Wouldn't you really like to have a Buick, a Buick, A Buick?!

[teleman1]

One bitchen set of wheels!

The Buick Roadmaster Tom Cruise drove in 'Rain Man' is up for sale

It wasn't exactly "The Fast and the Furious" — pretty much the opposite — but the 1988 Oscar winning film "Rain Man" featured cars as an integral part of the story. And the movie's most famous car, a 1949 Buick Roadmaster, is up for auction.

www.cnn.com

 

[JL_LI]

I’m not into old junk, cars or guitars. I know other folks are so I apologize for my snarky attitude. But I have even less use for a new Buick. The brand has been reduced to being a purveyor of unexciting copies of other unexiciting tall wagons. They’re not really SUV’s. There’s no sport about them and little utility in a cumbersome tall wagon.

 

[HoodieMcFoodie]

One bitchen set of wheels!

The Buick Roadmaster Tom Cruise drove in 'Rain Man' is up for sale

It wasn't exactly "The Fast and the Furious" — pretty much the opposite — but the 1988 Oscar winning film "Rain Man" featured cars as an integral part of the story. And the movie's most famous car, a 1949 Buick Roadmaster, is up for auction.

www.cnn.com

That was an interesting article. Thanks for sharing. Old cars are cool.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Those old Buicks, most of 'em were smooth riding, smooth running to the extreme.

 

[Tonetele]

They used a Buick block but made a General Motors head here and called it a Holden. Not so successful. A huge plant was closed down.

 

[naveed211]

I’ve always associated Buicks with people aged like 75-85. That or like a 16 year old’s first car being a beat-to-hell one. I know enthusiasts in between those ages exist, but that’s just how I view the brand.

I’m shocked when I see soccer moms driving around Buick SUVs today. Like, really, you have all these options and you bought a Buick?

 

[Telekarster]

I'd own one in a heartbeat if I had a place to put it! LOL!!! I'd also have my 57 Olds Rocket 88 again too

 

[Skyhook]

They used a Buick block but made a General Motors head here and called it a Holden. Not so successful. A huge plant was closed down.

Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in 45 degrees

 

[pbenn]

The GM ladder in the ‘40s to ‘60s ranged Chev, Pontiac, Olds, Buick, Cadillac, and the top model of one roughly equalled the stripper of the next higher brand.

There was prestige in moving up, but some real value, too. A longer wheelbase meant the ride was more impressive right out of the showroom. Americans liked to “drive their couches”. More time spent in assembly to put insulation in hidden body areas. And better engineering (and a richer owner) meant the expensive cars lasted longer.

Rivalry was intense between GM makes in the ‘50s. Both Buick and Olds had engineered new ohv V8s, and proprietary automatic transmissions.

However from what I read, the Olds automatic was more efficient and quicker than the Buick Dynaflow.

I wonder if the 1955 Cali Highway Patrol Buick Centurys were manual trans? And more chilling, stock ’55 Buick brakes?

Edit: I forgot how good the ‘60s Buick V6 was. A great engine design.

 

[stormsedge]

The Roadmasters are great. But, my coinage and street pounding memories would probably find me looking at something like a '65 Riviera or a '67 GS...my Dad had examples of both when I was a kid.

 

[imwjl]

My mother had legit reasons to like the brand based on her age and a few 1940s to 1972 Buicks that really were premium vehicles in their day. When the Enclave came out she bought one mostly for grandkids and remembering when her long ago Estate Wagon was a top car among all, as well as knowing GM was hurting. Well, that car was a POS.

When the dash electronics failed a third time just out of warranty and got no help she was furious over family loyalty from 1930s through early 2000s and moved to Acura and BMW products.

@JL_LI Buick sold a really great Opel based wagon for a short while in recent years. Sadly nearly all wagons are dead in the US, and they sold Opel but that platform lives on in Stellantis.

Competition is so strong in the car industry that I don't know what a Buick is for these days. I commend GM for the electric efforts and generally better stuff but now the Koreans make great cars, and mid-level Japan brands are so good they make a lot of other purchases kind of silly or a vanity thing.

We love driving our German car but my wife's high trim Toyota and experience with Outbacks make them hard to beat if you have the rational thinking cap on.

 

[Whatizitman]

I’m not into old junk, cars or guitars. I know other folks are so I apologize for my snarky attitude. But I have even less use for a new Buick. The brand has been reduced to being a purveyor of unexciting copies of other unexiciting tall wagons. They’re not really SUV’s. There’s no sport about them and little utility in a cumbersome tall wagon.

Well, when you put it that way, it makes Buick seem kinda cool. In a misunderstood teenage outcast kinda way.

 

[Whatizitman]

Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in 45 degrees

OK now it makes sense to my yank brain. Thanks!

 

[Stringbanger]

Buicks are well known for their ornate grills, and I think the ‘41 was the coolest.

 

[Skyhook]

OK now it makes sense to my yank brain. Thanks!

Just about what I thought when I read that car thing except it was Finn Brain for me.

 

[Recce]

I’m not into old junk, cars or guitars. I know other folks are so I apologize for my snarky attitude. But I have even less use for a new Buick. The brand has been reduced to being a purveyor of unexciting copies of other unexiciting tall wagons. They’re not really SUV’s. There’s no sport about them and little utility in a cumbersome tall wagon.

I actually have two Buicks. Both are cars not SUVs. I am guessing you have never seen a Cascada? But, you know, you can drive the unexciting vehicle of your choice.
I also have a LaCrosse. I think unexciting probably fits. So does comfortable, smooth and reliable.

 

[mexicanyella]

The Roadmasters are great. But, my coinage and street pounding memories would probably find me looking at something like a '65 Riviera or a '67 GS...my Dad had examples of both when I was a kid.

View attachment 944933
View attachment 944934

If I could hit the like button 500 times, I would...I really like Buick and Oldsmobile versions of the GM sporty platforms. Those two pictured are beauties. An older guy in my grandma’s neighborhood had a ‘66ish (?) Olds Toronado, with the big block and TH400-based automatic transaxle and FWD. Pretty cool and distinctive set of wheels.

One of my first cars was a ‘75 Regal 2-door...not as sexy as those pics ^^^ but I thought it was one of the nicer looking mid 70s GM offerings. And it served me well despite having lots of miles and me being a brake-torquing, gravel road-sliding dumbass.

 

[jfgesquire]

More information than you'll ever want or need.

Buick Regal and Regal TourX.

The last Buick badged sedans and wagons, but made by Opel. Only 3 years and very few imported.

GM sold Opel so the car was later being marketed in Europe by a different parent and continues to be sold as the Opel Insignia.

Oddly, GM is still stamping out identical sheet metal in China as a Buick Regal. I think it's a unique time in history when two different companies are making and selling near identical cars.

Loading…

gmauthority.com

Opel is branded as Vauxhall in the UK

Vauxhall Insignia Review 2022 | Top Gear

Ticks every cost-effective box, and quite refined. Still tricky to be enthusiastic about, though

www.topgear.com

 

[dougstrum]

Had a '55 Buick, probably the one car I truly regret selling~

 

[Killing Floor]

we used to call the Roadmaster “birth control “.