My RDV is a FWD CX 1SD w/ towing package. I use normal 87 octane (no ethanol, std. Ohio formulation) and Mobil 1 synthetic oil in the crankcase. The trip was just me and some cargo in the back. No A/C on this trip. I recorded around 29.4 on the way up using the A/C in recirculate mode. I turned the A/C off every so often since the cabin became too cool at times and this was on a 90 degree plus day!
I don't know if the towing package is making a difference in the mileage. I think that the engine may run cooler due to the additional capacity in the radiator (hard to tell with the temp. gage having no numbers!)
Thanks very much, jp614! I'm due for my 1st oil change soon and I'm definitely considering Mobil 1 (synthetic oil). Question: how often do you need to change synthetic oil, as compared to dino oil? Is it much more expensive? Do you use regular oil filters and how often do you replace filters? Finally, what do you keep your tires inflated to? I haven't broken 20mpg for a whole tank yet (I do mostly city driving) and I'm looking to improve any way I can. I also live in an area that requires the use of reformulated gas (ethanol or MTBE) -- which takes its toll on mileage. Thanks much for all the help and info!
There you are! I'm sure you lurk, but I don't hear from you much anymore.
I'm not as active in townhall anymore either. I guess after 15,000 trouble free miles, RDV ownership is pleasant, but uneventful.
I still look forward to trips to the market...any excuse to drive it.
It is a joy to drive at night. Silky-silent ride, gentle green glow of the instruments, Davis & Coltrane jamming on the stereo.
It is a joy to drive during the day. Windows down, moonroof open, Drowning Pool blasting on the stereo.
The RDV is still very rare up here...and it still gets lots of (admiring) looks. My wife carpools with it once per month and her co-workers all LOVE it.
There are whole topics relagated to this topic. My take is that the detergent part of the oils suspend particles, and the filter only gets some of this out. Synth oil like Mobil doesn't break down very much but it does suspend a lot of particles, even in today's clean motors.
Personally, I go about 4-5000 miles on mobil one, less if its driven hard. And be sure and check oil regularly, 5x30 is thin enough to be down a quart at like 2000 miles on a new motor.
There is no better oil I've found. This stuff is good.
And all the posts ! I almost feel like I've own a RDV for 3-4 months now. Just when I am pumped up to take the RDV plunge, I find a reason to wait. There are over 20 reasons to buy ! Most recently the $1000 kicker to the rebate.
Thanks for all the info & Lance good luck ! Your trouble list put me back up on the fence.
And yes I know, every make of car is going to have it's problems.
I just got back from a 1900 mile trip. Philadelphia, PA to Champaign-Urbana, IL and back, with another few hundred miles within Illinois driving to and from Havana, IL.
I'm not sure what the mileage on the way to IL was, I didn't watch it closely. But on the trip home, I reset the DIC mileage counter just as I hit the highway on-ramp. The only non-highway driving was during two gas stops and one dinner stop (totalled less than 4 miles, I'm sure). I averaged 23.5 mpg. My speed probably averaged about 65mph, but I didn't reset that gauge before the trip started. I was driving in rain for pretty much the whole trip home.
I'm confused. My RDV dealer, another prior dealer, and my local mechanic continue to use 10w-30 oil, despite the manufacturer's RECOMMENDATION of 5w-30 for the cars in question. I know that the 10w falls into the temperature range of this area, but doesn't the 10w increase fuel consumption, and possibly result in more friction and warm up time in colder weather?
Considering that the RDV even has this "PREFERRED 5w-30" engraved in the filler cap, should I be concerned?
I'm thinking that this is simply a cost-cutting move. One tank of oil necessary for all cars new or old, and isn't 5w slightly more expensive?
When I get my oil changed, I tell the shop what weight oil to put in. If Buick specifically recommends a certain weight, I would definitely use it. As I understand it, 5w30 is a bit thinner and would be easier to start in the winter (than 10w30). However, both provide the same high temperature protection. Oil experts ... feel free to jump in here!
P.S. I'm considering Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil for my first RDV oil change.
