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Buick LaCrosse
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Comments
They where also told that the LaCrosse wouldn't even have a bench seat option but the dealer feedback too GM was that they better offer it for the traditional Buick buyer.
This car is our first Buick. Our last new car was a 2001 Saturn L300 which I also special ordered to get the ABS option. My wife will hand me down that 4 year old car with 105,000 miles of "very hard" New Jersey commuting miles, but I have strictly maintained it.
The standard Onstar system in the LaCrosse is a good feature for her also.
As for ABS. Last winter driving our Saturn in light snow. I stupidly went too fast over a crest of a hill in a light 1" snowfall and couldn't stop in time from hitting a car at the red traffic light at the bottom of the hill. I flooored the brakes and steered onto the right shoulder of the road and waited for the light to change and the car to go and just went on my way without any contact at all. ABS saved me a ticket, higher insurance rates ans most likley a whipcash lawsuit. I won't get another car without them. Even my lowly cavalier I use to commute has them.
We may not be a typical Buick buyer. But we don't wan't a SUV or "sport sedan" just a comfortable, safe, stylish yet not over styled sedan that can eat up mile after highway mile. We are a few decades apart from the usuall Buick age group but the LaCrosse style is a nice "current" design yet is perfect for the american highway which we will use the car for. I have become a "defensive" driver in the most densley populated state in our union. Maybe I am old enough now to know that the public roadway is not my own personal raceway like the "sport sedan" image of other brands advertise.
GMBuyPower.com lets see stock in the 5 dealerships most close to selected zip code. I found 28 LaCrosse CX around my place. 19 of them have ABS, 9 not. Roughly 2:1. Around Princeton the picture was much more even: 37 LaCrosse CX total, 19 with ABS, 18 without. Practically 50:50.
By the way, it looks as different dealers, even selling in the same general area, are ordering very different option packages. E.g. a NJ dealer have 12 LaCrosse CX on lot, and only one or two of them have ABS. Another NJ dealer also have 12 LaCrosse CX, but 10 to 11 have ABS, and only one or two of them came without ABS. The same pattern with a pair of CT dealers each having 8 cars of the same model.
The dealers who skip ABS not necessary are catering to the most "cheap" buyers. Few dealers have a lot of cars with expensive option packages, XM radios, and so on, but without ABS.
I also bought a car with OnStar recently. Standard with the car I selected. I like my car, but not for OnStar. Have impression, that it is an expensive solution looking for a problem.
However, I have almost zero experience with the toy yet, and can change my mind. 4 years ago I did not see much sense in auto dimming mirror either. Now, after first-hand experience, it was high in my list when I shopped for a new car.
Why do you like OnStar? Do you think that in case of emergency it would make any difference on very populated NJ roads? Do you feel that the difference is worth $200 (and up to $800) subscription per year, not to count for the about $500 in initial costs bundled with your car?
And is not it bother you at all that OnStar always can check were you are, in what direction are you driving and at what speed? It even allows to listen for conversations in your car. I understand that GM have an internal policy not to spy on OnStar users, except on government request. However, with the hardware present, technically it is possible at a whim. And any county judge can issue a warrant - to check for speeding, for example.
Congratulations on the new car.
The money would be far better spent on side airbags and a decent sound system, something the car does not now have. At the very least, OnStar should be optional.
However, I have to disagree with you on the other respect. OnStar is not cash cow for GM. At most, GM hopes it will became a cash cow; more probably hopes to reduce sank costs.
The last year OnStar broke in the first time. Barely. With revenues including the first year subscription payments to OnStar, i.e. payments made not by the final users, but by GM itself to its subsidiary. OnStar is also proud of reach 60% renewal rate of subscriptions. I believe that it is close to 100%, years after years, for users who would buy OnStar by themself, and close to 0% if it was imposed.
Sorry for poor English. I wanted to say that I read on Internet that OnStar became profitable only recently:
about OnStar
Found the article in Google. It is published in, well, strange magazine, but the article itself looks OK.
I guess that OnStar is barely profitable. And I believe the profit is inflated with captive revenue - payments from GM for the first year subscription bundled with new cars.
about OnStar and black boxes
I suspect since it's going into many GM vehicles standard, eventually there will be a pay per use option for the millions of not used units out there.
