Buick Rendezvous

jafo2001

I seem to get this every time I mention handling and SUV in the same breath. Everyone gets all defensive and assumes I expect it to run a lap at Nurbergring or something.

Even though it's an SUV-esque mini van it still should express some road competance. When I said the tires were squealing it was during a U turn at about, oh, 20-30 mph. Not slamming it into corners. I don't think that's too much to ask.

buzzbo99

Tire sequel and more than average sluggishness. I wonder if the tires were under inflated.

jafo2001

Well, it could have been low pressure but I've read several Internet reviews and they all said it could deal with larger tires.

jk27

Try a CXL with the heads-up display. There will never be a need to look at your gauges again. Heads-up is bright and clear and provides great info without looking down.

jafo2001

The problem with the CXL is that it's about $40+ Canadian.

That's an absurd amount of money for a 4wd minivan.

jk27

Well, I don't know what the Canadian/US exchange rate is ... but I think you have to compare it to other vehicles in that class. Versatrak AWD, leather, V6, 7 passenger seating, heated seats, Bose 6 CD changer, Heads-up Display, Memory Seats, Sunroof, dual automatic climate control, rear seat audio, etc. etc. How much would any other vehicle with all of those items cost? Whether it's an "absurd" amount of money becomes relative. How much is a Lexus RX300? And that's a 5 passenger vehicle! I just purchased a loaded CXL for $30k USD. While this is a lot of money, I also got a lot of vehicle for my $. If you think it's too much (as you do), then look elsewhere. Many people are finding the Rendezvous to be a nice alternative to the Acure MDX, Mercedes M class and Lexus RX300 (or Toyota Highlander). It's not for everybody -- but that's OK with me.

jk27

4 wheel ABS disc brakes and sonar obstacle detection, footrests, driver info center and fore/aft adjustable rear seats. I'm not familiar with ANY minivan that offers all of that -- are you? Hmmmm ... maybe it's not a minivan after all

buzzbo99

I have not found a new car price yet I did not consider absurd.

murfdog

We pick up our FWD white CX tomorrow. We got the entry model because of the price. We
really wanted the other toys and the third seat; however, it took us out of our price range.
I do not understand the TMV price on edmunds. It said 24-25 for the entry CX.

We got ours for 21,115 including destination fees. I work at IBM and IBM now gets a GM
supplier discount of 4 % over employee price which brought the price from the sale price of 22950 to 21115.

We think we are getting a steal for 21,115. Why is the entry so cheap. Are they selling well.
Is the entry missing a lot of options ? The base features seem greater then most cars
I see prices in the 30s for most of the RVD cars on the lot. One with a DVD was 38k.

I am a little concerned about the safety ratings. I thought it would be higher. Did I see the
wrong report. I want my wife and 2 year old to be as safe as possible.

We did not need the AWD. For one thing it does not snow down where we live. The base
features seemed great. I wanted the extra seats but it looked like you needed to add another
package that added alot more to the cost. We originally were going to get an odyssey; however,
I wanted to stay around 18-22k. If we bulked up the RDV to 24-28, then we might as well
stick with the odyssey idea which was 27-28.

We are going to miss our 94 accord. It still runs good; however, we wanted a newer roomier
vehicle that rides like a car but fits like a minivan or suv. We tested a trailblazer but it was
terrible. We tested a highlander and it was awesome but expensive compared to the RDV.

We did not want to go beyond 18-22 because of the economy and the layoffs that are coming
this week.

fedlawman

Congratulations on your new RDV! It seems to me you got a great deal since GMS pricing is about 86% off MSRP plus a couple hundred dollars for dealer lot fees. Add 4% GM supplier adjustment and you should have paid about $22,200 including destination.

My wife and I bought our RDV (white CXL with 1SD, moonroof, and heated/memory seats) last July and now have over 13,000 trouble free miles on it. It is a very comfortable cruiser and a great around town family hauler and utility vehicle.

We also own a Honda Accord ('93 EX 4 door) that was just too good a car to part with. I drive it one weekend each month.

Enjoy!

dragontamer

We also own a Honda Accord ('95 EX 4 door).
I also agree, just too good a car to part with. It still drives like a new one! Us Rendezvous owners have similar tastes in vehicles it seems.

P.S. Congrats on your new RDV purchase murfdog!

gm_litogation

Maybe you should go laugh at all the people in the Honda Pilot board that are going to spend $30 large on a similarly equipped Honda Pilot!

