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

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

15265275295315323117

Comments

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    " they are driven faster and more recklessly? "

    I'd wager on that. Around here, the typical M series or even X5 driver has a certain rep. I think I remember a big crash involving an M5 a few years ago out on Highway 1 in the valley, a few fatalities. I don't see that with similar cars.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Will probably cut through most normal cars like they are made of tinfoil

    Not sure I agree - M-B goes through painstaking efforts to make sure their trucks are crash-compatible with cars.

    Credit where credit it due.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Well, I will drive a GL, you can drive a 7 year old Accent - wanna tango? :shades:
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Well, I will drive a GL, you can drive a 7 year old Accent - wanna tango?

    LOL. He might be better off on a motorcyle, at least then you might bounce off instead being squished in a sardine can;)
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    edited March 2013
    For that kind of money, I'd be thinking lightly used 911. Heck, I could get a used M3 for quite a bit less.

    My last extended drive in an E92 M3 ZCP convinced me to definitely consider one when I finish up my present job in a year or so. It's a great cruiser and an effective track weapon. I'd really like a 1 Series M Coupe, but they are few and far between- and priced to match.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I only believe SUVs being more car-compliant to a certain level. Many might have less nose height and softer bumpers, but mass is still important.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I'll second that. I don't care how well some subcompact performs in crash tests, I'll take my chances with my Dad's 2011 LTZ Tahoe.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    I am in one word...EXHAUSTED! Got my paycheck earlier and I did work a whole lot but now I am just physically and mentally exhausted! But am still loving it and having a ball!

    The Exhausted Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    I saw a Fisker in Las Vegas on display, but, I have never seen a dealership. The Tesla dealer is in Newport Beach, CA.

    Most likely when the new replacement comes along, it will go to the house in TN... , there is no Tesla dealer there. I will take a closer look at the Jag and the new Mercedes in the fall.

    As Fin mentioned, I know the old SL can be fixed, just ready to cut it from the herd but it certainly has left me with good memories (Silver with black soft top, black leather).

    Mark156
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 10,236
    "Most likely when the new replacement comes along, it will go to the house in TN... , there is no Tesla dealer there."

    No, but there are a bunch of charging stations due to the Nissan plant in the area. Then again, you could always replace the old Mercedes (Mercedeses?) with a Leaf!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Get the SL fixed before you sell, if you do so. R129s aren't worth a fortune anyway, but one that is running funny will be tough to move.

    Early ones have W126 steering wheels, you probably noticed that. Any sentimental attachment to it? I guess if you don't drive it much anymore, it might not be hard to cut loose.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I am not to the point where I would want to drive an SUV for safety - but I don't believe they are really friendly to small cars. Maybe better than in 1995, but the laws of physics haven't changed.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I wasn't at all saying to drive an SUV for safety purposes. I was merely suggesting that while SUVs have gotten friendlier with bumper heights & such, that if I had to pick a vehicle to be be in a head on collision between My Dad's Tahoe & a Yaris, I'd pick the Tahoe. You are right that the laws of physics haven't changed.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    The Leaf has a fairly short 'mileage' time on the batteries (100 miles?). On the Tesla, you can buy up to a 300 mile set-up (thinking from memory, haven't looked it up). :blush:

    Mark156
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Had two Miami to West Palm Beach runs today, both in black Captiva's and the 1st one had only 4 miles and all the plastic was still on the seats. The sticker showed a price of over $25k and these only seem to be in the rental fleets down here. They get [non-permissible content removed] gas mileage but drive very nicely. They are basically a Equinox without the 3rd row seat, or a Saturn Vue actually. Same body as the Vue and having driven an Equinox this week to Tampa, I prefer the smaller Captiva especially when the SAT radio is working like it was on the new one today. Car drives smoothly and was quite comfortable. I know someone in here did have a Vue, someone out west but do not remember who. But I liked it and would love to have one as a d d if it wasn't for the dismal mileage, absolutely awful! Looked like they were riding on 17" tires which could get pricey. Have decided that 16" rolling stock is a good compromise for smooth handling with some reasonable prices to be had...my Firestone's were under $100 for each car and they seem to be both wearing well. The wife and daughter both have Affinity's and they ride really smoothly and are wearing well so I am very pleased.

