Vehicle Description
Offering unusual looks, surprising performance, and a very
enthusiastic owner's community, this 1990 Buick Reatta is a
refreshing change of pace from the industry's most conservative
brand. A wholly untouched survivor, it shows just 69,334 original
miles and represents one of the last times GM took a risk.
Built in the Lansing Craft Centre, formerly the home of the EV1
electric car, the Reatta was unlike anything else in GM showrooms
in 1990. It was far more than just a shortened Riviera and offers
surprisingly agile handling and impressive performance from the
corporate 3.8 liter V6. The unique look has aged rather well, still
looking contemporary and the years have made it seem familiar, so
the wrap-around rear glass and short rear overhang look better
today than when it was new. The color has the somewhat uninspiring
name of "Driftwood," but it looks right on the upscale sportster
and that's all-original paint still clinging to the bodywork. It
has the typical GM orange peel, as well as a few bumps and bruises
that come with being 25 years old, but there's nothing that we'd
change because it looks all-of-a-piece and appropriate to the car's
age. And with the growing popularity of unmolested original cars,
it's always smarter to leave the nice ones alone.
Tan was the only choice when you specified the Driftwood paint, and
the handsome bucket seat interior is in excellent condition. Still
focused on luxury, the leather seats are comfortable and
supportive, showing minimal wear. The carpets are good, too,
showing only some light soiling that should be easy to address, and
the door panels are almost new. An all-new instrument panel with
electro-luminescent gauges was introduced in 1990, and combined
with the wrap-around console feeling of the cockpit, it looks very
high-tech. The trouble-prone touch-screen panel was gone in 1990,
replaced by conventional HVAC controls and the usual GM/Delco
AM/FM/cassette stereo system that sounds great in the hushed Buick
interior. Airbags were also standard equipment in 1990, as were
matching floor mats, power windows and locks, cruise control, and
just about every other comfort and convenience option GM could
devise. There's a good bit of storage space behind the seats and
the trunk is quite spacious, making the Reatta a superior road trip
vehicle that's a little out of the ordinary.
Buick's 3.8 liter OHV V6 engine is legendary for its durability and
longevity, and you can expect years of service still to come from
this one. It's great for low-end torque, so the Reatta feels quick
around town, and fuel efficiency with the 4-speed automatic
overdrive transmission is impressive even today. It's very nicely
kept under the hood with signs of regular maintenance, which
remains inexpensive and easy, even with the cutting-edge (for 1990)
distributorless ignition system. The suspension is fully
independent and perfectly straddles the ride/handling compromise
and this car makes for a wonderful daily driver. The underside is a
little grimy, but otherwise clean and showing the results of living
in a warm climate away from inclement weather. Bold 5-spoke wheels
are in excellent condition and wear 215/65/15 blackwalls for a very
un-Buick look.
Complete with the original owner's manual (which was a big deal all
by itself), this Reatta is an unusual footnote in GM history that
still makes a big impact today. Call now!