I'm also looking to have my oil changed for my RDV over the weekend. I will be sure to ask for 5W-30 as I've done with other vehicles. The local quick oil changers don't charge me extra between 10W or 5W, but they do charge slightly more when I ask for brand name oil instead of their generic stuff (NYC area). I usually go with Castrol.
BTW - does anyone here change their oil like every 3 month even if they don't reach 3000 miles in that time? My RDV was manufactured in January but I have only ~1400 miles on mines which is over 6 months.
Hi Folks, Just letting you know that my RDV has hit the 24,000 mile mark after our 2nd trip to Vegas in the year that I have owned my vehicle. Actually it won't be a year until July 31, 2002. One problem in Vegas, the Air Con only worked well with recycled air. I have to believe that that is a mechanical problem as my air con was making a funny wheezing sound when I accelerated. Otherwise the car ran beautifully. We took out the captains chairs in the second seat for more interior room for a cooler and luggage. When we picked up our friends at the airport that night, they felt like they were in a limo in the third row seat with the second row out. Lots of leg room. I might reach 25K before the month is out as a trip to Reno is in the works. My dealer said its time for a trade in, but my last car (a Mazda Navajo) went 225,000 miles before I sold it, so my dealer will have to wait.
I am actually not going by the 3000 mile rule at all. There's an oil life gauge in the DIC and I wait till it gets to about 10% of oil life left before I get it changed.
Does anyone see a reason not to do this? I figure if Buick puts it in there then it must be okay.
I noticed on my new Mobil 1 packaging they indicate that 10-30 is for "higher milage" (worn) engines and 5-30 is good for new ones. I know Mobil 1, and if you use it, I doubt the motor will ever need the 10-30. Funny thing though, I've always used the 10-30 up to now 'cause its so hot here in Texas. Hmm...
5-30 is what the new motors are engineered for, and the new oils are nothing like what we had in teh 70's (remember 10-40?). 5-30 is fine, unless you find your consumption is too high, then you can use the thicker stuff.
the Mobil 1 is very slick and will have a greater tendency to ooze past the seals a tiny bit, but you won't be getting driveway drips or anything but the pan will look wet. Its just so dang slick the seals can't contain all of it. It also may get past the rings more than you are used to, so check oil regularly.
Just concluded our first trip in our new RDV. Started the trip with only 833 miles and put about 750 additional on during the trip. We have a CXL and the MPG came in at about 22 MPG. I did not consider this to be too bad considering we had the AC cranking the entire time. We had a TV/VCR playing about 2/3 of the trip with three adults and one child in the car and luggage in the rear. Also, we were traveling between 75-80 MPH for 90-95% of the trip.
The trip was wonderful. The roominess and comfort were awesome and the drive was very smooth and uneventful. The one aspect of the vehicle that I was a bit surprised about was the RDV's ability to handle the hilly terrain. Pick -up and power were fine with four people and luggage; even on fairly steep inclines.
Just thought a few of you would like to know. Been averaging about 16-16.5 MPG around town.
FYI - There's now an official GM owners center for the Rendezvous. You can reach it by going to www.buick.com and will need to register. There's some good info such as an online version of the Owners Manual, service schedule reminder, and such. Also some FAQs on the RDV and other stuff I haven't looked into. You get additional info if you provide a VIN (such as recall notification). It's limited to only some GM vehicles.
I also agree with you. I'll wait until the oil life gets to 10% or so before I get it changed. I think the life of the oil is varied by how the vehicle is used. If it is driven hard in a harsh climate, the oil life will shorten quicker. Just the opposite would occur if you babied it a lot. I think it is also a great way to conserve our fuels, by extending the oil life.
I have been enjoying my Rendezvous for about 4 months now. I would really appreciate your comments on these "problems". I am not sure if this is normal or not.
The first problem is when I am coasting (foot off the gas) at around 20 KM per hour. When I very gently press the gas pedal to accelerate the vehicle "jumps" forward. It is as if the transmission downshifts and engages hard with a lurch when I accelerate under these conditions. I am not sure if this is my driving, or a problem with my car, or a general behavior of the Rendezvous.
The next problem that I have noticed is when I am a full stop and I simply take my foot of the brake with no pressure on the gas pedal, the car seems to momentarily stall and then recover. What I mean is that I can hear the engine stalling and I can feel the engine shaking. Is this normal behavior? My other cars never had either of these problems.
