Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

2011 Buick Regal

1910111214

Comments

  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    How bad is this rubberized paint peeling problem? This is a new car and I would think they would either replace the wheel or find a fix.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Keep us posted on how things go at the dealership for you by emailing Christina here!

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • zeenzeen Member Posts: 401
    edited November 2011
    M6

    It's not a huge problem. There are a couple of spots under an inch long and no more than 1/4 " wide. It's noticeable if you look right at it but it will undoubtedly get worse. Replacing the wheel makes no sense if it's identical to the existing wheel. The problem is the plastic under the paint is very glossy so the paint doesn't adhere well enough. One fingernail nick starts the peeling process. The best fix would be to provide touch up paint and recommend light sanding before applying.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Thanks. I had envisioned it to be worse. I'm sure they will be able to get some suitable paint and fix it like you mentioned.
  • regalownerregalowner Member Posts: 1
    Don't know if you've had any suggestions, but we bought our 2011 Regal 6 months ago and had the same problem with the carpet and moonroof. Contact GM directly, and don't give up! Be firm and stand your ground. They are currently working with us. Good Luck!
  • jamesb11jamesb11 Member Posts: 9
    :sick: Updating my Comment 671. Have taken my car in for a 3rd time and the dealer says they cannot recreate the noise. This is the same thing they said the first time I took the car in. The noise is very intermitant but is the same condition they supposedly fixed on my second visit when they replaced 2 of the Supressors (lifters). GM and Buick have contacted me several times and say they are in touch with the dealer but I am not seeing any results just a lot of discussion. It is real disappointing to have spent so much money on a new car and at 7000 miles begin having such a major engine problem and no real solution. At this point I have to say my experience has been POOR. Hate to know what the Car Fax report will say and how much that will affect my resale value in a few years.
  • jwr1984jwr1984 Member Posts: 1
    My wifes regal has 8000 miles on it and it has started to make a noise in the left front wheel when traveling downhill turning to the left. It makes a swish-thumping noise. we have taken it to our local dealer twice and they cannot find the problem. Their answer is for us to bring it back when it gets worse. My wife is sick of hearing this problem. the car has been back to the dealer for several problems in such a short time. replaced two bad taillights,fixed the cam phasers,and seat heater quit last week on the drivers side. The dealer seems to not be very concerned about us having to keep bringing it back in again and again. any help would be Greatly appreciated

    ">
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Thanks for your post, jwr1984,

    I'm sorry to hear that you and your wife are experiencing so many concerns with your Regal. Are you currently in touch with Customer Assistance?

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • baybumbaybum Member Posts: 2
    I have the 2011 Buick Regal Turbo. I have noticed if I have the back windows down there is extreme noise , almost like I have a flat tire and the care seems unstable. Fine when the windows are back up. Does anyone have this problem?
  • baybumbaybum Member Posts: 2
    When changing from a high temp to a low temp, the system seems to have a very long delay (like the "dampers" aren't opening. Anyone else experiencing this?
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    I notice at this time of year, when the car is near-freezing at startup, that when you switch from initial defrost mode to auto that it seems to take the auto mode quite a while to stabilize at the set temp. This morning I was cooking inside as it kept pumping out hot air for a lot longer than I expected. I wonder if the sensor is in a spot where it takes a long time to adjust to the ambient temp in the cabin? Not a big problem but interesting.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • rausda27rausda27 Member Posts: 1
    I had the same issue with the headliner. Repeated attempts to glue/velcro it closed failed as it continued to pop off. I went to a new dealer and they ordered a new headliner and replaced it. So far it has help fine. The issue is that if the headliner pops off its fasteners, it begins to mold itself out of shape, and when refastened the out of shape liner puts too much pressure on the fasteners to hold. The only way to fix it is to replace it.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    A reporter is interested in speaking with someone who recently purchased a Buick Regal Turbo or Regal GS. Please email pr@edmunds.com with your contact information and a brief description of your experience by Monday, January 9, 2012.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    Just saw this, I check this thread once every week or two. I purchased a 2011 Regal Turbo T02 in August (The non-turbo was just too sluggish). The rebates, extra Pontiac-owner money, and a high trade-in allowance for my '08 G8 made the deal attractive.
  • mark_wnymark_wny Member Posts: 70
    Just wondering if anyone has switched from Accord to the (turbo) Regal - and if you are happy with the choice.
  • carman14carman14 Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2012
    Well had this baby for over a year and here are my observations after my thrill of a new car has worn off. Car is visually appealing no doubt and so far mechanicals are fine.

