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Buick Rendezvous

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Comments

  • longolongo Member Posts: 1
    Hi all. I have the awd cxl 3.4L Here are some comments from someone who bought one two weeks ago. The car is noisy. It sounds like you're sitting inside an empty drum. The fuel gage fluctuates so much that you can never tell how much gas you have unless the car is motionless on flat ground. The power steering pump was defective from day one. This is now being fixed, but I've been told at least three times by the service manager that there is noting wrong with the fuel gage. The power is bad from the start, but once it's rolling it's ok. The best part about this car is that my wife likes it...it's her car. The sticker on this car was $38,400 and I got a great deal but in the end it's not worth it. Don't buy it.
  • dan165dan165 Member Posts: 653
    Why did you buy if you dislike it so much? Did you not test before you bought.

    I see Rendezvous' all over the place so they just can't be that bad. We really like it and did not find it noise at all except maybe in the case of hard acceleration.
  • coatingmikecoatingmike Member Posts: 44
    I have never noticed a fuel gauge anomoly. I would say that it is faulty.
  • islandpeteislandpete Member Posts: 94
    Hey,come on now longo,certainly does not sound like a Rendezvous. Have mine for three years and your description sure sounds like a lemon law candidate. Absolutely the exception to my experience with this fine vehicle. I guess if I had those problems I would be upset too. Hey GM, what say you???? Hey Steve(host)maybe you could pass on longo's post to GM. I don't care what kind of a deal he got. Who needs those problems and the bad publicity against the RDV?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    My guess is that GM has someone skimming the boards.

    All manufacturers seem to make lemons; a word to GM's customer service department couldn't hurt. There should be an address or email on their web site or in your owner's manual.

    Even better is finding a good service department in the first place.

    Steve, Host
  • dan165dan165 Member Posts: 653
    Any one know if they have started making 05 CXLs with the 3.6 yet?

    I would like to get one but no one seems to have an 05 yet period.
  • opalblueopalblue Member Posts: 4
    I bought my RDV in August 2002. It was a base model, no options, and had 20,000 miles on it when I bought it. I was told by my small-town dealer they had bought it from another dealer who had gone out of business. Whatever.

    I now have just over 75,000 miles on it; more, I suspect, than most owners here.

    Not counting the one-foot-long stick that fell off a tree by my driveway, hitting the very tip of the top front corner of my passenger-side rear quarter window and shattered it (what are the odds?), the first and only repair I've had to my car was last week. Shortly after leaving in the morning, while going about 40 MPH I saw the speedometer drop to zero (the tach still worked), then sprang back up. Then I noticed it seemed to thump into second and third gear. About 15 minutes later as I was arriving at work, it seemed the transmission was "hunting" for the right gear.

    Took it to a dealer (it drove fine the 3/4 miles there). Apparently, a channel plate in the transmission broke, which they replaced. I was very glad I had the 100,000 mi. warranty, which I was beginning to think I would never use, since replacement required pulling the transmission to replace what I was told was a $100-$200 part.

    Other than that, the car has been perfect.
  • strandedstranded Member Posts: 1
    Absolutely not happy! I have owned my RDV since July 2001 also. It just hit a little over 33,000 miles last month. I was having a few minor electrical problems and AC problems before we left for vacation to Yellowstone. Took it in, problems covered under warranty and left on our vacation. We ended up stranded in Yellowstone at 9:00 pm at night, two young kids in the car crying because they were afraid! Called GM from my cell phone - they had us towed! Mind you, Yellowstone is in Montana - I'm from Chicago. They can't figure out the problem. To start my car I have to (everytime) disconnect the battery and reconnect it. My car has been at the dealership 6 times in the last 5 weeks. GM towed it again to the dealership last Thursday and they just called and said they still don't know what the problem is. We went out of town over the weekend to a Nascar race and I spoke to two other RDV owners that I saw there one had 63,000 miles the other 109,000 miles both have had similar problems and then some. This is my 6th GM car - will I ever buy one again? Depends on how they rectify this problem - if they find it!
  • cudaalcudaal Member Posts: 34
    same package here. How do U like it so far?
  • mnfish1mnfish1 Member Posts: 14
    just took trip to ignace canada with rdv and 14 ft tri hull... mighty whitey... double nickel johnnie and 10 popper...no problems...no one passed us...broke part of the BOAT trailor tongue going in to fish camp ...but no problems with rdv...2003 cx ...and yes i installed hitch myself....wife caught several 20 inch walleye...never read one page of her book...you betcha ....oh yea babe....
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    My friend bought a 30 day subscription to CarFax to research his next purchase, and at my request, he used it to look up my old RDV.