The first problem I can't say I've experienced. Though if I hit the gas somewhat hard, my RDV will pull hard up to speed but not lurch (I understand what you mean by lurch as I feel it happening noticeable once I pass 30MPH in my other car during the gear shift.)
The second problem I've experienced first hand in my other car last year. I could hear the engine going to stall and actually see the tach go down to 0. Then after it closes onto 100 RPMs, it would spike back up to 4000 RPMS and this all happens within a few seconds after stopping at red lights and attempting to accelerate. Many members of a forum I belonged too said to change the oxygen sensors and then the IAC (Idle air control valve that controls how much air is going to your enginer when idling). It solved it for a while but came back. Next I tried a full tune-up (change sparks, coil wires, PCV valves, fuel filter, etc.) and again worked for a while. Lastly I put in some fuel injector cleaner and that seems to have done the trick. You should know I had 77K miles on a 24valve DOHC engine.
...just about logging in 21k miles on our RDV & thus far no big problems. Incidentally we decided to renew the "basic" On-Star service, even though we only really needed to use it once when we got locked out of the car on last year's campout.
As most of the oldtime regulars here know, it's been somewhat uncommon to spot another RDV on the road over the past year. Coincidentally, last week another RDV identical to ours (Pewter w/ Grey Mist CXL) was right behind us as we were were leaving our camp area (Lake of the Springs - North East of Sacramento). How times have changed...
As my wife drives the RDV most of the time, I'm not as tuned-in to the minor problems that I've read reported here. I just checked-out the rubber boot on the gear shifter and indeed ours is "separated" as well. We'll follow-up on this w/ the Buick dealer.
Something that our (Non-Buick) mechanic has mentioned at the last 2 oil changes as a problem is that the AWD case is leaking some oil. Buick was supposed to have tightened/fixed the problem a few months ago, but the problem still persists. I suggest those of you w/ AWD models watch for leaks.
I noted that someone mentioned a recall on the GM tow hitch... anybody have a link to this recall? I'll try to check the NTSB(?) for possible info. I know Buzbo got a tow hitch at about the same time we did, but I'm not sure his was from GM?
As I said, no major problems over the past year. My wife and kids have been enjoying the car. The extra headsets in the second row sure have been handy!
Congrats to all you new RDV owners and best regards to all you oldtimers (Fedlawman, Ken, Boondocks, R5, cwj, buzbo, et al).
Brian: I think dlh4 has the honors; he recently hit 24k! We're not far behind though. btw, dlh4, how about the US in the World Cup! Gotta be proud!!!
Buzz: I tried to research on the GM, Buick & NTSB sites re: the recalled hitch, but to no avail. It's kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - you'd think it would be easier. dwebster mentioned the issue in post #2524. Hopefully something pops up so that we know what we should do. Let me know if you find out anything.
Thank you for recognizing my 24K, and yes how about that USA team. We are lucky here in the Bay Area as Landon Donovan the best young American player and future star is playing with our San Jose Earthquakes. Our RDV will be going back to Reno this weekend (another 600 mile trip) for fun and sun in The Biggest Little Town in America. See you on the highway.
Heads up to anyone in the Baltimore area. I took my RDV for a relatively minor repair to Wilkins Buick in Glen Burnie, MD., and they kept my car for 12 days. Apprently it needed to have a Body Control Module replaced, a repair which takes an hour and a half (according to the invoice). The problem was that they did not have the necessary tool to calibrate the BCM, and they could not (would not) borrow it from another dealer. Is anyone here from that area? Has anyone had experience with any other Buick dealers in Balto/Geln Burnie/Annapolis? This was a big inconvenience, to say the least.
What exactly is the Body Control Module or it's general function? Unless it affects the driveability of the RDV, then I agree with fedlawman that it's more sensible the dealership ordered and have you come back. I may avoid this dealership in the future if it's feasible to go to another one.
Interesting to note the interior of an 03 with DVD system at the dealership. MSRP was around $34 and this vehicle was loaded with every imaginable option.