    Few things i noticed car emits creaking noises from under dash where and when I cant figure, not worth trip to dealer. Initially upon delivery car had loud noise coming from rear , brought to dealer and the fix was duct tape somewhere in the tail light (go figure).

    Carpet was cut short on drivers side had dealer fix on that too.

    Since I am kinda a fanatic with car detailing, some old quack tapped my bumper last week and guess what I have a screw mark in my nice and shiny plastic bumper.

    Body shop wants to paint entire bumper for a screw mark for big bucks .

    Who designs these cars, body shop dealers???

    Just rented a Ford Taurus looks like they have the bumper figured out, around license large black molded bumpers that can take a tap and not show any marks. Rest of bumper is solid painted steel way to go Ford.

    When lease on this puppy expires looking into a Ford/Lincoln car rides like rock solid handling great pick up and quiet as a library Seats are way and above Buick hard as rock leather seats.

    Also, car has a funky lag in transmission shift when accelerating like its searching for a gear.

    20.9 mpg combined for a 4 cyl not that great.
    Still Buick has come a long way!!!
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    Good luck with the Ford in your future. I have never driven a Ford that I would even consider buying, except for the Mustang GT, but even that suffers from the typical mediocre Ford interior.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    Have had my Turbo Regal for 10 months, drove both the 2.4L and the 2.0 turbo and found the latter more to my liking, the 2.4L was just too sluggish. Only issue is turbo lag off the line, but when passing on a 2-lane highway it's a rocket. MPG is better than the 2.4 also, I'm getting just shy of 31 on a long hwy trip, 19.5 to 22 in-town (doing the math at the pump). I have found the seats firm but very comfortable.
  • metrospmetrosp Member Posts: 10
    I purchased my regal cxl in august 2010 and the 2.4 was the only engine option on the dealer inventory and I do agree it doesn't match the power of the turbo 2.0. The gas mileage on the highway has been great as I get between 29 and 31 mpg even while traveling at above 70 mph.
    I drive often to job sites that are 4 hours each way and the seats are comfortable even on those long trips.
  • fishin13fishin13 Member Posts: 4
    I bought my 2011 Regal CLX T07 in July. Just took it into the dealership for my first oil change. On the way home from the oil change my check engine light turned on. I took it to the dealership, they told me they had to order a canister it would be in Monday, Monday, no part, said it would be here Tue, On Tue the part showed (turbo bypass solenoid) said they needed another part (Air intake tube) it would be there until Wed. Wed i get a call (first time they called me, i called them every other time) Car is ready. Pick up the car drive home the next day i am driving and loose everything, my serpentine belt breaks <15k miles on the vehicle. I have it towed in, today i stop by as i see it outside in the same spot the tow truck left it at 1:30 pm they say i"i was just going to call you" and tell me i need a tension pulley mine cracked and that is what caused the belt to break.

    Am i crazy for thinking all of this crap started with a kucklehead mechanic doing my oil change in the first place? I think he broke my bypass valve for my turbo and caused the air leak in the intake that started this whole thing in the first place. I am now going on the second weekend in a row in a boat of a lacrosse (sorry lacrosse lovers, but it doesn't quite handle the same)

    I absolutely love the car, but now can i trust it? Everyone at work told me not to buy american made, and laughed at me for buying the buick, bragging about the great service they get with their BM's and Lexus.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    Hard to say if the oil change caused that because I don't think those other parts are anywhere near what one would touch when doing an oil change. I would suspect a bad dealer service dept though given the treatment. I had a similar thing happen a couple of years ago with a Buick dealer (not related to my Regal) and I ended up going to a different dealer who was excellent. I bought my Regal from the Buick dealer who replaced the original awful one (who went out of business, big surprise) and they are excellent as well.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    fishin13,
    Good Morning! Sorry to hear about your recent experience at the dealership. If you would like I would be more than happy to look into other GM dealers in your area. My best advice with any dealer is to voice your concerns and opinion to the best person available, the manager. We at GM also like to hear your feedback and document all of it. Please feel free to email me directly and we can speak more about what you would like to do. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
    SocialMedia@GM.com
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    "Everyone at work told me not to buy american made..."

