Ordered a new Encore GX today.
#241
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, that 6/70 and 4/50 luxury-grade warranty was a strong Buick selling point, giving you essentially the same level of protection as Lexus, Cadillac, Lincoln, Acura, and Infiniti for (often) significantly less money. From a personal point of view, naturally, I'm not happy to see it lower for 2020, and Buick become just another run-of-the-mill company in terms of protection. But (obviously), it's not necessarily a deal-breaker.
Direct Injection has good benefits in terms of drivability and performance/emissions, but, in a number of engines, it can lead to carbon build-up in certain areas, because of the way that air/fuel spray is injected, causing the mixture to avoid some surfaces that need to be kept clean.
Direct Injection has good benefits in terms of drivability and performance/emissions, but, in a number of engines, it can lead to carbon build-up in certain areas, because of the way that air/fuel spray is injected, causing the mixture to avoid some surfaces that need to be kept clean.
The BMW walnut blast used to be $1000 at the dealer, but now since everyone does it, it's closer to $400. But on YouTube it takes all of 8 min to remove the intake manifold (you have to do this on the GM V6 3.6 plug job), it's really a DIY job today (equipment needed that would pay for itself after 2X). I gotta tell you replacing the Buick top torque strut was bizarre, got it out. Try to put the new one in, I'm there for a solid 30 min, and the part will not go in the slot....defies common sense...
I think you have good Buick GMC dealers from what you've said. Here in Phila they are all very very bad. I bought my used Lexus from Buick GMC and they were fantastic. Stuff was broken on the Lexus that I didn't catch, and they fixed it all free. Problem is that dealer is almost 3 hours away.
edit ps that is an old dealership that used to have Pontiac, and even the facility is like 1970, nothing modern. Not sure if that makes the difference, because most of those folded. This one probably didn't due to its location (Westchester NY). Remember the days when dealerships had different parts of it up the road? Like half the service and used cars are up the road!
Last edited by Johnhav430; 11-10-20 at 05:28 AM.
#242
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Interesting. As I was discussing my insurance policy with a GEICO rep this evening (and paying it off), I had them look up what the 6-month premium is going to be for the new Encore GX when it comes in, and he told me there will be about a 10% drop in my rates (with the same coverage-limits)....even though it is a vehicle that will be 4 model-years newer, AWD instead of FWD (which is often more expensive to repair), and a small crossover more prone to flip-overs, although today's stability-control helps in that department. GEICO, for some reason, seems to like GM and Subaru products...even as a good driver, I've gotten some of my best rates with vehicles from those companies, particularly the Saturn SL2 I once owned. With the simple clip-on plastic body panels, and the panels that could be ordered from the factory pre-painted, the Saturn plastic-bodied vehicles had a strong reputation for being easy to repair after an accident, and, of course, resisting typical dings/dents that require small bodywork.
#243
Interesting. As I was discussing my insurance policy with a GEICO rep this evening (and paying it off), I had them look up what the 6-month premium is going to be for the new Encore GX when it comes in, and he told me there will be about a 10% drop in my rates (with the same coverage-limits)....even though it is a vehicle that will be 4 model-years newer, AWD instead of FWD (which is often more expensive to repair), and a small crossover more prone to flip-overs, although today's stability-control helps in that department. GEICO, for some reason, seems to like GM and Subaru products...even as a good driver, I've gotten some of my best rates with vehicles from those companies, particularly the Saturn SL2 I once owned. With the simple clip-on plastic body panels, and the panels that could be ordered from the factory pre-painted, the Saturn plastic-bodied vehicles had a strong reputation for being easy to repair after an accident, and, of course, resisting typical dings/dents that require small bodywork.
#244
Lexus Fanatic
GM vehicles tend to have readily available & inexpensive parts. Same for Honda/Acura. Toyota/Lexus parts cost more. I thought my Camaro SS would be expensive to insure with the 6.2 V-8, but it wasn’t. Our insurance went down when we traded the VW GTI for the Camaro SS - go figure!