Interesting photo! I'm wondering if this is factory-installed or an after-market install job. I've seen several RDV aftermarket wood installs that look like they could have been factory-installed. Personally, I am sick of the plastic "genuine artificial wood" and I think the "plastic artificial aluminum" in the RDV is a welcome and refreshing change.
The Body Control Module seems to control many of the electrical components. In my case, I had trouble starting the car (finally managed to start it with the second key), and I could not use the power windows, the air conditioner, or the radio. I got a security light on the console and a chime would go off every five minutes. In this condition, I had to take it to the nearest dealership, that is, to Wilkins Buick, which was not where I bought the car. They took the old module out, then realized they did not have the tool to calibrate the new one. The car could not be driven at that point, so I was stuck until they got the tool.
My Body Control Module card also gave trouble just last month. My interior lights began flashing and the next day my dash instruments began to malfunction. (Sunday of course) Monday I was at my Buick dealer where they gave me coffee, a loner truck and told me to check back that afternoon. When I returned my rendezvous was repaired and they even washed it. Sorry to hear about your dealer. My dealer did not say anything about a tool or calibration. I hope your dealer is not the norm in your area.
I, too, had problems which necessitated replacement of the BCM. I detailed this a bit more in the Problems and Solutions section of the owners' club.
Everything seemed fine, got home, couldnt' pop rear hatch from remote, couldn't open windows, couldn't close sunroof (rain was predicted for that night!), "Security" light flashing on console. OnStar gave me a couple things to try, neither worked.
Dropped Rondy off at Buick the following Monday (the garage I parked it in had leaks in the roof and some rain came through the sunroof!...but not a truly significant amount). They said "something" was wrong with the BCM, but they didn't know specifically what, but that they'd need to replace it. Since they didn't have the part, they'd have it overnighted. I got a loaner car (junky little thing with crumbs on the front seat and barely an eighth of a tank of gas!) and the next day the Rondy was done. No problems since then.
I said almost the exact same thing over a year and maybe 2000 posts ago in this very same thread. If its plastic anyway, why is a "wood" pattern so sacred? The plaluminum in our Rendezvouses is indeed pleasantly authentic in its unapologetically artificial way.
Check out my recent post (currently #252) over in the Rendezvous vs. pilot thread. I think you may be sympathetic.
I haven't thought about Mr. Bill, Sluggo, or his dog for many a year. That made me laugh heartily. I think it's about time that we all take a stand against Plood. Next thing you know, they'll want to put it on the exterior of our vehicles (no more Woody station wagons!)
I think I've seen a couple of PT Cruisers with plood on the sides. Why turn an ugly car into a hideous car?
BTW, I remember when I was 11 or 12 years old, we'd go to Cantor's Bakery after dinner on Saturday and load up on chips & dip, gobstoppers, bottle caps, pixy sticks, etc. then fight off sleep until 1:00 am, all with the hope of seeing Mr. Bill.
Here's a link to another 2003 Rendezvous CX in Cappuccino Frost Metallic. Also, what's up with the BRAKES, 4-WHEEL PWR DISC ABS ($600.00) option? You mean to tell me they did this with the Rendezvous too?
Looks like there are package changes for the 2003 model. Disc brakes all around was standard as was side airbags. Also from the pictures, looks like the screw caps on the alloy wheels are missing too.
I am thinking of buying a 2002 Rendezvous and was wondering if the 3rd row of seats was removable. I car that I test drove had the seat bolted in, but read somewhere that Buick changed that in May. Can someone confirm this. Thanks
No, to the best of my knowledge, the 3rd seat in all Rendezvous only folds down to the floor. It does not come out, maybe only if you had some time and a set of wrenches!
The 3rd row seat can be taken out very easily... it's only held on w/ 4 10mm bolts... very easy to get out. I've had mine out since I bought the car basically...
Comments
I don't know if the towing package is making a difference in the mileage. I think that the engine may run cooler due to the additional capacity in the radiator (hard to tell with the temp. gage having no numbers!)
Oh well, I guess Gamera just becomes that much more unique. They broke the mold when they built that one.
CWJ
I'm not as active in townhall anymore either. I guess after 15,000 trouble free miles, RDV ownership is pleasant, but uneventful.
I still look forward to trips to the market...any excuse to drive it.
