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I don't how to respond to someone comparing a Rendezvous to an Altima, plus apparently having read just enough posts in this thread to misunderstand the real issues.
And now he buys an MDX without having posed a single question in comparison. That's rich. Where did that come from? Oh well, at least he bought another (good) crossover vehicle and didn't suddenly decide that he needed a Dodge Viper.
CWJ
Also, I assumed from your posts that you were looking at FWD cars in the $25,000 price range (Altima and RDV CX). You seemed concerned about the price of options and said you didn't need AWD, yet you went with the MDX, which is AWD and costs at least $12,000 more after incentives and tax.
CWJ - maybe he already has a Viper?
As others have noted, all RDVs come with the front-to-rear tracking installed on either side of the roof line. Only the CXL comes with crossrails mounted on them. The glossy brochure (which is zero help on explaining the various option packages) states that the 'roof rack' is not available on the CX.
This is not correct. You can buy the crossrails from the dealer, but you may not want to. I think--and will confirm this--that Thule and Yakima rails mount on the RDV tracking by means of their own 'foot pack' device, and don't use or need the crossrails.
If not, I guess we'll opt for the Viper.
By the way, we already are having a problem with our new MDX. We can't decide what to name our little Acura. I like the name Gamera, but my wife thinks it may be too common as everyone seems to be naming their new cross-over SUVs Gamera. Who knows ?
Also, no Viper : (
This was a concern of mine too. Just visit the Thule or Yakima web sites or their dealers and you can buy the proper feet and *real* crossbars, not the decorative bowed numbers that come standard on the CLX.
I cross-shopped the Trailblazer and RDV after deciding not to buy another 4x4 chevy pickup. For the couple of times a year I tackle a muddy farm road or wet clover field, the RDV will be just fine.
Also, I pick up my Pewter CX AWD 1SB on Friday. I cannot wait!
Did everyone miss this tidbit?
http://detnews.com/2001/autosconsumer/0112/26/e01-375388.htm
Seems that the Detroit News auto staff really likes the RDV! And I am picking up my new RDV tomorrow. I hope the parting ceremony for my 96 Chevy 4x4 p/u is not too tearful.
My husband and I usually buy cars every five years or so, taking turns.....it's my turn this time! Since 1989, I've been driving a 1989 Oldsmobile Calais and if someone would tell me that it would last for another ten years, I'd have it painted and keep it because it's been a great car and been perfect for me in every way. Part of me really hates to part with it, but it will be staying in the family as my sister will be "adopting" it. Yes, I know....I'm pretty attached to that car. And if we weren't looking for something with more space inside to travel in and higher seating, I'd probably already be the owner of an Oldsmobile Alero.
I've been doing some research the last couple months...when you only buy a car every ten years you have to make sure you look and see what's out there! I've been able to do most of my looking through the internet and have found forums like this immensely helpful. Our "kids" have grown and unlike with our cars in the past, this will be a car mainly for just the two of us. However, there were a couple things we were looking for. First of all, the comfort factor is very important to me. We have never owned a mini-van...they became popular after our kids were past that age....we were a station wagon family. We did rent a Chevy Venture last year for our daughter's wedding and we all really liked it. It handled like a car and since I've had back problems for years, I found the higher seating to be much more comfortable than a car.
So this year, with GMS and GM card points in hand, we went looking at the Chevy Venture again. Seeing it and driving it again confirmed our thoughts of a year ago and it was at the top of our list. Gas mileage being another high point (we're traveling now to see the kids...they don't live at home anymore) we were pleased with the Venture's performance on that front also. Searching on the internet I also found the Honda CR-V that looked like it would fit into our needs....comfortable seating and good gas mileage. I have to admit we were very impressed with it also...a lot of standard items on the base model made it a consideration for us.
A Buick dealer is right down the street from the Honda dealer and out of curiosity we stopped there mainly because my husband wanted to look at the Century...not for me but for him when it's his turn next! He didn't realize it but in my internet searching I had come upon the Rendezvous and thought it looked really nice but also thought it would be too big for us. There's just the two of us and quite frankly, I was afraid after driving my Calais for all these years, that it would be too big for me to drive and I wouldn't feel comfortable in it. We took a test drive in it and thought it was great. It's a car that looks big on the outside but we didn't feel like we were "lost" in it. Also, not being tall people, we didn't feel like we were "climbing" into it. And between the fact that we were only interested in the base model (it completely meets our needs) and our GMS and GM card and rebates, the price is the same as the Honda CR-V and we feel like we will be getting much more car. So.....I'm 98% sure that in the next couple weeks I'll be the owner of an RDV also. Now, the only thing left for me to do is choose the color which I'm not even going to mention here because I've already read the postings between the "gray" people and the "oakies"! Lol
I do have a couple concerns. As you know the Calais is a much smaller car. And after reading some of the postings on the forum in regard to the back up feature and how some people wouldn't want to live without it, it really has me a little paranoid about backing up! Is there anyone out there who has gone from a smaller car to the RDV and without the back-up feature, found it difficult to maneuver? I'd hate to get a new car and back into anything!
