I’m kidding, of course (though the Elantra really does resemble a 900).

I’m confused. Where did I say that Buick is like Saab because they make nice cars and they’ll probably continue to make nice cars? By that logic, Lotus is the English Saab. I don’t think that Saab and Buick have the same customers. I think that the closest thing America has to Saab is Buick: great cars that are misunderstood (ok…mostly great cars. The Rendezvous is a piece of junk, but it’s going to be gone soon). Maybe American Saab wasn’t the best term to use, but, seriously, what other American brand comes close to fitting that description?

Saab is indeed cool, but they faltered a bit in the 90s. Just like Buick. They had a large-ish following that got pissed away during the 90′s by mismanagement. Just like Buick. They make sporty premium sedans…just like Cadillac, but Buick USED to have sporty cars, and they will again soon. I’m not trying to convince everyone that Saab and Buick are exactly the same, because they’re not, but they have similarities.

Buick customers ARE NOT Saab customers. End of story.

Saab is cool, Buick is white bread.Has been for over 2 decades.

I’m just kidding :p

I don’t want to go back into the Apple thing again because that turned into a bit of a flame war (most of which was my fault, I’ll admit). I still don’t like the comparison, though.

Saturn was created to be a technology dump for GM in the 80′s, so, yes, that would be a fair comparison (since Saab gets to be the tech showcase now, apparently). However, Saturn has always had a pretty clear purpose, but their cars have only recently gone up in quality. My family has owned three Saturns and they were all huge turds, they constantly gave us trouble (and they weren’t related in any way except that they were Saturns). Saabs (and Buicks, IMO, but I’m probably the only one who thinks that) have always been great. Also, before Saturn was created, Buick was usually where untested technology went, and they usually benefitted from it. Saturn just helped make Buick redundant in the 90s, so I’ve always kinda had a grudge against them for that.

Buicks sell in China because the Chinese “get” them. I really hope that GM brings the new Chinese-designed Park Avenue over here eventually, they look like they’re going to be great.

No flame war intended, but IMO the Buick comparison is tenuous at best. Saturn would make a little more sense (though I am no fan).

Besides….Saabs would never sell in China as well as Buicks are. They do too well in crash tests. ;p

(I kid, I kid. Brilliance, anyone?)

Buick is the American Saab because they make great cars that a usually overlooked because they have a stigma attached to them (Saabs are for weirdos, Buicks are for old people).

I’m 19, have black hair, and I hate hate hate the fact that Oldsmobile is gone.

The Reatta was a beautiful car! Those things were hand built, for chrissake. The car was supposed to be a sporty car in the vein of the GNX (hi-po version of a more standard car), and was styled as such, but General Motors, in their infinite wisdom, decided to AIM THE CAR AT OLD PEOPLE AND MAKE IT BORING. It still LOOKED sporty (they look kinda like Porsche 944s, for anyone who doesn’t know), but it had been emasculated. GM thought that Buick should only be for old farts who drive at the speed of smell. That car could have been a powerhouse, just like the GNX was. Don’t blame Buick for that screwup, that was all 80′s GM.

Ok, so Buick hasn’t turbo’d as many cars as Saab, but firstly, I blame that on GM mostly, and secondly, at least they tried.

Who gives a flying fudge about the SCCA? I don’t want to track my cars, they’ll get wrecked. Leave that to gearheads and adrenaline junkies, as I’m neither. Besides, I can’t answer the question anyway because I have no idea what a car needs to be eligible for SCCA events :p

Also, NO ONE is as safe as Saab, we all know that, that’s an unfair comparison in my eyes.

I’d sure like to own that LaCrosse Super that’s coming in a few months, but, yes, you’re right, Buick hasn’t done anything really exciting in a while. I think they will in the future though. First they need to shake off the “old man car” image. They should cash in on some of their speedy history (like how the Century got its name because it was really easy to hit 100 mph, and also on things like the Wildcat, Gran Sport/GSX, and the Grand National/GNX).

Just because Buicks aren’t as sporty as Saabs doesn’t mean they’re not nice cars.

LOL (that warranted a chat euphemism!)

Take a look at the average age of Buick buyers…they are the bluehairs who complain that Oldsmobile is no longer in business.

The last sporty Buick? The reatta…and that thing was a pile of crap. It was intended to be a sports car, but sports car people didn’t want a buick, and buick customers didn’t want a sports car, so in the end it turned in to a soft handeling, slow 2 seater.

Buick’s turbo-charging history pails in comparison to Saab, which has been dedicated in perfecting turbo technology since 1977.

Are Buicks as safe as Saabs?

Name a Buick that you would take to an S.C.C.A. event.

I’m sorry to get on a soap box here, but since Buick’s last real monster, the GNX of 1987…there has NOT been ONE MODEL that an enthusiast would like to own.

Buicks are cars for people who hate cars.

Buicks are supposed to be understated (like Saabs ), and Cadillacs are supposed to be the ostentatious ones. If Buicks looked luxurious and expensive, they wouldn’t be Buicks. They’d be Cadillacs. Personally, I think they make beautiful cars (except the Rendezvous, uck), and if you sit in one, the last thing that springs to mind is Hyundai. Maybe Lexus :p

Also, not to nag, but they technically only have one SUV, the Rendezvous. The Enclave is a CUV and the Terraza is a van/MPV/whatever you Euro-types call them :p