Template talk:Buick timeline 1980s to present

Generation Breaks
I'm going to add the generation breaks to make this template match the other GM car templates, unless someone presents a good reason otherwise --Denimmonkey 03:22, 25 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Generation breaks make the template look cluttered, and it's hard to see if a break is a different model or not. The only American car templates that are doen this way are the modern Chevrolet and Pontiac templates. It is my understanding that for American cars the standard is to NOT have generation breaks. Jeep might be an exception, with the "xJ" model designations. --Sable232 18:18, 26 March 2007 (UTC)


 * I personally don't feel that the template looks cluttered, but since you've got more experience here I'll leave that judgement up to you. I just find that it's nice to know when a model was updated, as sometimes it is an entirely new vehicle that just continues the model's name. --Denimmonkey 13:48, 27 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Depends on the case. I sort of did that on the older Buick timeline, just for the sake of keeping the fullsize lines in order (moving Electra to the middle slot when it went FWD and the separate Estate in the top slot). If we wanted to break up a MAJOR change (like the LeSabre moving from RWD B-body to FWD H-body, that would be the most I'd support, as long as it doesn't strech years out.
 * The clutteredness isn't quite as bad here, but there are some that are, such as the one for Chevrolet. When the year range is so small that the name can't fit, it doesn't look right. There's a few that Bull-Doser made that were completely unusable because of breaks every couple of years. --Sable232 15:22, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

I included the generation breaks again, which I felt were important, since so many of Buick's model introductions/replacements have been staggered. I also separated the Electra and Estate Wagons after 1984, since they were on two different platforms. Also, it doesn't look quite so cluettered because Buick, for better or worse, has had such long model runs for its cars.

The Roadmaster was more the replacement for the Estate Wagon than it was for the Electra, since the name debuted in '91 on only the wagon model. The Park Avenue was really the Electra's replacement, as that name had been an increasingly popular trim line on Electras from 1975-90.

The Century was branded through MY2005, and therefore, I had to shrink the LaCrosse so it would be shown as the Regal's replacement. This is more true to history, as well, since the LaCrosse, even in base CX form, is upmarket from the Century, as the Regal was, and uses the Regal's old base engine as its base, rather than the Century's 3.1L, or the 3.5L that succeeded it.

Since the Lucerne debuted for 2006, not 2007 as the template used to show, I fixed that, as well as the LeSabre's and Park Avenue's runs, since they both continued through 2005.

Finally, there has been no official word as to the demise of the Rainier. Though many people suspect that the Enclave will effectively replace the Rainier, that fact has not been confirmed by GM. Also, the Enclave is a Crossover and not an SUV, which is how the Rainier is listed. It has 3 rows of seats, front wheel drive, and therefore should be considered as the Rendezvous's replacement, not the Rainier's, as well, since it has neither of those features.

It has also not been announced whether the Terraza's final season will be 2007 or 2008, so when that announcement has been made, the applicable updates to this timeline will be made, as well. Rhettro76 00:23, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

Rainier
Rainier is definitely ending production as can be see here. Also, with the restored generation gaps, I'd like to suggest using the template I've been working on: User:Denimmonkey/Template:Buick. Major changes are: autohide is added, Header is formatted more similar to other GM templates, Riviera moved to full-size category in order to eliminate a category that I felt was too specific when the Riviera was in fact a full size coupe, Electra and Estate split since they carried two different names and had two different successors, and the Lucerne is not listed as the successor of the Park Avenue, since the Park Avenue does have a true successor that is not currently available in the market the template covers.


 * I see what you're saying. The article is also posted on Edmunds.com. I like your template, too. I'm glad that you're showing that the Enclave is replacing the Rendezvous and not the Rainier. It is, kind of, but it's a very different vehicle, and the only reason that the Rainier is going out of production is because it's selling poorly, not because Enclave is coming on-line.


 * I also like your adding the Riviera to the "full-size" category. It makes more sense and looks less cluttered.


 * I would make a couple of edits to your template, though. 1) The last-gen Regal came online for the 1998 model year, not '97. The 1997 Regal was the older design. 2) There's no need to show a generation break in the Estate Wagon for 1985, since the wagon wasn't really updated much from 1977-90. 3) I think it's appropriate to show that the Lucerne replaced both the LeSabre and Park Avenue. Your thoughts? Rhettro76 17:42, 22 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I fixed your first two points, but I'm hesitant on showing the Lucerne as replacing the Park Avenue, since there is a new Park Avenue in China that is a true replacement. And while not encyclopedic, there are rumors of GM bringing it over to North America as early as next year in an attempt to position Buick into a true luxury brand.  Leaving the gap would make it easier to place the Park Avenue into the template if it does come over.  Aside from that, if there are no other objections I'll copy my revisions into the main template. --Denimmonkey 20:08, 22 May 2007 (UTC)