2013 Encore Receives IIHS, NHTSA Safety Accolades

2013 Encore Receives IIHS, NHTSA Safety Accolades

All five models in luxury brand’s showroom now share IIHS Top Safety Pick designation

DETROIT – The 2013 Encore luxury small crossover brings a smaller footprint and high efficiency to the Buick showroom, but the brand’s newest model maintains the commitment to safety, joining all other current Buicks as an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2013 Top Safety Pick. The Encore with all-wheel drive also received a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
With every model sharing the IIHS designation, Buick is one of just a few brands with a full line of 2013 Top Safety Picks. The Verano, Regal, LaCrosse and Enclave all have a NHTSA 5-star overall rating.
The IIHS tests vehicles to determine occupant protection in front, side, and rollover crashes, and specifically tests seats and head restraints for neck protection in rear impact crashes. To earn a 2013 Top Safety Pick designation, a vehicle must be rated “good” in all four tests.
NHTSA tests for its 5-star safety ratings program include front, side and rollover testing, along with a side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.
The Encore has 10 standard air bags, a standard Rear Vision Camera and the security of OnStar – a combination unmatched by any competitor. In a rollover crash, sensors in the vehicle deploy standard head curtain air bags prior to impact and leave them inflated for an extended period.
Encore’s advanced body structure is comprised of more than 60 percent high-strength steel that provides a protective safety cage around occupants. Other safety measures include standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, panic brake override, StabiliTrak electronic stability control, and a collapsible pedal system that reduces the risk of leg injury.
Available active safety features for the 2013 Encore include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, a pair of technologies that use a single forward-looking camera to read traffic patterns and lane markers on the road ahead. Visual warnings and audible tones alert the driver to unsignalled lane changes or a slowed vehicle.

“Safety is a top priority in Buick’s product renaissance, as evidenced by receiving these latest safety accolades for Encore,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “Our customers can have confidence in the safety performance of every Buick for sale today.”

Buick News

2014 Buick Lineup Offers Active Safety Suite

DETROIT – Every 2014 Buick model – Verano, Regal, LaCrosse, Encore and Enclave – will be offered with a suite of available active safety systems that watch the front, side and rear of the vehicle to help prevent crashes.
Buick will be the only brand in the industry to offer Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Warning, and a Rear Vision Camera on every vehicle.
Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning are a pair of technologies that use a single forward-looking camera to read traffic and lane markers on the road ahead. Visual warnings and audible tones alert the driver to unsignaled lane changes or a slowed vehicle.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Side Blind Zone Warning use radar to watch spots the driver may not see – and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.
When the vehicle is in reverse and the Rear Vision Camera is active, Rear Cross Traffic Alert will flash a red icon and directional arrow if another vehicle is approaching from either side, which is especially useful backing out of a tight driveway or parking space in a busy lot.
Side Blind Zone Alert detects other vehicles in a Buick’s blind spot and alerts the driver with a yellow icon on the glass of either side view mirror. If a turn signal is engaged while a vehicle is detected in the next lane, the icon flashes to discourage merging.
“Striking design, uncompromised comfort and purposeful safety technology – those are the core attributes of every Buick,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick Marketing. “Our 2014 lineup will tell an active safety story exclusive to the Buick brand and, more importantly, one that helps protect our drivers and passengers better than ever before.”
Passive safety is equally important to Buick. Although 2014 models have not been rated, every 2013 Buick model available today has been designated as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Current Buick models make extensive use of high strength steel and, with the Verano compact luxury sedan and Encore luxury small crossover, offer as many as 10 standard air bags.

The Enclave luxury crossover comes standard with the industry’s first front center air bag, which helps protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes. It deploys from the inboard side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the driver and front passenger, offering protection that no other airbag can offer.

Buick News

Trade or Sell Your Car at Borcherding Buick GMC in Cincinnati!

Trade or Sell at Borcherding!

Are you familiar with how Borcherding prices cars, gets inventory, handles its internet customers, and finances a deal?
Watch the video below to find out more information.
Click this link for more Borcherding videos!

10 Best Lease Deals For Your Money

If you’re shopping for a new car, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of incentives offered by manufacturers designed to entice to consumers into choosing their vehicle. If you’re choosing your next new car based on a strategic price point, these incentives can sometimes be the motivating factor in choosing one vehicle over another. Vehicle leases make shopping by price point even easier, by offering an easy and cost effective way to get into some of the most popular vehicles currently on sale.

Attractive lease deals are available across the automotive marketplace, regardless of whether you’re shopping for a luxury sedan or a more practical car or sport/utility vehicle. New-car shoppers can choose between lease deals with low monthly payments and a substantial down payment, or go the other way with no money due at signing and higher monthly payments.