Sounds like you got a great deal!

fedlawman

But everyone knows that Honda is the best, LOL!

murfdog

We picked up our new CX and its awesome. Its the base model with no additions but it
has plenty of standard features that most cars sell as upgrades. We loved the options they
did have but we are happy with what we got since its loaded for us and affordable.

Could someone please explain to me what they mean by it lacking power. It had plenty of power for me and my wife. I would not want any more power because it would only come at the expensive of the gas mileage which is good. I think the amount of power is just exactly what we wanted.

The car rides very smooth like my camry. The difference is that the buick has spacing like an SUV/minivan. So we get the smooth luxury car ride with the suv space without the suv gas
guzzling and suv truck ride.

Perfect car for us. Thanks for the thanks and thanks for all the input that helped us with our decision.

The salesman at the buick dealer was so far superior to any we saw at the other dealers. The showroom was so much nicer and cleaner. A class act all around.

We actually picked up two RDVs today. The nice man who sold us a car gave my 2 1/2 year old a black fully loaded toy RDV. A very high quality toy that she loves. He was really great, we are going to get him a gift when we get our plates. There was no pressure sales, no closers, now of that junk. He was awesome.

huskydawg

I have a CXL. I have to say the car is nice to drive. But the GM quality is a bit behind. I had the back-up sensor beeping that won't stop when shifted into drive. I also have to had the BCM(body control module)replaced second day after I took delivery of the car, and I waited ten days before it was replaced. Thank God that the service dept. where I bought the car was great. They offered a free loaner for the duration of the waiting/repair. Now, the Onstar system will not work, and I plan to have that checkout sometime soon with my first oil-change. There are also many rattling and vibrating noise in the cabin. Also a buzzing sound from the speaker after the stereo has been turned off. A passenger side seatbelt buckle that was too recessed into the hole, so that it's hard to buckle and unbuckle.
I already have more problems than my dad's 97 Infiniti QX4. His car has zero problem since day one and the car is still holding up very well after almost five years. I think GM has designed a great product here, but they need to do a much better job of putting it together. I am enjoying my time in my RDV, but I'm always afraid that something might go wrong in a sudden. All the GM vehicles my family had always had a bunch of problems, and the RDV seemed to be headed that way.

netnerd

Murfdog,

The power thing has been brought up over and over. Most of us agree that the power is more than sufficient for our day to day driving. You're right, that more power would mean worse gas mileage.

Too bad, huskydawg, that you've had so many problems. I noticed the buzzing noise from the speakers, too, but I checked in several others at the dealership (this was before I bought mine) and they all made the same sound. Strange, but apparently normal.

I had to have my BCM replaced, too, a couple weeks ago. It was covered under warranty, but had it not been, I think it would have been very expensive. Hopefully I won't have any more problems with it.

I and a couple others had the problem you mentioned with the reverse sensor beeper not turning off when shifted into drive, but I think for us it was always a one time thing. Turning the car off and then back on seemed to solve it.

Good luck!

dindak

I think the high RDV mileage numbers are a selling point and Buick should emphasize these numbers in their advertising.

buzzbo99

My parents drove Oldsmobiles with many thousands of trouble free miles. My wife has driven Buicks for years with no problems. I have driven GMC trucks with no problems. Looks like my Rendezvous is going to be another trouble free GM product. Guess it all evens out.

jafo2001

Umn I have to disagree with you there. I think more power from a more efficient (read : not from a 30-year-old designed pushrod engine) would be a win-win.

dindak

Actually, these old push rod designs are extremely fuel efficient because of continual upgrades over the years. The 3.4L equipped Montana has the best mileage of any minivan on the market.

dwebster

I just had the trailer hitch installed on my CXL, When I inquired about it a few weeks ago the place where I had it installed said GM recalled an earlier model and was coming out with a new design.
So, I waited for the newly designed hitch which arrived on Fri. It took about a 1/2 hour for the installation and cost about $275.
(I think that if you pay $325 for the towing package you should get a hitch with it..... after all, $32K+ for the CXL is not chump change)

I haven't heard anything on mud flaps being available has anyone else?

dorene1

Sorry that you have so many problems Huskydawg - your onstar problem is one that I have, with two repair visits - seems like it may be a fuse problem. They think it is connected to the lighter that I use to charge my phone, which connects to the radio, which connects to onstar, and somehow knocks out onstar and the lighter. Other than that, we've only had a few very minor problems, contrasted with a delightful driving experience.

