Keep 1999 Suburban or trade for 2005 Rendezvous?

urmysunshinex3

Senior Community Member
I currently have a 1999 Suburban with 116,000 miles on it. It's starting to need some work other than routine maintenance (It made an awful sound just this morning when I started it up.) In addition to the fact that I only get about 11 mpg in town. I have 3 children (9yo, 2-4yo's) of my own, and my 2 nephews live with me. My nephews should be placed back in their home at the end of this month. My husband and I are considering adding one more child to our family, but haven't made a definite decision yet.

I have been looking at a 2005 Buick Rendezvous with 12,000 miles on it. Would you trade a 1999 Suburban for one? I need to be able to seat at least 7 people and a minivan is out of the question. From what I've read the it gets about 18/19 mpg in town, which is an improvement over what I get now. Any thoughts on the safety of the 3rd row seats in relation to how close it is to the rear glass?

Thanks,

Lynette~Mom to Victoria, Seth and Wyatt
Aunt and Foster Mom to Holden and Cooper
 
ADS

urmysunshinex3

Senior Community Member
I haven't been able to find a minivan in my price range that meet our needs. The Rendezvous is in my price range and has all-wheel-drive. I wouldn't mind a minivan at all, it just won't work for us.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
OK, so by getting a 2005 you're hoping to get the warrantee? That wouldn't be possible if you got an older minivan with better gas mileage in your budget, huh? :eek: Well, sometimes finances have to take a higher precedence when it means a likelihood of being stranded on the roadside somewhere with kids :( The Rendezvous gets an overall "Acceptable" crash rating & the the Suburban gets an overall "Good" rating - if you do get the Rendezvous, just make sure you always lock your door....
  • Safety Concern: During the side impact test, the driver door became unlatched and swung open. The Rendezvous is equipped with standard Automatic Door Locks (ADL). NHTSA test protocol disables ADL during testing. A General Motors test showed that the door remained closed under similar test conditions when the ADL was activated. A door opening during a side impact crash increases the likelihood of occupant ejection.
 

KeikiHula

New member
Yikes! The door came open?!?! I thought those automatic door locks were only a security thing, I never thought about them being a safety thing. My Durango locks automatically at 13 mph, but my dh disabled it b/c he hated having to unlock the doors when we stopped. :rolleyes: So now when we get in the car, I lock the doors before we drive away. lol
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
I have always been taught to keep my doors locked. My SIL is a ER nurse and has told me the horror stories of side impact crashes where the door opened and the occupent was ejected or severerly injuried. This is from all kinds of auto makers not just GM.

On my Tahoe it has several different options with the ADL. I keep mine set to lock when you shift out of park or to unlock when you put the vehicle in park. My dh truck door locks when you go over 10mph and unlock when you put it in park. The GTO you actually have to lock the doors.
 

KeikiHula

New member
If my Durango would unlock when you put it in park, my dh wouldn't get so irritated. The front doors unlock when you open the door from the inside, but both of us would always get out of the car and shut our doors and forget to push the unlock button. Then we would have to reopen the front door and unlock the doors to get the boys out of the back. It really didn't bother me, and after a month of owning the car, I got in the habit of unlocking the doors before I got out. So now I just lock the doors before we drive away, and unlock them when we get where we're going. I'm not sure why my dh was so bent out of shape about the automatic locks. Now since he disabled it, it just makes one more step for me! LOL
 

urmysunshinex3

Senior Community Member
You know it's really not necessary to be so critical and negative. I see that in a lot of your posts.

I asked for opinions on the Rendezvous, and wether or not it would be a bad idea to trade my Suburban in on one, and you answered. I didn't asked to be judged on the basis of what my financial decisions are. If you really need to know, it wasn't so much the warranty on the 2005 as it is the fact that I'm just not able to find a van with all wheel drive in my price range. I was also concerned about the gas mileage on the Suburban, as I'm a SAHM and have to budget very carefully. I actually wouldn't own a vehicle at all if it were possible, but don't live in a community that is set up for that (no mass transit).

Just FYI~I happen to be a Child Passenger Safety Technician myself and strongly take into consideration the safety of my family that's why I came here to ask.

