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-
Not your average College Students Car! - 2004 Buick Rainier
By mannyr5653 - December 30 - 4:16 amBeing only 19, this isnt car most college guys have. Im the only one on campus with one of these! Ever since I bought my Rainier, It has been nothing but good to me. It has proved to be a reliable, luxurious, and all around great vehicle. Only repairs Ive done are oil changes and new brake pads. This truck is extremely comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive. The V8 is very powerful, and can get up and go. Highway driving is awesome, the rear air suspension really makes the ride a million times better. The AWD is awesome when driving in snow and rain, it has kept me out of a lot of trouble. It really is a hit or miss with the rainier, either you get a good one or you get a lemon.
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Dont bother with this one... - 2004 Buick Rainier
By rknack - October 18 - 1:52 pmMy Rainier is a piece of garbage. Parts are expensive, and labor even more so unless you are like me and do your own repairs - and even then, it is so poorly designed that it is a major undertaking to repair. As an example, the front differential blew up recently and I had to remove the steering rack, axles, AND the engine oil pan (the passenger side axle goes THROUGH the oil pan!) to remove it. Many of the bolts are difficult to get at. It would have cost me $2500 in labor alone to have a shop repair it for me, plus parts cost. I will NEVER willingly own another vehicle in this series again, and if I could afford to buy another vehicle I would. At least its fully paid for...
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Buick Rainer V-8 - 2004 Buick Rainier
By shadav - December 10 - 9:25 pmI have owned several Buicks and this is by far the worst one I have owned. The one I traded in had 143,000 miles on it and was still running perfectly. With the Rainier, I began have trouble around 60,000 miles. The instrument panel had to be replaced, then the air conditioner blew hot air on the passenger side. Then it was the transfer case, then the air bags used in the suspension area began leaking. At this very moment, it is parked in my garage with a broken water pump. I havent driven it in 4 months. Instead, I bought a used vehicle that I paid cash for to get around town in. It has been much more reliable than the Buick.
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More Electrical Problems - 2004 Buick Rainier
By brassones - July 30 - 12:50 amMy Rainer has had soo many electrical problems. 1. No speedometer for over 2 yrs 2. No gas gauge for 1 yr 3. The ambient temp sensor was knocked loose because the water pump dislodged it causing the A/C to quit working. So its 100 degrees outside and the rad out says its -14. Cost me $600 to repair 4. And not to mention every once in a while when you hit a bump wrong at night, the headlights will just quit. And I have checked connections. Anyone else have ideas or comments.
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terror on the road - 2004 Buick Rainier
By terror on the road - October 15 - 2:00 amI 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 pmThe 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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Best Ive ever had - 2004 Buick Rainier
By Gort - March 8 - 11:23 amI have owned a lot of vehicles and this is by far the best. Great performance, I feel like a King driving this. All the options you could ask for. Quite smooth ride. You just cannot beat this SUV. I stumbled upon it by accident and will never buy anything other than a Buick SUV again. People need to stop complaining about the mpg. Its an SUV if you want better than 25 mpg get a geo metro. I get 15-16 in city and 18- 21 highway. So impressed I wish I could write more in this space. Perfect SUV for a family looking for performance, reliability, safety, room, comfort, options, quite smooth ride, good looks inside and out, not to mention you will be driving something that not everyone else drives.
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Bitter Sweet - 2004 Buick Rainier
By Tony1234 - February 22 - 7:52 amThis 2004 AWD Rainier has major ongoing issues. Starting at 80,000 miles its one repair after another. I love the features, style and ride. I dont tow, off road or plow. I just drive like any normal person. All scheduled normal lube maintenance has been practiced as recommended by manufacture manual yet the AWD never seems to work. I replaced the transfer case, transmission, front differential, axles, 4 decoder motors, wiring harness and 2 front wheel sensors($9,000+)and the front wheels still dont work. This whole vehicle should have been recalled in my opinion. Oh! The speedometer is brke
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where are all the rainiers? - 2004 Buick Rainier
By myproshop - November 22 - 2:00 amIve had this car for a month now, and i still have yet to see another Rainier on the road. I dont get it! I thought i saw one parked, but when i went up to it, it was a Bravada. Are people not interested in having a great vehicle? It might be a bit overpriced, but its still an awesome SUV! I was deciding between the Rainier and the Volvo xc90, and for the price, the Rainier is definitely the better bang for the buck!
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Buick Ranier - 2004 Buick Rainier
By cobradriver - October 4 - 2:00 amRide 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.
