buick enclave?

[gardenmom5]

2ds is looking at buying himself a car as a graduation gift to himself.  things you can do when you have no student debt... anyway - going around with hi introduced me to the buick enclave.

I like it has cargo room...

what can you tell me about it?  pros? cons?

[Jenny in Florida]

I know nothing about the vehicle, since it is not the kind of thing I would ever want to drive. But every time I see one on the road, I shake my head at the name, wondering if the people who name these things even bother to look up definitions:

noun

noun: enclave; plural noun: enclaves

1. a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.

   • a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.

     "the engineering department is traditionally a male enclave"

[May]

Do you have a reliable mechanic you can ask? Our oldest just bought a newer car but talked to our mechanic first and got his input. She went with one of 3 he recommended for her budget and needs.

[Scarlett]

I have a Buick Rendezvous which was replaced by the Enclave.  Mine has a third row which is more useful for extra cargo than seating but we have used it for seating when needed.  My car is old now but I loved it when it was new.  

[Catwoman]

It seems like such an incredibly boring choice for such a young guy.  It screams Soccer Mom to me.

[Scarlett]

17 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

It seems like such an incredibly boring choice for such a young guy.  It screams Soccer Mom to me.

 Not all people care about a car or the image it projects.  My son’s father did.  Like A LOT.  He tried and tried to get ds interested in some cool car choice for his first car.  Ds had no opinion.  One day he told his dad he had decided what he wanted.  A Prius.  4 years later he still loves his car because of the gas mileage.  And he has been made fun of a lot by various people, including middle age people.  He doesn’t care.  I am very proud of him for being his own person.

 

[Rachel]

The Enclave is the Buick version of the GMC Acadia or Chevy Traverse. It rides a bit smoother than the Acadia. I think the Acadia drives more like a truck which is my preference but my cousin who has the Enclave likes that it drives more like a car  

I’m assuming he (or maybe you) is looking at a much newer version than the one I have, but it’s been great for hauling around 3 kids and their friends. The third row version actually doesn’t have a ton of cargo space. We usually put part of the seat down when we are traveling. Although for a single guy it may be plenty. If it’s for you, it may not be enough. 

I think it’s easier to park than a minivan. It’s comfortable as a driver and passenger. An adult can sit in the middle captain chairs reasonably comfortably for a day trip.  My 5’ tall 11 year old still fits fine in the back seat but I’d say his days are limited. I have sat in the backseat going across town but I wouldn’t want to do it for a road trip. 

Ours has 185,000 miles on it and we’ve just done general maintenance with the exception of a motor mount which my husband replaced at about 175k. People are usually surprised that I’m driving a 12 year old vehicle with that many miles, they usually think it is newer.  We will likely replace it with another Acadia/Traverse/Enclave when we finally replace it in 2-3 years. 

[Mom0012]

We bought a used one a number of years ago and it has been my favorite car ever. I had driven a minivan for many years, which finally died, and I wanted to move away from something that big and yet still have room to cart my teens’ friends around for another year or two. It is a very comfortable car and I felt it rode well and we haven’t had any major mechanical issues with it. The gas mileage was not as good as what we got with our van, though. The only issue for me is that I always really wanted a smaller car that would be easier to maneuver and park. When my dh’s truck died, he took over the that car and he enjoys driving it to work. I bought a smaller version, a Buick Encore. It’s not as comfortable or roomy, by far, but it is so easy to handle, and better on gas mileage.

[Catwoman]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

 Not all people care about a car or the image it projects.  My son’s father did.  Like A LOT.  He tried and tried to get ds interested in some cool car choice for his first car.  Ds had no opinion.  One day he told his dad he had decided what he wanted.  A Prius.  4 years later he still loves his car because of the gas mileage.  And he has been made fun of a lot by various people, including middle age people.  He doesn’t care.  I am very proud of him for being his own person.

 

 

To each his own.

I’m just saying that the only people I see driving Buick Enclaves are women in their 40’s and 50’s. An ambitious young man may want to look like he’s driving his own vehicle and not like he’s borrowing his mom’s car. This has nothing to do with Kristen’s son “being his own person.” If he loves the Enclave, he should buy one, but I got the impression that he has just started looking around and she was looking for some input from the Hive.

A Prius is actually a very popular car among eco-conscious drivers, so I’m surprised anyone has given your ds a hard time about it. 

 

[Mom0012]

3 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

 

To each his own.

I’m just saying that the only people I see driving Buick Enclaves are women in their 40’s and 50’s. An ambitious young man may want to look like he’s driving his own vehicle and not like he’s borrowing his mom’s car. This has nothing to do with Kristen’s son “being his own person.” If he loves the Enclave, he should buy one, but I got the impression that he has just started looking around and she was looking for some input from the Hive.

