19th Jul 2009, 16:34
"Lastly, only old people buy Buicks. Hardly a contender here."
This comment shows a lack of market understanding. Look at our demographics and see that we have an aging population. When people get older, they want a comfortable, quiet, smooth car to go cruising in, and Buick fits that bill. Also when people get older and can afford a better car, they want something better than some economy car that looks like a potato and sounds like a fart in a can.
19th Jul 2009, 17:44
"This number, 91%, is not reliable."
Yes, it IS. See the May 2009 issues of USA Today. I know people use lots of rationalizing to ease their consciouses when they turn their backs on U.S. workers, but please do not to try tampering with the facts. Import fans do enough of that as it is.
20th Jul 2009, 14:34
Seriously... if you really think Buick should keep on making cars for old people then you might as well write GM off as finished. GM has in fact for YEARS been trying to shed the image that Buick, Cadillac, and the late Oldsmobile had. Only recently has Cadillac successfully gotten rid of the old person image... only to replace it with the image that their cars are favored highly in the ghetto... thus they failed again. Buick as of late is still a joke.
Lastly- give it up with the whole "Support US workers" nonsense. My truck was made in the USA... yet it is a Japanese brand. In fact, I actually drive by the very factory it was made in every day on my way to work. I actually see the workers parked in the parking lot. Had I bought a US vehicle, chances are it would have been made in Mexico or Canada. If the argument really and truly is about supporting US workers, then I- like yourself- have succeeded except I know for fact mine was built with actual US workers. Who's more patriotic now?
8th Aug 2009, 15:55
I agree with the above comment. Stick a fork in GM, they're done. They don't even build any of their cars over here anymore!
8th Aug 2009, 20:20
SOMEBODY WHO GETS IT!! WOW!! He's right though. I currently own a 2008 Honda Civic, guess what, it was made in the USA. My last car, a 2003 Ford Windstar, was made in Canada! When you buy a domestic, the only people your helping is the rich corporate workers of the domestic companies. You're not helping the average Joe who would be working in the factory building the car.
9th Aug 2009, 17:39
Ummmm, I realize that Buick is a brand that is favored by and older generation, my parents included, but last time I checked, how many 18-30 year olds do you see driving Camrys??? I would say that 95% of people who drive Camry's are just as old as the Buick drivers... I'm 22, and I can tell you that I don't care how reliable a Camry is, I would not be caught dead in one. So can it with the "Old People" car argument.
10th Aug 2009, 17:31
Notice how you never get any response from domestic car owners when you bring up the argument of domestic cars not actually being made in the U.S...
14th Aug 2009, 13:37
I've owned two Camry's (both very good) and one Accord (not as pleased). It is a fact that the newer Camry's and Accord's are having some quality problems. Overall, I believe they are still good cars, but not as well built as the earlier models. My last vehicle purchase was a Mercury Sable, and so far I could not be more pleased. At the time I purchased it, I believe it was the best car for the money in its class. Time will tell to see if it holds up as well as my two Camry's.
21st Aug 2009, 08:11
I can immediately spot a questionable review when I see it. This is one of them. Here are some of the signs:
1. All kind of mysterious things happen to the car. And of course the dealer is non responsive. By 'mysterious' I mean a lot of symptoms that are almost 100% unlikely to happen to a nearly brand new car. You know, the kind of stuff that hardly even would happen to a 15 year old Probe (and they were seriously bad!)
2. The engine broke down just out of warranty. Heeey! You should get up to speed on Toyota warranties before you post information. Drivetrain warranty on Toyotas are 60 months/60,000 miles. The 36m/36K warranty is bumper to bumper. So if your engine blew at 37K, why did the 60K drivetrain warranty not cover it?
3. Cracked leather? When did you last see a one year car with cracked leather seats? Ehh, like never? Not very likely on any type of car.
4. Misaligned doors a near new Camry? How credible do you think this is? I HAVE NEVER SEEN MISALIGNED DOORS ON ANY NEAR NEW CAR REGARDLESS OF BRAND. And I've worked in the auto industry for 22 years.
5. And always the ending comment: I'd rather stick with my GM/Ford/whatever 'domestic' car.
Tell tales of just another questionable review. And of course the wolf pack of people thrash talking the Camry or just another Toyota saying "my Ford is better", "buying Toyota is unpatriotic", "my Buick ran a quadrillion miles with no problems".
19th Jul 2009, 10:46
How about the thousands of suppliers, distributors, merchants, homeowners around a given former plant... they are not all from Japan. I saw many distributor and factory reps (as I was one of them) personally supporting our local plants with pneumatic and DC current controlled assembly systems, robotics, welding, paint reps, and many many others in addition. There were seating manufacturers and many other just in time suppliers required to be within a 30 minute radius. Also not from Japan.
In addition other merchants... such as local restaurants fed, others that clothed and housed these individuals spending and supporting the local economy with purchasing power... and not at rock bottom wages.
So now people are shopping more at Walmart etc. The decent wages are being replaced by lower or with minimum benefits. The homes in my neighborhood require a 6 figure income and I am somewhat concerned on who is going to buy mine someday. It's not going to be the $14 hour guy... in the end you can save or shave an immediate buck. The rest of us pay indirectly and directly to cover these decent jobs that were lost.
I do not get how ad hype can be so strong given the current state of the economy. One would think people would be fed up and want our own economy to bolster. It's time to get out of 1980 if your old car had an issue. Check out the 2009 domestics and go for a 100,000 mile warranty. I switched and it's working out quite well for us. We quit walking in buy another Honda, same dealer over and over never looking (at the time they were fine for us) and not even recognize what's new, what's better, what superior warranty is available. Maybe it may be quality concerns to prompt a switch, maybe it's the current economy and having an opportunity to make a difference today in 2009. I am tired of our country being beat up... I believe we have superior products that maybe more will take notice.
We are pleasantly surprised and saving on repairs on our imports. We always had domestics and I had company cars of varying makes and models as well. I took close note of our personal ones especially. Maybe your last import was great... ours was not. I am basing my comments after 2000... prior we were fine. Maybe others have noticed. One can read on Car Survey and go back in time vs. current to see if there are others to offer a guideline. In the end you have to weigh everyone not just yourself.....you might like to having more buying power and not cover many around your local area being forced out of work. I know too many, Driving an import in 2009 to me seems out of place...maybe others might feel the same finally.