Buick Rendezvous

beach15 · June 2001

The latest is a $32,507 CXL AWD in black. This color looks a lot better than some of the Pewter ones that I have been seeing. The standard wheels seem to help a lot too. Those chrome ones look like something off of an old boaty Buick. Well, what do I care, I already drive a beautiful piece of art--a deep slate pearl Chrysler 300M! Enough of the chit, chat, here's the pic:

2002 Black CXL AWD

dindak · June 2001

I'm liking the dark colors more than the light for the Rendezvous. Apparently the local dealer has them in stock now, but I haven't had a chance to pop in yet. I will try tomorrow.

dindak · June 2001

Well, I finally got a test drive. Went in at lunch today and took out a dark blue Rendezvous CXL AWD (fully loaded) for a test drive. First of all I have to say, this vehicle looks much better in real life than it does in pictures. It also looks bigger in real life.

My impressions if the interior are mostly good. Dash layout and driver position are all excellent. Acceleration is much like the Aztek, good but not stellar. This vehicle is very smooth on the road, handles very well and I can imagine being very happy on long drives with it. I was really taken with the build quality. It's better than most GM trucks I have seen and it's as good as anything Japanese I've seen.

Bottom line... I like it a lot. I can't look to buy one till next year, but if I can swing it I think I may just do it. At 32, I never thought I would want a Buick. Who knew??

bymclaugh · June 2001

Glad to hear you liked the RDV, and I agree on how nice it rides. I could really see this as our road trip vehicle just becasue its so darn comfortable.

And its really sounding like Buick is hitting their demographic with this vehicle, as a lot of people on this board seem to be in that 30 to 50 year old demographic that Buick was shooting for, and that's with no real advertising for this vehicle yet. Personally, I'm anxious to see the first RDV commercials on TV just to see what approach they take. (and hopefully it'll be better than the Cadillac's "The Power of &") With the right advertising, I think this vehicle could be a real hit for Buick.

Thanks for your feedback!

BY

gunga64 · June 2001

Hi,

I was looking into the Buick Rendezvous, but after reading the posts on the prices you guys paid I'm beginning to wonder if the edmunds prices even matter? Are they accurate you guys are quoting 32-35k.

JIm

fedlawman · June 2001

You finally got a test drive. I'm glad to hear you liked it so much...I'm sure you can't wait to get one.

bymclaugh, you're right about it being a great road trip vehicle. I imagine taking more family trips once we get ours and I am looking forward to cruising in it.

hembrisma · June 2001

Thanks for the feedback about the order times! We just heard that our RDV (medium red metallic and dark bronzemist) will be built next week. The excitement mounts!

I would love to hear about any experiences with the Rendezvous on rough terrain or a long stretch of gravel. My husband and I spotted a steep hill with a dirt road to try the RDV on during one of our test drives and we were surprised at the Rendezvous' ability. It was this experience that solidified our decision for the RDV.

But it was a pretty short hill and we have a longer gravel one to traverse on our way to the mountains. Therefore we are still a tiny bit concerned. So any stories out there?

Hembrisma

P.S. We too are in Buick's 30 y.o. mark, though only when taking an average of our ages.

chase123 · June 2001

I just recently purchase a RDZ CXL with the Vers Package. I'm in my mid 30's and have never purchase a Buick. My wife and I consider a MDX but the price was just too much,$43K with tax. It was fully loaded with dealer options but I could do without some of its features but the dealer install it so there was nothing I can do about it. It took me 3 weeks to consider it but I settle on the RDZ because it was 10K cheaper. Is the fully loaded version better than the Versatility? The dealer told me the only difference is the Wheels, Heated Seats and Eyecue. Also, is the towing package good? I will probably not use it because i live in NYC but its only $300.

Thanks. First time buyer of Buick

bymclaugh · June 2001

I can say that we actually live off a gravel road, so the RDV gets a workout on gravel every day and handles it very well. However, we don't have any large gravel hills, only a few short, yet still steep, ones here and of course we're located a lot closer to sea level here in Michigan than you will be when heading into the mountains, but from our experiences, it works great. The ride is still quite nice even when traversing the loose gravel, and the AWD even comes in handy when trying to take off in gravel.

Glad to hear your RDV is being built next week, and hopefully it'll take a speedy route to your home as it travels up from Mexico!

BY

dindak · June 2001

Sounds like a good decision. I think for most people, the Rendezvous is just fine. While I would love an MDX or an Escalade, I don't really need one. What we need is an affordable family SUV-type vehicle and RDV seems to fit the bill perfectly.