But when lease and incentive offers are abundant, how does a savvy consumer decide between several vehicles that might have similar monthly costs or lease terms? TrueCar is here to help you out with that. We gathered all the current lease terms currently being offered by manufacturers, and then looked at the monthly payment, lease term, down payment, and mileage in order to determine which lease deals provide consumers with the most bang for their buck. No matter what kind of new car you’re shopping for, or which lease offer works best for your budget, these 10 vehicles will get you into the most car possible for the least amount of money.

(Read more: How to Get the Lowest Lease Payment)

If you’re shopping based entirely on getting the lowest monthly payment, take a look at the number-one rated Ford Escape, which offers a payment of $159 for 24 months, with a down payment of $2,868. For the same $159 monthly payment you could also choose to lease the Ford Fusion or Chevrolet Cruze for 24 months with down payments of $2648 or $1,879, respectively.

Also priced down there with extremely affordable monthly payments are the $22,870 Chevy Malibu and $20,500 Ford Focus, which offer 24 lease payments of  $179 or $169 with down payments of  $1589 or $2398, respectively.

If you’re looking to lease something with no money down, new-car shoppers have a choice between the Honda Civic or the Buick Verano which offer 24 monthly payments of $220 or $299. This option allows shoppers to choose between a $19,395 midsize sedan or $23,470 full-size sedan with no money down for just a $79 difference in the monthly payment.

For the same monthly payment as the Verano, the number-two best value on this list is the $37,175 Buick Enclave premium sport utility vehicle, which can be leased for 24 payments of $299 with $2199 down.

If you’re shopping for something larger or more luxurious and don’t mind spending a bit more each month, the choices expand. The $34,920 Ford Explorer can be leased for 24 payments of $329 with a down payment of $3748. Or you could choose the elegant Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec sedan for a monthly least payment of $579 — putting you into the seat of a $52,595 luxury sedan for 24 months at a total out-of-pocket expense of $17,769.

(Read More: Top New Car Lease and Finance Deals for May 2012)

10 Best Lease Deals For Your Money
Rank	Make/Model	MSRP	Monthly Lease Payment	Months	Down Payment	Miles/ Year
1	2012 Ford Escape Limited FWD	$27,195	$159	24	$2,868	10,500
2	2012 Buick Enclave	$37,175	$299	24	$2,199	15,000
3	2012 Chevrolet Malibu w/ 1LS	$22,870	$179	24	$1,589	12,000
4	2012 Ford Fusion SE I4 FWD	$23,770	$159	24	$2,648	10,500
5	2012 Buick Verano	$23,470	$299	24	$0	15,000
6	2012 Chevrolet Cruze	$17,595	$159	24	$1,879	12,000
7	2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTEC Luxury Sedan	$52,565	$579	24	$3,873	10,000
8	2012 Ford Focus SE Auto w/ Sport Pkg & SYNC	$20,520	$169	24	$2,398	10,500
9	2012 Ford Explorer XLT FWD	$34,920	$329	24	$3,748	10,500
10	2012 Honda Civic 4-door Automatic LX	$19,595	$220	35	$0	12,000
“*Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price includes delivery fees, is subject to change, and does not include sales tax or licensing fees. ”

Source: Trucar.com

National Running Day, and Here are some Tips

It's National Running Day, and you can bet we'll be lacing up our sneaks to head out for a run before the day's out. But before we do, here's a look back at some tips and techniques to help turn anyone into a better runner.

Getting Started
Before you hit the ground running, make sure you know all the basics to help you ensure proper technique and avoid injury. Start with these tips on buying the right running shoes and perfecting your running form, and then get to know the following tips.

• Get started with our insider beginner running tips. You'll learn everything we wish we knew before we went on our first run.
• After feeling comfortable with running on the treadmill, follow these helpful tips for running outdoors.
• Paved roads getting boring? Here's everything you need to know about trail running for the first time.

Up the Ante
Once you have a solid running routine down, challenge yourself by incorporating new training techniques into your regimen. It'll help you run stronger, longer, and faster.

• Why do the same run day after day? Here are seven treadmill interval workouts to up your pace and calorie burn.
• Here are four techniques that will make you stronger, faster, and more efficient on your feet.
• Combine cardio and strength training into one workout with these tips on incorporating muscle-toning moves into your running routine.

Additional Training
Becoming a great runner is more than just lacing up and clocking in mileage. Keep reading to find out what techniques can enhance the good runner you already are.

• Many runners suffer from injuries that can be prevented if they stretched their tight muscles regularly. Here are five yoga poses that will help ease tension and prevent pain.
• Most runners suffer from tight hips, hamstrings, or lower back, but here are three lower-body stretches to do every day — even on the ones you don't run.
• A runner doesn't need to follow a strict diet to be in tip-top shape, but here are a few foods every runner needs to fuel workouts, improve performance, and speed up recovery time.                                                              Source: Thinkstock

41 percent Of Buick Buyers New To Brand

Whereas the average customer age grew by three years to 51 across the automotive industry, that of Buick fell from 62 to 59 according to research by R.L. Polk & Co. The accomplishment is noteworthy because Buick is the only automotive brand to achieve a decrease in the average age of its customers.