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    Sandy, just to let you know, I really look forward to your daily synopsis of car evaluations and experiences. :D

    Thanks for sharing.
    Mark156
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    It's a fleet only model, yes, although they should be popping up on used car lots any day now.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Certainly. And with your Prelude and E90, I should guess you don't like big heavy and tall :P
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    Sandy

    My parents rented a Captiva in CA last summer & drove it from SF -> SD for their 40th wedding anniversary. They were pleasantly surprised at how nicely it drove & were very impressed with the cargo space. Pretty much a thumbs up from 2 people with a Cayenne & a Tahoe in their garage.

    My parents are actually in Boca for a wedding this weekend & rented a new Civic from Hertz from FLL. Any chance your butt could've been in their rental car at some point?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    No, I don't really like big, heavy, & tall, but they do serve a purpose. Where else can I comfortably fit 3 car seats across the back, haul Costco runs, diaper bag, stroller? Our Pilot is a necessary evil. It is great for its purpose, drives nicely, has surprisingly decent steering feedback, lots of passenger & cargo room, a super smooth V6, 4WD.

    My wife takes my BMW EVERY chance she gets.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Had two Miami to West Palm Beach runs today, both in black Captiva's and the 1st one had only 4 miles and all the plastic was still on the seats. The sticker showed a price of over $25k and these only seem to be in the rental fleets down here. They get [non-permissible content removed] gas mileage but drive very nicely. They are basically a Equinox without the 3rd row seat, or a Saturn Vue actually. Same body as the Vue and having driven an Equinox this week to Tampa, I prefer the smaller Captiva especially when the SAT radio is working like it was on the new one today. Car drives smoothly and was quite comfortable. I know someone in here did have a Vue, someone out west but do not remember who. But I liked it and would love to have one as a d d if it wasn't for the dismal mileage, absolutely awful! Looked like they were riding on 17" tires which could get pricey. Have decided that 16" rolling stock is a good compromise for smooth handling with some reasonable prices to be had...my Firestone's were under $100 for each car and they seem to be both wearing well. The wife and daughter both have Affinity's and they ride really smoothly and are wearing well so I am very pleased.

    Argh - I'm struggling to use the forum interface with the iPad.

    I had a VUE - model year 2008. XR trim level with the 3.6L V6. It was pretty nice except the seat didn't go back far enough for me to be comfortable on long drives.

    Changing gears, I had to put two new tires on the ION today. Got a credit for the two that wore out after 24,000 miles. Total with mounting and balancing came to $140. Next will be a fuel filter and probably front brake pads. Just turned 85,000 miles on Friday.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Very cool, I spent my 31 year postal carrier as a carrier in Boca, love the city but live just south in Broward County, Coral Springs, as the schools are great and she who must be obeyed wanted to. So she found & bought the house while I was at work and when I came home told me she and her dad just bought our new house. I was like, cool! Sure your folks are loving the great weather.

    As to their Civic, I've yet to see a Civic at the FLL airport as of yet. We've been working for Dollar the last couple of days though. Not many Honda's in fleet sales from what I've read and what I've seen. Have yet to drive a Jetta, any Buick though we did check out a new Lacrosse today and it's quite impressive, really! Also no new Sentra's yet but did that at the dealership on Thursday and was duly impressed. The best is like today, when I get a brand new vehicle with the plastic still on the seats...it's very cool!

    Hope we get a gig somewhere in the state soon...I'm having withdrawl symptoms already, lol! Time for a road trip soon!!

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    The sticker on the Captiva showed it to be a 2.4 liter engine but it moved very nicely and I was doing 80 and 90 at one point on I-95...car was as smooth as glass! GM did do a very good job with this vehicle.

    I might need front brakes very soon. After repeated heavy use, I sometimes hear a slight grinding noise but the emergency brake only goes up 2 to 3 cranks to engage so I'm assuming that the rear brakes are just fine. They didn't mention anything about the brake pads when they had the wheels off the other day and am sure they always do a visual inspection as they want to make as much $ as they can. But they didn't mention any problems with my car. I was able to negotiate a 3 year alignment policy for $99 plus a free oil change and with my $5.00 off coupon, I paid $94. They refused my original $89 and 2 free oil change offer but I figured if you don't ask...ya don't get! Have put off getting one for the Mazda at the wife's request, as I was ready to buy her one also. Guess she figures it ain't worth it at this juncture because she's finally realized that it's almost time to cut her beloved car from the herd...finally! I must say Mazda's are great vehicles and if she really wanted another one at this point, I would not object one bit!