Another question is in regards to the rear hatch. The Honda CR-V had a rear door that opened to the side and as I mentioned before I have back trouble, but had no trouble opening the door. Another nice feature was the fact that the window came down independently of the lower part of the door. When we test drove the RDV, closing the door was almost impossible for me. My husband and I are not tall people and even though I could reach the inset handle for the door I could not pull it down. As some of you may know, the Honda CR-V comes with a picnic table in the back....I suggested to my husband that the RDV should come with a step stool in the back for people like me! I was just wondering if any of you have found if the door loosens up any the longer you use it? By the way....don't laugh, but I do intend to keep a small step stool in the back when I first get it! But I'm not telling if it will be a step stool in gray or Oak! Lol
Thanks again for all the information. Sorry for the length of this....I won't do it again!
As for the rear hatch, I am 5'3" and have not had a problem closing it even with a 2 year old in one hand. Granite, I have only had to shut it about 4 or 5 times, but it is nothing I would not buy the car for. Our gas mileage so far is 18.5 which isn't too bad for only 300 miles on it. As for the color, we bought the Pewter which wasn't my first choice, but now that I have it I love it and couldn't see buying any other color.
We also purchased a wood dash from autodash.com and it is beautiful. I will be posting pictures as soon as I can get my digital camera to work. I highly recommend this aftermarket option. We purchased the synthetic english burlewood 24 piece set for $193.00 +shipping. I was skeptical of the synthetic wood, but low and behold both of my camry's wood dashes were synthetic... I always assumed they were real.
Good luck with your decision and I would have to say that the RDV is a great choice!
Ken
As for the rear hatch, neither of us have trouble with it but, it does require more muscle than some smaller hatches. It is no harder to open and close than my mother-in-laws Chevy Venture, which is basically a close cousin of the RDV (same platform, drivetrain, etc.). We drove that van extensively before buying our RDV and find the RDV far and away more comfortable and better built than the Venture.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
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!
Also, a big thank you to those who answered my questions I had in regard to the rear hatch, backing up maneuverability and going from a smaller car to an RDV. I appreciate all the responses.
The wood dash trim really looks nice (I was impressed). Where did you get it? I may look into that which you've done.
Dave
The texture and color of wood you chose accents the grey interior well, and adds a nice counterpoint to the somewhat monochromatic interior.
Please see my other post (in the accessories area) for a couple of questions I have regarding the installation.
Thanks,
Brian
It took guts to buy and apply that to a brand new auto. Kudos to you Venetta and the board.
I finally got around to taking daily mileage readings. I drive in the worst street traffic - rush hour streets, drive-through restaurants, long pickup lines outside schools. My readings for 80 miles daily is 15mpg. When I have weekend driving on freeways it's 19-21. I called our dealer to see if they had any performance hints, they suggested using MTBE free gas, which doesn't seem to change anything, but is better for the environment - if anyone has any performance tips, would appreciate your advice!
Mega thanks to Venetta for the wood dash tips and photos - we had this done to our other SUV for $300, which was $250 less than the dealer charged. The team who installed it turned on the heat in our truck full blast for 20 minutes, then used an industrial quality hair dryer for softening the wood, which they told us was real, but who knows..yours looks just as good!
I've been on military duty since Thursday and commuting in the RDV mostly (80%) on the freeway. Just for curiosity, I've been feathering the throttle very gently and easing it on hills, just to see how well I could do. Well, after 150 miles, my average is 24.5 MPG! I had it as high as 26 but some hills in my neighborhood and some traffic on Friday brought it down. I don't think I can keep up this manner of driving much longer, it's not my nature.
BTW, I took five officers from Mississippi out to lunch the other day and they all loved the RDV. They had never seen the RDV before and were very impressed with the overall quality, comfy seats, and the silky silent ride.
The actual Detroit News review linked by msadams above states, "The sister vehicle of the dismal Pontiac Aztek not only looks terrific..."
Ken
No I wouldn't mind at all and we must have been posting at the same time except I just posted in the accessories area :-)
We purchased the kit at www.autodash.com and chose the 24 piece synthetic english burlewood which I think looks really good with the gray interior.
As for the adhesive I will have to ask my husband, but I'm pretty sure it was a 3M product and is guarenteed. Check with autodash.com on their warrenties and recommendations for hot weather.
Good luck!
My new Pewter CX AWD 1SB RDV is now home. After 100 miles and 2 days of driving I am impressed. I have not found any "Consumer Reports" type initial quality concerns. Everything is solid and tight with fit and finish is second to none.
Many thanks to all on this group who helped with my decision. Now to outfit the vehicle for my favorite activities, mobile/portable/rover amateur radio operations and bicycling. I found that the Yakima rack will be perfect for both so everything should work out well.