    As you may remember, GM repurchased my RDV after it was officially declared a "lemon" as a result of arbitration with GM through the Washington State Attorney General's Office.

    According to CarFax, there is no title history to reflect my RDV's lemon status or GM's repurchase of the vehicle. The CarFax report indicates that my old RDV was sold at auction in Alaska.

    I pity the person who bought this car without disclosure of it's history...
  • coatingmikecoatingmike Member Posts: 44
    Glad I have not spent any money on Carfax.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,146
    Does carfax give the name of the current owner on a car?

    Did it give a name for the RDV owner?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    CARFAX does not collect or report owner names or addresses.

    (source is from my own Carfax doc for my van).

    Steve, Host
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    Isn't title branding an issue of state law? In other words, some states require it, while others don't? At least that's my understanding which may explain why this happened ... the title would have to indicate "manufacturer buyback" in WI.

    From the WI DOT:

    Brand disclosure
    A "brand" is a permanent note on a title that gives a prospective buyer important information about the history of a car.

    Note: There are penalties up to $5,000 for failing to disclose title brand information.

    Your title must be branded if, during the time you owned the car, you could answer "yes" to any of the following questions:
    * Was your car used as a taxi or for public transportation?
    * Was it salvaged? A "salvage" brand is needed if your car is less than 7 model years old and was damaged 70% or more of its fair market value.
    * Was it flood damaged? A "flood damaged" brand is needed if water damage equals 70% or more of your vehicle's fair market value.
    * Was it used as a police vehicle?
    * Was it imported without US emission and safety certification?
    * If your vehicle was salvaged, repaired, and passed inspection, your title should have the brand "rebuilt salvage."
    * The brand "manufacturer buyback" on your title means the car was bought back under the lemon law.
  • darrendarren Member Posts: 5
    Hi all,

    If anyone has or knows where I can get the above item, I'd really appreciate
    it.

    Must be in very good condition and with oak (tan) leather upholstery.

    Would prefer a Canadian source, but will consider U.S. sources as well.

    Thanks,

    Darren
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Have you tried eBay or your local auto salvage yard?

    Steve, Host
  • darrendarren Member Posts: 5
    Yes, I have ... with no luck so far. I was hoping someone in the ownership community might know where I could get one.

    Or, I may be willing to trade 2 oak leather captains chairs for it, if someone out there would prefer that configuration.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You might try a request on craigslist.org for Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto, depending on where you are (or a close stateside city).

    We aren't set up for buying and selling (or trading) on Town Hall.

    Steve, Host
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    and I wanted to post my early impressions.

    Yeah, I got a great deal - a $33K car for about $23K, thanks to GM card $$, etc.

    First, the good stuff:

    Zero defects [so far]; smooth, quiet; solid brakes, fairly flat cornering, decent [6-speaker] radio, powerful [manual] A/C, tons of room and useful storage thingies, comfy, well-made seats...AND - real important - the utility of a good-sized SUV at 20 - 30 MPG!

    I do wonder whether a $33K car should lack climate control, memory seats, 17" wheels, 8-speaker radio, 3.6 engine, etc.