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    Middle aged woman at work was looking to replace her aging Durango a couple years ago - she asked me for recommendations. I steered her towards a Pilot (it was when the current style was pretty new), she has no complaints.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    Put the E-30 on CL a couple of weeks ago.. Had two people come look at it yesterday. One seems very interested. Bad timing for us, though. Leaving on vacation, and won't be back until next week.

    Edmunds Price Checker
    Edmunds Lease Calculator
    Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!

    Edmunds Moderator

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    The year before last, my wife gave me a gift that I've yet to use. A driving experience in a super car. The choices are:

    Lamborghini LP560-4
    Ferrari F430 F1
    Porsche 997/911 turbo
    Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro
    MB SLS AMG
    Ferrari California

    Which car would you choose? Three laps of a road course.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    edited March 2013
    Which car would you choose? Three laps of a road course.

    R8 or F430; they are the most focused track tools(so is the 997, but it's a bit too common in this company- although if it was a GT3...)

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    Depends how tall you are too michaell.

    I've driven 3 on the list:

    Lambo LP560-4 when it was called the Gallardo
    Ferrari F430
    Ferrari California

    I also drove the 911 but not the Turbo so can't comment on that.

    The Lambo will be tight if you're taller than 5'11". I'm 5'10" and just fit in it with the seat all the way back. But it's an amazing car to drive, awesome engine sound, great handling, good speed. Good mix for crusing and performance.

    The Ferrari F430 has a bit more cabin space than the Lambo. The F1 paddle shift transmission is among the best you'll ever experience, and the engine sound is unbelievable. Doing 60mph will feel like standing still and idling in this car. It's meant to be driven hard and fast.

    The Ferrari California is more of a boulevard cruiser although I've driven it on the track at about 120mph. It's almost like getting in a comfy luxury coupe or sedan and leisurely crusing so you won't feel the effects of speed as much as in the Lambo or the F430. If you want comfort, get this one.

    Personally I'd go for the F430. It's raw brute power, great handling and unbelievable engine sound make it a perfect car for the track.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    f430.

    Why? Well, out of the list, I'm only really passionate about Ferrari and Porsche. I've already driven several variants of the 911 at a track event and the California is definitely more of a cruiser. So that just leaves the 1 choice.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ferrari for the sound alone.

    Are we nearly unanimous? That would be a first on Edmunds.
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    I did something similar to this over the summer. I chose the F430 & it was incredible.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    I'm 5'11" - but a little thick around the middle.

    Looks like I should choose the F430.

    Thanks for the feedback.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    I had two Buicks this week for rentals this week, a Regal in Salt Lake City and a Verano in Denver. I liked the Regal when I first saw it a couple of years ago at the Chicago auto show but I'm no fan of GM so I never really cared to drive one. I went to the Emerald booth in the garage and she offered me a Cruze which I promptly refused. I asked for a Ford but the agent told me that location was owned by Chevrolet and all I could get was a Cruze, Regal or a front wheel drive SUV. I begrudgingly took the Regal and was prepared to hate it but have to admit in the end I actually liked the car. It drove well and had plenty of pep. Surprisingly the seats were very firm, not the "living room couch" feel I would have expected in a Buick. My only complaint is that the center stack was way too busy and figuring out basic controls took way too much time. The car only had 1,400 miles on it, so I'm still leery of what it would feel like at 50,000 miles but I do have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I still wouldn't pay low 30's for it (this was a loaded up turbo with heated steering wheel, seats, etc), to me it's a $28,000 car at most...but it wasn't as horrible as I expected.

    After Salt Lake I flew to Denver and found a Verano, after my experience with the Regal I decided to give it a try and was sorry I did. The overall feel of the Verano was disappointing compared to the Regal. The center stack was more intuitive and it had OK power but the seating position and overall comfort was very poor. When I first got in it felt like the driver's seat was way too high so I tried to adjust it down only to find that it was already in the lowest position. I tried raising the steering wheel but also found it was as high as it would go, so no dice on getting comfortable. The back seat seemed small although I didn't sit back there, but I'm 5'9" and with the driver's seat in a comfortable position I barely had room for my computer bag in the back floorboard. Overall a let down after a positive experience in the Regal.