A Prius is actually a very popular car among eco-conscious drivers, so I’m surprised anyone has given your ds a hard time about it. 

 

Maybe I’m misreading, but I was thinking Gardenmom was saying she noticed the car for herself when she was looking at cars with her son. 

[Arctic Bunny]

4 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

 

To each his own.

I’m just saying that the only people I see driving Buick Enclaves are women in their 40’s and 50’s. An ambitious young man may want to look like he’s driving his own vehicle and not like he’s borrowing his mom’s car. This has nothing to do with Kristen’s son “being his own person.” If he loves the Enclave, he should buy one, but I got the impression that he has just started looking around and she was looking for some input from the Hive.

A Prius is actually a very popular car among eco-conscious drivers, so I’m surprised anyone has given your ds a hard time about it. 

 

This is exactly the only person I know who has bought one - friend, about 40, kids out of the house. I looked up the price. It was more then my fully loaded Civic, which is fun to drive. Sooo many choices out there - why does he like that one?

[Catwoman]

1 minute ago, Mom0012 said:

Maybe I’m misreading, but I was thinking Gardenmom was saying she noticed the car for herself when she was looking at cars with her son. 

 

Oh, wow! You may be right about that! I just re-read her OP and I can see how it could be interpreted either way! 🙂

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said:

I know nothing about the vehicle, since it is not the kind of thing I would ever want to drive. But every time I see one on the road, I shake my head at the name, wondering if the people who name these things even bother to look up definitions:

noun

noun: enclave; plural noun: enclaves

1. a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.

   • a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.

     "the engineering department is traditionally a male enclave"

Porsche *cayenne*  (that's just wrong.  on so many levels.)

Toyota *Tacoma*  (Tacoma is a city in Washington, that has a less than savory reputation.  in addition to when I was growing up, there were pulp mills there and it stank.  "the aroma of Tacoma".)

there are a whole host of names as such.

2 hours ago, Catwoman said:

It seems like such an incredibly boring choice for such a young guy.  It screams Soccer Mom to me.

the enclave would be for me.  it came up in my searches with him.  I've been looking at the highlander platinum, downsizing from a van for 30 years. (the pilot was scratched when it turns out the 2nd seat reclines as much as an economy airplane seat.... next...)  the enclave has way more cargo room than the highlander. (and what is probably a useable 3rd row.)

he wants a sedan - which has disappointed some salesman when he's not interested in what they're trying to sell him...

1 hour ago, Rachel said:

The Enclave is the Buick version of the GMC Acadia or Chevy Traverse. It rides a bit smoother than the Acadia. I think the Acadia drives more like a truck which is my preference but my cousin who has the Enclave likes that it drives more like a car  

I’m assuming he (or maybe you) is looking at a much newer version than the one I have, but it’s been great for hauling around 3 kids and their friends. The third row version actually doesn’t have a ton of cargo space. We usually put part of the seat down when we are traveling. Although for a single guy it may be plenty. If it’s for you, it may not be enough. 

I think it’s easier to park than a minivan. It’s comfortable as a driver and passenger. An adult can sit in the middle captain chairs reasonably comfortably for a day trip.  My 5’ tall 11 year old still fits fine in the back seat but I’d say his days are limited. I have sat in the backseat going across town but I wouldn’t want to do it for a road trip. 

Ours has 185,000 miles on it and we’ve just done general maintenance with the exception of a motor mount which my husband replaced at about 175k. People are usually surprised that I’m driving a 12 year old vehicle with that many miles, they usually think it is newer.  We will likely replace it with another Acadia/Traverse/Enclave when we finally replace it in 2-3 years. 

the measurements on the enclave are significantly bigger than the pilot or the highlander for cargo space.  there is a smaller one that has a third row.

glad to hear.  I plan on test driving one today.  (dh is taking 2ds off to go look at the two sedan's he's interested in.  his main thing is "must have chilled seats.")

[Suzanne in ABQ]

7 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

Porsche *cayenne*  (that's just wrong.  on so many levels.)

Toyota *Tacoma*  (Tacoma is a city in Washington, that has a less than savory reputation.  in addition to when I was growing up, there were pulp mills there and it stank.  "the aroma of Tacoma".)

there are a whole host of names as such.

the enclave would be for me.  it came up in my searches with him.  I've been looking at the highlander platinum, downsizing from a van for 30 years. (the pilot was scratched when it turns out the 2nd seat reclines as much as an economy airplane seat.... next...)  the enclave has way more cargo room than the highlander. (and what is probably a useable 3rd row.)

he wants a sedan - which has disappointed some salesman when he's not interested in what they're trying to sell him...

the measurements on the enclave are significantly bigger than the pilot or the highlander for cargo space.  there is a smaller one that has a third row.

glad to hear.  I plan on test driving one today.  (dh is taking 2ds off to go look at the two sedan's he's interested in.  his main thing is "must have chilled seats.")

