I've ordered the tow hitch, and have already picked up the GM bike rack; I'm still waiting for the tow hitch to arrive. I know buzzbo has already received his. I'm hoping to have ours before our end-of-the-month Yosemite trip. - I'm not planning on towing anything, just lugging bikes around without scratching up the RDV.
Bullet-shaped??? - - You're working too hard Brian. Seriously, have you considered one of the cloth/fabric type carriers. The plus-side is once you get to your destination, you can unpack and fold-up/pack-away the fabric carrier.
The downside for this type is that it rests directly on the roof, rather than on the croossbars. It just occurred to me that I believe you have the sunroof - - would that prevent you from using the fabric-type carrier that rests on the roof-top?
We've used the cloth-fabric carrier in the past & will probably continue to use it w/ the RDV; you can really fit quite a bit in them. Just an idea...
John, I don't think I've ever seen a fabric one before...I can't picture it.
The one I'm thinking of is hard plastic and shaped aerodynamically. It mounts on the cross bars and rides above the roof. It kind of looks like a Kayak, and rather sporty, in a "I'm a renaissance man" sort of way.
BTW, you're right about the sunroof. The owners manual says that the front cross bar must be in the rear most position in order to open the sunroof. I don't know yet how that will effect accessories. As often as I will carry stuff on top, it's no big deal.
I will admit that it was a surprise when I took delivery yesterday because I never knew that the roof slid back ON TOP OF the roof (a la Honda CRX). I don't know why they did it that way as there is more than enough head room for a "normal" sunroof.
Now that you mention it, it is kind of strange to have the sunroof glass go back on top of the roof. I never noticed that (I guess because I'm always driving the RDV and not looking at it from the outside). It may limit what kind of luggage carrier we who have sunroofs can install. I did notice that the sunroof seemed rather narrow (from front to back) and was wondering why it wasn't larger. Maybe because of the fact that it goes back outside on to the roof.
G M in their Buick Rendez Vous accessory catalog have both the rigid and the fabric luggage carriers.Apparently the soft one can be fixed to your roof rack, openes from two sides and can be locked. The part number 12497827
I don't know if anyone knows the answer to this or not, but it's worth a try...
I'll be upgrading the stereo in my RDV very soon and I was wondering if the Metra wiring harness from a 93+ Firebird (standard GM) will fit the RDV's? I haven't seen anyone advertising a harness that will fit anything above a 2000 so I'm just wondering if there will be any issues...?
Brian: the one you're speaking of sounds cool; I'm sure I've seen something like that on the road.
Habitant: the fabric carrier that attaches to the rack sounds pretty good; the one I've used in the past just sits on the roof and can be strapped to the roof rack or whatever. I'll have to look into the GM/RDV catalog for the one you spoke about. - - I like the fact that the fabric ones can be folded up and put away, saving lots of space.
John, that's a good point about folding it and putting it away. Storage space is prime real estate in our garage and I'm not sure where I would keep a big plastic behemoth!
Fortunately it's not an urgent requirement. I can take my time and fully investigate my options. The fabric is sounding better.
Just got a call from my dealer that the tow hitch arrived. I guess it took about 3-4 weeks. I'll have it installed next week. With that and the bike rack that I purchased, we'll be all ready for our Yosemite trip.
I think you made the right choice. I think I was reading the RX300 forum where owners were complaining that the roof-top racks generated a lot of noise (several people mentioned the cross tubes being especially noisy). It is also hard to reach up there.
The above link I posted is not connecting properly. So, hopefully this will work. Try clicking this link & reading posts #3-7 before buying GM bike rack.