    Actually the new Regal is designed and built in Russelsheim Germany as an Opel Insignia, and imported here with very few changes; recently built also in Ontario Canada. That is either a good thing or a so-so thing, depending on what you read. But it shows how European and American tastes are converging.
  • fishin13fishin13 Member Posts: 4
    I have spoken to GM service and a district someone today, who is supposed to be calling me back, the last time they said this, they could not get a hold of the service advisor, so escalated it to the north central division person, but i was driving and didn't have a chance to document her name.

    I had talked with the service manager at the dealership, last Friday. He seemed to see no correlation to the fact that I never had any issues until I brought the car in for an oil change, and I cant seem to get my car working for more than 18 hours at a time since. He seemed to be o the school of thought that things break and what are you going to do, and they don't have parts, so i just needed to wait. I am in the customer service industry, and on the technical end of things. I understand things break, i also understand that you don't always have the parts you need to fix every possible things that could break. However, we track in my industry a metric called repeats. This would indicate that a service had been performed and was required again with in so many days. (not hours but days) and we manage to improve those metrics, and when we fall on our face, we work with the customer very closely and do what ever it takes to make things right quickly!

    For the record, they still have my car, still have yet to contact me, I always contact them, and am told each day the part will be here tomorrow. I looked on line all of the parts, belt, tension pulley, screw and spring can be purchased for less than $100. I am very surprised there is not a dealer in the Chicago area that would have one of these in stock for a LNF engine, then again maybe i am more worried about it than they are.
  • buick67buick67 Member Posts: 4
    I just bought a 2012 Regal and the Driver side carpet does not fit properly - sticks out. It is clearly defective. Did the repair fix your carpet? Did you get any squeaks or rattles after they fixed it? It looks like you need to pull the seats and interior trim to replace the carpet.
  • jamesb11jamesb11 Member Posts: 9
    Update on my car sounding like a diesel. I have taken it in for the 4th time and now it is worse than ever. My wife just started the car and it sounded like it a cold diesel engine starting up. Lifters rattling for 4+ seconds. Now on top of that the Transimission is shifting erratically and there is a delay when I press on the gas to when it moves from a stopped position. I am at a loss where to go from here. :mad: :lemon:
  • jamesb11jamesb11 Member Posts: 9
    Today the dealership called me and told me GM does not have a fix for this issue and they would contact me when the fix would be available. How disappointed I am with this car, Buick, GM, and the Dealer. When I took it in 2 weeks ago they said it was fixed. Same issue came back and worse than ever. On top of this it is also making a noise when idoling and the transmission is shifting erratically. This is by far the worst experience with any car I have ever owned. :sick:
  • jpfjpf Member Posts: 496
    Sounds similar to the cam/accuator problem with the recent 4 cylinder Chevy Equinoxes. Check out the forums under the Chevrolet Equinox, especially the one regarding engine problems. Good luck.
  • jr85prixjr85prix Member Posts: 2
    Hello just wanted to ask you if you got any info on that acceleration delay i bought my car aprox. a year ago and i have 13k miles and i still have that issue i even talked to Buick assistance and i was told that it was normal. How can that be normal when there is so many people complaining about it but GM doesn't want to accept that their car is broken. I had the worst experience ever with my 2011 regal its been nothing but problems since day one im still fighting to get a buy back but they dont want to. Please if you have any info on what i should do or if gm fixed you're issue let me know thank you
  • jamesb11jamesb11 Member Posts: 9
    No the issue continues it just started for me though and I have not had the car back to the dealership until they contact me about the noise issue. Good Luck.
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    Do you have acceleration delay all the time or just from a stop? If from a stop then that's just the turbo lag which is apparently normal for this car. I have a '11 turbo Regal and have learned to adjust for it, and not expect the car to accelerate quickly when pulling into traffic. However when the turbo is already spooled up, for example when passing on a 55mph 2-lane highway, the car has no lag at all and accelerates so rapidly that I am usually doing well over 80 before I know it.
  • jr85prixjr85prix Member Posts: 2
    i have delay from a stop and when you hit the brake right before trying to down shift on the highway because the car in front is going to slow and i want to exchange lane the car wont move so im afraid of getting rear ended.
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    That doesn't sound right.
  • dgmelpdgmelp Member Posts: 3
    We've had this problem almost from the month we bought the car in August 2011. We have a 2011 Turbo, and its certainly a danger to drive this car the same way you would drive any other car with an automatic transmission - when accelerating, either to pass, get on the interstate, or just move out from a stop in traffic, you certainly better leave lots of extra time for the transmission to kick down into a lower gear so the car will start moving.

