One of MANY. But the main reason was it was just time to move on to something smaller. I had an incident in a parking lot several months ago (not an accident per se, but an unseen curb-protrusion over the long hood) which convinced me it was time to downsize.

Listen, I myself was as surprised as anyone. I normally keep a car 5-6 years, and the Lacrosse is less than 4 years old (it was built in the summer of 2017). And I had waited many years to get another big Buick, for reasons I explained in past postings. Up till now, I wasn't too cool, in general, on small crossovers, either. But, life is never cast in stone. I also specifically liked the Encore GX...all except for the dinky powerplants, and, with my driving conditions, I can live with those....like I said, life is not set in stone, even with vehicles.

I might even keep the Lacrosse for a while after the Encore comes in.....haven't decided yet.
And, I'm getting more like bitkahuna.....no idea what my next vehicle will be, especially long-term. The Encore GX could (?) even be my last gas-powered vehicle (we'll see) if enough recharging outlets are installed in my area.....I don't currently (no pun intended) have one at my house because of the way the condo is designed.

 

That's the thing--when JCP eliminated the coupons, customers weren't getting a worse deal. They changed the pricing so that all customers got the low price without scrambling for coupons. But the psychology of not "getting a deal" turned customers away. And that's what GM has done to itself.

 

This means that people who bought the car have opinions about what they like and don't like, and GM acted on it. Good for them. Everyone has something they like or don't like about a car after they buy it--reasonable or not.

It does not mean that any of those features went into a purchase decision on the front end.

 

many retailers have the same issue. bed, bath, and beyond has stayed in business (barely) with their "20%" off coupons they shower on everyone. however, those coupons have killed their business requiring them to put artificially high prices on goods knowing the 20% will be lopped off at the counter. it's a death spiral.

the reason being their were influenced by marketing into believing the discount meant it's a "good deal".

when was the last time you bought something in a JC Penney?

stores like walmart and target do the "every day low prices" approach which doesn't commit them to coupons, and it's a far better strategy. of course they have in store specials but that keeps them in control and the end cap and other specials are extremely sophisticated in their implementation to either get people to buy 'deals' that aren't really 'deals' or because they're positioned where buyers will be influenced to buy other things nearby or on the way to and from the special items, etc.

maybe you don't know, but there's a reason jc penney is in BANKRUPTCY

https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterl.../#54a5da413ee3

 

A couple of weeks ago...for the Gold Toe Large/Extended-size socks that I like (remember, in my auto-reviews, how I mention my big size-15 shoes and how they adapt to the gas/brake-pedal location?) I'm on my way to Penny's Big & Tall shop again today or tomorrow for a new pair of casual-pants.



Walmart and Target do have good prices (and I often shop there)...but, in some cases, Penney's, with coupons, can undercut them.

Of course I do. If you think back, I was the one who first did a CLUBHOUSE thread on J.C. Penney's upcoming bankrupcy.

People are simply shopping more on-line today....both for convenience and COV-ID. That's why many mall-stores are closing. I shop on line when I have to, if something I want or need is not available in the local store, but prefer not to shop that way, particularly for clothes, which I need to try on before buying.



Oh, and, BTW......somehow, we all got off-topic.

 

so when are you getting your new vehicle?

 

December, supposedly. It has to come from Korea, and their Trailblazer/Encore GX plant is a little late in starting up 2021 production.

You and I go through this every few years, though (in my case, 4-6 years)....so, for us, probably no big deal. I'm glad for Jill, though, that, after all this time of struggling with older used vehicles and a number of breakdowns/repairs, she and her husband are finally getting something brand-new, right out of the factory...and one of the most durable vehicles on the road, to boot.

 

seems they always buy new... they just keep them a very long time.

