Hey Roberta

[Guest]

Does anyone who can effect change or care about our posts listen within the BMD? Is it written in stone that Buick has to appeal to a 63 year old man/woman? Why can't Buick (or any GM division) be a leader in style direction, rather then a follower? Finally, are they done with those stupid Harley Earl ads I hope?

[BUICK RACER]

I don't know if they can read? I mean I don't know if they read these posts. The first Ranier was sold in Fenton, MI this week to a 23 year old male! Who did research and decided on Ranier. Go to buick.com and send them an email and tell them to come read the posts. or email Bob.Lutz@gm.com He might listen?

[Guest Skyking]

Hey! Wildcatr, we are not all 63 and waiting for our wheelchairs.........

[NTX5467]

In the later '80s, I found some dealership advertising items for Buicks that year. It listed the various target markets and demographics for each Buick model. Not ALL Buick owners then were the same age. This information somewhat mirrored the great multimedia presentation that we were given at the Flint BCAeet by Ed Mertz.

The Park Avenue owner was basically in their 60s and was comfortably living on their generous retirement income (or getting ready to). The LeSabre customer was younger and more family oriented and "mainstream" America (my term). The Skylark customer was the younger family in their later 30s that wanted the prestige of a Buick but was typically too tied down with mortgages, a young family, and a yet-to-grow income. So, the age demographics went from later 30s to the '60s and beyond.

If you go into www.RegalGS.org, I suspect you'll find many later 20-somethings that are Buick owners with similar situations as the earlier Skylark customer (i.e., family, house in the suburbs, decent jobs--or getting ready to be) and like their Regals for what they say about them--plus all of the performance stuff that makes their Regal GS much faster (ala Grand Prix) without looking like a racer-type. Doesn't that sound familiar? "Fast with Class!" Yet, with all of the hoopla, the "typical Buick Owner" is allegedly "retirement age".

It's a really neat site. Lots of tips and interactions regarding the intermediate size front wheel drive Buicks that many others tend to shun for whatever reasons. That also doesn't consider the many home pages that even younger Buick owners have put up with their '80s front wheel drive Buicks (typically their first car!) and all of the things they've done to make it neater (i.e., stereo, "chip", K&N) and better. Many of the things that work and fit the Pontiac Grand Prix (which has a performance image) will also fit the Regals/Centurys, with a few exceptions. This is one way that using the same motor in several different vehicles is good, especially when one of the vehicles has a performance image.

If all of those young rock star and television star gazillionaires start buying Rainers to go with their Escalades, it should drop the age demographics of ALL Buick buyers a bit, I suspect, and make Buick more socially acceptable as a brand. Imagine the paparazzi's reaction when they're looking for so and so in their Escalade and they escape them because there weren't expected to be in a Rainier? Possibilities there!

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest my3buicks]

42 year old driving and loving my Rendezvous, I also like the Mr Earl commercials. By the way, I named my Rendezvous EARL!!!

[NTX5467]

The Harley Earl commercials seem a little unusual at first glance, but have special meaning for those of us who know who he was and what he did for Buick and the rest of the automotive industry. The future one we were shown at the Saturday night presentations was neat and might have been one of the earlier ones so others might know what was going on. Using the print advertising to kind of tie things together is good too.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest]

Thanks for the nice replies. I am 39 years old and I am a pretty solid auto historian - so - when I say I don't like the Hrley Earl ads what I mean - and those who know a thing or two about Mr. Earl - is that GM should not be messing around on hallowed ground. They should not evoke an old image that most younger viewers see as buffoonery and showmanship. This dishonors Mr. Earl and his legacy. Just to sell a few cars. GM is good at that, short sighted fixes to institutional problems. The character does not even look like Earl.

What's next, a Tom Cruise look-a-like doing Bill Mitchell?

[Guest 31tudor]

I'd have to disagree. GM's Harley Earl commercials are an attempt to evoke the heritage and style of Buick, with some level of comedy which I appreciate. To me, they pay tribute to a man with visionary ideas. Does selecting the wrong model disgrace his honor and family? I wouldn't take it that far, I'll bet his family is proud that Mr. Earl is being remember and esteemed.

So what did Harley Earl look like anyway? I'm a 32 year old Buick nut and my automotive history knowledge is more along the lines of hot rodding. I can tell you what Alex Xydias, Dean Batchelor, Bill and Tom Spaulding, Bob and Dick Pearson, and many other guys looked like in thier day... and today.