Re: Honda Pilot - it was reviewed yesterday in the San Jose Mercury, and the quote from a Honda rep. about recapturing the midsize segment was "Where do our customers go? They're not going to the Rendevouz. They're not going to the Aztec. They're not going to the Xterra." This referred back to a reference to Pilot being targeted to the "center of the mid-size sport-utility market. That means Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango, and Toyota Highlander."

Last I heard, the trio of Trailblazer, Bravada, and Envoy, combined with RDV and Aztec, are selling enough numbers to be included in that market - another attitude statement!

ra1der5

Hello Everyone,

It has been nearly a year since I first posted on this forum. Most of you old-timers will remember me for the prank I played; telling the board that my wife hated the RDV when we went to the dealer to purchase it. We had a good group of people back then as we were all new to the RDV and we were learning about the Pre-Sell packages and what we could/couldn't do.

Our RDV is just a year old and we now have 8,000 miles on it. We really have had no problems and enjoy using it on long trips with the kids.

Hope all is well for you old-timers... Fedlawman, dindak, and especially cwjacobson for sending my son the replica from the dealer (our dealer was too cheap or didn't participate in the program).

Oh... and for those who like to watch but don't understand football... IT WAS A FUMBLE!

Ra1der5
A.K.A. R5

stever

Thanks for the update - it's always good to hear about trouble-free cars.

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

dlh4

Hello fellow RDVers,
Just thought I would keep you up to date on experience with my CXL. Just passed the 20K mileage mark and couldn't be happier with my purchase. The wear and tear on the vehicle is minimal, and the tires look like they are still brand new. We bought the RDV on July 31st, and have averaged 2,000 miles a month in travel due to my business (loan broker) and my other occupation (professional and collegiate soccer referee). My wife and I make my soccer games into mini vacations such as 3 weekends ago in Reno, Nevada. We take out one of the Captains Chairs in the back seat (an option we like) and voila!! lots of extra room right behind the passenger seat for a cooler to hold snacks and soft drinks for the long trips. We will be going to Reno and Las Vegas this summer and taking the RDV as usual. After 20,000 miles the vehicle still sounds like the day I bought it, no unknown noises or annoying rattles. The overall mileage is 20.7 mpg and I have not reset the MPG in the DIC since the third refueling. The only problem is now I see several RDV's during my travels unlike the first several months when we might see one in 500 miles of driving. See you on the road.

netnerd

Nice to hear from you "old timers." When I first found this forum, I read *all* of the messages going back to the beginning. So, Ra1der5, I remember your prank as if I was there. Oh, the memories thinking about it brings back: the gray vs. tan, the confusion over what options came with what package, etc., etc., etc. ;-)

Nice to hear that you guys have had good experiencs over the long haul! Keep on truckin'.

nferr

Well I haven't posted much since we picked up our RDV in February. 6000 miles and no problems at all. The change oil light just popped on this weekend so that will be done this week. Mileage is still at 18 mpg so I think that's about what we're going to get overall. We enjoy all the gadgets on the car and its a nice family hauler. The funniest thing is all the double takes we get on the road, everybody seems to look at the car when we drive by. I'm seeing quite a lot of RDV around now, it was pretty rare just a few months ago. My only real improvement would be to squeeze the 3.8 in there somehow. The 3.4 is ok most of the time but I think the 3.8 would be perfect for this vehicle.

lswaidz

Well the 2003's are coming out soon and I still haven't seen anything circulating around the dealership (Woody Buick in Bensenville, IL - come buy a car!) but I wanted to fill you guys in on a few things I have planned for my black on grey RDV before the end of the summer months...

1.) Tint front driver and passenger windows...
2.) Paint grey body cladding black to match the rest of the car...
3.) Either 18" or 20" wheels, probably Centerline Anrcher rims with Pirelli tires...
4.) POSSIBLY a new exhaust system and a chrome girlle for the front if I can find one...
5.) Supercharger from 3.8 V6 (hell yeah)

Let me know what you think about those little additions and whether or not they'll be worth it... it's not a small ammount of money to spend and I just want the car to look/perform/sound better.

~Lance

dirkdaddy

It will be interesting to see if you can find any parts for that RDV. Usually it takes a while for stuff like that to be made, unless its a sure-fire hit like the then new '99 Ford F-150.

Wheels will help the look. For more power, try adding a nitrus-oxide system. Only good for occassional use, but that's all most people need anyway unless you're a lead foot. I doubt you'd fit a S/C under the hood of the RDV, and plumbing would be very expensive to fabricate.

Opening up the exhaust is a good idea, but will probably be a custom job in rustable mild steel instead of stainless, unless you know of a really advanced shop.