    This is not to mention the serious transmission lag when shifting from reverse to drive (gotta be careful you have lots of time to get moving after backing out of your driveway), and the irritating downshift of the car when you've been stopped on a hill, and start to accelerate...it clunks into first as you start!

    This is not Turbo lag.....proved it by manually shifting the car and on the interstate, in rush hour traffic, we now have to leave it in 3rd or 4th all the time in order to be able to change lanes safely. This transmission makes an otherwise fairly decent car into a driving nightmare.

    Two different dealers said the car was supposed to do this - its what gets the Regal such great mileage -

    Then there's the incredibly stupid placement of the power parking brake button - on the console, where twice in the last three months, my wife has gone to to roll her window up (Her car has the power window buttons on the console)....what a fun experience that was as we fishtailed down the highway with the wheels trying to lock up!

    We've tried and tried to get someone to help - I guess we'll probably sit on this car another three years or so..then its the end of our GM experience....oh well.

    David
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Have you driven another Regal with the same engine/trans and, if so, does it do the same as yours. If not, your car is under warranty and you should be insisting on it being fixed. Since I haven't seen a lot of the type of problem you're describing on the internet, it would seem that your car is malfunctioning if the problem is anywhere near as bad as you say it is.
  • dgmelpdgmelp Member Posts: 3
    No..we haven't actually driven another Regal equipped exactly as this one is - good point.

    We've been to our dealership at least five times and to another local Buick dealer and they all said the same thing - there is nothing wrong with this car and its only doing what its supposed to do. In fact, one technician actually said if there are no codes appearing he can't have the transmission actually looked at (I believe thats what he said).

    I finally just assumed this is not going away...also, based on others who have the same transmission lag. I've never driven another GM car in fifteen years with anything close to this problem, but I've not driven another 2011 Buick Regal - I'll have to ask the dealership if he has one to test with me.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Yeah, if you've been there 5 times the least they can do is let you drive one or even a couple of other similarly equipped Regals. Not to doubt what you're saying but if that lag is as bad as you say in all the Regals it seems that people would be complaining about it left and right. Since you say it's the tranny and not the turbo lag, it should also affect the non turbo models unless the trannies are programmed very differently which is entirely possible.
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    My 2011 Regal Turbo exhibits nothing like what you describe. The only transmission issue is one that has been commented on by other owners, which is a lag that occurs if you are braking to a stop and then decide to accelerate from 2 or 3 mph. In those circumstances it does take a second or two for the transmission to catch a gear and go. But that is not what you describe.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning David,

    I'm sorry to see that you are so dissatisfied with your Regal. It sounds as though you've had this looked into by several dealerships and that you're being told that the vehicle is operating as designed; if you had wanted for us to document your experience with your vehicle, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at socialmedia@gm.com (include further details like your name and Edmunds username, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your preferred dealership).