Being a GM owner, I find that parts are HEAVILY discounted. Like 38% off list is a last resort! Try getting that on BMW or Lexus. But BMW is relatively cheap when one does OEM over OE--Identical part without the BMW bag and logo, identical part.
My wife's alternator on her GM is $1,000 at the dealer. That's a joke, it's not a Range Rover. Part is made by Denso too, in TN. You can DIY and get it I think high $200's online, OE.
#245
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
As you know, since you've followed my posts, although I've long-held that the best way to avoid mishaps is simply with one's eyes, ears, brain, and scrupulous attention to what one is doing behind the wheel (and still do to some extent), I'm beginning to agree on some of the new safety features, particularly the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert....which, among a number of others, are features my new vehicle will have. Traffic levels and pedestrian activity near where I live, particularly in and out of grocery/mall/shopping lots, which I regularly use almost every day (with a mask and social-distancing, of course), have reached the point that you constantly have traffic and pedestrians all around you, going every which way at once, and you only have one pair of eyes, and simply cannot see everywhere at once (which is become more and more necessary to avoid a mishap). The fact that so many people are in high-stance vehicles, today, also makes it more difficult to see that may be coming around or to the side of them.
I pity the kids and other student-drivers who have to learn to drive today in everyday crisis-level traffic like the D.C. area, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, the L.A. region, etc.....it must be a nightmare. I learned, of course, in the D.C. area, but in much better conditions in the past, and simply adapted to worsening conditions with time.
That's why, when I do new-vehicle reviews (I don't do as many of them now as I once did), I do so in an area that has a lot of dealerships but also relatively traffic-free back-roads, out around Dulles Airport.
One feature I wouldn't mind having on the new GX is the wide-angle-camera that, with the push of a button, substitutes for the conventional rear view mirror. It's the only vehicle in its class with that feature, but it is an option on the top-line Essence model, and not available on the Select version I'm getting (I felt I didn't need an Essence, and usually prefer cloth seats). But, in most cases, the standard blind-spot monitoring will be a good substitute for it, and I usually don't load up the back seat or cargo area of the vehicle to the point where it obscures rear-vision...the main reason that feature is offered.
#246
Lexus Champion
My folks have the digital rear view camera mirror on their RAV4 and I must admit, it's a very nice feature. Even just when you have back seat passengers, you can switch to that and have a much better view out the back. Very nice.
#248
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
i'd love to have the camera mirror feature.
and mmarshall, appeciate that you're beginning to appreciate the newer safety features. while i can still look/see/hear/etc., the cross traffic alert in crowded parking lots is a GREAT feature, and as you say, blind spot warning is great - sometimes i look in side mirrors to see if i can change lanes, and if clear begin to slowly pull over, but once in a while a car has actually been in the mirror blind spot, and thankfully the g90 beeped and i didn't change lanes.
oh and i still think you should live a little and get the essence, even if it has a feature of two you won't use.
and mmarshall, appeciate that you're beginning to appreciate the newer safety features. while i can still look/see/hear/etc., the cross traffic alert in crowded parking lots is a GREAT feature, and as you say, blind spot warning is great - sometimes i look in side mirrors to see if i can change lanes, and if clear begin to slowly pull over, but once in a while a car has actually been in the mirror blind spot, and thankfully the g90 beeped and i didn't change lanes.
oh and i still think you should live a little and get the essence, even if it has a feature of two you won't use.
#249
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
oh and i still think you should live a little and get the essence, even if it has a feature of two you won't use.
Another thing.....the much smaller exterior size of this vehicle, and better maneuverability, will make it easier in tight parking lots even without added safery devices...that's just simple physics.
sometimes i look in side mirrors to see if i can change lanes, and if clear begin to slowly pull over, but once in a while a car has actually been in the mirror blind spot, and thankfully the g90 beeped and i didn't change lanes.
and mmarshall, appeciate that you're beginning to appreciate the newer safety features
Thanks. I probably wouldn't need them in an area with sane levels of traffic, but, like it or not, sometimes we have to deal with reality. You would have to see some of the driving/parking conditions I'm talking about to appreciate it....although I know that Florida can also be very crowded in some areas.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-11-20 at 08:10 AM.
