Why a Buick?

[Dave@Moon]

With all the GM bashing that's gone on lately I thought it'd be a good idea to post a list of reasons why we chose our Buicks, be they daily drivers or our collector cars.

In my case I chose mine because it is among (<span style="font-style: italic">IMHO</span>) the 5 or 10 best looking cars of the era of collector cars that I most enjoy. Among those elite it is (again, <span style="font-style: italic">IMHO</span>) the most robust yet refined vehicle of it's age. Nobody bought my 1960 LeSabre thinking it was a compromise beneath a range of competing models (DeSoto, Mercury, etc.) of better quality. A few of the Mopars are also on my "looker list", but they pale in comparison to Buick's mechanical quality and sophistication.

Even Mercedes and Jaguar, which weren't price-competitive with models this big, couldn't really be said to be <span style="font-style: italic">mechanically</span> superior to Buick <span style="font-weight: bold">at that time.</span> (Their interiors were another story, of course! )

There were bigger cars (amazingly) in 1960, but few if any were better built or a better bet for a long useful life.

What about yours?

[Guest my3buicks]

Well I got into Buicks because my first car (and still with me) was my Grandfathers Buick that I had drooled over for years.

But, I think I will go more into why I bought my current BUICK.

2002 Rendezvous CXL AWD

I had for years said if Buick made an all wheel drive Sprot Utlility or similar I would jump in line. But I didn't want or need a honkin big SUV or a tuff looking macho red neck war wagon.(whoops, that probably wasn't politically correct).

What I did want and need was AWD, Versatility, Comfort, Clean Attractive Looks (I know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder). I wanted to be able to haul 6 or 7 people if I needed, or pull my boat or utility trailer as needed.

I could immediately throw out most of the competition as I wanted to have a cavern in the back for hauling stuff with the seats out as I antique a lot.

The Buick tossed all the things I needed and wanted plus the kitchen sink in the CXL.

I had inherited an antique bedroom set a couple years ago - I hauled it all in the Rendezvous backend in one trip (minus mattress & box springs)

It included Headboard, footboard, wood side rails, dresser, dresser mirror, chest of drawers, vanity, vanity mirror, vanity stool, rocking chair, and some odds an d ends. My neighbors watched as I unloaded the stuff and couldn;t believe I pulled a bedroom out of the Rezvous. THAT"S WHY I BOUGHT THIS BUUCK.

Winter before last I was caught in a bad blizzard coming down from Penn State, the Rendezvous securely handled all mother nature offered adn got us home safely. The AWD(Versa-Trac) really works well with no input needed. THT"S WHY I BOUGHT THIS BUICK

Same goes when I pull the boat out of the lake, no wheels spinning like you see so often and I don't have to put in AWD, it's there.

I wanted an SUV that would give me decent mileage also, I average 20MPG and on trips usually get around 24.5 (and I have a lead foot)

I wanted comfort, the leather seats are great and make long trips effortless.

I also like toys, and with everything from rear air suspension that also has the compressor & hose to do silly things like pump up your kids bike tires or ball, to the stereo with rear console & headphones for the kids. It has most any toy I could desire.

I bought this Buick because it offered to me, EVERYTHING I needed in a vehicle at this time in my life.

[The Old Guy]

I bought my first old Buick because my boys wanted to take my L88 powered Model a roadster pickup to school. That convinced me that I should explore other facets of the automotive hobby. I then purchased a 37 Chevy 2dr sedan ,and found that trying to put a wife ,6 children and a mother in law in it was like trying to stuff a phone booth. I heard of a 1932 model 97 Buick in Missouri, and bought it sight unseen . That started my involvement with the BCA, and I have been hooked on Buicks ever since. Living in the Flint area also gave me a wonderful group of Buick fanatics to hang out with, and I guess I'll stick with them.

[Gene Brink]

While I am between Buicks (and with three girls [one in college the other three going over the next few years], etc. it will probably a good while before I get another "old" Buick which is much different than a "new" one which I may indeed acquire soon [by new say a '96 or so LeSabre/Part Ave]) the why's are pretty easy.

1) That's what my dad had when I was growing up and whose dad is "wrong"? Earliest memories (vague) are of his '47 Super he traded in on a new '52.

2) Really remember the '52 Super he picked up in Flint [took the train to Flint - not a direct route from Milan, Ohio either] and drove back to my Grandparents home in Milan. We drove it home to California and gave it a good breaking in. I learned to drive in this car. Loved the straight eight - how smooth it was, overhead valves instead of flathead, fun working on with my dad.

3) My first car was a '50 Super ($25 for a clean, well running car - those were the days).

4) The first car I thought was pretty "hot" was my '54 Super. Was not really that fast but I kept the pedal to the floor and eventually... Loved the V8 and it's uniqueness with the upright valve covers. Not a Ford, Chevy, Mopar, etc. which made it even better.

