mmarshall

I bumped this old thread to add that, after three and a half years, and a little under 17K miles, it looks like I have had the first mileage-related part-failure/repair since the day I first took delivery, when an AWD actuator had to be replaced because it was defective from the factory. A few days ago, the Check Engine Light came on and stayed on, but the engine-starting and driving still seemed to be OK. Diagnosis this morning at the dealership showed the failure of a fuel-pump accessory in the gas tank that re-routes the gas-vapors for emission control. GM and Ford products, of course, do not have regular gas-caps which cover the end of the pipe to keep the vapors in....only the little spring-loaded valve which snaps shut when you pull the nozzle out. So, this device in the tank takes its place. Anyhow, the Service Advisor (a guy I like and have used for years) said it looks like the part, being an emission control device, is still warranty-covered, even though the usual Bumper-to-Bumper 3/36 warranty has expired. They ordered the part, and it may take a week or two to get. Normally there is a diagnostic-hookup charge, but that may (?) be waived, too, since it involves a warranty part. So, there may end up being a partial-charge, including labor, or not...we'll see after the part comes in. There was no charge today, and I got a nice free car-wash thrown in, as my dealership does for all its service-customers.

Even so, as I've said before, I still think it was cheap of Buick to ditch the Cadillac-equivalant 6/70 and 4/50 warranty they had till just a few years ago and downgrade it to a Chevy/GMC-equivalent 5/60 and 3/36.

FrankReynoldsCPA

I wouldn't consider that a mileage related failure as that part shouldn't have failed at 17k miles.

tex2670

Exactly why it was covered under warranty, even though it's not the 3/36 BtoB warranty.

mmarshall

What I meant was that it was related to age and mileage, even if just a few years old, and not simply a defective part stuck on at the factory.

Recent Buicks have had a pretty good reputation, ranking pretty close to Toyota and Lexus in reliability, and, although not perfect, I've had relatively few complaints with this one. I actually had more issues with the Lacrosse and Verano.

mmarshall

By law, a number of emission-related parts are covered by an 8-year Federal Warranty, over and above the Bumper-to-Bumper the manufacturer gives you....but those are mostly converter-related.

FrankReynoldsCPA

Yep, the active grille shutters on my 5 series are covered for 8 years under that warranty, as they're actually considered part of the emissions system.....and a known failure point on my car. I've got a year left of that warranty and then I'm on my own praying it doesn't fail.

SW17LS

Stuff like this happens...to Toyota and Lexus vehicles too

mmarshall

Yep. An old friend of mine (in fact, my old Flight Instructor) has had two Toyota Siennas, and has had issues with both.

mmarshall

While I was at the dealership, I checked out a new Envista Preferred-Level in the showroom, although I didn't test-drive it because I had already sampled a 2024 Encore GX with the same engine. At only 24K list, it was a real bargain, particularly for a Buick product....and fit/finish was excellent. The long wheelbase for its length and the nice 17" 60-series tires promised a smooth ride, but one could see inside (and under the hood) what keeps the price down. It comes only with the small 1.2L turbo engine, a 6-speed transmission instead of the 9-speed, no AWD option, no 360-camera option, only a black monotone interior unless you get the Avenir trim, and no rear wiper for the highly-raked slant rear hatch. Reviewers who have driven it also say that it lacks some of the traditional Buick sound insulation. Those are mostly deal-breakers for me.....particularly the no-360-camera, which IMO is a must.

geko29

Because it's not needed. Wipers are needed to keep near-vertical rear glass clear, especially if there's a roof spoiler that creates a low pressure zone in the area of the window. Highly-raked glass doesn't require a wiper, because natural airflow takes care of it for you. When was the last time you drove a sedan with rear wipers? I have two sedans with rear glass similarly angled to what the Envista does, and neither has a wiper.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

so i guess the only reason to 'prefer' this is the price.

and while you're ok with your buick because it's "made in korea", apparently what gm is doing is 'assembling' in s. korea using chinese parts, to avoid tariffs to bring them into the u.s.

https://www.reddit.com/r/avoidchines...s/s/XT6UI0wmj7

mmarshall

Yes, at higher speeds, airflow does help keep highly-raked rear windows clean. The problem comes in stop and go driving, or at low speeds, when rain or snow can quickly build up on the window. The heated rear-window defroster helps by melting the snow...but they don't run continuously and typically have time-out devices (around ten minutes or so) to keep the rear glass from overheating and cracking or breaking.

Another thing with many rear wipers today is that, on small SUVs/crossovers, the rear windows tend to be relatively small to start with because of current styling trends....so you obviously don't have a very big wiper-blade to clean it. That makes for more of a peep-hole than a true clear window.

While the Lexus CT200 is no longer in the American market, I remember my review/test-drive of one some years ago.....its miniscule rear-wiper was arguably the worst-offender I have ever seen myself.

geko29

Right, but the point remains that in general, wipers are not needed or routinely installed on highly-sloped rear windshields. So if it is indeed a show-stopper for the Envista, then it should also be a show-stopper on pretty much any sedan. I don't recall you raising this objection about your Lacrosse or Verano, which have nearly identically-raked rear windshields and no wiper.

mmarshall

I did not complain in public about the Lacrosse not having a rear wiper, but its highly-slanted window was an issue to some extent, at least under some of the conditions I mentioned.



Anyhow, it is a somewhat moot point, because there are several other reasons (which I listed above) why I would probably not choose an Envista over the Encore GX. It's a great bargain for those who want a Buick at a rock-bottom Chevy price, but, at all trim levels, it lacks several features I personally would want.

mmarshall

The fuel-purge pump for the gas tank that failed was replaced today, under warranty....the part finally came in after some two weeks. (the old one shorted out). Now, at least, I don't have to keep looking at that constant yellow check-engine light on the dash any more LOL...I was afraid that the bulb was going to burn out from being constantly on.

I was surprised at there being no charge. Buick now only has a basic 3/36 Bumper-to-Bumper warranty (it used to the 4/50), and my vehicle is now 41 months old...almost three and a half years. The pump is technically an emission-device, but the only emission devices covered for 8 years, under Federal law, are the catalytic converter, its components, and the engine computer itself. Yet, the Service Advisor (a guy I have liked for years) said it was fully covered under the Bumper-to-Bumper Basic warranty, even though that warranty expired. Well, I wasn't going to argue with him LOL...no-charge is fine with me. Frankly, I think they are just giving me a break since I've been a good customer and bought three new Buicks there....or GM may (?) have a hidden warranty-extension on that specific part. Some automakers do that on parts that have shown a consistent pattern of early failure....like Subaru did in the past with head gaskets and wheel bearings.

While I was waiting, I took out a new 2024 Encore GX with basic 1.2L engine, FWD, and the CVT for a test-drive, but the main thing I wanted to sample was the new dash-screen system. In a pinch, I can live with the new dash-screen, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as on the 2020-2023 models, for a number of detailed and technical reasons which I don't have time to describe here in great detail. There is less flexibility with the new system in terms of all the info you can show at once without scrolling or icon-pushing, and it is much more complex to operate. There have been major advances in the drivetrain refinement over the last version, although the CVT is a little jumpy at low speeds starting out...I'd go with the 1.3L/9-speed/AWD, like I have now. But the start-up is now much smoother, without the noticeable bump you got with the old system...I suspect the motor-mounts have been redone on the latest version for less vibration from those three-banger engines.

Even though I don't like the new dash screen, this is still arguably the best vehicle on the market for my own specific driving needs and preferences. Buick really hit a home run with this design. I can't think of anything I'd rather hop around daily in, particularly in this price-range.