Buick V. Oldsmobile

I dont understand Olds at all really. GM, at the time, had everything competing
Sorta went

In the 70's and early 80's Olds was just a half-step below Cadillac, but not many knew it.

When there were fewer brands available to the American consumer, people were a lot more car-conscious. What you drove said more about who you were than it does even today. There really weren't but about a dozen different vehicles to choose from.

My father was a salesman, drove about 50,000 miles a year. He had a '72 Delta 88, followed by a '75 Ninety-Eight, then an identical '76 Ninety-Eight Regency.

He said that he bought the Oldsmobiles because a customer might be offended if his salesman drove a newer, nicer car. Nobody was ever offended by Oldsmobiles. His '76 model was identical to the '75 because he didn't want anyone to know he had bought a new car.

He could've afforded the Cadillacs but he didn't buy one until he became upper management. That's when he bought a '77 DeVille. That was a special car. If I recall correctly, the DeVille cost about $12,700, and an equally-equipped Ninety-Eight was about $11,500. There were very few differences, except for what was under the hood.

Chevy - Cheapest brand

Pontiac/Olds - About the same price, with Olds being more of everyday car and Pontiac being sporty

Buick - People who (essentially) wanted a Cadillac but didn't want people to think they were rich and flamboyant...

Of course, Buick has become more conservative, they don't have as much chrome anymore, etc.

Olds needed to be killed off though. Either Olds or Buick. It really didn't matter which. I think they chose Olds though because it was such an old brand (no pun intended). As we've seen, GM is trying to make itself look more modern and hip (like giving Cadillac cars alphanumeric names).

BUT, they should have capitalized on Buick. Because now Buick could compete with cars like the Passat and Avalon, but it's beginning to be perceived TOO heavily as an old man's car, since Cadillac is no longer that brand:lildevil:. If they bring out the Velite, or a new Grand National, they'll be fine. I think the Lucerne is great car too. I'd get one - it's powerful and nice, but it's understated luxury. People won't be gawking at it all the time like they would a DTS or CTS-V...

Heres what I like for Buicks:
1968-72 Skylark Grand Sport
1980-84 Electra/Park Avenue
1979-85 Riviera
1988-90 Electra/Park Ave
1986-87 Grand National/GNX
1992-96 Roadmaster Sedan
1991-96 Park Avenue
1997-2005 Park Avenue
1995-1999 Riviera
2006 Lucerne

Heres What I like for Oldsmobile
1968-72 442
1967-70 Toronado
1971-78 Toronado
1979-85 Toronado
1981-84 Ninety Eight
1987-90 Ninety Eight/Touring Sedan
1991-96 Ninety Eight/Touring Sedan
1990-92 Toronado/Trofeo
1994-1999 Eighty Eight LSS/LSS
1995-1999 Aurora
1998-2004 Intrigue