DD

netnerd

Your mods sound really interesting, Lance. Please try to post some pix of any of the changes you make.

The paint job and tires are what I'd really be interested in seeing. I never liked the fact that the cladding was one color, the body another, and the big rear tinted side windows (which seem like a body part almost since they're so big) a third. That's why I bought black--so the tinted windows would blend nicely. I think it'd look great without any cladding at all--just a solid color body.

The tires would be interesting, too. The ones on the RDV do seem a bit undersized. They certainly do the job, but they look a bit small.

mmeehan

It's been a while since I've looked at this board and I can't believe no one has commented on the 3-start frontal ratings the RDV received from the NHTSA back in April. It did receive a 5-star side rating (driver and passenger) but it also got 3 stars for rollover resistance (whereas the Aztec got 4 stars, the highest of any SUV). Sounds to me like GM needs to focus on making this vehicle safer during head on crashes. There are maybe 2 or 3 other SUV's which do as poorly in the frontal impact ratings as the RDV. Not very comforting.

Here is the complete assessment

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/NCAP/Cars/2119.html

lswaidz

Ok, well here's what I found out...

The supercharger is do-able, and actually pretty cheap as far as the realm of superchargers go. The dealer I work for can fit either the Eaton M62 or M90 blower onto the engine (just in front actually, I think) and then have what's called a "nose drive" that runs across the engine to the belts. The S/C unit itself will be either $2000 or $2500 depending on whether I add 60 HP with the M62 or about 100 with the M90. All the plumbing and what not should run about another $800-1000, and I'm strongly considering an intercooler which will let me run the S/C at full boost, in other words 10 or 12 psi instead of 6... Total cost out of the door should be around $4000 and the good thing is that it looks like it *might* even be covered under warranty... we'll see.

Next up are the wheels and tires... oh man did I have a time with this one. The guy at discount tire told me there was no way they could fit 20" rims on a RDV... I have a HARD time believing that since I've already seen 2 Aztek's with 20" rims and pretty damn wide tires... they seem fine. Anyway, I'll probably have to go with 18" Centerline Archer's or 19" centerline Dyno's but I'm gonna do something. With everything he quoted me a price of $3700... I've got a funny feeling that'll come down to around $3200...

The painting hasn't been looked into yet... it's on my list. I'll probably just go over to Maaco, have them remove the panels, sand them, prime them, then do about 3 coats of black and throw a clear coat over that... haha, my cladding will look better than the rest of my car. I figure that'll be between $200 and $500 depending on how anal I get about how the paint looks...

Exhaust is no problem... get some mufflers and any reputable shop can do some mandrel-bent stainless piping pretty cheap... I figure that'll be around $300... I had an idea about the exhaust... wouldn't it be trick to actually pipe the exhaust threw the rear bumper...? I mean it would be too difficult... probably 1 3" rolled-over stainless tip on each side, in between the ultra-sonic parking assist sensors or even at either end of that textured center part of the bumper... hmmm, something to ponder...

Last but not least, dirkdaddy... your nitrous comment was good... nos is the cheapest boost in power you can do... true you could add a dry nos system for well under $500, $1000 if you add remote bottle openers, warmers, purging, and tie it all into the fuel managment system for seamless integration... but I have a funny feeling nos on an RDV would not exactly be the best thing... I'm certainly not going to drag racing my 5500+lb RDV down at Route 66 anytime soon... I'm just looking to get a little more passing power and maybe a little more punch off the line... i don't need a tire burning, smoke showing, honda civic crushing SUV... although... hmmm, why do I see my bank account getting lower and lower as i write this post!! Haha, I'm gonna rename my car the Rendezvous Rocket when I'm done...

later ya'll

~Lance

netnerd

Are you made of money? Just checking.

That's a lot of money to sink into the RDV. About $8000 for all the stuff you listed.

How would the Supercharger be covered by the warranty?

netnerd

Interesting pictures:

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/auto/article/0,12543,249603,00.html

lswaidz

Since the blower is actually an OEM part GM's warranty on it will carry over... I'm not made of money, and like I said before I don't know if I'm really going to do all of the things I've suggested... I do for sure want to do the paint and wheels but we'll see what happens from there...

~Lance

kenym

Lance from my understanding the purpose of dual exhaust is to relieve back pressure in the engine, and is the (cheapest??) way to increase horsepower and performance.

I am sure there is more to it then just bending some stainless steel tubing and purchasing another muffler. How do you handle the manifold? Is there a split one available for this engine or do you have to have this one modified, and I wonder how they figure out how to balance the exhaust pipes?

