Buick vs Oldsmobile

[Carlostrece]

I always thought the hierarchy was:
Cadillac
Oldsmobile
Buick
Pontiac
Chevrolet
Saturn

Is that ^ the correct hierarchy?

I'm asking because I recently heard Buick is supposed to be higher than Olds, which is a shock to me if that's true.

I've also read conflicting info about whether Chevy or Pontiac is higher.

 

[97prizm]

Traditionally Buick was near luxury right under Cadillac. Oldsmobile was under that then Pontiac was "Driving excitement " then down the line.

 

[silversport]

...and Saturn was separate from the usual GM hierarchy...Buick was higher than Oldsmobile...

Bill

 

[4WD]

Olds 98 Brougham and Buick Electra were very luxurious back in the day - some big boats too …

 

[Lubener]

I always thought the hierarchy was:
Cadillac
Oldsmobile
Buick
Pontiac
Chevrolet
Saturn

Is that ^ the correct hierarchy?

I'm asking because I recently heard Buick is supposed to be higher than Olds, which is a shock to me if that's true.

I've also read conflicting info about whether Chevy or Pontiac is higher.

Buick is just below Cadillac. Olds is #3 followed by Pontiac, then Chevy.

 

[Wireman1987]

They all had a unique model line up at the time. Saturn was actually once a good economy car but somewhere somehow America killed the concept.

 

[AZjeff]

Saturn was actually once a good economy car but somewhere somehow America killed the concept.

Wouldn't that be GM killed it? Seems like GM's resistance to changing the dealer model and the stock market crash killed it. Penske Automotive tried to buy Saturn but the deal failed.

My daughter drove a Saturn L200 for 10 years with very few problems.

 

[Kira]

Pulling Saturn's plug was a heart breaker as, from my perspective, people loved them.
I my opinion, the Saturn plastic body was the one "car show" feature which could've been built upon.

When young, I didn't know anything about soundproofing or interior materials and engine particulars were "small/medium/large".
Subsequently, I thought the GM hierarchy was BS with Cadillac being a tad more plush.

 

[Wireman1987]

Wouldn't that be GM killed it? Seems like GM's resistance to changing the dealer model and the stock market crash killed it. Penske Automotive tried to buy Saturn but the deal failed.

My daughter drove a Saturn L200 for 10 years with very few problems.

I read an automotive column years back in the early 2000’s the federal government gave American automakers funding they were supposed to invest in ev technology and fuel efficient vehicles we see where this went DaimlerChrysler AG built SRT-8’s and just kept expanding the model line up with vehicles sharing the same platform and power trains. Ford and Chevy’s got bigger and more powerful. And it’s fascinating the sedan and coupe got pushed out of existence.

 

[John105]

My dad always told me Buick was below Caddy, and that the portholes on the side represented cylinders. He never achieved 4, nor did I. But he had a 350 4-barrel and the car had 3 portholes, so he was off in his logic. I was probably in kindergarten when he tried to explain how on his first car he erroneously ordered a V6 and it was no good, he should have gotten the inline 6. Here I am and he's explaining primary and secondary balance, counterweights, and I really didn't get it, not even close. But, the memory has lasted all these years. I hang on to the manual inline 6 that's in the garage. If Buick came out with its version of the Escalade, I'd likely be a buyer!

 

[k1xv]

My father had a 1940 Buick Roadmaster. It was a giant size car with a straight 8 engine. He later bought a 1951 Buick Special, also with a straight 8 engine. He heard (correctly) that Buick was going to abandon the straight 8 and move to a V-8. He mistrusted anything new.

Yes, Buick was below Cadillac, then Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet.

 

[bullwinkle]

Where does Geo fit in here? I know, below Saturn!

 

[SC Maintenance]

They all had a unique model line up at the time. Saturn was actually once a good economy car but somewhere somehow America killed the concept.

GM management and the UAW - couldn't stand anyone being succesful without them. Forbes did a really good piece on it years ago - you can probably find it still.

Where does Geo fit in here? I know, below Saturn!

Was the "Econo" brand of its time - to a degree like Toyota Scion - supposed to attract younger buyers.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Olds was the only GM I have ever owned - a 96 Cutlass Supreme. It was a really good car.

 

[fantastic]

Saturn was a niche product for basic transportation BUT they ended up trying to badge engineer with other GM products which lost its uniqueness. Then the recession happened.

 

[Snagglefoot]

We had a 68 Pontiac Laurentian with a 283 and a 76 Pontiac Catalina with a 350. I guess having a Pontiac was just one step up from the Chevy’s. The funny thing was the Laurention was a Canada only car but was a Chevy underneath the body work.

 

[John105]

My father had a 1940 Buick Roadmaster. It was a giant size car with a straight 8 engine. He later bought a 1951 Buick Special, also with a straight 8 engine. He heard (correctly) that Buick was going to abandon the straight 8 and move to a V-8. He mistrusted anything new.

Yes, Buick was below Cadillac, then Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet.

Technically, V8's aren't balanced, but, practically, they are. I like to think the reason I aspire to a V8 in our next car, is V12 for me is not a has been, it's a never was (quoting Coach Reilly). V8's are smooth (have had one since 2016). I could see back then not wanting a V8.

Also, as a kid, I liked Oldsmobile. I can't name them all but they had some of their own engines. 403 I think? not sure about 455. My family didn't even have a car with AC until 1980. Power windows 1984.

 

[eljefino]

Olds was, believe it or not, exciting and innovative through the 60s. They got the FWD Toronado along with the Caddy Eldo. Then the malaise era came along and they did "personal luxury" and got lost, never getting out of selling to old people. GM started putting Chevy 350s in Oldsmobiles in 1976, a guy sued, and advertisements got disclaimers for the next decade. Back then you'd argue that you wanted an Olds motor (or one from the B-O-P group) as it had "more nickel" or was otherwise better built.

By the 80s, every Olds was a Cutlass something-or-other, milking that brand name for all it was worth. They milked the RWD coupe for longer than it was cool and then tried replacing it with the weird FWD Cutlass Supreme and its Chevy 2.8 V6. The "cheaper" Ciera had the better Buick 3.3. The RWD A-body was the best selling car for a while and they blew their lead spectacularly. The title started flip flopping between the Taurus and Accord after that, then everyone went to SUVs and stopped caring about the best selling car.

They eventually badge-engineered the Bravada after years of success with the S10 Blazer, gave it leather and a fancy transfer case.

Buick didn't do much better, but did manage a weird low-volume Riviera in the early 90s.

 

[vwmaniaman]

Buick had those cruisiline ventaports on the fenders.

 

[eljefino]

Saturn shot itself in the foot by taking nine darn years to fix the oil burning piston rings. They knew the cars burned oil. They knew the customers just wanted reliable appliances they didn't have to open the hoods on. They couldn't be moved to reengineer things until much too late, burning the brand name. The badge engineering of Opel stuff was quirky and had its fans but it was serious mission creep from where they were five years earlier, so a returning s-series owner looking to trade in had nothing similar to choose from.