“The original Riviera was designed to be a personal luxury car. In the intervening two decades, that singular concept has remained unchanged. The car makes a forceful statement about you. The looks are classic. Elegant.” So says a 1984 Buick Riviera brochure showing these beautiful cars. This example is posted here on craigslist in Freeland, Michigan and the seller is asking $9,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Rocco B. for the tip!
What a beauty! It was a much different car by the time the sixth-generation Riviera rolled off the drawing board and the factory line, as it was a foot shorter than the previous cars were and it had front-wheel drive. The sixth-gen Riv was made for the 1979 model year until the end of 1985 and I’ve always wondered what a four-door Riviera may have looked like…
Maybe it’s good that they never offered a four-door Riviera, or maybe I need more Photoshop practice. This particular Riviera doesn’t look like it needs anything but a new owner, it appears to be in very nice condition. 36,000 miles is an average of only 900 miles a year. Riviera customers could get a convertible beginning in 1982 but they weren’t cheap, the equivalent of $77,000 in today’s dollars.
I expected to see leather inside after reading the seller’s description of this Riviera being fully loaded. The classic velour seats look perfect as they should after only 36,000 miles of rear ends being parked on them. I drive more than that every year so this car has really low miles. I’m surprised to not see an airbag here as Chrysler offered them in their LeBaron and other cars by this time, but it wouldn’t be long before the more luxurious Riv got them. As expected, the back seat looks perfect.
And here is that perfect back seat, in place of the engine photo that the seller didn’t provide. I’m assuming this car has a 307-cu.in. OHV V8 with around 140 horsepower but who knows. What we do know is that this car has a new battery, most of the exhaust is new, and it has new tires, new rear shocks, and a new power antenna. Hagerty is at $11,000 for a #3 good-condition Riviera, how much would you pay for this Riviera?
Rather have the Red caddy with 350, with same wheel covers.
I had an 81 Buick Riviera almost the same color with the same 307 driveline. And just like this one, it had velour interior instead of leather which was by no means a loss, because the seats were SO comfortable and drove like a dream. With such low miles and from what appears to be a solid body, at 9k, it’s definitely a great buy.
Close friends had 84 Riviera, dark blue with plush velvet interior 🏆. Beautiful, and IMO best Riviera ever. When they traded it for an 86 Downsized Olds Regency just shook my head 😳 😫. Yes this is definitely a Bon Marche 👌
I was in my early 20’s and I wanted one of these real bad.
I couldn’t convince the wife.
A few years later I wanted a buick grand national real bad.
I lost both conversations.
Marriage didn’t last long either lol
Why in the world would someone want a 4-door Riviera? There are plenty of people-haulers around. Even the current Charger. Anyway if the miles are genuine and this car is free from the tin worm, then the price is a steal.
Never saw a 4 door one
They never made one, just like they never made a 4-door gas-powered Mustang. The author was wondering what one would look like.
They wouldn’t have had an airbag in a 1984 GM car. Mercedes was the first brand to incorporate those as standard and that didn’t begin until 1985/86. GM wouldn’t start having them available in cars until around 1988. Look at a 1987 Grand National or GNX – no airbags in those either
The airbags in Riviera started in 1990.
Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile started offering driver side airbags in 1974 and discontinued them in 1976 due to their unpopularity (looked this up on the Cadillac history website). When I was in high school, a friend’s mother had a Cadillac sedan DeVille which I believe was either a 75 or 76 that had an air bag. Great big huge thing in the middle of the steering wheel. Really going attractive.
I think Chevrolet had about 600 Impalas with airbags in 1976. For some reason that’s in the deep recesses of my memory bank. Then again, at my age who knows? 🤷♂️
This information matches up with something that I read one time: GM had optional airbags available in the mid 70’s.
Probably an expensive option that only the “I want everything on my car” purchased.
I had a 1977 olds 98 with airbags. I was an allstate adjuster and the car was provided by gm. It had a record player type sizemagraph under the front seat. I had to change the disc every day and send them to gm. It got a small hit in a parking lot. I had to rent a car, have the lot protect it from movement and gm flew in a couple guys. Cool car . i was glad i was a little part of what has saved thousands of lives.