I haven't really thought about the whole "big brother" spying on drivers angle though.
The irony of it is. She drives I-195 from the shore to the state capitol in Trenton. Then a trip right over the river to her job in PA.
Her biggest complaint is the state tagged vehicles driving like the biggest jerks. Speeding and tailgating to get to Trenton on time. Mostly the state prison guards with the "badges" in thier back windows. Trying to get to work on time.
I'm sure this electronic tracking buisness will really take off here. I used to love the welcome signs going over into PA that said "America starts here". It was so true. New Jersey is a very marxist state with layers of goverment that live high on the hog on oppresive taxes. From the local school districts to the State level. They state senate and house even passed a law making bribes legal. It's called "pay to play" You can't get a state bid for anything unless you contribute campaign money to one of them.
One of the last things our infamous Ex-Governer McSleazy did was make all new cars sold pay the first four years of registration up front. Even if you are just leasing a car for three years. There is no refund if you trade or sell or have your car totaled before the end of the four years.
I'm sure our state will find some way to tap into Onstar to get more money from motorist.
And by the way, it's not a monthly payment. Usually it's an annual fee, most people put it on their credit cards and forget about it, like you do (if you do) with your EZ Pass account.
But if you have an older 2003 version of OnStar the cellphone capability is analogue and you won't be able to use the cell phone. Some models have digital capability earlier and later. But I believe our 2003 Buick will not necessarily work where the system is all digit after 2006? OnStar included this info in their quarterly magazine but worded it almost like an advertisement making it sound like it was a feature -- not a deficit to what had been forced on us as a mandatory part of a Limited model.
The $200 yearly is not worth the service to us. We're going to cellphones.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Speaking of the phone, the OnStar came with 30 minutes of time. Three short calls later and I was out of minutes - it seems the minutes count down as soon as you begin dialing - sort of like the bad old days of cellphones before flat-rate mega-minute plans solved the problem.
So, if I were a GM stockholder, maybe I'd like the OnStar deal. But, as a consumer, I know OVERPRICED when I see it.
And the Big Brother dangers need legal attention, for sure.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And the phone could be hooked into your regular cell phone as a second line at, say $10.00/month.
Not enough cash in that cow, eh, GM?
Saw my first LaCrosse driven on the street yesterday. Got to view it from all angles. It looks much better than in the showroom and sales lot bunched in with other cars and LeSabres.
It was a red with chrome wheels, CSX? model. It has a nice shape viewed from behind. The ride looked like it was good, not choppy like Accords.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Memo to GM - Fewer, better models with plenty of content/value - like Caddy's doing.
BTW, Buicks won't lock you out if the keys're in the ignition.
Exactly!
However, the opposite also is true. Unfortunately, there is no way to opt out from OnStar "if you feel the value is not here".
I like the silver convienenece package. We haven't had a car this nice and comfortable before. It IS very quiet and smooth so far. The flip/fold front bench seat is really practical. It gets the shifter up out of your way and provides a BIG storage compartment with felt lined nooks and bins in it that doubles as a big armrest. I wouldn't put a passenger in that spot though unless I really had too. It has a seatbelt, but the driver seat is sort of seperate with a power fore/aft adjustment and power lumbar option.
Overall the styling is right on. Classy without being over the top. I diddn't like front end when I saw pics if it. When I saw it in person it looked much better.
The steering is very smooth as is the ride so far. Exactly what we wanted.
We will be putting 25k miles a year on it. I'll keep the thread updated on how it shakes out.
As for Onstar. I proably won't get the cell phone full time. But here in NJ you have to have a hands free phone while driving. It would seem to fit the bill for drivers who use the phone while driving alot.
>having to pay for a car w/ a heater
>is "ripping them off".
I have every right to complain about being forced to take an item added to the car's base price as well as the service for a year all on the hopes of further increasing the company's profit by having some resubscribe. For you to make fun of my dislike for this frivilous profit addon just because I want to have a Limited with its options instead of a Custom without the OnStar (unless I add the one package of nice options including OnStar) is not right. OnStar is _far_ different from a heater.
What percent of owners during the first 3 years of ownership will use OnStar due to an accident where they couldn't have used their cellphone. Most people trade out of a car within 3 years is my reason for that time period.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Check the website.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The ride is excellent. It rides like a Buick, but a modern Buick. Over broken pavement at highway speeds. It soaks up the bumps and 'floats" slightly over them. Yet the body doesn't roll over when driving through on/off highway ramps.
