2002 Buick Rendezvous Reviews - Page 5 of 25

I have had trouble with the window regulators on the driver, passenger and rear right passenger side. The heater/AC blower motor comes on when it wants to, and I had the AC condenser replaced about three years ago for about 400 including labor. I bought the regulators from a salvage yard, and my nephew installed them; total cost was about 150 for all three parts and labor.

I loved this car. It is reliable, starts right up when I turn the key, has never quit on me. Never had a major repair on it aside from brakes and rotors, which is understandable at such high mileage.

Right now the rear tire is making a groaning sound. I suspect it is the bearings.

Also, it has started to sputter when cold or when it gets wet, like when I run it through the automatic car wash. I never had this problem until I replaced the spark plugs several weeks ago. I may need to replace the spark plug wires. I think the fuel injectors need replacing.

All in all, I am very satisfied with this car.

1st. Odometer error - Found one on ebay for $50, changed it myself, now my mileage doesn't match title.

2nd. Both rear knuckles need replacement. Driver's side was first to go; tried to order through dealer and it was on national back order with a 4 month wait. I found one at dealership 120 miles away. The passenger side knuckle I had my mechanic replace just the bushing (found the bushing online); $50 versus $250 for the entire knuckle.

3rd. AC broken, have not bothered to have it fixed.

4th. Driver side window plastic clip broke, fixed it myself, ordered parts from GM parts direct. $50.

5th. Transmission takes a crap. Had it rebuilt $1800.

6th. Driver side rear wheel bearing and passenger side front wheel bearing replaced for $250 each.

7th. The newest problem; fuel leak when I fill at the pump.

You name it: the OEM went the second day I had it, and was thankfully covered under my 30 day warranty ($700 part).

We had a couple of trouble free years, but once we went over 120K MILES, things broke left and right.

The most expensive was my front wiring harnesses frayed (cheap mexican materials) causing electrical "ghosts" telling the automatic traction to engage at weird times. My brakes would engage and pump themselves with a loud grinding sound when I was slowing down to stop or merge -- it was scary.

Coolant issues, alternator issues, you name it. $6K to fix a car that's only worth $5500 now, but it was $500 at a time -- every time we fixed something, we thought it would be the last repair for a while.

Paid a reasonable price for what I thought would be a great replacement for my mom-mobile mini-van. I have spent $6K in the past 14 months fixing this and that. I have been stranded 4 separate times (I have never had a car strand me anywhere ever in my life that I can remember -- this one stranded me 4 times in a year).

Love the roominess of the back and hauling capacity; hate the repair bills and the unreliability factor.