5) The other 6 Buick's I've had were all fine cars. Not a lemon in the bunch so what is not to like?

I think you said it pretty well, Dave. Great combination of style, mechanical reliability, size, etc. Great character - sadly lost for most cars today.

[imported_buick5563]

Hi y'all,

here is my hokey story, bear with me....

It was 1985 and I had just graduated high school. My father and I had been searching for a 60's Mustang for months. We drove all around DC pretty much from Annapolis to Richmond to no avail. I wanted something that stood out, and Mustangs (at that time) did it for me. Over the fourth of July weekend my father came home from the dry cleaners and asked if I had seen that big old Buick in the parking lot midway between our house and the cleaners. I (admittedly) knew absolutely nothing about Buicks. I had never heard of a NAILHEAD ??? It had the side windows bb'd out and there were two spare tires in the back seat, but for a car that had been sitting out in the field for the past few years it was relatively rust-free. It had 75,057 miles on the odometer. All it needed was a couple of windows, a brake job and two tires, and I was rolling in my (previously unknown to me) Dream Car. I immediately named her Gladys after Elvis' momma.

My plain Jane 55 Special 2 dr. sedan is still with me after almost twenty years and I am treating her to a 50th birthday (for her) face lift ($$$) and driving to Batavia in a couple of months.

So I suppose I lucked into Buicks.

Mike

[Guest imported_Thriller]

The '66 Wildcat got me with the style...as I learned more about Buicks, I liked them more. I am a big fan of unique and, other than BCA events, where can you go and be inundated with Buicks (5-6-7 Chevies, Mustangs, etc. are all over)? So style is good and standing out in a crowd is even better to me.

Now if only they were all shiny and running and...I don't think I'll ever catch up unless I get to retire soon and spend my days working on the restoration process.

[imported_48Rdmstr68Skylrk]

Keith, I fully agree with your comments on the Rendezvous. I was just waiting for Buick to finally build a car like this. I love my Rendezvous and how versatile it is. Also love the goodies on it like the Heads-up speedo display projected up on the windshield, the XM radio and sub-woofer speakers in the rear end, heated seats, sun roof.... It's great to have the luxury and ability haul stuff and tow my trailer - all while getting decent gas mileage.

[HurstGN]

I drive an 86 Grand National daily...all seasons. I know how to drive a RWD car and have never had a problem getting around with this car. I was drawn to the GN's originally in 1982 when I saw an 82 GN on the way to college. I went to the Buick dealership to inquire about the car I had justseen, and the dealer told me it must have been a custom job, because Buick didn't make cars with the word Buick in 4" tall letters covering the rear quarter panel. Well, he was wrong, and many years later I found out the truth on the 82 GN's. I liked the 86 and 87 GN's for their power and fun factor. I took an 87 out for a test drive in 87 and I was hooked...now how to afford one of these beasts?

Well, many years later, I got lucky and got my first GN, an 87. I kept it nice, still do to this day. The 87 was followed by my first turbocharged 82 GN. What a piece of history this car is. Not long after I got the chance to get another 87 in pristine condition, with less than 5K miles...MINE! Then Kirbans gets in one of the heaviest optioned 86 GN's I've ever seen...MINE again! Lastly, a good friend that helped me learn most everything I know about the 82 GN's was losing his space to keep his 82. We talked and agreed that it would be a shame to let his car go somewhere that it would possibly be trashed and turned into who knows what by someone that doesn't think it's fast enough...better keep this one in the family too.

So I've got a bunch of these things...I love them all. I had an 84 Riviera T-Type inbetween, and it was a fun daily driver too.

If I had to buy a new car today, what would I buy? In no particular order (I like all these for their style) a Crossfire, a Mustang GT, a Solstice. No Buicks in the list you ask? Nope. Unless thay make a car like the Blackhawk, Buick can keep the crap they're turning out today. Buick (actually all of GM) needs a major attitude adjustment and quit being a follower 5 years after everyone else finds out what we want.

I got enough cars for now...I can wait till somebody builds my dream car.

[tyesac]

For me, Buicks have been in the family in one version or another since my Grandfather's first one in '1927 (it lost out in a battle with a street car in 1929) The one's I knew were dad's; a '55 Special, '62 LeSabre, '68 LeSabre, '71 Electra Ltd, plus other assorted ones later. My own cars the cinced it for me were my first; a '72 Skylark coupe, followed by a '80 Skylark ltd coupe (mine, was very reliable, lasted 13 yrs of daily driving. My own favorite so far was the '89 Regal Ltd coupe I had. To sum it up, the qualites I like are a more comfortable than average interior, and a step up in external appearance, with some exclusivity, without the high price tag. Something they seem to lost touch with lately. But to thier credit, interior comfort, quietness is still top notch, and highly underated by the auto press. Also, I don't understand why people haven't caught on to how high thier quality ratings have soared in recent years. It's like some kind of big secret or something. They could certianly use the Velite!