    In Salt Lake I was traveling with a coworker who currently has a 2003 BMW 330xi, she mentioned that it was time to start looking for a new car. She thought the Buick was nice but her comment was "but I'm not buying a Buick" which shows me they still have a way to go with brand image. She's around 40, makes decent money and will not be visiting a GM dealership as she looks for a new car.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    The Lacrosse we walked around yesterday was beautifully appointed and I've heard positive reviews about the Regal from co-workers so I'm not surprised that you really did like it. The Verano review surprises me though as the one I sat in at the dealer was extremely comfortable actually and I had no problem finding a comfortable position. It had power seats which probably made all the difference...did yours have power or manual seat functions? That could have been the problem. Like you, I detest the Cruze and the way it drives, sub par vehicle compared to the imports but that's just my opinion as I know a few in these forums who own one and love the car. You've whetted my appetite more now about trying any Buick product and my co-workers already know that the next few Buick's are going to me!

    Yesterdays Captiva's were a great effort from GM to make a very good vehicle so I know they can be as good...if not better than the imports. They just need to tweak a few areas to make this a reality. They need to follow the playbooks of Hyundai/Kia, Honda and Toyota to figure out why their vehicles are in such high demand with return purchases year after year after year...they have to unlock the secret and once they do, we'll all benefit.

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    P.S. No work today and I was all ready to take a road trip actually. Weekends are a good time to do the longer trips I think but it is what it is. Hopefully we'll have work this week so my next check can be as good as the last couple!

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    I weigh 225lbs at 5'10" and it's not muscle :cry: and I fit in the F430 just fine, so you should be ok even if you're a little thick around the middle.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 10,236
    "Changing gears, I had to put two new tires on the ION today. Got a credit for the two that wore out after 24,000 miles."

    Sheesh, what kind of tire wore out after only 24,000 miles? I guess city driving really kills their lifespan. Will they warranty them if they're not evenly worn and/or haven't been rotated?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm not surprised, the Regal was bred in Europe while the Verano is a Cruze in a nice suit.

    The latter is selling well, though, likely due to pricing.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    In Salt Lake I was traveling with a coworker who currently has a 2003 BMW 330xi, she mentioned that it was time to start looking for a new car. She thought the Buick was nice but her comment was "but I'm not buying a Buick" which shows me they still have a way to go with brand image.

    My wife grew up in a "Buick family"- but I seriously doubt she will ever buy anything other than a BMW- or possibly a Nissan. It's not a status issue, she simply prefers the way they drive and in particular she is reluctant to give up the level of service our BMW dealer provides.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    The Verano is selling well? Certainly not down here in South Florida where I hardly see any. They still are a bit expensive and one can get an import at a better price in 90% of the cases. And most of the imports do drive better with mileage to boot. The Verano is a nice looking vehicle I'll give ya that but the Sentra and Elantra still beat it in the looks department...the Verano is a bit sedate in comparison. I'd still love to try one and if that good, I wouldn't count it out as my next d d.

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    I can see the difference, and now that you mention it the Verano is a bad rebadging of the Cruze. I'm sure the LaCrosse is nice, but I would never cross shop it against the Lexus ES. It's apples and oranges, which is how I felt about the Regal. I'm not sure what GM thinks it should compete against but I'd put it on par with a Camry and as I said earlier, no way it's worth that price premium.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    Ditto in NC, I've seen one Verano and I could count on both hands the number of Regals I've seen without rental bar codes on them. Styling is always subjective but neither of the Buicks wow me from that standpoint. They aren't ugly, but they aren't impressive either.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    I call them "adequate appliances with a little extra" as they are a bit plushier than an everyday Chevy. And with Olds and Pontiac gone now, Buick is the next step up in the GM food chain. We had a Buick Skylark when we married and it was an o k car...the wife loved it but it was her 1st vehicle bought by her folks. They then swapped a Caddy for a Skylark coupe and it was a very nice "appliance" but the "appliance" the mother-in-law got next was a horror, a Olds Cutlass. The paint faded after a few years and the re-paint was a dismal failure. An accident totaled it out and that was the last GM in the family as we'd already moved on to imports.

