Find the depreciation rate of your Buick Enclave in the graph below.
All vehicles depreciate over time, starting from the moment of purchase, and knowing a specific vehicle’s depreciation rate can help you understand its long-term value and total cost of ownership. Generally, the steepest depreciation takes place in the first year of ownership, after which the depreciation rate increasingly slows. By around the fifth year, the depreciation normalizes to a fairly consistent rate. The Buick Enclave mostly follows the average trend, though it seems to take a few more years of ownership before normalization.
Keep in mind that just because the vehicle costs the least to own in the sweet spot we have outlined here, you still may not want to own the vehicle during these depreciation sweet spot years. Although vehicles depreciate less as they get older, they have more repairs. Duh right? However, keep in mind that repairs don’t just cost you money, they cost you time. Reliability is the difference between being able to make it to your destination on time or missing an opportunity because the car broke down.
Check out our article on the best and worst years of the Buick Enclave to see our reliability ratings for all years of the Enclave between 2008-2021. We also cover MPG, safety ratings, and a number of other factors. We pulled data from Enclaves registered in our app and surveyed owners to get you data-backed answers on just how good or bad each year of the Enclave is.
If you want to know the depreciation and maintenance costs for your particular vehicle, use our free “Total Cost of Ownership” tool available in the FIXD App – Android or IOS.
If you like our online tools and articles consider purchasing our FIXD sensor for $19.99 (this is 67% OFF). It’s our flagship product. With it, you scan your car for common engine problems.
If our sensor detects any problems with the engine, our app will clearly explain:
- What could have caused it and
- How much the possible repairs may cost.
If you’d like, we’ll even show you trusted repair shops in your area where you can get your ride fixed through RepairPal. The total cost of ownership feature within the app totals your maintenance costs, repairs, and depreciation (Sensor + App). This is free on the app.
Buick Enclave Depreciation
| Model Years | Mileage | Amount Depreciated | Residual Value Percentage | Resale Value |
| 2001 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2006 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2008 | 180,000 | $ 41,775.98 | 4.0% | $1,738 |
| 2009 | 168,000 | $ 44,004.03 | 4.4% | $2,045 |
| 2010 | 156,000 | $ 43,562.42 | 4.9% | $2,266 |
| 2011 | 144,000 | $ 41,533.36 | 7.1% | $3,168 |
| 2012 | 132,000 | $ 41,014.14 | 9.0% | $4,052 |
| 2013 | 120,000 | $ 41,052.30 | 14.4% | $6,918 |
| 2014 | 108,000 | $ 39,566.87 | 16.1% | $7,597 |
| 2015 | 96,000 | $ 38,421.35 | 18.7% | $8,842 |
| 2016 | 84,000 | $ 35,156.11 | 25.5% | $12,054 |
| 2017 | 72,000 | $ 33,863.06 | 30.1% | $14,585 |
| 2018 | 60,000 | $ 27,303.82 | 43.9% | $21,384 |
| 2019 | 48,000 | $ 26,628.40 | 45.1% | $21,884 |
| 2020 | 36,000 | $ 23,753.56 | 50.8% | $24,507 |
| 2021 | 24,000 | $ 20,674.31 | 56.8% | $27,197 |
| 2022 | 12,000 | $ 8,984.00 | 79.7% | $35,206 |
| 2023 | 0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The chart you see above conveys the approximate depreciation for a Buick Enclave. Based on Kelley Blue Book data since 2008, the debut model year for the Enclave, it assumes a vehicle in standard trim, a generic color such as black or white, and a mileage of 12,000 per year.
Keep in mind that the auto market was heavily affected in 2020 and beyond. Automakers selling new cars during the COVID pandemic raised prices which caused a spike in demand in the used car market as people tried to save money. Many automakers, however, did not drop prices after the pandemic, they kept them so they could make a larger profit.
This is why the most recent years of many vehicles have seemingly experienced less depreciation. Some, such as the 2018, may have even appreciated due to the heightened levels of inflation created.
