Category Archives: Buick

News Wire: Cascada Launch Leads Buick’s Perception-Shifting 2016

May 18, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

2016 Buick Cascada Convertible © General Motors.

Convertible attracts new customers ahead of three more launches

DETROIT – Shattering expectations has led to three consecutive years of Buick global sales growth, and that momentum is carrying through into 2016. Last month, Buick reached an all-time high in conquest sales, or customers trading in models from competitive brands. Two models — the new Cascada and the popular Encore — have been growing the Buick community the fastest. In 2016 alone, more than 35,000 new customers have switched to the brand.

Through April, 64 percent of Cascada buyers traded in vehicles from outside Buick or any other General Motors brand. Previous Audi, Toyota and Honda customers have been among the most common. Demand for the Cascada has outpaced supply with 2,487 sales year-to-date through April and 1,090 sales in April alone.

“The lasting impact of the Cascada will be a change in perception that only a sexy, sleek convertible can provide,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick Global Sales, Service and Marketing. “It’s changing minds and attracting customers in the country’s biggest convertible markets, with nearly half of sales coming from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Texas and California. These are all key markets for Buick’s continuing success.”

The Cascada is the first of four new vehicles arriving in U.S. showrooms for Buick and one of two in new segments for the brand. The first-ever Envision is now arriving at dealers and will have a 2017 model year starting price of $34,990. In the industry’s most popular segment, Envision will offer the longest available list of standard safety and a starting price $1,300 below the Acura RDX and $6,000 less than an Audi Q5.

More than 57 percent of Encore customers in 2016 have come from competitive brands, with customers citing value, quality and exterior styling as the top reasons for purchase. Priced to offer a premium entry point into the brand, the Encore now represents 40 percent of Buick sales.

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

How’s Your Timing with Changing your Timing Belt

May 2, 2016Buick, GMC, Maintenance and Service, Parts and AccessoriesOzzie

Q: What’s one of the worst things that can happen to your engine?

A: Really poor “timing” changing your timing belt.

Let’s say that your vehicle is roughly 6 years old. You’ve never had any issues mechanically and as far as you are concerned, the engine purrs like a kitten. You may even pop your hood every now and then to tug on your fan belt, fill your wiper fluid, heck, maybe you can even change your own oil. However, there is a engine killer that lurks in the dark that rarely gets checked or is even remembered. It’s your timing belt.

Here’s the rub when it comes to changing your timing belt at the manufacturer’s prescribed intervals. Let’s say, for years your car has just been the perfect vehicle. Until one day you are cruising along and the engine suddenly goes dead silent. Guess what? Your vehicle’s timing belt failed!

Now is when the real pain starts. Not only do you have to pay for the tow and the belt replacement, but also a costly valve job due to the damage the broken timing belt has caused. You’re one of the unfortunate car owners with an “interference engine” …A What?– That is an engine that can leave one or more valves still propped open far enough to contact a piston with valves and the belt parts. Sadly, car sales brochures don’t list whether or not an engine might suffer catastrophic damage if the belt goes. But trust me…a broken timing belt will leave you with considerable more expenses. In fact, you might have to replace your engine all together.

Check out the video below for more…engine terror:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGh-3fvK61I

So, as you can see the mere act of reading your owners manual and paying better attention to your maintenance schedule can save you from making a costly mistake of omission. Remember, in most cases, the broken timing belt unpleasantness could have been prevented with timely maintenance. I can’t say this enough: Replace the timing belt according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended schedule. It’s just that easy.

If you’d like to avoid a catastrophic engine seizure or your manual (hint, hint) says it’s time for a change. Don’t wait. Call me so I can save you time, money and all of the headaches that also come with a broken timing belt.

Buick Expands Military Discount, Helps Veterans Pursue College Education

April 6, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

Buick Achiever scholarship recipient William Smith is currently pursuing his degree in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. Before he became a Buick Achiever, Smith served as an aviation electronics technician in the U.S. Marine Corps, supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. © General Motors

DETROIT – Today through May 31, 2016, Buick will expand its military discount program for all 21 million U.S. military veterans and their spouses in honor of National Military Appreciation Month.

“These brave men and women have done so much for our country,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “Making sure all veterans can take advantage of our military discount to celebrate Military Appreciation Month is one small way we can express our gratitude.”

