Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Most popular vehicles
Popular New Cars
- New Acura MDX
- New Acura RDX
- New Audi Q5
- New BMW 3 Series
- New BMW X3
- New Buick Enclave
- New Cadillac Escalade
- New Chevrolet Equinox
- New Chrysler 300
- New Dodge Challenger
- New Ford Edge
- New Ford Escape
- New Ford Expedition
- New Ford Explorer
- New Ford F-150
- New Ford Focus
- New Ford Mustang
- New Honda Accord
- New Honda Civic
- New Honda CR-V
- New Honda Fit
- New Honda Odyssey
- New Honda Pilot
- New Hyundai Elantra
- New Hyundai Santa Fe
- New Hyundai Sonata
- New Hyundai Tucson
- New Jeep Compass
- New Jeep Grand Cherokee
- New Jeep Wrangler
- New Mazda 3
- New Mazda 6
- New Mazda CX-5
- New Nissan Altima
- New Nissan Maxima
- New Nissan Rogue
- New Porsche Cayenne
- New Ram 1500
- New Subaru Crosstrek
- New Subaru Forester
- New Subaru Impreza
- New Subaru Outback
- New Tesla Model S
- New Tesla Model X
- New Toyota 4Runner
- New Toyota Camry
- New Toyota Corolla
- New Toyota Highlander
- New Toyota Prius
- New Toyota RAV4
- New Toyota Sienna
- New Toyota Tacoma
- New Volkswagen Jetta
- New Volvo XC60
- New Volvo XC90
Popular Used Sedans
- Used BMW 5 Series
- Used Chevrolet Impala
- Used Chevrolet Malibu
- Used Chrysler 200
- Used Dodge Charger
- Used Ford Fusion
- Used Ford Taurus
- Used Honda Accord
- Used Honda Civic
- Used Hyundai Elantra
- Used Hyundai Sonata
- Used Tesla Model S
- Used Toyota Camry
- Used Toyota Corolla
- Used Volkswagen Jetta
Popular Used SUVs
- Used Acura MDX
- Used Acura RDX
- Used Ford Edge
- Used Ford Explorer
- Used Honda CR-V
- Used Honda Pilot
- Used Hyundai Santa Fe
- Used Jeep Compass
- Used Lincoln Navigator
- Used Mazda CX-5
- Used Nissan Rogue
- Used Subaru Crosstrek
- Used Subaru Forester
- Used Tesla Model X
- Used Volvo XC90
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
How about this, get a set of those Michelin tires. Get people to ride in front and the back to notice "noise". Switch the tires around, and do it again. Maybe it'll settle some discussions on the noise factor of different tires.
I don't know if Buick has a "security key" like the Fords. This is my first GM car. If so, you have to make sacrifice a key for the remote starter to bypass the lockout mechanism.
If someone said they would give you 90 % of your RDV purchase price, and you could buy any make of vehicle you wanted to replace it ......
Would you buy a 2003 RDV ?
I know it's a tough question to answer honestly.
~Ken
Now, if it was an insurance loss or something like that, then the SUV I would choose to replace my RDV would be the Volvo XC90.
Fed, I have seen a great looking Volvo driving around in our neighborhood and now I know what it is from your post, an XC90.
http://www.volvoxc90.com/xc90/
I agree with you, I like it a lot, but I don't think I want to borrow the extra 10k to get one.
kmd40, is it possible that you have the climate control set to auto and it just isn't blowing out of the dash vents? If so, you can override the auto settings and specifically select the dash vents.
However you decided to spend an extra $10 to $15 thousand on the MDX which is a Japanese vehicle built in the USA, but apparently that fell through also, and now you are talking about the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Volvo.
Tim you are one hard dude to follow.
~Ken
I suggest you research the heck out of the XC90 before you even consider replacing the Rendezvous with such a vehicle.
OTOH, Gamera's quirky styling amuses me and makes me happy. And as my TH friends well know by now. I think Gamera's interior does an excellent job of looking top shelf without resorting to "plood," the lazy designer's all-purpose interior luxury indicator.