I think if we do get one, I will pass on the AWD. While it would be nice, it will put the price out of reach for us, and I think we can do without. Blue is the best color I've seen so far. I am still waiting to see the Saturn Vue in the fall also. It looks very spacious (like the RDV) and economical (but less luxurious).

Has anyone seen what a base CX looks like inside/out?

rob222 · June 2001

Without that wacky spell check from prv message.

I have not driven the RDV, but have reviewed everything I can find on the net and I have three questions for this knowledgeable panel:

Is 185 horses really enough with the A/C on, four passengers, and a vacation load driving in a hilly terrain? Any talk about a bigger GMC power plant?

The only off-roading I do with my Grand Cherokee is through the soft sand at the Outer Banks. Is the RDV's 8" clearance enough? Sounds a little low.

Also, are dealers motivated to deal close to dealer cost? I would probably load mine up, but I love squeezing dealers down to the Edmund's dealer cost.

Thanks, Rob from Virginia.

stever · June 2001

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cwjacobsen · June 2001

If you're questioning the HP, then its probably too little for you. If you think the ground clearance sounds a little low, then it probably is. If you want to grind a dealer, then go to a dealer and grind them.

I don't see where anything we (or at least I) could say to you one way or the other should sway your own judgement. If you've reviewed everything you can find on the internet then you know the Rendezvous is a 2002 model that has been on the market less than two months. Heck, I'm still on my first tank of gas. Even if Buick is planning a larger engine, I doubt they'd be talking publicly about it only two months into the launch, and even so you wouldn't be able to get one until Fall, 2002.

CWJ

buzzbo99 · June 2001

The towing package was my top priority for options and it does not even come with a trailer hitch receiver. The towing package comes with a larger radiator, transmission cooler and oil cooler which in my opinion makes the driveline last longer. I do not even own a trailer and just have an aluminum fishing boat. Anyway thats my thoughts.

CW, I agree with you that if someone wants a stump puller and weekend "mudder", the RDV is not the model for them. But for what I wanted I could not be more pleased. (comfort and smooth ride)

By the way I carried 8 2"X6"X10 treated boards in it yesterday. The folded second seat made a perfect platform to make them stack and angle right over the console. There is no place to tie down the hatch so I had to drive with it wide open which was no problem.

cwjacobsen · June 2001

Yeah, I just don't know how to respond to the ones who seem to be looking for a "real" SUV; i.e. HP, ground clearance, etc. If you read one of my earlier posts, you know that after less than a week of ownership, I found myself having to carry a load that I couldn't possibly have managed in most other vehicles short of a Grand Galactic Suburban Class star cruiser. Cetainly not any of the other "luxury" class SUV's.

I don't know how to tell people that it really is very nearly the perfect vehicle for me and I'm sorry I can't be responsible or even care very much if its NOT the perfect vehicle for them. Buy something else.

Since you and I are the voices of experience and reason on this board,(I can't believe that everyone else is in their early to mid-thirties. Buick must be wetting their pants over that) I'm happy that you continue to have no regrets with your Rendezvous. Have you gotten the trailer hitch yet? I'm sorry that I couldn't help you with that problem.

Yours most sincerely,

CWJ

robsmith · June 2001

Just curious what you paid for your RDV? Did the dealer try charging MSRP or were they willing to deal on the price?

Excluding presells what kinds of prices have people been getting?

chase123 · June 2001

I actually got a good deal, My company is tied in with GM and I got the GMS price which was $29.9 thousand load with the Ver package and the 6CD's with Sunroof and tax inclued $32.5. I am expecting the RDV in 6 weeks. As for Rob222, some of your questions are legit, but if you want a offroad SUV, the RDZ is not your cup of tea. As for the HP, sometimes if you are in a budget, you have to take the good and the bad. I happen to like the RDZ because of the price and the only third row in its class. The Suzuki Grand 7, I wouldn't take a chance on and the Montero, Ford Explorer, Mountaineer is priced above the the $35 fully loaded. You can get a MDX for that amount. I think Buick is quite happy that people in their mid thirties are looking into this SUV (I heard the avg buick owners are in the late 50's).

robsmith · June 2001

You can now configure a RDV via their www.gmbuypower.com website.

What's nice about it is that you can also find out what dealers have in stock.

Of course you only get MSRP information.

fedlawman · June 2001

Thanks for the info. It's cool to be able to build a vehicle and then search for it in dealer inventory. But, the dealer inventory info is not necessarily accurate.

