Throwback Thursday!

It's time for another edition of Throwback Thursday! In this edition, we found this Buick commercial that shows all the technological advances that the 1986 Riviera had to offer...and it's interesting to see how far we've come since then.

Great Deal on a GMC Terrain SLE-1

Looking for a new ride that's capable of handling the winter months? Well if you come in now, you can get a brand new 2013 GMC Terrain SLE-1 for only $199 a month for 39 months! Find out more at http://bit.ly/WykNsW

Today is National Puzzle Day!

Today is National Puzzle Day! In honor of this, we've found a fun little online jigsaw puzzle of a 2007 Buick Rivera that you can try your hand at! How fast do you think you can finish it? - http://bit.ly/YCvgXN

Vintage Car Ad Trivia!

Happy Monday everyone! As we gear up for another busy week, we've uncovered this vintage Buick ad that announces the arrival of "the greatest Buicks in 50 years"; the Roadmaster, the Super and the Custom. Can you guess what year this ad is from?

Weekend Auto Crossword Puzzle!

Looking to kill some time before the weekend officially starts? Then try taking on this car-shaped, auto-related crossword puzzle and see how many words you can find!

Throwback Thursday!

Today is throwback Thursday! Today we're celebrating by posting this vintage Chevrolet commercial from 1940 that shows that, no matter what the generation, people have always needed to escape from day-to-day life and get away.

Guess What Movie This Buick Stars In!

This 1969 cinematic classic may be known more for its motorcycles than its classic cars, but this 1966 Buick Skylark has a prominent place in one of its key scenes. Can you name the film?

Winter Tire Care Tips

  

A snowplow can be a welcomed sight after a big snow, but the heavy-duty road salt they leave behind can take a toll on your car. Here are a few things you can do to protect your car from the damaging effects of road salt this winter.

Planning Ahead

Step 1: Before the first snowfall, give your car a bumper-to-bumper scrubbing. If it's already winter and temps are dropping into the freezing range at night, wash your car early in the day so it has time to completely dry before nightfall.

Step 2: Inspect your car for any cracks or chips in the paint, including rust spots, and repair them as soon as possible. It's tough for salt to damage a car with a protective primer and paint coating.

Step 3: A winter wax will give your car an added buffer of protection. Plus, a fresh wax will make it much easier to wash off salt and grime throughout the season.

Winter Wheel Care
 
Road salt loves to eat away at chrome, eventually causing it to corrode and flake. If you have chrome wheels, consider swapping them for a durable alloy or steel set during winter. Whether you have chrome, alloy or steel, it's best to steer clear of winter puddles, since they generally contain cold standing water full of — you guessed it — road salt.

Garage Melt

If you have a warm garage to park in after a cold drive home, it's good to be you. But if there's any snow left on your car, you're actually at a higher risk for rust than your neighbor who trudges in from the street.

Why? Because rust forms when moisture and oxygen team up on bare metal (think melting snow on wheel wells, undercarriage and chrome wheels). Salt only speeds up the corrosive process, so it's important to wash your car often if you drive on salt-treated roads.

When to Wash

A quick spin through the car wash every 7-10 days will get those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies clean. Just be sure your car wash uses fresh water, not recycled. Otherwise, you risk getting rinsed with someone else's salty water.

If your car is black, white or red, it's a good idea to get another wax mid-winter since these colors are more sensitive to acid rain and UV rays.

Once spring arrives, give your car a detailed wash and wax to remove dirt, grime and any remaining road salt still hanging on from winter.

(courtesy of Big O Tires)

Car Trivia Monday!

It's time for some car trivia! In 1953, General Motors issued three specialty convertibles, including this classic Buick, which was the most successful model with a production run of 1,642 units. Can you name it?

National Winnie the Pooh Day!

Did you know that today is "National Winnie the Pooh Day?" In honor of this beloved A.A. Milne-penned children's classic, which made its debut 87 years ago, "like" if you loved Winnie and friends growing up, and tell us some of your favorite childhood stories and characters!

Throwback Thursday: 80s Edition!

It's time for another installment of Throwback Thursday! Today we've found this "bad to the bone" Buick Grand National commercial from 1985!

Buick Car Trivia!

It's car trivia time! Designed by Norman E. Timbs, this Buick was stylish enough to land on the cover of Motor Trend when it made its debut. Can you guess the year and model?

2013 Buick Encore Blazes New Trail

Buick is going somewhere new and unexpected, introducing a subcompact crossover SUV that really doesn't have any competition or even a clearly identified market — yet.

But the 2013 Encore could become a big seller when it arrives at U.S. dealerships next month.

The Encore is tiny, yet feels large. It is fuel-efficient, yet carries five people (four comfortably). It is versatile enough to haul a surprising amount of cargo, yet is also as comfortably appointed as you'd expect from Buick.

Downsizing without compromising comfort is a direction premium and luxury brands are taking.

And the Encore feels younger than other Buicks, which is a marketing position the brand hopes to stake — aiming the Encore at young families and empty nesters.

Two thirds of the visitors viewing the Encore on Buick's website have completed the "build your own" process, indicating more than just a passing interest. U.S. dealers pre-ordered 9,000 Encores for initial showroom stock — six times more than Buick had predicted. In China, interest appears to be even stronger, with more than 20,000 units pre-ordered.

