Stuck with a Buick

[JustinVGT]

Man, I have to drive a rental Buick for the rest of the week while my Vibe is in the shop getting the rear bumper replaced from being rearended last fall. The Enterprise guy drives up and I was not happy to see the Buick. It rides smooth and I think has a V6, but my GT is still peppier and sooooo much more fun. I miss my Vibe, can't wait to get it back!So, I'm stuck with this ugly, boring, old person car for now.Later,

[Pablo1669]

Beat it into the ground man, have some fun with 'er.I suggest this:Take a few dozen phone books out to an empty parking lot. I suggest a highschool lot on the weekends. Set each phone book up in a line, like 30 yards apart from each other, and try this. Drive really fast and when you hit the phone book, slam on the breaks really hard and see if you can shread the crap out of the book. If you hit the breaks right when you are on top of the book, it'll be pretty damn funny. We used to do that when the phone company would put out phone books around our house.

[JustinVGT]

HAHA sounds like fun, but don't think I'll have time to get around to that. Good idea though.

[MJN2]

Don't feel bad, Justin. My car is in the shop (for the 2nd day..grr) to have the cladding replaced, and they gave me a Daewoo Nubira station wagon to drive.What a total piece of #(%*

[JustinVGT]

Yeah LOL, just read your post. Glad to have the Buick than the Daewoo. Too bad we didn't get Vibe rentals. I haven't seen them around here, but a friend of mine had one in NJ. A year ago when I had my front bumper replaced, I got a Toyota Solara rental. Better than the Buick, but still really missed the Vibe.

[MJN2]

When i had my car in for repairs after being rear-ended last summer, Enterprise was out of cars, so I was given a brand new Chevy 1500 4x4 to drive.That was fun, just had to remember to wash the mud off of it before I turned it in

[Raven]

My neighbor hit a deer with her '01 Porshe Carrera and did $30,000.00 damage. The Porshe dealer gave her a Hyundai for a loaner. It was that or a Ford F150 and she is 61 years old and 5Ft. tall so she took the Hyundai.

[Fformula88]

h, Buicks aren't so bad. They are not really sporty, but they ride nice and have decent motors. Good interstate cruisers. I wouldn't want to own one, but there are a lot worse cars to get as a rental/loaner. They could have stuck with with a Chevy Aveo! LOLDon't beat it too much. Enterprise is the worst for going over a car on return looking for damage!

[JustinVGT]

Yeah, like I said it rides nicely. It is very smooth and quiet. If I was older and wanted a nice cruiser, it wouldn't be bad. But, I'm 21 lol and miss my Vibe. Yes, I'm glad not to have an Aveo. They told me they considered the Vibe midsize, so I would atleast get a midsize car, not a compact, even though I consider the Vibe a compact. One question, does anyone know:Normally you fill the tank back to around when you got it. If not they charge you. Well, since the other guy's insurance is paying for the rental and I am going through all this inconvenience, I was thinking of letting his insurance pay for the gas. The only thing is, Enterprise took my credit card # for security reasons. I may call to check, but I'm wondering who they would charge the gas to, me or Statefarm.

[GT_03]

Funny, mine is in getting the paint chips fixed, and i got a 96 Dodge Ram, but i actually love it and am considering buying it for a work truck

[Robert G]

I assume that they would charge you for the gas. The insurance company wouldn't typically pay for your gas, but only the cost of the repair and the rental.

[russ257]

at least you get a rental car when my car was in the shop no rental

[lumpcus]

What's so bad about buick? A guy my girlfriend's Dad works with has a newer buick the supercharged one, he got a bigger supercharger for it and tuned it himself.. can you say sleeper?

[JustinVGT]

I didn't say they are bad cars, just not my kind of car. Here is a pic, they're pretty bland I'd say: I bet that guy's Buick is a real sleeper.

[savedbyzero]

I had a freakin' YUKON! Dear god! It was awful! I did get to take it to about 4,000 rpm in neutral and throw it in drive! Made a funny sound after the tire spin stopped....hmmm. think goodness for full coverage insurance for 14.95 a day! My friend got a Maxima when his element was in the shop! lucky *******!

[ebslopp]

acutally, back in the muscle car days, Buick was one of the top contenders. They had some of the fastest cars on the market. For some reason, they turned into grandma cars. The Regal is pretty nice though. I'd still never buy a Buick though.Also, I thought it might be fun to put two phone books down. Pull up to them so your front tires are touching them. Then see how far you can push both of them until you lose one. Or you could just brake torque and smoke the tires, that's fun too!

