Does anyone own a buick enclave?? Or a truck with 3 rows?

[tink_n_pooh]

DH drives an Expedition which I'm a fan of driving and riding in. His father drives a new Traverse which I'm not such a big fan of, it's nice but it's not great. Even my FIL prefers the Expedition (it was his before it was DH's). The actual gas mileage on the Traverse is not much better, if it's better at all, than the Expedition and he gave up a lot of space and ground clearance with the Traverse. The Traverse also has oddly placed running boards, the car isn't high enough to need them and they just get in the way.

I think it really depends what you are used to, I feel like the Traverse is small, more like a station wagon than an SUV. One of my girlfriends just bought a Traverse (she previously had an Equinox) and she loves it for the space.

 

[SaraJayne]

DH drives an Expedition which I'm a fan of driving and riding in. His father drives a new Traverse which I'm not such a big fan of, it's nice but it's not great. Even my FIL prefers the Expedition (it was his before it was DH's). The actual gas mileage on the Traverse is not much better, if it's better at all, than the Expedition and he gave up a lot of space and ground clearance with the Traverse. The Traverse also has oddly placed running boards, the car isn't high enough to need them and they just get in the way.

I think it really depends what you are used to, I feel like the Traverse is small, more like a station wagon than an SUV. One of my girlfriends just bought a Traverse (she previously had an Equinox) and she loves it for the space.

Our Traverse doesn't have running boards.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

A big thing not to overlook is CARGO room!! We loved the traverse but there just wasn't enough cargo room for our family...we wouldn't even make it to a trip to Costco with that space! DH loves his Enclave...and for me we went with the Suburban...best.decision.ever. Most room you will ever find in an SUV, worth every penny, and even in this economy and with gas prices...it holds its value VERY well!!

 

[sharon_wv]

We have a 2011 Traverse & love it. We have the 60/40 split in the 2nd row because our little one always has her stuffed animal or dolls, etc. on the seat next to her that she wouldn't be able to reach (or would drop) with the Captain's chairs. We love our traverse; especially the stereo package, where we can listen to our music in the front, the 5-year old can watch her DVDs (or listen to the thumb drive with her CDs on it) in the back and our teenager can listen to her phone or CDs on her side in the back. We're all happy campers that way. I love the storage in the Traverse also since it has a large console that holds the GPS, the phone chargers, DVDs, etc. without problems. The storage in the back, if you have the 3rd row up, is limited, but since we're a family of 4, we only need the back row up when we have friends or extra family with us, so there's a boatload of storage when the 3rd row is stowed.

I haven't driven the Enclave though. ... but I think it's based on the same vehicle as the Traverse and Acadia, right?

Good luck in your choice!

 

[a1tinkfans]

We are thinking about getting a new car and would love a third row. I really love the buick enclave and would like to know if you have one and how you like it-want to hear all -the good, bad and ugly,lol.
We were also looking at the toyota hylander or the honda pilot.
Wouldn't mind getting a 2011 since the "12's" are out so we can save a little money.
Any thoughts?

have a Honda Pilot.
no ugly to be had. The third seat is not the easiest to get too, for kids, its great, if it were for adults, not so much IMHO,
Cant go wrong with a Honda, great quality, great warranties, great service, good safety records, keep their values and amenities galore.....we love it......was fortunate enough to go fully loaded and have no regrets about it.
Good Luck deciding

 

[OceanStateKelly]

I have a 2005 Ford Explorer that has 140,000 - runs like the day we bought it with zero problems. Best car I ever had and Its awesome in the snow.. I would run out and buy a new one in a heart beat..

 

[hipchickie]

I looked at the Enclave and The GMC Acadia (IIRC) which are basically the same car, and liked the GMC better - the Enclave loses a bit of cargo space due to the style of the body. I am sure this has been mentioned, but it is also basically the same as the Chevy Traverse, which I totally took off the list - it looks really cheap on the inside, and very truck like (personally I want a car, not a truck)

I actually ended up getting a Hyundai Veracruz, which I really like.

 

[Monica]

I just had to reply to this thread. I had a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder up until this past Sunday. I loved it- roomy and very comfortable to drive. On Sunday I was driving with my 7 and 4 year old girls in the middle row. We were t-boned by an Explorer going 55mph. They hit directly into the door where my 7 year old was sitting. We rolled 1.5 times before hitting a metal pole that shredded the front off of the Pathfinder. Although we were upside and they had to come through the back hatch to get us out, we all walked out on our own. The biggest injuries we had were bruises from the seat belts and I have some burns on my arms from the airbags (all 6 airbags deployed). It was bad enough that the first responders called in the helicopter because they thought for sure we would have needed them. Although the car is totalled and then some, it did it's job and kept all of us safe. It really could have been a really tragic situation. Although I personally believe God was watching over us, I will buy another Pathfinder as soon as the insurance settles. Good luck with your choice.