My biggest concern with the MDX is not price, but utility. I've had to ask Gamera swallow all manner of cargo including a three foot tall animal cage and a refrigerator. I bought an up market "home theatre in a box" which literally came in one box which was ridiculously tall and wide. After the Circuit City kid and I manhandled it into the back of Gamera, all he could do was stand back and stare. He couldn't believe that it had fit. (The icing was slamming the rear hatch closed no problem). I also know from experience that our adult friends have no comfort problems with the third row seat, and the second row captain's chairs are a hoot. I also like what the longer wheelbase does for the ride, while not being so long as to degrade Gamera's handiness in tight spaces. I find him much easier to parallel park than my wife's T-Bird.
So I've got to wonder, aside from price, what would I give up in utility in order to get the MDX's (presumed) resale value, exterior looks, and engine? Don't even get me started on the Pilot. How the same corporation that makes the MDX could produce such a generic looking (IMO ugly), physically larger vehicle than the Rendezvous but with a more cramped looking interior is beyond me.
CWJ
I liked the RDV awhile ago and I still like the RDV. I've really only considered 2 or 3 vehicles, all priced in the mid twenties. I like the new Volvo and MDX, but both are out of my price target.
And yes, when I was very close to pulling the trigger with the RDV, I was held back on the idea on it being built in Mexico. One of the attractions for the RDV was that it's a Buick. Whether there's any merit or not, the Mexico thing threw me for awhile. Cheap place to vacation, but do I want a car built there ? Well , maybe.
Regarding the Honda, Japanese cars, I've never bought one, but they seem to rank high in my price range for realiabilty, resale, innovation, etc.
I'm glad you're enjoying your RDV.
Cars these days are very fragile machines, and unless you buy a Honda or Toyota, you run a strong risk of getting stranded on the side of the road.
So far, I've been very lucky with my Buick, but I cross my fingers every time I drive it.
later
Sm
However, I am curious if others have used theirs to tow with??? We pull a 1,250 lb pop-up camper + another 250 lbs of gear in the trunk. Curious if others have pulled this weight with the vehicle and how it performs (especially since acceleration is sluggish)??? The actual vehicle we're considering does have the trailer package.
Any and all comments welcome...
We have a 2002 Rendezvous with the towing package. We have a small housetrailer, it's a 13 foot fiberglass unit and with all our gear in it ways in at about 1200 lbs. We went on about 5 different 200 mile round trips this summer with our kids. Some times driving 70mph for several hours in 100 degree heat. The Rendezvous did just fine. The gas mileage however dips into the atrocious range, while pulling the trailer and maintaining highway speed of 75 mph, it drops to around the 15mpg mark.
Hills and huge bridges didn't pose a problem, but the engine was definately working harder. But all in all I was pleased with the way it towed.
One other thing don't buy the G.M hitch, in Canada they cost about 600 dollars, and the aftermarket "hiddenhitch" was about 185 dollars for the class 2 hitch. The trailer hitch is not included with the towing package.
Good luck, and we love our Buick.
Jeff
The do-it-again question is hard, as models are upgrading all the time, including the 03 RDV, which has features I would have liked to get. Our RDV has been excellent mechanically, but poor in street mileage. It has been totally fulfilling the needs I have as a parent of 3 kids with major driving needs. It has been reliable as well as very comfortable, and I have no problems with the vehicle that make me wish I had rethought my decision. I am especially impressed with how the alignment has held together, as we drive over pot-holed cement regularly, and my husband's 01 Sequoia already had a $1400. alignment done.
The styling is not catching on in this area, and I like a more SUV- like look, so I am pacing the development of Rainier (the fall 03 suv by Buick, that is actually a restyled Bravada). I followed Volvo XC90's until the poor reviews came out; I got an invitation to do a pre-release test drive, but didn't want to tempt myself. A big question for me is how the regs for 07 gas mileage will affect new designs, and if it would work to wait until then for a new vehicle. Good luck on finding the right vehicle for you.
> A question for the 2002 RDV owners......
>
> If someone said they would give you 90 % of your RDV purchase price, and you could buy any make of vehicle you wanted to replace it ......
>
> Would you buy a 2003 RDV ?
First of all, I would not sell it for 90% of what I paid for it.
> I know it's a tough question to answer honestly.