Factors That Impact the Buick Enclave Depreciation Rate
Buick is a General Motors brand positioned as an intermediary between the more basic makes of Chevrolet and GMC and the upscale tier occupied by Cadillac. According to Consumer Reports, Buick is “among the most reliable domestic automakers,” too, with the 2023 Enclave regarded as a “quiet, comfortable, and responsive three-row SUV” with a relative wealth of standard safety features.
Given the above characteristics, one could expect the Enclave to do well in retaining its value. However, there are several other factors that contribute to a vehicle’s depreciation rate and resale value.
Age
Your vehicle’s age is based on its model year. The model year refers to a particular release version more so than the calendar year. In fact, it’s common for an automaker to release a new vehicle in the year preceding the model year. That was the case for the 2023 Buick Enclave, for example, which hit the North American auto market in the late summer of 2022.
Aside from special cases, such as classic cars and rare automobiles, the most current model year of a given vehicle will hold the most value. The reason for that is that the latest in the line tends to feature the most up-to-date technologies and features, not to mention designs that are likely to appeal the most broadly to a contemporary audience. There’s also the novelty factor, as consumers tend to be drawn to the newest products, which saps the demand and the value of earlier release versions.
Body Type
When we talk about body type, we refer to a vehicle’s classification in terms of its general size and shape. Broadly speaking, we can classify vehicle body types into the following segments:
- Sedans
- Hatchbacks
- Coupes
- Station wagons
- Sports cars
- Minivans
- Sport utility vehicles
- Pickup trucks
The Buick Enclave is an SUV, which is the most popular segment in the North American market. More specifically, it’s a midsize SUV, which offers more interior space than a compact as well as better maneuverability compared to a full-size vehicle. As such, it’s of a body type that’s likely to appeal to a broad consumer audience, potentially increasing its long-term desirability and helping to preserve its resale value.
Mileage
A vehicle’s mileage indicates how much use it has seen. With a higher mileage, you might assume the vehicle has an increased level of wear and tear. In turn, you might deduce it has less useful life in it than a lower-mileage alternative. It’s also important to consider a vehicle’s age relative to its overall mileage. Older vehicles are likely to have more miles on their odometers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in worse shape.
To illustrate, consider that in the United States, the average vehicle owner drives around 12,000 miles per year, which is what our model is based on. Then imagine two Buick Enclaves, a 2008 with 160,000 miles and a 2012 with 140,000 miles. The 2008 model may have 20,000 more miles on it, but its annual mileage amounts to around 10,700, which is both below average and lower than the approximate 12,700 of the 2012 model. If the 2008 Enclave has been well maintained in its lifetime, then it stands a good chance of being in equal or better shape compared to the 2012, helping to preserve its value.
Overall Condition
A vehicle’s overall condition relates to how good it looks and how well it runs. For a vehicle to be in its best overall condition, it must be free of dents, scratches, and damaged upholstery, with an accident-free history and all components in working condition. Even an older-model vehicle can stay in tip-top shape by having a consistent service history, meaning the owner takes it in for routine maintenance per the manufacturer’s recommended schedule. Doing so allows technicians to identify and resolve mechanical issues, as well as to make any necessary repairs or replacements.
Color
Color affects resale value because it relates to a vehicle’s desirability on the used vehicle market. Vehicles in more sought-after colors are likely to depreciate more slowly, while those in less favored colors depreciate quickly. According to a 2023 study conducted by iSeeCars.com, yellow, beige, orange, and green are the most value-retentive colors for vehicles across all segments, depreciating up to 9% less than the overall average across three years. On the other end of the spectrum are brown and gold, which depreciate up to 3.4% faster, while common colors such as silver, gray, and blue hover around the average.
Other Costs of Buick Enclave Ownership
Aside from depreciation, there are two other major costs of vehicle ownership that you should consider.
Insurance
Car insurance rates depend on a variety of factors, including those that relate to the characteristics of the vehicle in question. Generally speaking, vehicles with more safety features attract lower insurance rates because they reduce the risk of accidents. The Buick Enclave happens to have a reputation for safety, with the 2022 model year earning the highest ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the majority of categories. That may be helping to keep average insurance costs around $1,650, just a shade above the national average of “,630 for all vehicles — not bad for a semi-luxury brand.
