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Buick Rendezvous

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    philly88philly88 Member Posts: 45
    Just put another coat of Meguiar's on today. Seems to be decent. I use to use Mother's Pure Carnuba, and I really liked the results. You could toss your buffing rag at the hood lightly and it would glide across the hood with ease. Meguiar's doesn't seem to be as slick and smooth a finish as Mother's. It also doesn't seem to bead water as well as Mothers. The finished shine seems to be rather good though. I'll use the rest of the Meguiar's and then put a coat of mothers on before winter.

    Out of curiosity, anyone remember and try Liquid Lustre? It use to be sold on infomercials and then in some stores. It seems to be off the market for many years now, but it use to give me really good results. If you did one half the hood and then looked at the difference the side that was buffed was much richer and glossy than the untouched side.
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    nosuvyetnosuvyet Member Posts: 72
    vanity plates for $15?

    Here in Ontario the government knows what monopoly power means and has discovered vanity plates as a fee grab and a huge revenue generator. Get convicts to make them for $2 an hour, sell them to the public for about $240. That's right, $240. They were $100 when I got a set 10 years ago and I thought that was a bit much.

    Sorry to all for the political comment. Nothing to do with RDV's, I know.
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    just dont buy them. I dont, regardless of the price.
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    tgp1810tgp1810 Member Posts: 112
    Could some of you guys (and gals) post some pics, or links to pics, of the interior of your RDV taken at night. I have yet to see some interior shots of the RDV at night with all the gages lit up.
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    After 6100 miles without problems, I started to get some engine "pinging". I am not sure if it is from the local gas or if a faulty knocking sensor.
    Anyone out there with the same problem?
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    It is running fine now. Just a bad batch of gas.
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    Does anyone have problems with the (towing Package)compressor? what is the max delivery pressure? Does it work well with the tires?
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    msadamsmsadams Member Posts: 26
    Hey Gang,

    Check out my rover operation from last weeks ARRL VHF QSO Party (ham radio lingo for contest). Guys use all kinds of vehicles for their rover ops and I specifically considered the qualities of the RDV for this service b4 buing it.

    http://www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox/index.html?con_id=48

    73,
    Mark K2QO
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    duke36duke36 Member Posts: 15
    I have a 2002 RDV. I had problem with the compressor, it seems to work for a long time every time we started and once we went camping it took 5 minutes to re-prime. To test it I tried to inflate the tires with it and that did not work.

    I took it to the dealer that confirmed that a seal was leaking. They fixed it and now it is working fine. This was actually the only trouble since I got the car.

    Now I rearly hear it, and when I do, it is about 30 sec after starting for about 3-5 seconds- unless I loaded up.
    Hope that helps.
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    cwjacobsencwjacobsen Member Posts: 293
    I just found out that "GAMERA" has already been taken here in Missouri. Dang, I KNEW I should bought in Kansas instead. So cheap $15 extra fee or not, no vanity plates for CWJ and his beloved rendezvous.
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    Thanks for your input, I will try this week to set the tires with the compressor air and see the available pressure.
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    desaljsdesaljs Member Posts: 24
    I just purchased a 2003 CXL. I placed it into immediate service by taking my family on a Summer vacation. We did 2600 miles. Fully loaded with 2 adults, 2 kids and a load of luggage, the avarage fuel economy for the entire trip was a decent 21.6 mpg. No defects noted so far. The DVD entertainment system is very good with great sound. My CD's also sound great. It is a big step up from our '99 Nissan Quest in terms of NVH issues and I thought the ride was nicely controlled. Everything works as described and I like the fact that you can program the systems to work the way you want them to in terms of lights, horn beep with lock, how the doors lock/unlock etc. Overall, very pleased with this vehicle. I am also happy to support the American industry, even though I prefer foreign vehicles. I have read a lot of this board and will look out for some of the problems mentioned.
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    philly88philly88 Member Posts: 45
    Hey, welcome to the club! I've had mine for four months with now problems and loving it. Keep coming back to post, the regulars are growing every day here.
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    john325john325 Member Posts: 237
    Okay w/ about 600 miles to go on the warranty, we're getting the two side-mirror motors changed tomorrow.

