Vehicle Description
There's a small but very passionate group of enthusiasts who
celebrate Buick's innovative Reatta, and should you like to join
that elite group, this 1990 convertible makes an excellent calling
card. Showing just 60,426 original miles, this beautifully
maintained Reatta was a treasured toy from the very beginning and
it shows.
Much more than just a 2-seater Riviera, the Reatta was designed as
a halo vehicle for the entire Buick lineup, and perhaps for all of
GM. It proved that the General was still willing to take risks and
put out cars that didn't quite fit in the established categories.
You can't argue against the look, which is low and swoopy, with
folding headlights and a very cool wrap-around greenhouse (when the
top is on), and it's still handsome today and not nearly as dated
as many of its corporate siblings. The bright white paint is
probably a little too nice to be factory original (although because
this is likely an older respray, it looks similar to a
survivor-grade finish, but the modern texture and the obviously
re-painted pinstripes tell us that this Reatta was probably
resprayed several years ago), and despite a few imperfections and
signs of age mostly concentrated around the front and rear bumper
areas, it looks really great for a 32-year-old car. The low miles
and overall preservation strongly suggest a car that has been
treated as an object worthy of preservation from the very
beginning, and it's proof that not all GM cars struggled with
quality back in the '80s. Overall, the car is in great shape with a
nice gloss, great panel fit, and dark, right black details that
haven't been baked by UV rays. And now that it's over 25 years old,
you can take this one to an AACA meet and grab your HPOF
trophy!
In the same vein, the maroon leather interior shows far less wear
than you'd expect for its age and miles, with great-looking bucket
seats that are still supple. These multi-adjustable power chairs
are still comfortable after all this time while showing only minor
comfort marks in some of the high-traffic areas (mostly the
driver's seat bolsters) and with the rest of the maroon interior in
such wonderful condition, it'll be easy to convince yourself to
spend some quality time here. Almost everything was standard in the
Reatta, including A/C (blowing cold), a tilt column, power windows,
locks, and seats, and cruise control. They also came with a neat
digital dash which can be problematic in lesser examples but
remains fully functional here, and it really is cool technology.
The only non-stock item is the modern Alpine AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit
that was installed in the factory slot, although if purity is your
thing, the original AM/FM/Cassette stereo comes with the sale. The
black vinyl convertible top is in very good shape and obviously
hasn't been used much (further proof that this has always been a
fair-weather car), and it stows away nicely underneath a maroon
boot. There's nicely trimmed built-in storage behind the seats and
a generous trunk that doesn't look like it's ever been used to
carry anything more serious than a day bag.
Buick's bulletproof 3800 3.8-liter V6 was the only engine
available, and thanks to its impressive torque, the Reatta feels
quite quick around town. It's also pretty thrifty, with owners
reporting better than 25 MPG on the highway without even trying.
Well maintained, the engine bay is tidy and you can see where GM
went the extra mile to make it look attractive in their premium
coupe, and this engine is the first appearance of DIS
(distributorless ignition system) on a GM product, quite an
innovation for 1990. Backed by a sturdy 4-speed automatic overdrive
transmission, it zips through traffic easily and is a relaxed
cruiser on the highway, making it the ideal road trip vehicle.
Power 4-wheel disc brakes and a fully independent suspension tuned
as much for comfort as for handling mean it's perfect if you've
matured a bit from your muscle car days. Clean 5-spoke alloy wheels
are in great condition and wear 215/65/15 blackwall radials.
Fun, affordable, and unique enough to stand out in a crowd, this
Reatta is a great starter collectable or the right addition to a
Buick collector's stable. Call today!