 

[andychris14]

I just had to reply to this thread. I had a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder up until this past Sunday. I loved it- roomy and very comfortable to drive. On Sunday I was driving with my 7 and 4 year old girls in the middle row. We were t-boned by an Explorer going 55mph. They hit directly into the door where my 7 year old was sitting. We rolled 1.5 times before hitting a metal pole that shredded the front off of the Pathfinder. Although we were upside and they had to come through the back hatch to get us out, we all walked out on our own. The biggest injuries we had were bruises from the seat belts and I have some burns on my arms from the airbags (all 6 airbags deployed). It was bad enough that the first responders called in the helicopter because they thought for sure we would have needed them. Although the car is totalled and then some, it did it's job and kept all of us safe. It really could have been a really tragic situation. Although I personally believe God was watching over us, I will buy another Pathfinder as soon as the insurance settles. Good luck with your choice.

OMG- what a story! So glad to hear that you and your family are ok. What a terrible accident you were all in. This is great to know that the car is also very safe.
Glad you are ok-

 

[minnierocks]

DH drives a Ford Flex and we love it! It drives/turns like a car, but it has a roomy, Suburban feel to it. The seats are extremely comfortable and the gas mileage has been great. We have easily used the third row seating and even though it has less leg room than other third rows, my DS18 had no problem sitting there.

 

[sharon_wv]

I just had to reply to this thread. I had a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder up until this past Sunday. I loved it- roomy and very comfortable to drive. On Sunday I was driving with my 7 and 4 year old girls in the middle row. We were t-boned by an Explorer going 55mph. They hit directly into the door where my 7 year old was sitting. We rolled 1.5 times before hitting a metal pole that shredded the front off of the Pathfinder. Although we were upside and they had to come through the back hatch to get us out, we all walked out on our own. The biggest injuries we had were bruises from the seat belts and I have some burns on my arms from the airbags (all 6 airbags deployed). It was bad enough that the first responders called in the helicopter because they thought for sure we would have needed them. Although the car is totalled and then some, it did it's job and kept all of us safe. It really could have been a really tragic situation. Although I personally believe God was watching over us, I will buy another Pathfinder as soon as the insurance settles. Good luck with your choice.

Wow, your story gave me chills. I cannot imagine experiencing an accident like that, especially with my kids in the car. So happy to hear you are all OK. Scary stuff!

 

[reagan75]

I, too, have an Acadia. I have never been much of a car fanatic and was happy if I had something to drive. I LOVE this vehicle! We chose captains seats in the 2nd row. I have two kiddos and even if they each have a friend we have enough room with all their stuff. It really does hold quite a bit in the back, it quiet and easy to drive. So happy with my decesion.

 

[nebraskachick]

I test drove the Buick Enclave. I LOVED the mocha color. I hated the way it drove. I wound up with the Chevy Traverse. It is essentially the same suv being as it is also a gm product, it is cheaper and has slightly less frills.. I got everything I wanted though. It has dvd player, remote keyless entry with auto start, onstar, bluetooth. I love the way it drives and it was about 10k cheaper.

 

[bas71873]

I drive a Ford Expedition EL and I LOVE IT. I've told DH I willl never want/need another vehicle. I traded in a GMC Yukon (which was a lease and time was up) and what ultimately sold me on the Ford vs. the Suburban, was that the 3rd row seats fold down with the push of a button. In the GMC/Chevy's you have to physically pull them out and it was a PITA and I hated it. Now I just push a button and I get flat cargo room. If I manually fold the second row, I get even more flat room if I need it.

Something to consider too, I paid extra for the EL (extra length) edition and it has been worth EVERY PENNY. I can't remember exactly how much EL there is, but I know if the regular version, if the third row was in use, there would have been room for maybe 2 suitcases to fit standing up (not laying down). With my EL, I can get 2 in laying down....if laying down vs. standing up makes sense .

Anyway, I love my Expedition and have been very, very happy with it.

 

[ameraumi]

We have a GMC ACADIA( the sister to the Buick Enclave) we chose to only get the 7 seats so that there is the spot to walk through ....we got the SLT version with all the extras....LOVE IT!!

they didnt have the Denali version in 2008 , or i would have bought that.

http://www.gmc.com/acadia-family-crossover-vehicle.html

I just bought a 2009 Acadia SLT, also 7 seats, and all I can say is.....

