Hey Scotty! I have been looking into purchasing a used car because my 2006 GMC Yukon XL Denali has not been thriving the past few years (oil leaks, paint issues, torn seats, defective internal technology, nearly 200k miles, etc). I wanted to find a smaller SUV so that I could have better gas mileage, better features, and better overall reliability. Recently a blue 2018 Buick Encore was listed for $14,500 by a private seller with just under 50,000 miles, leather seats, moonroof, etc. Apparently there has been battery issues, so the owner is having that replaced. The vehicle is also front wheel drive and I am not for sure if this would be a wise option for an SUV. What do you think of this type of car and what type of value would you place on it? If not this SUV, what would you recommend?
I would not buy it. Those cars are built with cheap quality in China and odds are you're going to have electrical problems with that Encore as time goes on. If you want a sub-compact SUV with good gas mileage and reliability, go for a Toyota C-HR or Mazda CX-30. If you want something a little bigger, go for a Toyota RAV4 or Mazda CX-5. They will be leagues better than that Encore in the long run.
I recommend you get a Honda HR-V or Toyota Rav4.
Do not buy it, I would never in a million years. So if you want a smaller SUV, I'd go with a Toyota C-HR or a RAV4 if you want to go for a bigger vehicle. They are both much better made compared to modern GM products!
If you do want to buy one used, make sure you have a scan tool (I have a BlueDriver), or if you don't make sure a good mechanic checks them out first if you do go used.
Are you planning on keeping the Buick Encore for a long time and put 100,000-200,000 miles on it (or more)? If so, stay as far away as possible, esp. since GM quality has mostly gone downhill since the early 2000s (even earlier than that). Electrical issues will most likely get you at some point and a royal pain to track down and fix.
Check this site for issues reported:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Buick/Encore/
