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I had an argument the other day about the "rankings" of the old GM divisions.I contended that the low to high order used to be Chevy-Pontiac-Olds-Buick-Cadillac. My relative thought that Oldsmobile ranked "higher" than Buick.Can anyone please set the record straight? I know that an optioned out Chevy, for example,could cost more than a Pontiac stripped, but I'm talking about the overall "status" of the makes.Thanks in advance.  

Buick ranked next to Cadillac, then Olds. Oldsmobile was known as the "experimental" division since it had some options before the others.

Buick was known as the "doctor's car," since they wanted a high-class, powerful vehicle but didn't want their patients to believe they rated a Cadillac -- even though they had the dough . . . :-)  

Hard to imagine, but there was a time when showing off with a flashy car was considered poor behavior.   Buick, was "success," but not ostentatious, like Cadillac.

I suppose that's one reason that the American car industry remained stuck in the middle, as imports from Europe claimed the high end of the market, and imports from Asia grabbed the bottom.

And as the American middle class is squeezed to extinction, so goes Detroit.  

It was Cadillac-Olds-then Buick.

But Buick and Olds competed for that second place and it often made Buick turn out better cars.

See what unit survives today?

Buick.  

Belive me, I'm that old. It's  Cad, Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Chev. Thats the way Harley Earl wanted it.