    Also, just noticed something weird and am wondering if anyone has noticed the same thing. I was idling at a red light and scrolling through the DIC modes. I noticed that the "average speed display" was clocking down by 10ths as I was standing still. ???? I'm sure it's not suppose to do this. I'm wondering what's going to be changed to fix this problem. I'll bring it up to the service guy tomorrow morning.

    Btw, I think I'm the hands-down winner, if one wants to think of it that way, in terms of things being changed under warranty. At some point, I'll provide a list of what's been changed.

    We've gone ahead and ordered the Michelin LXT M/S tires; should have them installed by Saturday if all goes well. They'll do us well on our annual Yosemite trek.

    Thanks for any input on the "average speed" display.

    John B.
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    imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,155
    is computed by dividing distance traveled by time period for the travel. If you are standing still, time is still passing therefore the denominator is increasing while the numerator is staying the same. The average speed would keep dropping as you stand still.

    Same occurs for average fuel economy. The engine is still running using fuel but no distance is being covered.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

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    john325john325 Member Posts: 237
    Thanks for the reply... that makes sense. And since I noticed it shortly after I filled-up the gas, that explains why the average speed was dropping so quickly. - I had cleared the settings.

    Btw, I have recently been a bit suspect on the gas "avg. mpg" readings, and I don't know if any of these compensations have anything to do w/ it. I'm showing about "14 mpg average". Now admittedly, most of this is on city streets and not freeway driving. But 14 mpg seems a tad low. I'm going to track the actual miles travelled via odometer and see how much gas I put it on the next fill-up. - Anyone else getting 14 mpg -Average?

    Thanks again imidazol97!
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    melsnymelsny Member Posts: 35
    Concerning Klasse; it's the finest product I ever used and definitely worth the money. It goes very far and that offsets the cost.
    Also, I just replaced all 3 wiper blades with Trico Teflon blades. They are absolutely marvelous, no chattering and perfect wiping. I really recommend them highly.
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    cwjacobsencwjacobsen Member Posts: 293
    I'll check around for the Trico blades you mention. At least one other poster mentioned that the two Rendezvous windshield blades were not the same size. Did that pose a problem in finding non-GM replacements?

    CWJ
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    Replacing the entire wiper blade (not just rubber inserts) can be quite expensive after looking around. Prices average around $23 each in my area for the sizes required. I stick with the rubber inserts replacement which is about $5 for the pair.
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    melsnymelsny Member Posts: 35
    No problem finding the proper blades for all three sizes. Trico teflon blade #15-160 (for rear) was $9.99, #15-220 (for passenger side) was $12.99 and #15-240 was $14.99. This was at a discount auto supply and ABSOLUTELY worth every penny of the difference between that price and the cost of the standard rubber blades!
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    coatingmikecoatingmike Member Posts: 44
    Hello All,

    I have just joined you as a happy Rendevous owner. I bought it on what for me was very much an impulse after riding in one last week. I love the luxury aspect of it along with the practicality. I have a CXL plus with most of the goodies and so far I love it. I drive about 100 miles/day so I will quickly ruin any re-sale value, but since I plan to drive it until it can no longer go that doesn't really matter. I look forward to reading the boards and keeping up with what knowledge so many owners can offer.

    Mike
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    melsny - How long have you been using the Trico blades? I want to know if they will out last the rubber insert replacements - which from my experience lasts about 6-8 months before they chatter or leave too much streaks. They wear out consistently on both of my cars. Also, what do you do with the OEM blades?
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    And congrats on the new Rendezvous!

    Steve, Host
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    coatingmikecoatingmike Member Posts: 44
    Anyone know if the Aztek tent can be used with the Rendevous? Thanks in advance.
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    ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I believe the answer is no on the tent, but I can't remember or find where I saw it. There is however another tent that would work, do a search on 'sportz suv tent' on the net and you will find it
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Here's a camping package post:

    nextmoon Jan 21, 2003 3:37pm

    I prefer a stand-alone tent since it's more versatile. Others feel more comfortable with some sheet metal around.

    Steve, Host
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    I agree with steve_HOST, a regular tent is better for camping.