    I know - an upscale CXL or Ultra would have most of those upgrades, but, for a lot more $$. For the record, my wife's '02 Regal LS came with all of them, and more, for $28K.

    What it needs - more power [a little mushy off the line and too much downshifting on the road]; stiffer springs [an annoying fore 'n' aft 'porpoising' on the interstate]; quicker steering [too much winding needed for U-turns, etc.], and some better materials for the inside trim. The great looking dash guages are nearly unreadable - HUD should be standard! Also, apparently you have to program your DIC and radio preferences for both keys or you lose yours when the other driver uses the car.

    The good news - my wife LOVES the RDV, so maybe we'll just trade cars.

    Bottom line so far - NOT a sport sedan [that's what Regals are/were for] but an excellent everyday driver for anything from shopping to a 6-man car pool. Nice 'n' short for city parking, too.
  • njbillnjbill Member Posts: 1
    We tried the rear liftgate for a new 05 Rendezvous, and found it very difficult to lift. My wife was unable to lift it. However, we tried the liftgate of a Rendezvous belonging to a friend ('03 model, I think) and it was much easier to lift.

    Is there a reason for this? Is there a way to adjust the pressure on the struts so that it's easier to lift?
  • paulnnaupaulnnau Member Posts: 14
    today I think I read all 3792 posts and have seen many complaints about 2001-2003 RDVs, but what about 2004? In 3 years have the fixed these problems? Especially with the BCM? Last year I made the mistake of buying a brand new NEON SXT and was disgusted by how much it depreciated. Now I'm hoping to take advantage of depreciation by buying an 04 CX for about $14k but I don't want a lemon like some folks here. Any opinions?
  • dan165dan165 Member Posts: 653
    Consumer Reports gives the Rendezvous "Good" reliability and they also now recommend the vehicle. You will likely be fine with it.
  • stoopid1stoopid1 Member Posts: 23
    Our local CarMax has a 2002 RDV CX for 16,599. It has 31K on it, sunroof, 3rd row seats, leather, power locks & mirrors, cruise, roof rack, power windows and seats, alloys, and a audiovox (I'm assuming aftermarket) TV/VCR etc. CarMax doesn't "deal" on the price so that's the bottom line price. I wanted to get some quick feedback as to the reliabilty of this vehicle. Does anyone know of any major mechanical problems with this particular vehicle (without my reading through nearly 4000 posts)? Would you recommend this vehicle? Do you think this is a fair price?

    BTW - I'm getting rid of a 2003 V-6 Honda Accord that I just hate (what a POJ) in order to buy a vehicle that better fits the kids and dogs but refuse to spend $40,000 and don't want to gas up every 100 miles.

    Thanks for any input!
  • cmccullcmccull Member Posts: 33
    I bought my 2002 CX new and it has been trouble free. I've been very happy with it. I would recommend this car to anyone. Mine has 3rd row seats, leather, power locks & mirrors, cruise, roof rack, power windows and seats, alloys,etc. Great Vehicle!
  • stoopid1stoopid1 Member Posts: 23
    Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my post. I appreciate your feedback. Glad to hear something positive for a change. Happy driving!!
  • islandpeteislandpete Member Posts: 94
    stoopid1, thought you would be interested in my experience with the 02 CXL. Owned it since May of 2001 and had some minor problems at the beginning namely the notorious BCM. Just returned from Florida back to NY after a 5 week stay that really put the RDV through it's paces. Put on 4000 mi some of it tough riding on bumpy dusty roads getting to my Daughters new house in Brooksville FL. They purchased a beautiful rustic ranch style with a lot of property and horse property with the Stables and paddocks. Only problem is the roads are for horses not cars :-) RDV handled well. Averaged 24 MPG with AC going full blast in 85/90 deg temps. Got back to NY to 40 deg and raining :-(. A word of advice stoopid1 make them a lower offer. Seems a bit high for a CX. But you be the judge. Good Luck :-)
  • manny5manny5 Member Posts: 16
    I would not recommend this vehicle. Read through problems and solutions Board on Edmunds from the beginning. Many problems listed are very common for this vehicle. You talk to mechanics, and they will tell you how they see same problems on these vehicles. Between 36K and 50K, you will end up replacing BCM module, wheel bearings, A/C Compressor, and repair intake manifold leak. Be prepared to spend 5to6K on these repairs. I have owned many GM vehicles, and this is the worst car I have ever owned. I will not recommend.
  • dan165dan165 Member Posts: 653
    I suspect that since Consumer Reports recommends the Rendezvous, your bad experience is much less common than you think. They rate reliability as "good" in their last report.