Buick offers the industry’s most comprehensive automotive military discount program. The military discount program is typically available to U.S. military veterans within one year of separation, active-duty personnel, reservists, retirees and their spouses. In honor of May’s National Military Appreciation Month, the program expands to include all veterans – regardless of their separation date – and their spouses.

The discount is available for popular models, including the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave. Because the discount can be combined with most current incentives, veterans can save thousands of dollars on some vehicles. For more information, visit gmmilitarydiscount.com.

Buick’s support for the U.S. military spans generations. During WWII, Buick converted all its plant facilities in support of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s call for an “Arsenal of Democracy.”

The tradition continues today as the Buick Achievers scholarship program helps many students—including deserving veterans like William Smith—become the first in their family to attend college. Between high school and starting his collegiate career, he served as an aviation electronics technician in the U.S. Marine Corps, supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa.

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

2017 Buick Encore Gets Latest Tech, Sculpted Design

March 22, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

New LED headlights, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto for Buick’s best-seller

NEW YORK – Buick today introduced the new 2017 Encore, strengthening the appeal of America’s most popular small SUV with more refined styling and new connectivity technology – including available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

A new front-end appearance and a new premium interior highlight the visual refinements, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported by a next-generation IntelliLink system featuring an 8-inch-diagonal color touch screen.

Push-button start, keyless unlock via the exterior door handles and an 8-inch color touchscreen highlight the Encore’s roster of new standard features.

“The Buick Encore created the premium small SUV segment and remains the top choice for customers seeking premium features and dependability coupled with timeless design,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “In a rapidly evolving segment, the Encore continues to lead with smart, purposeful updates and a new level of technology-infused elegance and refinement.

Introduced in 2013, the Encore quickly carved out a niche of its own, offering the premium features typically associated with larger luxury SUVs but with greater maneuverability. It quickly rose to the top of the fast-growing small SUV market, topping it in 2014 and 2015.

Encore was Buick’s best-selling vehicle in North America in 2015, accounting for nearly a third of overall sales. Its sales were up 34 percent for the first two months of 2016, extending a year-over-year sales increase streak to 26 months.

Overall, SUVs now account for approximately 60 percent of all Buick sales, up from 34 percent prior to the introduction of the Enclave in 2007. Starting this summer with the arrival of the Envision – which slots directly between the Encore and Enclave – Buick will offer SUVs in the market’s three most popular segments.

The 2017 Encore goes on sale this fall, initially offered in five trim levels: Encore (1SB), Encore Sport Touring (1SH), Encore Convenience (1SD), Encore Leather (1SL) and Encore Premium (1SN). Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available.

It is the fourth all-new or significantly updated Buick coming in 2016, joining the Cascada convertible, Envision compact SUV and LaCrosse sedan.

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

Customer Loyalty Inspires 2017 Enclave Sport Touring Edition

March 17, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

2017 Buick Enclave Sport Touring Edition. © General Motors.

Expressive new look for brand’s SUV cornerstone

DETROIT – Buick today announced the 2017 Enclave Sport Touring Edition – the latest addition to the brand’s design-focused Sport Touring Edition lineup and an expressive and athletic appearance for the popular Enclave mid-size luxury SUV. The Sport Touring is highlighted by a Satin Black Ice-toned grille and 20-inch chrome-clad wheels with Satin Black Ice accents.

The Sport Touring Edition brings the brand’s newest design theme to a vehicle with Buick’s most loyal customers. In 2015, 33.4 percent of Enclave sales came from returning customers. That’s the highest loyalty rate among all Buick models and one of the top model-to-model loyalty rates in the crossover SUV segment, topping key competitors such as Audi Q7 and Acura MDX, as well as vehicles like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota Highlander.

With timeless exterior design, Buick’s signature QuietTuning, and three rows of premium, first-class seating designed to comfortably hold adult passengers, Enclave has helped make Buick one of the industry’s most successful SUV brands. Since Enclave’s introduction in 2007, SUVs have jumped from 31 percent of Buick brand sales to 61 percent in 2015. It has remained a strong and consistent seller through eight years of sales and since 2013 has been paired with Buick’s small SUV, the Encore, which has since become the brand’s best-seller. The Envision compact SUV also joins Buick’s SUV lineup in North America this summer.

“The industry doesn’t have many success stories better than the Buick Enclave,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick. “It has created a new generation of Buick customers and delivered on their expectations again and again. The Sport Touring Edition is a great update for our flagship crossover SUV as the Buick family continues to grow this year.”

