Topic: 2011 Buick Regal CXL; Day 1

[safristi]

.... the Dune Buggy on the RIGHT looks KOOL..................... ..SAFE AS HOUSES TOO........................

[dirtyjeffer]

I'll apologize in advance for this interruption in the Hyundai love-fest.

IIHS Awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/30/iihs-awards-2011-buick-regal-top-safety-pick/

that is good.

but in all fairness, the Sonata was also given a Top Safety Pick, over 6 months ago:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/18/iihs-names-2011-hyundai-sonata-a-top-safety-pick/

[dirtyjeffer]

People forgot these:

while i don't think Hyundai would ever "brag" about the Pony, Excel or Stellar, one needs to keep things in perspective.

The Pony was only $3000 brand new...the Excel was $4995 (i almost bought one myself) and the Stellar was $6995...at the time, the cheapest cars to compete were the Tempo/Topaz combos for $8995...so yes, perhaps the Pony wasn't the best car, but they were only $3000 brand new...if it last 5 years, who cares??...buy another one...most cars deprectiate that much anyway.

[CatsEye68]

How appropriate that the Stellar pic shows it accompanied by a tool box and a can of CTC Quick Start fluid.

[Equalizer]

People forgot these:

while i don't think Hyundai would ever "brag" about the Pony, Excel or Stellar, one needs to keep things in perspective.

The Pony was only $3000 brand new...the Excel was $4995 (i almost bought one myself) and the Stellar was $6995...at the time, the cheapest cars to compete were the Tempo/Topaz combos for $8995...so yes, perhaps the Pony wasn't the best car, but they were only $3000 brand new...if it last 5 years, who cares??...buy another one...most cars deprectiate that much anyway.

Correct, let's look at this perspective.......

2011 Buick Regal CXL
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $34,615

At that price you get;
Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

[CatsEye68]

Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

You must have tested the special "GM Hater Edition" to get that equipment.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

dirtyjeffer, the Stellar was over 10k in 1986.

My grandfather looked at one about that year. He bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra for not a whole lot more.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Correct, let's look at this perspective.......

2011 Buick Regal CXL
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $34,615

At that price you get;
Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

The first three aren't true (the new Legacy CVT and Accord SE are slower, for instance), and I don't buy my cars based on what other people like.

[dirtyjeffer]

dirtyjeffer, the Stellar was over 10k in 1986.

My grandfather looked at one about that year. He bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra for not a whole lot more.

well, you may be right, however, i seem to recall it was only a couple grand more than the Excel, but i can't find anything on it other than what you posted, so perhaps it was closer in price to a Tempo (which may be why the Tempo/Topaz sold so well...$9995 got you a 4 door with auto and air...although, you can get a new Cobalt, 4 door with auto and air for $14,500 right now AND 0% financing for 60 months...not a bad deal actually.

either way, my point stands about the Pony and Excel being cheap cars to buy, even if the Stellar isn't in that discussion.

[toolatecrew]

Correct, let's look at this perspective.......

2011 Buick Regal CXL
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $34,615

At that price you get;
Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

The first three aren't true (the new Legacy CVT and Accord SE are slower, for instance), and I don't buy my cars based on what other people like.

Yes it is according to the test drive.

A legacy CVT is a 25 K car not a 34K car as is an Accord SE

A 28 K Altima V6 is a full 2 seconds faster. Regal is SLOW

A 20K Nissan Juke is nearly 1 second faster..the Regal is slow.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Correct, let's look at this perspective.......

2011 Buick Regal CXL
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $34,615

At that price you get;
Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

The first three aren't true (the new Legacy CVT and Accord SE are slower, for instance), and I don't buy my cars based on what other people like.

Yes it is according to the test drive.

A legacy CVT is a 25 K car not a 34K car as is an Accord SE

A 28 K Altima V6 is a full 2 seconds faster. Regal is SLOW

A 20K Nissan Juke is nearly 1 second faster..the Regal is slow.

Your opinion, which is relevant only to you.

The base Regal is $32k.

The base Regal Turbo starts at $34k if 0-100 is that critical to you.

My Outback hits 100 in about 9.5. It was very close to $35k at the time.

The current Legacy when equipped the same as the Regal is about the same price. And it doesn't have nearly as nice an interior.

The Accord SE (177hp, is the new mid-trim level, $24k US ~$28k here) is almost a second slower to 100km/hr.

The $35k Mustang GT hits 100km/hr in 4.5 seconds. By that rational everything else is a dog.

[Equalizer]

dirtyjeffer, the Stellar was over 10k in 1986.

My grandfather looked at one about that year. He bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra for not a whole lot more.

So the Oldsmobile (and Buick) were not "your father's oldsmobile" afterall, it was you grandfather's brand after all. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

dirtyjeffer, the Stellar was over 10k in 1986.

My grandfather looked at one about that year. He bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra for not a whole lot more.

So the Oldsmobile (and Buick) were not "your father's oldsmobile" afterall, it was you grandfather's brand after all. 

My grandfather mostly bought Buicks (and a few and Oldsmobiles) since his very first car (not his, but identical to it):



To his last car:



My cousin bought the 1990 Century from my grandmother in 95 after she stopped driving. He sold it in 2005 with one hell of a pile of kms on it. She wanted to sell it to me, but I told her my cousin "needed" it more than me. He was a bit annoyed, but after he had it for a while actually liked it quite well.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The one he most regretted selling:

1968 Buick Skylark GS in black, (kind of a trend):

[toolatecrew]

Correct, let's look at this perspective.......

2011 Buick Regal CXL
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $34,615

At that price you get;
Slow ecotech 4 banger.
Slow upshift transmission.
Flat uncomfortable seats.
Old man's car brand stigma.

