Last month marked a true transportation milestone in my lifetime chapter of daily travels and adventure.
While driving at 9:21 a.m. on Sept. 26, a quick glance at the odometer of my 2015 Buick Enclave displayed the magical mountainous miles number of 400,000 logged, all-original mileage.
With the exception of those “mandatory must-shelter-in days” in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, my typical daily driving duties are daunting: from farm to city, to assignment and story opportunities, to theater and performances, and also college campus teaching duties, all before the return trip at the end of the day.
I purchased the 2015 Buick Enclave I’m driving today when it was shiny and new in September 2014 from the Connors Brothers at Connors Buick in Chesterton, which now has new ownership as Castle Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM, since the Connors Brothers are long retired.
Brothers Mike and Jack Jr., along with sister Kathy in the office, devoted more than two decades running the Oldsmobile and Buick car dealership their parents Jack Sr. and Phyllis began in 1975, with locations in both Chesterton and Knox, before Jack Sr. died in 2001.
Now 10 years old and still running smooth (not even a check engine light glaring on the dashboard), I reviewed my original bill of sale paperwork of my Buick Enclave dated Sept. 22, 2014, and it shows the vehicle had 248 original miles, likely accumulated when the car was driven to be delivered to the car sales lot.
The secret to generating such longevity and dependability while racking up odometer miles is explained by the small-town mechanic I use near our farm. Elmer “Skip” Buzbee, who is 72 and has worked in a garage since age 17, owns Skip’s Repair Shop in North Judson. When I chatted with him last week about the life expectancy of autos, he had much to share from his own experiences in the past 54 years.
“Regular maintenance is key, along with buying a good solid, safe automobile from a company make and model you trust,” Skip explained.
“The other factor is the kind of miles you are adding up from what are such long, on-the-road trips, which are what we refer to as ‘good miles,’ as opposed to lots of city driving with short trips and lots of stop and go.”
My other mechanics at Heinold and Feller of LaCrosse, which keep me in constant tire supply, concur with Skip. Other than new tires and brake pads, regular oil changes, a couple of “rotted” hoses, a few new wheel bearings and one new battery, the latter just replaced last year, I’ve never had any major repairs to this Buick, such as transmission problems, need of a new engine or other under the hood expensive care repair calamities.
This 2015 Buick Enclave isn’t my first time in the top-tier odometer mileage arena.
The odometer on my previous automobile, a 2006 Buick Rendezvous that I purchased new in September 2005 reached 300,000 miles in December 2013. I drove it until September 2014 and it amassed 330,000 miles and never logged any major repairs or extreme maintenance.
It was in April 2004 when General Motors stopped making (after a 106-year history) the Oldsmobile line, which was the preferred auto of myself and my parents that we’d always driven during my lifetime, before switching to Buicks.
In 2007, GM stopped making the Rendezvous line, and in 2008, added the Enclave, and then the Encore in 2012, the latter of which my parents drive a 2014 Encore model. Both of these Buick models still chart as popular sellers.
After I wrote about my 300,000 Buick Rendezvous experience in 2014, I mailed a copy of my Sunday newspaper feature spread to Mary T. Barra, who had just assumed her new role as CEO of General Motors a few months earlier.
I received a reply letter dated Sept. 29, 2014, from Barra, who is now 62 and still serving in her GM CEO role today, while also holding the distinction of being “the first female CEO of a ‘Big Three’ automaker.”
“Dear Mr. Potempa: It’s great to hear you’ve had such a positive experience with your Buick Rendezvous, and thank you and to your family for being loyal GM customers. Your feature story on proper care of vehicles is spot on and really demonstrates that with the proper care, a car can withstand the test of time (and miles). I also enjoyed the photo of your mom with her 1969 Cutlass Oldsmobile. Thank you again for your support. Sincerely Mary”
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org.