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

Buick Shapes Up for Summer With Tracy Anderson

March 10, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

Celebrity fitness expert Tracy Anderson collaborates Buick to share tips for getting summer ready. © General Motors.

Partners with fitness expert for exclusive health and wellness video series

DETROIT – Buick today announced a collaboration with fitness expert Tracy Anderson to celebrate the newBuick Cascada, a thoughtfully-designed luxury convertible, perfect for top-down weather. The two have produced an exclusive video guide with tips on achieving a summer state of mind behind the wheel of a Buick.

Creator of the wildly successful Tracy Anderson Method, Anderson trains some of the world’s biggest stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez. Her wellness tips for Buick, inspired by the sleek and athletic look of the Cascada convertible, will cover five key areas of summer – Skin, Songs, Sweat, Style and Snacks.

“The road to getting fit and healthy for summer starts by taking the right lifestyle steps now,” said Anderson. “The tips Buick and I have developed are so easy to follow, and we hope they will inspire people to take better care of themselves this summer – and beyond.”

“There’s a cultural movement around taking better care of ourselves in both mind and body,” said Molly Peck, director of Buick Marketing. “Working with Tracy Anderson to create the videos celebrates Buick’s values of vitality and well-being.”

Each Buick feature is thoughtfully included, such as the whisper-quiet interior that gives drivers a sense of peace; and the active safety features for enhanced awareness on the road.

Here’s how Buick is preparing for summer using Tracy’s five key areas of summer:

Skin: Just as your body needs sunscreen to block harmful UV rays, Buick has designed the all-new 2016Buick Cascada convertible with leather-appointed seats with UV-reflective materials for sunny days of top-down driving.
Songs: The Buick Enclave offers 4G LTE connectivity, the most current and fastest mobile data network, giving passengers the option to connect and download their favorite summer tunes on the way to the beach or the gym.
Sweat: Similar to the recommendation of walking 10,000 steps a day to enhance your quality of life, Buick engineers tested various features on the all-new Buick Envision 10,000 times to ensure the vehicle stands up to daily wear-and-tear for its entire life.
Style: The Buick Encore provides a compact riding experience designed with flexible interior seating and rooftop rails that accommodate bikes or kayaks for plenty of outdoor adventures.
Snacks: With the help of thinner, yet stronger, press-hardened materials used in the structure, the all-new 2017 Buick LaCrosse has dropped nearly 300 pounds from previous models.

For more information on the Cascada and Tracy Anderson’s guide to a Summer State of Mind, Click Here.

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

Why is Car buying Hard? Part 3: Financing

March 3, 2016Buick, Credit and Financing, GMCOzzie

In my previous two blogs, we covered two of the three components of what makes car buying difficult: price and trade in. The last piece of the puzzle is financing, which is the biggest variable in purchasing a vehicle and here’s why.

Every customer’s financing history is different. Maybe a customer has never bought a car before, has no credit history and needs a co-signer. Perhaps a customer had a very long, excellent credit history, then was laid off and forced to get a job at a significant salary reduction. Maybe a person has had steady employment for many years, recently got divorced and just doesn’t make a lot. The bottom line is that each person’s needs in regards to financing are different.

Whether you have a good financial history including paying off creditors on time & every month, your monthly income and how many outstanding balances you have, all affect your credit score. Make no mistake, a customer’s credit score is the biggest component of financing.

A car dealer’s relationship with its lenders is also important. If a Fort Worth dealer has been in business for many years, they probably have a good rapport with their financial lenders, often making it easier to get a customer approved. Dealers who work with several banks might be able to offer a wider variety of financial programs to accommodate the array of customers’ financial situations. This will benefit the the shopper immensely.

Want to know the foolproof way to get better financing? Make a larger down payment. The simple fact is the more money you can put down on a car or SUV, the less that will have to be financed. The less you have to finance, the easier it will be to get approved.

Here’s a good video to check out:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxTIUY2mlt0

But no matter what your situation, a good dealership treats every customer how they would like to be taken care of: with respect. Remember that the next time you’re car shopping.

News Wire: 2016 Buick Regal, LaCrosse Get Android Auto Update

March 1, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

2016 Buick Regal, LaCrosse Get Android Auto Update. © General Motors.

Software update now available for owners of compatible models

DETROIT – Buick is now offering Android Auto^TM compatibility via software update to U.S. owners who purchased a 2016 model year Regal or LaCrosse model equipped with an eight-inch IntelliLink system. The update is available now exclusively through Buick dealers.

