Buick Lucerne: Interior

smitty52

My dealer tells me GM is holding back on the 5 seat model (buckets) for right now for some reason. Anyone know anything about this? :confuse:

keith3

5 seat models were very scarce in Illinois in January when we were looking. 6 seat versions were everywhere. We ordered a 5 seat CXL 18 Jan. Car built 30 Jan., delivered to us 14 Feb.

Dealer told us that 6 seat glut was not a GM thing. He said that the dealers were getting what they ordered and most thought 6 seat model would be more popular. Maybe just talk, but that's what he said.

dandydon2

I placed an order for a Lucerne CXL V8 late last week and just received this word from my dealer:
"We were told that production would not start next week. Production has put constraints on Lucerne’s built with the front bucket seats and 17’ Chrome Aluminum wheels.

"They did not give me a reason, but I suspect it is high volume of cars with these options already built. I will continue to investigate further on Monday."

62vetteefp

What probably happened is that the product manager at Buick has to estimate the options before the vehicle goes into production. He/she does this by looking at past percentages and just gut feel. Probably he overestimated the bench (40/20/40) seats and non uplevel wheels due to the high penetration of these on the c/o vehicle. Now that the car is out the new styling has brought in a new class of buyer, ie not old, and the tooling is not enough for the buckets and uplevel wheels.

suisun_sue

Strange that Buick would under-estimate or not be prepared for the demand for bucket seats if that is a feature that younger buyers prefer, when that is the new group they are trying to attract. The flagship CXS is only offered with buckets. They had better fix that problem in a hurry.

62vetteefp

I have confirmed that the CXL with buckets and 17" chrome wheels are on constraint (orders still being taken and built but slower than orders taken).

The penetration of these two options are higher than forecasted and tooling capacity is not high enough. By 2nd quarter increased tooling should be completed and constraints lifted.

Karen_S

A reporter in Southern California is looking to interview a retiree who has been very loyal to the Buick brand over the years, right up to the present. Please send an e-mail to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, March 22, 2006 containing your daytime contact information and a few words about the topic of interest.

Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

loyalbuickfan

Since 1985 have owned ONLY New Buicks, and before that used ones!
After recently driving Grand Marquis, Avalon, and Azzera, the Buick Lucerne is my CLEAR choice.

WHY?? Because my priority is a quiet and comfortable ride.

The Lucerne has only one SERIOUS drawback, narrow eating surfaces. The Lacrosse seats are 20 inches wide, my Park Ave seats measure 21 inches, and the Lucerne seats taper down to 18 inches!!!!!
Why does the full size car, costing thousands more, have smaller seats than GM's mid-size car????

This just may be a deal breaker for me...........

pat

Why not respond to the email address given?

loyalbuickfan

You ask why not respond to e-mail address?

Respond to what? What is your question to my opinion about uncomfortable seats in a $30,000 CAR?

This IS a fine automobile and certainly retains the Buick feeling and character that I have chosen for 30 + years.

However I am ready to replace my Park Ave. NOW!

I have been in contact with GM about this issue (Small seating surfaces) in their "Flagship Car", and I await their reply.

Just a couple OF years ago Buick boasted of "Catchers-Mit"
Seats in the Lesabre, and Parkave. This was a FAR SUPERIOR design to what is NOW offered. I want to go Forward NOT Backward relating to comfort when I am prepared to spend over 30K of my money.

I prefer cloth seating to leather. It does not need to be heated when cold nor cooled when hot!
Cloth has a neutral feeling.

Unfortunately the cloth seats in the Lucerne DO NOT look like they belong in a near luxury automobile.
Again the seating surface is INFERIOR both in COMFORT AND
APPEARANCE to what is in the Lacrosse CX!

rake2

All I know is that the leather seats in my CXS are probably the most comfortable seats I've had in any car I've owned. I've taken 5 hour trips in the car and never had any problems whatsoever. Don't notice any type of "narrow" seat in the car, either.