As for the imfamous power concern, don't worry about it!! My last vehicle was a 96 Chevy 4x4 P/U that I considered fine with 200HP and 4400lbs. The RDV is essentially the same as the Chevy but if feels much faster. And I always considered the Chevy fine. (My other car is a Regal GSE and it is way too fast for any normal driving. Lots of wasted ability here in the WNY hills and flatlands.)
The ride is super, the handling very good, ergonomics exceptional. Bottom line: Can you get a better deal? With a $2002 rebate plus a chunk off sticker, I would dare anyone to spend more on a competative vehicle brand and say that s/he got a better deal and that the extra was well spent. Now where is that flame suit.....
Good luck,
Mark K2QO for any hams in the group.
The real post here is about the factory roof rack. While I know the deal with outfitting the RDV with the Yakima rack, I was wondering if anyone knows of any available bike carriers, load stops or other accessories made for the rack that is standard on the CXL. This might be a consideration for a friend who is thinking about a new RDV.
Mark K2QO
Dealer has shown me a listing in RDV order guide for GM bike racks to attach to factory rack on CXL. But as I've written earlier, I think this is not the way to go. What it sounds like you're doing--adding a Yakima or Thule rack to the tracks on all RDV models, even if it means removing the crossrails on the CXL--is a more secure attachment for bikes, boats, luggage csrrier, etc.
If you've done this, can you comment on the fit--and what Yakima part number(s) you bought? Many of us may be in the same situation. Thanks.
-WB4LVY, long since expired
After about 45 minutes the RDV was as good as new. My wallet is lighter by $147. However, it was well worth the expense. We talked about the design of the RDV and he said the the sheet metal in that area was thinner than he expected for a Buick. This was the first RDV that they have had to work on. Based on my experience he felt he may see many more in the future. He stated that generally Buick's have thicker sheet metal and do not dent very badly as compared to some of the Korean and Japanese makes.
So moral of the story:
Don't rely on the radar system to cover you. Always look before you back up!
Seemed like there were several new concept SUVs and crossovers with like styling to RDVs, yet RDVs still got a negative spin for looks. The other upsetting part of the review is the reference to RDVs sitting on lots - as if that wasn't true for many vehicles, especially new domestic models.
Dealers in this area seem to have bought the negative hype. All the Buick dealers I pass have removed RDVs from display, highlighting Envoys, Yukon/Denalis, and yes, Aztecs. I hope that Buick is looking at this site, and will start providing positive advertising and promotion on the strengths of this vehicle.
I think the RDV concept vehicle looks good. 18" tires and black dash along with the golf attachment for the rear cargo area all sound pretty good to me. However they can keep the supercharged 240-horsepower V6 engine. I really haven't read to many negative articles about the RDV and I see more of them on the road every day ( most of them are Pewter/Gray but that's Ok ) I feel the RDV is doing quite well for a first year vehicle.
Think about this for a second. A CX FWD 1SA is about $25,500. Lop off the $2002 and more for the deal you work out and compare this to the Saturn LW300 for $23000. Well, compare is a goofy term to use here because there isn't one. I mention this because the local Saturn dealer is a 1/4 mile down the road from Towne Buick.
However, the MDX may be a bad example to compare it to since it is being manufactured in limited quantities. Although we all agree that the RDV compares well to the MDX, it can't be denied that if Honda could build more MDX's, they'd probably sell more too. Of course, demand for the MDX would then drop and Acura dealers would have to find some other way to mistreat and swindle their customers!
I always have appreciated the look of the RDV, and think it provides a nice alternate to the throngs of boxy SUV's on the road - I still have only seen two on the road since our purchase two months ago, and hope we'll have some of the sales you all are describing! Thanks for the good news....
Re my post #2088, has anyone put Thule or Yakima roof racks on an RDV? Did you mount them to the tracking in the roof (as both CX and CXL have) or to the crossrails that additionally come only on the CXL? Part numbers would help.
We have two kayaks and are set to buy a CX AWD as soon as I can confirm--beyond the dealer saying "no problem"--that we carry them on top.
Thanks.
Every other GM vehicle that I have owned would blast you out of the car and it was comfortable without a coat no mater what the weather was. I am not sure if my RDV has to big of an area to heat for the heater or what. But when it get below 25 or so there really isn't much heat. I have spoken to the dealer and he says that every thing checks out fine. Has anybody else noticed that it really doesn't get that warm in the RDV, or am I just spoiled by the great winter we are having?
Ken
The Rendezvous is not a 'true' Buick--it is made in a plant in Mexico by non-union workers on the same platform as the Pontiac Aztek. Most Buicks before this one were built in one of a few GM plants staffed by UAW employees in the U.S. or Canada. They often had totally unique bodies (except for a few TERRIBLE examples from the Roger Smith mid-80s) and often designed their own or had a say in the engines and transmissions.
The RDV is a 'corporate' vehicle, made in a non-Buick factory. That is why it is very different from previous Buicks.