The first three aren't true (the new Legacy CVT and Accord SE are slower, for instance), and I don't buy my cars based on what other people like.

Yes it is according to the test drive.

A legacy CVT is a 25 K car not a 34K car as is an Accord SE

A 28 K Altima V6 is a full 2 seconds faster. Regal is SLOW

A 20K Nissan Juke is nearly 1 second faster..the Regal is slow.

Your opinion, which is relevant only to you.

The base Regal is $32k.

The base Regal Turbo starts at $34k if 0-100 is that critical to you.

My Outback hits 100 in about 9.5. It was very close to $35k at the time.

The current Legacy when equipped the same as the Regal is about the same price. And it doesn't have nearly as nice an interior.

The Accord SE (177hp, is the new mid-trim level, $24k US ~$28k here) is almost a second slower to 100km/hr.

The $35k Mustang GT hits 100km/hr in 4.5 seconds. By that rational everything else is a dog.

So nothing is slow ?

So the Regal is not going to get compared to other Mid Sized "sport sedans" ? Buick hasn't positioned it against any particular competion to which it can be measured?

When the Regal Turbo is actually availbe we can discuss if its fast or slow.

[Dante]

So the Regal is not going to get compared to other Mid Sized "sport sedans" ? Buick hasn't positioned it against any particular competion to which it can be measured?

When the Regal Turbo is actually availbe we can discuss if its fast or slow.

Try to compare with the Regal with Passat, TSX and Volvo S60. Buick is positioned as a "premium" brand not mainstream.

It is hard to make a case for the base Regal, but if you use the turbo version for comparison (prices and full specs are available on GM Canada website), on the paper at least, the Regal (Insignia) seems to be at least competitive with the other premium oferings mentioned.

[Jaeger]

So nothing is slow ?

So the Regal is not going to get compared to other Mid Sized "sport sedans" ? Buick hasn't positioned it against any particular competion to which it can be measured?

When the Regal Turbo is actually availbe we can discuss if its fast or slow.

Please stop trying to make sense.  The slappies have their fingers stuck in their ears and are loudly chanting "Nah nah na nah nah, we can't HEAR you!"  The Regal could test out at half a minute to 60, and they would point out that a backhoe is slower and state, with the wildly disconnected certainty of a Saddam-era Information Minister, that "There are no US troops in Baghdad!" "This thing is not slow!" This supposed sports sedan is a slug.  Period.  Let's hope the turbo slug isn't.

PS - anyone else notice that while this thread diverted into a long and gratuitous Hyundai-bashing session, none of the slappies were complaining about the thread length?  Just sayin'...

Jaeger

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So nothing is slow ?

So the Regal is not going to get compared to other Mid Sized "sport sedans" ? Buick hasn't positioned it against any particular competion to which it can be measured?

When the Regal Turbo is actually availbe we can discuss if its fast or slow.

Please stop trying to make sense.  The slappies have their fingers stuck in their ears and are loudly chanting "Nah nah na nah nah, we can't HEAR you!"  The Regal could test out at half a minute to 60, and they would point out that a backhoe is slower and state, with the wildly disconnected certainty of a Saddam-era Information Minister, that "There are no US troops in Baghdad!" "This thing is not slow!" This supposed sports sedan is a slug.  Period.  Let's hope the turbo slug isn't.

PS - anyone else notice that while this thread diverted into a long and gratuitous Hyundai-bashing session, none of the slappies were complaining about the thread length?  Just sayin'...

Jaeger

Oh right, I forgot. For the GM bashers it's all about finding the one potential weakpoint and harping on it with, what is it know, 31 posts there Jaeger? Nobody's complaining about the absolute length. We're complaining about the absolute redundancy of your posts. Person A says they like the car, you post that it's slow. Person B says they like the car, you post that it's slow. Person C says they like the car, you post that it's slow etc ad nauseum.

The thing is, you two might find it slow. Fine enough. A bit arrogant to think that your opinion is more critical than other peoples' who may take the measure of a car in something other than a 0-60 yardstick.

[Jaeger]

Oh right, I forgot. For the GM bashers it's all about finding the one potential weakpoint and harping on it with, what is it know, 31 posts there Jaeger? Nobody's complaining about the absolute length. We're complaining about the absolute redundancy of your posts.

So nice to have two little stalkers totalling my posts, it makes me feel soooo special.    Speaking of redundancy, isn't it time for you to tell us again that...

It's not slow! 

And that yours is the only opinion on the matter that counts?

Go ahead, you know you wanna....

Oh - and this weakpoint of the Buick Sluggal isn't "potential" - it is fully realized.

Jaeger, you continually find the need to have the last word and your diction is selected to purposely anger those you're conversing with. What's with the chip on your shoulder? Relax, put a smile on your face and go purchase yourself a Sonata or whatever product in this class catches your fancy. I want you to be happy, buddy.

Your concern for my happiness is genuinely appreciated.  You need not worry on that score.  I am not so pathetically wedded to any car or any brand that criticism of same sends me into fits of apoplexy.  And since counting seems to be the latest thing, let me point out that there were some 30-odd posts separating my most recent response - which seems to have got Sir O's panties most righteously wadded - and the one previous to that.  Most of the ones in between are by.... wait for it.... Sir O!  He's quite happy so long as nobody has the temerity to get in the way of his GM-praising and Hyndai bashing.  As we speak, he's pumping up his photo host with more pics of ancient Hyundais.

My purchase won't likely be until the spring.  By then, I'll have a pretty good idea how the Regal Turbo stacks up against the Sonata Turbo.

Jaeger

[Dante]

BTW: How slow it is with the base powertrain? Any hard numbers for reference?
I have't been able to find any performance numbers for this car... but I figuered since the slow/not-so-slow debate is on here, there must be some numbers somewhere.