62vetteefp

Take it EASY!! HOST was referring to message 1046 looking for loyal Buick owners to talk to reporters. Does not really care about your seats.

poncho167

I have yet to drive the Lucerne, but I can tell you that the car is impressive from what I have seen, and the seats are excellent for the average sized driver. I have never had an issue with GM seats and think they have always been one of the best. Keep in mind that now-a-days a lot of the seats in new vehicles are not made by the manufactures but by seat companies. GM and Chrysler for years were/is using the same seats in their mini vans, and the regular Cobalt seats went through extensive testing to provide excellent support for long distance driving (though some say they are too firm), and they also offer the Recaro seats in the top of the line SS supercharged coupe.

pat

Hi, sorry, I think we've had a misunderstanding.

You replied to this message KarenS, "Buick Lucerne" #1046, 16 Mar 2006 11:20 am where the Edmunds.com public relations officer was inviting loyal Buick owners to email her if you were interested in talking to a reporter about your experiences.

If you'd like to talk to the reporter, you need to reply to the email address listed in that post.

In any case, you are welcome to post here. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

bruneau1

The widest seats are to be found in the Marquis, but they don't hold you in very well. The Lucerne's seats are still a lot better than the Azera's which are too small and flat. Has anyone compared the CX and the CXL for ride and handling? i notice Buick uses the CX in its noise comparisons with competitors. I suspect it's because of the softer and quieter tires on the CX.

loyalbuickfan

Thanks for your comments about the seats in Grand Marquis.
I was glad to see someone else agreed with my observations, in the Edmunds column CONSUMER REVIEWS on 1/07/06 Sarge writes: Not as nice as Park Ave. Small seats"
I guess we all are entitled to our opinion, and to repeat the seats in the MID SIZE Lacrosse DO measure a full 2"wider, so they give up some comfort for eye appeal.
I will very likely still buy the Lucerne because it is heads above all competition when it comes to it's ride dynamics.

I have driven CX,CXL V-6, and CXL V-8. The CX has 16" tires and is bit quieter,with more road isolation.Buick describes it as"Premium ride". The CXL was only slightly more firm,and I, who like a soft ride, liked it also,however at highway speeds a little more tire noise made it's way into the cabin.Buick calls this type their "Ride and handling" suspension, and comes with firmer 17' tires.

62vetteefp

I just sat in a Lucerne and the seats are a bit skinny. If you have a slightly larger than trim tush it may not fit as well as you would like! (I am 5'10 and 180#)

fin

This is a repost of an earlier comment about the seats in the Lucerne.

My "bucket", at 5-11 and and a little heavy, simply does not fit well in the CXS bucket seats. They are not nearly as comfortable and supportive as the seats in my '03 Avalon. However, the bench seat in the CXL is great! Feels very nice, no problem at all. Anyone thinking Lucerne needs to check out the seat types carefully and then make an informed choice. They are very different... at least to me.

Also, at the rate Lucerne is changing... price drops, additional things, etc., it is almost a game as to when to buy one. What's up for next week? This needs to settle down a bit to keep everybody happy. Again, the car is on my list and all information posted here is appreciated.

rake2

I have trouble believing that. I'm 6'3", 265 pounds and have never been uncomfortable in them. I'm approaching 6,000 miles in the car.

62vetteefp

Seats are very subjective. I was part of the GM seat test team. We drove for hours and hours for days and days in seats and scored them using quantitative numerical scores.

I never tested the Lucerne though. But they are just a bit tight. I think the reason is that the space between the door and the seat was widened to allow better hand access to seat controls. Also the edges of the seat seem to be stiffened up by the plastic and console on the sides.

I am pretty sure the bucket seats are the same as the "bench" seats with a console in one and a convertible seat/storage in the other.

jvpr

Is the dash of the Lucerne the same one as the DTS? Somehow it looks like a recycled dash.

