This car seems to be similar but even better. I kind of want to try one out now – under the radar, indeed. Hope Buick gets it perfect one day. This gives me a bit of hope.

The Buick dealer offered a better price to the CHP, which had been buying Olds 88’s from an LA Olds dealer since 1950. The dealer sold Buicks to the CHP at $200.00 below the invoice price. $200.00 was a lot of money back then. The Olds and Buick’s were two door sedans, not four doors, nor two door Hardtops.

How do I know this? My family owned the Olds dealership that originally had the CHP contract.

Remember the old TV show ‘Highway Patrol’ starring Broderick Crawford? Episodes shot prior to 1955 have Olds 88’s, 1955 and later episodes featured Buicks.

btw: When I look at a 2008 Buick LaCrosse, what I see is a gussied up 1996 Regal with a fugly grille.

You can dress a pig up to look glamorous, but underneath, it’s still the same old pig.

Frank Williams: Here’s the original Buick code: Go back to the introduction of the portholes in 1949.

The Special and Super had three port holes, the Roadmaster had four (no Century models till 1954).

If Buick had not cheapened the Century badge in recent years, that name would have been a great choice. It originated in the 30’s to brag about the Century’s ability to do a hundred. In 1955, the California Highway Patrol bought only Buick Centuries because they were good pursuit vehicles.

Come to think of it, maybe Buick would be smart to offer a LaCrosse in a law enforcement package. Good (and cheap) image-changing marketing.

GM on the otherhand has spent the last 20 years short-shafting their mid-sized and full-sized sedan and it clearly show in the lackluster designs and quality. The LaCrosse is best made use of as a premium retnal car. Renting one of these would be a please until you spend a couple of hours with GMs piss-poor ergonomics.

Is there a prize for most sheet metal forward of the front wheels? If so, would this car win it?

http://www.reynolds1915.com/VehicleDetails/989934644

They do lose their value quickly.

Now if GM would actually advertise it. Honestly, I keep up on ‘car things’ and I didn’t know it existed until I read this review.

GM, please, if you are going to build something worth selling…sell it!

That aside, for driving enthusiasts the discontinued Pontiac is the way to go. It handles surprisingly well for a powerful front-driver–and much better than the Impala SS. I haven’t driven the Buick, but assume it handles much more like the Chevy than the Pontiac.

Sadly, none of these cars are included yet in TrueDelta’s reliability survey. The people who buy them aren’t terribly active online.

http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php

It’s a pity because the 3.6 liter V-6 sounds like the engine to get. They must need them for all of their Enclave/Acadia/Outlook crossovers and Malibu/Aura mid-size cars.

Also, you didn’t mention the cramped rear seat in such a large and heavy car. And it seems pricey for what you get for the money. But then, you can look forward to big discounts, I’m sure.

Then again, GM has been selling cars at cost for years in order to push their trucks…

Seriously, who would by a Buick that wouldn’t buy a Lexus? The same old farts that buy these cars are the same old farts that want a vehicle that they can pass down when the Will’s being read.

Well, I like my Manhattans up, so that was never a problem for me. Must say I appreciate quiet. Most of my driving is hour long chunks. I used to take asprin before hopping into our ‘84 Jetta. There wasnt a surface or component of the dashboard that didnt rattle on that car.

you can’t get the Super with a front bench seat, but you can get the lesser LaCrosse’s with a front bench seat.

you better act quick though if you want one with a front bench seat. they are selling out QUICK!*

*(please note sarcasm)

Brand is all.

I like Vettes..and as I’m so often reminded..it’s a Chevy.
I also like the Acadia, CTS, GTO and Lucerne (for what it is).

Nope, but you can get one in the Lucerne.

Also, what is up with that completely flat dash? Straight out of the 70’s. Is there a version of this car with a bench front seat perhaps?