I found a white/greymist RDV that I wanted to see in person at GMBuypower and fortunately, I called the dealer first to see if they actually had it. They hadn't received it yet. I suspect that the website reflects the invoices the dealer has as opposed to the actual vehicles on the lot.

mmeehan · June 2001

We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our Indigo Blue RDV. We ordered ours on May 21st and I spoke with the dealer a few days ago. He said they had completed manufacturing it on June 4th and that it was shipped on the 6th and we should have it by the middle to end of next week. Great turnaround time. I'm very impressed.

vincer2 · June 2001

My wife and I have been enthusiatically reading about the RDV but haven't seen many posts on what actual gas mileage stats are? Does anyone have any info they could share. We're primarily interested in city driving and the octane people are using.

Thanks in advance for any responses.
Vince

fedlawman · June 2001

Just to pass a beautiful Seattle summer day, I checked out some stats on Car and Driver's web site. 0-60 Acceleration:

GMC Yukon 9.0
Acura MDX 8.4
Lexus RX300 9.6
Mitsubishi Montero 11.8
BMW X5 3.0 8.7
Lamborghini Diablo 4.3
Ford Expedition 9.9
Ford Explorer 10.7
Land Rover Discovery 11.4
Subaru Forester 9.7

And the Buick Rendezvous? 9.9. I could go on and on but, I think I've made my point. Why do magazine reviewers harp on RDV performance? I'd say it's right on the mark. Just goes to show you have to take the opinion of others with a grain of salt.

Happy Father's Day!

Brian

bonabill · June 2001

To vincer2:

Just picked up my RDV CXL three days ago and have about 350 miles of combined city and highway driving. So far we're right on 18 mpg. Highway cruising at 62 mph registers anywhere from 26 to 32 mpg on the driver information computer. I'm pleased especially since it is brand new and not even broken in yet.

The report on the Onstar phone system is very positive. The hands free voice recognition system works very well and the sound quality is great also. Only problem is that you can't retrieve voice mail or signal a pager due to the voice recognition system that won't let you punch in any numbers or recognize your voice to say numbers once the call is in progress.

My first impression of the RDV is also positive. The ride is smooth and car-like; the acceleration acceptable; and the comfort level is high. For someone who wasn't sure whether he wanted to drive an SUV on a daily basis, I'm very pleased with my choice.

tpken · June 2001

Mmeehan

That color is spectacular IMO. I saw one last week at a dealer - a CLX with gray leather in that color and was very impressed. Best of luck to you on your purchase.

Bonabill - You've nailed the reason this vehicle is going to do so well. People who have had SUVs and are tired of the harsh ride and abysmal gas mileage but need either the space or the occasional towing capacity have a great alternative now.

Ken

cwjacobsen · June 2001

I finally used up a tank of gas so I can constructively report on this question. I was amazed that I got 19MPG on my first tank! This is actual mileage divided by actual gas used to fill the tank. (I think I'll go through a few more fill-ups before I get a feel for how reliable the Driver's Information Center is. It was not very accurate this first time around.) This was nearly all city driving with only a few freeway miles. On the other hand, I've been easy on the gas pedal and brakes while I break this vehicle in. Any of the other owners notice how deeply recessed the gas filler tube is on this vehicle? It seemed like the nozzle barely reached the tube.

Brian - If you keep defending the Rendezvous' performance, people will get the two of us confused. Any word on when your personal Gammera is going to arrive?

Mmeehan - That's good news. People really like the Indigo Blue on this Vehicle. Here's hoping it arrives on time. Good luck!

CWJ

fedlawman · June 2001

How to tell us apart - I'm the one with all the grey hair from WAITING for my RDV...and I'm only 35. Oy!

Mmeehan - With all the Indigo talk going on lately, I went searching through previous posts looking for the beautiful Indigo Blue CXL photos but couldn't find them. Anybody remember what post they were linked to?

Brian

bymclaugh · June 2001

Brian,

You can see the pics of our Indigo Blue RDV at:

http://www.mclaugh.com/RDV/RDV.htm

Enjoy!

BY

fedlawman · June 2001

That made it easy!

ddietr · June 2001

Anything out there? Overpriced without it.

fedlawman · June 2001

Overpriced? Hmmm, that's a new one.

I foresee a spirited debate. Whoopee, let's go!

(I hope you're right. I would love a $3000 check in the mail like Kissfan1 got with his Aztek!)

dindak · June 2001

Great pictures!!