As for the seats, I've never been fond of bench seats. I've been driving BMW now for 10 years and I think they have the best seats in the industry. Although I have to say that Audi has been making an amazing car with the A4 and A6 lately. The Lexus IS 350 has also made a finely crafted interior. The Lexus is an amazing performance car- but BMW will always be the ultimate driving machine- from the seats to the motor. If it's not too late, GM needs to stop badging cars, stop recycling engines (they put the corvette engine into numerous cars), build better interiors, stop making cheap horsepowered cars, bump up Cadillacs performance so it can compete with Lexus and BMW and lastly supply dealers with cars to meet public demand on the Solstice. No offense- but GM will never compete with Lexus and BMW.

navigator89

"bump up Cadillacs performance so it can compete with Lexus and BMW "

What is wrong with Cadillac's performance? Horsepower wise they are very strong, and their driving dynamics are good too. They offer the euro features at a cheaper price. As for Lexus, they have never been performance cars so Cadillac is hardly a competitor. They dont even have a performance division like AMG or M. If anyone needs to focus on performance, it is Lexus.

And about interiors, you probably havent looked at a GM car recently. Very few GM cars now have cheap looking interiors. Most are pretty good.

poncho167

Cadillac's current performance offerings leave Lexus in the dust. Cadillac has always had a car with more performance than a rebadged Lexus.

calhon

"No offense- but GM will never compete with Lexus and BMW."

Reality check:

calhon, "Buick Lucerne" #997, 13 Mar 2006 9:02 pm
http://tinyurl.com/pckvc
http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=7780&page_number- =5

m1miata

Looked at a 2003, or 04, CTS and interior did not look very rich to me. The seats were not comfortable, and the steering wheel did not telescope. The Mazda3 is superior to the CTS in that respect, and is about half the price. And that car was said to be a fully loaded one by the salesman. I asked about the lack of lumbar support and telescopic steering wheel in such a car, and he stated that this was an entry level Cadillac. Hummm? Maybe the '05 is better? Are they new to building cars? Thought the company was around a 100 years old. Oh well, to live is not always to learn.
-Loren

sls002

The current CTS does have lumbar control. The early CTS's did not. The seats are said, by owners, to be comfortable. Not everyone likes the same thing however. Otherwise there would only be one car.

rake2

Drove my brother's Buick Roadmaster tonight. The seats in that car seem to be no wider than what I have in the CXS. I just don't buy the complaints about the seats in the Lucerne. There aren't many people bigger than me, and these seats are extremely comfortable. I have the 5 passenger seating arrangment, but I can't believe the bench seat would have less room.

62vetteefp

Everybody perceives and fits differetly in seats. That is why there are about 15 people on set rides.

loyalbuickfan

I started the seat discussion thing. I love the car but hate the seats. I am a big guy but am PERFECTLY comfortable in my Park Ave. OR the New Buick Lacrosse. The issue here is not only about less width but also the SHAPE of the seat.The seat in the Lucerne is "Horseshoe-shaped".

It DOES START OUT at 20" in the FRONT but TAPERS DOWN to 18" in the BACK. SO one can find himself sitting on plastic SEAT FRAMES rather than SEAT! Again the Lacrosse seats MEASURE 20" in the FRONT AND BACK and my PARK AVE MEASURES 21"FRONT AND BACK.

I KNOW that the seat IS comfortable for you and the majority.

I always associated LARGE cars with LARGE interior dimensions. The SEATING SURFACE of this car IS NOT AS LARGE as was in the car it replaced. The Yardstick can't lie.

loyalbuickfan

We are both on the "same page" and I agree.

Now if we can get get Buick to listen.

I guess the seat sub-contractor thinks ALL people over 55 have
the same measurements as when they were 25!

poncho167

I understand what you mean. I had the opportunity over the weekend to sit in a newly delivered Lucerne and again the seat is very comfortable to me, but it does taper at the back of the seat as you explained. I can see it being small or uncomfortable for someone with a little extra girth.

