2002 Buick Rendezvous consumer reviews

Numberous Mechanical problems including wheel bearing issues, air condition condenser issues, intake monifold failures, among others, really degrades the reputation of the Buick name plate.

I purchased my 2002 Rendezvous CXL AWD when it was 2 years old. Never thought I would have such a nice car. My wife and I had been talking about getting a van or SUV so that we could haul things we both has 4dr sedans and even though we got a dresser in the back seat of our Lumina once it was a lot of work. My wife found this vehicle and pursuaded me to take it for a test drive. We both fell in love with it immediately. It is a very nice compromise between an SUV and a Van. The front seats are very roomy thought he center console intrudes some into the driver seat for me, I am a big guy. The controls are very good, well placed and intuitive. Lots of room in the backseat, even has foot rests that fold down from the back of the front seats. Love the auto door lock/unlock, the auto A/C, dimming rearview mirror. I drive my wifes car and wonder why I have to adjust the A/C, lock my own doors, I've gotten use to those things. It drives and rides like a dream, have gotten very use to sitting up high too. The radio/CD is great wonderful sound from the CD, the radio does have some static on some weaker FM stations. A friend with the same vehicle has the same problem with his radio. Mileage is 17/18 city and the best I've gotten on the highway is 24, it does have AWD and that does lower the mileage. Still better than a Tahoe or Explorer. Have gotten couches, mattresses, all nature of things in the back. Sears was sure my new 32" TV won't fit but it did with room to spare. I have had issues, the A/C condenser had to be replaced and the 3.4 engine needed a new head gasket (that is an issue with the engine not the model). Once fixed under warrenty I have not had any other problems. Also LOVE the OnStar, buy minutes and it is the BEST cell phone, easy to use, push a button speak your number and your chatting away handsfree as you drive. All in all this is a great all around vehicle not to big easy to drive but with lots of room inside. Though the looks may not be the most stylish anyone I give a ride to is impressed by it after one ride.

After owning 2 Troopers, we wanted a comfortable SUV for long trips with consecutive all-day drives. We weren't off-roading, so the cost of rugged SUVs wasn't justified. I never fell in love with the exterior. The wheels look undersized, the back end looks like a city bus, the grill looks feminine. The wife loved the ride, tho, and we took it home. It drove like butter spreads on warm bread. The power-everything leather seats are the most comfortable I've ever owned. The Buick's bucket seats are wide & firm, but not hard. The heads-up display is addictive; you miss it when driving anything else. The side mirrors seem as big as dinner plates; I nearly tore them off getting out of the garage not paying attention. There are so many storage compartments we actually would lose things for a while. I never had a better FWD or 4WD vehicle for street driving in the snow. The second row buckets are sumptuous, nearly as great as the front. They unlatch & come out easily. They are pretty heavy, and not nearly as easy to put back in. The third row seat was typically folded to get more storage room. When we traveled, we took out the second row and stowed gear in the floor. With no third row seat, you could easily sleep back there. Heated seats were awesome. The high end "circulation system" seemed overly complex, and always seemed to need too much manual intervention. I read the manual and saw I was doing it all wrong. We primarily use a sun roof as a safer way to photograph bears, and the Buick's roof was almost too small for that. We drove from Kansas City to the Canadian Rockies (Banff, 6700 miles roundtrip) twice, once going on to Alaska. We'd do 5 solid days driving at a time, and the comfort allowed us to go distances not enjoyable in other SUVs. After owning Jeeps following the Buick, I want the overall comfort of the roomy and well-designed vehicle again. The 3.4L V6 gets gets better MPG than Grand Cherokee 6-cyl. Our travel logs frequently recorded 23-25 mpg. I never felt like I needed more highway performance, even on long hills. Nothing broke in 3 years/35000 miles. I don't love the shape, but this is a vehicle that totally pampers you; my daughter's Acura and boss's Lexus feel cheap in comparison.

I enjoy my Buick Rendezvous very much. It drives wonderfully, gets great gas mileage, has amazing room (I got a huge seven foot armoire in there with the door closed! It's very comfortable, has a wonderful stereo. You can remove the rear seats and cargo bins for awesome cargo capacity (the best in its class). You can get 26 miles to the gallon on the highway driving conservatively. Overall, it's one of the nicest vehicles I've had. If you carry a lot of cargo or passengers, it's a pleasure and not as harsh on the environment as other vehicles that deliver similiar benefits.

I really liked this car, however the constant repairs were costly. Wheel bearings, intake manifold gaskets, constant overheating problems. I replaced the brakes 4 times in 80000 miles. Replaced the tires 3 times. This car needed bigger tires and brakes than it was given. I also had some electrical issues, total system failures at one point, which was covered by the warranty. It is a shame because Buick almost got it right. Maybe they will in future models. However I am into this car for way too much money and just traded it in for another vehicle. Too bad as I had planned on keeping this car and giving to my daughter after she got her license. Perhaps the newer models have solved some of these problems. I don't know.

2002 Rendezvous CX -FWD -3rd row -Leather/cloth mix -dual power seats -onstar -driver info center (no heads up) -flip up/slide back power sun/moon roof -rear defroster -power everything... **original MSRP of $36,000** Buick fails to issue recall for problems standard to all owners of this vehicle. *Wheel bearings replaced every 3 years. *Intake gasket replaced after 45,000 miles. *AC replaced after 55,000 miles. *Head gasket needs to be replaced at 60,000 miles. *Horn quit working, new module in steering wheel to fix problem. *Rear hatch opens whenever it feels like- (to fix they had to not only replace the hydrolic door hinges, but also a sensor that controls the key fob & the AC output together). *You need to clean out the sunroof "drains" (4 of them) regularly. If you don't, they clog & water fills your headliner and leaks onto your seats. *OnStar cannot perform monthly diagnostics on this model. Other than a few (haha) problems... Vehicle rides like a dream. Little to no road noise. Rear parking assist is a lifesaver. Handles wonderfully. Center console large enough to hold the largest purse (or a laptop). 3rd row seating made for 3 yr olds. You have to climb over the 2nd row of seating to reach it and there is NO leg room to speak of. Center console paint gets chipped easily (where the seatbelt clicks in). AC (when working properly) is the coldest of any vehicle I've ridden in, rear ac vents a major plus. Only use cruise when on interstate, it really dampens how fast you can get up to speed when pulling into traffic. Overall, I love the ride and comfort of the vehicle, but... Maintaining this vehicle will drain your savings account.