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Used 2005 Buick Rainier Consumer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
65 reviews

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Pros
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4.25 out of 5 stars

Classy Ride

Bob Stack, 12/07/2004
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very quiet and smooth car like ride.Lots of city driving so it's difficult to judge mileage.V-6 is just OK.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

Buick Scores well

J. Mazza, 12/07/2004
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great highway performance. Quiet/solid feel. V8 runs well with reasonable gas milage. Has all the bells one requires for an SUV. excellent radio/Cd sound system. Confortable seats.

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4.88 out of 5 stars

BUICK RAINIER

L. Porter, 01/16/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Most enjoyable driving vehicle ever owned. Catches eye of others. Love the interior appointments with the exception of having to use a flashlight to see inside glove compartment. Handles well and is very maneuverable in tight spaces.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

Nice Vehicle with the discounts

buddyboopotato, 01/20/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I was giving up on American SUVs after a lousy experience with a Chevy Blazer, but then I found the Rainier after looking at Trailblazers. A much nicer platform, but the list pricing is insanely high. However, with all of the discounts at year's end (since they had 5 months inventory), I got it at $23,900 total cost for an 04 CXL AWD, and then with trade in and cash down, got it out the door below $17,000. For that kind of money, it is hard to beat. Great ride, very quiet, nice comfort features, and good performance. My only disappointment: gas mileage--avg 16. was hoping to be closer to 18, but I realize this is a large and heavy vehicle. I'd recommend, especially with the deals.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

Love It!

skesell, 01/28/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I get a kick out of the professional reviewers as they think if it's not Japanese or European, they cannot possibly like it! Well, I have owned nearly all of them and this Buick is as quality laden, good driving and responsive as anything I have ever owned. My is V8 and mileage isn't the best but I love this vehicle. My friend bought the Lexus instead and after a trip in the Buick he is sick. I just cannot say enough about how much my family has enjoyed this vehicle. Thanks for the opportunity to say so!

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4.13 out of 5 stars

Rainier experience

Kevin, 03/09/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Rainier has proven to be comfortable and it performs well. The air suspension makes for a comfortable ride and the interior is very quiet. My city mpg has been about 14, and on a recent 2800 mile trip my highway mileage was just under 20 mpg with 4 passengers and a full load. The only problem I have had with the vehicle was a molding on the rear hatch that came loose.

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4.63 out of 5 stars

Rainier really shines

quarque, 03/09/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The best vehicle I've ever driven. Rides very well and is VERY quiet and comfortable. AWD with 275 HP 6 is fantastic. Air suspension and heated seats are just icing on the cake. The "pros" rate this car a "6" just because it is not a BMW or sports car. Frankly, I didn't want a sports car. I wanted quiet comfort and this is IT. The little extras like access to the air compressor make it sweet. I test drove Honda, Toyota and Nissan - no comparison to the solid, quiet feel of the Rainier. The Pilot was noisier than my old Blazer. I will keep this vehicle a very long time after paying $33k with 0% financing.

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4.75 out of 5 stars

Buick Rainier

J Byrd, 03/18/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Buick Rainier that my wife and I purchased was a being driven by the owner of the dealerships wife. The car is all that we had expected at this time in our ownership of it. The ride is exceptional and has all the room that we need since our kids are away at college. The power and handling seem to be fine also. We have not had the opportunity to take the car on an extended road trip to get an accurate estimate of highway millage but local driving seems to yield around 17 mpg. In short at this point my wife loves the car so I'm happy with it also

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4.13 out of 5 stars

Comfy ride

Kim, 03/19/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I haven't had it long. I had a 96 Blazer before moving up to this SUV. It is very comfortable and handles well. It has a lot of luxury features the my other SUV did not have. It is quiet. You don't hear a lot of extra road noise. It is a very smooth riding vehicle. I love it!

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4.38 out of 5 stars

Love my Rainer

sally, 04/03/2008
2005 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I have own my Rainer for 3 years and love the smooth, quiet driving. But most all I love my satellite radio, I will never go back to listening to AM or FM.

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4 out of 5 stars

Reliable Vehicle

Deal Stealer, 10/21/2021
updated 03/10/2025
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I bought this vehicle with 170,000 miles and have had it for about 2 years. I have had the front differential replaced, brake pads, rotors, calipers, and the radiator had a small leak which the previous owner informed me about. Even with the small radiator leak when I first purchased it the vehicle still drove very well. One can expect minor repairs with a vehicle over 150,000 miles but nothing to major considering I bought the vehicle for under 2,000 bucks ( a real steal) with no significant body or frame damage. Keep in mind that I drove the vehicle for almost a year before I replaced anything besides the radiator and never felt like it would break down on me. It's by far the most comfortable vehicle I've ever drove besides a Cadillac, I would recommend this vehicle to anyone if it is taking care of properly!! UPDATE: I bought this vehicle in 2019 with about 169,000 miles on it and besides replacing an old brake caliper, rotors, brake pads, coil pack, front differential and new tires, the only thing I have done is keep the oil changed. It’s important to note that I replaced all these things after about three years of owning the vehicle. It drives like a high end luxury vehicle. It has never left me stranded or failed to start. I have about 196,000 miles on it currently and it still feels just as dependable. I would definitely recommend buying this used vehicle if you can find one it good running condition. Updated Post. Still one of the most reliable vehicles I’ve ever owned. Getting close to 200,000 miles and still no major repairs even with the previous repairs mentioned, ( keeping in mind I bought the vehicle with over 150,000 miles) I am very confident this vehicle will be reliable for many years to come.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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2.75 out of 5 stars

Terrible in the Snow

Frank Grimes, 01/30/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful

For a vehicle with a $38,000 plus price, you would expect it to drive very well in the snow. This SUV does not even drive well in 2-3 inches of snow. The back end wants to slide all over the road. You would be better off and safer driving a car front wheel drive car in the snow.

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2.5 out of 5 stars

What were they thinking?

G. Toll, 12/12/2004
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful

For a car with a $38000 sticker, it was quite a surprise to learn what this car doesn't have, like - a second remote key, a valet key, a glovebox and under- hood light, and even a coat hanger. It does have a smooth, quiet ride, but you wouldn't expect on a test drive to have to search for items you would expect to find in a car costing one-third less. Buying this car is getting taken for a ride.

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4.63 out of 5 stars

Jan's Rainier

Roger Hall, 06/28/2005
2005 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

This is a wonderful car. Comfortable to drive on long and short trips. The Air ride makes for a very smooth ride. A very nice looking vehicle.

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1 out of 5 stars

Junk

Brenda, 06/25/2021
2005 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

A piece of crap been in the shop since last year the people can not find the problem so I am stuck with no vehicle

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