The dealer had a beautiful Sagemist color which I sat in, and another in a light blue color among the 7 or so delivered.

suisun_sue

Consider the seats as 18 in wide for their entire depth, with the horseshoe flare in front as being a styling cue only. I think 18 in is a min standard for seat width in general. If your "seatprint" is larger than will fit comfortably in a 18" width, then it's time to slim down, or go elsewhere. Buick is trying to appeal to a younger audience where a 18 in seat-width is more than adequate, and utilize the saved width-space for other purposes.

loyalbuickfan

I have bought 5 Buicks ( 3 new) and am ready as a repeat customer to BUY a $32,000 car again, and you don't think MY voice should be heard? Just how many Buicks have YOU BOUGHT in the last 30 years?

Again I said (IF you read ALL my postings)the seats in the
Lacrosse are just fine for me. I prefer the ride in the LUCERNE and WANT to pay more for a FULL-SIZE car. Perhaps Buick should have choosen the same company
who made seats for Lacrosse to design seats for Lucerne.
Instead you say" Just DON'T buy the car". This forum wants opinions,but I decline to follow yours!.......

rake2

I'm 6'3" and 265 pounds. Nobody considers me to be skinny. Nobody considers me to be small. Yet the seats have been extremely comfortable for me, so much so that its the only car I've owned where a 4 to 5 hour trip did not require me to shift around to get comfortable at some point. I guess it could be a problem if you even wider than me, but that's going to be a small percentage of the population.

poncho167

May consider ordering the bench seat to alleviate this issue.

loyalbuickfan

I reread your message and it it gratifying to see you agree
that the Lucerne seats "ARE A BIT TIGHT".

I have written several E-mails to a Buick Executive, and I have been assured of a response.

Production changes can only occur gradually and often are iniatied by CUSTOMER feedback. Ultimately it can make for a better product.

As an owner of ONLY buicks (except 1 Chevy) since I was a kid I do not want to see this car go away as the Oldsmobile did!

Improve the car,and attract a younger audience, but don't forget your loyal REPEAT customers who brought you to the position of : #1 in Full size car sales (Lesabre/Park Ave.)for the last several years.

62vetteefp

Who is this Buick "executive"?

And that is exactly what Buick is doing starting with the LaCrosse. Walking the line between not alienating the traditional "older" buyers and getting younger upscale buyers. And when I say younger I am talking established 40-50 year olds. That is where the money is. GM has plenty of other products for the 30 year olds. All of Buicks products now are on the money for the 40 year olds. the issue is the BUICK stigma of ancient owners. As I said before Bucik did a great job of doing what they were supposed to do in the 90's. Develop and sell cars to folks in their 50's, 60's and 70's. So good that now they are looked at as cars for old folks and as those actual buyers got older the average age of the Buick consumer also fot older.

62vetteefp

I agree.

But it would be interesting since I would know them if they actually worked at Buick. (May be in some other GM customer satisfaction dept.)

jef4

Stopped in the Buick Dealership to look at the Lucerne. I asked if he had one with bucket seats. He said GM is having trouble with their bucket seats and have stopped using them until the problem is solved. They are using a 40-20-40 seat, and of course the 60-40 split seat.

larouse

Where do you live?
Ckeck out the Lucerne yesterday. They have plenty with bucket seats. What is the problem with the seats? By the way, I thought the car is very good all over.

dodgeman07

Has anyone seen a Lucerne CX with a console and bucket seats? Every one I've looked at (over 50) have a $250 bench seat "option". Are cloth buckets even available?

If Buick wants to attract a youger audience, why are the lower end packages all without a console and bucket seats. I'm 41 years old and really like this car. However GM seems to be missing the boat here.

Also, why is remote start an option on this car and standard on most Chevrolet Malibu and Impala models?

