Is Buick reliable?
51% of the 37 Buicks we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 57/100 — they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average.
37
Buicks inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections57/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100Based on 37 used Buicks we inspected, they tend to be in slightly worse shape than average — average condition 57/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.
What we found
Most common faults
Oil leaks · Engine
62%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
43%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
38%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
35%
Oil leaks · Automatic transmission
24%
Share of inspected Buicks where each item was flagged.
How they score
Excellent 24%
Good 27%
Mediocre 19%
Poor 30%
Hidden history
What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Buicks.
73%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
0%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
24%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 24%
Compare with another brand:
Cross-shopping? Buick vs Toyota · Buick vs Honda · Buick vs Ford
How long does a Buick last?
Good cars by mileage
Share of Buicks in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.
Buick models we've inspected
Enclave
11 cars · profile soon
Encore
10 cars · profile soon
Recently inspected:
2015 Buick Encore · 93k mi — flagged: oil leaks, battery condition, tires condition & wear. Inspected Oct 7.
2008 Buick Lucerne · 87k mi — flagged: smoothness, battery condition, fault codes recently cleared. Inspected Sep 15.
The bottom line
On a Buick, start under the hood. Oil leaks hit 62 percent, often with fuel trim issues and live codes, so a cold start, a scan, and a look at the pan tell you fast whether to stay. Check the transmission for seepage and don't shrug off worn tires. Nearly a third land in poor shape, so leaks plus codes means walk, not haggle. Bodies are the bright spot—no structural repairs showed up—so a respray alone shouldn't scare you if the engine is dry and quiet.
FAQ
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What are the most common problems with a used Buick?
Across the Buicks we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (62%), tires condition & wear (43%), fuel trim out of range (38%).
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Based on 37 inspections · updated Oct 11, 2026
