Someday, I will be old (or am I already?) It’s a fact of life. And someday, there’s going to be a young feller strolling around a car show, looking at my old BMWs or a yellow HiAce van, and give me a look that says: this is what you spent your money on? And that will be fine, because I’m old and can do whatever the hell I want. This 1986 Buick Riviera is an incredible survivor, and one that has been lovingly preserved since new with only 15,745 miles. Find it here on craigslist for $17,500.
I bring up the scenario above because I have no doubt this Riviera belongs to a more experienced member of our population. The Riviera was a vehicle you were proud to own, given its history in American car folklore, one that my grandfather’s generation aspired to own in their twilight years. Even if it was far from the best engineered car the General ever made, it didn’t matter – the name said it all. This Riviera has been shown extensively, and taken home numerous awards as evidenced by badges like these.
The seller notes the Riviera recently took home a “Top 40” award in a field of 250 vehicles (it was number 22). I can see why, as the paint is damn near perfect, just like the interior, and even the underside still shows factory red paint. In fact, there’s red everywhere, with an interior featuring red surfaces from the carpets to the door panels. This was typical of the era, but it’s still amazing to see a proclaimed “high grade” car like the Riviera not have leather seating surfaces inside. By the way, thanks to Barn Finds reader Ian C. for the find.
These are the images that warm my heart, as I hope to spend my golden years showing off the various cars and trucks I’ve collected, and will hopefully be well enough to enjoy them as this gentleman has. He’s got good taste in car covers, as the California brand is one of the best. Trunk carpets look pretty spiffy as well, just like the rest of the car. The asking price is high, but examples like this beg the age-old question of, “Find me a better one.” If you have to own a Riviera of this generation, I’d say confidently this is the one to buy.
I was working at a Buick dealer in those days, and I think the only options were leather and sunroof.
Don’t forget the baseball bat and the “Members Only” track suit. The only person I can picture driving these cars are low-level Teamsters officials from Youngstown, Ohio or Joe Pesci
Yawnnnn. Well you get a new comfy car for 17.5, but a show car? I think I would show it off at the grocery store, or at work, but I would just drive it.
It is a beautiful representation of a day gone by… some one will buy it, and I think it’s a fair price, but I think the Toronado of the era is a bit better looking.
Interesting find
I had one. I don’t want another one.
When the screen goes out, you are stuck.
Funny. There are no shots of the dash board showing the screen at all.
I think the best design point was where the license plate goes in. You have to open the trunk and the plate is theft proof.
I’ve seen this car and actually been following it for many years in hopes of buying it for my mother who is still very sad that she did not fix her Riviera after having an accident. I think she thought there was going to be a lot more out there that were as nice as hers. That car was absolutely spectacular and they were prone to electrical issues but if you were lucky and didn’t beat on your Riviera it would pay you back in spades. This particular car is the opposite color scheme then my mom’s was. But it still had the red velor interior and so much technology for the day. If she had 2-90 lb bags of Quikrete put in the trunk of the car (not that she would ever allow it) the rear suspension with only sag momentarily. The air ride suspension would just level off and it would let you know on the dash that the car was indeed doing so just in case you were bewildered wide the rear of the car was rising by itself. And if you drove like a regular person and did not abuse the car you would never have a problem with air ride because it would rarely be in use. Just like everything else in the car. I mean the car had a touch screen for everything from the tachometer and a whole host of gauges that you would not find on your average car, of course the amazing radio for its time, climate control HVAC, and even things way ahead of its time like amount of gas and the ETA of your destination if you were to put in the est. mileage. It would change statistics as well if you decided to speed up your trip or slow down the rate at which you were traveling. And highway traveling was one of the great attributes of this car. Driving in that car was like driving in a vault that soaked up every imperfection in the road and you would never hear any noise. You could tell something like that when the car door is closed. No rattles no squeaks. Buick put a lot of R&D into the 1986 Riv seeing that they were pretty much making it half the size of the 85 and prior. Everybody has had a love affair with the car in their lifetime I believe and the 1986 and only the 1986 Buick Riviera was my mom’s. I’m still following this Buick as it has been sold a couple times in the last decade.
Stunted runt of a Riviera.
Ahhhh, the height of tacky 80s design and luxury. I agree with the above post about being a teamsters ride. Or possibly the local divorcee cougar with big hair and a pack a day Virginia Slims habit. Sadly a common sight in the eastern Ohio/Western Pa. border. For me the great years for the Riviera ended in 1965.
Hey Chris, do you have a name or number for that divorced cougar with the big hair? Lol
Lol, that was 25 years ago. I would imagine she’s aquired quite a “patina” unlike the prized featured Buick in this listing.
This car should be out in a crusher amid cheers and beers. The guys who designed these were all subsequently dismissed from GM. Look at the sales numbers for the Rivera, Toronado, and the Eldorado and you will be shocked. This car was an abomination to the cars that preceded them. It truly was a shame.
Ugh!! Not one, but TWO of those (IMO) stupid, creepy kid statues leaning on the car! Otherwise, a very well, might I even say, OBSESSIVELY kept car! :-)
Don’t you just hate those! I can’t stand them! I can’t wait until they never again exist at a car show!
I rented one of these in Florida in 1987. It was the first time I had ever seen a video screen in a car. I think it controlled the radio, a/c, and a few other functions.
While trying to find a station or turn up the volume or some such thing, I smacked into the ass end of a truck. That was probably one of the first cases of distracted driving involving a video screen!