Earlier this year, Buick announced it will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in the 2016 LaCrosse and Regal, with Apple CarPlay included as standard equipment from the start of the model year and Android Auto available later. Customers who purchased those vehicles and use Android phones will now have the same level of smart, simple smartphone integration.

“Innovation at Buick means investing in features that contribute to the well-being of our customers, meaning features that contribute to a better in-vehicle experience,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick and GMC Sales, Service and Marketing. “Our commitment to Android Auto is such a strong proof-point of that strategy and we’re delighted to make it available to new and existing Buick customers.”

Buick’s availability of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will continue to expand this year with the arrivals of new products to the brand’s showrooms. For the 2017 model year, availability will include the Regal and the all-new LaCrosse, as well as the Envision compact crossover and redesigned Encore small SUV.

Android Auto requires a phone running the Android Lollipop 5.0 operating system or higher, while Apple CarPlay requires an iPhone 5 or later. The user interfaces themselves are designed and developed by Apple (for Apple CarPlay) and Google (for Android Auto).

Compatible third-party apps need to be downloaded to a phone before using. Apple and Google’s privacy statements and terms of use apply. Data rates will also apply.

Read the entire article on Buick.com

News Wire: Buick Verano Named Industry’s Most Dependable Vehicle

February 24, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

J.D. Power Dependability Study SM ranks Buick third overall

DETROIT – Buick today was recognized in the J.D. Power 2016 Vehicle Dependability Study^SM(VDS), coming in third overall with the Buick Verano outperforming every other model as the industry’s most dependable vehicle.

Sixty percent of the brand’s 2013 models ranked highest in their respective segments. In addition to theBuick Verano topping the Compact Car segment, the Buick LaCrosse was recognized as the segment leader in the Large Car segment for the second year in a row. The brand’s top-selling vehicle, the Buick Encore, ranked highest in the Small SUV segment.

“Buick’s ranking is a demonstration of our mission to provide the best in reliability, quality and customer service,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick. “As we enter an exciting year of vehicle launches, we will show both new and returning customers that quality continues to be a top priority for the brand.”

The J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study^SM (VDS) examines owner-reported problems in the past 12-months by original owners of 3-year-old vehicles. With its most recent J.D. Power accolade, the 2013 Buick Encore has now been recognized in all three studies for which it is eligible, including awards in the Initial Quality Study (IQS) and the Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study for the Sub-Compact CUV segment.

Last year, Buick ranked highest among mass market brands for the second consecutive year in the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Customer Service Index Study^SM.

Read the entire article on Buick.com!

First-Ever Buick Super Bowl Ad Features Odell Beckham Jr. and Emily Ratajkowski

January 26, 2016BuickOzzie

(This article originally appeared on Buick.com)

Odell Beckham, Jr, Emily Ratajkowski, and the new Cascada convertible on the set of Buick’s first Super Bowl commercial. © General Motors.

Latest “Experience the New Buick” ad spotlights new Cascada convertible

DETROIT – Buick’s first-ever Super Bowl ad will bring the brand’s award-winning “Experience the New Buick” campaign to the biggest night in TV advertising. The campaign launched in 2014 and challenges consumers’ false perceptions of the brand.

The 30-second spot, scheduled to air during Super Bowl 50, features Buick’s all-new Cascada luxury convertible and stars New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and actress/model Emily Ratajkowski.

The spot will be the first new Buick commercial to air in 2016, a year where the brand will launch three new products.

The Cascada, Buick’s first convertible in 25 years, arrives in dealerships in the coming weeks. It features anathletic and sculptural beauty that delivers a distinctive profile, whether the top is up or down.

Along with the perception-shifting Cascada, Buick showrooms will soon feature a redesigned LaCrosse sedan and the new Envision, a compact crossover. Both go on sale this summer.

“With sales surpassing 1.2 million vehicles globally for the first time ever in 2015, the Buick brand has never been stronger,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president, Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. “Super Bowl 50 represents a perfect opportunity for us to showcase our newest vehicles in a spot that delivers a mix of light-hearted humor and star-power to a global audience of millions of consumers.”

“We wanted talent that represented attributes of the Buick brand and design philosophy,” Aldred said. “For Buick, Odell Beckham Jr. represents unique talent and commitment to excellence that mirrors Buick’s commitment to performance. Emily Ratajkowski brings style which aligns with the Cascada’s design and adventurous spirit.”

Read the entire article on Buick.com!