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Buick didn't build their reputation or loyal customer base using superchargers or touting times from zero to mach 2.3. The vast majority of Buick customers had no interest in the cars you reference and paid no attention whatsoever to them.
I can appreciate the car in your post but you said the last year was 87. GN's aside if I had choice between a 87 Regal or anything afterwards I'm taking the afterwards. I always hated that boxy style of the early 80's and what has to be the worst era for interiors. We can make an exception for the GN.
I think the accumulation of several issues with GM vehicles in the late 90s to early 00s put the nail in the coffin for several of GM brands.
You had the intake gasket fiasco on GMs 3800 and 3100 v6 engines that took out a lot of motors that GM ignored.
You had the later 4T65E transmissions that had the solenoid valve problem, destroying transmissions, yet again ignored.
You also had the window regulator problem, that in GM fashion, the ignored at the owners expense with a host of other issues.
Buick was suppose to be a semi luxury brand. A lot of people got burned and ignored by GM with their hard earned money. I think this has caused GM overall inseparable damage with a sizeable customer base.
In my opinion the Buick division should have been killed off and the Pontiac division saved. Though it made sense why the kept it. The irony now is that for the sedan market the sport style look and performance is the in trend. I was in there future potential customer age bracket when the killed the Pontiac line. The G8 was the car I had my sites on, as my future potential car, but I would have settled for a Buick Regal GS. Honestly almost there whole line-up seems to be a mediocre effort for their bread an butter vehicles, design and engine options.
Gotta remember this was with a non lockup 3spd automatic (no overdrive) and points ignition, etc. So 22mpg was pretty darn good. Put an overdrive with lockup converter in it and it would get 25/26mpg hiway. And you can argue pretend hp figures all day long. If you look at details of those modern figures its with engine going like 6000rpm. Meaning nobody with any brains is going to be doing that on street or hiway. Its advertising hype. Yea if you really wound it up you might get that, but guessing the engine would have very short life. They dont intend anybody actually do it, again its fantasy BS to sell cars to people that dont understand cars. Its like back in days of carburetors, they would put some crazy huge carb on. Fine if you are racing full out on track and needing to flow that much fuel and air through engine, but way too much for street use, huge carb on street car just give all kinds drivability problems. Still sounded wonderful to supposedly get several hundred horsepower. Meaningless, but something for the weak minded to fantasize and brag about. It sold cars and enthusiast magazines.
I had a Buick 3800 and I use to often WOT 3 minutes after start-up. It has some good low ind torque also. The last time I saw it it had 250K miles on it and still sounded like a sewing machine. Original engine and transmission from my knowledge. drove it from 110k to almost 200k myself. When I bought it it had probably around 2qts of oil that was pitch black.
I think the accumulation of several issues with GM vehicles in the late 90s to early 00s put the nail in the coffin for several of GM brands.
You had the intake gasket fiasco on GMs 3800 and 3100 v6 engines that took out a lot of motors that GM ignored.
You had the later 4T65E transmissions that had the solenoid valve problem, destroying transmissions, yet again ignored.
You also had the window regulator problem, that in GM fashion, the ignored at the owners expense with a host of other issues.
Buick was suppose to be a semi luxury brand. A lot of people got burned and ignored by GM with their hard earned money. I think this has caused GM overall inseparable damage with a sizeable customer base.
In my opinion the Buick division should have been killed off and the Pontiac division saved. Though it made sense why the kept it. The irony now is that for the sedan market the sport style look and performance is the in trend. I was in there future potential customer age bracket when the killed the Pontiac line. The G8 was the car I had my sites on, as my future potential car, but I would have settled for a Buick Regal GS. Honestly almost there whole line-up seems to be a mediocre effort for their bread an butter vehicles, design and engine options.
I’m one one of those who suffered through the 3.1L leaking intake gasket. I also had the displeasure of being accused of causing the leak by the dealership who denied there was a problem even when faced with GM’s own service bulletin. I don’t mind faults in vehicles as long as the maker stands behind their product and customer and actually works to fix the problem, track problems, then work to correct those defective parts before they are put on newly built vehicles. It’s as if GM had the attitude of “if it last beyond our factory warranty then it’s good enough”.
I’m one one of those who suffered through the 3.1L leaking intake gasket. I also had the displeasure of being accused of causing the leak by the dealership who denied there was a problem even when faced with GM’s own service bulletin. I don’t mind faults in vehicles as long as the maker stands behind their product and customer and actually works to fix the problem, track problems, then work to correct those defective parts before they are put on newly built vehicles. It’s as if GM had the attitude of “if it last beyond our factory warranty then it’s good enough”.
By the time I purchased my 3800 the problem was well know to those who did the research. I did the updated intake manifold replacement myself. The average consumer just doesn't do this and just trust the salesman or service advisor. In the meantime about 3 people I knew lost engines because of it. I tried to warn them but they were not car people and couldn't afford to take the hit that it caused. GM really shafted a lot of people.
I can appreciate the car in your post but you said the last year was 87. GN's aside if I had choice between a 87 Regal or anything afterwards I'm taking the afterwards. I always hated that boxy style of the early 80's and what has to be the worst era for interiors. We can make an exception for the GN.
All real Buicks were RWD body-on-frame, smooth, quiet comfort and quality. There were cavernous shortcomings in the early FWD GM successors to the classics that built their company. And, though they have upped their game from the days of laughable FWD garbage that first disgraced GM showrooms, their very best today still falls short of the pinnacle achieved decades ago by the smooth, quiet quality of the BOF RWD platform. That pinnacle will never be equaled under the thumb of the regulatory nightmare we live today.
You can settle for whatever "afterward" compromise you wish, but it is not a real Buick if it's post-87 and not a Roadmaster. '87 applies to the Regal....the big Buicks disappeared a little earlier. Park Avenue's last year was '84, Le Sabre '85.
"Buick has no cars in the pipeline because they lost access to the Opel product line and there's no point developing replacements for a market segment that's dying anyway."
HALF THE THREAD RESPONDENTS: "No wonder Buick's sucking wind, my 1990s era Buick was a pile of junk!"
"Buick has no cars in the pipeline because they lost access to the Opel product line and there's no point developing replacements for a market segment that's dying anyway."
HALF THE THREAD RESPONDENTS: "No wonder Buick's sucking wind, my 1990s era Buick was a pile of junk!"
Yep people just can’t get out of the past, they always talk smack about the 1980’s and 1990’s but haven’t a clue about the new Buick.
"Buick has no cars in the pipeline because they lost access to the Opel product line and there's no point developing replacements for a market segment that's dying anyway."
HALF THE THREAD RESPONDENTS: "No wonder Buick's sucking wind, my 1990s era Buick was a pile of junk!"
At this point, the Buick line is redundant. Just kill it and have GMC as your semi-luxury brand, which it already is. They've been on life support during the entire Opel era.
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