Maintenance
Regular maintenance services — oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements — are crucial for preserving a vehicle’s condition and resale value. We’ve found that the average annual maintenance cost for a Buick Enclave across all model years is $640, which is below the $694 average for all vehicles. That means it’s more affordable to keep an Enclave running optimally compared to many other makes and models.
Even within a specific vehicle line, maintenance costs can fluctuate from year to year. You can view these fluctuations in our graph comparing the current market values and costs of repair for all model years until 2021. The graph summarizes that you may want to avoid the following model years if your goal is to minimize maintenance costs:
- 2010-2011
- 2013-2014
To the Enclave’s credit, however, the above model years are the only ones whose average maintenance costs exceed the national average.
The Best Model Year To Buy a Buick Enclave
Based on factors including price and reliability (but not depreciation), our choice for the best Buick Enclave model years to buy are the 2015-2017 and 2019-2021, but check out our article on the best and worst years of the Enclave to get the whole story.
Among the highlights of the model years mentioned above are:
- High-reliability scores, especially from 2015 to 2016, as well as from 2019 to 2021
- Low repair and maintenance costs, especially the 2017 and 2019-2021 model years
- Low numbers of recalls and diagnostic trouble codes
Buying a Buick Enclave New vs. Used
| 20-Year Projection | ||
| Years Since Purchased | Depreciated Value | With Inflation |
| 1 | $35,706 | $39,417 |
| 2 | $25,446 | $29,736 |
| 3 | $22,758 | $26,733 |
| 4 | $20,205 | $23,823 |
| 5 | $19,667 | $23,077 |
| 6 | $13,485 | $15,784 |
| 7 | $11,424 | $13,392 |
| 8 | $8,378 | $9,878 |
| 9 | $7,213 | $8,534 |
| 10 | $6,451 | $7,715 |
| 11 | $4,032 | $4,901 |
| 12 | $3,181 | $3,975 |
| 13 | $2,195 | $2,792 |
| 14 | $1,971 | $2,534 |
| 15 | $1,792 | $2,268 |
| 16 | $2,312 | $2,898 |
| 17 | $2,016 | $2,521 |
| 18 | $1,478 | $1,860 |
| 19 | $1,456 | $1,822 |
| 20 | $1,245 | $1,534 |
A new 2023 Buick Enclave has a starting MSRP of $44,800. After three years, after accumulating 36,000 miles, we project that it would be worth $22,758 without adjusting for inflation or $26,733, after adjusting for inflation. That’s an accumulated $22,042 in depreciation. In comparison, a used 2020 Enclave has a current value of $24,507, amounting to a total accumulated depreciation of $23,753.56 from an inflation-adjusted MSRP of $48,260.56.
Remember, though, that these numbers will vary depending on a whole host of factors, such as your vehicle’s condition, mileage, and color. For a more accurate sense of vehicle worth, use resources such as Kelley Blue Book’s My Car’s Value tool. Also, when you’re shopping for a used vehicle, make sure to use our buying checklist so you don’t overlook important details.
Methodology
Our data concerning the Buick Enclave applies to the base trim for every model year from 2008. Because the base trim comes with only standard features, it serves as a reliable baseline reference point. Higher-level trims usually come with a variety of advanced features that elevate cost, which could skew our projections for value over the long term. It’s also important to note that the COVID-era chip shortage, the condition of the vehicle, and how you sell it can all affect the resale value.
Keep in mind, there are large economic factors at play here too and the sale of new cars has caused shifts in the used market too. There is a stark difference in the cost of vehicles due to car manufacturers seeking higher profit margins after COVID as detailed by CNN and posted by CBS channel 58:
“… (T)he auto industry saw sky-high profits even as sales plummeted. Domestic manufacturers of cars and car parts saw a profit of $32 billion through the third quarter of 2022 (the latest data available) — their largest profit since 2016. Car dealerships also reported record-breaking profits through Q3, according to auto-retail advisers Haig Partners.