Not really. Except for DVD and XM radio options, the 2003 is identical to 2002. We don't care much about either of those options, so for us the 2002 is just fine.
If you are asking if we have buyers remorse and wish we'd bought something else, the answer is a resounding NO. It has met our expectations and perceived needs very well. Still can't see shelling out an extra $10-15k for an MDX or ML-320. (Note that a viable 3rd row was a mandatory requirement for us, so the RX-300 and others were not in the running.)
Also, I took my RDV on a long trip yesterday and experimented driving at different speed and comparing the fuel consumption using the DIC - I was amazed (but not that surprise) the difference of as little as 10 kmph makes on the fuel burn/range. "Drive faster but assume the higer fuel burn." This might be even prononced while towing a trailer- i.e. driving at more moderate speeds while towing.
I find this gadget (DIC) pretty usefull to change my driving habits, the "range" function also helps deciding if I can make it to the next city to gas up.
The 10% depreciation and 2003 part was just to get around asking out right, which you got.
The opinions (and insight) on this board are more helpful to me than the Buick salesmans', as good as they have been.
Thanks
With the wife, kids, and about 200 lbs. of luggage, the Buick performed flawlessly...as expected.
Passing power was fine even in the mountains (with, admittedly, a fair amount of downshifting). I even out-accelerated a Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner after we all got stuck behind a semi climbing through the Siskiyous (sp?).
What amazed me the most about the RDV is the comfort. I have a bad back and usually get the ache after 5 or 6 hours of driving. After 3 consecutive 8 hour driving sessions, I got out of the Buick pain free and refreshed. The seats could be the best feature of the RDV!
The RDV was also quiet, smooth, and confident on the rain drenched mountain roads...much like a luxury car on stilts (the high seating position really helps visibility in heavy spray at night).
I can't think of any other vehicle that could have performed better on this trip.
Oh yeah, we averaged more than 22 MPG!
You must have done a lot of downhill driving! ;-)
tidester, host
We do most of our towing on the 401, and QEW so gearing down isn't much of an issue.
I concur with Fedlawman the seats are great for my cranky back.
Trade it in ? No thanks, I love it and the DVD player is not going to allow us to have a sunroof, as for the satelite radio, just what I need, a monthly cable/satelite bill for my car too. If the 2007 looks as good as the pics I have seen, we may retire our 2002 to second vehicle status then, but as long as it economically feasible to maintain, we will be driving it. I like to get a dozen years out of a car.
Jeff
And American friends living where they salt the roads, your car is never too new to have it oil sprayed. Get it done, and all you will have to worry about is how long the mechanicals last.
Is anyone else using synthetic oil in their Rendezvous ?
Jeff
I'd personally love to have the satellite radio, and would have liked the choice of 2wd over 4wd in a CXL. These choices would have held my purchase to 03.
We live in the Central valley--flat land. In this situation, the engine does perfectly fine for daily commutes and local traffic. Excellent torque and acceleration whenever needed. It won't win a drag race, but we have other cars for that purpose!
However, when in the hills of the Bay, there was consistant downshifting on the freeways to maintain 70 MPH and the flow of traffic. The milage suffered at times to 8 MPH--instant. Given though, the downshifting is smoothe as silk. The passengers didn't notice the shifting, unlike our Volvo...when she downshifts--we know.
The local hill driving was also straining on the engine a bit with 4 adults and a baby. So, if I lived in the hills, wait for Buick to listen to the reviewers and put somethine more powerful. We had an older Pathfinder with the "weak" engine in the past too. Nissan woke up and put an excellent engine in a very good truck. Now, it's the best 5 seater truck SUV--IMHO. Buick, are you listening!!?!
Overall, we love our RDV. She does everything that we want. I wouldn't give up that center console for anything! The tires are a bit loud over the weathered concrete compared to other vehicles. I do wonder how those Michelin's would do, but I'm not in for a $500 experiment...maybe in 30K miles.
The person who designed the trunk area should be shot. No handle in the back is killing me. The gate is a bit heavy and doesn't close well without good effort. And wished that we had an inch or two more in the trunk area for a stroller when the 3rd row is up. Right now, whenever we open then trunk, the stroller spews out, hitting the bumper then the ground.