The Encore is the latest General Motors Co. vehicle on the Korean-built Gama II subcompact platform, which first delivered the well-received Chevrolet Sonic sedans. SUV versions will eventually be sold in 140 countries. In Europe, the Opel Mokka went on sale last summer with its own unique styling. A Chevrolet version will be sold in Mexico, Canada, South Korea, Russia and elsewhere. In Australia, this is the Holden Trax.

Buick has the only U.S. version. The challenge for Buick was to make such a small car meet premium standards.

Buick's smallest car, the compact Verano sedan, is 2 feet longer than the Encore. But the Encore's wheels are pushed to the far corners of the vehicle, maximizing interior space. The Encore's 100-inch wheelbase is just 5 inches shorter than the Verano's.

The interior is filled with good-looking, soft-touch artificial surfaces and wood-like trim. The higher optioned models get soft leather seats and trim.

The vehicle is narrow and tall. There was plenty of headroom for this 6-footer both in the front and back seats, but I noticed limited elbow room. The high seating position feels commanding in traffic despite the vehicle's slight size. The Encore is the same height as the compact, sporty and luxurious BMW X3, but it has 2 feet less length.

The Encore is difficult to compare.

BMW's similarly sized X1 was the first upscale subcompact crossover SUV in the U.S. The X1 and Volkswagen Tiguan both are slightly larger, far more powerful, less fuel efficient and cost considerably more than the Encore.

The Encore is close in size to the Nissan Juke, which also comes with optional all-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine. The Juke isn't upscale but is sportier, with 188 horsepower. It requires premium fuel, however, while the Buick uses regular. Other vehicles of similar size and type include the Kia Soul, Mini Cooper Countryman, Nissan Cube and Scion xB.

Noisiest Buick

 

The Encore handles confidently in tight or fast turns. The 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine produces just 138 horsepower but its turbocharger is tuned to produce 148 pound-feet of torque for a lot of low-end acceleration. City driving with its tight turning radius is pleasant. Passing and merging at highway speeds aren't effortless; they require a little planning and pushing the engine to make its raspy sound.

This is also the noisiest Buick I've ever driven, despite the efforts of engineers using triple door seals, insulating glass and body materials, and a Bose noise cancelation system that broadcasts sound-defeating frequencies even when the stereo is turned off. The vehicle is so small and so open all the way to the back bumper that the rumble of tires was pronounced when rolling on coarse pavement.

The all-wheel-drive system isn't particularly sophisticated, but appeared to work well. It is engaged at up to a 50-50 split between front and rear every time the Encore starts in motion. The system switches to 100 percent front-wheel drive after 37 mph or as soon as the computer controls determine there is no wheel slip. There is no side-to-side torque split. Adding all-wheel drive costs $1,500.

The Encore's front-wheel-drive model earned an impressive EPA fuel efficiency rating of 25 mpg city and 33 highway. The all-wheel-drive version is rated at 23 city and 30 highway.

Lots of storage space

 

There is 18.8 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats. Folding down the back seats and pushing forward the front passenger seat results in a total of 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space, long enough to carry an eight-foot-long roll of carpet.

A 7-inch screen is placed high on the center dash for navigation and audio control, and backup camera views without taking eyes far from the road. This isn't a touch screen. All infotainment, navigation and climate controls are handled through voice recognition and traditional buttons and knobs on the center stack. The backup camera and Bluetooth hands-free interconnectivity for cell phones and other devices are standard, along with a power driver's seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated mirrors.

GM has predicted the sale of small crossovers will grow by more than half a million units by 2015.

As Americans trend toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, they are still demanding the practical versatility they used to get from trucks and then SUVs. The crossover idea blends truck and car qualities, but the Encore also brings some of the practical elements of a tiny minivan.

Honda will later this month introduce at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit a crossover SUV concept vehicle based on the subcompact Fit platform. Fiat introduced the 500L, four-door, five- passenger people mover in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Lincoln will unveil its MKC luxury version of Ford's compact Escape crossover SUV at the Detroit auto show.

Smaller can be better, and still comfortable.

(courtesy Doug Guthrie of The Detroit News)

Take the Buick Vehicle Personality Quiz!

Ever wanted to know what Buick vehicle would best match your personality? Well take this quiz and find out!! - http://spr.ly/6030VqU0

Throwback Thursday!

In this edition of Throwback Thursday, we've found a Buick commercial from 1954 that touts the panoramic windshield as the "styling of the future."

Your Safety Tip for Monday: Car Seat Safety for Your Child

Did you know that the number one killer of children ages 1-12 years old in the United States is car crashes?  The best defense to ensure your child's safety is to make sure your child is in the right car seat, and that it is being used correctly.
Below are some tips on choosing the right car seat for your child, courtesy of www.SafeCar.gov:

• Birth - 12 Months - Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat.There are different types of rear-facing car seats: Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing. Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

• 1 - 3 Years - Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness.

• 4 - 7 Years - Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.

• 8 - 12 Years - Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly. For a seat belt to fit properly the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Remember: your child should still ride in the back seat because it’s safer there.

Some Fun Trivia in Honor of National Trivia Day

In honor of National Trivia Day, here's a fun trivia question for you: can you guess what year Buick first introduced turn signals as standard equipment?

Old School Buick Commercial from 1953!

2012 Buick Verano 1SD For $199 Per Month!

Stop by today and pay only $199 a month on a brand new 2013 Buick Verano 1SD! This offer is available for a limited time. Please visit our website for more info - http://bit.ly/VuNBQC