 

Just as I expected (and predicted), the GX has become Buick's best-selling American model. Some here disagreed with me when I made that statement months ago.....said it would not happen.

https://maynardsgarage.com/2020/10/2...ick-encore-gx/



Also, on a different note, it is very difficult to judge this vehicle strictly from the published reviews and videos...and I have checked out MANY of them, as new ones are coming out each day. They are literally all over the place with this vehicle...perhaps more so than with any other modern vehicle I can remember. As usual, Alex Dykes probably gives the best and most thorough review, but it seems like most of the reviewers simply can't agree on a lot of things about it....the vehicle is quite polarizing. They can't agree if the interior is plush/well-built or cheap, if the road-noise level is high or low, if there is too much wind-noise or not, if the engine has adequate power (and at what RPMs), if there is too much noise/vibration in the engine, if the cargo area is roomy or not, if the seats are comfortable or not, if the controls are well-designed, or if the ride-comfort is soft or firm. Almost every review comes up with a different opinion on if the vehicle is worth what it costs or not. There are a few things, though, that the majority of reviewers do seem to agree on.....that it is maneuverable and easy to park, that the fold-flat feature for the right front seat is a very handy feature for carrying long narrow items (up to 8 feet long), that it is bettter-looking (and better-sized) than the original Encore, and that it's one of GM's best efforts yet in providing a lot of features (and safety-features) at a relatively low price.

But, IMO, the best way to check this vehicle out is to ignore most of the reviews and simply go look at it, examine it, and see for yourself. You will either be impressed with it or you won't. Me...I was, except for the power plants....and simply accepting the fact that one is not buying a soft-riding Lacrosse.

 

I feel like you, buying a car I never had in mind. Since my ‘98 GS400 I have driven long wheel base Audi A8s since 2005. I fully expected to get myself a D5 series A8L (or perhaps the BMW 7 series) and I recently dropped to a short wheelbase Volvo S90. Still a luxury car for sure, but I considered all sorts of vehicles, even the Mazda CX-5 SUV. Recently we purchased my daughter a CPO ‘16 Buick Envision Preferred II and I have been crazy impressed with the vehicle. The luxury features, the ride, the cargo/passenger capacity in a smallish vehicle really made me question why I haven’t considered such a car for myself. Things change and we end up changing our car needs/priorities as we get older.

 

You will be surprised (and I see you are, already) at how circumstances, desires, and necessities can change....sometimes very quickly.

Congratulations on the 2016 Envision. Hope your daughter is enjoying it. Though I would have preferred American or Korean manufacture (South Korea is our ally), the Envision was the first mass-produced vehicle, from a Chinese plant, to be imported into the U.S. market for sale, and proved to the American public that the Chinese could produce a vehicle in their plants that was as well-assembled as anything we've seen coming from any other country. The only quirk I remember from my first review of one was a somewhat weird smell inside instead of the usual new-car aroma.

I agree with you that the Envision was probably a better buy than the CX-5. Despite Mazda's reputation for Driving Dynamics, I wasn't that terribly impressed with the last CX-5, particularly the way they did the gauges/warning lights.

BTW, just for the record (and there's a couple of Car Chat threads on it), an all-new 2021 Second-Generation Envision is coming next year, which will be larger, more refined, and more sophisticated than the first one. I briefly considered waiting for the new Envision, but decided that the Encore GX's size, features, and (especially) the traditional shifter was more in line with my needs.

 

^Thats more along the lines of what I thought you would order, Mike.

 

Yeah that’s much more appealing IMO

 

I considered one, but decided no. After years of driving a standard-supsension/tire Lacrosse, the new Envision probably wouldn't be any more comfortable in the Cush-department, first-year GM products can be notoriously risky (that's why I'm waiting for the second-year 2021 Encore GX), the new Envision will have an electronic shifter (I much prefer a traditional fore/aft lever), and the Encore GX's size is more in line with my needs. I don't live in a big single-family house/driveway and nice garage like you and your wife.....I have to deal, every day and night, with narrow/crowded condo-spaces, packed malls/shopping-centers, and tight parking spaces.

And, except for the dinky power plant(s), I'm very impressed with what the Encore GX offers for the money.

 

I guess I am confused, because this thing is on the Blazer platform, right? Or is it on the Traverse? I agree the Traverse is big, its actually larger in interior volume or cargo volume (I can't remember which) than a Tahoe. So if the Envision is based off that, I could see the size being an issue. But it looks blazer sized. The Encore/GX is based of the Chevy Trax, correct?