Love that parking aid sensor in this vehicle. Helps a lot in the tight situations. The tire pressure monitor didn't alarm with 30 PSI in the tire. I wonder what the threshold is....haven't had time to experiment with that one.
Ave MPH: 19.8 with AC and combined driving
Wish list: stronger BPH engine. Redesign trunk. ?Better tires.
--PS: For towing, I would presume the torque is enough to get your through everything needed; but any amount of recurrent hills with 1200# behind would put a serious challenge on the engine.
As I've mentioned before, my Rondy gets really poor mileage on my day to day driving.
On long trips, it's up in the 22 mpg range, but with the driving I do to and from work, grocery store, etc., I only get 13-15 mpg. My average speed is ~20 mph.
Can anyone who averages closer to 20 mpg on average commute/errand type driving post what their average speed is? I'm of the opinion that my low mpg is due to the low average speed.
Any thoughts?
Ave speed: 25 MPH
ave MPH: 17.3
2nd tank (not resetted)
ave speed: 38 MPH
ave MPH: 18.9
3rd tank (not resetted)
ave speed: 44.5
ave MPH: 19.8
We did a lot local 1st tank, 2nd tank mostly freeway, and 3rd tank: combination: Freeways: 70-75 MPH; consistant stop/go local driving
Jeff
My 2002 CX RDV AWD keeps running along (10,100 miles) just fine except for one anoying squeak from the rear hatch. I searched the group and find no one with this problem, so here it goes.
When moving very slowly on uneven pavement, down a driveway apron, etc, there is an annoying squeak coming from the hatch. Seems to be mostly in the area of the lower right corner. It is also noticeable while going over bumps at speed. Kinda reminds me of my 1982 Citation X-11 hatchback after 80,000 miles.
Had the dealer take a crack at adjusting the rubber blocks but they were unsucessful. I tried too but the squeak goes on. It is bad enough that rear seat passangers are NOT HAPPY.
Anyone have any ideas?
Mark in Clarence, NY
> .. wished that we had an inch or two more in the trunk area for a stroller when the
> 3rd row is up. Right now, whenever we open then trunk, the stroller spews out,
> hitting the bumper then the ground.
One thing might help a bit - the 3rd row seatback has two upright positions. After you have
raised the seatback up to the click stop, you can lift the handle again and push the seatback slightly forwards. It will click into the 2nd position. This can give an extra bit of much-needed
space back there.
I have the CXL with whichever tires came standard. How do I determine the correct pressure? Is it on the tire or on the side of the driver's door?
When I check them, does it matter if I've been driving on them? Should they be "cold"? What if the outside temperature is really cold, will that make much difference?
Yes, the tires should be "cold", meaning not driven for at least 4 hours. Tire pressure drops and increases with the temperature change (something like 1 PSI per 10 degrees of temperature change if I recall correctly). So if a tire measured 30 PSI, you will need to add 5 PSI to total 35 PSI.
If you need to drive to a place to get air, then you should measure the tire again before adding air. If it now reads 32 PSI, you will still need to add 5 PSI (not 3 PSI) which will be 37 PSI total (because it's no longer "cold"). The important measure is the "cold" measurement.
When I was off work and driving off rush hour traffic, using mainly highway, my RDV went all the way up to 20-21 mpg. If we didn't have 4wd, I think it would be slightly better. My husband's 4wd Sequoia, with 8 cylinders, gets 16.4, so I think Buick could still improve fuel efficiency. The RDV is far more enjoyable to drive in, however, and certainly more manueverable/parkable in city traffic. We always take the RDV when we go to SF for shows.
For new owners - our RDV has definitely gotten more energetic over time. The service dept. we go to said that we wouldn't get a true feel for the engine until 10,000 miles, which was true. While it didn't improve mileage, acceleration is noticeably improved.
Jeff
Our snow is melting fast as I type and a heavy fog, is with it, so tonight i get to try out the fog lights, in real fog.
Whoopeee
Jeff
Does anyone else get annoyed when dealer personnel change your radio to a different station(one you would never listen to), and jack up the volume? (Probably played it while "repairing" the car)(Also forgot to replace the cover of air filter in glovebox-fell on the floor when I opened it two days later) Very poor customer relations in my book!