I use to work for a GM supplier and was astounded at their decision making. The vehicles are better now, but common sense seems to be lacking in getting them back to profitability.

I hope GM recovers and my '04 Malibu V-6 LT has been a great car for me, but for Pete's Sake cut through the bureaucracy and let somebody with some sense make the decisions.

Thanks for letting me vent. I'm gonna buy an '06 Lucerne CXL soon!

62vetteefp

Bucket seats are orderable on Buicks website on CX. Dealers order there cars the way they want to sell them however there may be a stop order on buckets on CX's. I do not know. Ask the dealer if they can order with cloth buckets.

Remote starter is standard on uplevel LTZ Malibus and above. Does seem strange it is freeflow on the Lucerne.

alston28

Does the CXS come only with bucket seats, or can you get it with a front split bench?

richman64

Does anyone know what is the exact depth of the Lucerne trunk size?

I have band equipment that I sometimes need to carry and if the back seat folded down, I'd be more apt to buy one. I'd need at least 53 inches deep to carry my keyboards in the trunk.

pier6brawl

Now that it is getting hot in a lot of areas when is someone gonna mention how cool the cooled seating is to own? I am thinking of buying a lucerne and want to know about this feature. Thanks!

62vetteefp

Lucerne back seat does not fold down. Center pass thru only like the ES.

richman64

Yeah, I probably would have bought an ES350 hands down if the back seats folded down or if the trunk was larger. It's a gorgeous car and plush interior

Now I'm considering an RX350 or the Lucerne if the trunk is big enough.

loyalbuickfan

We have driven its's more expensive twin the Caddy DTS.
If You love leather and MUST have leather it does work "kind of".

On that warm day with it's LEAST cool setting, we still found it TOO cold, (perhaps a 12" diameter circle in the center of the seat's surface) while the sides of your bottom still perspire on leather!
(The backrest is heated only, NOT cooled)

Without question we would HAVE BOUGHT the DTS that day had it offered cloth seating as does the Lucerne CX.

Cloth is neutral in temp. It does not suck the heat away from you in the Winter, nor feel hot and make you sweat
in the Summer.

Stats probably show Leather is "prefered,or more popular"
than cloth (perhaps a clever marketing move?)Leather comes at a hefty price. They COST MORE money than cloth, and now they "do us a favor" and charge us an ADDITIONAL
$ 1000 for an option to heat and cool this overated material. Leather may be great at home and obviously is THE choice of many, many car enthusiasts.

Because a car will be found in extremes of 0 to 100 degrees,we have owned and ENJOYED ONLY cloth seating, in all of our cars.

We have made OUR choice and ordered a Lucerne CX Loaded.

Good Luck in making YOUR choice.

Attension GM !!! Offer MORE PLUSH, CLOTH seating in your FULL-SIZE Flagship Model even if at an optional cost,and seats AS WIDE and cofortable as those found in your MID-SIZE Lacrosse!

poncho167

I don't know of any auto with an over 4' trunk depth other than a wagon or the very nice Buick Rendezvous. Check out the Rendezvous, they are a real nice ride with very good mileage as well. A friend has the RX 330 and it is ok, but to me its overpriced and nothing special. He leased it for status.

www.buick.com/

kcwolfpack59

I agree with you. Nice looking cloth seats are my choice. My mom likes the the Lesabre's leather because some of her elderly friends have trouble sliding out of the cloth seats. I wish that Buick had opted for cloth in the CXL as they did in the Lesabre Limited a few years back. Even in southern Missouri sitting on a cold leather seat can take your breath away for a second. However, the heated seat takes about 15-20 seconds to warm and feels good on a cold day, before the climate control has time to warm the rest of the inside of the car.

vwjaney

Is it roomy?? my dad's a large man, 6-2 about 300 lbs...would he be comfortable in this car...any other suggestions? he got rid of his suburban for gas reasons....(not him, the truck) :mad: