"Buick Attacks the Isle of Avalon"

[wildcat]

Edmunds.com / Inside Line has reviewed the Buick Lucerne, mostly positive. Here is a direct link to "Buick Attacks the Isle of Avalon"

[Cremazie]

Three things you didn't know about Buick: Buick General Manager Steve Shannon's weekend car is a 1961 Alfa Romeo Spider. Arianna Kalian, line manager for the Buick Lucerne, grows organic tomatoes in her garden. And the 2006 Buick Lucerne is fun to drive.

It startes out really good and keeps going. It is a truly honest review!

[Croc]

And now my turn to be honest: whoever decided the Buick should NOT get a telescoping wheel should be fired. Truly mind-boggling.

[CARBIZ]

Overall, a good article. There is an infinite number of options that could be/should be added. So they missed a couple.

[Croc]

You don't just "oops" miss a telescoping steering wheel. Especially since the DTS gets it. It costs them more to have that difference than to make both Lucerne and DTS the same in that regard.

[samuel]

Guys, no offense, Inside Line has a positive reveiw for EVERYTHING. It's not a reliable source. I am not saying that the Lucerne doesn't desesrve a good review, just that this is not a review to get excited about.

[goblue1999]

You don't just "oops" miss a telescoping steering wheel.  Especially since the DTS gets it.  It costs them more to have that difference than to make both Lucerne and DTS the same in that regard.

[post="40346"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Are adjustable pedals available?

[boblutzfan]

An ok review. I think this will sell much better than the Lacrosse. My father is a dentist and is looking to replace his 1996 Town and Country with an American sedan. I view my parents as the target market for this car - Dad is 55, professional, uppermiddle class. My mom drives a 2004 Town & Country Limited. I first showed them the Lacrosse this past summer and my mom hated it. She didn't like the grill and the dash was too busy. I showed my parents the Lacrosse this past weekend and they loved it. This will be their next car. The biggest difference was the styling. They were perfectly willing to spend more money to get the look of the Lucerne over the awkward styling of the Lacrosse. And to prove a point that the target market doesn't really care about the number of gears in the transmission... my dad was more interested in the reliability of Buick and the understated luxury than he was worried about price and the number of gears in the transmission. B/T/W - they will be getting the V8. My mom wants leather and dad has to have the Northstar. I think if buick would clean up the nose of the Lacrosse - the sales would improve. Like my mom said, the lacrosse looks too much like a Taurus... Great job Buick. Let's just hope the Enclave is even better. There just might be a future for Buick after all.

[Croc]

Are adjustable pedals available?

[post="40353"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

No.

[Paolino]

And now my turn to be honest: whoever decided the Buick should NOT get a telescoping wheel should be fired.  Truly mind-boggling.

[post="40331"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You don't just "oops" miss a telescoping steering wheel.  Especially since the DTS gets it.  It costs them more to have that difference than to make both Lucerne and DTS the same in that regard.

[post="40346"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What blows my mind is that the telescoping steering wheel is available on the cheaper LaCrosse!

[Croc]

What blows my mind is that the telescoping steering wheel is available on the cheaper LaCrosse!

[post="40368"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

BINGO!

[Ultra Magnus]

Once again, a solid car that could have a few more details added to make it great. Navi is coming and that is a good thing, the transmission upgrade is coming as well. NO review I have read has faulted the overall impression of the car, its just the details that need to improve.

[Cadillacfan]

I also agree. On top of that, If a 2004 Chevy Tahoe, which is an older vehicle can have adjustable pedals, why not a brand new Buick?

[sciguy_0504]

All these options/features you guys are talking about will probably be standard by year 2 at the latest. Granted, I agree with Croc about the steering wheel but navi is coming soon. Xenon headlights would be good, too. Does it come with a smartaccess-type system?

[Croc]

For once I agree with you, Croc. I take back excactly half the bad things I ever wrote about you.  :P  :AH-HA_wink:

[post="40386"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Have you ever written something negative about me? I can't recall, not that it bothers me one way or the other...

[regfootball]

And now my turn to be honest: whoever decided the Buick should NOT get a telescoping wheel should be fired.  Truly mind-boggling.

[post="40331"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

what its missing

NAV
5.1 audio
power pedals (even my lowly Ford 500 has those)
telescoping SW, much less an attractive one or a power one
5 or 6 speed auto with manual shift
handbrake w/ floor shifter
keyless starting and access
continuously variable valve timing (does it have it or not)
3.6 vvt as base engine (the 3800 is an embarassment in a new 2006 car that weighs this much)
a less conservative dash design
does it have bluetooth?
available dvd rear seat system

unfortunately shoppers and the idiot journalists judge a car by what's missing, not what's there sometimes.

its 2006.....it should have a telescoping SW in this price class.

[Croc]

That's what I thought...but just making sure ;) Yea, your opinions are completely different than mine most of the time, but you really aren't obnoxious about it like some people are. So the respect is mutual. Edited November 8, 2005 by Croc

[SoCalCTS]

So if they add all this stuff... why does Cadillac need a DTS? I hate it when GM just completely blurs the lines between its products.

[jry]

like i have said before. the general will always stop just a hair short of hitting a grand slam.

[wildcat]

But isn't that the idea of the Lucerne at present, to ease old "fuddy-duddy" Cadillac owners into Buick, freeing Cadillac to go more aggressive with other models? And if Buick is adding some of these named options in a year or two, isn't that transitioning, too?

[Croc]

Telescoping steering wheel? No. That doesn't "step on Caddy's toes." Cadillac DTS can offer extra things, like heated rear seats (I believe it does). Here's a dumb thing GM did...the 2000 DHS my father own has rear seat power lumbar. New one doesn't even offer it as an option. Cadillac could differentiate from Buick by offering more LUXURY features. Last time I checked, though, telescoping wheels, nav, and xenons weren't really luxury features.

[titan]

You don't just "oops" miss a telescoping steering wheel. 

[post="40346"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Absolutely. It's a glaring ommision.

[jbartley]

Telescoping steering wheel?  No.  That doesn't "step on Caddy's toes."

Cadillac DTS can offer extra things, like heated rear seats (I believe it does).  Here's a dumb thing GM did...the 2000 DHS my father own has rear seat power lumbar.  New one doesn't even offer it as an option.

[post="40499"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Actually the new DTS does have power rear lumbar as an option (4 way control), i played with it last weekend.

[Flybrian]

NAV
5.1 audio
power pedals (even my lowly Ford 500 has those)
telescoping SW, much less an attractive one or a power one
5 or 6 speed auto with manual shift
handbrake w/ floor shifter
keyless starting and access
continuously variable valve timing (does it have it or not)
3.6 vvt as base engine (the 3800 is an embarassment in a new 2006 car that weighs this much)
a less conservative dash design
does it have bluetooth?
available dvd rear seat system

[post="40399"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

NAV is coming
Power pedals...meh
Telescoping wheel, okay.
5 or 6 speed auto, sure. Manumatic? Lame.
Handbrake? Uh, no. Eats up console space and looks lousy in a car of this stature.
Keyless Start? No needed
3.6l as a midlevel engine, yes. Remember, this still replaces the LeSabre.
Bluetooth isn't needed

[FSTephenMasek]

And now my turn to be honest: whoever decided the Buick should NOT get a telescoping wheel should be fired.  Truly mind-boggling.

[post="40331"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The real problem is GM seems to think that a buyer who wants one or more of the features specific to the DTS will go from a Buick dealer to a Cadillac dealer, when it is far more likely that such buyers will find their way to a non-GM dealership and buy a non-GM vehicle.

A telescoping steering wheel may actually be necessary for some people to be able to sit comfortably in the car. I may be such a person, as I am tall, so want to move the seat back to have leg room, but do not want to sit with my arms straight out.

[FSTephenMasek]

does it have bluetooth?

It might have it with the navigation, but if you have Onstar you do not need Bluetooth. We simply set our cell phone to forward to the OnStar phone number if there is no answer, then turn the cell phone off when we are in the car. It works wonderfully and is a real luxury and safety feature. Edited November 9, 2005 by FSTephenMasek

[Mike The Canadian]

NAV is coming
Power pedals...meh
Telescoping wheel, okay.
5 or 6 speed auto, sure. Manumatic? Lame.
Handbrake? Uh, no. Eats up console space and looks lousy in a car of this stature.
Keyless Start? No needed
3.6l as a midlevel engine, yes. Remember, this still replaces the LeSabre.
Bluetooth isn't needed

[post="40544"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

[Paolino]

NAV is coming
Power pedals...meh
Telescoping wheel, okay.
5 or 6 speed auto, sure. Manumatic? Lame.
Handbrake? Uh, no. Eats up console space and looks lousy in a car of this stature.
Keyless Start? No needed
3.6l as a midlevel engine, yes. Remember, this still replaces the LeSabre.
Bluetooth isn't needed

[post="40544"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Well, here's my take:

NAV - coming
Telescoping wheel - yes, stupid to not have it standard, or even offered at all in a BIG car.
5-6 speed auto, yes, absolutely. Autostick, well, maybe on the CXS if it had more than 275hp. Give me an Ultra Lucerne or a Lucerne Special or whatever you want to call it, with 350hp, and then I'd like to see autostick.
Handbrake - absolutely not.
3.6L - I feel that in maybe a year or two, it should be standard.
Bluetooth - I've never really heard it being essential to a car--actually, I have many tech-freak friends who really never missed it when they decided to not get a car that offered it.

I would like to see DVD Audio as this is Buick's Flagship sedan right now, however the H/K will do fine. I love the tuxedo interior, but I feel you should have a choice of a few types and/or shades of wood.

What about rear-seat climate control? You have vents, why not add a fan switch or something? How about rear-heated seats? Seat massagers?

[Flybrian]

I would like to see DVD Audio as this is Buick's Flagship sedan right now, however the H/K will do fine.  I love the tuxedo interior, but I feel you should have a choice of a few types and/or shades of wood.

[post="40582"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Again, according to my handy official 2006 Buikc Lucerne catalog...

Walnut Burl wood tone/Available Warm Chestnut wood tone

[Paolino]

Again, according to my handy official 2006 Buikc Lucerne catalog...
[/i]

[post="40591"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Hmm... I wish these were more obvious on the website when you look at color changes. I'm wondering what the chestnut looks like :)

[Cananopie]

I am still absolutely blown away by the fact that the Lucerne is finally something that can stand up to the Avalon. Ven pointed out that the LeSabre sales crushed, absolutely crushed, the Avalon sales for over the last decade. We're talking DOUBLE the Avalon sales on average... yet the Lucerne finally stands up to the Avalon... What in the hell? Do we just have twice as many people who like to settle for less of a bargain, a less quality vehicle? Or maybe... maybe... the LeSabre was a pretty damn good car... and the Lucerne is also one. It's good to see people finally taking Buick more seriously- but more sales is more sales. These people need to give Buick SOME credit.

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

I agree with your list of what Lucerne needs-it needs some exterior freshening too-it looks too much like a de-styled Chevy, nothing like a Buick at all. It needs more trunk space too-LeSabre had 18, Park Avenue had 19, the Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego have 21, why does Lucerne only have 17? It is better than Chrysler 300's paltry 15.6 and even worse Toyota Avalon 14.9 (?) cubic feet, but still, there shouldn't be any glory parades for it. And after looking at vintage ads (which I think are vastly superior to those today, IMO), Buick needs to find key points to advertise Lucerne on. Even though its well known I'm not a fan at all of Lucerne, it does have 41" of rear legroom and even though its only 275hp, it does have an optional V-8 engine, and it has a wide variety of colors. I agree with regfootball's list of equipment/running changes it needs. And I'd make a front split bench seat standard (since that's how nearly all LeSabre's/Park Avenue's were sold-I know Buick's trying to change, etc.) but keep the buckets as no-cost options, and standard on CXS-best of both worlds-I mean why should they have to pay? And cut the price by at least $1,000 on all models. I don't see Lucerne as Ford Fusion-blockbuster hit, but I see it succeeding in its own right hopefully.

[Flybrian]

I think its funny people say 'only' with 275hp. I mean, seriously, how much do you need?

[sciguy_0504]

I think its funny people say 'only' with 275hp. I mean, seriously, how much do you need?

[post="40740"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

No more in a FWD car.

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

I guess I said only in the sense that for that price, front-drive or not, this car WILL be compared to the Chrysler 300C. And once again, Buick loses out. But I imagine it will be fine anyway, and I mimagine it wins on fuel economy.

[Flybrian]

I guess I said only in the sense that for that price, front-drive or not, this car WILL be compared to the Chrysler 300C. And once again, Buick loses out. But I imagine it will be fine anyway, and I mimagine it wins on fuel economy.

[post="40753"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

For some reason, I see Lucerne as being what the 300C should be - luxurious, comfortable, and refined. I've been in a C or two and the interior leaves alot to be desired for the price.