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The way you make it sound, the number of "dealers" will be shrinking, but the "dealer service base" won't change at all, simply because you did not get much "service" until this last dealer
>drives like a Lexus ES350 at half the price
You are aware the 350 is a Camry in drag. :sick: :P so saying your Azera rides similar to one is not a compliment.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The one we have is tomb quiet inside. It rides smooth and soaks up holes and bumps like they aren't there and for a big old boat it handles pretty good.
While I wish it had a 5 or 6 speed auto, the 4 speed and the 3.9 V-6 are plenty powerful for me.
Like, I think I noted before, I had to look up the 3.9 V-6, because it was so smooth, I thought it was a DOHC.....
And the OEM ties were too directional and causing it to track the rain grooves on the highway. A bit of humming and vibrating as a result. The fix is, well, different tires. OEM shocks/struts and tires and so on are almost always cheap junk no matter what brand you're buying these days.
Then again, it's a fine car. I think people are just expecting their cars to be like a video game or bank vault these days. Go drive an old 1960s Mercedes and try to hear yourself think. :P
BTW, you want 4 gears with a V8. The bigger the engine, the fewer gears you need and want. 1 - because you're not drag racing it. and 2: You're not going over 80-85mph anyways. Less shifting/smoother ride and more hp and torque as well, since it's generally in its power band driving around town. Cheaper to fix as well.
Small engines, otoh, do require more gears.
The CX that I drive my mom around in is extremely quiet (it does have the ABS startup hum for a few seconds) and it rides smoothly with no vibrations.
The CXS is much better tired. That does cause road noise.
I suspect the softer tires on the base models are more what I would like.
I'm not sure about the power steering humming. If that is during turns when the pressure is higher doing the assisting, the hose is probably out of place and touching the firewall transmitting the vibration of the pump. Not right.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
This is tires. Put the normal CX/all seasons on it - something with a bidirectional non-"rain" type pattern and watch it disappear completely. When you go in to get the tires "replaced" - replace them with lower cost and higher profile(same as on the CX) tires.
My theory is that the newer cars aren't ANY different than before. It's that the makers have gone to silly lengths to make them quieter and smoother, so any small gremlins that you never noticed before suddenly worry all the yuppies.
The Lucerne CXS is the quietest and most insulated Buick ever. After driving my 1990s LeSabre the the dealer (at the time - now sold, good car) and immediately testing the Lucerne CXS, the CXS was Mercedes refined and quiet.
Cars are noisy, clattery, humming, buzzing, vibrating things by nature. We just forget. Really. Go drive an old VW Bug and you come out half deaf, sore, and feeling like you've been working out with your legs and arms compared to say, a bog standard Focus.
Case in point - my 4Runner has injectors that are as noisy as bad lifters or a tapping valves. Really. It happens when they are over 10 years old or so. The engine is so noisy at anything over idle, though, that I don't hear it at all 90% of the time.
But put a sewing machine engine out of a Civic in it and it would probably drive me nuts. Heh.
The tires really make a difference. The standard leSabre has a General tire with high compliance to forces and very low rolling resistance. I always replace them with Michelins which are stiffer and give more road noise with long life treads.
Current 60 profile on 225 X 16 inch wheels gives a more controlled steering reaction with the original SYmmetry by Michelin used on a lot of GM cars in 03. But when I replaced them with Harmony, they howl on certain concrete type road textures and a few other large pebble road mixes. But other times are quiet enough. I suspect a higher profile Harmony wouldn't do this on a 15 inch wheel on the same leSabre.
I looked at a Sonata a couple years ago, and the model I'd want came with low profile tires on a large rim. Not what I wanted, both for noise and for replacement cost and life.
Some of the automakers have really worked on minimizing the noises, like injectors, to help the quiet ambiance inside. Do I recall the Lucerne has layer side windows to help muffle sound?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
After reading that thread, I'd certainly be running the other way from the Azera.
Look, it's a CAR. Not a driving simulation on your Wii. Sheesh.
The tire/steering issue is because they have unidirectional tread patterned tires on it. If it hits grooved or patterned roads, the tires want to pull to the outside so it chatters and vibrates as each side tries to do exactly that against the other. Changing to standard non-directional all-seasons fixes it instantly.
My car drives very well and is extremely confortable, whether in the city or highway. Gas mileage averages from 18-22 MPG in combination driving, using 93 octane gas.
I have not had any major problems with it. The only 2 things problems I had were due to mistakes made at the factory, easily corrected. The first problem resulted from some lazy union auto worker failing to clamp the transmission line going into the lower radiator cooler. The line came off and the transmission fluid leaked out. Then more recently the car got wet inside because the drains around the sunroof were not properly installed and a moulding around the trunk had not been installed. Both of these problems were promptly and cheerfully corrected with no major inconvenience.
Based upon the above, I am doing well with my ride. I refuse to let the government dictate what I will drive. It makes me sick that they to cram everybody into cars that are neither comfortable, fun to drive, nor safe. I just hope that I can manage to drive this vehicle long enough to fully enjoy it and to take advantage of the extended warranty.
I am glad for you that the problems were quickly repaired...but that is the whole problem that just gets my goat...your Lucerne is a "lower status" DTS, yet someone did not clamp the transmission line...OK, maybe the clamp fell off during shipment (still shoddy workmanship, but let's just give the benefit of the doubt to the UAW)...but the drains not being properly installed (just how many ways can it fit in, anyway???)...and the trunk moulding was, simply, left off...
I realize this is not the UAW topic, but this is a UAW car...where are the union defenders???...are they going to blame the engineers for leaving off the moulding???...isn't this just the lousy workmanship that has sent millions of buyers over to the imports???
Will anyone defend this kind of work???
The sunroof drain lines are weak area in H-bodies (a relative of the C-bodies here). They tend to break above the floor on the driver's side; they come down through the windshield pillar and the A-pillar next to the driver's foot. They seemed to fracture in that area after some time.
Enjoy your automobile.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
This CSX is as great as the two Auroras I had and the Buick is the only way to get a "rebadged" Aurora with Oldsmobile now gone. This car will be missed, especially since it has three 1964 "WILDCAT" emblems on it. Of course they will be removed and placed on the NEXT 2010 Lucerne CXL in Cyber Gray with Titanium leather interior.
I would certainly never lease a car for 39 months again, especially in California. You end up paying a full year of registration just to keep the car for the final three months!
That's where the early trade-in/select another Buick option comes in handy.
By the way, I only buy American. Always have, always will. . .
Our lease is up next July but we plan to trade early to get a 2010 "Wildcat", though probably a V6; the V8 is way too thirsty. I drive my Toronados when I want low MPG!
If you can, get a 36-month lease ( not our "39") because in states like California you have to pay registration for the entire year to drive the car the three remaining months.
I hope GM keeps the Lucerne/Wildcat in production. There is no other car quite like it! :shades:
Questions: Is there that much of an actua difference between the two Buicks? Do you think one of the models will be dropped in favor of the other? Reliability can be a pain in the butt with any car but do you think the company is ignoring customer complaints or does it depend on the dealer you go to?
Thanks for your opinions.
Thanks Nace.
Anyone have any experience with something like this? I had one once before on the trunk of my Mercedes when I put a large suitcase in the trunk and slammed the trunk shut without realizing the interference.
Any help would be appreciated.
Brownie 12