I love that color. It's the best I've seen so far.

bymclaugh · June 2001

There aren't any rebates on the RDV that I know of, but I would be suprised with today's competitive marketplace if we don't see some within the next 6 months or so. As for being over priced, maybe the high end CXL Luxury package is a bit high, and we wouldn't have gotten it without the GM discount, but the rest I feel is pretty reasonably priced.

On another note, my mother got her first real ride in the RDV this weekend and really liked it. They just got a Montana minivan, but now she's wishing they'd gotten the RDV. Rides much nicer and is a lot quieter.

BY

PS. Yeah, the Indigo Blue is nice, but living on a dirt road, it tends to show the dirt relatively easily. Still not as bad as my black Bonneville, but you do need to keep it clean to keep it looking good. (those pics were taken right after it had just been washed, so we had to drive it slow on the dirt road to try and keep it clean for the pics!

tonychrys · June 2001

That $3000 rebate on the Azztek is a "pity check", bascially apologizing to the customers for buying such a _____ (insert your favorite description here).

The RDZ has certain amount class and thought about it's design, no rebate necessary.

beach15 · June 2001

This time it is a Pewter CXL with the Versatility Package and a sunroof. Go here:

New Pewter Rendezvous

fedlawman · June 2001

BY - I agree with you. My CXL with moonroof, memory seat/mirror, and heated seats has an MSRP of $33,222. I think that the ML320 and MDX become much more compelling in that price range and I would have been much more likely to consider them had I been shopping in that region.

However, GM vehicles typically sell at or near invoice price and that is where the value lies. With GM discounts, card earnings, and other incentives, the real world price of a RDV is significantly lower than the competition. It is a well executed vehicle and a good value.

Brian

tpken · June 2001

Beautiful car! Perfect color combo and the loaded edition - what a super ride! And residing next to a Bonneville stablemate to top it all off - lucky RDV!

I've got a 2000 Bonneville and also live on a gravel lane (aka dirt road!) here in coastal Maine. It sure is tough keeping the dark colors clean.

I'd love to see a clone of your RDV eventually parked next to my Bonneville!

Ken

jmfreshour · June 2001

Can anyone that owns or has test driven an RDV confirm if there are air vents for the climate control in the 3rd row seat area? I understand that in certain trims, there are vents for the 2nd row in the rear of the center console, but what about for the 3rd row passengers? That issue will make or break the sale for us. Thanks for any replies.

Beach15, thanks for the RDV links to Barnett Motors. Fredericksburg is just outside of DC where we live. If they are selling RDVs for invoice already, I might just have to pay them a visit. Cheers.

dlh4 · June 2001

Hi, I'm new to this chat room site, but have read all your comments about the RDV. My new Sandstone with Bronzemist CXL with Captains Chairs, towing, and HUD will be arriving August 15. While I love the summer time and do not wish it to go by quickly, I must wait impatiently for my new SUV. Like most of the new buyers, my needs are comfort, AWD, versatility, and gas mileage. I looked at the ML320, and the RX300 but found them both wanting, gas economy (ML drinks premium) or front room (RX feels cramped up front). So I got the RDV despite the power "problem" and saved about 10 grand. I can wait, I can wait,...

bymclaugh · June 2001

Fedlawman - Exactly right. With our GM discount and GM Card earnings, we paid around $27K for a loaded RDV (normal price is right around $35K). To me, that is easily worth it, however, if it was actually going to cost us the $35K, then we would probably be driving something else.

tpken - Thanks. I'm really happy with the color of our RDV, and of course, I'm very happy with the Bonneville. The Bonneville is definately the nicest car I've ever owned, and I love it. Its actually probably the first car I've owned that I could say that about, but it is just a great vehicle. For the life of me, I can't figure out why GM doesn't sell more of them. I've heard some say that its too similar to the Grand Prix, but after driving both, I'd say the Bonneville is a whole other class than the Grand Prix. Rides nicer, quieter, more room, and just better overall quality. The RDV is very nice to drive, but the Bonney SSEi is just plain FUN to drive.

(Gee, maybe we should start up a RDV/Bonneville owners club)

And as for dirt roads, you probably have similar problems in Maine (a place I'd love to visit!) that we have here in our mitten shaped penninsula. If the road really was just dirt/gravel, that'd be one thing, but it really consists of several different things...In the winter, its a muddy slush road, in the spring just a muddy road, in the summer its a dust road, and in the fall its mostly a dirt road. Its a different challenge for every season. However, the winter has to be the worst, cause not only does it get all slush-muddy, but then it all melts in the garage and turns our cement floor into a dirt floor. Joy.

