why there is turmoil in the Buick community

[straycat990]

I saw Dceptcn's post in the shout box and really thought that this subject should have it's own thread.

I personally believe that there has always been turmoil with in this community. It goes back to the very start of things ... look at how many "performance" parts that have been sold for big bucks that didn't even help make any hp.  There has always been vendors for these cars that were only concerned with what they could make off of the ignorance of the car owner.  I am not saying that there has not been good and just vendors, just that there has been more than a fair share of crooks.

The internet has also played its part in the turmoil. With the easy of information exchanged alot of the crooks were found out. Car owners were talking to each other and discussing parts and results achieved from said parts.  But a major problem in the late 80's / early 90's was the fact that these cars were extremely expensive.  I know that my 87 GN had a window sticker price of $24,945.  I paid less than that for a new silverado in 2000.  So, it is safe to say that only the well to do were able to buy one of these cars in 87 and the other fact was that not many original owners worked on their cars.

Now, as we are in the mid 2000's, it appears to me that the type of owner has changed. No longer are they the type that just drops the car off to have work done on it.  The owners of today are more mechanically inclined and I would say a fair share of them perform their own repairs and mods. This also adds to the turmoil, because now you have people that know something about their cars and these owners are quicker to call bullshit on anyone that is trying to rip people off.  

In closing, I will say that all car communities have problems. But, the Buick community has far more than most. I lay blame for this squarely on a select few vendors that went out of their way in the very beginning to rip people off. They have left this community with a general untrusting feel to it.  The funny thing is that when you get a group of Buick guys together, that they get along great and are willing to help each other out with any problems that may arise with these cars.  If we could just get pasted all the BS with corrupt vendors and rip off artist, this community would be one of the best in the car world.


That just how I see things from my side of the computer screen. Post up your thoughts and feelings on this, I would really enjoy reading them.

[DCEPTCN]

I've always just assumed that it would be the same with any other group (the Corvette guys, Mustang guys, etc.), maybe I'm wrong. These are the only cars I've ever been a fanatic over. I also think that dealing with faceless entities via an internet connection makes it easy to distrust everyone. I don't understand why there is so much effort made by so many to all-out villify so many individuals/vendors/organizations.....to be honest with you, when I see that I wonder if they are the idiots for talking so much shit or if I am the idiot for not being familiar with how crooked the guy they are slamming really is. I don't know, I just usually *try* to stay out of it. I can't really say as there is anyone on these boards who I truly hate on a personal level--sometimes for a moment I might *think* that I do, but then it occurs to me that I don't even know the guy so maybe I should just drop it.  I've met a fair amount of people from the boards and have yet to meet anybody who I didn't like. I'm always looking forward to seeing old faces again and meeting those who I've only spoken to. I am leaking in my damn drawers here because I'm so excited for Vegas to come around......pe rhaps there are folks who go there (Vegas) looking to start shit and bump into thier 'rivals', or whatever. Not me. Seriously- ANYBODY who approaches me in person will have a beer with me a it's all cool. I get on these boards during the day to get away from the job and the wife and the ever-ringing phone only to step straight into the middle of the latest controversy. It sucks- this site is the only one that doesn't have anybody arguing with anyone else. I love it. It was only about 2 1/2 years ago (give or take) that I found myself at my first desk job, so I inevitably ended screwing around on the internet -which I had never done before!- and ended up finding out about the boards. Prior to that, I had never even heard of an internet message board. I was so thankful to find out that there actually was a 'Buick Community', because I had always felt like I was the only person on Earth who had ever heard of a GN. So, I'm thankful that I have this outlet and I suppose you have to take the good with the bad and all. Hey, people are dicks anywhere you go- Buick owners ain't no different.  Personally, I just get SO SICK of the same bullshit day in and day out: Elvis/Christian/RRR/TB.COM Deletions/GSCA Bannings/48 Hours.....it's all just so damned played out and there are some who just can't seem to let bygones go and move on with a new day. Fuck, guys. I recently made a purchase through a vendor who gave me the shittiest service.....I'm not gonna spit all over his name on the damn internet and turn it into some kinda soap opera, I just wont buy anything from him again and will quietly counsel my friends against it, as well. That's all-- moving on-- who cares? I am about to say the gayest thing ever, but me and Gary and Rob and Robert and Brian all sitting at the bar at The Cannery is a really big deal to me, other than that- fuck it, after all, "it's just the goddamned internet!".  




P.S. If you ever make me type that much again, I will kill you.

[Turbo Archie]

people that know something about their cars and these owners are quicker to call bullshit on anyone that is trying to rip people off.