That’s because pandemic-era pent-up consumer demand remained strong as supply shifted, allowing automakers to increase their prices and their profit margins. Cars and trucks were sold nearly as soon as they hit dealership lots, and the average price paid for a vehicle in December soared to a near-record high of $46,382, according to J.D. Power.
Data from the Labor Department’s November Consumer Price Index shows American consumers are paying about 20% more for cars than they were in 2019.
The trend could continue into next year — research website Edmunds expects new-car sales to hit 14.8 million in 2023, a marginal increase from last year but well below pre-pandemic levels.
The auto industry has entered a new era: Less choice, higher prices and larger profit margins. So far it seems to be working for them.”
This shift by car companies to create higher profit margins by taking advantage of the heavily-reported-on chip shortage panic of COVID has had rebounding effects upon the value of used cars.
Be aware that newer years (the latest 3-4 model years) may be inflated in price because of this and depending on how big this problem is for the model you are considering – it may even be inflating the price of the older model years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vehicle Depreciation
Do Buick Enclaves Hold Their Value?
Given the characteristics of the Buick Enclave, we’d say that, yes, it’s a vehicle that holds its value fairly well. The average five-year depreciation for vehicles, in general, is around 60%, and the approximately 56% depreciation for the Enclave would appear to be fairly on par. However, we have to consider that the Enclave is a semi-luxury vehicle. This classification would normally accelerate depreciation because of high sticker prices and low demand on the secondhand market. The Enclave seems to be largely immune to those factors, so its depreciation rate is actually a bit slower than the average.
Don’t forget that plenty of individual factors contribute to the long-term value of any specific Enclave. We’ve discussed the impacts of age, mileage, condition, and color, but we should also look into the location and the mode of sale. Using the My Car’s Value tool, we can see that a silver 2018 Enclave Essence in good condition with 60,000 miles and standard options might get up to $19,490 in a dealer trade-in but $21,441 in a private sale in Topeka, Kansas. Move the sale to Miami, though, and the values drop to $18,735 and $20,520, respectively.
What Are the Best Years of the Buick Enclave To Buy, and Which Ones Should You Avoid?
Once we consider all the costs of ownership, we’d recommend that the 2015 to 2017 model years are the ones to get. On the other hand, we’d suggest avoiding the 2013 and 2014 model years because of their high maintenance costs, compounded by the fact that they don’t fall within the ownership sweet spot.
What's High Mileage for a Buick Enclave?
The highest odometer readings we’ve gathered from Enclave owners are over 158,000 overall miles, and all Enclaves from 2014 and earlier have clocked at least 100,000. In contrast, the later-model Enclaves we’ve analyzed together have an average overall mileage of 25,000. With all that in mind, we’d say that high mileage for a Buick Enclave would be anything above 108,000 miles.
How Old of a Buick Enclave Should You Buy To Avoid Most of the Depreciation?
If avoiding the most depreciation is your primary goal, we’d say to go with any Buick Enclave from 2008 to 2012, the model years that frame the ownership sweet spot. Be mindful, though, that the 2010 and 2011 model years have very high average annual maintenance costs ($1,188 and $1,083, respectively), and all the sweet-spot models are associated with low-reliability scores.
References
1. (2023). Buick. Consumer Reports. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/buick
2. (2023). Buick Enclave. Consumer Reports. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/buick/enclave
3. (2023). Which Vehicle Type Is the Most Popular in Each State? iSeeCars.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.iseecars.com/popular-vehicle-type-by-state-study
4. (2023). The Best and Worst Car Colors for Resale Value. iSeeCars.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.iseecars.com/car-color-study
5. (2023). Car Depreciation: How Much Is Your Car Worth? Ramsey Solutions. Retrieved October 13, 2023, from https://www.ramseysolutions.com/saving/car-depreciation
At FIXD, our mission is to make car ownership as simple, easy, and affordable as possible. Our research team utilizes the latest automotive data and insights to create tools and resources that help drivers get peace of mind and save money over the life of their car.