I went out and purchased rubber mats for the RDV. I bought the Weathertech mats from MacNeil. They are high quality and should do a great job protecting the carpets. The front mats fit perfectly. The center mats (I have captain chairs) fit a number of different vehicles and require some trimming to fit correctly. They have grooves along which the edges to trim along, and is quite easy with a utility knife. Currently, a cargo mat is not available for RDV's with a third seat. The front and center mats are the same as the ones used in the Aztek. With the third seat option, the cargo mats they have will not fit. Apperantly the seats don't fold down low and flat enough for the Aztek mats to fit. The folks there said that they still haven't tried them in a RDV without the third seat, so they may have one that works. They also said they weren't going to be making custom mat until the sales numbers go up. They may have gotten stung by the Aztek. Although they are not in the catalog, they found small mats that fit the third seat. -Rich
Rich, thanks for the info....I'm still a little puzzled....I will not have the 3rd seat in my vehicle and my 2nd row will be out as well - it's uncertain wether the Aztek mat will fit is that correct? I know it will not go all the way to the front seats obviously. Any ideas then what to use between the cargo mat and up to front seats...? I'm sure I'll just have to make do with a "mix & match" of mats... The Weathertech mats do look attractive and I am considering them.
They weren't sure if the Aztek mats would fit without the 3rd seat. When they saw me pull up in the RDV, someone ran out to ask if I had the 3rd seat. no luck.
They do have a wide variety of mats, and VERY helpful, so they might be able to help.
Can't answer your question but do know that the Rendezvous is a half foot longer that the Aztek. So if the half foot is mostly longer cargo space, perhaps the Aztek product might not be a perfect fit.
Here are the photos of the wood dash we put into our brand new RDV. We love the look of the wood dash. I was skeptical of the "synthetic" look, but it's beautiful. We still haven't put all 24 pieces in, but I am happy with the results so far. Let me know what everyone thinks!
Ken, the kit also came with side door trim pieces, but my husband really likes the silver/gray trim that's there already. The other 2 pieces are the pieces that cover the cell phone holder and ashtray in the front console. We are undecided on those pieces at this point. I didn't want the wood dash to be overwelming so I think we like it better with those pieces off.
Thanks for posting your photos. I am still undecided on wood trim for my RDV as I can't tell from photos how "tacked on" the flat pieces really look. I think I need to see it in person before I take the plunge.
BTW, What about the silver trim piece along the glove box door? Did your kit come with that piece too? How well do these parts cover the original pieces since they are somewhat three dimensional?
Ken, feel free to post my pictures on your webpage.
Brian, As for the "tacked on" look, you have to be real careful at the kind of kit you buy. A lot of the flat kits do not have a molded edge like ours came with which gives it the "factory" look. The kit did come with the side trim pieces, but we have decided (for now) to keep those pieces off. My husband really likes that trim and doesn't want to cover it up. We did cover the front trim piece on the dash and when I get a moment, I will post that photo. This is the only piece that doesn't look 100%. You can see a little bit of the trim on top of the trim piece since the wood piece didn't actually wrap into the dash. Besides this piece, everything else looks factory installed in my opinion. If you are not sure, I would definitely see one in person before you take the plunge. Good Luck!
Thanks venetta. The fit of the trim piece into the dash is exactly what I was wondering about. I'll wait for your photo of it since that is going to be a decider for me.
Brian, Here are more photos of the wood dash, I tried to take them so you could see the finish of the edge of the trim. You'll see on the trim piece above the glove box that you can see a little of the 'factory' trim, but to be honest you don't even notice it after a while and I like the Rendezvous embossed into the trim piece. We have had several people comment at how much they like the "factory wood dash" :-)
I'm thrilled with your excellent results! I went to autodash.com, and became confused with all the options and products - could you please tell me which set and company you used? Thanks!!
Dorene1, I purchased the kit from autodash.com. It is a Woodview 24 piece basic flat/molded dash kit for $193.00. Woodview is the manufacturer of the kit and I was recommended this particular kit by the customer service reps at autodash.com. They are very helpful and will advise you on the best kit for your color/car. I went with the Woodview kit because it was highly recommended and the edges are molded and not laser filled which means the ends are finished have more of an "factory" look. Good Luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
The link I just posted to the Running Boards takes you to a page with a bunch of "Affiliate Companies" at the bottom (Mats For Less, Spoilers For Less, etc.). I looked a little bit through them and the Mats for Less one has floor mats for the Rondy.
