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Buick Rendezvous

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Comments

  • michigan_markmichigan_mark Member Posts: 1
    Fedlawmen, or others -- I see that the pricing is now available on the Buick website for the Rendezvous. Does anyone have a guess at what the GMS price might be? (You mentioned GMO is usually $1000 below invoice)

    I'm new to the automotive supplier business and haven't used GMS pricing before. Is GMS typically close to invoice or % above/below?
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    GMS is basically the GMO price plus a few hundred dollars (to cover dealer expenses for having the car on the lot).

    As someone mentioned in an earlier post, MSRP and invoice pricing for the Rendezvous can be found at the Kelly Blue Book website (kbb.com)
  • labrador4labrador4 Member Posts: 5
    Since the Rendezvous and Aztek sit on the same frame as the Montana, does that mean they will do as poorly in crash tests? Any data on that? Any opinions on that? Thanks.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    iceman gave you the ratings in the Aztek forum. Aztek is ok, not the best but far from worst. I suspect the Rendezvous will score about the same.
  • woodybuickwoodybuick Member Posts: 33
    I am employed by a Buick store in the Chicagoland area. We have our first of 8 rendezvous coming in around april 14-16. They are all equipped the same as per Buick's instruction. Loaded! Buick also put up a website for dealers only to test the product knowledge of the salesman on this great vehicle. They have both technical and informative info. Seeing as I passed it with flying colors, ask me any questions you might have on this great vehicle.

    Also, I have sold both the RX300 and ML series sport utes. Both are very comfortable vehicles, but the Rendezvous is going to blow these things away.

    Various answers:

    Michigan Mark: GMS pricing is very similiar to GMO. However, it is nearly impossible to figure out with going to a buick dealer. I can tell you that is is about $1k below invoice. I have to warn you though. Dealers are under no obligation to honor this pricing. I personally have turned down about 10 requests for GMO pricing on the rendezvous seeing as they are limited in numbers for the first 3 months and have been selling them at full sticker. When supply outweighs demand, then dealers will open their doors to GMO and GMS pricing.

    Buzzbo: The tailgate will have to be tied down. No way around it.

    Ogdens: There are currently 2 different credit cards offered by GM. the one you have is the old program. Max $500 per year up to 7 years. The new program is unlimited per year, but you can only use a certain amount towards the purchase. Typically, Buick will let you spend up to $2,000 per transaction. This can vary with the type of vehicle though.

    Aztek vs. Rendezvous: As you probably have heard, the Aztek has been temporarily discontinued while they change to appearance. As a result, the Rendezvous will be more free flow in the next couple of months. Buick originally estimated the 2002 run would be about 25,000 units. They have now estimated about 55,000 units since the Aztek announcement. Great news for both Aztek and Rendezvous future owners.
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    We purchased a Buick Regal in 1991. In 1993 after trouble with the caliper my husband came in from the garage and said - Bad design on the calipers. (If he knew it what happened to all those high paid designers?) We had repeated trouble through the years and in OCT 2000 we were sent papers for the class action law suit that was filed against Buick regarding the calipers. With luck we had the repair bills and are waiting on the settlement. We thought about the Rendezvous however same story with the dealer having no information and what about those playing cards? Just recently the power control module had to be replaced one year after repair/ warranty was one year/12,000. I have 21,000 miles on the part. The first one lasted 200,000 miles. Don't forget the rattle noise that Buick never fixed (loose change in the ashtray)and the power window on the driver side that doesn't work after it has been replaced. Check out the reviews and it appears that Buick won't respond unless the court orders. Hope the designers on the Rendezvous are better then on the Regal. After my experience with the calipers, and this computer module think twice before buying that first year model. P.. Our 1991 Ford Explorer has 265,000 miles. We have done our repair work but no were near the problems as with the Buick.
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    My Rendezvous comes with the towing package. I read about the larger radiator and transmission cooler but do not remember reading anything about a hitch receiver. Will I have to have one put on? Also I live in Texas where summers are really hot and I get a lot of sweat on the drivers seat. No need to go into what that does to the leather and what my drivers seats end up looking like. I had thought about getting something to cove the drivers seat this time. Does GM make a nice slip on cover?
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    woodybuick : Thanx for all the info. I'm getting pretty excited about trying out a Rendezvous. Being only 32, I never thought I would say that about a Buick.

    dfwsunset : Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Regal, but the Rendezvous is 10 years later. Buicks have an excellent and well above average record.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    You stated that the first cars shipped will be fully loaded models and that you are taking orders at full sticker (no GMO). Do you mean to say that you have customers spending $35,000 on a car they've never seen or driven?

