2002 Buick Rendezvous CX review from North America

Thought I got a dream car when I first bought this used from dealer. Ride was smooth, comfortable, roomy, lots of perks.

Biggest problem is how often I had to go to the overpriced dealer instead of regular mechanics for much of the electricals.

Spare key made at hardware store shut down my whole car, and had to be towed to the dealer, only to find out the replacement key didn't have a chip (so why do they sell them and why not any warnings??), electrical & security system had to be reset (have since learned that sometimes unhooking the battery for a short time will reset the system).

Have been locked inside with no way out or to override alarm or door locks manually until the alarm finished sounding and my daughter returned from the store to unlock the doors with clicker/key. (kids still laugh about seeing the stares I got from people walking by).

No key to access the rear hatch. Clicker or inside switch only.

No overhead dome light makes it hard to see at times. But lots of smaller area lights are there.

Battery malfunctioned causing the entire security system to reset, nothing electrical worked, the locks, the odometer, radio, clock, internal lights, only head and rear lights worked. Meanwhile the car clicked and reset all switches and ran through warning notices for 30 minutes. Mechanic could find nothing.

A/C started blowing warmer, but quick trip and $100 of freon recharging later, the mechanic tells me it won't hold a charge and now needs several hundred $$$ more for some compressor.

Front ends have been creaking for some time now. Several trips to various places, yet no one seemed to find problem. Sometimes the obvious is hidden I guess, $1,000 later replaced the control arm bushings and both broken coil springs, along with yet another set of rotors and brakes.

Another year had the front suspension and some kind of torsion bar replaced.

I drive back and forth to work on city public highways. I wonder if I'd have the suspension problems if I actually used this as more of an 'SUV'. Our ATV's require less upkeep.