We’ve written extensively about the Buick Enclave and its capabilities on this blog. Today we’re going to look at where the Buick is made. This seems to be a straightforward question, but this car consists of many components (engine, transmission, tires, etc.) made in different parts of the world. Let’s start with a quick answer:
The first and second generations of the Buick Enclave were both assembled in Delta Township, Michigan. Engines used in the Enclave for the American market are most likely made in St. Catharines, Canada, and Flint, Michigan. The transmission for the first generation was made in Warren, Michigan, and the transmission for the second generation is made in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The tires are made in Bolton, Mississippi, and South Sumter, North Carolina.
However, that certainly doesn’t answer the question entirely. Below, we’ll first dive into detail about the assembly location. After, that we’ll give you the complete rundown of where the engines are made, and we’ll do the same for all transmissions used in this vehicle. Finally, we’ll talk about how to identify which tires you have and where they are manufactured precisely. Read on!
Also read: How Many Miles Can A Buick Enclave Last? (Answered)
Assembly Locations Per Generation
The first generation of the Buick Enclave, manufactured between 2008 – 2017, and the second generation, manufactured from 2018 onwards, are assembled in Delta Township, Michigan, at the Lansing Delta Township Assembly. This plant is a GM-owned factory where only Buicks and Chevrolets are made.
The factory has a size of 3,400,000 square feet, where Buick Enclaves and Chevy Traverses are made. In the past, this plant was also responsible for the GMC Acadia (which you can read about here) and the Saturn Outlook.
So, even though the Enclave is sold in the US and Chinese markets, the car is only manufactured in the USA. This is different from other Buicks, such as the Encore and Envision, mainly assembled in Asia and then shipped to the USA.
Also read: The Complete Cost Of Maintaining A Buick
Engines
Both the 3.6 L LY7 V6 and the 3.6 L LLT V6 are GM High Feature engines, the modern-day version of GMs DOHC V6 engine that’s also used for some Holdens in the Australian market. Both these engines are made in several different locations around the world. These include St. Catharines, Canada; Flint, Michigan; Melbourne, Australia; Ramos Arizpe, Mexico; and Sagara, Japan, where Suzuki also makes them.
The second generation of the Buick Enclave uses a 3.6 L LFY V6 engine, also a GM High Feature engine. Therefore, it’s manufactured in the exact location as the previous generations of engines that we just mentioned.
Transmissions
For the transmissions, Buick has used two different kinds. The first generation of the Buick Enclave used a 6-speed 6T75 automatic manufactured in Warren, Michigan. The second generation of the Enclave has a 9-speed 9T65 which is most likely manufactured in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, by GM themselves.
Also read: 8 Common Problems Of A Buick Enclave
Tires
Straight from the factory, the second generation of the Buick Enclave uses Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max tires for the 18-inch wheels and Continental Cross Contact LX 20 with EcoPlus Technology or Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenza for the 20-inch wheels.
Continental is a German tire manufacturer. However, they do have several manufacturing plants in the United States where tires for the Enclave are made. These locations are located in:
- Vernon, Illinois
- Bryan, Ohio
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Mayfield, Kentucky
- South Sumter, Carolina
Goodyear manufactures tires in:
- Lawton, Oklahoma.
- Akron, Ohio.
- Danville, Virginia.
- Gadsden, Alabama.
- Topeka, Kansas.
- Union City, Tennessee.
- Fayetteville, North Carolina.
- Freeport, Illinois.
- Tyler, Texas.
and Bridgestone manufactures tires in:
- Wilson, North Carolina.
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- Morrison, Tennessee.
- Bloomington, Illinois.
- Graniteville, South Carolina.
- Des Moines, Iowa.
- Lavergne, Tennessee.
- Decatur, Illinois.
Suppose you want to know exactly where the tires of your Buick Enclave are made, then you can look up the DOT code on the side of your tires. This code is not that large, so you’ll have to take a moment to find it. It’s an extended code of letters and numbers that starts with the letters ‘DOT’. DOT stands for Department Of Transportation.
After the DOT letters, you’ll find a combination of three letters, numbers, or a mix. You can search on the internet for the specific three number/letter combination you have to find the exact manufacturer and location where the tires are made.
Is The Buick Enclave American-Made?
The Buick Enclave can be considered to be American-made. Both generations of the car have been assembled in Delta Township, Michigan. The engines are either made in St. Catherine, Canada, or Flint, Michigan. The 6-speed transmission is made in Warren, Michigan, although the 9-speed is most likely made in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The tires are also made in the United States by Continental, Goodyear, or Bridgestone.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Enclave
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansing_Delta_Township_Assembly
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Feature_engine
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM-Ford_6-speed_automatic_transmission
- https://trucktirereviews.com/best-buick-enclave-tires/
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!