    Personally, I am very excited to see and drive the Rendezvous, at $28K for a CXL (est GMO), I don't think anything holds a candle to it for my needs. However, if I were shopping in the $35K region, the Rendezvous would have to compete with the Acura MDX, Mercedes ML320, and Toyota Sequoia... fierce competition indeed.

    Toyota, Acura (Honda), and Mercedes have all established industry benchmarks for build quality, customer satisfaction, resale value, and of course, neighbor envy. Dollar for dollar, how do you think the Buick stacks up?
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I didn't mean for my last post to sound combative. I'm really just curious for your opinion on what vehicles are likely competition for the Rendezvous and how you think the Buick fares.

    I am a little bugged by your statement that you are turning away GMO customers. I have bought two GM vehicles from the same dealership through this program and they have never hesitated to serve me. As a result, I have become a loyal customer, know the service and sales management and staff, and have referred business to them.
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    dindak: Thanks for your locality to Buick. I must have missed it in the 163 messages what Buick do you drive and how long have you owned your current Buick? Or is it what part of Buick do you work for?

    From a Buick and Ford owner for the past Ten years and over 200,000 miles on each - here is my 2 cents. We were very serious about purchasing the Rendezvous. My last experience with service on the Buick brought back the ten years of indifference that Buick has to its customers. For example, the calipers on the Regal that had to go to court for a settlement for Buick to finally acknowledge bad design. Current comments such as #30, 31 and 35. Seems to me that Buick management 10 years later still misses the point. Under powered engine for the Rendezvous sacrifice cost in lieu of customer satisfaction. Know the problem exists but stick your head in the sand. There is one more Rendezvous out there for someone else to be frustrated over, I will not buy one. Our Buick and Ford are serviced at the same dealership, it is an autopark and Ford has out performed Buick in every category. 1991 Ford Explorer and 265,000 miles later I believe I can testify to the reliability and satisfaction over time.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Don't work for or own a Buick. My dad used to have a LeSabre which he wishes he had again as his Winstar has had lots of problems. That being said, I think Fords and Buicks are both fine over all. You had bad luck with one and good luck with another. My father had the opposite experience. Ford Explorers have certainly had their fair share of problems.