    I am looking at a left over 2004 CXL and an Ultra. If I can get the price down a little more I my go for it. The Rendezvous seems very well made for the most part.
  • sharshar Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2002 RDV & the repairs are expensive.
    51K mi & the anti-theft igination froze. $1,600 repair. Since you couldn't start the car or move the steering wheel they had to drag the car up on the tow truck. Now the brakes are shot. Gas milage is very bad and it's so noisy I can't hear the radio. For $32K I expected more relibility.
    Oh, and the resale value is so bad I'm stuck.
  • tmakogontmakogon Member Posts: 74
    I might be wrong, but sounds like you had to request a regular towing truck, not the flatbed type. All towing trucks have a pair of dollies to carry the rear wheels on for AWD cars - for safe transportation, while the front wheels are on the lift.

    Pulling a parked vehicle onto a flatbed also does a trick on any automatic transmission, if not set to neutral - hopefully yours is ok.

    Our Golf Tournament '02CXL still runs trouble-free. I called it that as it was used for Shell Open in 2002 and had 180 miles on it when we bought it new. Still goes as new.
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    My Rendezvous still running like new. Not noisy, no BCM problems, no brake problems, no AC problems. I did have a head gasket replaced (under warranty). Other than that, just minor repairs. I definitely would recommend the Buick Rendezvous to a potential buyer.

    I agree that fewer people are experiencing serious problems with the Rendezvous than some might suspect by reading this board. Keep in mind that through October 2004, nearly 52,000 Rendezvous have been sold in 2004 alone. And at the same time last year, nearly 56,000 Rendezvous were sold. You're talking about 150,000+ Rendezvous being on the road and we're seeing reports from just a handful of Edmunds members. I'm not saying those problems aren't real ... I'm just saying not all Rendezvous owners or Rendezvous are affected! YMMV

    P.S. Shar ... I think that you may have a valid claim against the towing company; sounds like they screwed up your brakes!
  • nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    My 2002 CX has been running along well. No surprises or repairs of any needed yet...and I hope it stays that way. It's highly regarded by many friends and family for it's roominess and good ride. Personally, it has served me pretty well when I needed to move large items such as TV's and furniture. No brand can make all perfect cars and I do understand how upsetting it would be if I was the owner of a less than perfect vehicle.

    Someone made a comment in Edmunds that most likely a person would post here when they have a problem rather then a happy owner. Therefore it skews the images of many vehicles to the negative side.
  • iglooheatiglooheat Member Posts: 32
    2004 CXL AWD with 3.6 - We have 4000 miles and no complaints. During a 90+ degree August day we were creeping along in a traffic jam (about 45 min.) and we felt some unpleasant drivetrain vibration AND ac variation, but we weren't overheating and all has been well since. We like the room and the ride, but with our urban stop and go commute, I wish the milage was better. We're now avg. about 17. Hwy. milage is fantastic if you maintain a reasonable speed (below 60). The instant milage display has indicated 27 - 30 mpg at times when I've cruised at 52-56 mph.
  • master4master4 Member Posts: 6
    Just purchased 2004 Ultra AWD coming from a Olds min-van. I really like the more nimble handling and SUV looks besides the classy interior finishes. My daughter is in to her 2nd CXL and it suits her for a multitude of reasons. A friend has a new Lexus RX330 which I've been in several times,also a nice ride but my Buick rides more evenly and is larger. Got a good deal at 10k off sticker plus $2250 in GM card awards. Lexus can't touch that value at $28k for my Ultra. Make sure your tires are inflated to about 35psi. Mine came at delivery at only 25psi and that hurts gas mileage. This vehicle is probably the best car SUV for its size in my book.
  • tmakogontmakogon Member Posts: 74
    jk27, what had prompted the gasket replacement? I wonder if I should ask for a preventive replacement of the head gasket, AC condenser, and front wheel bearings under warranty, or stick with "if it ain't broken, don't fix it"? We have 21K on the odometer with 5 months of warranty left.
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    "jk27, what had prompted the gasket replacement?"