Lynette~CPST and Mom to Victoria 9, Seth and Wyatt 4
Aunt and Foster Mom to Holden 6 and Cooper 5
 

KeikiHula

New member
Um...I'm assuming you're talking to Papooses, and I didn't see anything critical or negative in her replies. A little nosy, maybe ;) but not critical. I'm sorry you felt that way. I actually found her information about the door coming open in a crash very helpful. I didn't know there was that risk and it's something I will keep in mind now.

As reguards your intial concern about kids in the 3rd row being too close to the glass, I know we talked about it in other threads and in a quick search I found this:
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=3290&highlight=3rd+row
and this one I remember has tons of info. I didn't read the entire thing just now, but I remember it talking alot about if it's safe to be that close to the back window.
http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=2448&highlight=3rd+row

I have the same worries b/c I drive an '01 Durango and have my older son in the back quite a bit. I think if your kids are all properly restrained (and being a tech I would assume you are careful about this), it shouldn't be too big of a worry. I would feel safer having the smaller kids in a big carseat that wraps around them and protects their heads in the 3rd row than an older kid who just uses a seatbelt.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Hope this is helpful

I'm not sure what the pricing is on the Rendezvous that you are looking at but....I bought a ford freestyle (not the minivan--which is the freestar) and I LOVE IT!!!!! While you would be looking at a new one (as they just came out in 05) with the Ford FAmily pricing which goes until Oct 3rd you can get a base model for about 20-22,000(I think--might even be a bit less). If you are looking at financing they offer a 2.9% introductory rate. It has seating for seven, all the seats fold down super easy, they offer awd and 3 row side air bags. Has 5 star front and side impact ratings and 4 star rollover resistance. With the third row of seats up I still have room for an entire basket of groceries to be loaded into my car. The other thing is it gets about 24 mpg with a V6 engine, is built on a volvo chassis (sp) and has the volvo SPACE cage (which IMO gives it the 5 star crash test rating). It also has rear tether anchors and at least 3 sets of latch. And to access the back seat is quite easy--The other thing is while it is more like a wagon you sit up much higher---which you might enjoy after driving a suburban.
If it seems like it might be in your price range I would HIGHLY encourage you to go to the ford dealer and see it in person (website doesn't really do it justice) and DRIVE it---I really hope that is helpful. I too just went through the whole pros and cons of trading in my car and being on a tight budget. My friend who has 3 kids, HATES minivans and is on an even tighter budget than I am, had to trade in her Ford Taurus (175,000 miles). She saw my car and went down and bought one for herself the next day! She loves it as well. Again, hopethat helps--let us know what you decide!
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Insight into Papooses

KeikiHula said:
I'm assuming you're talking to Papooses, and I didn't see anything critical or negative in her replies. A little nosy, maybe ;) but not critical.
Oh, I've grown to accept that some people just don't seem to appreciate my extremely personal nature, but then again many people do - I tend to come off as either "nosy" or just quite friendly & I'm more often told that people really appreciate this about me, saying that it helps them open up to give & receive info. I know I'm an Idealist, which is a rather unique personality type, but people who really know me know that my intent is never bad - always merely to try to CONNECT & HELP :eek: I simply feel very strongly about my favorite causes (child passenger safety being 1 of the top 3), so while I do feel very bad if/when someone doesn't interpret me in the positive way that I intend, I cannot take back who I am - I just am who I am.... Hopefully, the information is absorbed even if I'm not as well-liked as I could wish for :)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
urmysunshinex3 said:
I asked for opinions on the Rendezvous, and wether or not it would be a bad idea to trade my Suburban in on one, and you answered. I didn't asked to be judged on the basis of what my financial decisions are.
I promise I never judged you - I apologize that my words were perceived as such.... I was actually using my own interpretation of how *I* would & have thought through the car-buying process. The examples were based on my own experiences, not any intrusive remarks about your life or you personally :( I'm sorry that it seems like I didn't value you - it isn't really necessary for me to have "mom credentials", but since you have shared them I wish to share mine as well ... merely as a way of getting to know one another - I truly hope the computer screen between us doesn't contribute to any further feelings of nastiness because I honestly feel no such animosity :eek:

Tiffany
Bio-mom of 1 preschooler
Bonus-mom of 2 schoolers
Emergency Foster Mom (within my own family - certified by the state)
Moderator of local Attachment Parenting info/support group
& Child Birth Educator
 
Last edited:

Tara

New member
No input on the OP question.