[kostby]

My local dealer probably sells 10 Buick Centuries like that for every Vibe.Grandma & Grandpa buy Buicks, because:1) Most Pontiacs had the cheese-grater styling and cladding until recently,2) GM killed off Oldsmobile, & 3) Even the cheapest Caddy is probably 20 large more expensive!

[Fformula88]

My mother has a Century, and it is a fine ride. Good pickup from the 3100 engine. You would be happier if they gave you a Regal with the 3800 S/C. Might change your opinion on Buick a little!I would top the tank off. His insurance will pay the rental, but they are not going to pay you for the gas you use while its rented. Rental companies gouge big time for gas, and you don't want a $50 gas tank bill on your card in a month!

[MailGuy!]

I know how you feel. Back in November when my crapalier died, the people at work were nice enough to let me use a company car Buick Century. Here are my impressions:Wow. I've never gotton motion sick in the drivers seat before....I prefer to not drive a water bed.Ok, if the clock display needs to be that friggin big than people with that bad of eyesight shouldn't be driving.People say they're comfortable. I beg to differ. Constantly feeling like I'm not in control is not comforting.This vehicle is a rolling display of all that is wrong with Buick. Would someone actually plunk down over $20k for this thing.4 days without a manual tranny! AAAAGGGGHHH!!! Withdrawels.....I really appreciated being able to borrow this car but I was seriously considering riding my bike the 20 miles to work just so I didn't have to drive it.

[JustinVGT]

Yeah the 3100 engine does alright. Being an auto though, it has a delay to downshift and accerlate.I'm going to fill the tank. I'm only using it for a few days, so I only have to put in a few gallons to get it back to the level it was.

[JustinVGT]

Hey Mailguy,I haven't gotten motion sick in it yet LOL. But comparing it to a water bed is a good anology. It's very very smooth and absorbs all the bumps and pot holes very well, but it is very mushy like a boat or water bed LOL. I know that feeling you're saying of not being in control. You don't get much feedback from the road. It's just a mushy car. And same here, I miss my 6 speed manual!I just got a call from the shop saying my Vibe is ready to be picked up. Sucks though, I have class until past 7pm and won't get there until around 8:30. They close at 6, so I won't be able to pick it up until after work tomorrow.

[MailGuy!]

One more day with the grannymobile... Well glad to hear the Vibe is fixed. Happy shifting tomorrow!

[JustinVGT]

Well, guess what. I decided to skip my last class to go pick up my Vibe. The guy drives it around front, gives me the key to go and goes back inside. Well, I inspect the repair, and just what did I find? Well, it was a new rear bumper, all nice and shiny, except a scrape about 3" long down one rib and a couple other nicks! I go back in and talk tell one of the guys, I think he's a manager. He checks it out and is very apologetic. Apparently who ever parked it in back, backed into something. Well, they are going to fix it tonight and tomorrow. It should be like new tomorrow when I get off work. Can't wait! It was so nice to see my car all shiny. They cleaned it for me . The guy who drove it around front, asked me about the Vibe, he liked it. Man, I sure do want to get some springs and wheels. Those may be coming soon, we'll see. Well, one more day without my Vibe .Later,

[Stang2Vibe]

Kinda sounds like the time when I hit a deer with my Mustang. I went to the body shop to pick it up and the owner's son just handed me the key in his office after taking care of some paperwork. I went outside to look at my car and they had the front bumper put on all wrong! It didn't even come close to lining up on the sides and they broke a body clip trying to shove it on wrong. I went back inside and asked them what the hell was this? They acted all surprised, like I wouldn't notice something so obvious. Had to leave it over the weekend again. Got it back and they fixed the bumper. So I took it to work to wax it in the garage (it was wintertime) and I found that there was primer overspray over about half of the car! Every upward facing surface felt rough with the primer overspray. Oh man was I P.O.'d. The next day I drove back to the body shop, AGAIN, and told them about the overspray. All apologetic again and they had to have my car, AGAIN, for half the day to buff it out. I get it back and go back to work again to check it out under the lights and I found that whoever buffed the car left deep swirl marks scratched into the hood on the drivers side near the top of the hood. Now I was on fire. I was so mad that I refused to go back again out of fear that when I got it back again, it might be missing a door or something and nobody there would think that I'd notice it. I got out the buffer and some compound and buffed it myself until I was happy with it. I was never able to completely get those marks out.

[VibeChick]

What is it with body shops! It must be really hard to find a good one...Last time I had a car in for body work, ittook three times as long as they said it would...and when I got the car back - it had scratches all over where near where they were working. Stuff wasn't put back together properly...sorry...had to jump in on the venting...