    As for the Rendezvous, I doubt it shares almost anything in common with your 1991 Buick.
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for your comment. One point. It is alot easier to talk about a car someone else owns. Our Ford has had its problems and they were all taken care of thus - customer satisfaction. Our Buick on the other hand has been frustration on the customer satisfaction level. Yes, Buick has some old models that are tried and true. Our Regal was a new line ten years ago. The Rendezvous is a new line ten years later. Don't worry about only 60,000 being produced a year. You can buy the one that I will not. Have fun when Buick won't address the problems with the car. I have not decided on our next SUV and appreciate a web site like this that allows a buyer to really get an inside look on their next purchase. Looking to buy a Rendevouz - make sure you read comments #30, 31 and 35. I did not write them, my hat is off with many thanks to those of you out there that did.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    No I don't have a Buick myself.. but I am interested in the Rendezvous. You coming here and bad mouthing Rendezvous seems a little silly since a) You are talking about your 10+ year old car b) The Rendezvous is an SUV, not a car and c) You have no interest in buying one anyway. So really, you have made the point that you Buick was not great and I'm sorry. My last two cars have been from GM and they have both been excellent (as has been the service). I fully expect if I buy a Rendezvous it will be fine also. Nuff said.
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    No,I do not own a Rendezvous and was very serious about purchasing one. Why do you think I own a ten year car? We were waiting for the Rendezvous not to mention the $2700.00 in GM rewards that we have accrued. Seems pretty silly you standing up for a SUV you don't own either. Maybe folks should read the comments from #30,31 and 35. Like I said I did not write those comments. Your last two cars have been from CM what happened you don't have a GM product now? Fine, buy a Rendezvous. Like I said there will be one more on the market, the one I do not purchase. I can't wait to see the reviews. Why did you use your dad and not your own experience with your GM cars? Question? If he liked Buick so much why did he switch? If you fully expect to buy a Rendezvous then do it. They are on presale right now. They will be happy to take your order. Buick is the same today that they were ten years ago. Closed minded management. Sure they had their great cars and your father owned one of them. They have not had a big hit since.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I have no idea why you are picking a fight with me. You are making assumptions about me and drawing your own conclusions from them to support your anti-Buick crusade. You are clearly bitter about your car and GM and you seem incapable of having a civil conversation.
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    Open town hall. At least I owned a Buick and did consider purchase of a Rendezvous. Thanks to my last experience and comments like #30, 31, and 35 I have drawn the conclusion not to purchase the Rendezvous. If you don't like my comments then don't respond. Fact is, after my last encounter I have taken the Rendezvous off my list of SUV's and I am willing to give up my $2700.00 in GM rewards. Only 60,000 produced this year and you can have the one I was going to buy.
  • ruskiruski Member Posts: 1,566
    because some stupid part on your Buick Regal 10 years ago that according to your husband was not designed correctly, you assume that modern Buick cars are not good?
  • ogdensogdens Member Posts: 9
    I agree with fedlawman on the Buick pricing of the Rendezvous. Before any pricing was released I told every local dealer I visited that if they could get the CXL at or below $30K they could hope to compete with Toyota, Lexus and Acura in the already crowded SUV market. Otherwise, why would anyone take a chance on a new SUV model from an American car company with a questionable reliability history? The only reason I am waiting on the Rendezvous is to get a "usable" 3rd row in a SUV that fits in my garage. But even if the Rendezvous looks good, I am not sure I will risk it at $35K. At $30K or less, Buick, you could have a blockbuster on your hands. Are you listening?
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Regarding posts 30, 31, and 35 - with 210 lb ft of torque, the Rendezvous is 12 shy of the Lexus RX300 (they weigh the same). I bet that with such a weak engine, Lexus doesn't sell a single one of those RX300's.

    The Rendezvous has the same drivetrain as the Chevy Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Montana, which have been on the road for more than three years. Well, I guess the cat's finally out of the bag. GM should do the right thing and buy them all back and scrap them! Oh yeah, another Rendezvous twin, the 2000 Pontiac Aztek. Although it has been notably trouble free in it's first year of production, I'm sure it's just a matter of time...SCRAP IT!

    I think word is finally out on the Buick Regal too. People discovered GM's well kept secret that it is the same car as the Chevy Lumina, Chevy Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix, and Oldsmobile Intrigue. Hmmm, you don't see too many of them on the road, do you? You know, I think GM has used the same brakes on all of the midsize GM sedans since at least 1991...we all have some money coming!

    Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that GM (especially Buick)hasn't made a quality car since 1990? I'm surprised that GM has managed to stay in business at all; selling hundreds of thousands of lemons each year and treating their customers like garbage...for ten years in a row! What is their secret?.

    You know, I wish someone had informed me of GM's evil ways back in 1991. If I had only known...I feel so stupid having earned all those GM rewards!
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    What if dfwsunset is actually a GM mole sent here to push fence sitters over to the Rendezvous side? She did get us to wave GM's flag, didn't she? I feel so dirty.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Disclaimer, this is not intended to be an accurate representation, just an illustration...

    The "base" Rendezvous CXL MSRP is $31,672. If a person wanted to lease one for three years, they could expect a 58% residual value (my best estimate-correct me if I'm wrong Woodybuick). That equates to a residual value of $18,370 at the end of the lease, or $13,302 of depreciation over 36 months.

    For a base Acura MDX, MSRP is $34,850. The residual value at the end of a three year lease is 70% (got that from Acura). That equals a residual value of $24,395, or $10,455 of depreciation over 36 months.

