Vehicle Description
Designed as a halo vehicle for the entire Buick lineup, the Reatta
is one of the most interesting American cars entering into classic
car status. With a strong and reliable powertrain borrowed from the
Riviera, an agile all-independent suspension, and a sporty two-seat
body full of every luxury option Buick could come up with, it
really is a terrific driver's car. This 1988 example is a nicely
presented coupe from the first year that launched the Reatta.
Workmanship is very good, because it was built at a factory
specially set up by GM to build these low volume personal luxury
cars. In fact, while General Motors is known for mass production,
this Reatta can almost be considered hand-crafted. So something
this carefully made looks great in a pristine white. The swoopy
design with folding headlights and a very cool wrap-around
greenhouse is still handsome today. It's so unique that people will
guess a value several times the asking price - a tribute to the
car's styling and presence. Of course what really helps on this
coupe is that it has been treated as a special car since day one.
Averaging around 1,000 miles a year, it shows signs of being
enjoyed, but not even the special Reatta five-spoke alloy wheels
have seen the wrong side of a curb.
Low mileage means less seat time, and so the burgundy leather
interior shows far less wear than you'd expect for its age. The
great-looking bucket seats are power adjustable so you can make
them armchair comfortable. Almost everything was standard in the
Reatta, including power windows, power locks, tilt steering column,
and cruise control. Your air conditioning, AM/FM/cassette stereo,
and information on the car are all controlled through a touchscreen
display in the center of the dash. Yes, you can get factory
touchscreen controls in a car from 1988!
One of Buick's most durable and well-developed engines, the
fuel-injected 3.8-liter V6 is torquey, efficient, and reliable. The
motor in this Reatta is original and unmodified, so it starts
instantly, idles easily, and drives as it should. It shows all
signs of proper maintenance, so you have a true gem under the hood.
The Reatta was meant to be Buick's Mercedes SL competitor, so on
the road it feel confident with even a little hint of a sporty
exhaust. The four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive,
fully independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes makes this
a great car for long hauls or fun weekends on the backroads.
This Reatta is a true collectable with less than 22,000 produced in
total, and only around 4,700 examples were built in 1988, its
inaugural year. So for those looking for a complete classic on a
budget, your extraordinary Buick awaits. Call today!!!
