Especially when compared to a Pious
Posted on 11/08/2007 2:07:40 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
So there I am driving to the Northwestern/Iowa football game last Saturday when my friend Bruce says, "Hey, what do you think of the Buick Enclave? I think it's pretty sharp." Well Bruce, you are not alone.
The latest stats from J.D. Power's Power Information Network shows the Buick Enclave was the fastest selling vehicle in the U.S. last month. Yes, #1. The Enclave sold so fast, it was in showrooms fewer days than the Toyota Fit which rounded out the top "hot selling cars" in October.
Why is this a big deal? Buick is hurting, and if the Enclave is generating buzz with little marketing it is significant. It shows a good looking model can be sell even if the badge on the front is gasping for air. It also shows GM's designers have hit the right chord with it's latest crossovers (the GMC Acadia was the only other American model in the top ten of fast selling models).
If you've read this blog for any amouint of time you know my thoughts on Buick. It's the forgotten brand at GM with an undefined niche, little marketing support, and until now, few models I found attractive. Heck sales are down 23% this year and it represents less than 5% of GM's total sales. All reasons why I've wondered why GM doesn't go ahead and give Buick the Oldsmobile treatment and kill it.
That may still happen. But for now, the Enclave is giving Buick executives and fans a reason to smile. As I told my friend Bruce, "The Enclave is very nice, give it a look"
“The Wagon Queen Family Truckster. You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it.”
:-)
I love the Chevy Tahoe...I think it’s the best in its class..bar none.
I agree the Saturn Outlook is the best looking of the three.
Ahh...! The Wagon Queen Family Truckster!
It’s a minivan. Call me when they make a car worth owning.
Sonny, if you can't keep up with us, move over.
“could someone tell this oldtimer the difference between a station wagon and a crossover?”
1. Unlike a “real” SUV, a crossover is built with unibody construction like cars.
2. “Crossovers” usually offer all wheel drive, whereas station wagons usually did not.
Most companies dropped station wagons—GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and Honda. (Chrysler recently built the Dodge Magnum-the only domestic station wagon I can think of.)
Station wagons are still sold/built by Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Volvo, VW, and Saab-all but Saab offering all wheel drive.
There are a lot of really nice vehicles in these categories. I am currently getting by with the smallest BMW station wagon with rear wheel drive, which with a 6 cyl. engine can achieve 30 mpg on the highway.
With higher fuel costs, a niche for small-medium station wagons could be filled by the domestic companies, IMO.
How about a retro Chevy Nomad with the latest technology?
I keep hearing that, but every time I do, a year later I have to work on one and find out they're better than they were but still no where near Honda or Toyota quality...
And before I get 1000 nasty responses to the above generalization, yes, I have seen many American vehicles that went as far as 500,000 miles, the difference is 1) they are the exception, and 2) when they make it to 200,000 or more the only thing that still works is the drive train, my Honda's have almost everything working and except for worn upholstery, faded paint, and a lot of dirt, they are like new...
I will be picking it up on Wednesday. They’re saying that this remodeled CTS might well be the best American sedan..EVER.
My 2004 Envoy XUV is a great SUV.
My wife is like you. She won’t even go with me when we shop for anything in which the price is negotiable. She finds it embarrassing to ask for a discount because she thinks it means we don’t have the money to afford it.
She is a salesman’s dream customer and I am their worst nightmare.
As for the formula working for Hyundai, sure. It works for any car, really unless the car is hot and hard or harder to get, in which case the dealer will tell you to (basically) take a hike since he can sell them all day for nothing and doesn’t need you. Plus their are never dealer incentives on popular vehicles in short supply.
“could someone tell this oldtimer the difference between a station wagon and a crossover?”
Zero differene other than that th EPA doesn’t like station wagons, but the crossover seems to have confused them.
Your wife should only buy saturn.
I rented one a few weeks ago. It was offered as a free upgrade. It was very nice. Almost as nice to drive as the new Volvo SUV I usually drive.
The very first cross over was the AMC eagle wagon 4WD. The most popular crossover is the subaru outback. A crossover is simply a semi off road version of a station wagon with more ground clearance and 4wheel drive.
Especially when compared to a Pious
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