When buying a car, it’s easy to focus on the initial purchase price, but buyers should also consider potential repair costs. Buick compares well with other vehicle brands in reliability and maintenance costs. One model has the lowest annual maintenance costs in Buick’s lineup, but it’s surprisingly not the Encore.
How much does it cost to fix a Buick?
RepairPal compiled data from 23 Buick models and found that the average annual maintenance cost for one of the brand’s vehicles is $608. That amount is tied with Chrysler for 20th lowest out of the 48 automakers reviewed on the site. Costs vary based on the age of the car, mileage and location of the shop performing the repairs.
As a collective, Buick vehicles have had 358 reported problems. Most commonly, the air compressor can fail on specific models with rear air springs, causing the rear suspension to sag lower than it should. Buick’s overall reliability score is 3.5 out of 5, which ranks the automaker 13 out of 32. The ranking is based on an average of 345 unique models, an average of 0.3 visits to a repair ship each year and a 13% chance of such repairs. being serious
Buicks have had 202 recalls, mostly for a software defect that could prevent airbags from deploying.
Buick Envision maintenance costs are well below average
After debuting as a concept car in 2011, the Envision has been part of Buick’s modern lineup since the production version debuted in China in 2014. The premium compact SUV’s average annual maintenance cost of $233 is substantially less than the average Buick. The most expensive repairs are replacing the engine oil pan (typically $371 to $416), the axle shaft seal ($305 to $359), and the ignition switch (from $105 to $114).
The Envision is one of the rare vehicles listed on RepairPal with zero issues, but has had seven recalls. The most significant is an issue where the daytime running lights do not turn off when the headlights are on. The solution is a software update to the Envision body control module from a dealer or via an over-the-air update, free of charge.
Cascade maintenance costs are at the opposite end of the spectrum
The Cascada was part of the Buick stable for six years, from 2013 to 2019, but the convertible left many cold due to its dated features and unimpressive power. Besides getting some milquetoast reviews, the mostly forgotten Cascada has the most expensive annual maintenance and repair costs of any Buick vehicle at $798.
The highest priced repairs are to change the coolant ($313 to $341) and replace the turbocharger oil line ($175 to $196) and the airbag clock ($161 to $180).
On the bright side, the car has no reported issues on RepairPal. And only one model year (the 2016 Cascada) had a safety recall. It involved an issue where the windows would close automatically when the convertible top was closed and could be closed remotely from distances greater than 11 meters using the key fob. The problem stemmed from cars with the wrong convertible top control module (CRCM). General Motors replaced the CRCM free of charge.