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by MailGuy! »I know how you feel. Back in November when my crapalier died, the people at work were nice enough to let me use a company car Buick Century. Here are my impressions:Wow. I've never gotton motion sick in the drivers seat before....I prefer to not drive a water bed.Ok, if the clock display needs to be that friggin big than people with that bad of eyesight shouldn't be driving.People say they're comfortable. I beg to differ. Constantly feeling like I'm not in control is not comforting.This vehicle is a rolling display of all that is wrong with Buick. Would someone actually plunk down over $20k for this thing.4 days without a manual tranny! AAAAGGGGHHH!!! Withdrawels.....I really appreciated being able to borrow this car but I was seriously considering riding my bike the 20 miles to work just so I didn't have to drive it.I had some service done at a Buick/Pontiac dealer a few months ago...just for S&G took a look at an 04 Century...was absurd! The interior screamed 1985. So bland and boring. I wouldn't be disappointed to see Buick killed off.

[snowman]

The body shop forgot to put the gasket in between the moulding and the body on my front fender when it went to the shop-and it was a GM bodyshop!!!! I had to show them they didn't even realize, nor did my girlfriend who picked up the car. They fixed it no prob though and detailed my car for free......As for rentals my girlfirend works for Enterprise so I got whatever I wanted. The 04 F150s just came so thats what wanted...fun for a few days but what a pig on gas..speaking of gas, rental companies spend way more on gas every month than most of us do in a year and they recoup maybe half. Customers don't think they have to pay for gas but does the insuarnce company pay your gas the rest of the year? I will agree they charge more for gas than the gas station but thats because first they have to agree with you about shorting the gas then they have to send an employee who could be doing more productive work down the street to pump gas.....blah blah blah..time to stop the rant. sorry...

[Mavrik]

Quote, originally posted by JustinVGT » One question, does anyone know:Normally you fill the tank back to around when you got it. If not they charge you. Well, since the other guy's insurance is paying for the rental and I am going through all this inconvenience, I was thinking of letting his insurance pay for the gas. The only thing is, Enterprise took my credit card # for security reasons. I may call to check, but I'm wondering who they would charge the gas to, me or Statefarm.Well its usually considered that you pay for the gas, after all if you were in your own car, you'd be paying for its gas also right? Thats how we are told here, its not our fault you need a car, we are giving you one to drive but just as it is with your own car, it needs gas and your the one using it, you pay the gas.But thats here in ontario.

[JustinVGT]

Yeah, I went ahead and filled it back up to where it was filled when I got it. But it is Statefarm's customer's fault that I need the car, so I was thinking of letting Statefarm pay for the gas. I'm not getting anything out of all this inconvenience that I'm having to go through. Plus, I have to spend more on gas because of the worse gas mileage of the V6. I'm getting a new bumper, but the thing that worries me about the new paint on the bumper is that it may begin to peel off. My repair from a year ago on my front bumper has the paint begining to peel off around the wheel well where the water and stuff in the road splashes against it. The factory paint on the fenders and upper bumper is fine, just the section where the newer lower bumper was painted. I showed the shop and they said they will fix it, but I hope that paint will last. I was happy before I got rearended and my bumper still looked like new. Now this new one will look like new (better since they already scraped it yesterday), but I hope the paint lasts.Last year when I had the front bumper replaced, I filled the tank since it was my insurance and my problem. But since this guy who rearended me caused all this, I may have just dropped the rental off without topping it off if Enterprise didn't have my credit card number. That way there would be no way they could charge me.

[MailGuy!]

Makes you wonder why they killed Olds instead doesn't it?Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »I wouldn't be disappointed to see Buick killed off.

[JustinVGT]

Well, just got off work and picked up my Vibe. Looks great, pretty much like new! They touched up where the paint began to peel from last year and you can't even really tell. They also detailed it inside and out. Man, I sure do want to drop it with some new springs and get some rims.

[snowman]

Quote, originally posted by JustinVGT »Yeah, I went ahead and filled it back up to where it was filled when I got it. But it is Statefarm's customer's fault that I need the car, so I was thinking of letting Statefarm pay for the gas....but it is not Enterprise's fault so don't stick them with the bill for gas-keep your gas receipts and go after State Farm and or their customer in small claims court. Remember the rental companies are just helping you get wheels. Enterprise is usual very good at switching customers to other cars if not are not happy with the rental they have.

[RoundUp]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »I wouldn't be disappointed to see Buick killed off.Not all Buicks are bad. I drove my Dad's Rendezvous for a month. Except for the softer ride and the ugly rear end, I really liked it. I felt cramped getting back into my Vibe again after that.