Later!

BY

bymclaugh · June 2001

Welcome and congrats on your order! Now just take deep breaths. It'll be here soon enough!

BY

cwjacobsen · June 2001

Sorry, no air vents for third row.

CWJ

cwjacobsen · June 2001

As time goes on, I keep finding nice benefits to the Rendezvous that are not widely advertised; like the driver specific keyfobs that allow for separate personalization settings and the tilt down passenger side mirror when in reverse. The HUD and the ultrasonic parking assist are two other very useful benefits, plus other smaller benefits I've mentioned on this board from time to time. Though more controversial, I really enjoy the captain's chairs and the style of the chrome rims as well as the shine. I believe the "luxury" package is somewhat questionable from a pricing standpoint, but the Versatility package is a virtual "gimme" on the CXL. But even assuming you buy a "luxury" CXL and load it up you end with an MSRP around $35,000. It that too much (for a sticker price)? I don't think it is. At that price, the competition is still pretty much only the Acura MDX. Now that's a healthy competitor to say the least, but I think you still have to add a few options to it to match the Rendezvous' features and benefits. And option for option, I've noticed that the Japanese charge a goodly price more for each option than the American equivalent.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't pay $35,000 for Gammera, nor would I volunteer to do so, but at the same time I don't see where the $35,000 sticker price alone makes a loaded Rendezvous overpriced, or makes the competition look that much better to me. On the contrary, it makes the less loaded versions of the Rendezvous relative steals.

CWJ

islandpete1 · June 2001

In your post you mention " tilt down passenger side mirror when in reverse" and "The HUD". Can you please explain what you mean. I know the side mirrors swivel in case of impact.Is this what you mean. Hmmm,trying to figure out "HUD". Go ahead make me feel stupid :-)BTW, has anyone had any extra keys made or the remotes. They only give you two. Would be nice to have a couple more. The owners manual says to look for the key tags. Did not get them. The keys were already set up with the remotes and the dealers logo tag. Any help will be appreciated :-)

cwjacobsen · June 2001

Sorry. HUD = Heads Up Display. When you shift into reverse, you can program the passenger's side mirror to tilt down toward the pavement so you can clearly see how close you are to the curb as well as objects behind you. When you shift out of reverse, the mirror goes back up to its normal position. I don't know at what level this is standard, but it seems to come with the Drivers Information Center feature (DIC). The feature is not unique. Some other upscale vehicles have it, but I find it useful and did not know it was included until "Gammera" was delivered. My saleman stapled our key tag to the inside of our manual, so we wouldn't lose it. I hope your's didn't toss it. You might want to contact your dealer to find out what happened to it. It wouldn't surprise me if they keep these tags on file at the dealership to force you to come to them when you need a copy. Just my cynical bend of mind talking there.

CWJ

fedlawman · June 2001

Never heard of that. Very cool!

fedlawman · June 2001

I occasionally like to check in at the other premium SUV sites.

For those folks that think that the Japanese SUV's are perfect, there is trouble in paradise. MDX owners are experiencing "bumps" in the night (and day) and Highlander owners are sticking rags in their weatherstripping to silence the wind noise.

I won't even get into the ongoing Mercedes ML malfunctions.

GM rules!

spiritman1 · June 2001

Does anyone know how much it costs to get extra keys made of the quality that sets the radio, seats, etc? Just ordered a White/black w/grey interior CXL, 6 CD, E Package, no third seat.....sold my Dodge van and am trading my 95 Lexus LS400 in on the RDV.....have 2 months to sell it on the street....mint condition and loaded to Nakamichi with chrome wheels in Woodstock NY , asking 20k (3k below book)

stever · June 2001

For a free ad, you can try Edmunds Used PowerShopper.

Steve
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robsmith · June 2001

CWJ,

I would agree with you regarding the RDV at MSRP being worth it except for 2 things that won't come into effect years down the road.

If you look at the MDX and say even the ML320 they both have longer warranties(I beleive 4yr/50K) which is an added value that you don't look at initially.

The 2nd thing is resale value will be much more than the RDV in 3-5 years.

I think when you consider these 2 factors paying a few thousand over the $35K might be worth it if you keep your vehicle 4 years or more.

Of course I'm hoping the RDV will be selling way under MSRP which will then give it the edge in value.

stever · June 2001

Edmunds' has a video clip on the Rendezvous -- it's linked from the Additional Resources box in the left sidebar.

Steve
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Buick Rendezvous

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