Dealing with the rental company wasn’t pleasant either…
Went through the lemon law with one of these in1986.It was a POS! Electronic problems!!
I was lucky enough to have rented a light blue Riviera in 1984 in Phoenix. The car rode and drove well and was comfortable cruising to Tucson and Las Vegas. It did not have the power or style off a 1966 Riviera I drove once but you have to consider the era. The biggest engines availabile in other personal luxury cars maxed out at 5 liters so it was competitive
Nice car but he is dreaming on the price ! They are not that collectible .
This is definitely a case of beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A kid today might be fascinated with this car, but I was a teenager when this body style debuted. I remember seeing it in an issue of Car and Driver and being horrified as to what they did following the ’79-’85 Rivieras that I thought were so elegant. Don’t even get me started on its twin the El Dorado. Even worse! I suppose it has acquired some charm with age, but that era of the boxes made by GM just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Cars from that era aren’t all bad (looking)… I think the Monte Carlo is one of the most beautiful cars GM ever made. In fact, I think the base model looks better than the SS version.
Did I mention I own a base model 85 Monte Carlo? :) I’ve had her 33 years and counting.
Paul: It didn’t help when the Eldorado was made to look even worse once the 85-86 Olds Calais appeared with it’s almost identical profile. In 2/3s scale.
Check out some pictures. All the style points, roofline, side trim, etc hit similar places points.
Sort of like BOP midsizers adopting an almost identical 75 Seville C pillar and trunk after the aero back fiascos.
Design whoring I think it’s called.
Well i have to comment. They may not match up to the early rivs, but in hindsight i have quite an appreciation for these years GM luxury cars. Quiet, comfortable, and nice riding. They literally make nothing like this anymore. To me luxury are soft cloth seats, not leather which is cold in winter and hot in the summer.
The material in these was ultra plush and soft. Literally nothing made now compares. Buicks are euro wanna bes with a stiff ride but without any of the prestige of an euro name.
Cadillacs are trying so hard to be performance cars to please the auto mag editors who would never buy a Cad anyway that theyve lost their luxury.
What is appealing about this car to me is its impeccable condition and unlikelihood that you will see another one at a car show.
With time not all change is progress and I look back at this era with fondness and im only middle aged.
Nice car. A testament to a real affection for it.
I would have to respect that and try to continue the legacy.
But that electronic dash ? I thought they were an expensive gimmick back then [as well as an expensive repair down the road] and think the same thirty odd years later.
Nobody wanted it when new
This car is visually just a big N body with none of the style the Riviera should have had.
A colossal marketing failure, up there with tha Cimarron, HT4100, Diesels, and other GM failures under Roger Smith
The styling actually got worse from here.
Probably not an untrue statement made here among all comments, but as one said beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for me cost and quality in return is what weighs heaviest in my Hip Pocket. No it isn’t a show car, or a collector car but when it comes to all else I look for first in a ride it has it all. I have driven Buicks for years and for me and I am speaking for me, they have given me the best return on my dollar of anything I have ever owened. I don’t know what engine is in this car haven’t read every item here, but besides the v/8’s Buick and GM built for years the great 401’s. 403’s, 455’s all which were usually in the Granpaw luxury cars, the 3.8 v/6 has to be the all around best engine they ever made, and delivered it all from dependability to gas mileage to adequate power and more. Have driven many hundreds of thousands of miles with little more than normal maintenance. Where I am going with this is yesthose electronics and screens and other crap are on everything you buy today and yes expensive when they go out. But cars have reached the unbelieavible cost of no return today and even when I was young and liked Muscle and power etc, I loved comfort and even more today in my waining years. 15K for a beautiful comfortable car almost new with 15k mileage short of the fact there is no warranty and it may be hard to find that screen if it goes out as opposed to a Kia RiceStink Hatchback be it a 2018, I would rather give the same money for the Buick and I would almost bet I can drive it as long as the Kia in Comfort and style, to the Show to see the Collector Car on the day it is hot, humid and unpleasant . There is a lot of discussion and opinion today about how great the”Old Cars” were as opposed to today’s but I will take the Rivera on an August day over a Model A anytime and I love’m allEnjoy whom ever buys it
Ron, the huge drawback on this car is the center screen which controls the climate control, the radio and other things.
They often went out and there were no redundant buttons.
It is very uncomfortable to drive a car with no A/C or radio or any other accessory, especially a luxury car.
I had one in 1986. The Graphic Control Center was an expensive item to repair. It was repaired under warranty 3 times. I traded the car in before the warranty expired. I owned another one a few years ago. You can now get the Graphic Control Center totally rebuilt for about $200. They are nice cars, but totally different from the 1979-1985 Rivieras. I have owned a number of those over the years as well.
I also love the old, big, Rivs (I still have a 72) and I had an 86 Riv. It was a nice, comfortable, surprisingly smooth riding (for its size) car great for cross country trips. I had no difficulty using the dash screen. I don’t know if this car is worth what he’s asking though. From what I’ve read elsewhere, those 86 digital dashes are hard to replace but the digital dash on my 84 Seville still works fine.
Love the FULLY Loaded Original Boattails the best! GS455 bucket seats and aircraft console and dash and riding smooth!
Sweet!…
Nope, not for me…
I was a sales manager with Oldsmobile when the Toronado version of this car came out and it was not well received. Especially by traditional Oldsmobile buyers.
It did have cool covered headlights though.