I looked as im getting old and my 98 was actualky a 72 model not 77. I bought a new 77 years ater but the gm test car was a 72 and aur bags came out a couple of years later on a few body styles. Long before the 80’s as someone stated
Sweet! This should seel quickly.
Looks like a really nice example, especially considering it’s from the rust capital.
I have two 85 models, one V8 and one turbo 6. The 8 isn’t a powerhouse, but it’s a great cruiser. The 1985 307 was the first with a roller cam& lifters. Very smooth and reliable.
Was always a bigger fan of the Eldorado rather than the Riviera of the time but this is an absolutely beautiful car. Much rather have the Velour interior than the leather. This looks extremely comfortable and with this low of miles, you’re buying something that will last. Nice ride.
Buick offered an optional “Air Bag” in 1975 on Park Avenue’s.
My 98 olds testcar was actualky a 72 model i had in early 71. Im getting old to remember dstes but just pulked the photots of it to maje sure
I harvested many interiors out of vehicles like this. One 80 Rivera gave me a flawless dark brown velour interior. My boss’s somewhat ne’er-do-well son abandoned it in our dealership lot. After plowing snow around it and soon approaching it’s one year anniversary, I complained to the boss. He instructed me to ” make it disappear”. The 350 Olds engine ended up in my father in law’s 78 Delta 88 coupe (LOTS of son in law points for that) plus l was able to use the transaxle/subframe in another project.
In the 90s, the salvage yard I most frequented didn’t care about interior parts. The young owner was a racer and really only put a value on mechanical parts. For $25 – $40 I could usually get as much out of the inside of a car as I wanted. All my trucks had leather seats, usually out of Cadillacs. The above photo is my 67 C50 wrecker with Cadillac Cimmeron power buckets and a Lumina van fold down buddy seat. The salvage yard owner died at a young age and the yard is now a modern Copart type place. No fun
Close friends had 84 Riviera, dark blue with plush velvet interior 🏆. Beautiful, and IMO best Riviera ever. When they traded it for an 86 Downsized Olds Regency just shook my head 😳 😫. Yes this is definitely a Bon Marche 👌
I have never wondered what a four door would look like, but that is just me. I do wonder about other things though.
Closeout special now marked down to $8200.
Price already reduced after only a few days. Motivated seller makes for a great deal. Someone should act fast. I would, if it were the next generation with the supercharged engine. I like the looks of that model better.
Not bad for $8k
$8200 for this much comfort, style, reliability, and uniqueness is borderline theft. And, it’s barely broken in. Kudos to the smart buyer who snags it.
Had a 81 no vinyl top only one i ever saw
Had a new 83, black w dove grey interior and half top, beautiful car, 307 was an anchor so underpowered, but such a beautiful car
I have a 1985 that is exactly the same interior and exterior as the gray 1984 in the article. My dad did bodywork as a hobby and was in the process of replacing the landau roof as well as headliner and a few other areas. The car had low miles and really hadn’t been driven regularly since 2011 but is very solid and in great shape. Truly luxury at its best!
I had an 85′ and miss that car dearly, a word about Airbags, The earliest car I remember seeing with airbags was the 1986 MB 560 SEL, ( My father drove one) Airbags became mandatory in 1990 ( the supplemental restraint act of 1990) 92′ was the first year all new cars had to have airbags! From 1990 till 92′ Some cars had automatic seat belts as allowed by a grace period! The car that comes to mind with said belts was the 90′ Escort!
I had 231 v6 in one.
Then that was a Turbo. If not, it was a 4.1L V6 with a 4 bbl.
Riverias are beautiful cars people actually drove cars. One problem with these is the front suspension wears out quickly due to weight and lack of maintenance. Otherwise, this or some POS Chevy SUV made today. I’ll take this 40 year old beauty.
It seems to be puffing some smoke in the first two photos, doesn’t it? Otherwise, it looks like a nice, clean, shiny old Riv.
Thanks for the imagined 4-door, Scotty – it’s been a while.
Good eye on the smoke, John, I didn’t even notice that. That four-door version wasn’t quite there, maybe I’ll work on that a bit, although it sounds like Barn Finds readers aren’t knocking down the door for a Riviera sedan. I just like to wonder “what if?”
Listing update: this one is gone, did one of you grab it?