Commodore Rumors Arise Again

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

If they are gonna bring the Holden back to North America it's gonna need a network and a name.

Buick needs to capture a younger market.

Buick's already capturing a younger market. A lot of people can't believe that they like the new Buicks specifically because of their demographic, and countless potential buyers are turned away by the notion that Buicks are for old people. But none of that changes the fact that the new cars are very appealing to younger buyers.

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Buick's already capturing a younger market. A lot of people can't believe that they like the new Buicks specifically because of their demographic, and countless potential buyers are turned away by the notion that Buicks are for old people. But none of that changes the fact that the new cars are very appealing to younger buyers.

Really? I wouldn't consider the average age of 70 to be young.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

Really? I wouldn't consider the average age of 70 to be young.

The average age of a Buick driver has already dropped far below 70 thanks to the Enclave, LaCrosse, and Regal.

Furthermore, the average age across the industry is somewhere around 55-60. Not exactly young either.

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

The average age of a Buick driver has already dropped far below 70 thanks to the Enclave, LaCrosse, and Regal.

Furthermore, the average age across the industry is somewhere around 55-60. Not exactly young either.

OMG the Onclave. Great for keeping the service dept.s busy.


Looks like nothing but cotton heads in these articles.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/buick-must-lower-its-average-buyer-age-currently-70-14927.html

http://www.leftlanenews.com/buicks-average-buyer-age-drops-from-72-to-65.html


http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/29/report-buick-to-look-younger-see-other-people-under-70/

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

OMG the Onclave. Great for keeping the service dept.s busy.


Looks like nothing but cotton heads in these articles.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/buick-must-lower-its-average-buyer-age-currently-70-14927.html

http://www.leftlanenews.com/buicks-average-buyer-age-drops-from-72-to-65.html


http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/29/report-buick-to-look-younger-see-other-people-under-70/

Two of those articles are from almost a year ago. A lot has happened since then (including production ramp-up of the LaCrosse and the launch of the Regal), and the second article you quoted even disproves your "average age is 70" theory. Such a drastic drop from 70 to 65 in less than a year is not an easy feat.

Like I said, the average age ACROSS THE INDUSTRY is high. That's just a fact of life.

[Rockhead]

“Buick has lowered the age of its average buyer to 65 as it targets buyers as young as 40.'' 5 years. That’s closer to 70 than 40. Buick needs to progress further like Cadillac did only not as extravagant. What about the "GMC, Buick" dealers out there. They don't have a car that is in the same league as the Cobalt or Cruze. With that they won't be able to generate sales to the under 30 crowds and stay the geezer-mobile .

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

Really? I wouldn't consider the average age of 70 to be young.

Did I say that young people are buying them by the truckload? No. I said that there has been a massive increase in interest by younger buyers, and a good number are turned off by the negative stereotype of a typical Buick buyer.

Plenty of younger buyers like the new Buicks. However, relatively few are buying them (though their numbers are increasing). Quoting average buyer age does absolutely nothing to challenge that.

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Did I say that young people are buying them by the truckload? No. I said that there has been a massive increase in interest by younger buyers, and a good number are turned off by the negative stereotype of a typical Buick buyer.

Plenty of younger buyers like the new Buicks. However, relatively few are buying them (though their numbers are increasing). Quoting average buyer age does absolutely nothing to challenge that.

Man did this get off the rails...........


Bring back the Holden as a Buick Grand National.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

“Buick has lowered the age of its average buyer to 65 as it targets buyers as young as 40.'' 5 years. That’s closer to 70 than 40. Buick needs to progress further like Cadillac did only not as extravagant. What about the "GMC, Buick" dealers out there. They don't have a car that is in the same league as the Cobalt or Cruze. With that they won't be able to generate sales to the under 30 crowds and stay the geezer-mobile .

Are you kidding? Are you aware that Buick is currently among the fastest growing brands in the industry?

It's true, they don't have a car in the same league as Cruze (Cobalt was a joke of a car towards the end of its life, why you would even attempt to use that car to make a point, I'll never know). It's because they're working on a compact to be released next year that's BETTER than Cruze based on the Opel Astra.

Furthermore, do you honestly expect 20 year olds to be able to afford a Buick? Most college kids are worrying about how to buy dinner tomorrow, not whether or not they'll be able to buy a brand new car, much less one from an entry-level luxury brand. Even people fresh out of college aren't thinking about that.

[Rockhead]

The only reason Buick is growing is because the population is getting older.
They need something familiar and non threatening with plenty of head room so they can wear there hats and big trunks
For there walkers.

It's because they appeal to the geriatric crowd The 20-40 crowd won't buy those cars. They want less expensive
Non grandma and grandpa units

They shoulda gassed Buick and kept Pontiac.

