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Have you ever looked at a new car and thought, “This just isn’t like the one they used to make?” If you have, you likely saved some money and kept your memories of a favorite model generation alive. The Buick Riviera nameplate is revered by many, but its later iterations were nothing like the original. However, the seller of this 1985 Buick Riviera here on Hemmings is asking $34,000 – firm – for a car that’s still in the wrapper. While I applaud their ability to keep the car in good shape, this generation of the Riviera has never been considered collectible, and certainly hasn’t started to appreciate. I’m sure there’s someone else who loves this era of GM products out there, but they may be hard to find and especially at this price point.
“But can it really be worth $34k?”
No. It cannot.
This real-deal Riviera GS sold for only $7,600. Granted not the best year or color, but those factors are not in favor for this thing either. 1985 GM build quality and horsepower, plus it hasn’t been driven hardly ever, so probably lots of soft parts to replace if you want to drive it. It might make a nice living room couch, or even a decent cruiser, but this was never a great car. 34K will buy a lot of other, better things.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Buick-Riviera-GS-/252050083498?vxp=mtr&nma=true&si=jFte5GMNTD16CEOV%252FZ1YMifz9Y4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
seller is full of S***, look at the tires, not original, and have wear on edges that show more than 1600 miles. and not worth asking price, idiot!
That idiot statement is a bit harsh, don’t you think? There’s no doubt about it that this seller has a way over inflated opinion of this car, but know what you’re talking about before you start name calling. Those tires are exactly the tires that car would have had on it when it left the factory. While I do see plenty of dry rot in the tread grooves there is no abnormal wear that would make me question the mileage.
Again, this seller is way, way out of line on his price, but I don’t doubt the mileage. I do question his descriptions of “Mint”, “Museum Quality” and “Concours Worthy”. What I notice is that this car was most definitely not garage kept. It shows in all the exterior nooks and crannies and the deteriorated rear bumper fillers. I believe the power antenna is an aftermarket replacement and I know the moonroof is an after market add on. The factory roof has a rolled edge and no chrome or stainless molding around it.
The real idiot is the person that would pay his price. I can’t blame him for asking it. Maybe he doesn’t even REALLY want to sell it. But… If someone pays the price.
That’s the trouble with way too many sellers, especially in Hemmings. They want to put on a grand show, but have little to no investment in the outcome. Meanwhile they’ll rant and rave about all the fictitious BS they made up. And this is not new. I recall a 1975 HMN ad that ended with, “Not for sale unless someone wants to pay $XXXXX for it. I just love to show it off!”
I actually have a 1983 Riviera and as much as I love this body style, I could never imagine paying this much for one even if it was a convertible.
Is that water damage on the door panel or just 80s gm quality? Also looks a little rough on the trunk area. Door strikers show a lot of wear for the claimed miles. And sun fading on the seats.
There’s someone out there that’ll pay for a pristine 80’s car!
Looks like an after market power antenna.
34K? Sure, right after the seller gold plates it.
“can it really be worth $34k?”
Obviously not.
The bigger issue is that BF continues to publicize this tripe. How about we stop giving attention (and web traffic) to liars and cheats?
Here’s something to make you smile (and a good cause).
Awww that Lincoln looks too nice for that.
Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. Gratuitous destruction of any old car (unless it’s foreign or modern) makes me sick at my stomach.
When I was in 10th grade I had a beat-to-crap ’55 Ford. It barely ran and was my only car. Then the student body comes along with this grand idea of “finding an old junk car and selling hammer swacks for 25c”. What “old junk car” did they find? Only a perfect, stone-mint 1955 Ford Fairlane in two-tone Aquatone Blue and Snowshoe White. It was deemed “junk” simply because someone said it didn’t run. The chrome, upholstery, glass, paint, whitewall tires were all like brand-new.
I cried tears as I left the area because I couldn’t stand to watch this beautiful car get destroyed. The next day the school paper published a photo headlined, “Marina Students Pound 1955 Auto Into Junk”. It turned my stomach into knots. I would have given anything to have a car that nice.
So, while I’m not a huge fan of 1990 Lincolns…
Boy… do I LOVE your suggestion! Really! You can tell by the comments that a lot of this late-model and foreign flotsam is just pure crap anyway.
There was a non-running white one of these a few years ago the owner tried to give away for free, but found no takers. It finally went for scrap, and it was complete.
I like tripe. It goes great in home-made menudo!
Nice car, if that’s what you are in to. Buicks last year of making their own V-8 was 1980. These ones have Oldsmobile V-8. 307 cid or maybe 350 cid. Lots of smog and vac hoses. I remember seeing Olds 350 diesel in these FWD cars, but maybe only for Toros or Cadilac Eldos. The 80’s was dark dark time to be in auto repair business. IMHO…
Should be a 307 in this. The diesel was available as well.
I can sure agree with that. Music of the 80’s was great, but the cars were nothing but poor quality, under-engineered s**t, largely strangled to death by the very smog crap that was supposed to protect everybody.
Someone has been smoking too much crack.
JoeyG…
Ugh…..
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I’m sure there are folks who like these cars, but all I see is a ghastly looking example of why the early mid-eighties were such a low point for GM. Horrible car on so many levels…. “Best example of a 1985 Riviera in the world” is a bit like saying “world’s fastest snail” or “most attractive garbage landfill site…”
I think the seller’s had a bad case of “decimal point slippage”
Boy…I love your sense of humor! “world’s fastest snail”! Indeed!
Going by NADA, the top book (for a 307 V8 with AC) is $8849 (original MSRP of $16,710). NADA does not account for a pristine car (which this may be), but a pristine car is NEVER worth a 400% premium. This is true even for the rarest of rare cars. Undesirables like this are always less than 100%, most often in the 20-50% range. If this car, through some sort of magic trick, brought the original MSRP (albeit in deflated 2015 dollars) the seller should consider it a windfall. The ‘firm’ pricing on this is truly laughable.
This seller was absent from 5th grade the day they taught decimal points.
Don’s comment was only the slightest bit harsh. I think someone ought to contact the guy and offer 32.5, and see what he says…it would be most entertaining if he stuck to his guns at 34K.
I think seller is hoping somewhere out in the vast universe, a little boy was born about 1980 that always lusted after Grandma’s Buick, now has far more money than sense, knows nothing about car values and somehow reads this ad when it appeared on Hemmings. Well it could happen, maybe don’t you think ??
It has been known to happen, too many times.
Had a dk blue t-type years ago. Was a great driver. Doubt one of these will ever be worth the asking price of this one.
HaHaHaHaHa!!!!!!!!!LOLRATF
AND I Like these. Nice cruiser.
Very optimistic price. Very well kept, but lose those nasty wire wheel covers.
I’d rather have the T-Type with the turbo engine. Sorry Charlie. This one’s way over priced to say the least.
Reminds me of the 1970 ad that appeared in the L.A. Times, offering a 1960 Edsel 4-door sedan for $12,000.00. It wasn’t worth that then, and it still isn’t today.