It is a joy to drive at night. Silky-silent ride, gentle green glow of the instruments, Davis & Coltrane jamming on the stereo.
It is a joy to drive during the day. Windows down, moonroof open, Drowning Pool blasting on the stereo.
The RDV is still very rare up here...and it still gets lots of (admiring) looks. My wife carpools with it once per month and her co-workers all LOVE it.
Personally, I go about 4-5000 miles on mobil one, less if its driven hard. And be sure and check oil regularly, 5x30 is thin enough to be down a quart at like 2000 miles on a new motor.
There is no better oil I've found. This stuff is good.
DD
Thanks for all the info & Lance good luck ! Your trouble list put me back up on the fence.
And yes I know, every make of car is going to have it's problems.
I just got back from a 1900 mile trip. Philadelphia, PA to Champaign-Urbana, IL and back, with another few hundred miles within Illinois driving to and from Havana, IL.
I'm not sure what the mileage on the way to IL was, I didn't watch it closely. But on the trip home, I reset the DIC mileage counter just as I hit the highway on-ramp. The only non-highway driving was during two gas stops and one dinner stop (totalled less than 4 miles, I'm sure). I averaged 23.5 mpg. My speed probably averaged about 65mph, but I didn't reset that gauge before the trip started. I was driving in rain for pretty much the whole trip home.
Considering that the RDV even has this "PREFERRED 5w-30" engraved in the filler cap, should I be concerned?
I'm thinking that this is simply a cost-cutting move. One tank of oil necessary for all cars new or old, and isn't 5w slightly more expensive?
P.S. I'm considering Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil for my first RDV oil change.
In their just published test of the 2002 AWD Aztek, Edmunds says, "...the powertrain is smooth and potent pleasure."
BTW - does anyone here change their oil like every 3 month even if they don't reach 3000 miles in that time? My RDV was manufactured in January but I have only ~1400 miles on mines which is over 6 months.
Just letting you know that my RDV has hit the 24,000 mile mark after our 2nd trip to Vegas in the year that I have owned my vehicle. Actually it won't be a year until July 31, 2002. One problem in Vegas, the Air Con only worked well with recycled air. I have to believe that that is a mechanical problem as my air con was making a funny wheezing sound when I accelerated. Otherwise the car ran beautifully. We took out the captains chairs in the second seat for more interior room for a cooler and luggage. When we picked up our friends at the airport that night, they felt like they were in a limo in the third row seat with the second row out. Lots of leg room. I might reach 25K before the month is out as a trip to Reno is in the works. My dealer said its time for a trade in, but my last car (a Mazda Navajo) went 225,000 miles before I sold it, so my dealer will have to wait.
Does anyone see a reason not to do this? I figure if Buick puts it in there then it must be okay.
5-30 is what the new motors are engineered for, and the new oils are nothing like what we had in teh 70's (remember 10-40?). 5-30 is fine, unless you find your consumption is too high, then you can use the thicker stuff.
the Mobil 1 is very slick and will have a greater tendency to ooze past the seals a tiny bit, but you won't be getting driveway drips or anything but the pan will look wet. Its just so dang slick the seals can't contain all of it. It also may get past the rings more than you are used to, so check oil regularly.
DD
The trip was wonderful. The roominess and comfort were awesome and the drive was very smooth and uneventful. The one aspect of the vehicle that I was a bit surprised about was the RDV's ability to handle the hilly terrain. Pick -up and power were fine with four people and luggage; even on fairly steep inclines.
Just thought a few of you would like to know. Been averaging about 16-16.5 MPG around town.
Regards,
S
I have been enjoying my Rendezvous for about 4 months now. I would really appreciate your comments on these "problems". I am not sure if this is normal or not.
The first problem is when I am coasting (foot off the gas) at around 20 KM per hour. When I very gently press the gas pedal to accelerate the vehicle "jumps" forward. It is as if the transmission downshifts and engages hard with a lurch when I accelerate under these conditions. I am not sure if this is my driving, or a problem with my car, or a general behavior of the Rendezvous.
The next problem that I have noticed is when I am a full stop and I simply take my foot of the brake with no pressure on the gas pedal, the car seems to momentarily stall and then recover. What I mean is that I can hear the engine stalling and I can feel the engine shaking. Is this normal behavior? My other cars never had either of these problems.
