9th Sep 2007, 10:39

I purchased a 2002 Buick Rendezvous CXL with every option brand new as a recreational vehicle. I have a 2nd car Toyota for work commute. I have put only 37K miles in 5 years on my Buick Rendezvous. I only drive on weekend etc. It is always garage kept, and from inside and outside looks brand new. By looking at this, no one can tell the problems I have had with this one over these 5 years. Almost from the day I bought it, it has been in and out of dealer. I paid 35K for this and had spend approx 10K on it. Now my AC is shot and I don't know what would that cost me.

The only reason I purchased this vehicle was because the Acura MDX had a waiting list. Now I think, I should have waited. This is worst investment of my life and a big lesson. I tell all my friends and family never to buy an american made car, and specially Buick. What a piece of crap.

10th Sep 2007, 15:01

2002 Buick Rendezvous owner. Same song, brakes, wheel bearings, a/c, passenger door misaligned, driver door doesn't shut and the passenger window fell.

Brakes and bearings not covered under warranty, even the extended one mentioned in the other emails.

A/C repairs started in April, Body Control Module $500, three months later a/c blowing hot air again, this time Shrader valve $120, 3 weeks later a/c blowing hot air again, hose to Shrader valve bad, $188.

Got it out of the shop Friday. Saturday morning found a puddle of antifreeze on the garage floor, the AWD disable light on, CD player changing CD's when only the radio is on and the dealership wants me to bring it back in.

I called GM this morning not knowing about all of the others having the same issues. GM was nice and called the dealership, but of course, it got me no where. Just offered to make the service appointment for me.

Did anyone ever do anything about a class action?

10th Sep 2007, 16:58

2002 FWD CL - Purchased new Oct. 2005 - have since:

Replaced intake manifiold - twice - warranty

Replace radio - 3 times - warranty

Now experiencing slow speed intermittent shuddering while braking - feels like trying to stop on a gravel road - this occurs on dry pavement in stop & go driving. (ABS wheel speed sensor?)

Traction Active lamp turns on at random times, again on dry pavement at low speeds.

Have taken to local GM dealership 3 times to address brakes and traction control - "They are unable to duplicate".

I purchased the extended warranty - 5 years/100,000 miles, which has paid, less deductible, for most repairs to date.

Warranty expires next month - Oct. 2007.

The ride and size and cabin noise level are excellent, but the time cost to manage repairs is frustrating.

Issaquah, WA

September 10, 2007

95,600 miles.

10th Sep 2007, 17:32

The Rendezvous is not indicative of Buick reliability. Most people know that Buick is known for manufacturing cars of which many are better than your Toyota. The Rendezvous was an effort to attract younger buyers which it did, but unfortunately due to poor quality and engineering few of them will return to Buick. However, those of us traditionalists that still purchase Buick cars get a more attractive package that is a better value than Toyota will ever offer.

13th Sep 2007, 13:35

2002 CXL owner... bought new in August 2001...

I love my car, but have had several problems...

-BRAKES and ROTORS went out in two years, the CHEVY dealer friend replaced them for cost..

-A/C went out at 42000 miles and don't want to pay 1000 to fix... I tried fixing myself.. tried to inject stop leak, then refill the refrigerant.. when I did this, filling it in the lo pressure line, I saw at the bottom of the car somwhere, the freon blowing right back out.

DOES THIS MEAN MY CONDENSER IS CRACKED? Someone please advise.

30th Sep 2007, 16:39

Bought our 2002 Rendezvous CXL when it was one year old with approximately 20,000 miles on it. My wife is disabled and needs to have a lift in the back so the high rear was important to us. It now has 33,000 miles on it and we have replaced the drivers seat control which cost $1200 and just two days ago the drivers side window fell down inside the door. I will have to find out the cost tomorrow. I drive my diesel F-250 Ford truck because it gets better mileage than the Rendezvous. With all the other problems I have read about, I wish I had sold it right after the seat problem. It appears to be worthless now.

10th Oct 2007, 11:01

Yes I also own a 2002 CXL Rendezvous with 67K miles on it. I bought it in 04' with 27K on it. Have had all of the above problems.

The latest being electrical problems, and a groaning in the rear-end. BCM module replaced, and ignition replaced solved the electrical. Guess what the groaning was?!! The rear differential. The solution? Drain the rear differential fluid and add 4 quarts of "re-engineered" synthetic GM fluid... and yes it gets better... drive in circles for 20 minutes alternating directions every 5 minutes. When this is complete add the final 4 quarts to top it off. Final cost for BCM module, ignition, rear diff fluid another $ 1313.00. Bought with 27K miles on it -- over 5K in repairs in 3 years. Run from this vehicle!! Am probably going to trade it in!

It makes me sick that American made is such junk. Will never buy GM again. My brother owns Hondas and never has a problem! Class action? I'm in!

11th Oct 2007, 18:04

In all fairness the Rendezvous is not American made; they were manufactured in Mexico. Most Buicks are very reliable and all around great cars. That is why they are currently tied with Lexus for 1st place in long-term reliability (J.D. Power).

19th Oct 2007, 08:08

I purchased my 2002 Rendezvous used 2 1/2 years ago for $10K with 35,000 miles. On the way home from picking it up the cruise control stopped working. Had it fixed for $80 and everything was great for the next year and a half. It now has 75,000 miles. Since then I have had the same problems as everyone else. A/C condenser shot, overheating which was supposedly fixed in May for $100 is as of this morning a $1700 head gasket problem, bushings are going out and there is carbon buildup. There is a reason Buick no longer sells the Rendezvous. Stay away from this vehicle.

9th Nov 2007, 19:20

As with so many others, my wife fell in love with the vehicle the moment she drove it. I had previously had a Buick (a Lesabre that was quirky as all get out) and wasn't particularly impressed with it, so I had reservations about the Rendezvous. In order to keep peace in the house though I agreed. I should have known.

I ID'd a bad brake right off the bat, and had the seller take off $500 from the purchase price. It had only 55k miles and $10000 didn't seem like a bad price.

I am now starting to see all the issues everyone else has. I had to replace the CV boots, plus the rear brakes I had previously identified. The rear end growls and the dealer says I need to replace it. I will try the flush repair and see if that works. Otherwise I intend to drive it until it fails completely.

The computer that controls the A/C stopped working, but has miraculously fixed itself. I now have to replace the condenser though. I refuse to pay $1400 to replace a $150 part, so I will do that myself.

It also seems to lose oil. I am not finding it in the coolant, there's no blue smoke, and garage floor is clean so I have no idea where it's going. If it is the intake manifold gasket I guess I will fix that too if I must.

My other vehicle is a BMW, and my previous vehicles (2 Hondas and 2 Dodge) were reliable and I only had one major repair in 15 years. (I broke a timing chain on a Daytona at 110k miles). I can truly say this is the last Buick I will ever own, and I will not shed a tear if GM doesn't survive. It's also the last time I let my wife chose the car. I wanted an X5 but was vetoed.