    Also, a Mercedes ML320 with luxury package, moonroof, and 3rd row seat has an MSRP of $40,000. With a 69% residual (got that from Mercedes) the residual value after 36 months is $27,600. That equates to depreciation of $12,400.

    Not counting tax, interest, etc., it costs $370/month to lease the Buick, $345/month for the Mercedes, and $290/month for the Acura. Even with sales tax, interest, etc. added to the mix, it doesn't change the logic.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    dfwsunset : You make it sound like Buick is it's own company... it's GM. Buick is a marketing division, nothing more!! 3 of my last 4 cars (including my current Intrigue) have been from GM. I think I can speak from experience. Further.. if you aren't shopping for a Rendezvous, what are you doing here?? Let your 10 year old Buick go and get over it.

    fedlawman : I don't think the Rendezvous will be under powered. I have been hanging around in the Aztek forum and people seem fine with the 3.4L. My neighbor has a Chevy Venture and three kids and says it works fine also. Great fuel economy!
  • brehmer1brehmer1 Member Posts: 5
    Hey Woody or anyone else. I have some questions about my GM card earnings? I called GM card customer service and they told me that with my old (Blue) GM card I could earn up to $3500 over seven years, and use that total on a new/lease of any GM vehicle. After seeing one of the posts on this board it was stated that you could only use $1500 of earning on a new/lease GM vehicle. I realize that the Gold card offers unlimited earnings, but puts a cap on the amount of earnings you can use on specific GM vehicles. I guess I'm confused.... Can I use my $3500 of earnings on a new Rendezvous or are there earning caps on the Blue card too. I appreciate anyone's help with this question.
  • jaynedough123jaynedough123 Member Posts: 11
    I saw a Rendezvous a couple of weeks ago in a shopping center parking lot. I could now kick myself for not waiting for the owner to come out and ask him stuft about it. It had manufacturers plates on it so I am figuring its someone from GM that had it. It looked like what you would imagine an Americanized version of the LX300 to look like - bigger beefier. It was kind of a cross between an Escalade and an LX300. The one I saw was a single tone army green color. Did not look like the Aztek. According to the dealer here they are supposed to get them in mid-April. If the CXL is at $30K or below they have my business - if its $34K or above I will go get the Montero. My dad had 3 Buicks in the past 8 years -all which he had very very good luck with. Managed to survive a few minor accidents and one major accident. I have a GMC Jimmy which is a piece of trash - I am hoping that I just happened to get a lemon. I had a Pontiac Sunbird about 7 years ago which served more than okay, even more so considering it's low end vehicle. It was never in the shop for non regular maintenance stuff. So all in all I am expecting good stuff from the Rendezvous. BTW I am not a real car nut or anything but the Rendezvous that I saw was the only vehicle besides the PT Cruiser that has ever really caught my attention. I drove by it , turned around, parked across from it, got out of my car to actually look at it. This is something that is just not in my nature to do. .
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I sat in a Rendezvous at the Toronto Auto Show. It was very nice inside. Mid to late April is what I am hearing from the local dealer. I really am looking forward to a test drive.
  • akajoeakajoe Member Posts: 69
    The Rendezvous looks like a blend of RX300 and ML320.

    If the target market is people between say 35-55, that's 20 years of population. This represents approximately 25% of the population, or 64M people (assuming 240M in the US). In that age range, suppose 25% of those would consider a vehicle in the $34K price range.
    With a TAM (total available market) of 16M people, if Buick sells 60K units in it's first year, they will have achieved a market penetration of only .375% (less than 1%). I don't think their market numbers are too aggressive.
  • warrenw48warrenw48 Member Posts: 21
    The 1500.00 limit applies to the new GM Card not the old gold or blue card. Yes you can use all of your 3500.00 on any vehicle. The new card does have some good attributes, can use credits for hotels and a much lower interest rate to name a few. www.gmcard.com
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    The stupid part was the caliper and a class action law suit was filed in Federal Court and all parties involved are awaiting settlement. That stupid part amounted to over $1500.00 in needless repair bills because of the design flaw. I guess you enjoy throwing you money away. Buy the Buick Rendevous and don't read the comments from #30,31 or 35. Good Luck
  • dfwsunsetdfwsunset Member Posts: 8
    How clever you are. Finally guessed it. You have been challenged to think Buick Rendezvous. It inspired you. Can't wait for the SUV to arrive at the dealer. Want to see it, drive it. I was driving home the other day and saw on going down the road. What an SUV. Impressive. Don't wait to purchase one. Run, walk, drive down to your friendly dealership and order one today.

