’ve been meaning to comment on this thread but got tied up. still intend to perhaps later today. in following it I was saddened to see how it had digressed into personal attacks and just logged in with the intention of knocking you down a peg. I’m sure many here are glad to see your apology. I am guilty myself of getting carried away and am pleased to see this latest post. let’s keep it classy folks.
anyway, you will hear from your friendly Buickman once the day’s business has been put to bed.
I meant to post this as a reply but cannot find the original post that I meant to reply to. :-(
For decades Buicks were the ‘smart mans’ luxury. Meaning not ostentatious but reliable and comfortable.
In Canada this may have started with the original McLaughlin Buick, which had a very high reputation.
We had one Conservative Prime Minister in the 50’s/60’s who refused to be seen in a Cadillac (or Lincoln) due to the connotation attached to them of being a high roller/out of touch/carpetbagger/shyster.
So the Buick became the car of Doctors, accountants etc. Solid, safe and reliable. And if someone you trusted drove one, then if you could afford to do so, then why not. It became an aspirational car for those who remembered the Depression. Unfortunately, they (as all of us) grow old and thus Buick became associated with old drivers.
“If you see anyone under the age of 50 driving a Buick, then offer your condolences on their recent loss”.
Due to a recent loss, we have inherited a Buick. Yes some of the interior quality is offputting. The fake plastic wood is cracking and peeling. For some strange reason there is no grab handle anywhere on the trunk. It has the unfortunate GM hidden wipers, designed by the Devil or someone who has never driven/lived in an area that gets any snow. There is no middle rear seat headrest or lit ‘make-up’ mirrors on the visors, things that come standard on a Kia.
However the 3.8 is smooth and reliable. The car is quiet. The A/C & heater are powerful. And I like the somewhat floaty ride. We are going to keep it and I am quite sure will get many trouble free years/miles of understated driving.
Buick’s problem may be that younger generations put more emphasis on style over substance and would rather lease an expensive and unreliable German vehicle than own an understated and reliable American one that no longer has a prestigious badge.
All this talk, and you guys got me doing some window shopping for Buicks. Now I’m seriously looking at a Regal (well, looking, no money yet) and I could see myself in one. My first impression: clean, in and out. No sci-fi styling (I’m talking to YOU, Altima), yet not dull. Hmmm…my Fusion cells are protesting…damn it.