Thanks to new vehicles such as the Regal and Verano, the brand is reaching a younger crowd that’s new to General Motors. The average age of a Verano buyer, for instance, is 57 — and trending down. The median age of a Regal GS customer? 43 years old — according to Buick. In fact, the brand’s own market research exhibits an even more substantial drop — from 65 to 59 over the last five years. And there are signs that the average age will continue to drop even further thanks to the discontinuation of the Lucerne, which was often purchased by the elderly, as well as the introduction of the upcoming Verano turbo with an optional manual transmission and subcompact Encore crossover.

The brand expects the Encore, for instance, to primarily attract two groups of buyers: 25- to 30-year-olds and empty-nesters, perhaps in their early 50s — according to Buick marketing manager Lloyd Biermann. However, Buick still has the second-highest average customer age in the industry — only behind Lincoln.

More important that average age is perhaps the statistic that a whopping 41 percent of Buick buyers are new to the brand. But serving younger customers, who are usually more fickle and more likely to change brands, presents a challenge of its own.

Buick sales were down 16 percent through April of 2012, mostly in part due to the discontinuation of the Lucerne large sedan — which was a fleet queen. On that note, fleet sales are down drastically and incentive spending is lower than a year ago. Has Buick found its mojo? Perhaps. But the brand still needs to fill several important holes in its lineup — and a midsize crossover, full-size flagship sedan, andincreasing the content of its current model range woulnd’t hurt.

The GM Authority Take

While a decrease in the average customer age is an interesting statistic, let’s revisit the basics: the goal should be to sell cars at a profit. And since Buick is positioning itself to be a luxury brand, and luxury brands usually command a premium over their non-luxury counterparts, a sale of a $50,000 LaCrosse to a wealthy elderly couple should be celebrated just as much as a sale of a $25,000 Verano to a 35 year-old up-and-comer. Because let’s face it: the law of averages dictates that the older, the more wealthy!

Source:GM

Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips

Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips

1. Avoid High Speeds
As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard
By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated
Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.

4. Use A/C Sparingly
When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep Windows Closed
Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

6. Service Vehicle Regularly
Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.
7. Use Cruise Control
Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid Heavy Loads
Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid Long Idles
If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle
When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle’s rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.

Source: [Gas Buddy]

Buick sheds its image as a brand for the elderly

Buick sheds its image as a brand for the elderly

New products help automaker reduce average buyer age by 6 years
BY MELISSA BURDEN / THE DETROIT NEWS

General Motors Co.'s Buick brand did something over the past five years that no other automaker did in the
U.S.: It lowered the average age of its customer.
In an industry that from 2007 to 2011 saw its average customer age grow by three years to 51, Buick's
average customer's age fell from 62 to 59, according to market researcher R.L. Polk. & Co.

"They've changed their product portfolio, they're discounting the Lucerne — and the Regal has done quite
well and they're targeting it toward a younger customer," said Tom Libby, a senior automotive analyst for
Polk. Still, Buick has the second-highest average customer age, behind Lincoln. "Also the Verano was just
introduced and is targeted toward a younger customer," Libby noted.
Buick no longer wants to be known for gray-haired drivers in mundane sedans. The brand's own marketing
research shows an even more dramatic fall than Polk's numbers — from age 65 to 59 over five years. And
that age continues to fall.

Buick executives and analysts say the brand is reaching younger and new-to-GM customers through the
compact Verano sedan that launched in December (the average customer age is 57, but is trending down)
and the Regal, including its GS performance model. A Regal GS customer on average is 43 years old,
according to Buick.
More new products are on the way that could help drive that average age even lower. A turbo Verano with
an optional manual transmission will be available for the 2013 model year, and Buick's all-new 2013 Encore
crossover hits dealer lots early next year. Libby said Buick will win customers with the Encore, as the
compact crossover segment "tends to appeal to a younger demographic in general."
But more importantly, some at Buick and GM say, is that 41 percent of Buick buyers are new to the brand.
Chris Dawkins, 31, of Southfield is young and new to Buick.
"I don't look at Buick as an older person's brand any longer," said Dawkins, who last week leased a whitediamond
2012 Regal GS for four years, trading in a 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T.
Dawkins, a human resources manager, husband and father of two, said he loves the Regal GS for its
European looks and its manual transmission. "The Regal just caught my attention," he said. "The regular
version Regal is pretty nice, but when I saw the GS, it really drew me in."


Source: GM