    As for the Sportz SUV tent, I'd wouldn't buy that. Reason being potential for carbon monocide poisoning. I looks like the tail pipe emissions from the SUV goes straight or blows directly on the tent if someone was to turn on the ignition for some reason! At least on the Aztek the tent is above and clear of the tailpipe which is considerably safer in my opinion. Not to mention backing up accidentally. I'd stick with a tent.
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    john325john325 Member Posts: 237
    We recently purchased a tent at Costco which is a great family tent. 20'x10' and 7' high ceilings everywhere. Various shelves, pouch organizers and even clothes bar to hang stuff on - all for only $149. You can have 2 large 10 x 10 rooms or It can be divided into 4 rooms. It can be put up and down in about 10 minutes. - I'd guess they'll be running out if they haven't already.

    I agree that the tent on the back of the RDV just wouldn't cut it.

    John B.
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    philly88philly88 Member Posts: 45
    Took the RDV for its first long road trip, 400km. I am always amazed with the amount of space in it for such a maneuverable vehicle. I had a full size highchair, playpen, stroller, three suitcases, a large Rubbermaid container, and many parcels we bought while on vacation. Plenty of room, all fit in the back cargo area and everything was still below the height of the rear seat.

    The fuel economy was decent as well even with the full load, two adult, a child and the A/C running almost all the way. Used about half a tank for the 4 hour drive. Put another 200km on it in the big city with tones of stop and go traffic. I was impressed; my old blazer would have needed a fuel up near the tail end of the 400km alone.

    The RDV is also VERY comfortable on the highway. The ride is very smooth. Only two complaints. One, the lumbar support doesn't seem to be in the right place for me. I feel like it should be about two inches higher in the back. But I just keep it all the way down and the seat is still very comfortable without it. No lower back fatigue.

    Next, although the power is more than adequate, and I passed many cars going very fast, I wish it had just 15 more ponies under the hood. Just 15 would make it that much better when it is fully loaded with the A/C on. Now don't get me wrong, I had NO problem passing transports and others, the overdrive kicks in quite well when needed. And the engine constantly ran at about 2,000 RPM on the highway at 120km/hr. I like that and can't stand the sound of an engine that is high revving, struggling to keep speed up.

    All in all, great trip and the RDV didn't let us down a bit. I live in a small city about 150,000 people, and I see more RDV here than I saw in the city of 2 million we went to. I found that a bit odd, but at the same time felt like I had a unique vehicle. I actually got more looks in the big city than at home.
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    melsnymelsny Member Posts: 35
    To nextmoon - I only installed the Trico Teflon Blades a few weeks ago. The package says to replace them yearly. I generally use the Trico Winter Blades for the winter months and keep the regular blades in my garage at that time. Therefore, I expect to get 2 years from the new blades. My OEM blades started to disintegrate in less time than that. I've disposed of them.
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    islandpeteislandpete Member Posts: 94
    philly88 , Thanks Philly for your trip evaluation. I just returned from a trip down to Florida from New York and put on 2800 Mi. You did not say what MPG you got(decent ?). I averaged 26 MPG with the AC constantly on. Temp gauge always was below half.RDV performed flawlessly. Cannot understand some of the reports bashing the Affinity tires. I found them to be very smooth and quiet. As to power, I think what fools a lot of drivers is the stiff accelerator pedal spring. You have to press on it extra hard to get the transmission to downshift. Once I did this, the RDV showed plenty of 'Move Out Power". Try it :-)Only problem so far is the drivers side power mirror. At times it seems to malfunction. It turns out but not in. Up Down works fine. Will wait for the Tail Gate recall service to have it checked out. Anyone get called yet?
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    hfdadhfdad Member Posts: 29
    Has anyone received a recall notice in regards to the rear lift gate coming open upon impact? I read about it at least a month ago but have not heard from Buick yet.
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    beach15beach15 Member Posts: 1,305
    Here's a Dark Steel Blue Metallic 2004 CXL FWD. I really like the new clear turn signal lenses!

    http://www.starcars.com/Buick/4B131_1.html
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    desaljsdesaljs Member Posts: 24
    I noticed what appeared to be an excessive amount of dust in my new RDV. A salesman showed me where the cabin filter is located (at the back of the glove box behind a small panel)so I decided to take a look. I opened the panel and low and behold, NO FILTER present. The vehicle is in for its first service today, and I will post the resolution of this situation for all to see. It might be a good idea for owners to check and see if your filter is present. As far as I can tell, this is not an optional piece of equipment. Any thoughts from the group on this?
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    That's probably the Ultra edition in the pic. Only the Ultra has the clear turn signal in front I believe.
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    The 2002 year model had this as optional equipment meaning it came with the high end trims - CXL. Lower end trims like my CX does not come with one but you can pick one up at your dealer. It's not cheap.
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    imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,155
    on my 03 LeSabre was $52 including the filter.
    It snaps in. It was listed as a dealer-installed part. So I let the service manager snap it in, since installation was part of the pricing!!! grin.