 

What does that mean?  Actual cooling in the seats?  I've never heard of such a thing.  (Heating, yes.  But, cooling?)  Or does he mean that the seats need to be "chill", like relaxed and comfortable?  (just curious, as I'm looking for my next car and have never heard of chilled seats)

[lmrich]

cooled seats - the best thing (I don't have them) blows cold air on your legs. So needed in the GA heat. 

[Rachel]

As far as cargo space, I don’t have trouble hauling groceries. The way the back window curves can make it difficult to get any other luggage with a full sized suitcase in the back though. Not impossible, but not as easy as in a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Toyota Sienna. 

Edited to add: that’s in the 3rd row version, if you are only looking at two row versions you will have plenty of cargo space. 

Edited June 12, 2019 by Rachel

[Catwoman]

1 hour ago, Suzanne in ABQ said:

 

What does that mean?  Actual cooling in the seats?  I've never heard of such a thing.  (Heating, yes.  But, cooling?)  Or does he mean that the seats need to be "chill", like relaxed and comfortable?  (just curious, as I'm looking for my next car and have never heard of chilled seats)

 

When you're shopping for a car, they may be called ventilated seats or cooled seats, but it’s the same thing. 🙂 

The first time I bought a car that had them, I thought I would never use them... but when the weather got hot, I started using them all the time, and since then, I haven’t bought a car without them!

Edited June 12, 2019 by Catwoman

[Catwoman]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

Porsche *cayenne*  (that's just wrong.  on so many levels.)

Toyota *Tacoma*  (Tacoma is a city in Washington, that has a less than savory reputation.  in addition to when I was growing up, there were pulp mills there and it stank.  "the aroma of Tacoma".)

there are a whole host of names as such.

the enclave would be for me.  it came up in my searches with him.  I've been looking at the highlander platinum, downsizing from a van for 30 years. (the pilot was scratched when it turns out the 2nd seat reclines as much as an economy airplane seat.... next...)  the enclave has way more cargo room than the highlander. (and what is probably a useable 3rd row.)

he wants a sedan - which has disappointed some salesman when he's not interested in what they're trying to sell him...

the measurements on the enclave are significantly bigger than the pilot or the highlander for cargo space.  there is a smaller one that has a third row.

glad to hear.  I plan on test driving one today.  (dh is taking 2ds off to go look at the two sedan's he's interested in.  his main thing is "must have chilled seats.")

 

I just called a friend who drives an Enclave, and she told me to tell you that when you test drive it, be sure to park it in a parking lot in spaces where you have to turn left into the parking space. She said she has no trouble turning right into parking spots, but when she’s turning left, it’s hard for her to gauge exactly where the front end of the car is, because of the way the hood curves downward in the front of the car. She said that even with the parking sensors, she still worries that she might hit the car next to her. (She has never actually hit anything, but she’s leery.) She also said that if turning left into the space is easy for you, turn right into a different space, just to make sure you’re comfortable parking from both directions.

She used to drive an Escalade and she didn’t have the same issue, so that’s why she wanted me to mention it to you.  🙂

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said:

I know nothing about the vehicle, since it is not the kind of thing I would ever want to drive. But every time I see one on the road, I shake my head at the name, wondering if the people who name these things even bother to look up definitions:

noun

noun: enclave; plural noun: enclaves

1. a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct.

   • a place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.

     "the engineering department is traditionally a male enclave"

Yes, I imagined embattled Buicks surrounded by a phalanx of sinister Priuses.

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, Suzanne in ABQ said:

 

What does that mean?  Actual cooling in the seats?  I've never heard of such a thing.  (Heating, yes.  But, cooling?)  Or does he mean that the seats need to be "chill", like relaxed and comfortable?  (just curious, as I'm looking for my next car and have never heard of chilled seats)

the seats are actually chilled.  first heard about them from dsil - who really wants them (he's hot all. the. time.).  he's just not willing to go buy another car at the moment.

2ds is also, always hot.  even as a kid, he'd wear shorts and flip flops to school when it was freezing outside.  I'd try to get him to wear a sweater... he'd lose it on the playground.

2 hours ago, Rachel said:

As far as cargo space, I don’t have trouble hauling groceries. The way the back window curves can make it difficult to get any other luggage with a full sized suitcase in the back though. Not impossible, but not as easy as in a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Toyota Sienna. 

Edited to add: that’s in the 3rd row version, if you are only looking at two row versions you will have plenty of cargo space. 

I'm not worried about groceries... it's plants.  or antiques... or luggage...

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

 

When you're shopping for a car, they may be called ventilated seats or cooled seats, but it’s the same thing. 🙂 

The first time I bought a car that had them, I thought I would never use them... but when the weather got hot, I started using them all the time, and since then, I haven’t bought a car without them!