    I noticed that I was losing coolant (Dexcool). I talked with my dealer and he said that it is a sealed system and that, in theory, you should never have to add coolant. Since I had probably added several quarts, I mentioned it when I brought it in for some other minor service items. Imagine my surprise when they called me to tell me that they needed to replace my head gasket! It was under warranty, thankfully, and it was done in an afternoon. So ... if you're losing coolant, ask them to check the gaskets! If you haven't been monitoring your Dexcool levels ... you may want to start! Hope this helps.

    P.S. I noticed no performance, mileage or heating problems at all when I was losing the coolant.
  • manny5manny5 Member Posts: 16
    Do not get me wrong, the vehicle drives well and the comfort is excellent. For a $30K vehicle, you expect to have trouble free 50K miles. There is inherently something wrong with the design of this vehicle. Many things go bad too soon.

    I owned GMs all my life. I drove all of them over 100K miles with out major problems. I will be happy if I get 70K miles on this Rdv.

    Also, check the resale value. You will be stuck, and can not sell it until you pay off the vehicle. When it is paid off, it probably worth nothing.
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    What year/model Rendezvous do you own, Manny5?

    Manny5 said, "There is inherently something wrong with the design of this vehicle. Many things go bad too soon."

    What specifically is "inherently wrong" with the Rendezvous. I've had pretty close to 36,000 trouble-free miles with this vehicle. Any problems have been promptly repaired at no charge by my Buick Dealer.

    What things "go bad too soon"?

    You do realize that not everyone is experiencing what you've experienced. There are about 150,000 Rendezvous on the roads now. How many of these are experiencing the "inherent" problems of which you speak? Seems like I have seen just a handful of posters who got bad apples (and which happens in every mass-produced product line).

    I would definitely recommend a Rendezvous to a friend.

    As for resale value? I'm not planning on selling anytime soon, so it truly is not an issue for me. Why would I want to sell a great vehicle that has provided trouble-free driving, great features, and a great ride?? ;)
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Although it's very early days at 3,000 miles, our Rondy just turned in two great performances - a 250 mile highway run with four aboard with a couple of bags each getting 30 mpg and a city run with six. The guy who had the third seat all to himself refused to switch on the way home - too comfy, he said! Now, if that 3.4 six didn't downshift so much...
  • jdksjdks Member Posts: 42
    For me the problems keep on recurring even though they are being fixed with newer parts:

    1) BCM (3 times)
    2) Cluster (2 times)
    3) Front wheel boots (2 times)
    4) Alternator (1 time)
    5) Condenser (1 time)

    If you do a search just in this forum on those items you will see that there are numerous cases like that. Replacing the parts with newer one should fix the problem unless there is a problem with the design itself in which case it will reoccur no matter how many time you change the bad parts.
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    jdks said, "For me the problems keep on recurring even though they are being fixed with newer parts:

    1) BCM (3 times)
    2) Cluster (2 times)
    3) Front wheel boots (2 times)
    4) Alternator (1 time)
    5) Condenser (1 time)