I just got a '02 Rendezvous and I love it! I have a question about the 3rd row speakers though. If I seat in the third row, the only thing I can hear is noise from these speakers. Are they subwoofers?
It is VERY annoying for the third row passengers. Can they be changed with full frequency speakers? Do I have to rewire them? I wonder if there is a frequency filter at the radio which would mean that I have to rewire them.
Hi, Theo. Welcome to the list. I just joined yesterday myself even though I bought my Rondy in October.
From a couple messages I have read on some of the other discussion boards here, the third row speakers are subwoofers or at least very woofy. Someone else pointed out that their child who sits in the third row can't hear any words, just bass.
I assume you could replace them with regular speakers, but I'm not sure if they're specifically wired as subwoofers. Probably.
If the rear audio panel is turned on, only the front row speakers play. Both the middle speakers and third row subwoofers are deactivated.
I would hesitate to replace the subwoofers with full frequency speakers as I'm sure there is a crossover somewhere in the line.
If you were to install full range speakers in the third row and wire them with the second row speakers, you would change the impedence and possibly damage the amplifier.
If you find a good Navigation/GPS system post it here. I have thought about using a laptop with a GPS device hooked up (also gives you full use of computer w/possibility of wireless internet and a DVD player). I've also seen GPS devices that hook up to Palm Pilots or just stand alone types at Best Buy.
I know that you can obtain running boards from boards4less.com for the RDV, however, has anybody installed these puppies. If so, was it difficult, and what color? I assume that black would be the obvious choice so that it would match the black fascia that surrounds the bottom of the vehicle. Also, is there anybody else who sells running boards for the RDV?
Hey guys, just wanted to chime in about the questions you've had about the stereo's in the cars...
About a month after I got my RDV I completely gutted the stock system... here's what I came acorss...
First of all, it is stock GM... the amp is the SAME type they use in the "Monsoon" systems in the Firebird/Camaro, Regal, Sunfire... the front tweeters are plastic... classic GM... the first mid/woofers are paper as well as the rear seat full ranges. The rear subs many of you have been complaining about, are, in fact, the finest speakers I've seen to date in a GM vehicle. They are made by Pioneer for GM. The speakers are crossed-over, like all the others, in the amplifier, so there would be no way to replace them with full range speakers. Your only option would be to remove them, which isn't difficult, but it requires some patience to work with the back panels which can be damaged easily. I replaced all my speakers with Infinity Kappa series 6 1/2" multi-elements... I'm using a set of Kappa Perfect components up front... I've rewired everything, and I've installed amps under the captains chairs in the 2nd row. I also upgraded my deck and added and in-dash 6-disc changer under it, similar to what came w/ the vehicle stock.
The only draw back to all of this is I've lost the capability to use onstar 2-way. They can still detect when my air bags go off and unlock my vehicle remotely, however, chances if either of those situations occured, I would not by conscience or inside of the vehicle to use the 2-way function anyway. My 2nd row audio still works (I had to modify that one myself, kinda diffficult) and my steering wheel controls still work thanks to a little adaptor I picked up...
When the page loads, click on "Accessories Selector" in the middle of the page and you can see the different accessories as they would appear on a Rendezvous.
Has anyone investigated installing a HUD into a RDV which was not factory-equipped with it? (Or better yet, actually performed the retrofit?) Is enough wiring already in place that one could simply replace the dash panel, plug in the projector and have it work? Or are there other extra black boxes needed?
I do know that technically, the windshield should be replaced with a HUD version. Obviously would try to make do without that complication...
Comments
John B.
I'm wondering if there are aftermarket ones that mount to the existing cross bars or do I need to get something from GM?
BTW, just what are those cross bars for? Are they universal to most aftermarket attachments for luggage carriers, bike racks, etc?
Bullet-shaped??? - - You're working too hard Brian. Seriously, have you considered one of the cloth/fabric type carriers. The plus-side is once you get to your destination, you can unpack and fold-up/pack-away the fabric carrier.
