Fewer Than 200 Have Returned GM's Guaranteed Cars

GM’s 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee program has proven to be a confidence booster for the company. Today, GM announced that fewer than 200 buyers out of 222,000 who purchased a new GM car have returned them unsatisfied. However, that’s out of 658 who took the guarantee offer over $500 in cash back. That’s a 33% return rate.

These returns don’t cost the buyer the full price of the car, but they are out taxes, fees and two car payments. This means those who returned cars were very unsatisfied and skeptical to begin with. GM says it is being proactive about the returns; they're following up with each customer and conducting high-level interviews with engineering staff to find out what the customers didn’t like. A few of the purchasers returned the cars for other models or trim levels, but many just didn’t like the cars or trucks.

2011 Buick Regal Images, Info Released

We had heard Buick would introduce a smaller, sportier sedan named the Regal to sell alongside the new LaCrosse. Today, the company released full images of the car, which looks a lot like LaCrosse in all ways. Luckily, the Regal doesn’t sport the portholes of the LaCrosse, and the rear is certainly distinctive.

The company also didn’t go overboard with the grille, which we’ve seen happen with Lincoln and other automakers lately.

GM says the car will go on sale in the second quarter of 2010 as a four-cylinder with estimated 30 mpg highway. A turbocharged model going on sale later this summer.

More info and images, including an interior shot, are below.

2010 Buick LaCrosse Video

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse will go head-to-head against competitors like the Lexus ES 350, which Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays calls a “formidable opponent.” Having already inspected the interior in a separate video, Mays now takes the LaCrosse on the road to see how its ride quality compares to its Japanese counterpart. Watch his full video review for the verdict.

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Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Buick LaCrosse

“Vitality” recently purchased a 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS and has become a big LaCrosse fan. As GM tries to build Buick into a heavy hitter in the luxury market, it will need fans like “Vitality” singing the brand’s praises. However, there’s always room for improvement, and this reviewer points out the flaws — both inside and under the hood — that Buick overlooked. He also mentions getting rebates on the brand-new model. Read the full review and then post your own here.

GM Extends 60-Day Guarantee

While it appears very few new GM buyers are opting for its new 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee, GM is extending the program through the end of 2009 and slightly beyond, ending Jan. 4. Buyers can opt for the guarantee which allows them to return a new vehicle after 30 days but before 60 — with restrictions — if the buyer isn’t happy with it. Recent reports have the take rate of the program at 10% of new car sales; the other 90% are opting instead for a $500 cash back rebate. Only a handful of the 10% have actually returned a car.
 
We’ve already wondered if this counts as a “success” but since the program doesn’t seem to cost GM much, the publicity and marketing value is likely making up for any loss. That’s why GM will continue touting its “May the Best Car Win” slogan in print, online and TV advertising through December. 

Few Taking GM Up On Buyback Offer

GM’s latest marketing blitz has been centered around the improving quality of its new models. Its 60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee promotion allows buyers to return their cars within 60 days if they’re not happy with it; if they return their car, they’re only out for the two months of payments and all taxes and fees. No matter the brand, it’s easy to have regrets about a new purchase, so it seemed like a good idea to bring in buyers wary of the GM brand after its rocky few years.

GM is saying the program is a success. Launched on Sept. 13, we are just three or so days into the timeframe when buyers can return vehicles under the program; they must own it for at least a month.

GM says less than 10 buyers have returned cars under the program. According to vocal GM executive Bob Lutz, one of them decided on another GM car — swapping a manual Corvette for an automatic.

Most new GM buyers — 90% — are opting out of the return program entirely in lieu of $500 cash back. That leaves 10% of customers who are the intended target of the promotion. Is that a success? We don’t have concrete numbers on how many cars were sold under the program since it started mid-month, but in September GM sold 156,673 vehicles. That’s a good guideline to go with to reference the past 30 days; 10% of September’s sales is 15,667, and 10 people out of that number is 0.06%. Is that a good or bad number?

It’s hard to say. Many in the industry would consider 10% an impressive figure for new — or conquest — customers, especially for a company like GM and its baggage. Others may just call the whole thing an elaborate marketing and PR exercise. You can weigh in below. 

Buick to Bring Back Regal as Next Sedan

Buick will reanimate the Regal as its next midsize sport sedan, according to GM, which made the announcement at this week’s Buick GMC dealer business meeting.

The Regal has been absent from the market for six years (see the 2004 model pictured above), yet GM says it remains one of the top Buick nameplates recalled by drivers.

This is another step in GM’s move to revamp the Buick lineup after success with the Enclave crossover and the just introduced 2010 LaCrosse sedan.

How will the new Regal compare to the LaCrosse? It’s likely the Regal will be a smaller and sportier car, but how much it has in common with its sibling remains to be seen.

2010 Nissan Versa, Buick LaCrosse Earn Top Safety Pick

The 2010 Nissan Versa and 2010 Buick LaCrosse have both been named 2009 Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.

To win the award, a vehicle must earn a “Good” rating, which is the highest, in all three of IIHS’ crash tests, which include frontal-offset, side-impact and rear crash tests. The vehicles also must have electronic stability control.

Stability control is optional in the Versa, so only models equipped with the option received the top rating. It’s standard on the LaCrosse.

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Buick LaCrosse Pays Visit to Cars.com in New Commercial

We couldn’t help but notice that some of the streets look awfully familiar in the commercial for the new 2010 Buick LaCrosse.

That’s because they filmed it at the intersection of LaSalle Street and Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. This intersection is known as “the scene from ‘The Dark Knight’ where Batman flips the Joker’s big rig” or its otherwise known as “right outside our office building.”

There’s even a parting shot of the El running around the Loop, and for those of you who have no idea what that means, you should pay a visit to Chicago.

This isn’t the first time we’ve found ourselves being stalked. Lincoln tried to sneak a camouflaged MKX right by us on the other side of the building only to get caught for a few spy pics.

In our office, we found this commercial to be preposterous. We have to get test cars in and out of a nearby garage all the time, and that LaCrosse should have been sitting in traffic for at least 30 minutes. The scene of the pedestrians walking in the middle of the street, however, is spot on.

Buick Compact Coming, Could Cost Under $20,000

Buick’s The Lab blog has a new video featuring a design study for a new Buick compact car. In the video, the study is called the Avant; it’s a two-door hatchback, kind of like a Buick Mini Cooper. Buick says this is just one of several ideas for a small car they will build in the future.

We confirmed with Buick that they will indeed roll out a small car — likely a sedan — by the end of 2011 and aim at a sub-$20,000 price tag.

With that time frame, we’d expect to see a formal concept during this year’s auto-show season, which kicks off in early December at the Los Angeles auto show.