    You know what happened today. Someone asked ?Do you know what the Buick Rendezvous and the Lexus have in common? The Buick Rendezvous is the poor man's Lexus. At a sticker price of 30K plus, How disgusting.
  • sr_bodysr_body Member Posts: 23
    ...but it's not a duck. Classic Aztek/Rendezvous marketing department mentality. It's built on a minivan platform but they still call it an SUV. Why?

    Apart from the fact that the Aztek/Rendezvous has four forward-hinged doors, they are no different from other GM minivans. They (Aztek/Rendezvous & the other GM minivans) all have the same ground clearance, none of them can tow a decent sized boat, none of them have standard-sized truck tires, and none of them have off-road capable suspension articulation. Other than that nifty AWD option (lots of cars have this too, but they're not called SUVs) there's nothing on them that says "sport" or "utility".

    At least the Buick is decent looking. Even trendy-ish. It would blend in on a lot with other luxury SUVs.

    Next thing you know, someone's going to take an ordinary car, give it some ground clearance, and call it an SUV. What? Someone already has? Honda CR-V & Toyota Rav-4? Oh yeah, I forgot about those other SUV wannabes...
  • lbthedoglbthedog Member Posts: 198
    Next thing you know, someone's going to take an ordinary car, give it some ground clearance, and call it an SUV. What? Someone already has? Honda CR-V & Toyota Rav-4? Oh yeah, I forgot about those other SUV wannabes...
    <<<Don't you mean "Eagle" the late AMC? Is it the trucks are turning into cars or the cars are turning into trucks. Maybe some people don't want either and want something in the middle. Hey if you want to pull big boats, this isn't for you. But if you just want to lug a family of four (or five or six) you can't get a wood grained Country Squire any more. Sure hope this board doesn't get as mucked up as the Aztek one did.
  • rkuehnrkuehn Member Posts: 120
    Aztek apparetly has an interior bike mount available, though I've never even seen a picture. Does the Rendevous have one, or will the Aztek's work?
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I am glad that these "crossover vehicles" are becoming so popular and I believe that they are being designed and manufactured in response to consumer demand.

    I am considering the Rendezvous for my next vehicle because I NEED a minivan but WANT an SUV. The Rendezvous fits me because it is more rugged and all-weather capable than a minivan (good for Seattle winters), yet more economical than a full-size SUV...and it will even fit in my garage!

    On a recent trip to Southern California, I saw a multitude of Suburbans, Expeditions, and Sequoias with gold fenders, running boards, chrome wheels, etc., and not a single trailer hitch to be seen...do you think they ever leave the macadam?

    If a person wants to purchase a $35,000 truck, insure and maintain a 4X4 transaxle, and guzzle a gallon of gas every 14 miles, more power to them...especially if they actually use it off-road and/or tow a trailer. Personally, I prefer to spend about $27,000 (invoice) for a nicely equipped AWD minivan alternative and put the savings into my 401K and kids college funds.

    PS: dindak - my mother-in-law has a Chevy Venture and you're right, the 3.4L is plenty powerful...even loaded with the family. In fact, I have surprised more than a few people at stoplights and on-ramps with the Venture's acceleration (it has a nice growl at full throttle too).
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    dfwsunset : I think it may be time to take your bitterness somewhere else. You really are adding nothing to this thread.

    fedlawman : After sitting behind the wheel and having tested an Aztek, I'm pretty sure I will like this vehicle. No it's not really an SUV, but I like it anyway. It doesn't look like a van and that is key for my wife who will likely be the primary driver. 3.4L is a very decent engine and compared to those 4 cyl RAV4s and CRVs I'm sure it will rock.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Well, I just spent the weekend driving my mother-in-law's Chevy Venture and critically evaluated it pretty much all weekend long. It is the extended version, purchased new through GMO in 1998, and has 53,000 miles on it. Here are my observations:

    1. Great power! Even loaded with 4 adults, 2 kids, and luggage, it has quite impressive acceleration down low. It fizzles out at high RPM and above 3rd gear, although it downshifts smartly and accelerates with authority when passing at freeway speeds.

