I’ve been thinking a lot about Buick today.
I know that’s not a phrase most 32-year-olds are caught uttering, but I’m conflicted about where the brand seems to be headed.
Naturally, the word “Buick” still conjures images of Florida retirees driving with their left turn signals flashing on the way to a 3 p.m. dinner at the buffet. It’s such a common scene that I sometimes wonder if 1990s-era Buicks were even equipped with right-turn signals.
So when I think of people who drive a Buick, I see old people with blue hair and a pair of knuckles poking up over the steering wheel.
But then I’ll drive past a blinged-out Buick Enclave and remember that, oh yeah, Buick does have some sweet-looking rides now. But even though the Enclave looks good, I’ve still not seen anyone younger than 60 driving one. I’d never buy a Buick for the simple reason that I’m not old enough to own one yet.
I do have to give the Lacrosse credit, because it’s following in the Enclave’s footsteps of looking more Lexus-like than traditional Buick. But until I drive one and am convinced that it’s not just another 2-ton floating cruiser, I think anyone who still works for a living will pass it over.
While Buick has always gone down the “bigger is better” path, I’m hearing rumblings of a possible new crossover based off the (get ready for this) Chevy Aveo platform.
My first instinct is to trash-talk that decision, too, but after thinking about it, it might actually be a good idea. If Buick can put together a vehicle that rivals the MINI Crossman crossover, and not just rebadge an Aveo, the brand might be on the right track to finally getting younger people behind the wheel of a Buick.
Would you consider buying a Buick before retirement age?
-tgriffith
If buick made a real Regal T type, GNX, or Grand National I’d concider it. Not that FWD, smaller displacement opel astray knockoff they call a GS. I don’t think a younger generation is their market though
I’m 33, hubby is 36 and we have a 4 kiddos 6 & under.. Annual income 100k-150k. We own a 2009 Buick Enclave CXL and love it. We moved out of a GMC Yukon Denali XL & (took a chance) on something smaller in size. While it’s smaller than the Denali, it’s still massive for a mid-size SUV. Plenty of space and wiggle room for kiddos(or adults-seriously) in the back. Design is excellent; sliding, folding, collapsing seats make entry a cinch (even with 4 carseats).
We didnt compromise luxury either, by any means…in a few ways this ride is more luxurious than the Denali. Still have front & rear DVD entertainment system, all the gadgets & whatchahoozies everywhere else. We even got an extra sunroof in the back w/ a power retracting shade for rear passengers.
Only drawback is that the engine doesn’t have the same pick-up as the Denali while driving in Automatic, but thankfully we have a power-shifting option and can slip the shaft over to the right, tap a button up or down, shift through gears seamlessly and zoom past disbelieving gawkers who thought Buicks were just for blue-hairs and that they moved as slow as ’em, ha ha. Eat my Buick dust…
I love my Buick! I also love that its a sweet, luxurious $55k ride and few people know it. We can cruise in style, incognito. We also have a Mercedes E320 that I used to drive mainly. I love the luxury of the Mercedes and the power under the hood is amazing & undeniable, but having people size you up & make judgments about you gets old QUICK. I didn’t buy the Mercedes to impress you, I bought it to impress ME!
Now, with my Buick I dont have to worry about that nonsense. I get to drive a beautiful, luxurious, highly dependable American made car. (Almost forgot to mention that I love the better gas mileage & that if I ever need parts or repairs (after our lifetime warranty expires…lol)…they’ll be super inexpensive!)
If you’re smart, you’ll buy a Buick.
I did!
@
I got a 98 Riviera supercharged its for pimps, pure speed and luxury … buicks are for geniuses not elderly
I have a 2010 Enclave and I’m a 24 year old female. All my friends love my car but cant afford it. Soooo…. I guess there goes that theory!
Hell no! All Buicks are clunkers right off the factory line!
@ Karen
Waiting for the 40-year-olds to turn 60 won’t help GM now or change Buick’s “Grandfather car” image. They want to attract Generation X now, and are hoping Gen Y will later follow. Most of Generation X would prefer to have the GrandAm and TransAm they remembered from their High School/College days over today’s Buick.
right now I own a 2001 Buick Century, but not because I wanted to (to be honest, I’m not sure I’d get even a new Buick. Definitely not one of the older ones like the Century/LeSabre/Park Avenue). This was a hand-me-down from my dad that I inherited with 122,000 miles on it (gee, thanks) after I finished high school. I’ve been using it mostly for the 67 mile a day round trip commute to Stony Brook University and have accumulated about 14,500 miles. Yes it’s a grandpa car (my grandpa owns a LeSabre and a Cadillac DeVille), but since I’ve installed a custom sound system myself (including subwoofer) now it’s a “super-grandpa car.” I’m considering getting some new wheel covers from AutoZone, since the stock ones are pretty ugly. The 3.1L V6 still puts out good power when I need it, and while fuel economy isn’t terrible, it’s not great either at ~24 highway MPG. My next car will hopefully be more efficient, but will definitely not be a Buick
I am 42 and just bought a 2011 Buick Enclave and I love it! Replaced my Chrsyler Pacifica and I couldnt be happier!
Well if Buick is a grandpa’s car then GM is smart to hold to the brand since a third of this country will over 60 in the next 20 years. Plenty of Buick customers to come. Plus the youth ain’t got the $ yet well except from their grandparents. Peace out.
I don’t care what car Buick puts out I will not drive it. Buick is old and quite frankly I would be totally embarrassed to say I drive a Buick. GM made a huge mistake getting rid of Pontiac. I think Buick will eventually be axed too.
No doubt, men… its a “grandpa” car, but i wanna have one of this.
Will Buick ever get the youth vote…
Yes, if they produce a new car with all the flash curbside appeal of, say, the old Y-Job concept.
No way Buick will appeal to young people. Caddy did it, but I think it was a fluke that the Escalade appealed to the hip hop crowd, which led to exposire in the young crowd. Now they’ve run with it, with the CTS and stuff. Buick just have anything that young people like, even that new design, which you call Lexus-like, still appeals to 50+. GM already has its luxury player with Caddy… why are they even keeping Buick? If they were smart they woulda kept pontiac to market to yung people, booted buick and kept caddy as the aspirational brand.
@Greg
…Getting back to the Grand National, I believe that one of those was even featured in the most recent “Fast & Furious” film. More Buicks with performance will attract the attention of youger buyers a lot better than cheezy commercials.
Well, there was the Grand National. Not too many old folk were buying that fast car. Maybe Buick has to find the balance between luxury and performance. Guys like me in their 30’s might take a better look at Buick if they could offer both. Why doesn’t GM rebadge the G8 as a Buick? Thats the kind of car Buick should be offering.
I’ve been driving buicks all my life even in my 20’s I had a Buick wagon – tried chrysler dodges -even had had few toyota’s including a space van and a crown wagon – had jaguar sovereign a couple SUV’s always came back to Buicks I’ve had a few park avenues (great family car – stiil have a 89 for a winter car http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2668944 ) a Gran Sport convertible forget the old persons image with that more a mid life crisis car currently have 71 Riviera http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2481294 which 20 somethings driving cobalts and neons flock to see. hows about olds ciera for a retirment car olds made a few tuner types of those heres mine http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3360743 – by the way I’m about to turn 50 and really like the Enclave. Why you dont see many young people buying buicks is it not an entry level car it is something to aspire
too.
see some of the others cars I’ve owned at http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2492967