    I would give the verano a fighting chance as my next vehicle if it passes muster with the fit and finish and mileage figures. It also has to have that "FTD" feature, "fun to drive", the one Backy talks about. But he's right, my next, and possibly last, vehicle has to have that "FTD" variable in spades as driving should be fun. With this job now, I've relearned this and have fun in whatever vehicle they put me in, even the lowly Chevy Spark I drove recently...it was extremely noisy but that was the only real drawback as it drove acceptably and could scoot along the freeway nicely. Cranking up the tunes made a big difference so if I had to drive another one in the future, I'd be fine with it. I usually have been lucky enough to get a vehicle which I'm happy with and really have not had a bad ride, except that horrible, miled up Chevy Cruze...felt like a Flintstone car but it got me where I needed to go. luckily some of the others always want the Cruze so I have given one up numerous times now without a word. A win/win for us all and brownie points for me! Really, if another co-worker really has a strong preference for whatever I have that day, I gladly switch with them as I usually get the better car or one I've not had yet. And I really want to try every car at least once just to drive them. Again, a win/win for me here every day I can work!

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • boomchekboomchek Member Posts: 5,516
    When I had the displeasure of working at a GM dealer for a couple days last year I checked out the Verano we had on the showroom floor and was quite impressed. The driver's seat was among the softest and cushiest and most of any car I sat in (very very comfortable and I did not want to get out of it). The Sales Manager said that if Buick would be called Opel or something else, they'd sell a ton more. The cars are nice but most people under 40 think of Buicks as cars for grandpas and grandmas and for the money prefer something less geriatric sounding.

    2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX

  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    One other thing on the Verano, it had the fixed glass panel in the A pillar. Not sure why they think that's a good idea. It didn't work on the 1992 Lumina APV and it doesn't work today.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    Your description of the Buick is perfect, appliances with a little extra. The Verano I drove had power seats but the driving position wasn't comfortable. It wasn't bad, but not something I'd buy. And I definitely wouldn't pay what they are asking for either model. If I was writing a check I'd give them $20k tops for the Verano and $28k tops for the Regal that was loaded up.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    Agreed, while i think the exterior styling could be sleeker, the Buick name just doesn't have the credibility GM needs to be successful. No one under 60 "wants" a Buick. Like my coworker who rode in the Regal, she liked the car but she'll never buy a Buick....simply because it's a Buick.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,952
    Yep, my thoughts exactly. I wouldn't pay any more for the Verano than for my Civic LX. I'd be happy to buy the Buick if it will be just as good as the imports but sadly, they are not. this was proven to me at a stop light the other day. A gray haired pulled up nest to me in a Verano, looked real nice but I noticed a small trim piece of chrome on the front door mis-aligned...it was so obvious but no one at the Buick plant caught it, no quality control person saw it, reported it or fixed it. To let it out of the facility like that just shows the lack of commitment of GM to making the finest product for the money. This little incident of which most would not have even noticed, I did and if it were my car, well, I would have chosen another car on the lot or have made them fix it before i took delivery. Call me anal, crazy whatever...when i plunk down that much cash on a product, it had better have no defects or any problems at all. If it does, fix it before hand so i get an almost perfect product as there are many more similar products out there in the market place that take quality control seriously!

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,092
    I think I have seen one or two Veranos, that's it. A few more Regals, but still a rare car. I had a Regal rental in ATL, not a turbo but still nice, a German-made one, beat 30mpg on the highway, which was nice.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    Right or wrong that's why the market gravitates to Honda and Toyota instead of the domestics. If the big three want to be competitive they have to produce a quality product and a head turning product. I only say the latter because they have to dig themselves out of a hole (which they dug themselves). Build a stunning product to get people in the showrooms and build it rock solid so they'll forget about Camcordnatas.

    Ford built a stunning car with the new Fusion, they need to make it hold up and initial reports indicate it may not. GM might have a car that will hold up but it's not stunning. Chrysler/Fiat, keep trying. The new Dart and GC aren't bad looking but rebuilding goodwill is like nailing jello to a tree.
  • jpp75jpp75 Member Posts: 1,535
    Completely agree, if I were writing a check today I'd take your Civic over a new Buick anyday. I stand by my comment that the new GM cars aren't bad, but they certainly aren't competitive.
Sign In or Register to comment.