mmcartalk
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Well, folks, I hope this doesn't get me kicked out of this (primarily-Lexus) forum LOL, but I made my decision and ordered my new car today....a 2017 Buick Lacrosse (Preferred-Trim-Level), with a minimum of options.....just the all-weather floor mats. The base-trim model doesn't come with the Sirius XM satellite radio I wanted, and the more expensive Essence and Premium versions come with a bunch of added stuff that I can do without. I would have liked the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, but that comes in a Driver Confidence Package that also includes NAV and a bunch of other things I don't need (and I'm generally very careful backing up, and all new cars come with a standard back-up camera). The Preferred trim-level does come with power tilt/telescoping steering column and the Satellite radio I wanted.
Out of all the exterior colors offered (like many upscale sedans, mostly funeral-home shades), I think the Lacrosse looks best in the "Pepperdust" metallic (and all of the metallic or pearl colors, except the Plain-Jane appliance-white and coal-black, carry either a $395 or $995 mark-up....you can thank the Germans for starting that crap, years ago). The Pepperdust Metallic, despite its being rather dull, IMO, is still attractive...and that is the color they the auto-show-tour Lacrosses were painted. It is an unusual combination of a rather light smoked gray Metallic, Moondust, and Champagine....kind of a nice throwback to the silver big Buick I had in college, but an even more interesting color.
Right now, delivery looks to be after the pollen season....about 6-8 weeks, so we're probably talking early-mid June. (just in time for big thunderstorms and hail in this area LOL......Hey, you can't win them all).
In actuality, this was not an easy decision. It was a TOUGH choice between what I thought were four excellent sedans in this class (luxury or entry-level-luxury, depending on how you view it)...the Lacrosse, Lincoln MKZ, Lexus ES350, and Genesis G80, with the Chevy Impala and Kia Cadenza being two other possible options. The Lacrosse ended up being the choice for three basic reasons......First, excellent dealer service (which I believe in rewarding), Second, the Lacrosse's outstanding ride comfort and quietness, and, Third, my longtime attraction to the Buick nameplate, dating back to my late teens and college, though, from after the time I was in college till the time the Verano came out, Buicks, quality-wise, were mostly garbage, and I pretty much had to avoid them. You could (maybe) add a fourth...Buick's recent rise in Consumer Reports' reliability ratings to just behind Lexus, though that typically affects the Opel-based models more than the larger, American-based models like the Lacrosse and Enclave, which are generally average in reliability.