We shall see if it will work. I think it's a gimmick. It gives the buyer more time to talk themselves out it.

 

ludicrous statement if you've sat in a grand cherokee summit like mine.

o'rly? i checked out macan, cayenne and mb models before getting my jgc. price was a factor but wasn't the only factor. i have enormous respect for those other brands though.

oh boy. i don't consider lexus a "tier 1 luxury brand" actually and notice you didn't mention them when dissing the jeep. but obviously jeep only has the grand cherokee higher end models as a luxury vehicle, so it's definitely not a luxury brand overall nor does it claim to be.

but when people buy stripped bmw 228i that ain't a luxury car either, sold under what is consdered a luxury brand. that's why i pretty much ignore brands.

agreed.

i know someone with tons of money who just got a gc srt and is in heaven.

back to buick and 24 test drive... obviously they're struggling some, and this is a decent promo to get people considering one.

 

Buick really needs to hurry up on the midsize Envision CUV to spur sales. Unfortunately its not slated to arrive Stateside until next year, and not before the Cascada convertible based off the Opel Cascada in Europe also joins the line-up. CUVs are a hot commodity right now. They'd do themselves a favor bringing the Envision first

 

^ Seriously, what is wrong with GM management? I didn't realize they already had a midsize Buick SUV they sold in China and other markets. Sell it here, this has only been the hottest vehicle segment in this country for the past 5-6 years now.

 

That was not the point at all. You are trying to match up, model by model, each car in Buick's lineup, and then pick another make that sells all the exact same types of cars. And you can't do it, so your conclusion is that there is no true competitor to Buick. That just doesn't make any sense, and I provided examples.

NO--that is NOT what you said. You said that people don't cross-shop Jeep and Porsche. And I provided a specific, concrete example where that would not be true.

Again--Jeep sells a WIDE RANGE of cars. The Renegade is not at all like the GC SRT. So comparing the Jeep brand to the Porsche brand is meaningless. No one is going to cross shop a Mercedes CLA250 with a Lexus LS460--but Lexus and MB are "competitors" as BRANDS. "Chevy" isn't a "competitor" to Porsche as a brand, but you cannot argue with a straight face that a Corvette would not be a "competitor" to a Boxster/Cayman/911 (depending on which model). People don't cross shop BRANDS--most people don't purchase the entire lineup of an automaker. They cross-shop CARS.

But branding is more than just company branding. Only recently has Cadillac been putting out actual good competitive cars. But the Escalade has been a sales success from day one. That's the Escalade branding, not the Cadillac branding. Just because you would consider an Escalade or GC SRT, or whatever, doesn't mean that you are sold on the entire brand's lineup. All it says is that you are sold on that car.

Do I think that all my neighbors with Buick Enclaves are going to go purchase a Lacrosse or Regal as their second car? Hell no--I hardly see any of those in my neighborhood (except in front of houses with in-law suites).

 

According to the MT article, the last time GM did this it proved successful for them. If these numbers are accurate I would think the Buick brand should see some increased sales from it. How much? Who knows but probably worth a shot. Might be kind of PITA for the dealers to handle though.

"When GM previously offered a similar promotion, over 500,000 extended test drives were generated during the year it ran. Nearly 190,000 sales were also attributed to the campaign, according to Automotive News. However, Buick's program will have an evaluation after three months to see if it will become a long-term offer."

 

Likewise, it could give them more time to talk themselves INTO it.

 

What isn't a gimmick in the world of car sales and marketing? There's nothing bad with having confidence in your product--give us a try, and we are convinced you will like our product.

 

maybe you're not considering the fact that china is a HUGE market and Buick is a HUGE leader there, so best to lead in your best market, no?

 

And it may be built to China's safety, emissions and local market specs that may not be profitable to modify to meet US specs, specially crash worthiness and California emissions.

 

From a corporate standpoint GM might figure they have the Equinox and if a buyer wants to go a bit more upscale they have the GMC Terrain in the same showroom as Buick. Not a sale for the Buick brand but a GM offering nonetheless.

 

Im still not understanding why a 24 hour test drive is marketed as a big deal.

Shouldnt any good-for-something dealer work with a prospective buyer to make sure they can sample the vehicle for something other than a 15 minute test drive?

And I had zero problem walking back into the Acura dealer, handing them the keys to the TLX that they loaned us for 2 days and said "sorry, we dont like it". They also had no problem hearing that....it is what it is.

 

I think most people just assume they only get a 30min test drive. Absolutely if you want extended time, just sign a BCA (Borrowed Car Agreement) with the dealer. Because as stated in earlier posts, 30 minutes really doesn't tell you what it would be like to LIVE with the car. Taking it home, making sure it fits into the garage, making sure the wifey signs off on it etc..

 

It usually does for me, but that's because I'm single, don't have a family, don't have a garage, and am long-used to test-driving vehicles. Perhaps, for those not used to it or who have to make sure the car will fit the home and family OK, more than that amount of time would be needed.

 

That is true, I forgot GMC and Buick sell through the same dealer network. Still, I think the market is hot enough that they could sell both in the same showroom, even if they overlap on price. Keep in mind they sell the Acadia and Enclave in the same showroom and haven't had a problem.

Somebody else said it will arrive in this country next year. I never have understood why it takes GM so freaking long to role out model variants to the US when they've been on sale in other markets for 1-3 model years(same thing with the Regal, Opel had that car out a good 3 years before we got it)