I LOVE IT!!!!!

I wanted the captain seats in the middle because we have one in a carseat and it just makes it easier to get in the back. The 3rd row seats fold so easily and are pretty comfy. The big selling point for me was that the trunk area is larger than most vehicles with 3rd rows. The other cars that have equal space are the Enclave, Traverse, and the Saturn Outlook (no longer being made). I compared all of the crossovers and that was the one big feature I was worried about.

Basically it came down to the Acadia, Enclave, and Traverse for me. I liked the way the Acadia drove over all and preferred the looks of it as well. I am so happy I went with it!!

 

[crjack]

I just bought a 2009 Acadia SLT, also 7 seats, and all I can say is.....

I LOVE IT!!!!!

I wanted the captain seats in the middle because we have one in a carseat and it just makes it easier to get in the back. The 3rd row seats fold so easily and are pretty comfy. The big selling point for me was that the trunk area is larger than most vehicles with 3rd rows. The other cars that have equal space are the Enclave, Traverse, and the Saturn Outlook (no longer being made). I compared all of the crossovers and that was the one big feature I was worried about.

Basically it came down to the Acadia, Enclave, and Traverse for me. I liked the way the Acadia drove over all and preferred the looks of it as well. I am so happy I went with it!!

We recently purchased a 2011 Honda Pilot but I really liked the GMC Acadia. I liked the layout the best of everything we drove especially the captains seats.....just like my minivan and so easy to get to the third row. I also liked the visability and how it rode.

Unfortunately the only thing I didnt like was the price tag! In my area there was very little discounting and the "newer used" were still really high so we ended up taking advantage of a Honda promotion and went with the Pilot. I just couldnt justify paying so much more but I still find myself checking them out whenever I see one.

 

[ascwilson]

We have a 2009 Honda Pilot and love it. It gets good MPG and is nice for traveling. My husband loves all of the compartments that are everywhere to tuck things into to stay organized, especially the one under the floor behind the 3rd seat. Ours still has a decent amount of room with the third row up, but I believe the older models had less space. We sprung for the package with the entertainment system as we do a lot of traveling. Only thing I don't like is the back up camera is in the rear view mirror which means it is only about 2x2, but I still prefer to actually look instead of using it.

 

[LBKB]

We bought a new buick enclave drove it to Disney and we kept saying boy that motor is noisey well we got home drove till it needed an oil change and guess what at 3200 miles the motor had to be REBUILT. There are known timing chain problems we have found out along with tramission problems.

 

[lakoda]

I have been following this thread as we will be looking at replacing my Chevy Trailblazer in the next year or two. I have loved having a 3rd row and definitely will want a vehicle that has the option. So we have been looking at several of the vehicles that have been discussed such as the Acadia and the Traverse. DH prefers Ford and has been really pushing the new Explorers...but I haven't heard much on them yet. Anyway, thanks to the OP and let us know what you decide!

 

[walkdmc]

I have a 2011 Enclave and love it. I traded in my Odyssey for the Enclave and haven't regreted that move.

Pros:
It's not a minivan
decent interior space including the 3rd row which is usable
easy access to the 3rd row
3rd row folds easily for more storage room and opens just as easily
back up camera is wonderful, albeit necessary (see cons)
this thing is a beast at 5k pounds, feels uber solid
good driving in the snow
brakes/braking system is top-notch, no skidding, stops surprisingly fast for such a large vehicle
sound system, a/c, electronic lift gate are all great
takes regular gas, no high octane needed
top safety ratings
longer than average warranty 5years/50k miles

Cons:
This thing eats, drinks, and breathes gas. At best I get 18 mpg.
the interior touches are cheap, cheap carpet, cheap plastic seat moulding (scratches easily), cheap buttons (friend's Enclave with 40k miles all control buttons' paint is worn off)
cheap leather (at 11k miles, the leather seats are already creased and show dirt easily)
unused tracks in the middle of back 2 seats-remnants from 2010 and earlier models when they offered center console which is no longer an option-this is very ugly, IMO but I covered them with Husky floor liners
at 3k miles the steering wheel started squealing while turning at low speeds. This has been an ongoing problem with this car since 2008 and no fix in sight.
Recommended oil changes with Dexos1-type oil, little more expensive than regular oil, less than full-synthetic.
HOrrid rear-view visibility. It's almost a joke that they even talk up the backup camera, you need it or someone will die. period.
My Enclave does not have a sunroof after I read many many negative reviews about the sunroofs. GM is having a lot of trouble with leaking sunroofs.

Hope this helps!