Overview & Reviews

The Rainier is an all-new SUV for Buick. It is based on GM's capable midsize SUV architecture which also supports the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. The Rainier is available with a V8 power, but there is no extended-length version.

• Strong drivetrains, upscale exterior treatment, decent off-road ability.

• Same old plastic inside, extra features jack up the price.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 131.00

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  terror on the road - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By terror on the road - October 15 - 2:00 am

  I started having problems a week ago with the check engine light coming on. I took it to the buick daler here in selma, they found no problem. I was advised to go to larry puckett in prattville. I live about 50mins. from prattville.Anyway, halfway there my truck caught on fire from behind,which I was unaware of until I heard a noise like a blown out tire. To my surprise,when I got out with my teenager daughter and a set of twins the rear of the truck was on fire.By te time I picked up the kids and ran, the entire rainier was engulfed in flames.The fire was so intense it consumed the entire under carrage,air stablizer,the complete motor,the stepping bar,and two tires, it could have exploxed

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  Air conditioning - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By tcharles - May 28 - 11:04 pm

  The air conditioning just went on me. It actually works but it will not blow out of the top vents. It blows out of the bottom and through the defrost areas. Was told by a dealer that itll cost me over $3000 to repair it because of where the vent is located. Has anyone else had this problem?

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  Buick Ranier - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By cobradriver - October 4 - 2:00 am

  Ride is excellent for and SUV. Very quiet, much quieter than wifes Acura. Passed on the V8 as performance is quite good, V8 only adds 15 HP but more torque. Build quality was very good, as are materials. Terrific seats, and audio system.

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  Rainier for Seniors - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By Joe Kurzweil - July 28 - 2:00 am

  Mid size suv is ideal for comfort and performance. Very nice to drive. I weigh 235 and am very comftorable in this suv. My wife is 100 lbs less and is very comftorable as well. X band Bose sound is awesome. Would like to have seen a bit more contemporary design inside but it is nice as is. Side air bags are not standard and should be along with curtain air bags. However we feel very safe in this vehicle. Six cyliner has plenty of get up and mileage on the road is between 21.5 and 22.5 mpg at 65 mph.

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  Buick Ranier-SUV - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By jconeputt - November 15 - 7:53 pm

  Purchased 2004 Buick Ranier used with 22,000 miles and has been a great vehicle. This SUV has a 5.3 Liter, great power and better fuel economy than the V6 model. Great for towing. Great for extended road trips. Vehicle now has 55K miles with now service related problems.

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  Used Rainier Purchase - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By Seaclusion - October 28 - 7:10 pm

  Recently purchased used Rainier with V8 34000 trading in a GMC Envoy 6 cyl.First impressions are very favorable.No complaints and has a better ride than the GMC. Also V8 is a major plus for this vehicle. I have noted that AWD seems to engage in reverse as noted by one of your participants which will require watching.

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  Wouldnt You rather drive a buick! - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By Joseph - January 12 - 12:16 pm

  I purchased my Rainier 12/06. Have driven it about 600 miles so far. Love it! I wish I had gotten it alot sooner. I have driven, and was willing to buy the new 06 Explorer, but after driving it and deciding it wasnt all what they said, I decided to try a Pathfinder. Too expensive. So I decided to try a TrailBlazer, Envoy and such. Drove the Buick and was sold! I love the power, quietness, options and such. Explorer comes with one power-point, where Buick has three. Also if you go to U-haul they wont rent you a trailer if you have a Explorer. Enough said about the tranny.

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  Great Value - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By Will - January 3 - 7:53 pm

  Smooth and quiet ride. Great truck on a long trip. Love all the options. Great value. Too bad Buick does not know how to market this vehicle as I do not fit the over 50 age group who would "rather be driving a Buick". I bought the truck by a chance viewing on the car lot.

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  Buick Ranier - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By David Michaud - October 12 - 1:58 pm

  I currently have about 70,000 miles on the SUV. My major expense was for replacement of blower motor for the AC system at 65,000 miles. At about 55,000 miles it was discovered the dip stick for checking the transmission fluid was corroded and fell off in the reservoir. This should have been covered by a warranty regardless of the miles. The paint for various buttons on the radio started wearing off showing the white undercoating.

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  Seatbelt - 2004 Buick Rainier
  By IfIcouldfly - June 27 - 4:41 pm

  I think GM has finally achieved a seatbelt that is uncomfortable for every body type. The front belts come from the seat and cut into the neck of tall or large people and hit smaller people in the face. So you can get the the seat belt extension for free that enables you to move it around more however then the belt does not not lock in place making the safety value questionable.