This car is very solid and secure. It matches a family memebers Lexus ES300 very well in build quality and ride. Which I drove a few hundred miles this past thanksgiving on a family trip.
We test drove the LaCrosse for 8 miles while shopping and we aimed for every pothole and it was exactly what we where looking for. We where going to buy a GM model anyway. But if comfortable highway cruising yet stable steering in a modern car is what you are looking for the LaCrosse is great.
The CXS model has a different engine and steering/suspension set up for a higher price point. If you are looking for more of a "sports sedan". I haven't driven a CXS model so I can't say how well it rides.
I just have to also note how excellent and tastefull the interior of the LaCrosse is put together. We paid $23,500 for ours with ABS/TC and silver option package and aluminum wheels, front flip/fold seat, and spolier. The remote starter with auto climate control is a nice feature that isn't in many other models at this price.
The car has some wieght too it. Which gives it a very solid feel, in a good way. A great highway car.
It would proably be best to test drive each model back to back some day if you get the chance too.
I only tested against an Accord LX 4cyl and the LaCrosse came out well ahead.
for those of you who prefer ride comfort and quietness over everything else will like the lacrosse much more than the accord. but for the best overall engineered mid-size family sedan i think the accord wins hands down. in terms of value it's the best sedan period (IMO of course).
it'll be interesting to see how the lacrosse stacks up in upcoming comparison tests. is car and driver ever going to do a mid-size sedan comparison test again? the last time was way back in Feb 2002.
How do you compute this? The cost of purchase is higher (Honda dealers sell at a premium), cost of maintenance is higher (dealers tend to oversell and pack extras on at the "required" maintenance visits or else you lose your warranty), etc. If you do trade the car, it does get a higher percent in trade because of the perceived reputation from the past. But I find for the people with whom I've worked through the years, the much higher purchase and the packed maintenance costs make it more expensive to own an Accord.
The recent models since '03 may have lesser trade values due to the many and continuing problems with quality and build.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
no doubt dealers overprice maintenance work but i'm not sure what you mean by "pack extras". that sure isn't required by the warranty. and i go by honda's maintenance schedule (7500 intervals) and not what the greedy dealer would like me to go by.
honda dealers sell at what you call a premium because the market allows for it. ask yourself why? it has a lot more to deal with than honda's reputation for reliability. the accord sells itself.
time will tell if the lacrosse has to resort to heavy incentives to sell. a car that has to sell by "briberly" usually doesn't have much long term value.
what i meant by value was what you get for the money. and IMO you get a lot of great engineering with the accord. but anyway, according to intellichoice the accord does very well in the overall ownership cost. they may have flaws in how they determine this but hey, it's a source to back my opinion.
by the way, tony swan from C&D said the accord was best sedan period in terms of value on the autoline detroit show. if he can say it, why not me?
C&D I don't read to pick my cars. Some go by other's opinions...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
pop quiz. which car is stolen more, the accord or the corvette? but which car is at a much higher risk of being stolen? you know where i'm going with this. taking into consideration the accord's demographics, a high percentage of accord drivers are likely to be internet users. so reading about so many accord problems on the accord boards would give the impression that this is the most problematic car ever built - the results are skewed!
it's been almost a week since i last posted on edmunds and there were only 4 new posts on this topic. a brand new spankin car too. when the current accord first came out there were hundreds of posts to read through in a weeks time. the lacrosse could be the worst built car ever but it still wouldn't even come close to the number of complaints of the accord on edmunds.
I own a Five Hundred. I looked at the LaCrosse/Allure quite a bit before I bought my car. I used to own a 2000 Chevy Impala LS (in fact I got 173,000 almost totally trouble free miles on it!). There are many things I could say about the Five Hundred (or even the Impala) vs. the LaCrosse/Allure, but I have held my tongue, as I don't think this is the appropriate place for that. Perhaps I am wrong, but I doubt it.
Got to be some things to say about the LaCrosse/Allure....
The car has the vertical side windows like the Avalon--not a good picture. That is what makes it look like they've kept the outside as small as possible and made the greenhouse feel as large as possible with the straight side windows.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,