I will be looking to replace my 2004 Chevy Tracker one of these days/weeks/months/years because…well, it’s 15 years old, and who knows how much time it has left. I plan to run it until repairs become too expensive to justify making them in a car so old. Anyhow, I have had and know of people who have had Buicks like, forever, before they quit running, but that may or may not be because they had Oldsmobile engines in them, and Olds cars used to run forever, too. I’m wondering, since Buick stopped putting Oldsmobile engines in them, are they still as reliable as they were when they did have the Olds engines in them? I am interested in the Buick Encore in particular. I know it’s a relatively newer model, but would anyone recommend it for safety, convenience, and dependability? Anything negative that should be considered before purchasing?
You don’t say if you want new or used . The safety factor between vehicles these days is so small it is not even worth worrying about. Not sure where the thought that Oldsmobile engines were that much better than Buick engines . Just buy what you find that meets your needs .
All the engines are GM engines. There hasn’t been an actual Oldsmobile engine since 1980.
Thank you for your response. I am looking to buy a used car; two or three years old with low mileage. I’m more interested in longevity. I’m afraid I may not have made my point clear that I feel the reason the older Buicks lasted a long time is because they used Oldsmobile engines in them, and as most of us probably know, Oldsmobile stopped production several years ago. That probably means no more Oldsmobile engines are going into Buicks. I am wondering if the newer Buick engines are no longer superior because they no longer have Oldsmobile engines in them.
Laurie, start with Consumer Reports quality ratings. Oldsmobile is a dead brand. Most Buicks are now imports and have been for a decade.
You can drop that idea because it was never valid in the first place. Also vehicle manufacturing is a global endeavor because parts are sourced from all over the world. And no one can say any used vehicle of any brand is reliable across the board . That is why the common response here is after you find something have a mechanic look it over for a fee of about 125.00 for problems.
Don’t know your price range but there are many very good new vehicles with warranty for used vehicle prices .
As was already stated, the concept of engines that are exclusive to one model of GM cars hasn’t been true for… decades.
Well, if you are one of those people who are interested in buying a Buick because it is an “American” car, you just might find its place of manufacture to be a negative. Depending on the luck of the draw, a 2017 Buick Encore might have been manufactured in South Korea, or it might have been manufactured in Communist China. None are manufactured in The US, or even in other North American locations.
Please read these details regarding this “American” vehicle:
If you continue to maintain the Tracker, which was actually made by Suzuki, it is extremely reliable. I frequently see them for sale, still running, with over a quarter of a million miles.
The idea that Buick was buying Oldsmobile engines because they were more reliable is just not trure
GM was interchanging small block V8s almost willy nilly when going to the Corporate engine structure’ A friend lived across te court from me and he liked the large GM rear drive station wagons, He had a Buick with the 305 Chevy engine, a Chevy with the 307 Olds engine and an Oldsmobile with the 301 Pontiac engine. I don’t know about longevity but the 307 Olds was his least favorite of the bunch.
Did you know that the famed 1955 Chevy small block with the stamped lightweight rocker arms on push in studs that the automotive world thought was such a great design, was designed by Pontiac? GMs divisions used ti have different engine designs except the 49 Olds and Cadillac were similar except for size but GM thought so highly of the Pontiac design that they forced them to share it with Chevy.
Laurie, I think your basic premise is correct. You have great luck with a brand, so you want to stick with it. The sad thing is, that went by the wayside, especially this century. I have friends (and a relative) who love the Buick. The problem is, none of them have bought in the last 6 years, and the new ones are completely different.
I wish you well in your shopping. It’s really smart to begin before you actually need your next car.
I think the reviews are positive, but you should read for yourself. They are not powerful or have huge “trunk” space, but that is an owner preference thing. You could Google reliability ratings and get a better idea.
Thank you for your thoughtful responses everyone. I was interested in the Buick because they used to be notorious, at least in the circles I ran in, for longevity and reliability. However, I do realize that the times have changed, just as my hair is changing colors with age. Ha ha. That’s why I was asking for opinions from those with more knowledge about the newer ones than I have, as far as if they are still as reliable as they used to be. A car is a major purchase, and I want one that will, hopefully, last me for as many driving years as I have left, by the time I do have to get serious about replacing my Tracker. I am maintaining the Tracker, to try to keep it on the road as long as I can.
The main factor with lonegivity is how the car is driven and whether or not maintenance has been religious; and by religious I mean raising the hood ever couple of weeks and checking fluid levels.
Even with a late model/low miles car it should be carefully inspected. With so many cars being returned lease vehicles it’s quite possible to get a low miles car that is garbage. Many people who lease have no intention of spending one lousy dime on maintenance because they know in a year or two they’re just going to surrender it anyway and get another one to neglect.Try to find one with some verifiable records.
Years ago my parents had a 78 Caprice station wagon with over 400k miles on it and the engine in that one was an Olds. My oldest son’s 96 Camaro uses the Buick 3.8 although many think that it’s a “Chevy motor”.
And that is why you should use your time until you really have to purchase is to look at all the brand web sites . There are many vehicles that can be bought new with better loan rates then used. That eliminates buying a used vehicle that may not have had the care it should have.
We bought a 2018 Ford Fiesta hatchback new for less than 16000.00 and just made a 1500 hundred mile trip and we are not young.
Don’t limit your choices or depend on past stories that may or not be factual.
Probably has more to do with the clientele Buick tends to have. Older people who don’t put that many miles on their cars and are more likely to over-maintain them ( oil changes every 3 months even though they’ve only driven 1500 miles in those 3 months).
No, for the last 30+ years all GM brands use GM engines. With only a handful of exceptions, all the brands share corporately-designed engines. The Encore is basically a rebaged Opel that’s built in China. I wouldn’t want one, but that’s just my opinion.
One reason the older Buick’s May have a reputation for reliability is that many of them used the 3.8 liter v6 like my 2005 Lesabre. I think 2005 was the last year, but that motor is known to be pretty problem free. I don’t know where that engine series started its life. I’m sure it was in something as a cubic inch designated motor before it was known as a 3.8 liter or “3800”.