    Kind regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • buick67buick67 Member Posts: 4
    GM is using very light engine oils now (5W - 20) to get better gas millage. I have a new 2012 Regal 2.0 Turbo and it does the same thing. Most new cars today using the 5 weight oil sound course on start-up. Once it running it's ok.
  • bigdog2020bigdog2020 Member Posts: 1
    M<y wifes regal is experiencing the same thin but at 6,000 miles on it. I think from reading these post it is a larger problem. I brought it in and they drove around the parking lot and said the could not hear anything, min you the were going around the dealkership in a right turn fashion. I said well that is grreat and all but find the problem anyways and i will be here topick up the car when you have the time to work it out, 2 days later i recevied a call and said that they stil cannot tell what it is. It is the exact same problem i think the next step is to get a hold of GM please if you find out more answers on this post it and i will do the same. Thanks :mad:
  • rawdealrawdeal Member Posts: 1
    We just bought our 2012 Regal in July and within 3 weeks the headliner began to drop. So we had take it bake to the dealership, to find out that the headliner was actually defective. So they had to replace it! No let me make a comment...when we bought the car it had hail damage, however; the dealership said they would fix it at no cost. It was after the repair of the hail damage that this happened. Fyi...while our car was in the shop we had them go ahead and tint the windows. They finished the work, and less than 3 weeks later the headliner is once again sagging in the middle and now the tint job has bubbles galore! So once again, we return the car to the dealership to have it repaired! What a nightmare!!!! The dealership trashed our car! Glue was left on our seats. They used some sort of adhesive to glue the headliner in the middle and now it clearly shows through the upholstery of the lining. Yes, there is still a gap in the headliner on the passenger side. The tint job? They screwed that up too! It looks horrible! We bought a brand new car and the dealership has destroyed our vehicle! There is obviously an issue with these headliners and GM needs needs to step up to the plate and make right! They had the same problem in the late 70's early 80's...what's the problem? Hey GM you want us to buy American, but you won't stand behind your product! At least that was my experience when I called in to Custer service the last time!
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    Nice rant, but it sounds like you have a bad dealer who likely removed the headliner to repair the hail damage and caused all the rest of the problems. Oh, and this is nothing like the issues with 1970s headliners drooping - that occurs after many years of use when the foam-backed fabric separates from the backing. That is not what is happening here.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning rawdeal,
    We're sorry to hear that you have such unsatisfactory experiences with your dealership. If we can look into this further for you, please contact us via email with more details (including your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 digits of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your dealership).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • metrospmetrosp Member Posts: 10
    Good Morning

    Seems lately this forum is mostly about bad experiences with Regals or dealerships , so I think it is also worth noting the good and not just the bad.
    I've owned my Regal 2.4L CXL since Sept 2010 , it has 17k miles on it and has been rock solid and the only issue I've had was with the radio which was fixed correctly by the dealer. The car drives great and my dealer has been excellent and work done promptly and correctly. I am not saying that the bad posts are not warranted , I am just saying that not all experiences with the Regal are bad.

    Sal
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Thank you for taking the time to post such a positive experience, Sal! We're glad to hear that your Buick experience is all that we hope for it to be and wish you many more happy miles.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • jimpeddycordjimpeddycord Member Posts: 16
    Anyone else noticing a lot of wind noise coming from the sunroof when it's closed?
    I have had a lot of cars with sunroofs and this is the only car that I've ever noticed this much wind noise in.
    I had it in to the dealer who messed with it and now it's too tight to close and the shade is very hard to open and close, so it's going back in Wednesday - but now I found a review at http://autos.aol.com/cars-Buick-Regal-2011-CXL_Turbo_Russelsheim__4dr_Sedan/expe- rt-review/
    where they say "If there's anything worse than the sound of the Ecotec, it would be the hiss of the Regal's sunroof. When the shade is closed, there's nary a problem. But with it open, you'd swear the sunroof was cracked even when it isn't due to the amount of wind noise present."
    This makes me think it's not just my car.

    Anyone else?

    Jim
  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 19,031
    No noise from the sunroof on mine. I have an annoyingly creaky center console and the dealer has been of zero help in resolving the problem, but that's all. Good car aside from that.

    That review you cited is a complete hack job. Sounds like it was written by a PR type for the competition.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hello jimpeddycord,
    We hope that aside from the wind noise you're experiencing that you're enjoying your new Regal. Keep us posted on the progress of your visit this Wednesday, and if you had wanted for us to check into this concern on your Regal further with your dealership please email us at socialmedia@gm.com with more information (including your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your dealership).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • whoosierdaddywhoosierdaddy Member Posts: 76
    I have put 20K miles on my 2011 Regal CXLTurbo, Russelsheim build. Overall very happy. Neither true sports car nor boulevard cruiser, it has a blend of smooth ride and tight handling that suits me just fine, and actual MPG slightly better than on the sticker. Yes there is a little more noise from the sunroof with the shade open, but not as bad as the article says. So just keep it closed when you don't want to open up the roof. Looks like your problem and some others on this post were caused by incompetent dealer service personnel. Try another dealer.
Sign In or Register to comment.