I'm just chiming in on the auto door lock thing. On some vehicles you can adjust that to different options? Interesting, I had no idea. Our Expedition auto locks when you shift from park and release the brake. The front doors unlock when you move the handle to open them. Rear doors remain locked. We, too, often left the kids locked in hehehe We're doing better after having had the vehicle for ?? months now We've pretty well gotten into the habit of immediately reaching to unlock as soon as we stop. hehe
 

KeikiHula

New member
papooses said:
Oh, I've grown to accept that some people just don't seem to appreciate my extremely personal nature, but then again many people do - I tend to come off as either "nosy" or just quite friendly & I'm more often told that people really appreciate this about me, saying that it helps them open up to give & receive info. I know I'm an Idealist, which is a rather unique personality type, but people who really know me know that my intent is never bad - always merely to try to CONNECT & HELP :eek: I simply feel very strongly about my favorite causes (child passenger safety being 1 of the top 3), so while I do feel very bad if/when someone doesn't interpret me in the positive way that I intend, I cannot take back who I am - I just am who I am.... Hopefully, the information is absorbed even if I'm not as well-liked as I could wish for :)

See, I think this is why I've always liked you. To me, you come off as very personable and concerned and very passionate about the things that interest you. People tend to think I'm a little nuts for being so consumed with car safety and natural parenting, but it's things that interest me and things I am passionate about. I'm sure I rub some people the wrong way, but I would hope that other people can absorb the information I spout off....LOL
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
Well I know I am not in the norm on here as I am an anti minivan mom. Now I will say I do recommend certain ones if that is what the person is asking info on. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Tahoe. My dh and I both agree that minivan styling is truly ugly to us. We do not find anything pleasing to the eye to us. Yes, They have a lot of nice safety features but you can get those same safety features on SUV's too. Also a lot of the smaller SUV's are made on car chassis compared to truck frames. Yes, I know mine is made on a truck frame. So, They are lower to the ground.

I just wish everyone would have a more open mind about vehicles then automatically jumping on the minivan bandwagon right from the get go.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
FWIW, gas mileage was mentioned in the OP so that's why I brought up minivan.... But, also, as a side, my Economics of Social Issues college course project not quite 2 years ago was about SUVs - yes, I decided to buy one, but ultimately as a way to support the spread of Hybrids (it's the Hybrid Escape for those who haven't heard me rave about it yet, LOL) - otherwise, there are more health & $ issues than are worth to me personally, but in my defense I still refrain from going in depth about it *SHRUG*
 

jen_nah

CPST Instructor
papooses said:
FWIW, gas mileage was mentioned in the OP so that's why I brought up minivan.... But, also, as a side, my Economics of Social Issues college course project not quite 2 years ago was about SUVs - yes, I decided to buy one, but ultimately as a way to support the spread of Hybrids (it's the Hybrid Escape for those who haven't heard me rave about it yet, LOL) - otherwise, there are more health & $ issues than are worth to me personally, but in my defense I still refrain from going in depth about it *SHRUG*

Well yes some minivan do get good gas mileage but not all. Also there are some smaller SUV's like the Chevy Equinox or Saturn VUE (just as an example) get just as good as gas mileage as some minivans.

Yes, I wish there was more hybrids out there but unfortunitly there isn't. I know GM is about to release a bunch of new hybrid SUV's (large & compact)this next year. But, Until then we have to make do with what is available to us.
 

urmysunshinex3

Senior Community Member
Thank you for the suggestion of the Freestyle. I'm going to take dh with me to check it out this weekend. It looks like it may be a good fit for our family.

Thanks Again,

Lynette~CPST and Mom to Victoria 9, Seth and Wyatt 4
Aunt and Foster Mom to Holden 6 and Cooper 5
 

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