#250
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
....although I know that Florida can also be very crowded in some areas.
besides the 'horse people' (and their trucks, trailers, etc), we have the regular snow birds who come down the for the nice weather from about October to March typically! my county has about 370K people in it, but i'd bet that goes up by 25-50% during these months. certainly we have a ton of rural and near empty areas, but there's definitely busy parking lots.
but certainly i have no interest at all in living in or near a giant metropolis again. atlanta was bad enough.
#251
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Oh, I totally understand where you are coming from....and respect your point of view. And the general culture in this area is sometimes enough to make me want to live somewhere else....can't get into details, because it would be political. But, on the other hand, there area lot of things I DO like about the area..a superb system of health care and hospitals, excellent park/recreation/swimming-pool facilities (very important to me), a virtually recession-proof economy (at least until the pandemic hit), picturesque mountains and beaches not that far away, almost everything you could want or need (including many large and small auto dealerships) close by, my brother, my church, the D.C. auto show (if the show is not cancelled next year) and most of my daily needs close by. It is also an area that, while not entirely free from natural disasters, doesn't usually see a lot of the major storms, earthquakes, wildfires, etc.....that other places in the country do. If I moved, even to a place like yours, I'd be like a fish out of water.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-11-20 at 08:39 AM.
#252
Lexus Fanatic
All of this technology is a great help. Some of it is a little overxealous, but by and large all of it makes driving safer and easier.
The lack of traffic here due to COVID has improved my enjoyment of the area a lot. I drive around all day and I can say I can get done in 3 hours what took me an entire day to do before.
The lack of traffic here due to COVID has improved my enjoyment of the area a lot. I drive around all day and I can say I can get done in 3 hours what took me an entire day to do before.
#253
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
The lack of traffic here due to COVID has improved my enjoyment of the area a lot. I drive around all day and I can say I can get done in 3 hours what took me an entire day to do before.
Last spring, we saw traffic levels in this area that I had not seen since I was in high-school (late 60s)...but much of that has gone back to more or less normal in my area (Fairfax County)..not sure about your part of MoCo.
#254
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, maybe in areas like ours. But, like I told bitkahuna, IMO it is only needed in certain areas, under certain conditions. People who drive in places like West Texas, Montana, Wyoming, etc.....are probably paying for a lot of stuff on their vehicle they usually won't need.
Last spring, we saw traffic levels in this area that I had not seen since I was in high-school (late 60s)...but much of that has gone back to more or less normal in my area (Fairfax County)..not sure about your part of MoCo.
My hope is that the volume will never go completely back to normal as more people will work from home after this
#255
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
there area lot of things I DO like about the area..a superb system of health care and hospitals, excellent park/recreation/swimming-pool facilities (very important to me), a virtually recession-proof economy (at least until the pandemic hit), picturesque mountains and beaches not that far away, almost everything you could want or need (including many large and small auto dealerships) close by, my brother, my church, the D.C. auto show (if the show is not cancelled next year) and most of my daily needs close by. It is also an area that, while not entirely free from natural disasters, doesn't usually see a lot of the major storms, earthquakes, wildfires, etc.....that other places in the country do. If I moved, even to a place like yours, I'd be like a fish out of water.
we have parks/rec/pools galore. our enormous YMCA was expanded massively with a generous gift by the owner of our huge Toyota dealership here!
florida's economy is obviously very strong and very business friendly. everyone i talk to just can't keep up.
we don't have mountains (GA/NC not THAT far though), but we certainly have hundreds of miles of amazing beaches.
about natural disasters, being inland and where we are i have no concerns about hurricanes - one of the reasons i was ok moving here.
Yes, maybe in areas like ours. But, like I told bitkahuna, IMO it is only needed in certain areas, under certain conditions. People who drive in places like West Texas, Montana, Wyoming, etc.....are probably paying for a lot of stuff on their vehicle they usually won't need.