While other grand touring coupes from the era that deliver better performance, the Buick Reatta has very distinctive styling. This 1988 Reatta is available here on eBay in Schaumburg, Illinois with a Buy it Now price of $8,000.
Buick designed the Reatta as a halo car, meant to attract owners to other vehicles in the Buick’s lineup, but the company sold just 21,751 Reattas during the 1988 to 1991 model years. For what it’s worth, Buick originally anticipated selling a minimum of 10,000 Reattas per year.
This example features a tan interior with the optional 16-way power adjustable seats. Reattas also featured a touchscreen computer known as the Electronic Control Center, which included radio and climate control functions, a trip computer, and information for the coupe’s electronic systems.
A 3.8-liter V6 engine is under the hood, which pairs to a 4-speed automatic transmission to drive the front wheels. From the factory, the engine made 165 horsepower and 210 lb.-ft. of torque.
Just 68,318 miles are shown on this Reatta’s digital odometer. And talk about a very ’80s dash.
Due to its steep MSRP for the time, the Reatta never met Buick’s projected sales goals. Somewhat ironically, the seller of this Reatta prices it much higher than comparable examples on the market – these cars usually fetch between $3,000 and $5,000. Despite this, would you try and talk the seller down for this clean Buick coupe?
Really like the 80’s style on these. I have really only owned British sports cars but this Buick has me very interested until I see that god awful dash. And you can’t drive with your eyes closed.
I would love to know how many millions gm lost building this and the cadillac allente both complete sales flops
I’m still kicking myself for not buying one in 2009 when I had the chance. It sat on the Chevy dealers lot next town over for about 3 months. When I went to look at it the salesman indicated nobody had ever asked about it.
I eventually bought three cars from that salesman. They treated me right
My dad had one of these, thankfully one of the later ones after they’d ditched that god-awful CRT in the dash.
Decent driver, very reliable, and with lots of unusually elegant and complex (for GM) engineering, a decent enough car. Honestly though, if they’d sunk the development costs for this car into the Allante, they’d have had a solid contender there instead of two also-rans.
The “god-awful” CRT was the only thing that made these unique and one without it is really just a Riviera. Anytime buyers look at these the CRT is the only thing we look for because of how innovative it was then and is now. This is what killed the cars technology, American Luddites that were terrified of moving forward to new technology when American makes introduced it, but when Lexus introduces this SAME technology a couple years later every praised it. The American car industry keeps killing itself.
The main problem with the sales not meeting expectation on this car was the lack of power. The 3800 is a good performer for a family sedan but the buyer of a two seater expected something more. The sad thing is that this was realized a little too late. The 92 model, which was never made, already had the supercharged 3800 series II engine set to go in. All the plans were done and part numbers assigned, then the plug got pulled. A real shame. There were a few engineering test mules that were cool. One had a GN engine with Corvette IRS, yes a rear wheel drive version. Then there was a high boost turbo FWD. A couple of other variants, as well.
Now all you get are SUVs.
2 seater non convertible Buick = 3 strikes. 3.8 was decent performer IMHO.
The Reatta was also available in a convertible model in ’90 and ’91. There were 2,132 ragtops made in ’90 out of a production of 8,515 total made. Out of 1,519 total in ’91 305 were ragtops. I have to say of the 3 Reatta’s I now own they by far are the most comfortable car you can drive for long distance drive. They were not made for speed like a Corvette, but maybe due to the fact these were all hand built is why they ride like a dream down the highway. A Mini Riviera with two seats, also built on the Riviera chassis with a boxed frame, so obviously heavier than the Rivi. I drove my latest purchase ’91 coupe just under 1100 miles from Montana to Norcal in two days, and was surprised how non- tired I was at the end of the drive. Also the 3.8L Buick v6 is one of the top 10 best engines ever built, just an fyi. These were not a car designed for a tall person also, 6′ or over may be a struggle to get comfortable.
Also just wanted to mention the seats in this ’88 do NOT have the 16 way seat, just the standard 8 way power set up. I have an ’88 also same exact color combo with the 16 way seat. The car offered here is also a good $4k overpriced IMO.
Thank you for an 80’s Buick that isn’t black.
If anybody wants one of these CHEAP, this one has been on my local CL for over a year, not kidding. $1,500.
https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d/1988-buick-reatta-coupe/6832649981.html
Appears to be a nice car and worth the money if it checks out.
I have one… an 89 with 47k miles. Love it. Not a lot of power. I wish it had the supercharged motor in it, but still my favorite car to drive.
Ugly, yes ! Garbage , pretty much! Performance? Defiantly not! Cool factor??? Not sure these will be worth much ever until the last one lives! Might have better luck with a fiero! Lol!
I consider it a damn shame that the Fiero was discontinued when It was.
I live in Southwest Florida. One of my neighbors has 2 Reattas. At present. there are seven listed on Craig’s list between here and Orlando. They jut don’t bring much money; too many cars, too few buyers.
I’ve always loved the Buick Reatta. I remember when they were on the market. At the time, I was hoping it would replace the aging Riviera. It’s a damn shame that it didn’t.
I had one new,,,nice driver but total slug….way too heavy for that 3.8 V-6. I dumped it in a hurry after having Grand Nationals. I would pay 3500-5000 for a nice convertible..
I can’t speak to the rest of the car, but that 3.8L V-6 will run forever.
The 3.8 will run forever but it’s delivery was absolutely
Awful. One of the worst
Engines that gm ever built as far as aural pleasure goes and even worse for its lack of power. My SSE Bonneville used to fall on its face FLAT after the 3k rpm mark. Pure junk
I have yet to own one, but I’ve been a Reatta admirer for many years. Is nobody going to mention that these cars were manually-assembled in a special plant? The touchscreen was way ahead of it’s time hence problematic and Buick gave up on it after ’89.