I would really like to add dual exhaust with a couple of glass packs to my RDV but am concerned about getting it done correctly along with the added expense of having two mufflers, and two tail pipes to replace in the future.

Ken

lswaidz

When you say manifold I assume you mean the headers coming off the engine... that's what I'm familar with...

Alright well the system I'm planning is called a "catback" system. The exhaust piping starts from the catalytic converters and runs the remainder of the course of the exhaust. I have 2 plans right now and I'm not sure which would be more prudent.

First would be to remove all the mufflers going back the exit pipe and install a straight pipe exhaust. The only problem with this setup would be even with such a small V6 there will be a crazy amount of back fire and honestly it's not the efficient... it would produce the best sound though.

Next would be to remove the intermediate muffler and replace the rear muffler with a performance-oriented model. Maybe a flowmaster or edelbrock, any generic 1 into 1 muffler would work. However since we're planning on doing dual exhaust I'd use a 1 into 2 muffler... you'd have to have the exhaust pipes custom made from that point on since you'd be bending the exit pipes to fit over the rear axle assembly and you'd have to snake them around everything... but it would be that tough... like I said before it'll be childs play for any shop w/ a mandrel bending setup.

I'm about to go craw under my RDV right now to get a better idea of how the exhaust runs from the headers back to the exit of the vehicle. Once i get my back all dirty I'll come back up here and write up a better post with how things look and what our options really are...

Oh any Ken... adding a better air cleaner is the cheapest way to produce horsepower... second would be a nitrous oxide setup... but I'd stick w/ the air cleaner and exhaust before adding nitrous... hehehe...

~Lance

lswaidz

Alright well after getting my back and hands a little dirty I've got some info...

The exhaust obviously starts at the headers which go 3 into 1, and then 2 into 1. That single, what seems to be a 3 1/2" pipe, heads back and over the driveshaft into the catalytic converter. The piping then seems to reduce it's diameter (thanks GM) about an inch and carries over a foot long pipe into a 30 inch long muffler (wow) that is about 5 inches tall. After that the exhaust exits that muffle the same way it came in through a seemingly tiny pipe which navigates over (really more through...) the rear axle assembly and into what appears to be a canister shaped exhaust silencer... from there the exhaust flows into the exit pipe and out the rear of the car.

Pretty restrictive setup it seems... boy was I surprised that there was only 1 cat and 1 VERY large muffler. The cat is pretty small too... maybe 7 inches long and 4 across.

So after some consideration it would have to be either a cat-back setup or we're going to have to replace the headers and cat. Those are our options.

Flowmaster makes a muffler that would bolt in pretty easily, but would require that intermediary pipe from the cat to the muffler to be lengthened. It's their 60-Series muffler. However, I fear this would change the sound of the exhaust to something more rice-burner'ish and not a deeper tone which is what I'm looking for. The only nice thing about the 60-series is that it's got their delta flow system which greatly reduces back pressure and interior ressonance from the exhaust which the RDV has quite a bit of... I'm just worried about that sound.

Option 2 from Flowmaster would be to go with their 80 series muffler. This muffler is designed for the Camaro/Firebird and of Buick GNX's. This muffler would be great for a dual exhaust setup since it has one single entry with dual outlets... plus it produces a ridiculously deep tone from a V6, listen to the sound they have from the 3.8 in the Firebird...

Midas also now carries high-performance mufflers... they're Ravin systems which aren't really well known or highly used, but they would be backed by midas which would be better than a local shop or do-it-yourself. I think they're warrantied for life as well... they make a muffler that would fit our RDV almost exactly. The model is RA774250... check it out.

As soon as I find more options I'll post them. I might run over to Midas later and get a price on the Ravin systems but I don't know... Flowermaster mufflers aren't too expensive, under $100 I'm pretty sure (I had a Flowmaster on my Trans Am... it was like $70 or something... very nice sound)

~Lance

~Lance

kenym

I guess I am giving away my age when I say manifold(s). Years ago we had two manifolds input were the carburetor(s) were mounted and the exhaust manifold which you refer to as headers.

I think if I was going to go to the expense of adding dual exhaust I would run it back from the headers. I don't just want a couple of chrome pipes sticking out the back.
But please keep us informed about your progress.