The downside for this type is that it rests directly on the roof, rather than on the croossbars. It just occurred to me that I believe you have the sunroof - - would that prevent you from using the fabric-type carrier that rests on the roof-top?
We've used the cloth-fabric carrier in the past & will probably continue to use it w/ the RDV; you can really fit quite a bit in them. Just an idea...
John B.
John, I don't think I've ever seen a fabric one before...I can't picture it.
The one I'm thinking of is hard plastic and shaped aerodynamically. It mounts on the cross bars and rides above the roof. It kind of looks like a Kayak, and rather sporty, in a "I'm a renaissance man" sort of way.
BTW, you're right about the sunroof. The owners manual says that the front cross bar must be in the rear most position in order to open the sunroof. I don't know yet how that will effect accessories. As often as I will carry stuff on top, it's no big deal.
I will admit that it was a surprise when I took delivery yesterday because I never knew that the roof slid back ON TOP OF the roof (a la Honda CRX). I don't know why they did it that way as there is more than enough head room for a "normal" sunroof.
fabric luggage carriers.Apparently the soft one can be fixed to your roof rack,
openes from two sides and can be locked. The part number 12497827
I'll be upgrading the stereo in my RDV very soon and I was wondering if the Metra wiring harness from a 93+ Firebird (standard GM) will fit the RDV's? I haven't seen anyone advertising a harness that will fit anything above a 2000 so I'm just wondering if there will be any issues...?
Habitant: the fabric carrier that attaches to the rack sounds pretty good; the one I've used in the past just sits on the roof and can be strapped to the roof rack or whatever. I'll have to look into the GM/RDV catalog for the one you spoke about. - - I like the fact that the fabric ones can be folded up and put away, saving lots of space.
Fortunately it's not an urgent requirement. I can take my time and fully investigate my options. The fabric is sounding better.
Rendezvous Problems & Solutions
I bought the Weathertech mats from MacNeil. They are high quality and should do a great job protecting the carpets.
The front mats fit perfectly. The center mats (I have captain chairs) fit a number of different vehicles and require some trimming to fit correctly. They have grooves along which the edges to trim along, and is quite easy with a utility knife.
Currently, a cargo mat is not available for RDV's with a third seat. The front and center mats are the same as the ones used in the Aztek. With the third seat option, the cargo mats they have will not fit. Apperantly the seats don't fold down low and flat enough for the Aztek mats to fit. The folks there said that they still haven't tried them in a RDV without the third seat, so they may have one that works. They also said they weren't going to be making custom mat until the sales numbers go up. They may have gotten stung by the Aztek.
Although they are not in the catalog, they found small mats that fit the third seat.
-Rich
puzzled....I will not have the 3rd seat in my
vehicle and my 2nd row will be out as well - it's uncertain wether the Aztek mat will fit is that correct? I know it will not go all the way to the front seats obviously.
Any ideas then what to use between the cargo mat and up to front seats...? I'm sure I'll just have to make do with a "mix & match" of mats...
The Weathertech mats do look attractive and I am considering them.
They do have a wide variety of mats, and VERY helpful, so they might be able to help.
CWJ
I tried all my local stores and dealers and they said no.
Thanks.
Here are the photos of the wood dash we put into our brand new RDV. We love the look of the wood dash. I was skeptical of the "synthetic" look, but it's beautiful. We still haven't put all 24 pieces in, but I am happy with the results so far. Let me know what everyone thinks!
Ken
BTW, What about the silver trim piece along the glove box door? Did your kit come with that piece too? How well do these parts cover the original pieces since they are somewhat three dimensional?
Ken
Brian,
As for the "tacked on" look, you have to be real careful at the kind of kit you buy. A lot of the flat kits do not have a molded edge like ours came with which gives it the "factory" look. The kit did come with the side trim pieces, but we have decided (for now) to keep those pieces off. My husband really likes that trim and doesn't want to cover it up. We did cover the front trim piece on the dash and when I get a moment, I will post that photo. This is the only piece that doesn't look 100%. You can see a little bit of the trim on top of the trim piece since the wood piece didn't actually wrap into the dash. Besides this piece, everything else looks factory installed in my opinion. If you are not sure, I would definitely see one in person before you take the plunge. Good Luck!
