Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Buick Enclave

[Autos_Editor]

The Buick Enclave may not be your first thought for a big crossover, but it should be on your shopping list.

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[Gardiner Westbound]

So should you wait for the 2013 model or go with the cheaper 2012 model?

You can often get a better buy on a new car left over from the previous model year, but it will depreciate like a year old one. At resale or trade-in time it will have a like value to same year cars though you bought it later. Purchasers retaining vehicles more than five years are less impacted.

[mixmanmash]

So should you wait for the 2013 model or go with the cheaper 2012 model?

You can often get a better buy on a new car left over from the previous model year, but it will depreciate like a year old one. At resale or trade-in time it will have a like value to same year cars though you bought it later. Purchasers retaining vehicles more than five years are less impacted.

True.  I bought my current daily driver brand new when it was over a year old.  Dealership lost track and discovered they had 2002 models left over in the summer of 2003 with an all-new 2004 model due to arrive shortly in the showroom.  I bought my car for the price 1 year old units were going for but with 20000kms less mileage and full warranty.  It was a no brainer.

And the fact that I am still driving it shows the depreciation has not impacted me.  Plus it is pretty much financially valueless with over 300000kms, despite there still being lots of life.  The only value is driving it till it's dead.

[Fobroader]

Our neighbor across the street has one of these beasties. Nice enough SUV but her husband says that the awd is quite an unintelligent system. He said even with snow tires, whenever it is slippery out the vehicle is always caught out, going sideways or having a hell of a time leaving a slippery intersection. There is a 4 way stop at the top of a hill by our house, she had a hell of a time getting out of there last winter.

[Blueprint]

My wife was crazy about the Enclave's look (in Cocoa), so we had a look at it last July when we started shopping for a replacement for our 2003 Odyssey.  As soon as I popped open the trunk, she said "that's WAY too small!".  The numbers don't tell the whole story.  A standard-size suitcase barley fits flat behind the 3rd row, and you can't put another one in without flipping part of the 3rd row.  Supermarket baskets have to be put sideways, so you'd have to stack groceries.  Not good.  How can something so big have a subcompact trunk?

Irony is, having settled on a new Odyssey, we vacationed with a rental Traverse LT 4wd, cheaper but otherwise identical to its platform-mate, and had to Tetris the luggage in with part of the 3rd row down.  The beast was a good turnpike cruiser, but after 2500km of tolled interstates, we only managed a displayed 12.1l/100km.

The natural superiority of minivans:

A Labor-Day trio to Boston with the new Ody netted us a 9.2 l/100km, even saw 8.9 at the posted speed, and all luggage was behind 3rd row, including my tax-break souvenirs : 4 oem steel wheels and wheel covers.  In boxes.  Luggage on top of the Honda boxes, everything was still below the seatback.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

It seems like very third house around here has an Enclave or RX350, with a few MDXs and SRXs thrown in for good measure.

[Fobroader]

It seems like very third house around here has an Enclave or RX350, with a few MDXs and SRXs thrown in for good measure.

Around here, the stepford wives prefer the MDX and the RX350, with a spatter of MB ML's and X5s.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Around here, the stepford wives prefer the MDX and the RX350, with a spatter of MB ML's and X5s.

Now that you mention those last two, I think there's only one ML350 Bluetec or whatever it's called. I don't think I've seen any of the X BMWs here. There are a few fairly new 3 series, but apparently no love for the Xs.

Now the newer subdivision a bit farther east has a few more Xs. Houses there run $500k++.

[bridgecity]

It seems like very third house around here has an Enclave or RX350, with a few MDXs and SRXs thrown in for good measure.

Around here, the stepford wives prefer the MDX and the RX350, with a spatter of MB ML's and X5s.

You lucky guys.  My neighbourhood is splattered with 5 year old Equinox's and 10 year old Chevy Uplanders  .

[Jaeger]

For some reason, I've always really liked this bulbous beast.

[PhiDelt]

I would take an Acura MDX over this in a second, for pretty much the same price.

[Fobroader]

It seems like very third house around here has an Enclave or RX350, with a few MDXs and SRXs thrown in for good measure.

Around here, the stepford wives prefer the MDX and the RX350, with a spatter of MB ML's and X5s.

You lucky guys.  My neighbourhood is splattered with 5 year old Equinox's and 10 year old Chevy Uplanders  .

Oh dont worry, we have enough welfare cruisers around the neighborhood, clapped out, rusting minivans, Sunflowers/Cavaliers that have seen better days and this one kid who drives this rez wagon Ranger likes hes Tanner Faust at the drifting nationals.

[safristi]

seems like the "ENCLAVE" ya lives in determines yer RIDE....WOODATHUNK.....

[sacrat]

[/quote]
You lucky guys.  My neighbourhood is splattered with 5 year old Equinox's    .
[/quote]

Equinii ?!

Like Jaeger, I also have a soft spot for these. However, I can't explain why '79 T-Birds still look good to me 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Like Jaeger, I also have a soft spot for these. However, I can't explain why '79 T-Birds still look good to me 

Welp. That makes two of us (that can't explain it). 

[safristi]

"soft spot?"...musta been from banging yer head in the rear and on the Opera windows.................

[sailor723]

I test drove one of these last year. One thing that struck me was how useless the rear seats were for anyone other than children. A cramped third row I can see but the captains chairs in the second row were so low that an adult would have their knees up around their chin. My wife summed it up when she remarked that it's a huge vehicle that really only has comfortable seats for two adults.