Ken

jp614

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have surpassed my old highway mileage record. On my Memorial Day driving trip, I hit 29.3 MPG for the trip up and 28.4 on the way back! (According to DIC). I am running with 35 PSI in the tires and Mobile 1 in the crankcase. I had 9800 miles at the time. I hit several sectiona of road construction which limited my speed (55 MPH vs. normal 65).

cwjacobsen

I'm still here as well and Gamera is doing fine. Thank you for the kind words!

CWJ

lswaidz

jp614- when you got those mpg figures did you reset avergae mpg right before you hit the highway? On the 120 mile trip to and from school I get bored sometimes and I'll reset my MPG and average speed gauge right before I hop on the road... typically I'll average about 70 mph and I'll get about 24 mpg if I'm lucky... and I have the 3rd row seat removed from my RDV... how the heck did you get such good mileage??

~Lance

dragontamer

I'm not speaking on jp614s behalf, but it has to do with a drag coefficient vs. energy spent. Speeding along has a trade-off, and the trade-off is efficiency. The faster you travel, the more fuel is required to fight wind resistance (friction) to achieve the desired speed.

When in motion, the rdv as is any vehicle must literally force air molecules out of its way. This task of moving air out of the way multiplies as the rate of speed increases.

Typically at around 45 mph, most cars have their best efficiency. So since jp614 hit several construction areas where the speed travelled was limited to around 55, that maximized the rdvs efficiency; hence the much improved mileage.

There are many many other variables and conditions but, I believe this to be the main culprit.

Hope that sheds some light on the matter. ; )

lswaidz

I understand the relation between speed and aerodynamic drag... although the RDV doesn't have the lowest cd, it's not that bad... what I don't understand is how even if I'm cooking along at 45 I'm still getting 18 MPG and my car is (i'm guessing) lighter than most RDV's you guys seem to be getting 20+. I have a feeling there might be a gremlin in my versatrak system wherein it is staying engaged all time instead of when the front wheels slip... I've noticed that the turning dynamics of my RDV are different than most in that I can hold a turn at higher speeds than most RDV I've driven... I'll have to have it checked out next time the car is in service... the good thing is I'm averaging 320 miles per tank which is fine with me... my WS6 Trans Am could do about 300 miles per tank so I'm getting MPG on par w/ that car... ironic as it is, I'm happy with it.

~Lance

gm_litogation

They may have the 2wd version, not the AWD version.

lswaidz

Good point litogation... the 2wd would make a big difference... silly me for not thinking about that... the nick is Lswaidz by the way, not I ;-)

~Lance

jp614

My method for measuring MPG:

1.) Fill up right before starting trip. Zero out all counters except for Oil Life.

2.) At end of trip record value of counters.

3.) Reset on next fill up before starting trip.

This is for my CX 1SD no rear seat.

I do not go over 65 MPH. I generally try to stay at 63-64 MPH and use cruise control as much as possible. Look at your tach, lower is better. I generally try to shoot for 1800 - 1900 RPM.

Going at 55 MPH gives even better MPG. I think I am around 1600 - 1700 RPM. I will check this on the next trip.

I am doing about 20 miles of the 180 total at 55 MPH.

I gave the engine an extremely gentle break in period. For the first 500 miles I did not go over 45 MPH except for one or two short highway bursts. I did all local short trips to properly seat everything.

By the way, I generally do 22 to 23 MPG in city driving.

nextmoon

It'll hurt your MPG if you drive with a lead foot. Going gentle on speed-ups helps instead of jack-rabbiting will save you some gas. Also allowing good warm up time when it's cold will also save some fuel.

lswaidz

So your CX is front wheel drive then...? I'm guessing you don't have Versatrak... that's amazing that the RDV gets such good mileage. If you consider front wheel drive as the non AWD/4WD drive setting for our vehicles and compare it to say an explorer or envoy/trailblazer or ever the Honda Pilot/Acura MDX in a non all wheels driven fashion I highly doubt any of them would get over 20 MPG... I know the Exploder in 2WD get's abot 15, my buddy has one w/ the V6... horrible vehicle... CONGRATS jp though, that's remarkable mileage!

~Laqnce

fedlawman

I have found that cruise control sometimes needlessly downshifts when climbing grades on the highway to maintain the set speed.

If you turn off cruise control, feather the throttle to prevent downshifting, and allow some speed to bleed off when climbing grades on the highway, your mileage will improve even further.

By doing this, I have seen upwards of 27 MPG with my loaded CXL.

This is just a little game I sometimes play with my trip computer on the highway. I usually don't worry about the 16 MPG I typically average around town.

BTW, good to hear from you again ra1der5! I've got over 14,000 miles and no worries.