    If you do a search just in this forum on those items you will see that there are numerous cases like that. Replacing the parts with newer one should fix the problem unless there is a problem with the design itself in which case it will reoccur no matter how many time you change the bad parts.    "

    If it's a design defect, as you suggest, then why aren't I (and all other Rendezvous owners) experiencing these failures? Sure, there are a few posters who have posted problems on this forum. However, there are about 150,000 Rendezvous on the road. Based on the reports I've seen here, I suspect that only a few owners are experiencing these problems ... and even fewer are experiencing repeat problems. Just my two cents ...
  • nosuvyetnosuvyet Member Posts: 72
    With 5K left on the warranty, I brought it in and just made up a story that I had added coolant a couple times. They pressure tested it (or at least they claim they did - maybe they just wanted the work, knowing GM routinely pays for these things and never questions them) and said there was a leak and replaced both head gaskets. I've never actually added coolant and the level always stayed static for me, but they did the job. Thanks to everyone on this board for making me aware of the issue and avoiding a big repair later on.

    The bearings and AC I think you actually have to have symptoms of malfunction before they will replace. I've had both those done. Also a wonky rear differential. Luckily all this was within the last 7K of warranty after a problem free 2+ years. WHEW!!!!!!!
  • tmakogontmakogon Member Posts: 74
    nosuvyet - thank you for the details. I'd better start checking the coolant level regularly. What symptoms are there for the bearings and condenser (e.g. knocking, etc.)?

    inherently wrong! by jdks - Just a thought - might it be your dealer looking for work that makes you return for repairs time and time again rather than faulty parts? Try to fix it at a different Buick dealer the next time.
  • cudaalcudaal Member Posts: 34
    Congrats , master4, great deal on Ultra!, you've cleaned' em!

    I've made 6000mi(hard to believe) already and at purchase configured CXL with 3.6L, towing, sunroof etc.

    No problems, B'H, whatsoever everythin works only following cocerns:

    -gas milage is low, (heavy big city driving) ~12mpg

    - not protected liftgate lip, easily scratched while loading (only one such a problem in its class. compare with MDX, Rx-330, pilot etc)

    -bit of leaning at fast turns, but then again this is my first 4 door car, always had fast
    2 doors coupes and I do drive my cars hard.. so it depends on your diving style. I think it can be fixed by adding 18"tires that are wider 235-245mm, could cost $900-1600.

    othervise totally agree with you about RX330 and value. I'm curious , how'd you got $10K off the sticker? was it year end special? did you get the $5000 rebate?
  • jdksjdks Member Posts: 42
    I will take you advice and try my luck at another dealer but I doubt it to make any difference as most of problems were fixed under the warranty and I've lifetime free oil change. Out of 150,000 owners only a very small fraction post to this forum. Based on some other forums that I have seen - the same problems keep creeping up.
  • jk27jk27 Member Posts: 244
    Just out of curiousity, what other Buick Rendezvous forums are there? I'd love to find some other (perhaps more active) forums. Thanks.

    JK27
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Try a net search; we don't permit promotion of competing auto forums here :-)

    Steve, Host
  • master4master4 Member Posts: 6
    There was a 10K off sticker on the windshield when I first looked at the Ultra. It broke out 4500 current rebate, 1000 GMAC bonus for financing and 4500 dealer discount off 40,580 sticker. The dealer had 2 black '04 Ultra's on lot, 1 with nav & mine with moonroof for some time with the 10k off offer. The only problem was getting anything for my 02 Olds van. Ended up getting 10,900 for van with 45k miles with some help from the dealer who is a friend.
  • mallaikmallaik Member Posts: 9
    Now the warranty coverage is almost over for you, your troubles will start. Make sure you have $4-5K to repair all the things that might come up in the next few months unless you have extended warranty.

     

    I wanted to get rid of it, but the trade in value is so bad, after 36 months of loan payments I still have to pay from my pocket to get rid of it. I am stuck.
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