[blown1]

Hey Decptcn
I'd never  barge into a  private party, but I'd like to buy all you guys a drink,
no big thing if your not interested,
I'll just go cry in my room, and contemplate  what I can do  to get back at you.

 see ya there!

 blown1

[Gary Wells]

We seem to be more competitive than other car hobbyists.
As our cars increase in value, so does our competitive spirit.
As cars increase in value, it encourages theft, fakery, & untruthfulness in advertising.
More moeny, more scams. We definitely march to the beat of a different drummer. We need to capitalize on some of the good things that the internet & the forums allow us to do. Unfortunately, sometimes this means that we see the darker side of things quicker. Scams are a good example. Look at how our individual knowledge base has increased over the last few years. We are really fortunate and need to see that in it's own perspective. We just love to "agree to disagree". Nothing really wrong with that.

[Racer X]

What I find interesting is that there is such vast array of ages and perhaps a generation gaps that cause some friction. Also, I *think* everyone races their cars whereas with Vettes and BMWs (other makes I know) you have car show guys, racers, and collectors. Makes for a different crowd.

I have no real idea why there is so much bickering, but it is amusing at times and I must admit can be addictive to read on slow work days.

[ledzeppac]

Is there cliff notes???  I'm wayy tooo tired to read this...

[87natty]

I think the turmoil is the exploitation of a niche market. And just because people sell parts for these cars, they tend to think they have a lock on the market and that goes to their heads. That's where the egos and such start coming in. That and the fact that some people think they are gods because they run 10's with $10,000 worth of parts when we all know a stock cam and heads and just about everything can run that fast for a fraction of the price. I think a lot of people have these cars as status symbols they only take out to the track or to car shows. I for one drive my car everyday, rain or shine. And when it's snowy in the mountains, I drift around.

As far as the drama, I will be leaving T6P.com. I don't care about the drama, I see it as making me look like a wishy-washy person. I do not want to be part of a place where everyone gets pissed at someone and then that person decides to find a scapegoat and do damage control to get everyone back and we all act like nothing happened. If I don't like someone or something, I stay that way. Nothing against them, but I feel that the site cramps my style and messes with my personal integrity. 2nd floor is a joke too...

[TRBON8R]

My thinking is that the very image of the car itself attracts some people that are shall we say a bit off center.  The GNs in their day were played up by the automotive press as "Darth Vader" synister like cars with a barbarian type of character.  Come to think of it, that characterizati on isn't far off in my opinion.  

The downside to all this is that these cars attract a high percentage of dweebs looking to bolster their egos by owning a car with a manly image.  You know, these were the guys that always got sand kicked in their face back in elementary school.  Many of these owners are the guys that hurl on-line insults from the safety of their computers.  Hey, at least that's my theory which is worth exactly what you paid for it.

[granitestategn]

.....ummm, because there's a few dickheads in the Buick community? It only takes a few to give the impression of turmoil. That and people like to dogpile because they want to be part of "the gang", when they're actually on the fringe. Me, I don't really give a shit. I've got a great wife and a couple of super boys and I get along great with my brother and sister. That's more than a lot of people can say. The Buick stuff, as fun as it is, is really secondary. I'd get rid of it in a heartbeat if I needed to for some reason to help my family. Sorry about the poor sentence structure. And with that I say...Straycat, what does your car have for options that made its sticker price almost 25K??? Gold plated everything? A 7K dealer mark-up? I bought mine new (fairly well optioned) for 17,500, give or take. The most expensive one on the lot was around 19K.

[Gary Wells]

I was going to comment about that also, but forgot. I have never heard of a sticker that high on any turbo buicks other than the GNX. Thia is very close to GNX sticker territory prior to dealer markup. The GNX sticker was $ 10,995.00 over the cost of the GN. Figure $ 29K less destination charges and such.

[granitestategn]

Correctamundo Gary. The one in the showroom was $29,XXX on the sticker. They took it to auction the week before I bought my GN (on Halloween 1987) and it went for 35K. I thought that was an insane price.  

[DCEPTCN]

Hey Decptcn
I'd never

[Gary Wells]

Correctamundo Gary. The one in the showroom was $29,XXX on the sticker. They took it to auction the week before I bought my GN (on Halloween 1987) and it went for 35K. I thought that was an insane price.

[granitestategn]

OH, sorry Gary. I should have used a quote. The 29,XXX was for the GNX in the showroom. It went for 35K at auction. On the subject of GN's, I had heard that they were being marked up before I bought mine. It wasn't true at the dealership I bought mine at. They actually knocked $1000 off the sticker. I bought mine late in 87 and there were quite a few dealers that didn't have any, and couldn't get any more, so I was told. I couldn't get one in Watertown, NY. The best they could do was a V-8 T-type.  :jerkit; I was able to buy one in Fairport, NY (near Rochester). The dealer in Fairport had moved a lot of GN's and was having no trouble getting more. He had plenty on the lot and truckloads coming in. The truck mine came off of had nothing but GN's on it. He also had the GNX. By "correctamundo", I meant you were correct....sor ry for the confusion.