Thanks for any insights you can offer.
-Sean
The second problem I've experienced first hand in my other car last year. I could hear the engine going to stall and actually see the tach go down to 0. Then after it closes onto 100 RPMs, it would spike back up to 4000 RPMS and this all happens within a few seconds after stopping at red lights and attempting to accelerate. Many members of a forum I belonged too said to change the oxygen sensors and then the IAC (Idle air control valve that controls how much air is going to your enginer when idling). It solved it for a while but came back. Next I tried a full tune-up (change sparks, coil wires, PCV valves, fuel filter, etc.) and again worked for a while. Lastly I put in some fuel injector cleaner and that seems to have done the trick. You should know I had 77K miles on a 24valve DOHC engine.
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
As most of the oldtime regulars here know, it's been somewhat uncommon to spot another RDV on the road over the past year. Coincidentally, last week another RDV identical to ours (Pewter w/ Grey Mist CXL) was right behind us as we were were leaving our camp area (Lake of the Springs - North East of Sacramento). How times have changed...
As my wife drives the RDV most of the time, I'm not as tuned-in to the minor problems that I've read reported here. I just checked-out the rubber boot on the gear shifter and indeed ours is "separated" as well. We'll follow-up on this w/ the Buick dealer.
Something that our (Non-Buick) mechanic has mentioned at the last 2 oil changes as a problem is that the AWD case is leaking some oil. Buick was supposed to have tightened/fixed the problem a few months ago, but the problem still persists. I suggest those of you w/ AWD models watch for leaks.
I noted that someone mentioned a recall on the GM tow hitch... anybody have a link to this recall? I'll try to check the NTSB(?) for possible info. I know Buzbo got a tow hitch at about the same time we did, but I'm not sure his was from GM?
As I said, no major problems over the past year. My wife and kids have been enjoying the car. The extra headsets in the second row sure have been handy!
Congrats to all you new RDV owners and best regards to all you oldtimers (Fedlawman, Ken, Boondocks, R5, cwj, buzbo, et al).
John B.
Go 9er's!
ps: And yes, it was a fumble!!!
Buzz
Keep in touch,
Brian
Buzz: I tried to research on the GM, Buick & NTSB sites re: the recalled hitch, but to no avail. It's kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack - you'd think it would be easier. dwebster mentioned the issue in post #2524. Hopefully something pops up so that we know what we should do. Let me know if you find out anything.
John B.
Did anyone find a site with the changes for 2003 yet ? Given the price, I would suspect that there aren't many standard equip changes, if any ?
Interesting to note the interior of an 03 with DVD system at the dealership. MSRP was around $34 and this vehicle was loaded with every imaginable option.
Everything seemed fine, got home, couldnt' pop rear hatch from remote, couldn't open windows, couldn't close sunroof (rain was predicted for that night!), "Security" light flashing on console. OnStar gave me a couple things to try, neither worked.
Dropped Rondy off at Buick the following Monday (the garage I parked it in had leaks in the roof and some rain came through the sunroof!...but not a truly significant amount). They said "something" was wrong with the BCM, but they didn't know specifically what, but that they'd need to replace it. Since they didn't have the part, they'd have it overnighted. I got a loaner car (junky little thing with crumbs on the front seat and barely an eighth of a tank of gas!) and the next day the Rondy was done. No problems since then.
Check out my recent post (currently #252) over in the Rendezvous vs. pilot thread. I think you may be sympathetic.
CWJ
I like that, "Nothing good can come from Plood".
I haven't thought about Mr. Bill, Sluggo, or his dog for many a year. That made me laugh heartily. I think it's about time that we all take a stand against Plood. Next thing you know, they'll want to put it on the exterior of our vehicles (no more Woody station wagons!)
BTW, I remember when I was 11 or 12 years old, we'd go to Cantor's Bakery after dinner on Saturday and load up on chips & dip, gobstoppers, bottle caps, pixy sticks, etc. then fight off sleep until 1:00 am, all with the hope of seeing Mr. Bill.
http://www.driveultimate.com/Buick/3S502240_1.html
~lance