My wife had a ’97 LeSabre with the same bulletproof 3.8: one of the legendary engines ever to come out of Detroit. ‘ Guess I’m giving myself away here but I thought the LeSabre was pretty lively – but then, I’m used to driving MGs. In terms of raw power, the 3.8 wins by a factor of almost 2. I figured that with the smaller, lighter Reatta in tow, the 3.8 would be quite impressive. ‘ Guess the performance guys among us would consider any car a slug if it doesn’t make zero to 60 in under 6 seconds. I’ve heard other owners describe them as very fast cars. Hmmm…
Huh, I’d always read the touchscreens were dead reliable — at least within new-buyer ownership terms, decades later maybe not so much — but people expected them to become problematic, so that along with usability concerns and buyer appeal (or lack thereof) led GM to ditch them in favor of physical buttons when they redesigned the interior for ’90.
After Buick ditched the touchscreen in 1990, Oldsmobile picked it up for the Toronado, but it color, it was an option through the end of the Toronado run in 1992. The GCC(Graphic Control Center) as Buick named it was re-christened the VIC, Visual Information Center, it added a set of real buttons along the side of the for the most used functions, which improved the user friendly-ness of the system.
Some of the screen components for the color monitors were made by Sony from what I recall.
These were made at the LCC, the Lansing Craft Centre, and yes, GM did add the ye olde English spelling for center to class it up a bit.
They were made by teams, the car moved from one station to another, workers had the ability to stop the line if there were any issues with a car, lots of the assembly techniques from the LCC were later adapted on a wider scale at the then new Spring Hill Saturn plant a few years later,
The LCC made the GM-EV1 after Reatta production ended, later they were also used for small batch niche cars, the Cavalier and Sunfire convertibles were made there, as were the last few years of Cadillac Eldorado production, the last car that was made at the LCC was the Chevrolet SSR from what I recall.
Olds had the GCC in their Troféo the exact time that the Buick had it, Olds just didn’t give up on it like Buick did and continued to develop it. Can’t helieve Buick is even still alive….yuck. As for the 3.8 that engine delivered the worst sounds of any automobile ever in the history of life and fell flat on its face after 3k rpm.
Too bad you don’t have the right answers
They only crossed over one year, 1989. That’s all I’m going to say to you, you post like 12 year old that’s had 4 cokes back to back……go to bed.
My comment was meant to reflect that even when Buick had it and had given up on it that when Olds got it in 1989 they continued to work on it when Buick was done. Olds added the color graphics to keep trying to develop it when Buick just said “we’re done…”. Olds did far much more development on it and EVEN used it as the basis for their guidestar navigation system.
And here’s more proof that Olds was still developing the technology with the FIRST use of Navigation with the GCC and its use of talking Navigation guidance at the 6:36 mark. Now lemme go drink my Cokes and go to bed….
https://youtu.be/NCGmxk3H44g
https://youtu.be/NCGmxk3H44g
So what’s wrong with the sound of this engine? If an engine works well, the sound it makes is the sound of an engine working well. There must be computer apps that will supplement the exhaust sound to your taste.
I had a 3800 in my SSE Bonneville and from 0-3k rpm is was fine but right after that mark it sounded rather agricultural and fell flat. The torque was strong but it felt so strained. The 3.4 DOHC that was later developed for other use in GM’a stable made all the right sounds and would’ve been more at home in the Reatta to help it’s sporting character but it’s reliability wasn’t anywhere near where the 3.8 3800’s. The 3800 just left a lot to be desired in its N/A application imo. The sounds it made aren’t isolated to my comment, many journalists made note of this in many reviews.
Ive owned one the last 6 years. I wanted a newer “classic” and something unique.I call it Riviera Jr, as I had one of those prior Ive never had any trouble with it. However, being white it doesnt stand out much. Lots of electronics for its era. Im told it was the first AMERICAN car with an onboard user computer. It was indeed hand built, each department signed off in the owner’s manual as it was completed. Motor is reliable, and I wouldnt call it fast nor slow. Medium. Large gas tank, good freeway cruiser, and is getting 21 mpg’s today.
I agree with you Ronn, I have 3 in my stable, ’88,’89, and ’91. Soon to find a Gunmetal Grey ragtop. My ’91 is white on flame red. These are a unique car and fun to drive. I tell people If you want speed then go buy a two seat Corvette. I get good compliments often when driving my silver ’89 or the ’91. These can get 28-30 mpg on the highway. Personally I like the car and do my own work on it, electronics and all.
Believe it or not, the first American cars with an onboard computer pre-date the Reatta by almost a decade, Cadillac offered a trip computer in 1978 that was the WORLDS first production car with a digital dashboard and an onboard trip computer that actually gave “real time” data back to the driver like mph, rpm, range, etc.
I had an opportunity to buy a one-owner Reatta ragtop locally in beautiful pale metallic blue. Seller had it priced to move because the dash didn’t work. I spent a minute looking up the specs on the digital dash and found that GM had even published detailed diagnostics to walk through the error codes in order to repair. I’m pretty IT-centric, but reading this tech bulletin gave me a headache so I moved on. I’ve also wanted an Allante for years. All the car mags hail these two cars as collectibles of the future — been going on that premise for twenty odd years now!
If something goes haywire, like you mention, they aren’t that difficult to repair.
I used to travel extensively, and National Car Rental use to carry them (wonder how many of their “sales” were to car rental companies…) so I’d grab one while they were available. It was almost fun to drive, but they went overboard on the “Fine Corinthian Plastic” which was everywhere, it made it the typical cheap-ass GM produced car of that time. If they had added a little “Je Ne Sais Quoi” to the interior, it might have stuck with the public.