    I had understood it was standard on dual zone air on LeSabres, but that must have changed as a price increase from the earliest window stickers I had looked at when they first came out. Another hidden price increase.

    Where is a good place for low priced quality replacement filters?

    How often do the filters need replacing???

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

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    ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    IF you can find the part number, a place like gmpartsdirect.com might be a good place to check. You may also find aftermarket equivalents somewhere. There may also be a couple direct types, one generic, and one that is better at filtering smaller stuff like pollen. Good luck
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    imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,155
    and couldn't come up with cabin filters for the LeSabre.
    I decided the dealer could help me.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

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    kenymkenym Member Posts: 405
    I live in Ohio and my dealer feels the recall will start mid August. (Tailgate )

    ~Ken
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    lswaidzlswaidz Member Posts: 92
    No that's the CXL... the Ultra has speacial badging on the rear and I think on the sides too... the clear lenses are standard on the CXL's and possibly all the 04's
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    desaljsdesaljs Member Posts: 24
    I posted the follow-up to this on the problems and solutions site. Yesterday, while in for service, the dealer installed the missing cabin filter. Oil change also done. So far, with 3000 miles, no problems other than the left rear door that takes a little more effort to close. Great vehicle to date.
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    tmakogontmakogon Member Posts: 74
    Thank you for posting the pic.
    This is one color besides black that looks nice with the dark rear windows.
    Also it's good to see that MSRP didn't suffer from the installed navigation system (I presume that's what I see in the cabin).

    Regards,
    Taras
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    dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Any news on Ultra pricing?

    Wondering what the price of admission will be for the 3.6L
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    cigar95cigar95 Member Posts: 13
    I recently got a bottle of Klasse for my '03 CX, and I used it first to do my wife's Accord as a birthday present.

    According to the directions, I should be able to do the entire hood with a single dab. (or was it two dabs?)

    Anyway, after doing about one sixth of the hood, it didn't look like anything was going onto the hood except for some moisture from my towel. (I'm using a microfiber.)

    Is this normal? Is there still compound going onto the surface even though I can't see it? Or does this mean I'm spreading the compound on too thick to start off?

    Either way, a little bit still cleans an entire Accord. My RDV will be a bit more work. (then it will be time to learn to use a clay bar!)

    Thanks for any tips here. (For the record, I started of with Medallion Premium Paint Cleaner and then applied the Klasse all-in-one after that.)
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Lots of fans over in Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts).

    Steve, Host
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    olrdvolrdv Member Posts: 53
    I just saw on TV an ad for the 2003 RDV, announcing $5500 total rebates, including Buick loyalty.
    Can somebody break this total rebate into Buick loyalty, Golf, base factory rebate, etc??
    Thanks.
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    nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    I got a noticed from the GM owner site regarding the tailgate recall. But haven't recieved a letter in the mail yet. Has anyone recieved the letter (I'm on the east coast) and gotten it done? Just wondering if the fix is visible from the face of the tailgate?

    On the website, the recall is listed as 03030 but the online notification letter (in PDF) reads B03030-S.
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    jpelderjpelder Member Posts: 235
    Hello. I am considering the Rendezvous for my next work car. I drive a lot of highway miles, about 40,000+ per year, and want a nice highway ride. I test drove one last week and was blown away at the ride, but I didn't get any interstate time. Any opinions here?

    I was also impressed with the 3.4 performance and smoothness. I've heard only bad things about this engine's refinement, but it seemed pretty nice to me. I currently drive a Grand Caravan and have never had an SUV before.
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    hesitanthesitant Member Posts: 17
    I've been tempted to buy the Rendezvous but have held back because of comments about the engine not being big enough. However, I want the good gas mileage. Has anyone heard if the newer engine will get the same gas mileage? If so, it may be worth waiting for.
     
    Any other features going to be improved enough to be worth waiting for the '04?

    An Edmunds editor has also commented that the car was noisy inside at highway speeds and that the tailgate did not show the quality fit of higher end SUVs. That would have been the 2002 model. Any comments?
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