    2. Smooth and serene ride, numb steering and road feel. Although it corners like a sedan, it feels disconnected from the road a little (although I am used to driving a Firebird and a Miata).

    3. Build quality. The fan doesn't work at setting #1, the rear wiper makes a moaning noise, the left front brake makes a clicking sound, and a piece of plastic trim is broken near the sliding door track.

    4. The body feels just a little loose when going down the road, as though the van is not quite as heavy as it should be. As the helicopter pilot saying goes, it feels like "a thousand parts flying in loose formation."

    I wonder how many of these issues (ride and body integrity) are related to the increased interior and exterior dimensions of an extended van and whether the Rendezvous will have more sound deadening, structural integrity, etc. I am also concerned about the annoying foibles that GM seems to be famous for...especially in a new model. I imagine that the Aztek posts might be a good place to gather information.
  • woodybuickwoodybuick Member Posts: 33
    I took a little vacation...

    Let's see if I can remember most of the questions

    Trailer Hitch: Yes, you will need to have one installed. The wiring for the trailer will be there.

    GMO: Normally, we will never turn down GMO or GMS orders. This vehicle is a special case. Buick has given us 98 redezvous's for the entire 02 season. Can we get more..hopefully. Come August when I have a few on the lot, we will start to honor GMO and GMS pricing.

    GMCARD: Warren is right. On the Rendezvous yuo have the amount based on the type of credit card you are using..either $3,500 or $2,000 (I mistakenly said $1,500, I apologize).

    Now, on with my rant...

    Fedlawman: Your numbers on leasing are quite accurate except for one thing. The lease rate. MB and Acura do not incentivise their rates, GM does. That makes up the difference in the residual. One more thing. 70% of the buick population pays cash for their vehicle. What will most likely happen is that Buick will up the residual when it sees how many people are coming over from MB, Acura, BMW, etc. When you combine these two things, buick will have a hit on their hands.

    To whoever said quality on the GM products is terrible: What do you mean Buick hasn't built a quality car since 1990??? Does the fact that Buick is the highest quality car out of all GM impress you? Probably not. Does it impress you that Buick has a higher quality rating than any other american car? Again, probably not. What about Buick being better than BMW? Hmm..now we are talking. Oh yeah, it's better than MB also. The LeSabre is the best selling full size sedan for 9 STRAIGHT years. Yeah, the quality on that car is terrible. I see them in the shop CONSTANTLY!! I wonder what they are doing with all that used up oil coming out of them. Wonder why people keep buying them. BTW, the brakes on the regal and century were changed in the 97 model year. The brakes on the Rendezvous are different from them. GM learned from their mistake. They paid the price, but they learned.

    Rkuehn: Nope, no bike mount. Aztek is marketed as an all purpose vehicle. Rend is going to be your traditional luxury x-over vehicle. Different markets

    dfwsunset: Ok, ok. The brakes on the w-body cars sucked. Everyone knows this. Rendezvous is not a w-body car. It is a whole new product using parts that have been out for a few years on other models. The only new "concept" is having Motorola design a new electrical system for the car. However, this new system has been used in planes for almost 30 years. It involves a central cable rather than 500 wires wiring everywhere. Everything plugs into the cable. One computer handles most of the operation of the car. I guess my advice would be to wait for your settlement check. Also wait on telling everyone the Rend is a piece of junk before you have even ever sat in one.

    Disclaimer: It is quite possible that I confused some of the names with their prior statements. If I used your name in error, it was just that. Please let me know so I can take you off my hit list on the next set on rants =)

    Jeff
  • woodybuickwoodybuick Member Posts: 33
    The CXL model will be available in a cloth seat also. In my opinion, it is ugly, but to each his own. I hope that eases the pain of leather on a Texas summer day!
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I have been roaming the Aztek forum for a while. The owners are finding the Aztek to be very reliable and fairly problem free. I think the Rendezvous should be a quality product from the start.
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    Since the trailer package does not include the hitch. Does Buick already have one I can buy or do I have to go for an aftermarket? My build date is one day this week but I do not know when it will arrive and I would like to make it ready to pull my boat as soon as possible.