I didn't care about the heated seats when I got them.   it's rarely that cold here in the winter.   but there have been times I've enjoyed them!

 

 

I went and looked at the enclave - didn't get past crawling around inside trying to fold/recline the 2nd row seats, and access the 3rd row.  we're done.

2ds said the only suv that was interesting to him would be a solid black (incl. rims) explorer - because that's what some of the local police depts. drive.  he thought it would be funny.  (I think it's really silly that they have a matte black "police" stenciled on a glossy black car.)

back to the highlander limited/platinum.  and I"m finding, a LOT of dealers list the platinum under limited...  they're not the same.

[Catwoman]

Have you checked the crash test ratings of the Highlander yet? I remembered having recently seen this news story and I thought you should see it.  The accident involved a 2017 Highlander.  

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/auburn-football-radio-voice-bramblett-killed-crash

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, Catwoman said:

Have you checked the crash test ratings of the Highlander yet? I remembered having recently seen this news story and I thought you should see it.  The accident involved a 2017 Highlander.  

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/auburn-football-radio-voice-bramblett-killed-crash

I'm actually more interested in the 16.  it has 6spds, the 17 has 8 (and a record of more issues with them.)  the 16 also has better get-up-and go for passing.

[Rachel]

6 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

 

I went and looked at the enclave - didn't get past crawling around inside trying to fold/recline the 2nd row seats, and access the 3rd row.  we're done.

Did the 2nd row have bench or captain seats? Mine has captain and I feel like it’s pretty easy to get into the back. But again mine is an Acadia and older so it could be a bit different inside.

[Sneezyone]

I have a 2013 Enclave and am

considering getting the newest model of the same car. We take road trips infrequently and, when we do, the third row foods flat to accommodate our luggage and dog crate. I can’t imagine a young, single person driving one but my sister (33 and single) has one and likes sitting up high to see the road. It is very much a touring vehicle. DHs truck has cooled seats and I am looking forward to that upgrade.

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, Rachel said:

Did the 2nd row have bench or captain seats? Mine has captain and I feel like it’s pretty easy to get into the back. But again mine is an Acadia and older so it could be a bit different inside.

captains chairs. (2nd row bench is a deal killer.)  I'm sure idiot salesman didn't help.

2 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

I have a 2013 Enclave and am

considering getting the newest model of the same car. We take road trips infrequently and, when we do, the third row foods flat to accommodate our luggage and dog crate. I can’t imagine a young, single person driving one but my sister (33 and single) has one and likes sitting up high to see the road. It is very much a touring vehicle. DHs truck has cooled seats and I am looking forward to that upgrade.

1dd has a rav4. she likes how high up she is. she also wanted cargo space for her dog.  

being high up is the biggest reason I will not buy a sedan.

dsil bought a pilot before he and 2dd started dating.  2dd was borrowing my van so much, I'd tell her she needed to buy a suv when she graduated.  she got married to a guy with a suv instead.  he missed his accord (it was totaled.) and went and bought another one.

I'm the one looking for a suv - ds just happened to decide he wanted to go car shopping at the same time.  he did find a sedan he likes - but the dealer refused to come down.  over the weekend - ds (tried) to look at TWO identical cars that sold for what he offered the dealer.  one - 10 minutes before he arrived at a dealership that was 45 minutes away.  he did call first.  he plans on calling towards the end of the month if the car is still there, and repeating his offer.  they have more pressure to move stock. he looked at another *identical one* , that had an issue with the axle that has to be repaired before it can even be driven at freeway speeds.  probably inflicted by some grunt on the dealer lot.   advantage is -  he'll know exactly how much he'll be making (he's been a very underpaid intern in an otherwise great situation, but is moving to full time salary, with an actual degree. his boss really likes him, and is drooling in anticipation of him obtaining his cpa.)

[Scarlett]

21 hours ago, Catwoman said:

 

To each his own.

I’m just saying that the only people I see driving Buick Enclaves are women in their 40’s and 50’s. An ambitious young man may want to look like he’s driving his own vehicle and not like he’s borrowing his mom’s car. This has nothing to do with Kristen’s son “being his own person.” If he loves the Enclave, he should buy one, but I got the impression that he has just started looking around and she was looking for some input from the Hive.

A Prius is actually a very popular car among eco-conscious drivers, so I’m surprised anyone has given your ds a hard time about it. 

 

Well we live in OK so there is that. 

But looks like we both misunderstood the OP so my entire post was worthless!  😉

[Catwoman]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

Well we live in OK so there is that. 

But looks like we both misunderstood the OP so my entire post was worthless!  😉

 

Mine was, too!

Oh well, at least we were clueless together!  😁