Here is a picture of my "baby":
I appreciate your taking the effort to help.
Brian
I purchased the kit from autodash.com. It is a Woodview 24 piece basic flat/molded dash kit for $193.00. Woodview is the manufacturer of the kit and I was recommended this particular kit by the customer service reps at autodash.com. They are very helpful and will advise you on the best kit for your color/car. I went with the Woodview kit because it was highly recommended and the edges are molded and not laser filled which means the ends are finished have more of an "factory" look.
Good Luck and let me know if you have any other questions.
CWJ
Here's a link to a company where you can buy running boards for your Rendezvous:
Running Boards
Douglas
There's also a RDV hitch at Hitches For Less.
I just got a '02 Rendezvous and I love it! I have a question about the 3rd row speakers though. If I seat in the third row, the only thing I can hear is noise from these speakers. Are they subwoofers?
It is VERY annoying for the third row passengers. Can they be changed with full frequency speakers? Do I have to rewire them?
I wonder if there is a frequency filter at the radio which would mean that I have to rewire them.
Thank you for any input,
Theo.
From a couple messages I have read on some of the other discussion boards here, the third row speakers are subwoofers or at least very woofy. Someone else pointed out that their child who sits in the third row can't hear any words, just bass.
I assume you could replace them with regular speakers, but I'm not sure if they're specifically wired as subwoofers. Probably.
I'd check with Buick to be sure.
Theo.
I would hesitate to replace the subwoofers with full frequency speakers as I'm sure there is a crossover somewhere in the line.
If you were to install full range speakers in the third row and wire them with the second row speakers, you would change the impedence and possibly damage the amplifier.
BTW: I finally bought the RDV, 3 days old Yaaa hooo smooth ride.
About a month after I got my RDV I completely gutted the stock system... here's what I came acorss...
First of all, it is stock GM... the amp is the SAME type they use in the "Monsoon" systems in the Firebird/Camaro, Regal, Sunfire... the front tweeters are plastic... classic GM... the first mid/woofers are paper as well as the rear seat full ranges. The rear subs many of you have been complaining about, are, in fact, the finest speakers I've seen to date in a GM vehicle. They are made by Pioneer for GM. The speakers are crossed-over, like all the others, in the amplifier, so there would be no way to replace them with full range speakers. Your only option would be to remove them, which isn't difficult, but it requires some patience to work with the back panels which can be damaged easily. I replaced all my speakers with Infinity Kappa series 6 1/2" multi-elements... I'm using a set of Kappa Perfect components up front... I've rewired everything, and I've installed amps under the captains chairs in the 2nd row. I also upgraded my deck and added and in-dash 6-disc changer under it, similar to what came w/ the vehicle stock.
The only draw back to all of this is I've lost the capability to use onstar 2-way. They can still detect when my air bags go off and unlock my vehicle remotely, however, chances if either of those situations occured, I would not by conscience or inside of the vehicle to use the 2-way function anyway. My 2nd row audio still works (I had to modify that one myself, kinda diffficult) and my steering wheel controls still work thanks to a little adaptor I picked up...
Let me know if you have any questions...
~Lance
This may have been posted before, but the GM Canada site has an Accessories Selector webpage:
http://www.gmcanada.com/english/vehicles/buick/rendezvous/rend_accessories.html
When the page loads, click on "Accessories Selector" in the middle of the page and you can see the different accessories as they would appear on a Rendezvous.
(Or better yet, actually performed the retrofit?) Is enough wiring already in place that one
could simply replace the dash panel, plug in the projector and have it work? Or are there
other extra black boxes needed?
I do know that technically, the windshield should be replaced with a HUD version. Obviously
would try to make do without that complication...