    I think you misunderstood my leather seat question. The one I ordered has the versitility package (1sd I beleive) with leather seats. In the summer I get a lot of salty sweat on the drivers seat and I would like to cover it for protection but do not want to put something that looks like the sale pages of JC Whitney. Any suggestions?
  • bertolibertoli Member Posts: 49
    Woodybuick,

    I received Buicks promotional package on the Rendezvous which included an option to pre-order and what Buick claims is a priority build time.

    My questions are this, would this promotional order count against a dealers allotment for the year and do you think the priority build claim is valid or just a marketing gimmick?

    Thanks,

    Tony
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    At first I thought it was a sales gimmick but as I have said earlier I was overdue to trade waiting for the Rendezvous to come out so I pre ordered as soon as I could. Now according to my local dealer, my vehicle may arrive before his and he wants to let it sit on the floor for a few days. I did not ask whether it would count toward his allocation. When I see him again I will ask. Hopefully he will call me in a week or so to tell me it is here.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    You must be getting excited as your build date is this week. Very exciting!
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    Since the time is finally getting close I am getting excited. When I called the salesman he told me the build date is the week of April 9th instead of the 2nd. So he says we should see it around April 23rd to the 1st of May. That was the bad news for me.

    Now the good news for bartoli is the salesman told me the per sell did not count against the dealership's allotment. The 5000 per sale units were separate from the dealer allotment production. But I wonder if the dealer allotment will increase with the increased production caused by the stall in Aztec production.
  • woodybuickwoodybuick Member Posts: 33
    Buzzbo: You would need to hit the aftermarket store for the hitch. It is a class III type I believe.
    As far as the seat covers go, I honestly don't have the foggiest. Buick doesn't make any seat covers for any products that I am aware of. I have had a customer go to a custom trim shop (like one you would go to for repairing a seat cushion on a boat) and have the shop custom make one for you. Pros: great fit and finish, you decided on the color and quality of material. Cons: Might be cost prohibitive. Again, I have most of the answers, just not all =)

    Bertoli: Even I have conflicting reports on this. Some of the material I haved received say that any "pre-order" cars won't be built until early August. Others have said right away. In either case, non of these sales go against dealers allocation. My first five are being built as we speak. 2 weeks and they should be in. I can't wait to try this thing out!
  • hiker1hiker1 Member Posts: 9
    I'm concerned with some comments that a GM card cannot be used for more than $3,500. My current earnings are $6,300 I jumped on the GM card when it first came out, moved up to the Gold card when it came out and maxed my purchases every year. I actually reached $6,990 in earnings several months ago and have gradually been losing earnings because I've been using the card for more than the 7 year earnings limit. (I've always paid off my debt every month and have never paid GM a dime in interest) I plan on using the earnings in one shot on my next purchase (Rendezvous? Envoy? Trailblazer?). I don't recall receiving anything from GM stating anything to the contrary.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I'm not sure about the American GM Card, but the Canadian one is limited to $3500 per vehicle. I have redeemed twice so I'm only at $900 at this point.
  • buzzbo99buzzbo99 Member Posts: 111
    All I can tell you is that I have gone to gmcard.com and sent them questions via email (contact us) and they have answered every question incredibly fast. Good Luck. I wish I had gotten the care as early as you did. I only get to redeem $1500.
  • bertolibertoli Member Posts: 49
    I think I'll go see my local dealer and find out
    what kind of deal I can make with the pre-order option.

    Since the pre-order doesn't count against a dealers allotment I would assume I might be able
    to negotiate a decent deal....

    Woody, one more question, if I order and then for some reason I want to back out of the deal after delivery to the dealership, I am committed or would a dealer consider this an extra vehicle he can sell...tho I guess there might not be holdback available on that vehicle?
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I was checking out a new 02 Envoy a couple of days ago and I asked the sales man when the Rendezvous was coming in. He said he thought it would be in the fall. GM Canada web site says spring. I bit my tounge.
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