The Cobalt is a Joke? Cobalt SS will run circles around the current crop of
Buicks. In performance and looks.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

The only reason Buick is growing is because the population is getting older.
They need something familiar and non threatening with plenty of head room so they can wear there hats and big trunks
For there walkers.

It's because they appeal to the geriatric crowd The 20-40 crowd won't buy those cars. They want less expensive
Non grandma and grandpa units

They shoulda gassed Buick and kept Pontiac.

The Cobalt is a Joke? Cobalt SS will run circles around the current crop of
Buicks. In performance and looks.

You're talking in circles now. You just posted an article about the drop in age of Buick owners, now you're saying that their sales rise is caused by an increase in age. If that was true, the average age of a Buick owner would be increasing, not decreasing.

The irony in your insipid argument is that the LaCrosse is often criticized for two things: low head room, especially in the rear seat and a small trunk for a car of its class.

Oh yes, it makes so much sense to keep a brand alive that sold a crapload of units to fleet, sold unprofitable, rebadged cars, and had no overseas market as opposed to a brand that sells cars at a premium and has a thriving and vibrant overseas market.

Go find one of the few remaining Cobalts on a dealer lot, sit in it, poke the materials, then go to a Buick-GMC dealer and sit in a LaCrosse, then come back and tell me the Cobalt is a better car.

Even GM executives admit the Cobalt was a terrible car.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

The only reason Buick is growing is because the population is getting older.
They need something familiar and non threatening with plenty of head room so they can wear there hats and big trunks
For there walkers.

It's because they appeal to the geriatric crowd The 20-40 crowd won't buy those cars. They want less expensive
Non grandma and grandpa units

They shoulda gassed Buick and kept Pontiac.

The Cobalt is a Joke? Cobalt SS will run circles around the current crop of
Buicks. In performance and looks.

You're kidding, right?

While the Cobalt SS may have been quick, its not the only Cobalt model that was made. And a turbo charged engine and ricer wing don't fix the glaring deficiencies the car had. Nobody was really complain about performance, because the extreme majority of potential buyers for compact cars don't care about performance.

And styling? Are you seriously saying that this:




Looks better than these:

LaCrosse





Regal





Enclave

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

You're talking in circles now. You just posted an article about the drop in age of Buick owners, now you're saying that their sales rise is caused by an increase in age. If that was true, the average age of a Buick owner would be increasing, not decreasing.

The irony in your insipid argument is that the LaCrosse is often criticized for two things: low head room, especially in the rear seat and a small trunk for a car of its class.

Oh yes, it makes so much sense to keep a brand alive that sold a crapload of units to fleet, sold unprofitable, rebadged cars, and had no overseas market as opposed to a brand that sells cars at a premium and has a thriving and vibrant overseas market.

Go find one of the few remaining Cobalts on a dealer lot, sit in it, poke the materials, then go to a Buick-GMC dealer and sit in a LaCrosse, then come back and tell me the Cobalt is a better car.

Even GM executives admit the Cobalt was a terrible car.

Name one GM executive the Cobalt called it “terrible".

Like Buick isn't guilty of rebagging. The Enclave is an Acadia. Which looks like a modern AMC Pacer.

I never said it was better. I said "Cobalt SS will run circles around the current crop of
Buicks. In performance and looks."



The slight decrease in the age of Buick ownership is an anomaly and at 65
it's right where the baby boomer market is. 1946- 1964. It's will be increasing again if they don't start building something that the non 65 yearolds will drive .

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

Name one GM executive the Cobalt called it “terrible".

Like Buick isn't guilty of rebagging. The Enclave is an Acadia. Which looks like a modern AMC Pacer.

I never said it was better. I said "Cobalt SS will run circles around the current crop of
Buicks. In performance and looks."



The slight decrease in the age of Buick ownership is an anomaly and at 65
it's right where the baby boomer market is. 1946- 1964. It's will be increasing again if they don't start building something that the non 65 yearolds will drive .

http://detroitnews.com/article/20100...#ixzz0noACf6hS

While driving a Cobalt, Karl Stracke, vice president of global vehicle engineering, was blunt: "Look at this car, it's horrible. How did this get through so many people."

The Lambda crossovers are perfect examples of platform sharing, NOT rebadging. You cannot lift the front grille off an Enclave and install it on an Acadia. You cannot lift the front grille off an Acadia and install it on a Traverse. All three are designed to fit in with their own brands.

Just because a car is fast doesn't make it a good car. The LaCrosse and Regal may be slower than a Cobalt but both still annihilate it in terms of design and quality.

Yeah, the decrease in Buick's average age is an anomaly. Keep grasping at straws.