By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Buick Enclave is in its fourth model year and feels as fresh as it did four years ago when we first encountered it.

The Enclave in 2007 was a sure indicator of the big change coming for GM’s storied brand; a brand that had slipped into an old guy car funk. Sales in 2007 were in the tank and getting worse, the Enclave was Buick’s sole highlight. Rumors abound that Buick would be the next GM division to get the ax following in Oldsmobile’s footsteps.

 By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It’s an improbable story. Stuck in the mud, Buick looked like a sure candidate to be eliminated by a struggling General Motors a couple years back. Sales in 2009 had slumped to just over 100,000 units and the average age of Buick buyers had risen to nearly 70.

Those numbers should have spelled the end of the line for the venerable brand; but instead, Pontiac got the ax and Saturn was put on the trading block and eventually died when no suitable buyer stepped forward.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The 2004 Buick Rainier was a constant companion and superb helpmate during an activity-filled week that included a 120-mile round trip to the airport, a 160-mile jaunt to pick up a family member and a glorious outdoor wedding.

But all that companionship came after we were forced to resolve a problem with the Rainier that was just 500 miles old when we took possession. Fortunately, the bugaboo reared its ugly head and was fixed a couple days before the ceremony-filled weekend.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Buick is undergoing a rather interesting transformation. The century-old General Motors’ division is replacing four popular sedans with two new ones.
 
For 2005, Buick has taken its two mid-sized sedans and combined them into one vehicle. Lucerne is the merger of Buick’s two large sedans, LeSabre and Park Avenue into a single car.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Acura and Lexus lack minivans in their luxury lineups. But their parent companies have very desirable vehicles in the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, which when loaded to the fenders with available options have the credentials to wear Acura and Lexus nametags.

Now Buick has entered the upper strata of the minivan segment with the introduction of the Terraza.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

People have joked for several years that the Toyota Avalon is the best Buick sold in America.

We’ve got an update. Stop the press for a bulletin - the all-new 2006 Buick Lucerne is now the best Buick sold between the Atlantic and the Pacific. It could be argued with conviction that it’s the best Buick ever built by Buick — or anyone else.